A PLAIN STATEMENT OF OBJECTIONAL DOCTRINES HELD BY THE CHURCH OF ROME; AND SEVERAL REASONS FAIRLY ASSIGNED FOR SEPARATION FROM THEIR COMMUNION.
BY JOSEPH REILLY
Late a Roman Catholic Student
[We here at Former Catholics For Christ enjoyed this tract from the 1800's so much, that we felt our readers would benefit from it as well. What a cloud of witnesses before us! We pray that this tract inspires a cloud of witnesses to follow.]
To the Reader.
Having never before had any necessity of appearing before the public, it is with much reluctance that I am, in defiance of my character, now compelled to give a fair and candid statement of the motives that induced me to leave the church of Rome; which I did not do, until I had tried every means to quiet an anxious mind, and troubled conscience; and after many private and public interviews with my pastor; each of which only confirmed my doubts of several of the doctrines of the church of Rome. I found by such interviews that I had nothing from God's word to rely upon; nothing but tradition, and the assertions of interested men, upon which to rest my hope of salvation; and even these, when fairly examined, could not afford me any plausible authority for the articles of religion doubted of. I continued to meet the priest at every time and place he appointed, to remove my doubts of certain doctrines which I conceived were authorized by God's Holy Word, and therefore not taught by our Lord and his apostles; until he candidly told me he was not able to satisfy me; and said he could not blame me for following the dictates of my conscience. I little thought, that after this I should be obliged to vindicate myself from foul aspersion and calumny, resorted to evidently to deter others from pursuing a similar course; that, at the expense of my reputation, they might suppress the general and so much dreaded inquiries of the public mind after truth. I therefore lay before the public, and the candid reader, a plain statement of facts; and let my motives, and the necessity of the case, be my apology.
The Author
Having been intended by my parents to be a clergyman of the church of Rome, I was brought up and educated for that purpose, under the immediate care of my late uncle, the Rev. Edmund Reilly, P.P. of Killesandra, until his decease in 1814; and having finished the studies requisite for admittance to college, I was recommended to the Rev. Dr. Reilly, bishop of Kilmore, for admittance on the establishment of Maynooth. I received for answer, that in consequence of the many applications prior to mine, his lordship could not then procure me a place; but being desirous for that office, I renewed my application for the American mission and obtained an "exeat," and a recommendatory letter, for that purpose; which was as follows:
"Fargalus, Dei Et Apostolicæ sedis gratiâ Kilmoriensis Episcopus in Hiberniâ, &c.
"Testamur per presentes Dominum Josephum Reilly, nostræ prædictæ Diocese alumnum, natum ex legitimo thoro, hactenus ibidem probè et Christianè vixisse, et multa solidæ pietatis specimina dedisse. Cum autem educationis et missionis gratiâ Americam (seu aliò) proficisci decreverit, eundem omnibus et singulis intimè commendamus, &c, &c.
"Datum hoc die decimo-septimo Junii, anno Domini Nostri Jesu Christi millesimo octingentesimo decimo-octavo.
FARGALUS, qui supra."
"Fargalus, by the grace of God, Bishop of the Apostolic See of Kilmore, in Ireland, &c.
"We testify by these Presents, that Mr. Joseph Reilly, of the aforesaid diocese, legitimately born and brought up, has hitherto lived there in an honest and Christian manner, and has given many proofs of solid piety. But having for his learning and mission's sake resolved to proceed to America or elsewhere, we earnestly recommend him to all and everyone of our brethren, &c, &c.
"Dated June 17th, in the year of our Lord Jesus Christ, 1818,
FARGALUS, qui supra."
During my preparation to go on the said mission, I was informed by several clergymen of the church of Rome, who had correspondence with the bishop of New-York, that no person would be received there as a clergyman, unless he was well qualified to preach and defend the gospel; as, in that country, every person has the liberty of objecting to any doctrines unauthorized by the gospel. This led me to apply myself seriously to the study of the Scriptures, in order that I might be capable of vindicating the religion I was about to teach; to whose sacred contents, till then, I was nearly as great a stranger as to the Koran of Mahomet. Why, oh! why should any person, designed to teach the Christian religion, remain so ignorant of the foundation of all true and saving knowledge; as if the knowledge of that which only can make men wise unto salvation, were of minor importance, if not altogether unnecessary!
