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Title	Letter to John Newton
Post Date	May 14, 1765
Author	Wesley, John, 1703-1791
Recipient	Newton, John, 1725-1807
Date	1765-05-14
Physical Description	4 pgs total; 3 pgs text; 1 pg address
Dimensions	23 x 37 cm
Address From	Londonderry
Country From	Ireland
Collection (Provenance)	Leete Manuscript Collection
Transcriber	Wanda Smith
Plain Text Transcription	To The Revd Mr Newton At Mr Clunies Harp-Lane Thames-street London Londonderry May 14, 1765 Dear sir Your manner of writing needs no excuse. I hope you will always write in the same manner. Love is the plainest thing in (the) world. I know this dictates what you write. And then what need of ceremo(ny?) You have admirably well expressed what I mean by an opinion contradistinguished from an essential doctrine. Whatever is “compatible with a love to Christ and a work of grace” I term an opinion. And certainly the holding particular election and final perseverance is compatible with these. “Yet what fundamental error” (you ask) “have you opposed with half that frequency and vehemence as you have these opinions”? So doubtless you have heard. But it is not true. I have printed near fifty sermons, and only one of these opposes them at all. I preach about eight hundred sermons in a year. And taking one year with another, for twenty years past, I have not preached eight times sermons in (a ye)ar upon the subject. But “how many of your best preachers have been thru(st out) because they dissented from you in these particulars”? Not one, best or worst, good or bad, was ever thrust out on this account. There has been no(t a) single instance of the kind. Two of or three (but far from the best of our pre(ach)ers) voluntarily left us after they had embraced those opinions. But it (was) of their own mere motion. And two I should have expelled for immoral (be)haviour, but they withdrew and pretended, “They did not hold our doct(rine.”) Set a mark, therefore, on him who told you that tale, and let his word for the (future) go for nothing. “Is a man a believer in Jesus Christ?” and “is his life suitable to his (profes)sion?” are not only the main but the sole enquiries I make in order to his (ad)mission into our Society. If he is a Dissenter, he may be a Dissenter still. (But) if he is a Churchman, I advise him to continue so, and that for many rea(sons,) some of which are mentioned in the tract upon that subject. When you have read what I have wrote on occasion of the Letters late(ly) published, I may say something more on that head. And it will then be t(ime) enough to show you why some part of those Letters could not be wrote by M(r) Hervey. I think on justification just as I have done any time these seven and twenty years, and just as Mr Calvin does. In this respect I do not differ from him an hair’s breadth. But the main point between you and me is perfection. “This, you say, has no (prev)alence in these parts. Otherwise I should think it my duty to oppose it with my (who)le strength, not as an opinion, but as a dangerous mistake, which appears to be (subv)ersive of the very foundations of Christian experience and which has in fact given (occ)asion to the most grievous offences.” Just so my brother and I reasoned thirty years ago. “We think it our duty (to op)pose predestination with our whole strength. Not as an opinion, but as a dangerous mistake, which appears to be subversive of the very foundations of Christian experience and which has in fact given occasion to the most grievous offences.” That it has given occasion to such offences, I know. I can name time, place and persons. But still another fact stares me in the face. Mr Haweis and Mr Newton hold this, and yet I believe these have real Christian experience. But if so, this is only an opinion. It is not subversive (here is clear proof to the contrary) of the very foundations of Christian experience. It is “compatible with a love to Christ and a genuine work of grace.” Yea, many hold it at whose feet I desire to be found in the day of the Lord Jesus. If, then, I “oppose this with my whole strength,” I am a mere bigot still. I leave (yo)u in your calm and retired moments to make the application. But how came this opinion into my mind? I will tell you with all simplicity. (In) 1725 I met with Bishop Taylor’s Rules of Holy Living and Dying. I was struck parti(cu)larly with the chapter upon Intention and felt a fixed intention to give myself (up to) God. In this I was much confirmed soon after by the Christian Pattern and longed to give (God) all my heart. This is just what I mean by perfection now. I sought (after) it from that hour. In 1727 I read Mr Law’s Christian Perfection and Serious Call and more expli(citly res)olved to be all devoted to God, in body, soul and spirit. (In 173)0 I began to be homo unius libri; to study (comparatively) no (book) but the Bible. I then saw in a stronger light than ever before that only (one t)hing is needful, even faith that worketh by the love of God and man, all (inw)ard and outward holiness. And I groaned to love God with all my heart and (to ser)ve him with all my strength. January 1, 1733, I preached the sermon of on the “Circumcision of the Heart” which (co)ntains all that I now teach concerning salvation from all sin and loving God with an undivided heart. In the same year I printed (the first time I ventured to print any thing) for the use of my pupils a “Collection of Forms of Prayer.” And in this I spoke explicitly of giving the whole heart and the whole life to God. This was then, as it is now, my idea of perfection, though I should have started at the word. In 1735 I preached my farewell sermon at Epworth in Lincoln(shire.) In this likewise I spoke with the utmost clearness of having one design, (one) desire, one love, and of pursuing the one end of our life in all our word(s and) act(ions). In January 1738 I exprest my desire in those words: O grant that nothing in my soul May dwell but thy pure love alone! O may thy love possess me whole, My joy, my treasure, and my crown. Strange flames far from my heart remove! My every act, word, thought be love. And I am still persuaded this is what the Lord Jesus hath bought for me with his ow(n blood.) Now whether you desire and expect this blessing or not (is it)not an astonishing thing that you or any man living should be di(sturbed) at me for expecting it? Is it not more astonishing still that well (nigh) all the religious world should be up in arms concerning it? And that they should persuade one another that this hope is “subversive of the very foundations of Christian experience”? Why then whoever re(ceives it) cannot possibly have any Christian experience at all! Then my brother, Mr Fletcher and I and twenty thousand more who seem both to fear (and love God) are in reality children of the devil and in the road to eternal damna(tion.) In God’s name, I intreat you, make me sensible of th(is. Show) me by plain, strong reasons, what dishonour this hope do(es to Christ) wherein it opposes justification by faith or any fundment(al truth) of religion. But do not wrest and wiredraw and colour my words as Mr Hervey (or Cudworth) has done in such a manner that wh(en I) look in that glass I do not know my own face! “Shall I call yo(u” (says) Mr Hervey) “my father or my friend? For you have been both to me.” (So) I was. And you have as well requited me! It is well my reward (is) with the most High. Wishing all happiness to you and yours, I am, dear sir, Your affectionate brother and servant John Wesley
Published Transcription	John Telford, ed. The Letters of the Rev. John Wesley, IV. January 16, 1758, to February 28, 1766. (London: Epworth Press, 1931), pp. 297-300.
Catalog link	http://libcat.smu.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=195734
Unique Identifier	JWesley 05141765
Digital Resource Type	Image
Digitization Date	Digitized: 2003
Digitization Process	Digitization process: Derivatives resized at 4037 pixels in height or width.
Digital Publisher	Bridwell Library, Special Collections; Perkins School of Theology; Southern Methodist University
Rights	Permission to publish materials must be obtained from the Head of Special Collections of the Bridwell Library.
Decade	1760-1769