Treatise Letter To Thomas Maxfield
| Author | John Wesley |
|---|---|
| Type | treatise |
| Year | None |
| Passage ID | jw-treatise-letter-to-thomas-maxfield-003 |
| Words | 390 |
Do you mean, “He spoke honourably of you
to them at Kennington-common and Rose-green?” True:
But not so honourably as I spoke of you, even at London;
yea, as late as the year 1763! Yet was this the same thing
with “delivering the people” at London “into your hands?”
Nay, but “Mr. Whitefield trusted that you would have given
them back at his return.” Them! whom? His society at
London, or Bristol 2 I had them not to give. He never
entrusted me with them. Therefore I could not “give them
back.”
But how melancholy is the exclamation that follows:
“Alas! It was not so !” Was not how? Why, I did not
give back what I never had received; but went straight on
my way, taking the best care I could of those who entrusted
themselves to me. III. So much for the second article. As to the third,
your words are, “I heard Mr. Whitefield say, ‘O that
division I that division what slaughter it has made l’”
But who made that division? It was not I. It was not
my brother. It was Mr. Whitefield himself; and that
notwithstanding all admonitions, arguments, and entreaties. Mr. Whitefield first wrote a treatise against me by name. He sent it to my brother, who endorsed it with these words:
“Put up again thy sword into its place.” It slept a while;
but after a time he published it. I made no reply. Soon
after Mr. Whitefield preached against my brother and me by
name. This he did constantly, both in Moorfields, and in
all other public places. We never returned railing for
railing, but spoke honourably of him, at all times, and in all
places. But is it any wonder, that those who loved us should
no longer choose to hear him? Meantime, was it we that
“turned their hearts against him?” Was it not himself? But you say, “It was doctrine that caused the difference;”
(oddly enough expressed !) “at least, it was so pretended !”
“It was so pretended !” What do you mean? that differ
ence of doctrine was only pretended ? that we were agreed at
the bottom, and only fought, like prize-fighters, to show
our skill ? Nay, here was no pretence. The thing was as
plain as the sun at noon-day. Did not Mr.