P. 360. God diffipated the chaos, introduced into the folar fyftem by the fall of angels." Does facred writ affirm this? Where is it written? Except in Jacob Behme. P. 366. "Phyfical evil is the only means of curing moral evil." This is abfolutely contrary both to fcripture, experience, and his own words, p. 353. And, "This great principle," as he terms it, is one of thofe fundamental mistakes which run through the whole Myftic divinity. Almost all that is afferted in the following pages, may likewife be confuted by fimply denying it. P. 373, "Hence we see the neceflity of fufferings and expiatory pains, in order to purify lapfed beings.-The intrinfic efficacy of phyfical, to cure moral evil." Expiatory pains," is pure, unmixt Popery; but they can have no place in the Myftic fcheme. This only afferts, "The intrinfic efficacy of phyfical, to cure moral evil, and the abfolute neceflity of fufferings, to purify lapfed beings.” Neither of which I can find in the Bible: though I really believe there is as much of the efficacy in fufferings, as in fpiritual lethargy. P. 374. "If beasts have any fouls, they are either material, or immaterial, to be annihilated after death; or degraded intelligences." No: they may be immaterial, and yet not to be annihilated. If you ask, But how are they to fubfift after death? I anfwer, He that made them knows. The fixth book, I fear, is more dangerously wrong, than any of the preceding, as it effectually undermines the whole fcriptural account of God's reconciling the world unto himfelf, and turns the whole redemption of man by the blood of Chrift, into a mere metaphor. I doubt, whether Jacob Behme does not do the fame. I am fure he does, if Mr. Law understands him right. I have not time to specify all the exceptionable passages; if I did, I muit tranfcribe part of almost every page. P. 393. P. 393. "The divinity is unfufceptible of anger." I take this to be the eтo dos of all the Myftics. But I demand the proof. I take anger to have the same relation to justice, as love has to mercy. But if we grant them this, then they will prove their point. For if God was never angry, his anger could never be appeased and then we may fafely adopt the very words of Socinus, Tota redemptionis noftræ per Chriftum Metaphora: feeing Chrift died, only to "Shew to all the celeftial quires, God's infinite averfion to diforder." P. 394, "He fuffered, because of the fin of men, infinite agonies, as a tender father fuffers to fee the vices of his children. He felt all that lapfed angels and men fhould have fuffered to all eternity. Without this facrifice, celeftial fpirits could never have known the horrible deformity of vice. In this fenfe, he fubftituted himself as a victim to take away the fins of the world: not to appease vindictive juftice, but to fhew God's infinite love of justice." This is as broad Socinianifm as can be imagined. Nay, it is more. It is not only denying the fatisfaction of Christ, but fuppofing that he died for devils as much, and for the angels in heaven, much more than he did for man. Indeed he calls him an expiatory facrifice, a propitiatory yictim: but remember, it was only in this fenfe. For you are told again, page 399, "See the deplorable ignorance of those who represent the expiatory facrifice of Chrift, as destined to appease vindictive justice, and avert divine vengeance. It is by fuch frivolous and blafphemous notions that the schoolmen. have expofed this divine myftery." Thefe "frivolous and blafphemous notions," do I receive, as the precious truths of God. And fo deplorable is my ig norance, that I verily believe all who deny them, deny the Lord that bought them. P. 400. "The immediate, effential, neceffary means of reuniting men to God, are prayer, mortification and felf-denial." No, No, The immediate, effential, neceffary mean of reuniting me to God, is living faith. And that alone, without this I cannot be reunited to God. With this, I cannot but be reunited. Prayer, mortification and self-denial are the fruits of faith, and the grand means of continuing and encreafing it. But I object to the account Mr. R. (and all the Myftics) give of those. It is far too lax and general. And hence those who receive all he fays, will live just as they did before, in all the ease, pleasure and state they can afford. P. 403. "Prayer, mortification and self-denial, produce, neceffarily in the foul, faith, hope, and charity. On the contrary, faith muft neceffarily precede both prayer, mortification and felf-denial, if we mean thereby "Adoring God in fpirit and in