Wesley Corpus

If you will fight, it must be with your friends; for such we really are. We wish all the same happiness to you which we wish to our own souls. We desire no worse for you, than that you may “present” yourself “a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God; ” that you may watch over the souls committed to your charge, as he “that must give account; ” and that, in the end, you may receive “the crown which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to all that love his appearing !” So prays, Reverend Sir, Your affectionate Brother, May 18, 1771. • Happy in their error.--EDIT. Th E ACCORDING to • 1. A FEw years ago, a friend put into my hands Dr. Taylor's “Doctrine of Original Sin,” which I read carefully over and partly transcribed, and have many times since diligently considered. The author is doubtless a person of sense, nay, of unusu ally strong understanding, joined with no small liveliness of imagination, and a good degree of various learning. He has likewise an admirable command of temper, so that he almost everywhere speaks as one in good humour. Add to this, that he has a smooth and pleasing, yet a manly and nervous, style. And all these talents he exerts to the uttermost, on a favourite subject, in the Trea tise before us; which he has had leisure for many years to revise, file, correct, and strengthen against all objections. 2. So finished a piece surely deserves the consider ation of all those masters of reason which the age has produced. And I have long hoped that some of those would attempt to show how far the doctrine there laid down is true; and what weight there is in the arguments which are produced in confirmation of it. I know not how to believe that all the Clergy in England are of the same opinion with this author. And certainly there are some whom all his skill in Greek, and even in Hebrew, does not make afraid. I should rejoice had any of these undertaken the task, who are, in many respects, better qualified for it; particularly in this, that they have time upon their hands; they have full leisure for such an employment. But since none else will,” I cannot but speak, though lying under many peculiar disad vantages.