Not that I think it is barely field-preaching that gives the generality of the clergy such offence. No, it is the doctrine that I preach there, that is the grand cause of their contending with me. You are pleased, Rev. Sir, to say (Page 39th) “That I have revived the old Calvinistical disputes concerning predestination, &c.” (I suppose you mean justification by faith alone, the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ, man’s utter inability to turn to God, or to do good works, &c.) “Which you say had happily slept for so many years.” But if this be my shame, I glory in it. For what is this but reviving the essential articles of the Church of England, which undoubtedly are Calvinistical, and which, by your own confession, have happily slept for so many years? This is too true. But however you may count this a happiness, yet in my opinion it is one of the greatest judgments that has befallen our nation. And if it had not been for the remnant of free-grace, dissenting ministers, (stiled by the author of the observations, dissenting teachers) and the little flock of the Methodist preachers, that the Lord Jesus has raised up and preserved amongst us, many of the essential doctrines of the articles of the Church of England might have, as you term it, happily slept many years more.
These, Rev. Sir, are the real sentiments of my heart. I think they are founded on truth and soberness. And if so, blame me not, as you do (page 21st) for comparing the Church of England, as it now subsists, to a leaky ship. For is it not too evident that she is not only leaky, but really sinking, when several of the Right Reverend the Bishops, and a prebendary of St. Paul’s, can openly plead for works being a condition of our justification in the sight of God? This was the particular charge my Lord of London gave his clergy in his last pastoral letter, “So to explain the doctrine of justification by faith alone, as not to exclude good works from being a condition of our justification.” Was the great apostle of the Gentiles now living, what anathema’s would he pronounce against such Judaizing doctrine? Was Luther on earth, how would he thunder against such a charge? For he calls justification by faith alone, articulus stantis aut cadentis ecclesiæ. This is the great fundamental point in which we differ from the church of Rome. This is the grand point of contention between the generality of the established clergy, and the Methodist preachers: we plead for free justification in the sight of God, by faith alone, in the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ, without any regard to works past, present, or to come. You (Bellarmine like) are for making your works, conditions (page 17th); “And joining your honest, though imperfect endeavours to serve and please your Maker, with a hearty trust and confidence in his everlasting mercies,” (page 42.) You say, (page 58th) we are very far from building wholly on our morality;” we say, our morality is not to be built on at all, but that “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.” This, you think, is one of my errors. But if it be an error, it is a scriptural error; and so plainly taught in the eleventh article of our church, that he that runs may read: and however you may blame me for insinuating, “That some of the clergy may adhere to his majesty only for his preferments, and consequently not appear altogether so hearty in a time of danger;” yet I cannot think it an instance of hard-judging at all. For if persons can deliberately subscribe to the doctrines of justification by faith alone, and other articles that are purely Calvinistical, yet so explain them away as plainly to prove they scarce believe a word of them, I should not wonder if they turned Jacobites, or went over to the pretender, whenever they saw it suited their worldly interest so to do.
That I am not alone in my opinion, give me leave, Rev. Sir, to transcribe a passage I lately met with in the latter end of a book, entitled, The Honeycomb of Free Justification, written by one Mr. Eaton, A.M. of Trinity College in Cambridge, printed at London in the year 1642.
“Free justification was first enjoined to be diligently taught, for the reformation of the church, by King Henry VIII. but was by King Edward VI. and Queen Elizabeth, principally established by parliament, and singled out from all the rest of the established articles of religion; and reduced into sermons and homilies to be (after the people’s sight of their lost estate, and woeful misery by sin) principally taught, and chiefly known and understood of all the subjects and commons of the land, for these four causes.
1st. “Because it is the only immediate cause and means of our peace with God. For being justified by faith we have peace with God, Romans v. 1. and our assurance of free salvation by Jesus Christ, and is therefore called the justification of life, Romans v. 18. ‘For whom God justifieth, them he also glorifieth,’ Romans viii. 30.
2d. “Because it is the ordinance of God (quite contrary to the judgment of popish carnal reason) that powerfully causeth people to leave their sins, and live a true sanctified and godly life. Titus ii. 11 to 15. Romans 5th and 6th chapter.
3d. “Because it is the chief cause and means to discover and suppress the Romish antichrist, popery, &c. and all other superstitions, sects, errors and schisms out of the land; and to establish unity, peace and concord in matters of religion, and of assurance of free salvation, and makes every man to keep in a lawful vocation, and to do it profitably in love. Galatians v. 13.
4th. “To direct ministers ὀρθοποδεῖν to go with a right foot to the truth of the gospel, Galatians ii. 14. in sound preaching, and pure declaring of the word of God, by true faith of free justification, because (saith the established doctrine of our church) sincere preachers ever were, and ever shall be but a few; and their preaching of God’s word most sincere in the beginning, by process of time waxeth less and less pure, and after is corrupt, and last of all quite laid down, and left off; because free justification is a doctrine hardly learned in a church, and soon lost again, Galatians i. 6. and yet is the true strength, happiness and safety of the whole land, Isaiah lxii. 1–6.”
Hereupon, the 5th part of the sermon against disobedience and rebellion, established by Queen Elizabeth, teacheth the commons, that such bishops or ecclesiastical persons, as by pride and ambitious rule, do by terms of error, schism, or heresy, hinder this main light of God’s word from the people, are the chiefest traytors in the land: and the 6th and last part largely teacheth, that such subjects and commons to whom through ignorance of God’s word, this light of righteousness, and this sun of understanding doth not shine, although they may brag, as did sometimes the Jewish clergy and people, that they cannot lack knowledge, yet are such by their blind dead faith, traytors to God, traytors to their king, traytors to their own souls and bodies, and traytors to the whole land and country.”
Thus writes that good man Mr. Eaton. I leave you, Rev. Sir, to make what use of it you please. You see we have human as well as divine authority on our side. And yet we are looked upon as erroneous, and are accordingly denied the churches: and what for? even for preaching up the doctrine of justification by faith alone; for which the glorious martyrs of the Church of England burnt in Smithfield. If this be not like Nero’s setting Rome on fire, and then charging it upon the christians, I know not what is.