I had also several conversations with some of my dissenting neighbours, on many of the controverted points of doctrine taught in the church of Rome; which still made me feel more forcibly the necessity of being well versed in Scripture, so as to be able to withstand and confute every objection that might be raised against my creed; which was the sole object of my pursuit thus far. In the course of my reading the Scripture, I was particularly struck with our Lord's last charge to his disciples, as recorded in Matthew XXVIII, 19, 20, "Go ye and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always even to the end," &c. "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned," Mark xvi, 15, 16. "And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem," Luke xxiv, 47, 48. "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preached unto you, than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed," Gal. i, 8. "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns," &c, Col. iii, 16. "Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this Man is PREACHED UNTO YOU THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS: and by him all that believe are justified from all things," Acts xiii, 38. "Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, for to give repentance unto Israel, and remission of sins," Acts v, 31, compared with Acts x, 43; Acts x, 35, with Rom. ii, 10. "Glory, honor, and peace to every man that doeth good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile. But indignation and wrath upon every soul of every man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; for there is no respect of persons with God." "The Gentiles having not the law, are a law unto themselves: ---their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another."
From all these testimonies of holy writ, I saw with great astonishment, 1. That to the end of time, every preacher sent of Christ, and really belonging to him, must preach diligently to all people, as far as possible, everything that he himself preached, and must not add nor diminish aught, on pain of eternal wrath; and that in the GOSPEL alone are to be found all these things which must be so taught. And, 2. "That repentance and remission of sins" appear to be the essence of the gospel. 3. That the people are to be informed of this, or "that this is to be make known and preached to them." That in order to obtain the blessings of salvation, they must repent, believe in Christ, and earnestly ask them by importunate prayer to God, and to God alone; which if they neglect not to perform, they shall succeed: "for every one that asketh receiveth," Matt. vii, 8 and vi, 12. "Our father, ---forgive us our trespasses," &c. And thus shall they, according to the gospel,---this message from God delivered to them,---"be loosed" by the Holy Ghost, (whom God gives to all who thus obey his gospel,) from all their sins, condemnation, and liability to punishment; and this, through the alone infinite merits and "blood of Christ, which cleanseth from all sin," 1 John i, 7. But that such as will not believe this gospel, this divine message, "must be bound (i.e.) be damned;" and therefore, that it is God himself, and not his servants, who will most assuredly confirm to all believers the message thus delivered by his faithful messengers, and will loose or bind them, forgive or condemn them, severally, according to his gospel;---
and therefore, that in the gospel there is no power to forgive sins, farther than this, given to the servants of God. For through Jeremiah was commissioned of God, "to build and to plant kingdoms and nations, to pull down and to destroy them," Jer. i, 10; xviii, 7-9; yet he never did any such thing in whole or in part, actually, but declaratively only; that is, he delivered his message from God, and according to it was obeyed or rejected, so were those to whom it was sent, planted or destroyed, rewarded or punished. And in this sense were the apostles, by preaching the gospel, to forgive sins, to bind and to loose; and also to remove from the society or church, incorrigible offenders, or to receive them again on their repentance, 1 Cor. v, 1-5; 2 Cor. ii, 7-10. 4th. I saw, that, whereas Christ commanded his gospel to be given and carefully taught to every creature, that it might dwell richly in them; so every creature, therefore, should, above all books and things, have the gospel; and, that, to prevent this in any wise, was not to obey Christ, but contravene his will; which would, of course, be the designation of false and antichristian prophets. To claim, then, an authority from Christ, to prevent even children from hearing, learning, or having the gospel, (for Timothy from a child knew the Scriptures,) is claiming authority from Christ to contradict himself: which is blasphemy.
Contrasting these impressive charges with many of the doctrines of the church of Rome, I found them so incongruous, that it became a matter of serious and anxious inquiry how to reconcile the mighty difficulties. Hearing that the ancient fathers had authorized the doctrine and practices of the church, I had recourse to their writings; and, to my astonishment, found, that they had exalted the authority of the Holy Scriptures, as the only true and unerring guide to eternal happiness.
