Wesley Corpus

A seventh argument you ground on those words in the Plain Account of the People called Methodists: ‘It is a point we chiefly insist upon that orthodoxy or right opinions is a very slender part of religion, if any part of it at all.’ [See letter in Dec. 1748, sect. I. 2, to Vincent Perronet; also Sept. 18, 1756.] ‘The plain consequence whereof is’ (so you affirm) ‘that teaching and believing the fundamental errors of Popery, with the whole train of their abominations and idolatries, are of very little moment, if any.’ Strain again, sir; pull hard, or you will never be able to drag this conclusion out of these premises. I assert ‘(1) that in a truly righteous man fight opinions are a very slender part of religion; (2) that in an irreligious, a profane man, they are not any part of religion at all, such a man not being one jot more religious because he is orthodox.’ Sir, it does not follow from either of these propositions that wrong opinions are not an hindrance to religion; and much less that ‘teaching and believing the fundamental errors of Popery, with the whole train of their abominations and idolatries’ (practiced, I presume you mean, as well as taught and believed), ‘are of very little moment, if any.’ I am so far from saying or thinking this that, in my printed letter to a priest of that communion (did you never read it or hear of it before) are these express words [See letter in 1739 to a Roman Catholic priest.]: ‘I pity you much, having the same assurance that Jesus is the Christ, and that no Romanist can expect to be saved according to the terms of His covenant’ (it. 263). Do you term this ‘an extenuation of their abominations, a reducing them to almost a mere nothing’ 47. You argue,. eighthly, thus: ‘The Methodist doctrine of impressions and assurances holds equally for Popish enthusiasts.’ This needs no answer: I have already shown that the Methodist doctrine in these respects is both scriptural and rational. Your ninth argument is: ‘Their sudden conversions stand upon the same footing with the Popish.’ You should say, ‘are a proof that they are promoting Popery.’ I leave you to enjoy this argument also.