To William Robarts Date: FROME, September 12, 1782. I was much concerned when I saw you last; and as 'life for delays no time will give,' especially my life, which is far spent, I take the first opportunity of speaking once for all. You are in a large way of business, wherein I suppose you dear one (if not two or three) hundred a year. Over and above that you have an estate which, if you gave above thirty years' purchase, is an hundred a year. You have neither son nor daughter; and yet you cannot afford sixpence a month for the Magazine! Nay, you could not afford to give a guinea in a pressing case, viz. at the instance of an old tried friend! Are you, then, in more debt than you can pay Or is your trade gone, so that it will no more than keep your house Do you clear nothing in the year If so, you may still lay up the annual income of your estate. (What you could sell it for is nothing to the purpose; you do not need to sell it.) Are you not, then, 'laying up treasures upon earth' And how is this consistent with Scripture Surely no more than living in adultery or habitual drunkenness. Those words of St. Paul have for some time past been much impressed on my mind, 'If any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, with such an one, no not to eat.' Now, I cannot dear you of covetousness, deep, uncommon covetousness, such as I very rarely meet with. I do not know that in forty years I have asked a guinea of any other man that has denied me! So I have done! I give you up to God. I do not know that you will any more be troubled with Your former Friend. Wesley was mistaken in his judgment, as the following reply from Robarts on September 16 shows. He was evidently using all possible economy that he might escape failure in business.

VERY DEAR SIR, You sat in judgment on me as long ago as Mr. Hindmarsh James Hindmarsh was Assistant of the Devon Circuit in 1775. was here and condemned me unheard; and though I then was, and yet am, conscious of my innocence in that respect, you still hold me guilty, and now incline to treat, at least to esteem, as an heathen man or a publican. Had you admitted me to answer in person, I could have given you satisfaction; but shall not commit it to paper, which may perhaps come to other hands before yours. But that I am not 'laying up treasures upon earth,' that I am not convinced of 'deep, uncommon covetousness,' that I am convinced you have wronged me and are severe and uncharitable in your censure, I do and must inform you; for the truth of which I appeal to that righteous God who is both yours and mine. Where, then, is that charity that thinketh no evil I am really grieved, and not without cause. Four or five if not seven years you have thus treated your honest and generous but injured son in the gospel,