The life and times of the Rev. John Wesley, M.A., founder of the Methodists. Vol. 1 (of 3)Tyerman, L. (Luke)
History
The life and times of the Rev. John Wesley, M.A., founder of the Methodists. Vol. 1 (of 3)
Tyerman, L. (Luke)
Methodism; Wesley, John, 1703-1791
The result was increased commotion. Some said, “We believers are no
more bound to obey, than the subjects of the king of England are bound
to obey the laws of the king of France.” Bell declared that, for a
man not born of God to read the Scriptures, pray, or come to the
Lord’s table, was deadly poison. And Wesley, after a short debate, was
prohibited preaching at Fetter Lane.
This brought matters to a crisis. Wesley had done all he could to
correct the growing errors; but Molther was a greater favourite than
Wesley; and the man, who had founded Fetter Lane society, was now, by
Moravian votes, commanded to go about his business, and to leave the
pulpit to his German superiors.
The thing had become an intolerable evil; and, at all hazards, the
heresies must be checked. Substantially they may be reduced to two:—1.
That there are no degrees of faith; or, in other words, that there is
no justifying faith where there is any doubt or fear; or, in other
words (for we feel it difficult to gripe such an abortive dogma),
no man believes and is justified, unless, in the full sense of the
expression, he is sanctified, and is possessed of a clean heart. 2.
That to search the Scriptures, to pray, or to communicate, before we
have faith, is to seek salvation by works; and such works must be laid
aside before faith can be received.
This is not the place to confute such errors. Suffice it to say, that,
before half-a-dozen years had passed, the London Moravians dropped the
very doctrines, for opposing which Wesley was expelled from preaching
in Fetter Lane. Their _stillness_ was declared to mean, that “man
cannot attain to salvation by his own wisdom, strength, righteousness,
goodness, merits, or works. When he applies for it, he must cast away
all dependence upon everything of his own, and, trusting only to the
mercy of God, through the merits of Christ, he must thus _quietly wait_
for God’s salvation.”[356] This is a doctrine to which Wesley raised
no objection; but it was not the doctrine of Molther, Browne, Bell,
Bray, and Bowers, in 1740. Then as to the doctrine concerning degrees
in faith, it is right to add, that such a dogma was never taught by
the general authorities of the Moravian _church_; but it was taught by
Spangenberg, Molther, Stonehouse, and other Moravians in London,[357]
the result being the disastrous confusion to which we are now
adverting. Indeed, it is a notable fact, that, only two months after
the Fetter Lane disruption, Wesley himself clears the Moravian _church_
from the aspersion, that it held such heresies. They were the spawn of
foolish fanatics, who regarded themselves Moravians, but were hardly
worthy of the name. On September 29, 1740, Wesley having stated what
the errors were, observes:—“In flat opposition to this, I assert: 1.
That a man may have a degree of justifying faith, before he is wholly
freed from all doubt and fear; and before he has, in the full, proper
sense, a new, a clean heart. 2.
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