{"id":"jw/letters/1750/09-to-gilbert-boyce","corpus":"jw-letters","type":"letter","author":"john-wesley","title":"09 To Gilbert Boyce","title_alt":[],"text_basis":null,"date_composed":null,"date_precision":"unknown","date_note":null,"numbering":{"bicentennial":null,"jackson_running":null,"sugden":null},"source_edition":{"editor":null,"title":null,"edition":null,"place":null,"publisher":null,"year":null,"volume":null,"pages":null,"scan_url":null,"scan_page_ids":null},"transcription":{"derived_from":null,"corrected_against_scan":false,"corrector":null,"corrected_on":null},"modernization":"none","license_text":"Public Domain Mark 1.0","license_apparatus":"CC BY 4.0","wikidata":null,"prev":null,"next":null,"part_of":"jw-letters","editorial_note":null,"source_id":"jw-letter-1750-09-to-gilbert-boyce","passage_ids":["jw-letter-1750-09-to-gilbert-boyce-000","jw-letter-1750-09-to-gilbert-boyce-001","jw-letter-1750-09-to-gilbert-boyce-002","jw-letter-1750-09-to-gilbert-boyce-003"],"word_count":1162,"themes_auto":["catholic-spirit","christology","free-will","justifying-grace","means-of-grace","reign-of-god","trinity","universal-redemption","works-mercy"],"open":true,"closed_reason":null,"legacy_ids":["jw-letter-1750-09-to-gilbert-boyce-000","jw-letter-1750-09-to-gilbert-boyce-001","jw-letter-1750-09-to-gilbert-boyce-002","jw-letter-1750-09-to-gilbert-boyce-003"],"passages":[{"id":"jw-letter-1750-09-to-gilbert-boyce-000","author":"john-wesley","source_id":"jw-letter-1750-09-to-gilbert-boyce","source_title":"09 To Gilbert Boyce","source_type":"letter","year":null,"chunk_index":0,"text":"To Gilbert Boyce Date: BANDON, May 22, 1750. DEAR SIR, I do not think either the Church of England, or the People called Methodist or any other particular Society under heaven to be the True Church of Christ. For that Church is but one and contains all the true believers on earth. But I conceive every society of true believers to be a branch of the one true Church of Christ. 'Tis no wonder that young and unlearned preachers use some improper expressions. I trust, upon friendly advice, they will lay them aside. And as they grow in years they will increase in knowledge. I have neither inclination nor time to draw the saw of controversy. But a few here remarks I would make in order to our understanding and (I hope) loving one another the better. You think the mode of baptism is 'necessary to salvation': I deny that even baptism itself is so; if it were, every Quaker must be damned which I can in no wise believe. I hold nothing to be (strictly speaking) necessary to salvation but the mind which was in Christ. If I did not think you had a measure of this, I could one love you as an heathen man or a publican. They who believe with the faith working by love are God's children. I don't wonder that God permits (not causes) smaller evils among these when I observe far greater evils among them; for sin is an infinitely greater evil than ignorance. I do not conceive that unity in the outward modes of worship is so necessary among the children of God that they cannot be children of God without it, although I once thought it was.","word_count":286,"source_url":null,"themes":["catholic-spirit","justifying-grace","christology"],"created_at":"2026-01-29T19:59:25.864553"},{"id":"jw-letter-1750-09-to-gilbert-boyce-001","author":"john-wesley","source_id":"jw-letter-1750-09-to-gilbert-boyce","source_title":"09 To Gilbert Boyce","source_type":"letter","year":null,"chunk_index":1,"text":"I do make use (so far as I know) of all the means of grace God has ordained exactly as God has ordained them. But here is your grand mistake: you think my design is 'to form a Church.' No: I have no such design. It is not my deign or desire that any who accept of my help should leave the Church of which they are now member. Were I converting Indians, I would take every step St. Paul took: but I am not; therefore some of those steps I am not to take. Therefore I still join with the Church of England so far, as I can; at the same time that I and my friends use several prudential helps which our Church neither enjoins nor forbids, as being in themselves of a purely indifferent nature. What I affirm of the generality both of teachers and people in the Church of England, I affirm of teaches and people of every other denomination I mean so far as I have known them; and I have known not a few both in Europe and America. I never saw an unmixed communion