Wesley Corpus

Many years ago, when my son (as he styled himself for several years) Mr. Whitefield declared war against me, several asked, and that over and over, 'When will you answer Mr. Whitefield's book' I answered, 'Never. You have heard the cry, Whitefield against Wesley; but you shall never hear, Wesley against Whitefield.' I have been ever since a follower after peace; and when Mr. Hill so violently attacked me in the famous Paris Conversation, [A Conversation between Richard Hill, Esq., the Rev. Mr. Madan, and Father Walsh, Superior of a Convent of Benedictine Monks at Paris, held in the said Convent, July 13, 1771. . . . Relative to some Doctrinal Minutes advanced by the Rev. Mr. John Wesley, &c. 1772. See Green's Anti-Methodist Publications, No. 437.] I was as a man that heard not and in whose mouth were no reproofs. When he fell upon me again in his Five Letters, [Five Letters to Rev. Mr. Fletcher, 1771.] I still made no reply; nay, I chose not to read it, for fear I should be tempted to return evil for evil. When he assaulted me a third time more vehemently than ever in his Review, [Fletcher's Second Check to Antinomianism called forth Hill's A Review of all the doctrines taught by the Rev. Mr. John Wesley, 1772. See Green's Bibliography, No. 283; and letter of July 10 to his brother.] I still determined to answer nothing. But it was not long before one of my friends sent me word that I could no longer be silent and be innocent; it being my bounder duty as a public person not to let the good that was in me be evil spoken of, but, according to the direction of the Apostle, to give a reason of the hope that is in me, only with meekness and fear. I was convinced. I did not dare to be silent any longer, and I have accordingly answered the questions he proposed to me and removed those objections which otherwise would have turned the lame out of the way. [Some Remarks on Mr. Hill's 'Review of all the Doctrines taught by Mr. Wesley,' which is dated Sept. 9, 1772.] I wish I may have done it with the inimitable sweetness and gentleness that Mr. Fletcher has done. His letters (as vilely as they have been misrepresented) breathe the very spirit of the gospel.