Wesley Corpus

In the Second Lesson, (Luke xviii.,) was our Lord’s prediction of the treat ment which he himself, and consequently his followers, were to meet with from the world. “Yet notwithstanding these plain declarations of our Lord, notwithstanding my own repeated experience, notwithstanding the experience of all the sincere followers of Christ, whom I ever talked with, read or heard of, may, and the reason of the thing, evincing to a demonstration, that all who love not the light must hate him who is continually labouring to pour it in upon them; I do here bear witness against myself, that, when I saw the number of people crowding into the church, the deep attention with which they received the word, and the seriousness that afterwards sat on all their faces; I could * This quotation from Horace is thus translated by Francis: “It breathes the spirit of the tragic scene.”-EDIT. scarce refrain from giving the lie to experience, and reason, and Scripture, all together. I could hardly believe that the greater, the far greater, part of this attentive, serious people, would hereafter trample under foot that word, and say all manner of evil falsely of him that spoke it.” (Vol. I. p. 27.) Sir, does this prove me guilty of scepticism or infidelity; of doubting or denying the truth of Revelation? Did I speak this, “upon the people using me ill, and saying all manner of evil against me?” Or am I here describing “any emotion raised in me hereby?” Blush, blush, Sir, if you can blush. You had here no possible room for mistake. You grossly and wilfully falsify the whole passage, to support a groundless, shameless accusation. 24. The second passage (written January 24, 1737-8) is this: “In a storm, I think, What if the gospel be not true? Then thou art of all men most foolish P For what hast thou given thy goods, thy ease, thy friends, thy reputation, thy country, thy life? For what art thou wandering over the face of the earth? A dream; a cunningly devised fable.” (Vol. I. p. 74.) I am here describing the thoughts which passed through my mind when I was confessedly an unbeliever. But even this implies no scepticism, much less Atheism; no “denial of the truth of Revelation;” but barely such transient doubts as, I presume, may assault any thinking man that knows not God.