Wesley Corpus

4. “His sacrilegious hand violates the ashes of the dead, traduces the character of Mr. Whitefield, insinuates that he was the first who preached in the open air; with the greatest bitterness of speech, traduces the dead, as a Dissenter from the Church.” (Page 16.) My words are: “A good man, who met with us at Oxford, while he was absent from us, conversed much with Dissenters, and contracted a strong prejudice against the Church; and not long after he totally separated from us;” (Ibid., page 429;) from my brother and me. This is every word I say about Mr. Whitefield. And is this “violating the ashes of the dead?” Is this “traducing his character?” Certainly not traducing him as “a Dissenter from the Church,” much less “with the greatest bitterness of speech.” Where is the bitterness? And this is the whole ground for pouring out such a flood of abuse, obloquy, and calumny | But Mr. Hill goes on : “With ungodly craft he claws up the ashes of the dead. He says Mr. Whitefield, by conversing with the Dissenters,” (I mean chiefly the Presbyterians in New England,) “contracted a strong prejudice against the Church.” (Imposture Detected, p. 18.) I say so still. And how will Mr. Hill disprove it? Why, “he manifested his strong attachment to the Church, by erecting Tottenham Court chapel, for the celebration of the Church Service; yea, and reading the Liturgy himself.” Nay, if this proved his strong attachment to the Church, it will equally prove mine; for I have read the Liturgy as often as he, and I am now erecting a chapel (hinc ille lachrymae /* for the celebration of the Church Service. 5. “He cast lots for his creed.” (Page 8.) Never in my life. That paltry story is untrue. They who tell it cast no honour upon him who published a private letter, wrote in confidence of friendship. 6. “He gives up the righteousness of Christ.” (Page 9.) No more than I give up his Godhead. But I renounce both the phrase and thing, as it is explained by Antinomian writers. 7. “He gives up the atonement of Christ. The atonement and the righteousness of Christ he considers as mere words.” (Page 10.) Nothing can be more false.