BX 8333 W51lZl A: a; Oi 0! 9 - ^ ■ > i — — - 3 s I 3> J 3 33 7 ■< 4 3> — 7 ^^^^~ c 4 %130NVS0\^ %^AINflJHV o ^UBRARYQ^ WvHIBRARYQa .^E-UNIVERS/a "^/shmnii-jv^ %oi\m$s^ %oi\m^ ^mmm^ ^AOSANGElfj^, o %a3AINf]]V^ ^OFCAllFO/?^ ^OF-CAllFORto y tfAavaan# y * \WE UNIVERS/a o ^dO$ANCElfj> o "fyHHAINfl 3\W ^•LIBRARYQr .OF CAllFOfc^ ttU-UNIVERto ^•OFCALIFOfttj, ' y F("AllF0^ \\tt (JS'IYIR.V//, v> -U)S-ANCft/J> S s X"~\ ,Uf CALIF(% W*-T A LETTER T O T H E Rev. Mr. John Wefley, CONCERNING His Inconsistency with himfelf. Occasioned by the Publication of his Sermon, Entitled, The Lord Our Riqhteousness. Rebuke them Jharply, that they may he found in the Faith' Titus i. 13. LONDON: Printed by H. Hart, in Poppings-Court, Fleet-Street; And fold by G. Keith, at the Bible and Crown, in Grace- church-Street ; M. Folingsby, at the Seven Stars, near Temple Bar, Fleet-Street ; and J. Millan, oppofite the Admiralty. 1766. [Price Six- Pence.] ; V- i • r - I 3 . ■ • '.' • _■ • ■ , ' i ' ' 3X 00 '3.1 izi . A LETTER to the Rev. Mr. John JVeJley, Sec. ■ i Reverend Sir* J6IJCT HAVE fdad your late publimed Ser- 5j I jjj mon, entitled, The LORD Our k tB^jfe J^ Righteousness j and with great Pleafure I obferved that part of it, which treats of the Doctrine of the Imputed Righ- teousness of Christ ; not only, becaufe I thought you therein afferted and maintained the Doctrine in very explicit Terms ; but chiefly, becaufe I took it to be a publick Re- cantation of forne Errors, which you had un- happily fallen into for fome Years pail. But when I found you therein declare, c * that this "is the Doctrine which you have constantly u believed and taught for near eight and twenty " Years"jIconfefsIwas no lefs furprized than I was before pleafed ; and being unable my- felf to reconcile it with many Things which you have publimed of late upon that Subject, I have here taken the Liberty of prefenting you with a few Extracts from fome of your late Works -, and I have oppofed to them fome others from your Sermon and Hymns therein mentioned -, which having the Appearance, at B leaf*.' 869812 ( 2 ') leaft, of a Difference, not in Expreffiott only, but in Sentiment alfo ; I mould be obliged to you if you would inform me, (if you can) how they may be reconciled one with the other. But if upon a Perufal thereof you mould per- ceive and acknowledge there is a real Diffe- rence, I mould be glad if you would let us know which are your real Sentiments, and thofe that you will for the future abide by. And left you mould have forgotten what you formerly wrote on that Subject ; and in order to mew what that Mr. John Wefley's Judg- ment was upon this Head, whofe Name flands prefixed to his Works ; I have put down fome Extracts from thofe alfo : From the whole of which it will be difficult) I apprehend, to de- termine, whether they are the Works of one, two, or three Mr. John Wefleys ; if he be credited, who in his Sermon fays, that he has been of the fame Judgment for near eight and twenty Years. The following are fome Extracts from fome of your former Works j by which it will ap- pear, that you then believed and taught, that both the active and paffive Obedience of Chrifl were imputed to a Believer for his Righteouf- nefs; and that Faith was no more than a Hand to receive it. «< As Adam's firft Unrighteoufnefs, the firft Sin he committed, is communicated to Men, and made theirs by Imputation ; and not only fo, but by inherency alfo, (for it has bred in them ori- ginal Sin) after the fame Manner the Righteousness that Christ wrought, is made ours by Imputation, and this impu- tative Righteoufnefs of Christ worketh a Righteoufnefs which is inherent in us." " Thougk ( 3 ) <* Though Christ was a Man without Sin in himfelf, yet our Sin was imputed to him, and he was by GOD reckoned as a Sinner ; and then he kills him, putting our Carfe upon him ; fo to us that are free from Righteoufnefs, Christ is made Righ- teoufnefs; fo that GOD. looks on us as if we had performed PER- FECT Righteousness ; and when that is done he-favesus." — " This is the only Way now by which Men fhall be foved, the Work is already done on Christ's part ; there is the Righteouf- nefs that GOD hath prepared , which is therefore called tht Righteoufnefs of GOD." " Christ came into the World and died, that he might work Righteousness and make Satisfa&ion to GOD: So that you have nothing to do for the firft attaining of it, but to receive it by Faith." " Why fhould you look for Righteoufnefs in youj-felyes? The Work of Faith is to take that Righteousness that is none of your own ; there is nothing at all elfe required. 1 fay all that Faith has to do, is only to take from Christ that Righ- teousness that we want ourfelves. It is Faith only that makes us Partakers of a Righteousness to juilify us, becaufe we ourfelves have it not." " You now fee the Reafons, why it is by Faith only, that the Righteousness of Christ is made ours to Salvation." ■ ** For neither our inward nor outward Righteoufnefs is the Ground of our Juftification. Holinefs of Heart as well as Holi- nefs of Life, is not the Caufe, but the Effett of it. The fole Caufe of our Acceptance with GOD is the Righteousness and Death of Christ, who fulfilled Goa*s Law, and died in our ffead." " This is an honour to Christ, to attribute fo much to his Righteousness, that being cloathed therewith, we can boldly break through the Fire of GOD's Juftice, and all thofe terrible Attributes, when we fee them all, as it were, fatisfied fully in Christ ; for Christ with his Righteoufnefs, could go through the Juftice of GOD, having fatisfied to the full /or us And we being cloatbed with this his Righteousness and Satis- faction, may go through too." * «« Join Earth and Heaven to blefs The Lord our Righteoufnefs. The Myftery of Redemption this, This the Saviour's ftrange Defign ; Man's Offence was counted bis, Ours his Righteoufnefs Divine."