Wesley Corpus

Hebert well observes: If so thou spend thy time, the sun will cry Against thee; for his light was only lent. [The Temple, The Church Porch, XIV, where it reads ‘If those take up thy day.’] And I can’t but think if you earnestly cry to Him who with every temptation can make a way to escape, [Mrs. Madan here adds a note: ‘And this, I bless God without any alteration of worldly circumstances or my situation of life, was done.’] He will deliver you from abundance of that impertinence which has hithero swallowed up so many of your precious moments. To Dr. Lavington, Bishop of Exeter Ecce iterum Crispinus! [Juvenals Satires, iv. 1: ‘Again Crispinus comes!’] LONDON November 27, 1750. MY LORD, -- 1. I was grieved when I read the following words in the Third Part of the Enthusiasm of Methodist and Papists Compared [See letters of Feb. 1, 1750, and Dec. 1751, to him.]: ‘A sensible, honest woman told the Bishop of Exeter, in presence of several witness, that Mr. John Wesley came to her house and questioned her whether she had “an assurance of her salvation.” Her answer was that “she hoped she should be saved but had no absolute assurance of it.” “Why, then,” replied he, “you are in hell, you are damned already.” This so terrified the poor woman, who was then with child, that she was grievously aired of miscarrying, and could not in a long time recover her right mind. For this, and the Methodists asking her to live upon free cost, she determined to admit no more of them into her house. So much is her own account to his Lordship, on whose authority it is here published.’ 2. This renewed the concern I felt some time since when I was informed (in letters which I have still by me of your Lordship's publishing this account, both at Plymouth in Devonshire and at Truro in Cornwall, before the clergy assembled from all parts of those counties, at the solemn season of your Lordship’s visiting your diocese. But I was not informed that your Lordship showed a deep concern for the honor of God, which you supposed to be so dreadfully violated, or a tender compassion for a presbyter whom you believed to be rushing into everlasting destruction.