Wesley Corpus

I judge your late distress to be partly the effect of disease, but chiefly preternatural. In the Third Journal there is a case nearly parallel; only the symptoms were more severe. For in a moment Lucretia Smith [Journal, ii. 410; and letter of April 26, 1739.] felt such a cloud spread over her that she could not believe there was a God or an after-state. You did right to pray, as you could pray; and this is the best method which can be taken in heaviness or darkness of any kind. Then, if sin be the cause, it will be discovered. But take care that you do not refuse any help; even rough speakers may be of service. Only spread what they say before the Lord, and He will turn it to good. -- I am Your affectionate broker. To John Glass () [7] BRISTOL, November 1, 1757. SIR, -- It is not very material who you are. If Mr. Glass is still alive, I suppose you are he. If not, you are at least one of his humble admirers, and probably not very old; so your youth may in some measure plead your excuse for such a peculiar pertness, insolence, and self-sufficiency, with such an utter contempt of all mankind, as no other writer of the present age has shown. As you use no ceremony toward any man, so neither shall I use any toward you, but bluntly propose a few objections to your late performance, which stare a man in the face as soon as he looks in it. I object, first, that you are a gross, willful slanderer. For (1) you say of Mr. Hervey: ‘He shuts up our access to the divine righteousness by holding forth a preliminary human one as necessary to our enjoying the benefit of it’ (page 4). Again: ‘You set men to work to do something, in order to make their peace with God’ (page 9). This is an absolute slander founded on that poor pretense that he supposes those who repent and believe, and none but those, to ‘enjoy the benefit of Christ’s righteousness.’ And has he not the warrant of Christ Himself for so doing, -- ‘Repent ye, and believe the gospel’ If this is ‘teaching man to acquire a righteousness of his own,’ the charge falls on our Lord Himself.