Wesley Corpus

But he did not; he imagined, when he spoke or wrote in the simplicity of his heart, that his opponents would have received his words in the same spirit wherein they were spoken. No such matter; they turn them all into poison; he not only loses his sweet words, but they are turned into bitterness, are interpreted as mere sneer and sarcasm | A good lesson for me ! I had designed to have transcribed Mr. F.'s character of Mr. H., and to have added a little thereto, in hope of softening his spirit: But I see it is in vain; as well might one hope to soften Inexorable Pluto, king of shades ! Since he is capable of putting such a construction, even upon Mr. F.’s gentleness and mildness; since he ascribes even to him “a pen dipped in gall,” what will he not ascribe to me? I have done, therefore, with humbling myself to these men, to Mr. H. and his associates. I have humbled myself to them for these thirty years; but will do it no more. I have done with attempting to soften their spirits; it is all lost labour. Upon men of an ingenuous temper I have been able to fix an obligation. Bishop Gibson, Dr. Church, and even Dr. Taylor, were obliged to me for not pushing my advantage. But it is not so with these: Whatever mercy you show, you are to expect no mercy from them. Mercy did I say? Alas! I expect no justice; no more than I have found already. As they have wrested and distorted my words from the beginning, so I expect they will do to the end. Mr. H.’s performance is a specimen. Such mercy, such justice, I am to expect 3. And does Mr. H. complain of the unhappy spirit in which Mr. F. writes? Many writers have done marvellously; but thou excellest them all ! For forty or fifty years I have been a little acquainted with controversial writers; some of the Romish persuasion, some of our own Church, some Dis senters of various denominations: And I have found many among them as angry as him; but one so bitter I have not found: Or one only, the author of those “excellent Letters,” as Mr. H.