yet, unless perhaps among the Moravian Brethren or the Methodists. Yet that God does bless us even when we receive the Lord's Supper at St. Paul's, I can prove by numberless instances. If I were in the Church of Rome, I would conform to all her doctrines and practices as far as they were not contrary to plain Scripture. And, according to the best of my judgment, I conform so far only to those of the Church of England. I have largely explained myself in the third volume of Sermons touching the stress which I judge is to be laid on opinions. This likewise I have learned by dear experience. However, I thank God that I have learned it at any price. I am not conscious of embracing any opinion or practice which is not agreeable to the Word of God and I do believe the doctrine, worship, and discipline (so far as it goes) of the Church of England to be agreeable thereto. I wish your zeal was better employed than in persuading men to be either dipped or sprinkled. I will employ mine by the grace of God in persuading them to love God with all their hearts and their neighbor as themselves.","word_count":396,"source_url":null,"themes":["catholic-spirit","reign-of-god","trinity"],"created_at":"2026-01-29T19:59:25.864669"},{"id":"jw-letter-1750-09-to-gilbert-boyce-002","author":"john-wesley","source_id":"jw-letter-1750-09-to-gilbert-boyce","source_title":"09 To Gilbert Boyce","source_type":"letter","year":null,"chunk_index":2,"text":"I cannot answer it to God to spend any part of that precious time, every hour of which I can employ in what directly tends to the promoting this love among men, in oppugning or defending this or that form of Church government. I have 'proved all things' of that kind for more than twenty years: I now 'hold fast that which is good' that which in my judgment is not only not contrary to Scripture but strictly agreeable thereto But I upon fixed principle absolutely refuse to enter into a formal controversy upon the head. Herein I also am at a point. And if on this account you judge me to be a Papist or a Turk, I cannot help it. I am thoroughly convinced that you did not speak from anger but from a zeal for your own opinion and mode of worship; and it might be worth while for another man to dispute these prints with you. But for me it is not. I am called to other work; not to make Church of England men or Baptists, but Christians, men of faith and love. That God may fill you therewith is the prayer of, dear sir, Your affectionate friend and brothen To tie Mayor of Cork 9 BANDON, May 27, 1750. MR. MAYOR, An hour ago I received A Letter to Mr. Butler, just reprinted at Cork. The publishers assert, 'It was brought down from Dublin, to be distributed among the Society; but Mr. Wesley called in as many as he could.' Both these assertions are absolutely false. I read some lines of that letter when I was in Dublin, but never read it over before this morning. Who the author of it is I know not; but this I know, I never called in one, neither concerned myself about it, much less brought any down to distribute amongst the Society. Yet I cannot but return my hearty thanks to the gentlemen who have distributed them through the town. I believe it will do more good than they are sensible of; for though I dislike its condemning the magistrates and clergy in general (several of whom were not concerned in the late proceedings), yet I think the reasoning is strong and deal and that the facts referred to therein are not at all misrepresented well sufficiently appear in later time.","word_count":394,"source_url":null,"themes":["means-of-grace","catholic-spirit","reign-of-god"],"created_at":"2026-01-29T19:59:25.864849"},{"id":"jw-letter-1750-09-to-gilbert-boyce-003","author":"john-wesley","source_id":"jw-letter-1750-09-to-gilbert-boyce","source_title":"09 To Gilbert Boyce","source_type":"letter","year":null,"chunk_index":3,"text":"I fear God and honor the King. I earnestly desire to be at peace with all men. I have not willingly given any offence either to the magistrates, the clergy, or any of the inhabitants of the city of Cork; neither do I desire anything of them but to be treated, I will not say as a clergyman, a gentleman, or a Christian, but with such justice and humanity as are due to a Jew, a Turk, or a Pagan. I am sir, Your obedient servant.","word_count":86,"source_url":null,"themes":["universal-redemption","free-will","works-mercy"],"created_at":"2026-01-29T19:59:25.864886"}]}