— mR ?. 2 * n ♦ The afoore Extra&s are taken chicfty from the Chrijiian Library* ( 4 ) .♦' In. him complete we fhine, His Death, his Life is mine : Fully am I juftified, Free from Sin, and more than free, Guiltlefs, fince for me he died, Righteous, fince he li-v'd for me." " Grant this, O Lord ; for thou haft tly*4» That I might be forgiven ; Thou haft the Righteoufnefs fupply'd, For which I merit Heaven."— " Let Faith and Love combine To guard your valiant Breaft ; The Plate be Righteoufnefs divine, Imputed and Impreft.* ■ ** When from the Duft of Death I rife. To claim my Manfion in the Skies ; Ev'n then fhall this be all my Plea, Jefus hath liv'd and dyd for me.'' " Jefu thy Blood and Righteoufnefs My Beauty are, my glorious Drefs." V. My righteous Servant and my Son Shall each believing Sinner clear, And all who ftoop t'abjure their own, Shall in his Righteoufnef appear." The Extracts which follow •, are from fome of your late Works, and the Sermon, entitled, The IpOrj? our Righteousness. Of what is meant by the Righteousness op Christ, and of the Imputation thereof. (LATE WORKS) V The Queftion in precife Terms'is this, whether the Faith of him that truly believes in Christ, or the Righteoufnefs of Christ himfelf, that is, his Obedience to the moral Law, be that which God imputes to a Be- liever, for Righteoufnefs in bis J unification ; fothat he that be- liever, is conftituted and made as (SERMON.) «' CHRiSTdid all Things well. In every Word of his Tongue, in every Work of his Hands, he did precifely theWill of him that fent him. — All he acted and fpoke was exaclly right in every Cir- cumftance : The whole and eve- ry part of his Obedience 'was complete. He fulfilled all Rigb- teeu/fie/s." " But ( 5 ) asperfe&ly, aslegally righteous, as Christ himfelf is ; the Jufti- fied and the Juftifier, both being righteous with thefelffame Righ- teoufnefs, only the juftified wears it by Imputation, the Juftifier by Inherency. — That the Scrip- tures no where countenance any fuch Imputation of the Righ- teoufnefs of Christ, I truft to make manifeft in this Difcourfe. That the aftive Obedience of Christ, his fulfilling the moral Law, was never intended by God to be that Righteoufnefs where- with we are j jftified may be fur- ther demonftrated, &c. The Righteoufnefs of Christ is precifely fitted to the Perfon and Calling of a Mediator. Therefore it cannot be imputed to any other Man for his Righ- teoufnefs." Treatife on JuJ}. ^.4.5.27.57. " I cannot prove that it was requifite for Christ to fulfill the moral Law in order to his purchafing Redemption for us.— By his Sufferings alone the Law was fatisfied. — The Satisfaction made by the Death of Christ was unqueftionably fufficient to obtain both our full Pardon and final Happinefs." Letter to Mr. Herefs than an abro- gation of his Death." Treatife Page 60, 64. 72. 73. 74. 116. theirs" Serm. Pa. 26. 15. " There are hundreds, yea thoufands of true Believers, who never once thought one way or other of Christ's fulfil- ling all Righteoufnefs in their Stead. I perfonally know ma- ny who to this Hour have no I- deaofit." Letter to Mr. Hervej. " Faith and the Righteouf- nefs of Christ are infeperable. For if he (viz. the Believer) be- lieves according to Scripture, he believes in the Righteoufnefs of Christ. There is no true Faith, that is, juftifying Faith, which has not the Righteoufnefs of Christ for its Objed." Serm. Pa. 1 5. " The whole Generation of Difputers for that Imputation, which we oppofe, interpret the Phrafe, of having the Rigbteouf ve/s of Christ imputed, by being tlothed with this Righteoufnefs of Christ, or, ivith the Robes of his Righteoufnefs." Treat. Pa. 58. Jefu thy Blood and Righteouf- nefs My Beauty are, my glorious Drefs. " But is not a Believer in? vejitd or clothed with the Righ- teoufnefs of Christ i undoubt- edly he is." Serm. Pa. 23. ** We obey in order to our final Acceptance through Christ's Merits. And in this Senfe, by obeying we lay a good Foun- " All the Bleffings I enjoy, all I hope for in Time and Eter- nity, are given wholly and fole- ly for the Sake of what Chr i st has Foundation, that we may attain eternal Life." Letter ie M. Hervey. ( 7 ) has dene and Suffered Tor me." Serm. Pa. 34. Of Faith being imputed forRighteoufnefk '* God doth not require of us theRighteoufnefs of Chr i st for oar Juftification. — That which he requires of us for this pur- jpofe, is, our Faith in Chrtst himfelf, not in the Righ- teousness of Christ." Treat. Pa. 1 1. " Faith is imputed for Righ- teoufnefs, to every Believer ; namely, Faith in the Righ- teousness op Christ." Serm. Pa. 23. " To fay that Faith, or be- lieving, is imputed for Righ- teoufnefs, but to mean, that it is not Faith but theRighteoufnefs of Christ that is imputed; mull needs argue the Speaker's Defign to be ; that his meaning Ihould not get out at his Mouth. — That Faith which is imputed for Righteoufnefs is his ; (viz. the Believer's) that is, fomewhat that may truly and properly be called his, before fuch Imputa- tion of it be made unto him : which cannot be faid of the Righteoufnefs of Christ. Therefore by Faith, which is here faid to be imputed, cannot be meant the Righteoufnefs of Christ. — The Faith which is laid to be imputed to Abraham for Righteoufrefs, is Faith pro- perly taken, and not the Righ- teoufnefs of Christ appre- hended by Faith." Treat. Pa. 12. 