Wesley Corpus

Sometimes you avoided the occasions of it; at other times you did not. Hence your relapses were frequent, and your heart was hardened more and more: And yet all this time you was sincerely striving against sin; you could say, without hypocrisy, “The thing which I do, I allow not; the evil which I would not, that I do. To will is even now present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.” But the Jesuits, you think, “could scarce have granted sal vation upon easier terms. Have no fear, ye Methodists.” Sir, I do not grant salvation, as you call it, upon so easy terms. I believe a man in this state is in a state of damnation. “Have no fear !” say you? Yea, but those who are thus “under the law” are in fear all the day long. “Was there ever so pleasing a scheme?” Pleasing with a vengeance As pleasing as to be in the belly of hell. So totally do you mistake the whole matter, not knowing what you speak, nor whereof you affirm. You are, indeed, somewhat pitiable in speaking wrong on this head, because you do it in ignorance. But this plea cannot be allowed when you gravely advance that trite, threadbare objec tion concerning the Lord’s supper, without taking any notice that I have answered it again and again, both to Mr. Church and to the late Lord Bishop of London. 41. Your Thirteenth proof is this: “Mr. Wesley has taught as that infirmities are no sins.” Sir, you have taught me to wonder at nothing you assert; else I should wonder at this.