On November 9, Wesley returned to London. A few days later, he set out for Norwich, where he was shown the unitarian chapel, occupied by Dr. Taylor-octagon in shape, built of the finest brick, with thirty-two windows, and eight skylights in the dome-the whole finished in the highest taste, and as clean as a nobleman's saloon-the communion table of fine mahogany, and the pew door latches of polished brass. "How can it be thought," he asks, "that the old coarse gospel should find admission here?" Query, what would. Wesley have said concerning some of the highly ornamented Methodist chapels of the present day? Returning to London, he found much confusion occasioned by certain imprudent words spoken by one who seemed to be strong in faith. He heard all who were concerned, face to face; but what one side flatly affirmed, the other flatly denied; and he found himself utterly bewildered among the wilful lies or human infirmities of high professors. "For the present," he writes, "I leave it to the Searcher of hearts, who will bring all things to light in due season." Having baptized a Jew of more than sixty years of age, he returned to Lewisham, to write his "Preservative against unsettled Notions in Religion"; and here he remained till Christmas, when he again returned to Bristol, where he witnessed the close of the year 1757. Compared with former years, this was a period of peace. It is true, that persecution still dogged the steps of the poor Methodists; but it was not so violent as in days gone past. In Ireland, Whitefield was all but murdered by a mob of Irish papists. At Norwood, near London, a gang of godless rioters surrounded the house of Samuel Cole, and, because the Methodists held their meetings in it, threatened to burn it to the ground; for which threat Edward Frost, the leader of the rioters, was sent to Newgate prison.' Pamphleteers, also, were not idle; but almost all were ashamed to affix their names to their paltry publications. One of these anonymous attacks was entitled, "An Expostulatory Letter to the Rev. Mr. Wesley." Another was "A Short Examen of Mr. John Wesley's System." A third, the most enigmatical, was: "Methodism Dis 1 Gentleman's Magazine, 1757, p. 382. 1757 Age 54 1757 played and Enthusiasm Detected; intended as an antidote Age 54 against, and a preservative from, the delusive principles and unscriptural doctrines of a modern sett of seducing preachers and as a defence of our regular and orthodox clergy, from their unjust reflections." 8vo, 36 pages. The reader is told, that the poor have become a prey to "ignorant, enthusiastic preachers"; and, that it is because of this, that "novel doctrines, extravagant follies, and destructive errors" are now so prevalent. Virtue was reclining her fainting head; morality, except in name, was almost banished; and vice, like a torrent, was deluging the land. While the infidel, on the one hand, was proud, presumptuous, and God-resisting; the enthusiast, on the other, was credulous, unscriptural, and unmeaning, deceiving himself and others by his mere pretences to inspiration, and all for the sake of making gain by his godliness. Methodist preachers sing "sweet syren songs"; they are "new doctors and modern teachers tickling the ears, pleasing the pride, and flattering the vanity of the human mind"; they are "quacks in divinity," using "unedifying jargon, unscriptural harangues, and false encomiums on the virtue and dignity of man"; they are "flatterers of human nature, sleek divines, downy doctors, velvet mouthed preachers, miserable daubers, and soul deceivers." It is a strange fact, that the author of this pamphlet avows his firm belief in nearly all the doctrines that specially characterized Wesley's ministry; and yet, these are some of the spicy appellatives applied to Methodist preachers. It is difficult to divine the writer's object. At the beginning, he seems to belabour the poor Methodists; at the end, he defends and praises them. The most malignant onset, however, during the year 1757, was published in the London Magazine, with the title, "A Dozen Reasonswhy the Sect of Conjurors, called Fortune Tellers, should have at least as much liberty to exercise their admirable art, as is now granted to Methodists, Moravians, and various other sorts of Conjurors." Dr. Faustus, the writer, accuses the Methodists of defrauding "both men and women out of their lands, tenements, and money"; of "terrifying many of their followers out of their little wits, as Bedlam, and every private madhouse, about London, could Wesley attacks Sandemanianism. 293 testify"; of "very lately inducing a poor woman to literally 1757 fulfil the Scripture, by pulling out one of her eyes, because Age 54 she had looked upon a handsome young fellow with a longing look"; and, finally, as being disturbers of public government. These silly calumnies, falsehoods of the first magnitude, were vigorously refuted, in three succeeding numbers of the London Magazine, by one who signed himself himself "A Methodist." Wesley's publications in 1757 were few in number, but one was of great importance. 1. "A Sufficient Answer to 'Letters to the Author of Theron and Aspasio,' in a Letter to the Author." 