Wesley Corpus

06 To James Hutton

John Wesley

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John Wesley, “06 To James Hutton”. Wesley Corpus,
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To James Hutton Date: BRISTOL, November 14, 1741. DEAR JEMMY, Almost ever since the beginning of my illness See previous letter. (which it has now pleased God in some measure to remove) it has been much upon my mind, especially when I knew not but my Lord was requiring my soul of me, to cause a few words to be written in my name to you or some of the Brethren; and I look upon yours as a providential indication that the time of doing it is now come. I am afraid that the Moravian teachers who have been lately in London (I mean Mr. Spangenberg, Molther, and the rest) have, with regard to my brother and me (I speak plainly), acted contrary to justice, mercy, and truth. 1. To justice. Is it just for you, my brethren, to enter thus into other men's labors without (I speak of present things), nay, quite contrary to, the judgment and consent of those who were laboring therein before Let us put a case. Suppose I, having learned German perfectly, should in the neighborhood of Marienborn, or in Herrnhut itself (the thing is supposable, if not practicable), go and preach directly contrary to the judgment and consent of the Count, I should think myself to be equally just with a robber on the highway. 2. To mercy. For where is your mercy in separating chief friends, in alluring from us to yourselves by oily words those who have grown up with us from the beginning, who have with us borne the burthen and heat of the day, and were till lately determined to live and die with us I mean (to mention no more) Mr. Gambold, Hutchings, Kinchin, and my brother Hall. What use are these of to you now you have them although, indeed, they are utterly useless to us. What possible end could the bereaving us of them answer, except it were this that, by necessitating us to undergo labours which our bodies could not bear, you might hasten our return to Him that sent us For my part, I cannot but declare my sense to be this that, if I had now gone hence, I should have fallen in my uprightness, but my blood would God have required at your hands.

3. As to truth. How little have you regarded that golden rule 'Let love be without dissimulation'! How much, very much, of reserve, darkness, and evasion has been in all your proceedings! so much that in very deed I know not now where to have you or how to understand what you say. I know not whether you receive the gospel as the adequate rule either of faith or practice. The good God have mercy upon you if you do or if you do not. To Him I commend my cause, and remain Your sincere friend.