This led me to inquire into the reason why the present church, which professes to be the only true, infallible, holy, and apostolic guide to heaven, differed so essentially both from Scripture and the ancient church? And why, instead of following the injunctions of our blessed Lord, it teaches many contrary doctrines, to the injury of piously disposed minds, leading them from the essential truths of salvation, and from faith in the anointment alone, to the church authorities lately invented, which cannot profit, and to ceremonies and forms of worship, unknown in the primitive church of Christ? Is not true repentence, which is always accompanied by sorrow for sin, by an utter abhorrence to it, and by forsaking it, attended with a hope in the infinite atonement of Christ? This leads the sinner to plead the merits of his Savior's death, and believing in his all sufficient merit for pardon, asking saving faith from him whose gift it is, and who has promised it to those who ask, he shall receive pardon, and peace, and holiness; and these will be afterwards manifested in his life and actions.
I ask, who will deny that this is the gospel way of salvation from sin? And if it be so, then why should the unwary be led into the labyrinths of useless ceremonies? One cannot but feel deep concern and regret for the delusion of a generous, zealous, and unsuspecting people.
These considerations urge me to make this solemn appeal to a people, whose welfare I shall ever have at heart; and unprincipled is he, and base are his designs, who would impose on such, falsehood for truth. I have experienced many signal favors from them, and know the unbounded confidence they place in the men to whom they entrust their salvation. I cannot but abhor the head and heart of that wretch that could plan deception for this people: my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is, that they may be saved; for I bear them record, they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. To them also were committed the oracles of God, but they preferred the traditions of men, and awfully surrendered their Bible, their only unerring guide, and submitted to learn the doctrines of Jesus Christ, not from his holy word and that of his apostles, but from interested men.
Could I address them, it would be thus: Believe absolutely no teacher that comes in the shape of either man or angel; but try the spirits, consult the word of God, which cannot deceive you; compare the words and actions of men with what you read there, and he who comes nearest to the doctrines of Christ, listen to him: for the apostle Paul has said, "If we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel than that already delivered unto you, let him be accursed."
From the above considerations, as serious impression was made on my mind for years, which was increased bybeing sometimes called upon to defend the doctrine of invocation of saints, purgatory, &c, in all which, I found I had not scriptural or rational arguments to support their authority; but being still strongly prejudiced in favor of the mother church, I thought that her authority was founded by Jesus Christ; and that doubting of her doctrine would be a glaring breach of the faith of our blessed Lord.
Let me now again examine for a moment that which held me so long in suspense; namely, being taught from my infancy to believe, "that to doubt of any article of faith taught by the church, would be dangerous to my salvation." This, I fear, keeps many from following that claim and most necessary direction of the apostle, "examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith: know ye not your ownselves, how that Christ Jesus is in you, except ye be reprobates." It is evident, that those who were in communion with the apostle, had no doubt of their being the true church; yet, it appeared a most necessary duty for the apostle to impress on his flock, to examine themselves, to prove and try whether they were now in the faith or not; whether they enjoyed it, or whether they might not resting in the name, without the power of religion, as taught by him. He knew that the name availeth nothing, without the spirit of genuine religion, affecting both the heart and life of its professor. May this salutary and most necessary command be no longer overlooked; and the mere name "which is but the shadow" vainly substituted in its stead!
I again have recourse to Scripture, tradition, &c, to be able to defend the doctrines of popery, but in every attempt to do so, I was secretly forced to feel my incapacity to withstand the convincing truths of God's word. Here the reader may easily imagine what anxiety of mind I felt, on discovering errors in the mother church, so manifest, that all endeavors to gloss them over with far strained arguments, and make them appear plausible, prove ineffectual, and recoiled with double force on my own conscience.---thus, after various perplexity of mind, I communicated my sentiments to a near relative, (now in college,) whose superior knowledge, I presumed, would be capable of removing my doubts, without any farther exposure of what I then considered so dangerous to entertain.
