Wesley Corpus

from heaven only to enslave the earth, stand ing over them with so horrible an aspect as damps the vigour of all who behold her :" and such a monster as this they cannot but regard as the bane of happiness, the destroyer of de light, and the imposer of numerous burdens too heavy to be borne; whence they naturally infer, that to cast off her yoke is the surest mark of a good understanding, and that the first rule of prudence is, " Be not wise over much ;" he who is so, they are persuaded, de stroys himself, and cannot be over-wise. To induce one who thus reasons to be wise unto salvation, he must have his mind enlight-. ened, and his judgment informed. That this absurd notion of true religion may be removed, he must be led to examine the truth, that he may perceive the monster of his imagination was a false image, and had neither the real shape or native loveliness of genuine piety ; that he may be taught to know that righteous ness hath looked down from heaven, in order that mercy may flourish upon earth, that men may have a light to guide them to her, whose ways are ways of pleasantness, and all whose paths are peace. He is to be convinced that religion forbids no pleasure butwhatwould deprivehim of agreater, nor requires any pain to be embraced, unless in order to obtain more than equal pleasure. The plain consequence ofwhich, he may readily observe, is, that a good understanding have all they that do thereafter ; and that there is the very same danger of being righteous over-much, provided a man knows what righteousness is, as of having over-much ease and safety in this life, or over-much happiness in the other. But the convincing a vicious man of these truths is only one step towards his conversion, and often no step at all, since every conviction is not a lasting one. No, a man who has long been wedded to a mistake, if he be at last convinced, will soon unconvince himself, if he wishes it, if his xvill opposes the truth, which has only fixed itself in his understanding, not in his heart. Old prejudices, though not soon dismissed, are easily received again ; and the new opinions