Wesley Corpus

11.) ‘By these marks do we labour to distinguish ourselves from those whose minds or lives are not according to the Gospel of Christ.’ (P. 12.) “Upon this Rusticulus, or Dr. Dodd, says, “A Methodist, according to Mr. Wesley, is one who is perfect, and sinneth not in thought, word, or deed.’ “Sir, have me excused. This is not ‘according to Mr. Wesley.’ I have told all the world I am not perfect; and yet you allow me to be a Methodist. I tell you flat, I have not attained the character I draw. Will you pin it upon me in spite of my teeth? “But Mr. Wesley says, the other Methodists have. I say no such thing. What I say, after having given a scriptural account of a perfect Christian, is this:--‘By these marks the Methodists desire to be distinguished from other men: By these we labour to distinguish ourselves.” And do not you yourself desire and labour after the very same thing? “But you insist, ‘Mr. Wesley affirms the Methodists’ (i.e., all Methodists) ‘to be perfectly holy and righteous.” Where do I affirm this? Not in the Tract before us. In the front of this I affirm just the contrary; and that I affirm it any where else is more than I know. Be pleased, Sir, to point out the place: Till this is done, all you add (bitterly enough) is mere brutum fulmen; and the Methodists (so 274, REv. J. wesLEY’s [March, 1767. called) may still declare, (without any impeachment of their sincerity,) that they do not come to the holy table “trusting in their own righteousness, but in God’s manifold and great mercies.’ I am, Sir, “Yours, &c., Sun. 8.--In the evening I left London, and reached Bath on Tuesday, in the afternoon, time enough to wait on that venerable man, the Bishop of Londonderry. After spending an agreeable and a profitable hour with him, my brother read Prayers, and I preached at Lady H.’s chapel. I know not when I have seen a more serious or more deeply attentive congregation. Is it possible? Can the Gospel have place where Satan’s throne is? Thursday, 12, and the two following days, I examined the society in Bristol.