The life and times of the Rev. John Wesley, M.A., founder of the Methodists. Vol. 2 (of 3)Tyerman, L. (Luke)
History
The life and times of the Rev. John Wesley, M.A., founder of the Methodists. Vol. 2 (of 3)
Tyerman, L. (Luke)
Methodism; Wesley, John, 1703-1791
This was strong language to employ to a man like William Law, who held
Jacob Behmen, the Crispin theosophist, in amazing admiration; but
it was not unmerited. Whitefield pronounced Wesley’s letter “a most
ungentlemanlike, injudicious, unchristian piece”;[294] but Whitefield
was not so well acquainted with the Behmenite fooleries as Wesley was.
Law himself was annoyed and angry, but declined to answer Wesley’s
critique, on the ground, that it did “not admit of a serious answer,
because there was nothing substantial or properly argumentative in it;
and to answer it, in the way of ridicule,” was a thing to which he was
unconquerably averse. “Mr. Wesley,” says he, “is an ingenious man,
and the reason why his letter to me is such a juvenile composition of
emptiness and pertness, is because it was not ability, but necessity,
that put his pen into his hand. He had condemned my books, preached
much against them, and forbad his people the use of them. And, for a
cover to all this, he promised, from time to time, to write against
them. Therefore, an answer was to be made at all adventures.[295] I was
once a kind of oracle with him; and I never suspected anything bad of
him, or ever discovered any kind or degree of falseness in him; but,
during all the time of his intimacy with me, I judged him to be much
under the power of his own spirit. Still, whatever you hear of Mr. John
Wesley concerning me, or my books, let it die with you; and wish him
God speed in everything that is good.”[296]
Here the controversy between Wesley and this exceedingly able and
godly, though mistaken, man terminated. Five years afterwards, Mr. Law
exchanged this world, where the wisest sees “through a glass, darkly,”
for a higher world, where all “see face to face.”
5. The last of Wesley’s publications, in 1756, which we have to notice,
was not the least important, though an octavo tract of only thirty
pages. The title was, “An Address to the Clergy.” While addressed to
the clergy of the Church of England especially, it was also addressed
to all of every denomination, whom God had “called to watch over souls,
as they that must give account.” First of all, Wesley considers what
ministers ought to be, in gifts as well as in grace, 1. A minister
ought to have a good understanding. 2. Some liveliness and readiness
of thought. 3. A good memory. 4. Knowledge of his own office; of the
Scriptures; of Hebrew and Greek; of profane history; of the sciences,
including logic; of metaphysics; of natural philosophy; of geometry;
of the fathers. 5. Common sense. 6. Good breeding. 7. A strong, clear,
musical voice, and a good delivery. In reference to grace, Wesley
contends that a minister must have: (1) A single intention to glorify
God, and to save souls; (2) an eminent measure of love to God, and
to all his brethren; (3) he must be an example to his flock, in his
private and public character.
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