13. 18. '« Neither " But do not you put Faith in the room of Christ or ofhis Righteoufnefs ? By no means, I take particular care to put each of thefe in its proper Place. The Righteoufnefs of Christ is the whole and fole Foundation of all our Hope. It is by Faith the Holy Ghoft enables us to build upon this Foundation. Goo gives this Faith. In that Moment we are accepted of Goo ; And yet, not for the Sake of that Faith, but of what Christ has done and J'ufered Tor us." Serm. Pa. 15. f* There ( 8 ) "Neither is the Righteouf-I " There is no true Faith, nfefs of Ghrist the object of that is jupfying Faith, which Faith as jujlifying, nor doth the! hath not the Righteoufnefs of Scripture, where it fpeaks of Christ for its Object." Faith ^sjufifying, make the leaft Strm. Pa. i mention, or give the leail Inti- mation of fuch a Thing." Treat. Pa. 17. Therefore,- "ForChrift's Sake, and for the Sake of the immortal Souls which he has purchafed with his Blood, do not difpute for the particular Pbrafe, The Iai- puted Righteousness of Christ : it is not fcriptu- ral. The Righteousness of Christ is an Expreffion which I do not find in the Bible. — To fay the Righteouf- nefs which juftifies us is already wrought out, is a crude unfcrip- tural Expreflion. — This Mode of Expreflion is always dan gerous, often fatal. — It has done immenfe Hurt. — -The nice metaphyfical Doftrine of Im puted Righteoufnefi., leads not to Repentance but to Licen tioufnefs.— This Do&rine makes the holy one of God the Mi- nifter of Sin." Letter to Mr. Hervey « Doth not this Way of freaking naturally tend to make Christ the Minifter of Sin ? For if the very perfonal Obe- dience of Christ be mine the Moment I believe, can any Thing be added thereto ? On this Scheme then are not the -holy and unholy on the fame Footing/"* Tho. on imput. Rigbteou/ne/t, ** We no more deny the Pbrafe than the Thing. — I allow yon to ufe what Expref. fions you chufe, and that a thoufand times Over. — I myfelf frequently ufe the Expreffion in queftion, imputed Righteous- ness. — I would addrefs myfelf to you who 'violently oppofe thefe Expreffions, and are ready to condemn all that ufe them as Antinomians. But is not this bending the Bow too much the other Way ? Why fhould you condemn all who do not fpeak juft as you do ? Why fhould you quarrel with them for ufing the Pbrafes they like, any more than they with you for taking the fame Liberty. — And why fhould you be angry at an Expreffion ? " O it has been abufed ;" and what Expreffion has not ? How- ever, the Abufe may be remov- ed, and at the fame time the Ufe remain." Serm. Pa. 35. V ( 9 ) If the Trumpet give an uncertain Sound, who Jhall prepare hlmfelf to the Battle ? fays that confident Writer, the Apoftle Paul, i Cor. xiv. 8. Never furely were Words more appli- cable to any one than thefe to Mr. Wefley : the Uncertainty of the Sound of whofe Trum- pet evidently appears by the foregoing Ex- tracts. How, Sir, is it pofTible for the People under your Care, any more than for others who only hear you preach occafionally, to tell what your real Principles are ? Or how can they follow a Leader fuccefsfully, whofe Commands are fo very contrary ? If you know of any way to reconcile thefe Contradictions, you will do well to communicate it to the World ; that People may be lefs puzzled than they ufually are, when they hear your uncer- tain Sounds. Do there not appear (I appeal to yourfelf, Sir) moft flagrant Contradictions, and palpable Inconfifiencies in thefe Extracts ; not in Appearance only, but in Reality; not barely in Expreffion, but in Sentiment alfo ? For if Words convey any Meaning at all, and if it be porTible for that Meaning to be contra- dicted by Words, I think it is done effectually above in many Places. •I apprehend it is no Difparagement for a Man in efteem for Wifdom and Knowledge, to change his Mind, (when he is convinced of an Error, from pre-conceived Notions and Opinions which are wrong, to thofe that are right : and if Mr. Welley had been content C with ( «:«. > with doing only fo ; no thinking Perfon, I be- lieve, would have condemned him for it : but for one, who can talk much about Perfection; yet, change from wrong to right, and from right to Wrong again s who can fay arid unfay, aflert and contradict, eppofe every one, and himfelf to j fiirely what fuch an one fays is not much to be depended on. In your Sermon you make this ftrange Declaration, " that this is the Dodlrine which " you have conftantly believed and taught for " near eight and twenty Years." Strange, 1 call it, after your wavering in your Notions fo much as you have done : and when you preached that Sermon, you further declared, *' that this is the fame Doctrine which Mr. " Whitefield, Mr. Romaine, and Mr. Madan " preach." It would certainly be offering an Infult to Mr* Wefley's Underftanding, to fup- pofe him ignorant of thefe worthy Minifters Opinionson the Doctrine of Imputed Righ- teousness; and therefore, unnecefTary to in- form him, that the Treatife on Juitification, which hepublifhed laftYear, is no more to be reconciled with thefe Gentlemens Opinions, than with Mr. Wefley's own former Opinions. For if I understand that Treatife at all, the prin- cipal Defign of it is, to prove that the active Righteoufnefs of