Wesley Corpus

‘Darkness, though contrary to light, is yet absolutely necessary to it. Without this, no manifestation or visibility of light could possibly be.’ This is absolutely new and surprising. But how is it to be proved Thus: ‘God dwelleth in the light which no man can approach. Therefore light cannot be manifested to man but by darkness.’ (Page 189.) Ah, poor consequence! Would not the same text just as well prove transubstantiation ‘Light and darkness do everything, whether good or evil, that is done in man. Light is all power, light is all things and' nothing.’ (Ibid.) I cannot conceive what ideas you affix to the terms ‘light’ and ‘darkness.’ But I forget. You except against ideas. Can you teach us to think without them Once more: you say, ‘Darkness is a positive thing, and has a strength and substantiality in it’ (page 182). I have scarce met with a greater friend to darkness, except' the illuminated Jacob Behmen.’ But, sir, have you not done him an irreparable injury I do not mean by misrepresenting his sentiments (though some of his profound admirers are positive that you misunderstand and murder him throughout), but by dragging him out of his awful obscurity, by pouring light upon his venerable darkness. Men may admire the deepness of the wall and the excellence of the water it contains; but if some officious person puts a light into it, it will appear to be both very shallow and very dirty. I could not have borne to spend so many words on so egregious trifles, but that they are mischievous trifles: Hae nugae seria ducent In mala. [Horace's Ars Poetica, I. 451: ‘These trifles serious mischief breed.’] This is dreadfully apparent in your own case (I would not speak, but that I dare not refrain), whom, notwithstanding your uncommon abilities, they have led astray in things of the greatest importance. Bad philosophy has by insensible degrees paved the way for bad divinity: in consequence of this miserable hypothesis, you advance many things in religion also, some of which are unsupported by Scripture, some even repugnant to it. II. Some of these I shall now mention with the utmost plainness, as knowing for whom and before whom I speak. And, 1. You deny the omnipotence of God.