Treatise Principles Of A Methodist Farther Explained
| Author | John Wesley |
|---|---|
| Type | treatise |
| Year | None |
| Passage ID | jw-treatise-principles-of-a-methodist-farther-explained-040 |
| Words | 347 |
whoever opposes me, John Wesley? Do I charge every such
person with ‘rejecting the Spirit?” No more than I charge him
with robbing on the highway. Do I charge you with rejecting
the Spirit?” You reply, “You deny that you charge the
opposers with rejecting the Spirit, and affirm, that you never
said or thought that what you do is to be accounted the work
of God.” Here you blend different sentences together, which
I must consider apart, as they were written. And, first, where
do I charge you with rejecting the Spirit? If I charge who
ever opposes me with this, undoubtedly I charge you. If I
do not charge you, that proposition is false; I do not so charge
whoever opposes me. Your next words are, “You affirm that
you never said or thought that what you do is to be accounted
the work of God. If it be the work of God, you need not deny
the other point.” Yes, Sir; whether it be or no, I must still
deny that I ever charged you with rejecting the Spirit in
opposing me. You remark, (9) “His own dreams must be regarded as
oracles.” I answered, “Whose? I desire neither my dreams
nor my waking thoughts may be regarded at all, unless just so
far as they agree with the oracles of God.” To this also you
make no reply. You remark, (10.) “However wild his behaviour may be,
whatever he does is to be accounted the work of God.” It was
to this I answered, “I never said so of what I do; I never
thought so.” This answer was ill expressed. And I might
have foreseen you would hardly fail to make your advantage of
it. I must therefore explain myself upon it a little farther
You said, “An enthusiast accounts whatever he does to be the
work of God.” I should have said, “But I do not account
whatever I do to be the work of God.” What that is which I
do account his work will be considered by and by.