“Compare what we profess with what we practise, and you will possibly be of another judgment. We profess, 1. That, we will obey all the laws of that Church, (such we allow the Rubrics to be, but not the Customs of the Ecclesiastical Courts,) so far as we can with a safe conscience. 2. That, we will obey, with the same restriction, the Bishops, as executors of those laws. But their bare will, distinct from those laws, we do not profess to obey at all. Now point out, What is there in our practice, which is an open contradiction to these professions?
“Is Field-Preaching? Not at all. It is contrary to no law, which we profess to obey.
“The allowing Lay-Preachers? We are not clear, that, this is contrary to any such law. But, if it is, this is one of the exempt cases; one wherein we cannot obey with a safe conscience. Therefore, (be it right or wrong on other accounts,) it is however no just exception against our sincerity.
“The Rules and Directions given to our Societies? which, you say, is a discipline utterly forbidden by the Bishops. When and where did any Bishop forbid this? And if any did, by what law? We know not either the man who ever did forbid, or the law by which he could forbid it.
“The allowing persons (for we require none) to communicate at the chapel, in contradiction, (you think,) to all those Rubrics, which require all to attend always, on their own parish church and pastor, and to receive only at his table?
“Which Rubrics are those? We cannot find them. And, till these are produced, all that is so frequently said of parochial unity, etc., is merely gratis dictum. Consequently, neither is this any just exception against the sincerity of any of our professions.
“John Wesley.”[308]
This long, but sententiously expressed letter is of considerable importance. It contains the arguments employed by Hall to induce Wesley and his brother to renounce their connection with the Church of England; and it shows, that, notwithstanding the novel steps that Wesley had taken during the last half a dozen years, he still, in some respects, belonged to the High-Church clergy, and believed in the popish figment of apostolical succession, and could talk of the “outward Sacrifice” offered in the Church.
Hall failed to convert Wesley to his Dissenting principles; and equally failed to persuade him to abandon out-door preaching, the employment of lay-evangelists, and the administration of the sacraments in unconsecrated chapels. The two old friends were not yet finally separated; but they had no confidence in each other. A few months after the date of the above letter, Wesley wrote as follows:—