Wesley Corpus

only bring me twenty lines together, out of the writings of those four eminent Divines, as they stand in the ‘Chris tian Library;’ and I will engage to prove that he has twenty times contradicted them in some of his other publications.” (Page 19.) Agreed: I bring him the following twenty lines with which Dr. Preston begins his treatise called “The New Covenant:”-- “These words of God to Abraham contain a precept of sincerity, or perfect walking with God: ‘Walk before me, and be thou perfect:’ And also the motive thereunto, God’s all-sufficiency: “I am God all-sufficient. As if he should say, ‘If there were any defect in me, if thou didst need or couldest desire anything that were not to be had in me, and thou mightest have it elsewhere, perhaps thy heart might be imperfect in walking towards me. Thou mightest then step out from me, to take in advantages elsewhere. But seeing I am all-sufficient; since I have enough in me to fulfil all thy desires; since I am every way an adequate object, so that all thy soul can wish for thou mayest have in me; why then shouldest thou not consecrate thyself to me? Why then shouldest thou be uneven in thy ways, serving me sometimes, and sometimes the creature? For there is nothing in the creature, but thou may est find in me.’ ‘I am all-sufficient; therefore, walk before me, and be thou perfect!’” (Christian Library, Vol. X., page 47.) Here are exactly twenty lines, neither more nor less, “as they stand in the ‘Christian Library.’” Now, fulfil your engagement; prove that I “have twenty times contra dicted them in some other of my publications.” If you cannot, acknowledge you have done me wrong. In the heat of your resentment, you have undertaken what you are not able to perform; you have spoken rashly and unadvisedly; you have gone much too far, far beyond the bounds of wisdom as well as of love. 16. Nay, but “I will go one step farther yet: I defy Mr. Wesley to bring me twenty lines out of the above tracts, by Preston, Sibbs, Owen, and Beveridge, which he now believes.” Is it possible, that Mr. Hill should believe himself, while he is talking at this rate? Or does he expect that any one else should believe him, unless he be drunk with passion or prejudice?