Wesley Corpus

To Joseph Benson Date: LEWISHAM, July 31, 1773. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1773) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR JOSEPH,--I am glad you have preached so much abroad: this will everywhere do most execution. Some time since, I promised you to Billy Thompson for his fellow laborer the ensuing year; and you will have no cause to repent of it, for his heart (as well as yours) is in the work. Mr. Hopper desires to spend another year in the Newcastle Circuit. I refer it to him whether it would not suffice to have preaching at Newcastle five nights in a week. ‘God has made practical divinity necessary, and the devil controversially.’ [See heading to letter in Dec. 1751 to Bishop Lavington]. Sometimes we must write and preach controversially, but the less the better. I think we have few if any of our travelling preachers that love controversy. But there will always be men de pste [Titus i. 11:’whose mouths must be stopped.’]--Antinomians and Calvinists in particular. By our long silence we have done much hurt both to them and the cause of God.--I am, dear Joseph, Your affectionate brother.