On leaving Rotherham, Wesley made his way to Lincolnshire. At Misterton, he preached twice “to a lifeless, money getting people,” in his sharpest manner. Epworth cross again served him as a pulpit. At Gainsborough, he preached in “the old hall to a mixed multitude, part civil, part rude as bears.”
At Barrow, the mob was in readiness to receive him with violence, but their hearts failed them, and they only gave a few huzzas. At Horncastle, they “threatened terrible things,” but contented themselves with “a feeble shout,” as he was entering the town. At Sibsey “there were a few wild colts.” At Boston, which, he says, was nearly as large as Leeds, and far better built, the “congregation was much astonished, not being used to field preaching.”
From Boston, he made his way to Norwich, and thence to London, where he arrived on Saturday, August 22. He writes: “I found the work of God swiftly increasing. The congregations, in every place, were larger than they had been for several years. Many were, from day to day, convinced of sin. Many found peace with God. Many backsliders were healed. And many believers entered into such a rest, as it had not before entered into their hearts to conceive. Meantime, the enemy was not wanting in his endeavours to sow tares among the good seed. I saw this clearly, but durst not use violence, lest, in plucking up the tares, I should root up the wheat also.”
This brings us to an important epoch in Wesley’s history; but, before adverting to it further, a few extracts from his letters must be given.
The first was addressed to one of his oldest itinerants, Alexander Coates, who died in 1765. Mr. Coates was puzzled with the rumours concerning the doctrine of Christian perfection. Wesley, after explaining what he meant by the doctrine, proceeds in the following characteristic style.
“Otley, July 7, 1761.
“My dear Brother,— ... This way of talking is highly offensive. I advise you—1. If you are willing to labour with us, preach no doctrine contrary to ours. I have preached twenty years in some of Mr. Whitefield’s societies; yet, to this day, I never contradicted him among his own people. I did not think it honest, neither necessary at all I could preach salvation by faith, and leave all controversy untouched. I advise you—2. Avoid all those strong, rhetorical exclamations, ‘O horrid, O dreadful!’ and the like; unless when you are strongly exhorting sinners to renounce the devil and all his works. 3. Acquaint yourself better with the doctrine we preach, and you will find it not dreadful, but altogether lovely. 4. Observe that, if forty persons think and speak wrong, either about justification or sanctification (and perhaps fancy they have attained both), this is no objection to the doctrines themselves. They must bear their own burden; but this does not at all affect the point in question. 5. Remember, as sure as you are that ‘believers cannot fall from grace,’ others are equally sure they can; and you are as much obliged to bear with them as they are to bear with you. 6. Abstain from all controversy in public. Indeed, you have not a talent for it. You have an honest heart, but not a clear head; practical religion is your point. Therefore—7. Keep to this: repentance toward God, faith in Christ, holiness of heart and life, a growing in grace and in the knowledge of Christ, the continual need of His atoning blood, a constant confidence in Him, and all these every moment to our life’s end. In none of these will any of our preachers contradict you, or you them.
“When you leave this plain path, and get into controversy, then you think you ‘invade the glories of our adorable King, and the unspeakable rights, and privileges, and comforts of His children’; and can they then ‘tamely hold their peace?’ O Sander, know the value of peace and love!
“I am, your affectionate brother,
“John Wesley.”[447]