Wesley Corpus

Afterward it follows: ‘What persons could in the nature of things have been (antecedently) less liable to exception, with regard to their moral character at least, than those the all-wise God hath now employed Indeed, I cannot devise what manner of men could have been more unexceptionable on all accounts. Had God endued us with greater natural or acquired abilities, this very thing might have been turned into an objection. Had we been remarkably defective, it would have been matter of objection on the other hand. Had we been Dissenters of any kind, or even Low Church-men (so called), it would have been a great stumbling-block in the way of those who are zealous for the Church. And yet, had we continued in the impetuosity of our High Church zeal, neither should we have been willing to converse with Dissenters, nor they to receive any good at our hands.’ [Works, viii; 226-7.] Sir, why did you break off your quotation in the middle of this paragraph, just at ‘more unexceptionable on all accounts’ Was it not on purpose to give a wrong turn to the whole, to conceal the real and obvious meaning of my words, and put one upon them that never entered into my thoughts 5. You have reserved your strong reason for the last--namely, my own confession: 'Mr. Wesley says himself, “By the most infallible of proofs, inward feeling, I am convinced of pride, &c.” ‘Sir, be pleased to decipher that’ &c. ‘Or I will spare you the pains, and do it myself, by reciting the whole sentence [See letter of Oct. 30, 1738, to his brother Samuel.]: ‘By the most infallible of proofs, inward feeling, I am convinced (1) Of unbelief; having no such faith in Christ as will prevent my heart from being troubled, which it could not be, if I believed in God, and rightly believed also in Him; (2) of pride throughout my life past, inasmuch as I thought I had what I find I have not.’ (Journal, i. 415.) Now, sir, you have my whole confession. I entreat you to make the best of it. But I myself ‘acknowledge three Methodists to have fallen into pride.’ Sir, I can tell you of three more. And yet it will not follow that the doctrines I teach ‘lead men into horrid pride and blasphemy.’