Oh what infatuation was this! How many blessed religious feelings are thus stifled by bigotry. How preferable was the conduct of the noble Bereans, Acts xvii, 11, who, when they heard Paul and Silas preach the gospel, searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so: and many of them believed. But the fear of man, a false notion of honour, and a reluctance to forsake a system, though evidently erroneous, and supported by custom alone, deter many from yielding to conviction. I must say, my friend equally felt the importance of our inquiry: we spent whole days together, comparing the sacred texts of the Douay and Protestant versions, and to our mutual astonishment, we found no essential difference; ---this, whereof I entertained the most sanguine hopes, proving ineffectual, greatly increased my anxiety of mind, (agrescitque medendo,) which I still strove to appease by every means in my power. The idea of having so many of my relatives connected with the church of Rome from time immemorial, often induced me to imagine my doubts originated in some weakness of mind and want of understanding: it would be endless to describe all the various flutuations of mind I underwent, and the different means resorted to, to quiet them. Tandem atternanti potior hæe sententia visa est, V Æ.
At length, unable to sustain a burdened mind any longer, I went to my clergyman, the Rev. Mr. M'Gouran, for whom I had the highest veneration and esteem, stating plainly to him the situation of my mind, and the particular articles of his creed I doubted of; solemning avowing, that I only sought instruction, if I were in error, as I believed I was; for, after reading the Scriptures, and a great part of the ancient and modern works on the authenticity of the Roman Catholic religion, I could find no proof of the following doctrines, viz. invocation of saints, purgatory, indulgences, transubstantiation, auricular confession, the sacrifice of the mass, and prayers in an unknown tongue, substituted for the preaching of the pure gospel. I therefore humbly appealed to him to satisfy me from any part of God's word, on these articles, declaring to him I wanted to be convinced of the truth of the above doctrines; and if so, I would remain an obedient son of the church; or if not, that I must forsake her; my salvation being dearer to me than life. In this, the Searcher of hearts knows, I had nothing in view more than to rest my hope of salvation on Jesus Christ, and to believe the doctrines contained in his holy word.
In justice to this gentleman, I must say, he tried every possible means with me, at different times and places, but to no purpose. At length, seeing my uneasiness, and feeling for my situation, he requested me to go to his house, and if he could not succeed in removing my doubts, he would allow me to follow the dictates of my conscience. Accordingly I went, and he very patiently heard all my objections to his creed; when he produced various authorities, chiefly from the holy fathers, all inconclusive, and insufficient to maintain the above doctrines. In vain we sought for scriptural authority, finding not so much as even the bare mention of them in any part of the sacred volume: and such were my convictions, that no inferior or after devised authorities could satisfy my inquiry after truth. At the same time, I asked him, how could I be blamed for separating from him, and following the dictates of my conscience? To this he agreed; and so I parted from him with the same candour and friendship that every existed between us, deeply sensible of the extraordinary favour he had conferred on me, by patiently hearing my objections.
My doubts being now confirmed, the situation of my mind cannot be easily conceived. To follow the dictates of conscience I was fully resolved, God being my helper; yet, I could not but foresee the difficulties that lay before me. My parent was a widow, and in a great degree dependent upon me. My friends and acquaintances, who, I knew, did not see or feel as I did, would look on me as mad; and consequently I must consider myself as separated from them for life: I felt all this to its utmost extent. I thought on that saying of our blessed Lord, "He that loveth father or mother, or house or land, more than me, is not worthy of me." I considered my salvation dearer than all the world beside. With these views and reflections I resolved to commit my cause to him who has said, "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he will sustain thee," and leave the event to him, who has also said, "Fear not them who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."
