Thoughts On John Wesley
Submitted By
John R. Gavazzoni

Evangelical Magazine and Gospel Advocate
Volume 3 (New Series)
October 13, 1832 Number 41

The following is an excerpt from the above magazine related to whether John V. Wesley believed in universalism before he died.[For the Magazine and Advocate.]

REV. JOHN V WESLEY.Messrs. Skinner and Grosh - The following extract is taken from "A history of the origin and progress of the doctrine of universal salvation, by Thomas Brown, M. E."

Much has been said in relation to the sentiments of Wesley, during the latter part of his life, and many have claimed him as a believer in the restitution of all things.- Mr. Brown, in the following extract, makes a few quotations from Wesley's own writings, which are decidedly opposed to the doctrine of a limited salvation.

I have taken some pains to obtain the sermons from which the following quotations from Wesley are extracted, but failed. If you think that the extract will be both beneficial and interesting to your readers, your remarks accompanying it, will be very desirable, as you may offer same further proof of the liberality of his sentiments. If Wesley died a believer in the reconciliation of all things, perhaps some of his professed followers may be convinced of it. The consequence would be the removal of much prejudice against the doctrine of Universalism.

Mr. Brown, in speaking of the pious and celebrated Winchester, says, "Winchester had been intimate with the celebrated John Wesley, and had much conversation with him on the subject of the final restoration. He was in England when Wesley died, which was in 1791, six years before Winchester's decease.

Some years before Wesley's death, according to Winchester's account and Wesley's own writings, he became a believer in the salvation of all men. After Winchester's return to America, he published a poem, composed by Wesley, which is fully and clearly expressive of the infinite and immutable love of God, and of his free grace to every soul of man, showing that, finally, every soul of Adam's posterity, would become swallowed up in the great ocean of divine love.

In connexion with this poem, Winchester states, that Wesley informed him that he was fully convinced of the truth of the restitution, or restoration, of all things, though he had not yet opened his mind on that subject to the world, because he believed that the public mind was not yet ripe for it, &,c, but that he had written a sermon on that subject, and left it with a printer, with orders to publish several thousand copies (and had paid the printer therefore,) with strict orders to have none of them sold, but to have them handed out gratis to the world. Mr. Brown here refers the reader to Wesley's own writing that he may judge for himself.

In his fifth volume of sermons, p. 189, after speaking of the state of the world occasioned by sin,he says, 'It will not always be thus; these things are only permitted for a season, by the Governor of the world that he may draw immense, eternal good out of this. This is the very key which the apostle himself gives us in the words recited, God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

In this view of this glorious event, how well may we cry out, 'O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God;' although for a season his judgments were unsearchable and his ways past finding out. It is enough: We are assured of this one point,that all these transient evils will issue well - will have a happy conclusion, and that mercy first and lust will reign. He will never intermit the blessed work of his spirit until he has fulfilled all his promises - until he hath put a period to sin, and misery, and death, and re-established universal holiness and happiness, and caused all the inhabitants of the earth to sing together,"Hallelujah! the Lord God omnipotent reigneth,"

Sec. In page 202, after speaking of the wretched and unhappy state of millions, occasioned by sin, he says. "Miserable lot of such innumerable multitudes, who, insignificant as they seem, are the offspring of one common Father, the creatures of the same God of love! Then certainly, like a merciful Father, he will not suffer them eternally to perish." And again, in page 203, he adds, "So there will be no more sorrow or crying. Nay, there will be a greater deliverance than all this; for there will be no more sin." And in page 177, after speaking of the present awful and wretched state of man, he says, "Such is the present state of mankind, in all parts of the world!

But how astonishing is this, if there is a God in heaven, and if his eyes are over all the earth? Can he despise the work of his own hand! Surely this is one of the greatest mysteries under heaven? How is it possible to reconcile this either with the wisdom or goodness of God? And what can give ease to a thoughtful mind, under so melancholy a prospect? What but the consideration, that things will not always be so; that another scene will be opened. God will be jealous of his honor, he will maintain his own cause. He will judge the prince of this world, and spoil him of his usurped dominion. He will give the Heathen for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession...It is decided that the world of mankind shall belong to Christ, and that satan shall be cast out, and have no more power within the bounds of Christ's kingdom."

And page 171, is on the same subject of the deliverance of all men from sin and suffering - "And death, the last enemy of man, shall be destroyed at the resurrection."In page 156, he says, "Allowing the whole creation now groaneth together, under the sin of man, one comfort is, that it will not always groan. The whole creation shall then be delivered both from moral and natural corruption. And the whole race of mankind shall know, and love, and serve God, and reign with him forever."

If the whole race of mankind shall love and serve God, then surely all will be saved. More full and complete universal salvation I never heard preached, or saw written, by a Universalist, than that of Wesley. It is his own language verbatim, and widely different from modern Methodism.

I know it can be shown in many parts of Wesley's writings, that he believed in everlasting misery; but it was in the latter part of his life that he believed in universal salvation; though he had doubts about endless punishment long before. W.REMARKS. The question whether Wesley became a believer in universal restoration before his death, or not, we recollect to have seen discussed some years since, in the "Christian Intelligencer."- A Methodist clergyman strenuously maintained the negative, and asserted that Wesley declared that "for fifty years he had not altered his sentiments a hair's breadth on any religious subject," and that in many of his writings he had stoutly contended for the doctrine of endless misery. - We conceive, however, that these things do not prove that Wesley never became a Restorationist.

For first, he might have become such after the expiration of fifty years of unalterable fidelity to the doctrine of endless misery, and it would certainly be saying little in his favor to affirm that for fifty years he made no advance or improvement in the knowledge of the truth.

Secondly, though we know he strenuously maintained in some of his writings the doctrine of endless misery, yet the same may be said of many others who are now strong advocates for the doctrine of Restitution. Whether Wesley became a believer in the salvation of all men before his death or not,is a matter of but little consequence, so far as the truth or falsehood of any doctrine is concerned.

He was, without doubt, a good man, and by his well intended labors did much good in his life time. But he was, like all other men, fallible and liable to err. The question is important only in a historical point of view - and as such we should be glad to see it settled. That he became a Universalist towards the close of his life, and died in that belief, is strongly believed by many,and has often been published as a fact in this country - one Unitarian paper and several Universalist papers have published it, and we never have seen the statement controverted but in one instance, and then without any sufficient evidence of its being untrue.

For ourselves, we are totally incapable of explaining or reconciling the quotations made from his writings, in consistency with the doctrine of endless misery, or in any other sense than as exhibiting in the strongest light the broad basis of universal benevolence and salvation.

We hope our Methodist brethren, generally,will carefully examine and weigh the above extracts from the writings of their venerated Wesley, and if satisfied that he became convinced, before his death, of the truth of Universalism, that they will "go and do likewise," before having tenaciously and unalterably defended the soul-chilling doctrine of endless misery "for fifty years without varying a hair's breadth."