Yet they were not “come” (few, if any) “to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.”. Paul terms, “the fruit of the Spirit.” And all these, in conformity to his doctrine, I ascribe to the power of God. His Lordship of Exeter must certainly have more regard to the dignity of the episcopal office.
SECOND LETTER
THE ENTHUSIASM OF METHODISTS AND PAPISTS COMPARED.”
TO THE RIGHT REVEREND THE LORD BISHOP OF EXETER
He represents them,” you say, “in the blackest colors; yet declares, in the main, they are some of the best people in the world. Is their religion the religion of the heart; a renewal of the soul in the image of God. I have answered every article of this charge, in the Second and Third Parts of the “Farther Appeal,” and the “Letter to Mr.
You are not so unlearned in the law, as not to know, that the legislature is out of the question. A Seventh argument you ground on those words in the “Plain Account of the People called Methodists:”.
THE LORD BISHOP OF EXETER
Your Lordship replies, “I neither sent word that I would dine at their house, nor did I send for Mrs. I believe it; and. consequently, that the want of exactness in this point rests on Mrs. Morgan, not on your Lordship. Your Lordship adds, “The following attestations will sufficiently clear me from any imputation, or even suspicion, of having published a falsehood.”.
The attestations your Lordship produces are, First, those of your Lordship’s Chancellor and Archdeacon: Secondly, those of Mr. The former attests, that in June or July 1748, Mrs. Morgan did say those things to your Lordship. I believe she did, and therefore acquit your Lordship of being the inventor of those falsehoods. To save trouble to your Lordship, as well as to myself, I will put this cause upon a very short issue: If your Lordship will only prove that ever I lay one night in Mrs.
What your Lordship mentions “by the way,” I will now consider: “Some of your western correspondents imposed upon the leaders of Methodism, by transmitting to London a notoriously false account of my Charge to the Clergy. My Lord, I know not who are your Lordship’s Irish correspondents; but here are almost as many mistakes as lines. 1.)They were none of my correspondents who sent that account to London. And many have wondered, that your Lordship did not do so long ago, by printing the Charge in. 4.)I did never confess it was a false account; nor any person by my consent, or with my knowledge. 5.)That account was never reprinted at Cork at all. 6.)When it was reprinted at Dublin, your Lordship had not disowned it.
Therefore, when my brother was asked, how he could reprint such an account, after your Lordship had publicly disowned it, I do not at all wonder, that “he did not offer a single word in answer.”.
A LETTER
THE REVEREND MR. BAlLY, OF CORK
The main body of the mob then went to the House, brought out all the seats and benches, tore up the floor, the door, the frames of the windows, and whatever of wood-work remained, part of which they carried off for their own use, and the rest they burnt in the open street. Be pleased to produce proper vouchers of the facts; and I will then give a farther answer. But there is gall with the honey, and less of the honey than the gall.
Your last charge is, that “I profess myself to be a member of the established Church, and yet act contrary to the commands of my spiritual governors, and stab the Church to the very vitals.”. But the Magistrate,” you say, was only “endeavoring to secure the peace of the city.” (Page 6.) A very extraordinary way of securing peace. Of the Clergy you add, “What need have they to rage and foam at your preaching.
I learn from you, that ignorance of another kind is a Second reason why some of the Clergy oppose us: They, like you, think us enemies to the Church. And the truth is, the old doctrines of the Reformation are now quite new in the world. Hence those who revive them cannot fail to be opposed by those of the Clergy who know them not.
And when all these things are considered, none need be at a loss for the motives on which many of the Clergy have opposed us.
THE REVEREND MR. POTTER
The precise meaning of the term is, “a new birth unto righteousness,” an inward change from unholy to holy tempers. You proceed: “Our holy Church doth teach us, that — by the laver of regeneration in baptism, we are received into the number of the children of God — This is the first part of the new birth.” What is the first part of the new birth. The outward sign is no more a part of the inward grace than the body is a part of the soul.