Thus far, having laid before you, candid reader, and my dear fellow countrymen, whom, as God knoweth, I love,---a true statement of the origin, progress, and confirmation of my doubts of the doctrines I objected to in the church of Rome, together with the various means I had recourse to for instruction and certainty in these matters, till the final interview above mentioned,---I little thought of ever hearing the voice of calumny raised against me, and against the motives that induced me to act as I did:---this being a matter that could be judged only by him who reads the secrets of all hearts. No slanderous insinuations against my person, nor fear s to their consequence, where I am known, could induce me to publish any thing in my own defense; as I defy even malice itself: but I feel it to be a duty which I owe to my merciful God and his holy truth, and to those persons who may be in similar circumstances, to vindicate the propriety of leaving the church of Rome: a church, whose doctrines I saw could not be supported. And many persons I know there are on whose minds the light of truth is beginning to dawn: and if this humble, unadorned, yet true statement, may prove useful to any of them, the object I have in view will be fully attained, and will outweigh all the sneering invectives that may be poured this artless production, by the votaries of envy or prejudice.
The narrow limits of this tract do not allow me to dwell so extensively as I wish, on the above controverted points; I shall therefore only request the seriously inquiring reader to compare all the present doctrines, ceremonies, and practices of the church of Rome with the gospel; and find out their origin in the Scriptures, (to which nothing may be added for ever,) and in the practice of the primitive church, before he passes the rash censure on me, that I left the church of Christ. "Judge not lest ye be judged," is the language of holy writ. I beseech you to read attentively the second and fifteenth chapters of St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans; and consider, that the Scripture is the rule to direct the church of Christ; and that no particular church or people has authority to usurp the power of establishing or retaining any thing incongruous with, or contrary to the sacred text.
Any church thus counteracting the authority of God's law, cannot be the church of Christ, but must be antichristian, and should be forsaken by all who are willing to take the counsel of Christ for their guide to eternal life. Is it not the bounden duty of every rational being, to prefer the will of God to his own or any other man's? and to discover error and reprobate sin, in whatever shape they may appear; and let their name and pretensions be what they may?---for a mere name is nothing.
Reader, let not your own nor the will of any man, or any party, be the model of your life and actions; but, not to the counsel of any man who does not in all things comply with, follow, obey, and practice the law of Jesus Christ. I am afraid that deep rooted prejudices, formed and nurtured by undue influence, will prevent many from embracing the plain truths of the gospel. Every Christian reader must allow that our Lord has done all things necessary for our salvation, and expressly ordered his followers neither to add nor diminish. Adding any thing would be superfluous; taking from it, blasphemous. All that the holy Scripture is the fountain of all saving truth, and good morals, written by divinely inspired men, under the immediate instruction of our Lord; as St. Augustine and St. Irenæus testify; and infinitely more authentic than any other writings. If this is believed by all, and at least they say they do believe this, why do some exclaim against it and prohibit its general use; yea, and anathematize any who dare look into its sacred contents? Is it because they know that if the Bible be read, its superior light will dispel all the darkness of superstition and ignorance? If this volume were not prohibited, in vain would they, by any sophistry whatever, attempt to build the invocation of saints, on the message and salutation of the angel Gabriel, mentioned in Luke i, 26 &c. Do they not understand, that our Lord did not then begin his mission; which they might easily learn by reading the New Testament, if they have it. But how can it be expected that they would allow a book to be read, which the learned bishop of Benonia said, "was the cause of all storms and tempests, that almost ruined the Roman Catholic church." I do not wonder that interested men should prohibit and vilify the reading of that book, which contains all that is sublime in doctrine, and holy in tendency, ---all that is consolatory to the human heart,---all that is requisite to make us wise unto salvation,---that militates against all doctrines and inventions of men, and the unedifying and unscriptural ceremonies of masses, and prayers in Latin, so contrary to God's word, 1 Cor. xiv.
Why are they not as zealous to expunge the unauthorized abuses that glow in almost every page of their common prayer books, called the "Key of Paradise," "Poor Man's Manual," &c; a few extracts whereof I shall lay before the reader. I ask, can they meet the approbation of any man that will use his understanding; having at the same time any just views of the atonement of Jesus Christ? Nos cum prole pia benedicat Virgo Maria.---"Virgin Mother, we humbly crave thy blessing, and thy Son's,"---"Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, grant us rest, peace, pardon, and glory,"---"Hail, holy queen, mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, our hope, to thee we cry, poor banished sons of Eve, to thee do we send up our sighs, mournings and weepings: turn, thou most gracious advocate, the eyes of mercy towards us, and after this miserable pilgrimage receive us, &c. See the litanies of St. Francis, and the Virgin Mary.