truth, a continual death to all that is visible, and a conftant, univerfal, fuppreffion and facrifice of all the motions of falfe love." And the Chevalier talks of all these like a mere parrot, if he did not know and feel in his inmost soul, that it is abfolutely false that any of these should fubfift in our heart, till we truly believe in the Son of God. "True faith is a divine light in the foul that difcovers the laws of eternal order, the all of God, and the nothingness of the creatures." It does; but it difcovers firft of all, that Christ loved me and gave himself for me, and washes me from my fins in his own blood. I am, dear Sir, your affectionate Brother, [From the Rev. Mr. J. Hn, to the Rev. Mr. Wesley.] Rev. and dear Sir, YOUR November 11, 1759. YOUR kind favour came to hand last night, for which I fincerely thank you. I am indeed in danger. I know it; I feel it. Yet, I believe Providence has placed me where I am. I hope, I in fome measure see already of the fruit of my labours. I am endeavouring to tread down fin wherever I meet it, both in myself and others. I have lodged with a Juftice of the Peace, with whom, his family, and fervants I have laboured, and not in vain. I know not that I ever faw a greater change. Swearing, and prophane conversation are vanifhed away, and reading and chriftian converfation introduced. After having been with them near a month, when I left them on Friday laft, to go home to my own cabbin, we were affectionately forry to part. I have one of the largest congregations in the Bishop's diftrict. Molly poor people. Some fay I am a Presbyterian, and they will prove it, for I prayed with a fick woman extempore. I have entered the lift once more against the World, the Flefh, and the Devil. Pray for me yourself, and commend me to the prayers of others, that I may profecute the war with prudence and courage. This day I found myself much refreshed in reading prayers and preaching; though I am the talk of the neighbourhood. The popish Priest of the parish, is going mad, as feveral of his flock feem to flagger, and one of the heads of them declares he will never come in a Mafs-house again. Money never did, and I hope it never will, ftick to my fingers. I think I am not half so much in danger of fettling and refting on past experience, as I was before I came here. I have all to do, as the Rector is fick, and thirty miles off. When I come in company with men who know not God, he is good, and gives. me courage to be as bold for him, as they are for their mafter, without fear or fhame. May the Lord pour upon me the fpirit of prayer. I shall spend much time in writing; but I must retire more than ever, for reading and prayer. If I pray not, I fhall be like a man entering the field of battle, without harness or weapon. If the Lord be not on my fide, if his power attend not my labours, nothing will, nothing can be done. Therefore let me beg of you to remember me in public, as the prayers of many are powerful. I do not forget you, you, nor my fellow-travellers on your fide the water, for one day. I am, dear Sir, your dutiful Son in the Gospel of Chrift, J. H-N. LETTER CXXXIV. [From the Hon. and Rev. W. S. y, to the Rev. J. Welley.] June, 18, 1760. Dear Sir, Receive, with inexpreffible joy, the relation you make of the progrefs of the gofpel in Ireland. May the remainder of your days be even more blest than the past. I think it is an obfervation of yours fomewhere, "That the Irish are open enough to flight impreffions of the truth, but not to very deep ones." I truft, however, that in this your expedition, you have found fome depth of earth, and that the feed will remain, and will bring forth fuch fruit as will be to the honor of that kingdom, and will make a chief part in your crown of rejoicing at the laft day. I am very heartily concerned that there fhould be even three or four at Athlone, not yet convinced by you, how very wrong and unbecoming them it is to feparate themfelves from the service of the Church; and yet, I am still more grieved. that they have the leaft appearance of reafon to urge on their fide. Surely, furely we fhall meet. I most ardently with for it, as far as I dare wifh for any thing in which I fo much confult my own pleasure and advantage. I cannot enough exprefs what a warm affection I bear your dear brother. It has been a peculiar bleffing to me that I had him to advise with on many interesting points. I commend you to God's love; farewel, my dear Sir, and believe me with the greatest regard, Your affectionate, though very unworthy Brother, POETRY. |