Wesley Corpus

First. With regard to the Liturgy itself: though they allow it is in the general one of the most excellent human compositions that ever was, yet they think it is both absurd and sinful to declare such an assent and consent as is required to any merely human composition. Again: though they do not object to the use of forms, yet they dare not confine themselves to them. And in this form (The Book of Common Prayer) there are several things which they apprehend to be contrary to Scripture. Secondly. As to the laws of the Church, if they include the Canons and Decretals, both which are received as such in our Courts, they think ‘the latter are the very dregs of Popery, and that many of the former, the Canons of 1603, are as grossly wicked as absurd.’ And, over and above the objections which they have to several particular ones, they think ‘(1) that the spirit which they breathe is throughout truly Popish and antichristian; (2) that nothing can be more diabolical than the ipso-facto excommunication so often denounced therein; (3) that the whole method of executing these Canons, the process used in our Spiritual Courts, is too bad to be tolerated not in a Christian but in a Mahometan or Pagan nation.’ Thirdly. With respect to the ministers, they doubt ‘whether there are not many of them whom God hath not sent; inasmuch as they neither live the gospel nor teach it; neither indeed can, seeing they do not know it.’ They doubt the more, ‘because themselves disclaim that inward call to the ministry which is at least as necessary as the outward.’ And they are not dear ‘whether it be lawful to attend the ministrations of those whom God has not sent to minister.’ Fourthly. The doctrines actually taught by these, and indeed by a great majority of the Church ministers, they think ‘are not only wrong, but fundamentally so, and subversive of the whole gospel.’ They therefore doubt ‘whether it be lawful to bid them God-speed or to have any fellowship with them.’ I will freely acknowledge that I cannot answer these arguments to my own satisfaction. So that my conclusion (which I cannot yet give up), that it is lawful to continue in the Church, stands, I know not how, almost without any premises that are able to bear its weight.