Christ, or his Obedience to the moral Law, is no part of a Believer's juftifying Righteoufnefs ; that it was only ne- cefTary to qualify Christ for the Mediatorial Office, ( II J Office, as he could not otherwife be either* the great High Prieft, or the Lamb without Blemifh, aud without Spot : that this Righ- teoufnefs is no other Way imputed to a Be- liever, than as it was available to the render- ing his Sacrifice efficacious inTatisfying divine Jurtice, and purchafing or meriting the Pardon of his Sins ; and that the Believer's Faith, properly taken, is imputed to him for Righ- teoufnefs. Now need you, Sir, be told that thefe Men, whofe Judgment on this Head you would fain perfuade the World you are of, differ as widely from thefe Notions as the Eaft is from the Weft ? are you really ignorant that they maintain, that both Christ's active and paffive Obedience, as making one glorious, perfect Righteoufnefs, are imputed to a Belie- ver j that the one abfolves him from Guilt and Condemnation, the other entitles him to Life eternal : that being inverted with this fpotlels Robe, God the Father fees no Spot in him : but accepts him and loves him as tho' he had never finned. Now, Sir, who are we to be- lieve'? That Mr. John Wefley, who in his Sermon fays, " he has conftantly believed and " taught that the active and pamve Obedience " of Christ was our alone juftifying Righ- " teoufnefs ;" or lhall we believe that Mr. John Wefley, who has been for eight and twenty Years preaching and writing againft Christ's Righteoufnefs being imputed at all r C 2 There ( « ) There is an excellent Paffage in the late mentioned Treatife, which I think well worth tranfcribing; it is this u It is often feen, that " when Men have unadvifedly embraced an " Opinion, feeming in their Eye a lovely " Truth, and did not at firft, before they were " wedded to it, apprehend what harm Confe- ** quences it had attending it, they jhift every " way to quit themfelves of that difhonou- " rable Charge wherewith they find themfelves " incumbered." — This, if I miftake not, is Mr. Wefley's Cafe, and has been his Practice for fome time paft : What forry Shifts, what mean Evafions, what twilling and torturing of Words and Sentences ; and what vile Per- verfion of Scripture, is he forced to have re- courfe to, in order to make his Works have the leaft Appearance of Confiitency; and after all (how unfortunate !) every attentive Reader muftefteemhim an inconfiftentMan {till. One and all of thefe Minifters juft now mentioned I am fure do. With regard to your own People (thofe in connection with you I mean) the Cafe is the fame : for on your Preaching and pub- lifhing this Sermon, fome were offended, and thought you made too to large Conceffions to your Opponents ; and even gave up the Point to them : Others told you, (you muit. needs remember it, Sir) that if you had always preached fuch Doctrine, your Chappels would not have been deferted fo much as of late they had ( '3 ) had been, and your People would have had no oceafion to go elfe where to hear; and further, that if they but mentioned, Imputed Right eoufnej % in their private Meetings, they where Aire to be told, of late, that they were Antinomians. Now thefe Things, at the fame time that they difcover a Difference in Opinion amongft your own People, (which I do not think it is in your Power wholly to prevent) are a fure Proof that both Parties think you vary greatly in your Opinions. Others who read your Works, and hear you only now and then, think you the moll in- confiftent and inconftant Man living. Now, Sir, are all Fools ? can every body be mis- taken ? Have all loft their Understandings and Judgments ? Or if they are all miftaken, and you are really a very confijient Man, not- withstanding all that People think and fay of you -, and have held and maintained the fame Principles for thefe eight and twenty Years ; what a pity it is that you fhould be fo un- happy in your Expreflions, that tho' you al- ways mean the fame Thing, your Words fhould convey fuch very different Ideas to your Hearers. Would it not be advifeable for Mr. Wefley, and would it not fave him a great deal of Pains, which he is now obliged to be at, in endeavouring to convince Men of their miftaken Opinions concerning him ; if he ftudied Perlpicuity of Stile a little more, and ( n ) ^nd endeavoured to exprefs a little more clearly what he really means ? Sometimes Mr. Wefley fhews a great Ve- neration for the Scriptures, by disputing with thofe who do not ufe the very Words of them in their Writings. The Righteoufnefs of Christ, he fays, " is an Expreflion which he cannot " find in the Bible :" but he has been told that it is- to be found in 2d Pet. i. 1. an therefore he will be filent, I mould imagine, for the future about it. And I cannot help wifhing, that Mr. Wefley had been a little more careful himfelf, when fpeaking of the fame Thing, to ufe Exprefilons which come nearer to the Language which the Holy Ghoft teaches : if he had been as cautious himfelf herein as he advices others to be, he would icarce- have ventured to call in his Sermon, The Righteousness of Christ, a Human Righteoufnefs. Do you find this Expreflion in the Scriptures, Sir ? Is this Language any where countenanced in them ? Is not the Blood of Christ called, the Blood of GOD; and the Righteoufnefs of Christ, the Righteousness of GOD? In your former Works, you tell us, that the Righteouf- nefs which faveth us, is both prepared, and wrought by GOD, and is therefore called, the