Wesley Corpus

Yet I suppose you designed the compliment for me, by your dragging in two or three broken sentences from my First Journal. But how little to the purpose ! seeing at the time that was written, I had never pretended to be above the fear of death. So that this is no proof of the point in view,--of the “unsteadiness of my sentiments or practice.” 18. You proceed: “One day they fancy it their duty to preach; the next, they preach with great reluctance.” Very true! But they fancy it their duty still; else they would not preach at all. This, therefore, does not prove any in equality either of sentiment or practice. “Mr. Wesley is sometimes quite averse from speaking, and then perplexed with the doubt, Is it a prohibition from the good Spirit, or a temptation from nature and the evil one?” Just of a piece with the rest. The sentence runs thus: “I went several times with a design to speak to the sailors, but could not. I mean, I was quite averse from speaking. Is not this what men commonly mean by, “I could not speak?’ And is this a sufficient cause of silence or no? Is it a prohibition from the good Spirit, or a temptation from nature or the evil one?” Sir, I was in no doubt at all on the occasion. Nor did I intend to express any in these words; but to appeal to men’s conscience, whether what they call “a prohibition from the good Spirit,” be not a mere “temptation from nature or the evilone.” 19. In the next section you are to show “the art, cunning, and sophistry of the Methodists, who, when hard pressed by argument, run themselves into inconsistency and self-contradic tion; and occasionally either defend or give up some of their favourite notions and principal points.” (Section xii. p. 102.) I dare say, Sir, you will not put them to the trial. Argu ment lies out of the way of one, -Solutos Qui captat risus hominum famamque dicacis." But to the proof. “Mr. Wesley,” you say, “at one time declares for a disinterested love of God; at another, declares, There is no one caution in all the Bible against the selfish love of God.” Nay, Sir, I will tell you what is stranger still: Mr. Wesley holds, at one time, both sides of this contradiction.