Wesley Corpus

Let me entreat you, if not for the honour of God, yet for the honour of your cause, avoid, for the time to come, all anger, all spite, all sourness and bitterness; all contemptuous usage of your opponents, not inferior to you, unless in fortune. “O put on again bowels of mercies, kindness, gentleness, long-suffering; endeavouring to hold,” even with them that differ from you in opinion, the “unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace l” BRIsToL, September 9, 1772. “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.” Romans xii. 18. 1. IT is far from my design to give a particular answer to everything contained in Mr. Hill’s late treatise. I intend only to offer to the impartial reader a few cursory remarks, which may partly explain and partly confirm what I have already said upon the subject. 2. “Poor Mr. Wesley,” says Mr. Hill, opening his cause with native eloquence, “has published various tracts, out of which Mr. Hill collects above an hundred gross contradictions. At this Mr. W.’s temper is much ruffled; ” (I believe not; I am not sensible of it;) “he primes, cocks, and fires at Calvinism; and there is smoke and fire in plenty. But if you can bear the stench, (which indeed is very nauseous,) there is no danger of being wounded. He calls this last cannon, or pop-gun, “Remarks’ on my Review. Men of sense say, it is quite unfit for duty; men of grace compas sionate the caster of it; men of pleasantry laugh heartily at it; but some good old women speak highly of it.” (Pages 3--5.) I give this passage at some length, as a genuine specimen of Mr. Hill's manner of writing. 3. But as Mr. Hill did not “choose to prefix his name, it argued no great proof of Mr. W.’s politeness, to address him in the personal manner he has done.” Which of us began? Was it not Mr. Hill? Did not he address me in a personal manner first? And some, beside the old women, are of opinion, he did not do it in the politest manner in the world. 4. “Mr. W. would have us know, that his piece is written in much love. But what love? Love to his own incon sistencies; love of scolding, love of abuse.