The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 15 (of 32)Wesley, John
History
The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 15 (of 32)
Wesley, John
Methodist Church; Theology -- Early works to 1800; Theology -- History -- 18th century
We do not dispute concerning any of the _externals_ or _circumstantials_
of religion. There is no room; for we _agree_ with you therein. We
approve of, and adhere to them all; all that we learned together when
we were children, in our _catechism_ or _common prayer-book_. We were
born and bred up in your _own church_, and desire to die therein. We
always were, and are now, _zealous for the church_; only not with a
blind, angry zeal. We hold, and ever have done, the same _opinions_,
which you and we received from our forefathers. But we do not lay the
main stress of our religion on any _opinions_, right or wrong: neither
do we ever begin, or willingly join in any _dispute_ concerning
them. The weight of all religion, we ♦apprehend, rests on holiness
of _heart_ and _life_. And consequently, wherever we come, we press
this with all our might. How wide then is the difference between
our case and the case of any of those that are above-mentioned? They
_avowedly separated_ from the church: we utterly disavow any such
design. They severely, and almost continually, inveighed against
the _doctrines_ and _discipline_ of the church they left. We approve
both the _doctrines_ and _discipline_ of our church, and inveigh
only against _ungodliness_ and _unrighteousness_. They spent great
part of their time and strength in contending about _externals_ and
_circumstantials_. We agree with you in both; so that having no room
to spend any time in such vain _contention_, we have our desire of
spending and being spent, in promoting plain _practical religion_. How
many stumbling-blocks are removed out of _your way_? Why do not you
acknowledge the work of God?
♦ “apperehend” replaced with “apprehend”
10. If you say, “Because you hold _opinions_ which I cannot believe
are true:” I answer, Believe them true or false; I will not quarrel
with you about any _opinion_. Only see that your heart be right toward
God, that you know and love the Lord Jesus Christ; that you love your
neighbour, and walk as your master walked, and I desire no more. I am
sick of _opinions_: I am weary to bear them. My soul loaths this frothy
food. Give me solid and substantial religion. Give me an humble, gentle
lover of God and man; a man full of mercy and good fruits, without
partiality, and without hypocrisy: a man laying himself out in the work
of faith, the patience of hope, the labour of love. Let my soul be with
_these_ Christians, wheresoever they are, and whatsoever _opinion_ they
are of. _Whosoever_ thus _doth the will of my Father which is in heaven,
the same is my brother, and sister, and mother_.
11. Inexcusably infatuated must you be, if you can even _doubt_ whether
the propagation of this religion be of God! Only more inexcusable are
those unhappy men, who _oppose_, _contradict_, and _blaspheme_ it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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