Wesley Corpus

They are summed up in the Twelve Articles which the Council of Trent added to the Nicene Creed. Now, who can find the least connexion between any of these, and the doctrines whereof we are speaking? 2. Others allege, “Their doctrine is too strict; they make the way to heaven too narrow.” And this is in truth the origi nal objection, (as it was almost the only one for some time,) and is secretly at the bottom of a thousand more, which appear in various forms. But do they make the way to heaven any narrower than our Lord and his Apostles made it? Is their doctrine stricter than that of the Bible? Consider only a few plain texts: “Thou shalt love the Gord thy 1:d with all thy heart, and with all thy mind, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength.” “For every idle word which men shall speak, they shall give an account in the day of judgment.” “Whether ye eat, or drink, or whatever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” If their doctrine is stricter than this, they are to blame; but you know in your conscience, it is not. And who can be one jot less strict, without corrupting the word of God? Can any steward of the mysteries of God be found faithful, if he change any part of that sacred depositum ? No. He can abate nothing, he can soften nothing; he is constrained to declare to all men, “I may not bring down the Scripture to your taste. You must come up to it, or perish for ever.” 3. This is the real ground of that other popular cry concern ing “the uncharitableness of these men.” Uncharitable, are they? In what respect? Do they not feed the hungry, and clothe the naked? “No ; that is not the thing : They are not wanting in this: But they are so uncharitable in judging ! They think none can be saved but those of their own way. They damn all the world beside themselves.” What do you mean? “They think none can be saved but those of their own way.” Most surely they do.