The life and times of the Rev. John Wesley, M.A., founder of the Methodists. Vol. 1 (of 3)Tyerman, L. (Luke)
History
The life and times of the Rev. John Wesley, M.A., founder of the Methodists. Vol. 1 (of 3)
Tyerman, L. (Luke)
Methodism; Wesley, John, 1703-1791
Wesley did his utmost to correct this state of things, and then, on
November 21, went back to Bristol. On his way, he came to Wycombe,
where he unexpectedly met Mr. Gambold and a Mr. Robson. He writes:
“After much consultation and prayer, we agreed—1. To meet yearly at
London on the eve of Ascension day. 2. To fix then the business to be
done the ensuing year; where, when, and by whom. 3. To meet quarterly
there, as many as can; viz., on the second Tuesday in July, October,
and January. 4. To send a monthly account to one another, of what
God hath done in each of our stations. 5. To inquire whether Messrs.
Hall, Sympson, Rogers, Ingham, Hutchins, Kinchin, Stonehouse, Cennick,
Oxlee, and Brown will join with us herein. 6. To consider whether there
be any others of our spiritual friends, who are able and willing so
to do.”[331] This arrangement is important as indicative of Wesley’s
purpose at this early period of his history; but it was never put into
execution. The rupture with the Moravians made it a dead letter.
Five weeks afterwards, he returned to London with a heavy heart.
“Scarce one in ten of the Moravians retained his first love; and most
of the rest were in the utmost confusion, biting and devouring one
another.” His soul was sick of their “sublime divinity.” He had a long
conversation with Molther, one of their ministers, and ascertained that
the difference between them was the following:—
1. The Moravians held that there are no degrees of faith; and that no
man has any degree of it, before he has the full assurance of faith,
the abiding witness of the Spirit, or the clear perception that Christ
dwelleth in him. Wesley dissented from this.
2. The Moravians taught that the way to attain faith is to wait for
Christ, and be still: that is, not to use the means of grace; not to go
to church; not to communicate; not to fast; not to use private prayer;
not to read the Scriptures; not to do temporal good; nor to attempt
doing spiritual good; because it was impossible for a man to use means
like these without trusting in them. Wesley believed just the opposite.
3. The Moravians thought that in propagating faith, guile might be
used: (1) By saying what we know will deceive the hearers, or lead them
to think the thing which is not; (2) by describing things a little
beyond the truth, in order to their coming up to it; (3) by speaking as
if we meant what we did not mean. Wesley denounced all this.
4. The Moravians believed that the fruits of their thus propagating
the faith in England were: (1) Much good had been done by it; (2) many
were unsettled from a false foundation; (3) many were brought into true
stillness; (4) some were grounded on the true foundation, who were
wrong before. Wesley, on the contrary, thought that very little good,
but much hurt, had been done, by such proceedings.
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