Sir, You miss the mark again. If this _sanctified appearance_ was _put on_ to _draw followers_, if it was for _this reason_, (as you flatly affirm it was) that _Mr._ Wesley _made and renewed that noble resolution_: (it was made eleven or twelve years before, about the time of my removal to _Lincoln-College_) then it can be no instance of _enthusiasm_, and so does not fall within the design of your present work.――――Unless your title page does not belong to your book: for that confines you to the _enthusiasm_ of the _Methodists_.
8. But to consider this point in another view. You accuse me of _putting on a sanctified appearance, a demure look, precise behaviour, and other marks of external piety_. How are you assured, Sir, this was barely _external_? And that it was a bare _appearance_ of sanctity? You affirm this as from personal knowledge. Was you then acquainted with me three or four and twenty years ago? _He made and renewed that noble resolution_, in order to _draw followers_.――――Sir, How do you know that? Are you in God’s place, that you take upon you to be the searcher of hearts? _That noble resolution, not willingly to indulge himself in the least levity of behaviour._ Sir, I acquit you of having any concern in this matter. But I appeal to all who have the love of God in their hearts, whether this is not a rational, scriptural resolution, worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called――――_or in laughter, no, not for a moment_. No, nor ought I to indulge it at all: if I am conscious to myself, it hurts my soul. In which, let every man judge for himself. _To speak no word not tending to the glory of_ God――――A _peculiar_ instance of enthusiasm this! _And not a tittle of worldly things._ The words immediately following are, _Others may, nay must. But what is that to me?_ (Words which in justice you ought to have inserted) who was then entirely disengaged from worldly business of every kind. Notwithstanding which, I have often since engaged therein, when the order of Providence plainly required it.
9. Though I did not design to meddle with them, yet I must here take notice of three of your instances of _Popish_ enthusiasm. The first, is, That ¹_Mechtildis tortured herself, for having spoken an idle word_. (The point of comparison lies not in torturing herself; but in her doing it, on such an occasion;) the second, _That not a word fell from St._ Katharine _of_ Sienna, _that was not religious and holy_: the third, _That the lips of_ Magdalen di Pazzi, _were never opened but to chant the praises of_ God. I would to God the comparison between the _Methodists_ and _Papists_ would hold in this respect! Yea, that you, and all the clergy in _England_, were guilty of just such _enthusiasm_.
¹ Page 19.
10. You cite as a fourth instance of my enthusiasm, that I say, ¹_A Methodist (a real Christian) cannot adorn himself on any pretence, with gold or costly apparel_. If this be enthusiasm, let the apostle look to it. His words are clear and express. If _you_ can find a _pretence_ to set them aside, do: I cannot; nor do I desire it.
¹ Page 21.
11. My ¹_seeming contempt of money_ you urge as a fifth instance of enthusiasm. Sir, I understand you. You was obliged to call it _seeming_, lest you should yourself confute the allegation brought in your title-page. But if it be only _seeming_, whatever it prove besides, it cannot prove that I am an _enthusiast_.
¹ Page 26.
12. Hitherto you have succeeded extremely ill. You have brought five accusations against me: and have not been able to make one good. However, you are resolved to throw dirt enough, that some may stick. So you are next to prove upon me, ¹_a restless impatience and insatiable thirst of travelling, and undertaking dangerous voyages, for the conversion of infidels; together with a declared contempt, of all dangers, pains and sufferings_: and the _designing, loving and praying for ill usage, persecution, martyrdom, death and hell_.
¹ Page 27.
In order to prove this uncommon charge, you produce ¹four scraps of sentences, which you mark as my words, though as they stand in your book, they are neither sense nor grammar. But you do not refer to the page or even the treatise, where any one of them may be found. Sir, ’tis well you hide your name: or you would be obliged to hide your face, from every man of candour, or even common humanity.
¹ Page 31.
13. ¹_Sometimes indeed_, you say, _Mr._ Wesley _complains of the scoffs both of the great vulgar and the small_: to prove which, you disjoint and murder (as your manner is) another of my sentences. _But at other times the note is changed, and “till he is despised no man is in a state of salvation.” The note is changed!_ How so? When did I say otherwise than I do at this day, _viz._ “That none are children of God, but those who are hated, or despised by the children of the devil.”
¹ Page 32.