TO THE Rev. Mr. _Church_’s REMARKS on the Rev. Mr. _John Wesley_’s last JOURNAL.
In a LETTER to that GENTLEMAN.
_Let not him that putteth on his harness, boast himself as he that putteth it off._ 1 Kings xx. 11.
Reverend Sir,
1. MY first desire (and prayer to God) is, That I may live peaceably with all men. My next, That if I must dispute at all, it may be with a man of understanding. Thus far therefore I rejoice on the present occasion. I rejoice also in that I have confidence of your sincerity, of your real desire, to promote the glory of God, by peace and good-will among men. I am likewise thankful to God, for your calm manner of writing; (a few paragraphs excepted:) and yet more for this, That _such_ an opponent, should by writing in _such_ a manner, give me an opportunity of explaining myself on those very heads, whereon I wanted an occasion so to do.
2. I do not want indeed (though perhaps you think I do) to widen the breach between us, or to represent the difference of the doctrines we severally teach, as greater than it really is. So far from it, that I earnestly wish, there were none at all: or if there must be some, that it may be as small as possible: being fully persuaded, that could we once agree in doctrines, other differences would soon fall to the ground.
3. In order to contribute, as I am able, to this, it will be my endeavour, to acknowledge what I think you have spoken right, and to answer what I cannot think right as yet, with what brevity and clearness I can. I desire to do this, in as inoffensive a manner, as the nature of the thing will bear; and consistently with that brotherly love, which I cannot deny you, without wronging my own soul.
4. You sum up your charge thus: _You have now, Sir, my sentiments――――It is impossible for you to put an entire stop, to the enormities of the_ Moravians, _while you still_, I. _Too much commend these men_, II. _Hold principles in common with them, from which these enormities naturally follow, and_ III. _Maintain other errors more than theirs, and are guilty of enthusiasm to the highest degree_.¹
¹ Remarks, pages 73, 74.
I. 1. You, first, charge me with _too much commending the_ Moravians. That the case may be fully understood, I will transcribe the passages which you cite from the journal concerning them, and then give a general answer.
“She told me, Mr. _Molther_ had advised her, till she received faith, to be _still, ceasing from outward works_――――In the evening, Mr. _Bray_ also was highly commending the being _still_――――He likewise spoke largely, of the _great danger_ that attended the doing of _outward works_, and of the _folly_ of people that keep _running about to church and sacrament_.”¹
¹ 4th Journal, page 7.
“_Sunday November 4._ Our society met, and continued _silent_ till eight.”¹
¹ Ib. page 42.
“_Sunday June 22._ I spoke thus: Eight or nine months ago, certain men arose, who affirmed, that there is no such thing as any _means of grace_――――and that we ought to leave off these _works of the law_.”¹
¹ Page 42.
_N. B._ The sentences quoted from the _Remarks_, are all printed in _italicks_.
“You (Mr. _Molther_) believe, that the way to attain faith, is, not to go to church, not to communicate, not to fast, not to use _so much_ private prayer, not to read the scripture; not to do temporal good, or attempt to do spiritual good.”¹
¹ Page 20.
“You undervalue _good works_, especially works of _outward mercy_, never publicly insisting on the necessity of them.”¹
¹ Page 108.
“Some of our brethren asserted, 1. That till they had true faith, they ought to be _still_, that is (as they explained themselves) to abstain from the _means of grace_, as they are called, the Lord’s supper in particular. 2. That the ordinances are not _means of grace_, there being no other means than Christ.”¹
¹ Page 8.
“I could not agree, either that none has any faith, so long as he is liable to any doubt or fear, or that till we have it, we ought to abstain from the ordinances of God.”¹
¹ Ib.
“Mr. _Br――――d_ speaks so slightly of the _means of grace_, that many are much grieved to hear him. But others are greatly delighted with him. Ten or fourteen of them meet at our brother _Clark_’s, with Mr. _Molther_, and make a ♦mere jest of going to church or to the sacrament.”¹
♦ “meer” replaced with “mere”
¹ Page 17.
“You (Mr. _Molther_) believe, it is impossible for a man to _use these means_, without _trusting in them_.”¹
¹ Page 20.
“Believers (said Mr. _Simpson_) are _not subject_ to ordinances, and unbelievers have nothing to do with them.”¹
¹ Page 34.
“Believers _need not_, and unbelievers _may not_ use them. These _do not_ sin when they _abstain_ from them; but those _do sin_, when they do not abstain.”¹
¹ Page 43.
“For one who is not born of God, to read the scriptures, or to pray, or to communicate, or to do any outward work is _deadly poison_.――――If he does any of these things, he _destroys_ himself.”¹
¹ Page 48.