Toplady and Wesley

The other day I was perusing monergism, as I am wont to do. I came across a published article written by Augustus Toplady entitled "A letter to the Rev. John Wesley." This article is a seething letter describing Toplady's outrage at John Wesley for secretly printing a pamphlet. Additionally, Wesley misquotes Toplady which enraged him even more. Look at this section:

Though you are neither mentioned, nor alluded to, throughout the whole book, yet it could hardly be imagined that a treatise apparently tending to lay the axe to the root of those pernicious doctrines which, for more than thirty years past, you have endeavoured to palm on your credulous followers, with all the sophistry of a jesuit, and the dictatorial authority of a pope, should long pass without some censure from the hand of a restless Arminian, who has so eagerly endeavoured to distinguish himself as the bellwether of his deluded thousands.

Bam! The letter never relents either. Apparently, Wesley never replied because Toplady wrote another published letter to him 9 months later saying that he had not responded or apologized. Two pastors that were under Wesley did respond, however. But Toplady makes fun of their underdeveloped writing skills instead of dealing with their arguments.

I find this whole situation to be really funny, kinda sad, and without the slightest guise of charity. I didn't find it necessary to read Toplady's other articles on monergism-- Arminianism: The Golden Idol of Free Will and Arminianism: The Road to Rome