12mo, 12 pages. The supposed author, to whom Wesley addressed his answer, was John Glass, an expelled minister of the Church of Scotland, or Robert Sandeman, a Scotch elder, the founder of a sect sometimes called Sandemanians, and sometimes Glassites. Wesley's tract was really a defence of his friend, Hervey, on the subject of saving faith, in opposition to the Glassite or Sandemanian notion, that faith is a mere assent to the truthfulness of the gospel history. Wesley's answer was short, apposite, indignant, almost savage. He told Glass, or Sandeman, that he had "a peculiar pertness, insolence, and self sufficiency, with such an utter contempt of mankind, as no other writer of the present age had shown." His letter to Hervey was "full of slander." His notions of justifying faith were " stark, staring nonsense"; for, if true, "every devil in hell will be justified and saved." He evinced "such hatred, malevolence, rancour, and bitterness to all" who dissented from his opinions, as was scarce ever seen in a Jew, a heathen, or a popish inquisitor"; and, were it in his power, he "would make more bonfires in Smithfield than Bonner and Gardiner put together." This is pretty strong; perhaps it was not undeserved. It was replied to in a threepenny pamphlet, entitled, "Remarks on the Rev. Mr. John Wesley's Sufficient Answer to the author of the Letters on Theron and Aspasio. By J. D." The writer was as great an adept in using strong expressions as Wesley was. Hence, he told his readers, that Wesley had "crowded more scandal, insolence, self sufficiency, hatred, malevolence, rancour, bitterness, and uncharitableness" into his penny tract than Hervey 1757 Age 54 had into his five shillings book; with this difference, Hervey's was "sarcastical, lively, volatile, and pungent as the ether;" Wesley's "dense and dull as lead." 2. "The Doctrine of Original Sin; according to Scripture, Reason, and Experience." 8vo, 522 pages. Wesley's work on original sin was one which he had purposed publishing for the last six years, ever since his visit to Shackerley in 1751. Dr. Taylor was, perhaps, the most eminent Socinian minister of his age, and, in 1740, had published his "Scripture Doctrine of Original Sin proposed to free and candid examination. In three parts." This was the work which Wesley answered. It had done immense mischief, not only in England, but even on the continent. Taylor was no ordinary antagonist. Wesley says: "He is a man of unusually strong understanding, joined with no small liveliness of imagination, and a good degree of various learning. He has an admirable command of temper, and a smooth and pleasing, yet a manly and nervous style." Wesley believed Taylor's system to be nothing but "old deism in a new dress." "The deadly poison," he writes, "has been diffusing itself for several years, through our nation, our Church, and even our universities. One father of the Church has declared, that he knows no book more proper than this, to settle the principles of a young clergyman.' It is utterly impossible, in space so limited, to convey an adequate idea of Wesley's vigorous and triumphant answer. In the first part, he reviews, in most trenchant language, "the past and present state of mankind." Part second is "the scriptural method of accounting for this defended." Part third is "an answer to Mr. Taylor's supplement." The remainder of the work consists of extracts from the writings of Dr. Watts, the Rev. Samuel Hebden, minister at Wrentham, in Suffolk, and Boston, the author of the "Four-fold State of Man." Is it too much to say, that Wesley's book is the ablest refutation of the Socinian errors respecting original sin, to be found in the English language? Throughout, he treats Dr. Taylor with the utmost respect, but, at the same time, utterly demolishes his system. Two years afterwards he wrote to him as follows. Wesley attacks Socinianism. 295 1757 "HARTLEPOOL, July 3, 1759. "REVEREND SIR,-I esteem you as a person of uncommon sense and learning; but your doctrine I cannot esteem. And some time since, I believed it my duty to speak my sentiments at large, concerning your doctrine of original sin. When Mr. Newton,1 of Liverpool, mentioned this, and asked, whether you designed to answer, you said, you thought not; for it would only be a personal controversy between John Wesley and John Taylor. How gladly, if I durst, would I accept of this discharge from so unequal a contest! For I am thoroughly sensible, humanly speaking, it is formica contra leonem. How gladly, were it indeed no other than a personal controversy! But certainly it is not; it is a controversy de re, if ever there was one in the world. Indeed, concerning a thing of the highest importance; nay, all the things that concern our eternal peace. It is, Christianity or heathenism. For take away the scriptural doctrine of redemption, or justification, and that of the new birth; or, which amounts to the same, explain them as you do, suitably to your doctrine of original sin; and what is Christianity better than heathenism? Wherein, except in rectifying some of our notions, has the religion of St. Paul any preeminence over that of Socrates or Epictetus? "This is, therefore, to my apprehension, the least a personal controversy of any in the world. Your person and mine are out of the question. The point is, are those things that have been believed for many ages throughout the Christian world, real, solid truths; or monkish dreams, and vain imaginations? "But, farther, it is certain, between you and me there need be no personal controversy at all. For we may agree to leave each other's person and character absolutely untouched, while we sum up and answer the several arguments advanced, as plainly and closely as we can. "Either I or you mistake the whole of Christianity from the beginning to the end. Either my scheme or yours is as contrary to the scriptural as the Koran is. Is it mine or yours? Yours has gone through all England, and made numerous converts. I attack it from end to end; let all England judge whether it can be defended or not. 66 Earnestly praying, that God may give you and me a right understanding in all things, "I am, reverend sir, your servant for Christ's sake, This was a manly and respectful challenge; but it was not accepted. Indeed, within two years after it was written, Dr. Taylor died; having, as Wesley thinks, considerably modified his opinions. Hence the following, from one of Wesley's letters to Sir Harry Trelawney: "For some years, that great 1 Afterwards the Rev. John Newton, vicar of Olney. Age 54 |