Treatise Letter To Bishop Of Gloucester
| Author | John Wesley |
|---|---|
| Type | treatise |
| Year | None |
| Passage ID | jw-treatise-letter-to-bishop-of-gloucester-024 |
| Words | 394 |
in Bedlam, put in
by her husband, as a madwoman.” But she never was mad
in any degree, as he himself afterwards acknowledged. (6) “One was so deeply convinced of her ungodliness, that she
cried out day and night, ‘Lord, save, or I perish !’ All the
neighbours agreed she was stark mad.” But I did not make
her so. For this was before she ever saw my face. Now, let
every one judge, whether here is yet a single proof that I
drive men mad. “The time when this spiritual madness was at its height,
he calls a glorious time.” (Page 210.) I call that a glorious
time when rhany notorious sinners are converted to God;
(whether with any outward symptoms or none, for those are
no way essential;) and when many are in the triumph of
faith, greatly rejoicing in God their Saviour. “But though Mr. Wesley does so well in turning fools into
madmen, yet his craftmaster is certainly one Mr. Wheatley,
of whom he gives this extraordinary account:” (Page 211 :)
“A poor woman (on Wednesday, September 17, 1740)
said, it was four years (namely, in September, 1786, above a
year before I left Georgia) since her son, by hearing a sermon
of Mr. Wheatley's, fell into great uneasiness. She thought
he was ill, and would have sent for a Physician. But he
said, ‘No, no; send for Mr. Wheatley. He was sent for, and
came; and after asking a few questions, told her, ‘The boy is
mad. Get a coach, and carry him to Dr. Monro. Use my
name. I have sent several such to him.’ Who this Mr. Wheatley is, I know not.” He was Lecturer at Spitalfields
Church. The event was, after the Apothecary had half mur
dered him, he was discharged, and the lad soon recovered his
strength. His senses he never had lost. The supposing this. was a blunder from the beginning. “These are the exploits which Mr. Wesley calls blessings
from God.” (Page 212.) Certainly I do, both repentance
and faith. “And which therefore we may call the good fruits
of his ministry.” May God increase them an hundred fold ! “What the Apostle calls ‘good fruits, namely, doing much
good, Mr. Wesley tells us belongs not to true religion.” I
never told any man so yet. I tell all men just the contrary.