Wesley Corpus

8. Well might our forefathers protest against these: And hence it was that they were called Protestants; even because they publicly protested, as against all the errors of the Papists, so against these three in particular: The making void Christian faith, by holding that man may merit heaven by his own works; the overthrowing the love of God by idolatry, and the love of our neighbour by persecution. Are you then a Protestant, truly so called? Do you protest, as against all the rest, so in particular against these three grand fundamental errors of Popery? Do you publicly protest against all merit in man? all salvation by your own works? against all idolatry of every sort? and against every kind and degree of persecution? I question not but you do. You publicly protest against all these horrible errors of Popery. But does your heart agree with your lips? Do you not inwardly cherish what you outwardly renounce? It is well if you who cry out so much against Papists are not one yourself. It is well if you are not yourself (as little as you may think of it) a rank Papist in your heart. 9. For, First, how do you hope to be saved? by doing thus and thus? by doing no harm, and paying every man his own, and saying your prayers, and going to church and sacrament? Alas! alas ! Now you have thrown off the mask: This is Popery barefaced. You may just as well speak plain, and say, “I trust to be saved by the merit of my own works.” But where is Christ all this time? Why, he is not to come in till you get to the end of your prayer; and then you will say, “for Jesus Christ's sake,”--because so it stands in your book, O my friend, your very founda tion is Popish. You seek salvation by your own works. You trample upon the “blood of the covenant.” And what can a poor Papist do more? 10. But let us go on : Are you clear of idolatry any more than the Papists are? It may be, indeed, yours is in a different way. But how little does that signify ! They set up their idols in their churches; you set up yours in your heart. Their idols are only covered with gold or silver; but yours is solid gold.