I am, in the Second place, to consider the account you give of “the pretended inspiration” (so you are pleased to term it) “of the Methodists.”. I deny that either I, or any in connection with me, (for others, whether called Methodists, or anything else, I am no more concerned to answer than you are,) do now, or ever did, lay any claim to “these extraordinary operations of the Spirit.”. Meantime he endeavors to use only “the language of the Apostles,” to speak the things of the Spirit in the words of the Spirit.
Is there “no need of this inspiration now, because the prejudices of mankind are in favor of the gospel, and the profession of it is under the protection and encouragement of the civil power?” The prejudices of mankind are in favor of the gospel. To go no farther than England: Are the bulk of our nation prejudiced in favor of the genuine gospel; of the holiness which it enjoins;. Likewise, how far this real Christianity is “under the protection and encouragement of the civil power,” I know not.
And the pretension thereto (which must be either to explain or to supply it) is a wicked presumption, with which Satan hath filled their hearts, to lie of the Holy Ghost.” (Pages 27, 28.).
THE REVEREND MR. DOWNES,
METHODISM EXAMINED AND EXPOSED.”
You begin with a home stroke: “In the Montanist you may behold the bold lineaments and bloated countenance of the Methodist.”. Well, all this is mere flourish; raising a dust, to blind the eyes of the spectators. You may read it when you are at leisure; for it is in print, entitled, “The Circumcision of the Heart.”.
Therefore, as to the rest of the “Antinomian trash” which you have so carefully gathered up, as, “that the regenerate are as pure as Christ himself;. We likewise believe, that the spiritual life, which commences when we are born again, must, in the nature of the thing, have a first moment, as well as the natural. But we say again and again, we are concerned for the substance of the work, not the.
I have myself close]y and carefully examined every part of it, every verse of the New Testament, in the original, as well as in our own and other translations. Meantime, your asserting it, is a plain proof that you know nothing of the men you talk of. I think this is all you have said which is any way material concerning the doctrines of the Methodists.
I want only more of the Spirit of love and power, and of an healthful mind.
REVEREND DR. HORNE
Therefore, he was not justified by faith alone.” Our Church, adopting the words of St. How we are justified by faith alone, and yet by such a faith as is not alone, it may be proper to explain. You go on: “Thirdly, if we consider the nature of faith, it will appear impossible that a man should be justified by that alone.
But how do you prove, that we cannot be justified by faith as a reliance on the promises. But no holiness can exist, till, “being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.”. We conclude,’ then, says he, ‘a man is justified by faith, without the deeds of the law.’ But here arise two questions: First, What are the works excluded from justifying.
He does this afterward; when he is justified by faith, then his faith “worketh by love.”. He “believed God,” and He “counted it to him for righteousness;” that is, “he was justified by faith,” as St. 2.)Many years after Isaac was born, (some of the ancients thought three-and-thirty,) Abraham, showing his faith by his works, offered him up upon the altar. Drawing to a conclusion, you say, “What pity, so many volumes should have been written upon the question, — whether a man be justified by faith or works, seeing they are two essential parts of the same thing!”.
Therefore, whether a man be justified by faith or works, is a point of the last importance; otherwise, our Reformers could not have answered to God their spending so much time upon it.
THE LORD BISHOP OF GLOUCESTER
ON THE OFFICE AND OPERATIONS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.”
I fear we have grieved the Spirit of the jealous God, by questioning his work.” (Ibid.). Nor was there any interruption, either of my speaking, or of the attention of the hearers.” (Page 134.). One of the chief of those who came to make the disturbance on the first instant hanged himself.” (Page 146.).
I know, whoever (habitually) breaks one of the least of these, “shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven.”. 1.)“His followers are always the children of God, his opposers the children of the devil.”. True, of a mission to be the Savior of the world; to put a period to the Jewish, and introduce the Christian, dispensation.
I proceed to consider, in the Second place, what is advanced concerning the operations of the Holy Spirit. Again: What is the difference between the immediate and the virtual influence of the Holy Spirit. I have in some measure explained myself on the head of miracles, in the Third Part of the ‘Farther Appeal.’.
Was all this an effectual proof of the truth of their pretenses to the Israelites themselves. It is the office of the Holy Ghost to sanctify; which the more it is hid from our understanding,” (that is, the particular manner of his working,). Paul, ‘not the Spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God;’ for this purpose,.
