♦ “Thy” replaced with “They”
By “extraordinary strictnesses and severities,” I presume your lordship means, the abstaining from wine and animal food; which, it is sure, Christianity does not require. But if you do, I fear your lordship is not throughly informed of the matter of fact. I began to do this, about twelve years ago, when I had no thought of “annoying parochial ministers,” or of “captivating any people” thereby, unless it were the _Chicasaw_ or _Choctau Indians_. But I resumed the use of them both, about two years after, for the sake of some who thought I made it a point of conscience; telling them, _I_ will _eat flesh while the world standeth_, rather than _make my brother to offend_. Dr. _Cheyne_ advised me, to leave them off again, alluring me, “Till you do, you will never be free from fevers.” And since I have taken his advice, I have been free (blessed be God) from all bodily disorders.¹ Would to God I knew any method of being equally free from all _follies_ and _indiscretions_. But this I never expect to attain, till my spirit returns to God.
¹ I continued this about two years.
15. But in how strange a manner does your lordship represent this? What a construction do you put upon it? _Appearances of an_ uncommon _sanctity_, in order to _captivate the people――――Pretensions to more exalted degrees of strictness, to make their way into weak minds and fickle heads_, page 25. _Pretences to greater sanctity_, whereby _they draw over to themselves the most ignorant of the people_, page 4. If these are _appearances of uncommon sanctity_ (which indeed might bear a dispute) how does your lordship know, that they are only _appearances_? That they do not spring from the heart? Suppose these were _exalted degrees of strictness_, is your lordship absolutely assured, that we practise them only _to make_ our _way into weak minds and fickle heads_? Where is the proof, that these _pretences to greater sanctity_ (as you lordship is pleased to phrase them) are mere _pretences_, and have nothing of reality or sincerity in them?
My lord, this is an accusation of the highest nature. If we are guilty, we are not so much as moral Heathens. We are monsters, not only unworthy of the Christian name, but unfit for human society. It tears up all _pretences_ to the love of God and man: to justice, mercy, or truth. But how is it proved? Or does your lordship read the heart, and so pass sentence without any proof at all? O my lord, ought an accusation of the lowest kind to be thus received, even against the lowest of the people? How much less can this be reconciled with the apostolical advice to the bishop of _Ephesus_, _Against a presbyter, receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses_; and those face to face. When it is thus proved, _them that sin, rebuke before all_. Your lordship, doubtless remembers the words that follow (how worthy to be written in your heart!) _I charge thee, before God and the_ Lord Jesus Christ, _and the elect angels, that thou observe these things, without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality_, _1 Timothy_ v. 19, 20, 21.
* * * * *
IV. 16. They _mislead the people into an opinion of the_ high merit _of punctual attendances on their performances, to the neglect of the business of their station_, page 26. My lord, this is not so. You yourself, in this very charge, have cleared us from one part of this accusation. You have born us witness, page 10. that we ♦disclaim all _merit_, even in (really) good works: how much more, in such works as we continually declare are not good, but very evil? Such as the attending sermons, or any public offices, whatever, _to the neglect of the business of our station_.
♦ “disclain” replaced with “disclaim”
When your lordship urged this before, in the _observations_, I openly declared my belief (_Farther Appeal_, part I. page 19.) “That true religion cannot lead into a disregard or disesteem of the common duties and offices of life: that, on the contrary, it leads men to discharge all those duties with the strictest and closest attention: that Christianity requires this attention and diligence, in all stations and in all conditions: that the ♦performance of the lowest offices of life, _as unto_ God, is truly _a serving of_ Christ; and that this is the doctrine I preach continually;” a fact, whereof any man may easily be informed. Now if after all this, your lordship will repeat the charge, as if I had not once opened my mouth concerning it, I cannot help it. I can say no more. I commend my ♠cause to God.
♦ “preformance” replaced with “performance”
♠ “case” replaced with “cause” per Errata
17. Having considered what your lordship has advanced, concerning dangerous _doctrines_ and indirect _practices_, I now come to the instructions your lordship gives to the clergy of your diocese.