Wesley Corpus

James, who said, “Is any sick among you? Let him send for the Elders of the Church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil, in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up.” (Chap. v. 14, 15.) The sum is: You have charged the Fathers of the third century with eight of the chief corruptions of Popery: (1) Monkery; (2.) The worship of relics; (3.) Invocation of saints; (4.) The superstitious use of images; (5.) Of the consecrated oil; (6.) Of the sacraments; (7.) Of the sign of the cross; (8.) Praying for the dead. And what is all this heavy charge come to at last? Why, just thus much: Some of them, in the beginning of the third century, did superstitiously use the sign of the cross; and others, in the middle of that century, offered up the Eucharist for the Martyrs on their annual festivals; though how you make IO LETTER. To this “the superstitious use of the sacraments,” I know not, or how these come to be the “chief corruptions of Popery.” Praying thus far for the dead, “that God would shortly accomplish the number of his elect and hasten his kingdom,” and anointing the sick with oil, you will not easily prove to be any corruptions at all. As to monkery, the worship of relics, invocation of saints, and the superstitious use of images, you have not even attempted to prove that these Fathers were guilty: So that, for aught appears, you might as well have charged them on the Apostles. “Yet it is no more,” you solemnly assure us, “than what fact and truth oblige you to say!” (Page 65.) When I meet with any of these assurances for the time to come, I shall remember to stand upon my guard. 6. In the following pages you are arguing against the miracles of the fourth and fifth century. After which you add: “But if these must be rejected, where then are we to stop? And to what period must we confine ourselves? This, indeed, is the grand difficulty, and what has puzzled all the other Doctors who have considered the same question before me.” (Page 71.) Sir, your memory is short. In this very Discourse you yourself said just the contrary.