Righteoufnefs of GOD. How derogatory then muit it be to the Honour of the Perfon who wrought it, to call it a Human Righteoufnefs ; when ( '5 ) when he is God over all bleued for ever ? Surely " this mode of Expreffion is always dan- gerous, if not often fatal -," as it conveys an Idea by no means adequate to the Value and Dignity of the Thing itfelf. As the human Nature of Christ never had any Exiftence but in Union with the divine ; 1 humbly con- ceive, no Action which he performed while upon Earth, can properly be called a human one ; every one being the Action of GOD as well as Man. This Mr. Weiley may pro- bably fay, he does not deny : and if he does not I think he cannot juftify the Expreffion in queflion. Was the Righteoufnefs of Christ a mere human Righteoufnefs, you might dis- pute againft the Imputation of it* if you pleafedj for me ; unlefs I was the only Perfon that it was to be imputed to; for it could be of no Advantage to more than one, I am pretty confident. However, if we have a little Pa- tience, perhaps Mr. Wefley may clear up this Matter, as he did fome time ago the Doctrine of Imputed Righteoufnefs ; by giving us his THOUGHTS on it. As a Proof of your Difingenuity in endea- vouring to explain away the Meaning of Ex- premons, when your Opinions are altered, I mall only produce your Comment upon your own Words: (viz.) Jefu thy Blood and Righteoufnefs, My Beauty are, my glorious Drefs. " That ( 16 ) M That is, (fay you in your Sermon,) for " the Sake of thy active and paffive Righteouf- " nefs I am forgiven and accepted of God."— What a Comment is here ! What a fine E- lucidation of the Text ! Does this explain at all the Meaning of the ExprefTion, the Righ- teoufnefs of Christ being the Believer s Drefs} This only explains the Effects or Confequence of his having on this Robe -, in allufion, no doubt, to an ancient eaftern Cuftom ; which Mr. Weiley mult be well acquainted with ; and knows that without having the Robe on him, no Perfon could be admitted or accepted as a Gueft. But Mr. Wefley was aware, that if he had given this Meaning, (which I really believe to be his own, when he wrote the a- bove Lines) it would imply an Imputation of the aftive Obedience of Christ in that very Senfe, which that t( whole Generation ofDif- puters" contend for, which Mr. Weiley, in his Treatife on Justification, publifhed laft Year, publickly and plainly declares he op- pofes. Alas ! Alas ! What fruitlefs Pains has Mr. Wefley taken ? how has laboured again and again in his Sermon to perfuade us ? tc that a '* Difference in ExprefTion by no means im- " plies a Difference in Sentiment : that dif- " ferent Men may mean the very fame Thing, " and yet expreis their meaning in very dif- " ferent Words : Nay, that it is noteafy for the " fame ( '7 ) ** the fame Perfons, when they fpeak of the " fame Thing at a confiderable diftance of ** Time, to ufe exactly the fame Expremons." It may be fo : and we fee very plainly to what all this would tend. But fuppofe now, that I was to point Mr. Wefley to that glo- rious Luminary in yonder Heavens, whofe bright Effulgence conftitutes the Day; and was to tell him very gravely, that that re- fplendent Orb fends forth or caufes that Light by which we fee the Objects around us : Sup- pofe alfo, that to morrow, (or eight and twenty Years hence, it matters not) I was to tell him as gravely, that it fends forth no- thing but Darknefs : and then in order to make my Affertion good, I was to have re- courfe to the mereft Chicanery and jefuitical Sophiftry ; to prove, that though the Expref- fions were different, they meant the fame Thing : that Darknefs might be made appear to fignify Light, and Light Darknefs. What reply would Mr. Wefley make to this? Or what would he think of me for fo doing ? Would he not conclude, either that I was a Madman ; or that I thought him a Fool ? Well, but what then ? Mr. Wefley may be ready to fay : How is this any ways applicable to me? The Proof!' the Proof! that it is fo. — Pleafe to caft your Eye, Sir, on the foregoing Extracts, and you will find Proofs enough: for notwithflanding it is a Commodity, which Mr. Wefley deals but little in, when he oppofes any one j yet he D had ( I* ) has been very liberal with his Proofs of his own Inconfiftericy and Self-contradictions ; even enough to fatisfy the moft covetous Dif- poiition. What an excellent Perfon rauft he be, to preferve People from unfettled Notions in Religion ! — But perhaps, Mr. Wefley may take the Advantage of me here, by replying ; " who fo proper to preferve others from uff- •* fettled Notions, as he that has had large *' Experience and great Exercife that way " himfelf ?" If Mr. Wefley had given us any reafon to think he is at length eftablifhed, and that on any right Notions ; I fhotfld rea- dily acknowledge him to be duly qualified for that Office : but he has not given: us the leaft Proof of that yet. Of the fame Mind for near eight and twenty Years 1 fay you T — You muft have wrote and talked much in your Sleep then during that Time, (which we do not reckon a Man accountable for;) or fomebody mull have made very free with your Name in many Publications. Surely, Sir, the Pope himfelf acts not more arbitrarily over theUnderftandingsof his blind, bigotted Votaries, in requiring them to be- lieve, againft Facts, Senfe and Reafon, his Holinefs's pretended Infallibility; than you, in requiring any of your Devotees to believe, contrary to all the Evidence, which a Perfon endued with but a common