“Mr. _Bell_ earnestly defended this.”
“At eight the society (at _Nottingham_) met; I could not but observe――――that not one who came in, used any prayer at all.――――I looked for one of our hymn books, but both that and the bible were vanished away, and in the room thereof lay, the _Moravian_ hymns and the _Count’s sermons_.”¹
¹ Page 88.
“One of our _English_ brethren, joined with you, said in his public expounding, ‘As many go to hell by _praying_, as by _thieving_.’ Another, ‘I knew one, who leaning over the back of a chair, received a great gift. But he must kneel down, to give God thanks. So he lost it immediately. And I know not whether he will ever have it again.’ And yet another, ‘You have lost your first joy. Therefore you pray. That is the devil. You read the bible. That is the devil. You communicate. That is the devil.’”¹
¹ Page 106.
“They affirmed, that there is _no commandment_ in the New Testament, but to _believe_; that no other _duty_ lies upon us; and, that when a man does believe, he is not _bound_ or _obliged_, to do any thing which is commanded there.”¹
¹ Page 41.
“Mr. _St――――_ told me, No one has _any degree_ of faith, till he is perfect as God is perfect.”¹
¹ Page 35.
“You believe there are _no degrees_ in faith.”¹
¹ Ib.
“I have heard Mr. _Molther_ affirm, that there is no justifying faith, where there is ever any doubt.”¹
¹ Page 105.
“The moment a man is justified, he is sanctified wholly. Thenceforth, till death, he is neither more nor less holy.”¹
¹ Page 100.
“We are to grow in grace, but not in holiness.”¹
¹ Page 101.
♦2. I have frequently observed, that I wholly disapprove, of all these positions, “That there are _no degrees_ in faith”; “That in order to attain faith, we must _abstain_ from all the _ordinances_ of God”; “That a believer does not _grow in holiness_”, and “That he is not _obliged_ to keep the commandments of God.” But I must also observe, 1. That you ought not to charge the _Moravian_ church with the first of these; since in the very page from which you quote those words, “There is no justifying faith where there is ever any doubt” that note occurs, “In the preface to the second journal, the _Moravian_ church is cleared from this mistake.” 2. That with respect to the ordinances of God, their practice is better than their principle. They do use them themselves, I am a witness; and that with reverence and godly fear. Those expressions however, of our own countrymen, are utterly indefensible: as, I think are Mr. _Molther_’s also; who was quickly after recalled into _Germany_. The great fault of the _Moravian_ church seems to lie in not openly disclaiming all he had said: which in all probability they would have done, had they not leaned to the same opinion. I must 3. observe, that I never knew one of the _Moravian_ church, but that single person affirm, “That a believer does not grow in holiness.” And perhaps he would not affirm it, on reflection. But I am still afraid their whole church is tainted with _Quietism_, _Universal Salvation_, and _Antinomianism_: “I speak (as I said elsewhere) of _Antinomian opinions_, abstracted from practice, good or bad.”
♦ Number 1. not shown in text.
3. But I should rejoice if there lay no other objection against them, than that of erroneous opinions. I know in some measure, how to have compassion on the ignorant: I know the incredible force of pre-possession. And God only knows, what ignorance or error (all things considered) is invincible; and what allowance his mercy will make in such cases, to those who desire to be lead into all truth. But how far what follows may be imputed to invincible ignorance or pre-possession, I cannot tell.
Many of “¹you greatly, yea above measure, exalt yourselves (as a church) and despise others:
¹ 4th journal, pages 107, 108.
“I have scarce heard one _Moravian_ brother own _his church_ to be wrong in any thing:
“Many of you I have heard speak of it, as if it were infallible;” “Some of you have set it up, as the judge of all the earth, of all persons as well as doctrines:
“Some of you have said, that there is no _true church_ but yours; yea, that there are no _true Christians_ out of it:
“And your own members you require to have _implicit faith_ in her decisions, and to pay _implicit_ obedience to her directions.”
I can in no degree justify these things. And yet neither can I look upon them in the same light that you do, as ¹_some of the very worst things which are objected to the church of_ Rome. They are exceeding great mistakes: yet in as great mistakes, have holy men both lived and died: _Thomas a Kempis_, for instance, and _Francis Sales_. And yet I doubt not, they are now in _Abraham_’s bosom.
¹ Remarks, page 7.