The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 14 (of 32)Wesley, John
Religion
The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 14 (of 32)
Wesley, John
Methodist Church; Theology -- Early works to 1800; Theology -- History -- 18th century
_A._ Perhaps we may――But still the tree is known by its fruits. And
such fruits as those above-mentioned imagination was never yet strong
enough to produce, nor any _power_, save that of the Almighty.
7. There is only one clause in the eighth query which falls under our
present enquiry.
“They make it their _principal_ employ, wherever they go, to instil
into people a few _favorite tenets_ of their own; and this with such
diligence and zeal as if the whole of Christianity depended upon them,
and all efforts toward the true Christian life, without a belief of
those tenets, were vain and ineffectual.”
I plead guilty to this charge. I do make it my _principal_, nay, my
whole employ, and that wherever I go, to instil into the people, a few
_favourite tenets_. (Only be it observed, they are not _my own_, but
his that sent me.) And it is undoubtedly true, that this I do, (tho’
deeply conscious of my want, both of zeal and diligence) as if the
whole of Christianity depended upon them, and all efforts without them
were void and vain.
I frequently sum them all up in one, _in Christ Jesus_, (_i. e._
according to his gospel) _neither circumcision availeth any thing nor
uncircumcision, but faith which worketh by love_. But many times I
instil them one by one, under these, or the like expressions. _Thou
shalt love the Lord thy |God| with all thy heart, and with all thy mind,
and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, thou shalt love thy
neighbour as thyself_; as thy own soul; as Christ loved us. God _is
love: and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in |God|, and |God| in him.
Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling
of the law. While we have time let us do good unto all men; especially
unto them that are of the houshold of faith. Whatsoever ye would that
men should do unto you, even so do unto them._
These are my _favourite tenets_, and have been for many years. O that
I could instil them into every soul throughout the land! Ought they
not to be instilled with such diligence and zeal, as if the whole of
Christianity depended upon them? For who can deny, that all efforts
toward a Christian life, without more than a bare _belief_, without
a thorough _experience_ and _practice_ of these, are utterly vain and
ineffectual?
*8. Part of your ninth _query_ is to the same effect:
“A few young heads set up _their own schemes_, as the great standard
of Christianity: and indulge _their own notions_ to such a degree,
as to perplex, unhinge, terrify and distract the minds of multitudes
of people, who have lived from their infancy under a gospel-ministry,
and in the regular exercise of a gospel-worship. And all this, by
persuading them, that they neither are, nor can be true Christians, but
by adhering to _their doctrines_.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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