Let me here pause, and ask the reader, does he believe that Jesus Christ, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, made a full, free, and sufficient atonement to God for fallen man? Is he now the only Mediator between God and man? Does he need other advocates to procure the pardon of our sins from Almighty God? If he did make full atonement, to attribute the mediatorial office to any created being, is blasphemy; if he did not, then the whole of the Christian religion is destroyed. But he did make a full and ample atonement, therefore the mediatorial office cannot be invaded, or in any wise attributed to any other, without awfully confounding the infinite atonement of the Son of God, with the imaginary atonements of sinful and finite men. It may be said, by way of evasion, not their mediation, but intercession, is solicited by their votaries. But does the above language, "Virgin Mother, we humbly crave thy blessing, and thy Son's,"---and, "Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, grant us rest, peace, pardon, and glory,"---imply nothing but intercession? Is it not evident that the name of the adorable Jesus is blasphemously confounded with his creatures, Mary and Joseph? Do we not read above, "Most gracious advocate," &c,---and many such expressions in the "Rosary of the Blessed Virgin," &c? Oh! what narrow views must they have of the infinite mercy of Jesus Christ, who suppose that the interference of angels and of departed saints is necessary to induce him to hear our supplications! They forget what is said in Matt. vi, 6,7: "For your Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask him." But not one sentence of either asking or soliciting the interference or intercession of any saint departed, or any angel, is ever sanctioned and mentioned in holy writ; nor, even when our Lord resided on earth, was it ever known that his respected mother was solicited by any sinner in behalf of his sins; though then it might appear a natural occurrence. Knowing, therefore, that in after times such abuses would arise, he publicly avowed, "No man cometh unto the Father but by me." And as this doctrine of intercession of angels and departed saints, is an addition to the gospel, so, it must be, according to St. Paul, "accursed," Gal. i, 8.
If your prejudice be strong enough to make you believe that the above prayers only intimate intercession, I will prove at once the absurdity and utter impossibility of this man devised system. Do you believe in the omnipresence and omniscience of the holy trinity, and that no other being possesseth these attributes? It must be answered, Yes; for none dare believe otherwise. Therefore, ominipresence (i.e. being every where present at the same instance of time) being the attribute of God alone, no saint, or angel, can hear, at the same time, millions of votaries praying in different places of the earth. Hence the inconsistency, (to say no worse) of such prayers, and of attributing, as it were, ominiscience, that is, knowing the secrets of the hearts of all men at the same time, to any creature whatever. They cannot know the secrets of the heart, and therefore cannot be intercessors for man. How absurd the idea! How fruitless the attempt, to pray for or to solicit their intercession, as it cannot be known but that some of those to whom prayer is made may have died in sin, and in that event they are now damned spirits; devils: then such prayers would be offered to devils!
From all these plain reasons, it is easily seen how slippery is the path they tread in, who do not follow the plain road marked out by our Lord Jesus Christ. How easily is every system, not founded on the Rock of Ages, upset, when opposed to the pure gospel. Let me particularly address myself to Roman Catholic brethren. Have I not laid before you a plain statement of facts, as a sufficient cause, founded on Scripture, reason, and common sense, for my separating from your church? not particularly touching by way of argument, on any but this one point of doctrine, leaving the rest to abler pens? I am sure it will be told you, that I am among the followers of false prophets: but you will allow our Lord to be the best judge of this. Let us hear him. When, in after times, "false prophets arise, that will deceive, if it were possible, even the elect;" he does not leave us in the dark, how to know and assert them. His comprehensive rule is, "By their fruits ye shall know them;" that is, by their lives and doctrine agreeing with what he commanded and taught; or, on the contrary, their adding to, or taking from his word: for he that does so, God declares that "He will add to him all the plagues in his book." See Rev. xxii, 18, 19. And for taking away any of the words of his book, he also declares, that, "he will take away his part out of the book of life."