Underftanding would require, to be convinced of the contrary; that ■ ( 19 ) *' that you have conftantly believed and taught *f the fame Doctrines for near eight and twenty ** Years."Willyourfaying,"As to the Doctrine " we are agreed," fatisfy a Perfon, who fees and knows your violent Oppolition to them you pretend to be agreed with, that it is really fo? Whence then are thofe penny and two -penny Pamphlets, which lift up their di- minutive Heads in bold defiance of almoft all the chief Doctrines of Grace, and of every found Defence thereof that is published ? But I would have Mr. Wefley know that thofe glorious' Doctrines, which he has been for Years opposing, .defy all his weak Efforts and vain Attempts to overthrow them : that like an impregnable Fort, they mock every Attack from his Artillery j and are not to be battered down and demolifhed with ten Thoufand of his penny or two-penny Pop-Guns, difcharged with all the Pellets, which all the Paper will furnifh him with, that he has prejjld into his Service for that Purpofe. Perhaps, Sir, you are by this Time fome- what furprized at the Liberty, which I, a Stranger, take with you, in fpeaking fb plainly. I love plain dealing, Sir, and there- fore muft be plainer ftill; and tell you what I really think to be the Caufe, in a great mea- fure, of your ftrange, inconfiftent Conduct. Self, Sir, Self is uppermoft ; Vain Self will not fuffer you to acknowledge your Er- rors, when you are convinced of them, (for D 2 I C 2 ° ) I have fcarce fo much Charity as to think you are ignorant of them in many Refpects.) Vain Self prompts you to twift, and twine, and turn about; and to take a great deal of Pains -, and yet to no other purpofe, but to convince the World that you really are in the wrong, and to involve yourfelf in ftill more inextri- cable Difficulties : which the foregoing Ex- tracts abundantly evince. For what Man in his Senfes, (unlefs he has the Art of reconci- ling Irreconcileables) would venture to declare they all mean the fame Thing ? Would it not . be acting a more noble and ingenuous Part, to confefs to the World, that you were miftaken when you maintained fuch and fuch Things ; and that your Mind is altered with refpect to this or that Point ? Would not fuch a Conduct be a more effectual or likely way to convince Mankind that your Defigns and Intentions are upright, than by endeavouring to impofe upon People's Underflan dings ? For when you are detected therein, who will regard any thing you fay ? And would fuch an open ingenuous Conduct befpeak you a jot lefs perfect, than to act as you now do ? But give me leave, Sir, to tell you, what I humbly conceive to be the chief Caufe of your falling into fuch dangerous Errors both in Principle and Practice. I make no doubt but it is owing to your oppofing fo vehemently, your rejecting fo contemptuouily, and trea ing fo profanely thofe glorious Doctrines of FREE GRACE, ( 21 ) GRACE, upon which the Salvation of Sinners principally depends ; which are a Source of Comfort and Support to a believing Soul, when every other Source and Refuge fails : I meanGOD's everlaftingPurpofes of Love to loft Sinners ; together with the Stability of the Covenant of Grace, which is ordered in all Things and fure ; and is not left to the Free- will and Power of fallen Man, fo that he, a poor weak Worm, may fruftrate all the glorious Defigns of the Omnipotent GOD therein, if he think fit. Since you deny, reject, and defpife thefe fundamental Truths of GOD, which are re- vealed fo clearly in the Scriptures ; fince you wilfully fhut your Eyes again ft the cleareft Light ; is it not juft in GOD to fuffer you to wander in the delufive Paths of Error, and to ftumble upon the dark Mountains of Pre- fumption ? When you rejected thefe leading Dodtrines of FREE GRACE, you were under a Neceffity of fubftituting fomething in their ftead, to make your Scheme hang together at all : and from hence proceeds that numerous Swarm of Arminian Herejies which you have nourifhed and fent forth into the World. From hence fprung that fond Device, of fufpending Man's final Salvation upon the attenuated Thread of his own Faithfulnefs to Grace given ; which is not capable of bearing its own, much lefs an immenfe Weight ; which is liable to be broke by every blaft of Tempta- tion* ( *« ) tion ; and, were it really the Cafe, no Man could poffibly be faved. Hence arofe your mean, difparaging Thoughts of Christ's glorious Righteousness, . and your de- nying one peculiar Property of it, which is, that it will be the Believer's Righteoufnefs to juftify him at the laft Day, as much as the iirft Moment he believed : for whofoever mail be found without this wedding Garment in that Great Day, (whatfoever elfe he may have to plead) will be caji into outer Darknejs, where there is weeping and gnajhing of "Teeth. And from hence alfo, as a natural Confe- quence of the former Error concerning the Righteoufnefs of Christ, iflued that perfect Mafter-piece of Arminian Delufion, the (Doctrine, was I going to call it, rather that) Jirange Notion of Sinless Perfection in this Life : the dreadful Effects of which, if Mr. Wefley does not firft fhut his Eyes againft Facts, and then cry he cannot fee them ; he mult have feen of late amongft his People, when the Delufion arrived at its Zenjtfr, and then grew rampant. Thefe are a few of the Errors, which your rejecting the beforemen- tioned Doctrines has produced. I really wonder, Sir, you are not covered with Shame and Confufion at the Thoughts of what