Wesley Corpus

| The substance of the answer to this and the following paragraphs is, 1. That none ought to communicate till he has faith, that is, a sure trust in the mercy of God through Christ. This is granting the charge. 2. That “if the Methodists hold, this sacrament is a means of getting faith, they must act acording to their persuasion.” We do nold it, and know it to be so, to many of those who are previously convinced of sin, re ied mnt | y a Hag : 224 REV. J, WESLEY’S JOURNAL. | Sept. 1747. ordinances which our Church terms “ means of grace,” till they have such a faith as implies a clean heart, and excludes all possibility of doubting. _ ‘They have advised them, till then, not to search the Scriptures, not to pray, not to communicate; and have often affirmed, that to do these things, is seeking salvation by works; and that till these works are laid aside, no man can receive faith ; for, ‘No man,” say they, “can do these things without trusting in them: if he does not trust in them, why does he do them ?” 7. To those who answered, “It is our duty to use the ordinances of God,” they replied, “ There are no ordinances of Christ, the use of which is now bound upon Christians as a duty, or which we are commanded to use. As to those you mention in particular, (viz. prayer, communieating, and searching the Scripture,) if a man have faith he need not; if he have not, he must not use them. A believer may use them, though not as enjoined ; but an unbeliever (as before defined) may not.” 8. To those who answered, “I hope God will through these means convey his grace to my soul,” they replied, “There is no such thing as means of grace; Christ has not ordained any such in his Church. But if there were, they are nothing to you; for you are dead; you have no faith; and you cannot work while you are dead. Therefore, let these things alone till you have faith.”