Now, if none of the aforementioned tenets, to which I object, were ever taught by our Lord or his prophets, (which is easily proved, as no mention whatsoever is made of them in the gospel,) by such additions, or false teachings, the teachers made be easily discovered; and these awful plagues must ensue. And if withholding the Scriptures, which are commanded to be searched, read, and taught, is taking from his words; this may create strong suspicion, that the dreadful curse of "taking away his part out of the book of life," must follow. But if the gospel be God's truth, they who strictly adhere to it, and practice and teach it, must, of course, be true, and cannot be false prophets.
Oh my friends, think of these things.---judge for yourselves; for no man will stand for you in the judgment of the great day. I well know the effects of prejudice in favor of long customs and habits; but this, you are aware, will be no apology in that dread day. I am also aware you have been told, "that I was bribed for turning."---
Believe it not; nay, I am certain you do not, you cannot believe it. You have long known me; and you can now say, if I have ever acted any part that was base, or even gave room for suspicion. No, no; my soul shall never be sold. God forbid. Nothing but conscientious motives, causing any man of character to do as I have done, could ever be thought of by any man of common sense or piety.
Such were my motives, and no other object had I, or now have in view, as the Searcher of hearts knoweth. You see I did not do so from influence, or the impulse of a moment. I examined and tried every matter with the utmost caution and deliberation, and by the best authorities. Seriously reflect and examine for yourselves, before you rashly condemn; and my sincere prayer to God is, that in all things you may be directed agreeably to His will; that at the last we may meet where dissensions and differences are no more heard of for ever.
JOSEPH REILLY.
A LETTER FROM THE REV. JOHN WESLEY TO MR. C., ON A FRIEND EMBRACING POPERY.
I doubt not but both ______, and you are in trouble, because **** has "changed his religion." Nay, he has changed his opinions, and mode of worship: but that is not religion: it is quite another thing. "Has he then," you may ask, "sustained no less by the change?" Yes, unspeakable loss: because his new opinion, and mode of worship, are so unfavorable to religion, that they make it, if not impossible to one that once knew better, yet extremely difficult.
"What then is religion?" It is happiness in God, or in the knowledge and love of God. It is "faith working by love." Producing "righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." In other words, it is a heart and life devoted to God: or, communion with God the Father and the Son: or, the mind which was in Christ Jesus, enabling us to walk as he walked. Now, either he has this religion, or he has not: if he was, he will not finally perish, notwithstanding the absurd, unscriptural opinions he has embraced, and the superstitious and idolatrous modes of worship. But these are so many shackles, which will greatly retard him in running the race that is set before him. If he has not this religion, if he has not given God his heart, the case is unspeakably worse: I doubt if he ever will; for his new friends will continually endeavor to hinder him, by putting something else in its place, by encouraging him to rest in the form, notions, or externals, without being born again, without having Christ in him, the hope of glory, without being renewed in the image of him who created him. This is the deadly evil. I have often lamented, that he had not this holiness, without which no man can see the Lord. But though he had it not, yet in his hours of cool reflection, he did not hope to go to heaven without it; but now he is, or will be taught, that let him only have a right faith, (that is, such and such notions,) and add thereunto such and such externals, and he is quite safe. He may indeed roll a few years in purging fire, but he will surely go to heaven at last.
Therefore, you and my dear ****, have great need to weep over him: but have you not also need to weep for yourselves? For have you given God your hearts? Are you holy in heart? Have you the kingdom of God within you? Righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost? The only true religion under heaven! Oh cry unto Him that is mighty to save, for this one thing needful: earnestly and diligently use all the means which God hath put plentifully in your hands! Otherwise, I should not at all wonder, if God permits you also to be given up to a strong delusion: but whether you were or were not;----whether you are Protestant or Papist, -----neither you nor he can ever enter into glory, unless you are now cleansed from all pollutions of flesh and spirit and perfect holiness in the fear of God!
I am, your affectionate,
JOHN WESLEY.
Dundee, May 2nd, 1786.
PUBLISHED BY J. EMORY AND B. WAUGH,
FOR THE TRACT SOCIETY OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, AT THE CONFERENCE OFFICE, 14 CROSBY-STREET, NEW YORK.
J. Collord, Printer
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