you have wrote and fpoke againft one of thofe glorious Doctrines of Grace beforemen- tioned; I mean that of Predestination: a Truth, fo felf-evident upon the bare admjflion of ( n ) of the Being of a God, that it is impoflible to deny it, without denying at the fame Time fome one or other of his elTential Attributes. A Truth — demonftrable both from Scrip- ture and Reafon; Reafon, I fay; enlightened Reafon ; fuch as acts in Subordination to Re- velation, and is the Handmaid of Faith. A Truth — which the Scriptures abound with fuch pregnant Proofs of, that he who runs may read ; and which St. Paul in particular, afferts in fuch plain, direct, and pofitive Terms, that none can doubt of his meaning, without firft fuppofmg that, like Mr. Wefley, he fays one thing and means another ; or that he couches his meaning under fuch ambi- guous Expretlions, as to mean either the Thing he feems to exprefs, or the direct con- trary, as may happen to fuit his Purpofe beft. A Truth — which has been cordially received and embraced in the Church of GOD in all Ages ; which has ftood the Attacks of all the Men of perverfe Minds, who have oppofed it, from the beginning ; and which the Gates of Hell fhall never prevail againft. A Truth — which often yields fuch Peace and Stability to a Soul in a dark or tempted Hour, that many would utterly faint, if they did not hope af- furedly, from his Faithfulnefs to his Cove- nant-Promifes, to fee again the Goodnefs and the Mercy of the Lord towards them, not- withstanding every prefent Difcouragement. Therefore 1 think I might addrefs you with vour ( 2 4 ) your own vehement Adjuration, with much more Propriety and Reafon than you did Mr. Hervey, and fay, " For Chrift's Sake, and for " the Sake of the immortal Souls which he " has purchafed with his Blood, do not dif- " pute againji this particular Doctrine." What mean you, Sir, by acting thus as a common Enemy to the People of GOD ; in robbing them (as far as in you lies) of fuch precious Truths, and bleiTed Privileges ? — It feemstome quite unaccountable, how you can oppofe thofe Truths with fuch warmth, if you ever truly experienced the Power of con- verting Grace in your Heart. Have you ever feen in the Light of GOD's Spirit that My- ftery of Iniquity and Deceit that is within yours, and every human Heart; altho' re- newed, in part, by Grace ? If you ever did fee it in any ftrong Light, I know not how you can dream of refting your Salvation on your own Faithfulnefs; or call Sins by the foft Name of Infirmities ; and talk fo wildly about keeping the Law perfectly by Love, (that is, giving it its full Demands, according to its Spirituality and utmoft Extent:) you would rather depend on the Faithfulnefs of a Cove- nant-keeping GOD, I mould imagine ; would fee the great Imperfection of your Love, and of all your own Graces and Performances* and from a Sight and Senfe thereof, be led to prize the precious atoning Blood, and perfect Righ* teoufnefs of Christ, in a manner far different from ( *5 ) from what you now feem to do. I pray GOD* therefore, to enlighten you to fee and feel your Difeafe more, that you may have lefs Confidence in the Flem, and therefore walk more humbly with GOD. Permit me to afk you, Sir, whether you have ever maturely confidered the Confe- quences of your inconfident Conduct, either with regard to yourfelf, or the People under your Care ? your Conducl:, with refpecl: to your People, mutt be attended with very pernicious Confequences, I apprehend : for unlefs they have all abandoned their Under- flandings and Reafon, they mud: necedarily perceive your unfettlednefs in your Principles; confequently your Ufefulnefs, as a Minifler, muit be hindered greatly. As for thofe that are fo attached to you, as to determine to re- ceive all you fay for Truth, and to follow you implicitly; they mud: needs be led into end- lefs Mazes and Labyrinths, and be kept in continual Bondage : for how can it be ex- peeled that they mould be fettled in any Mea- fure, who are led by fuch an unfteady Guide ? The Arminian Hulks with which you feed your Flock, can never yield any lading Peace, or Stability to a Soul, 'tho' preached in the mod: confident Manner; much lefs then, when what is preached to day is contradicted to morrow. I know you take the belt Method you can, to keep yOur People from the Means of being undeceived ; by confining them E within ( 26 ) within your magick Circle, circumfcribed around them, with this Motto — *' hitherto " you may go but no further." — And if any Thing be published which is calculated to convince your People of your Errors and In- confiflency ; the Command is, — " read it not ; *« at leaft 'till I have anfwered it" — and then, if you think proper to deny the whole, their implicit Faith is called for by your, ipse dixit, to all that you pleafe to affert. Witnefs your Condudt on the Publication of the Letters written by the late Mr. Hervey : to which you thought proper to give a kind of an Anlwer, (that is, to deny all he had faid :) in the Title Page of which you tell us, it is " an Anfwer " to all that is material in Letters published, " &c. &cj" and we no fooner turn over a Leaf, but we find that all which was thought ma- terial in them, was what concerned Mr. John Wejley^ and his Character. What ? Sir, is there nothing material in thofe Letters, but what concerns you ? Do you make the molt confpi- cuous Figure in them? Do they not fpeak of one infinitely fuperior to any mortal Being ? Is not the Perfon, the Character, and the