Wesley Corpus

T 2 twenty 212 A FARTHER APPEAL, Part IT. twenty pounds. And what multitudes of you are very Jealous, as to the colour and form of your apparel, the least important of all the circumstances that relate to it, while in the most important, the expence, they are without any concern at all? They will not put on a Scarlet or Crimson Stuff, but the richest Velvet, so it be black or grave, They will not touch a coloured Ribband ; but will cover themselves with a {tiff Silk from head to foot. They cannot bear Purple: but make no {cruple at all of being clothed in fine Linen; yea, to such a degree, that the Linen of the Quakers is grown almost into a proverb. Surely you cannot be ignorant, that the sinfulness of fine apparel hes chiefly in the ex pensiveness. In that it is robbing God and the Poor; it is defrauding the fatherless and widow ; it is wasting the food of the hungry, and with-holding his raiment from the naked, to consame it on our own lusts, 7. Let it not be said, That this affects only a few among you, and those of the younger and lighter sort, Yes at does; your whole body : for why do you, who are elder and graver, suffer such things? Why do ye not vehemently reprove them ? And if they repent not, in spite of all worldly considerations, expel them out of your Society? In conniving at their sin, you make it your own ; you, especially who are Preachers, Do you say, They cannot bear it; they will not hear: alas, into what state then are ye fallen! But whether, they will bear it or not, what is that to thee ? Thou art to speak, Whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear.” To say the very truth, I am afraid you rather strengthen their hands in their wickedness. For you not only “ do not testify against it in the congregation, but even sit at their table and reprove them