The European Union in Prophecy The EU in Prophecy I | Page 202

The European Union in Prophecy
Said John Wesley, referring to the charges against himself and his associates:
"Some allege that the doctrines of these men are false, erroneous, and enthusiastic;
that they are new and unheard-of till of late; that they are Quakerism, fanaticism,
popery. This whole pretense has been already cut up by the roots, it having been
shown at large that every branch of this doctrine is the plain doctrine of Scripture
interpreted by our own church. Therefore it cannot be either false or erroneous,
provided the Scripture be true." "Others allege, "Their doctrine is too strict; they make
the way to heaven too narrow.' And this is in truth the original objection, (as it was
almost the only one for some time,) and is secretly at the bottom of a thousand more,
which appear in various forms. But do they make the way to heaven any narrower
than our Lord and His apostles made it? Is their doctrine stricter than that of the
Bible? Consider only a few plain texts: 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy
heart, and with all thy mind, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength.' 'For
every idle word which men shall speak, they shall give an account in the day of
judgment.' 'Whether ye eat, or drink, or whatever ye do, do all to the glory of God.'
"If their doctrine is stricter than this, they are to blame; but you know in your
conscience it is not. And who can be one jot less strict without corrupting the word of
God? Can any steward of the mysteries of God be found faithful if he change any part
of that sacred depositum? No. He can abate nothing, he can soften nothing; he is
constrained to declare to all men, 'I may not bring down the Scripture to your taste.
You must come up to it, or perish forever.' This is the real ground of that other popular
cry concerning 'the uncharitableness of these men.' Uncharitable, are they? In what
respect? Do they not feed the hungry and clothe the naked? 'No; that is not the thing:
they are not wanting in this: but they are so uncharitable in judging! they think none
can be saved but those of their own way.'"-- Ibid., vol. 3, pp. 152, 153.
The spiritual declension which had been manifest in England just before the
time of Wesley was in great degree the result of antinomian teaching. Many affirmed
that Christ had abolished the moral law and that Christians are therefore under no
obligation to observe it; that a believer is freed from the "bondage of good works."
Others, though admitting the perpetuity of the law, declared that it was unnecessary
for ministers to exhort the people to obedience of its precepts, since those whom God
had elected to salvation would, "by the irresistible impulse of divine grace, be led to
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