Doclxine of the mqft adorable SAVIOUR, treated of, vindicated, and exalted therein ? and dares fuch a Worm as Mr. Wefley put himfelf in competition with the GREAT JEHOVAH, and his Caufe, (as if it muft fink or fwim with him) and fay there is nothing material but what concerns him and his Cha- racter ( *7 .). racier there ? — Surely this is an unparalleled Inftance of Pride, or Ignorance ! With refpect to yourfelf, the Confe- quences will be much worfe, 1 fear, than you apprehend. I prefume you think yourfelf ac- countable to GOD for the Miniftry which he has committed unto you j and he being jealous of his Honour, will certainly vindicate it as to the Truths of his Word j and will make thofe fmart for it, fome way or other, who, contrary to Light and Conviction, pervert the Meaning thereof, blend it with grofs Error, or militate againft its clearer!: Truths. Hath he not declared, that if his Children forfake his Law, and walk not in his Judgments, if they break his Statutes, and keep not his Command- ments ; (altho his Loving- kindnefs he will not utterly take from them, nor fujfer his Faithful- nefs to fail-, yet J he will vtfit their Tranfgref- Jion with a Rod, and their Iniquity with Stripes? You mull alfo have read, that fome there are, who will finally be faved, yet Jo as by Fire ; who, by building with improper Materials upon the true Foundation, and by behaving frowardly in GOD's Covenant, lay in Store of Fuel for future firy Trials : which I fear has been your Ca(e ; and that if you repent not and do your firft Works, the Lord will come and remove you out of your Place ; and ex- tinguish your glimmering Light, in the utmoft Difgrace. E 2 Should f ,28 3 Should Mr. Weflcy be led to think me his Enemy, becaufe I tell him the Truth, fo .plainly ; 1 mutt beg leave to aflure him that he is much miftaken. No, Sir, my Heart's defire and prayer to GOD for you is ; not only, that you might be finally faved ; but that you may be fpeedily reclaimed from your Errors and Inconfiftency ; be taught the Truth as it is in JESUS, fo thcit for the future, you may not jhun to declare the whole Council of GOD to a loft World ; and that you may be an Inftru- ment in his Hand of turning many to Righ- teoufnefs. And in order that I might contri- bute my Mite of Affiftance towards this defi- rable End ; I mull beg leave, in the Spirit of Love, and with all humble Diffidence of my- felf, to offer you a Word of Advice. And Jirjly I would advife you to make a plain, open, ingenuous Confeffion of your paft inconfiftent Conduct, with refpect to your faying and unfaying, together with all the Art and Sophiftry which you have ufed, in endeavouring to reconcile Things that are diametrically oppofite. Secondly, from this Moment forward, for ever forbear to open your Lip?, or employ your Pen, againit. thofe icriptural Doctrines of Free Grace, ufually diftinguifhed by the Name of Calvinijiic, and pray, earnejily pray, that the Spirit of Truth may firft deliver you from all Prejudice againft, and then lead you into, all Truth ; fo that you may (■**■! may know it as it is in JESUS: and heing con- vinced of the Truth of thofe Doctrines, you may not only, for the future, forbear to op- pofe, but may earnefily contend for ; the Faith once delivered to the Saints. Lajlly, above all, beg of GOD to fhew you your Heart, and to humble you for thofe Things which have been amifs in your publick Conduct; that notwithstanding he has juftly fufFered your Name to be reproached and contemned, you may prove by your future Conduct, that the Grace of GOD triumphs over all the TJn- worthinefs of Man ; and that all Things, even the Falls of his People, (although he fharply rebukes them for them) work together even- tually for their Good. Before I clofe my Letter I have one Requefl to make, or rather to repeat, having men- tioned it in the Beginning ; which is, that, feeing almoft every one is at alofs to know what your real Principles are in many refpects, you will, fo foon as an Opportunity offers, publifh them in the mod explicit Terms you pofnbly can. You know how to write clearly and intelligibly, when you have a mind ; therefore by avoiding all ambiguous Expref- fions, (under which there may lurk a Re- ferve) let the World fee that you can act: fairly and honeftly : and be allured it will be the moft effectual Means of preventing future Contefts about Words, Phraies, and Expref- fions. In /V- ( 3° ) In the mean Time, let' it be your conftant Aim and Endeavour, Sir, and no lefs mine, that we may, living and dying, be found in Christ, not having our own Right eoujnefs which is of the Law, but the Right eoujnefs which is of Faith, even His transcendent, MATCHLESS RIGHTEOUSNESS, as a fpotlefs Robe to cover and adorn our naked Souls ; that when the Top-ftone of Salvation mall be brought forth, we may join with them, who mall Jhout, Grace ! Grace ! only Grace! unto, it. That this may be your happy Lot and mine, is the ardent Defire, and the conftant Prayer of, Reverend Sir, Your real Friend, and humble Servant, &c. ERRATA. Page 9, line 30, add ) after Error. P. 10, 1. 7, read, toe, P. 1 1, 1. 23, read, ivbom. P. 12, 1. 26, dele, to. P. 14, I. 9, read, and. Id. 1. 17, read, advifes. P. 15, 1. 28, read, produce only. — Thefe are the moft material Errors of the Prefs, which the Reader is defired to correct. %r\ ATVC! ■vAavoann 'i/AOvaan i** jyiJJNVMJl^ 01 ^HIBRAKYtf/ LIBRA'.-Y^/ JU y fvn'K\ c £ «= 'Sl\K UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY A A 000 093 747 4