Wesley Corpus

(3) 'Mr. Wesley is become an apologist of those who burned the chapel in Edinburgh.' Is not this said purely ad movendam invidiam ' to inflame the minds of the people' For it has no shadow of truth. I never yet wrote nor spoke one word in their defence. 'He urged the rabble to light that fire.' No more than he urged them to dethrone the King. (4) 'Does Mr. Wesley intend to sound Alecto's [Alecto was one of the Furies, whose head was covered with snakes.] horn or the war-shell of the Mexicans' All this is cruel aspersion indeed, designed merely to inflame! What I intend is neither more nor less than this--to contribute my mite to preserve our constitution both in Church and State. (5) 'They were the Scotch and English regicides who gave rise to the Irish massacre.' 'The Irish massacre'! Was there ever any such thing Was not the whole account a mere Protestant lie Oh no! it was a melancholy truth, wrote in the blood of many thousands. But the regicides no more gave rise to that massacre than the Hottentots. The whole matter was planned several years, and executed before the King's death was thought of. 'But Mr. Wesley is sowing the seeds of another massacre'! Such another as the massacre of Paris 6. 'Was he the trumpeter of persecution when he was persecuted himself' Just as much as now. Cruel aspersions still! designed and calculated only to inflamed he then abet persecution on the score of conscience No, nor now Conscience is out of the question. 'His letter contains all the horrors invented by blind 'misguided zeal, set forth in the most bitter language.' Is this gentleman in his senses I hope not. Else I know not what excuse to make for him. Not one bitter word is in my letter. I have learned to put away all bitterness, with all malice, But still this is wide of the mark; which of these three points does it prove