Wesley Corpus

167 General Councils, and never publicly disclaimed, that faith is not to be kept with heretics; 2. Because they hold the doctrine of priestly absolution; and, 3. The doctrine of Papal pardons and dispensations. Mr. O'Leary has published “Remarks” on this letter; nine parts in ten of which are quite wide of the mark. Not that they are wide of his mark, which is to introduce a plausible panegyric upon the Roman Catholics, mixed with keen invec tives against the Protestants, whether true or false it matters not. All this is admirably well calculated to inspire the reader with aversion to these heretics, and to bring them back to the holy, harmless, much-injured Church of Rome. And I should not wonder, if these six papers should make six thousand converts to her. Close arguing he does not attempt; but he vapours and skips to and fro, and rambles to all points of the compass, in a very lively and entertaining manner. Whatever has the face of an argument in his First Letter I answered before. Those of the 14th, 16th, 18th, and 21st instant, I pass over at present: I have now only to do with what he advances in your Journal of March 12. Here I read: “For Mr. Wesley's Second Letter, see the last page.” I have seen it; but I can find no more of the Second Letter in the last page, than in the first. It would be strange if I did; for that Second Letter was never heard of, but in Mr. O’L.’s “Remarks.” “But why then does he mention it over and over?” Truly, I cannot tell. He begins: “Fanaticism”--Hold ! There is no fanaticism in my Letter, but plain, sober reason. I “now expect” (they are his own words) “a serious answer to a serious charge.” My argument was: The Council of Constance has openly avowed violation of faith with heretics: But it has never been openly disclaimed. Therefore those who receive this Council cannot be trusted by those whom they account heretics. This is my immediate conclusion. And if the premises be admitted, it will infallibly follow. On this Mr. O’L. says, “A Council so often quoted chal lenges peculiar attention. We shall examine it with all possible precision and impartiality.