"conversed with your disciples, and have read over your works: and, having heard many persons 'make free with your character, and calumniate and censure you as a heretick, 'we have maintained 'your innocence, and defended you as our father. You should not therefore have condemned us, un⚫ seen and unheard, upon reports and hearsays; nor have made so unsuitable a return to us, for our good offices to you.'-The old bishop, who was, in the main, an honest and well meaning man, felt the force and reasonableness of this civil reprimand, and treated these monks very courte'ously.'1

2

P. DXVII. 1. 23. 'I have, &c.'? 'Persons, who ' are authorized to sin, because of their perfection, ' &c! Calvinists maintain, that all true believers are "complete in Christ," as " of God in him, who of "God is made unto them, Wisdom, Righteousness, "Sanctification, and Redemption:" and that they have no occasion to go to the school of the philosophers, to the ceremonies of the Mosaick law, to the traditions of the elders, or to any speculations, superstitions, enthusiastical revelations, or external forms whatever, to supply supposed deficiencies: for they have all in "Christ, in whom are hid all the "treasures of wisdom and knowledge; in whom"

1 Jortin and Sozomen in Jortin.

I have quoted these words in reproof of the followers of Basilides, who lead incorrect lives, as persons who are autho'rized to sin, because of their perfection; or who will certainly be saved by nature, even though they sin now, because of an ⚫ lecetion founded in nature. P. 510.'

every believer "has righteousness and strength; "and in whom all the seed of Israel," the true Israel of God," as in the LORD our Righteousness," shall "justify, and shall glory."-Insomuch that their own good works, so far from contributing to their justification, are the evidences and effects of it; and, being imperfect, can be accepted only through the mediation of Christ. They believe also, that, having been, when enemies, justified, and "reconciled to God, by the death of his Son; they, as reconciled, "shall be saved from wrath through him :" and they say in the words of one, who gloried in being an Anticalvinist, That love divine, which made me 'thine, shall keep me thine for ever. This our opponents call our perfection: while we, humbly acknowledging how very very far we are from perfection, consider this as our privilege indeed, but can never enough admire, that such love should be extended to sinners so vile and wretched.-They then suppose, not only without proof, but contrary to the fullest proof; (if either our writings or our lives be proof;) that this assured, or prevailing hope of final salvation, will induce us" to sin on that

grace may abound:" they rank us with the followers of Basilides, who, justly, or unjustly, was accused of an abominable antinomianism; though our maxim is, "Let us be stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; as "knowing that our labour is not in vain in the "Lord."

Rev. Charles Wesley.

P. DXVIII. 1. 1. He, &c." Saved by nature.' 'One 'that knows God by nature.' Faithful and elect

2

by nature.Our language is: "We are by nature children of wrath even as others: but God, whọ "is rich in mercy, of his great love wherewith he loyed us, even when dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ: by grace are ye saved." This is the Calvinistick doctrine, in the plainest, most obvious, and literal, sense, which the words can bear. Some of our opponents speak of the gentiles being saved by nature.' And in this, they certainly more resemble the followers of Basilides, than Calvin: but we are by no means disposed to class them with those ancient hereticks. It is true, that if any one be saved by nature, or, be faithful and elect by nature,' the precepts of the Scriptures are superfluous, and indeed the whole system of Christianity is made void and if faith be not the rational consent of a mind endued with

He (Valentinus) too, like Basilides, supposes a race (yes) which is saved by nature. P. 603.' ́

If any one knows God by nature, which is the opinion of Basilides...... He (Basilides) says, that faith is not the ra⚫tional consent of a mind endowed with free-will. The precepts both of the Old and New Testament are superfluous, if any ' one be saved by nature, as Valentinus maintains; and if any one be faithful and elect by nature, as Basilides thinks. P. 645.

་

Of heresies, some are called from the names of their founders, as from Valentinus, and Marcion, and Basilides. P. 899.-It is evident from this passage, that the peculiar opinions of Valentinus, Marcion, and Basilides, were considered as heretical by the church at the time they were first propagated, as Clement of Alexandria lived soon after them."

* Remarks on p. 4, 5, 295. 313, Refutation.

free will, that is, of a free agent, it must be merely the mechanism of an automaton. But the condition of man, after the fall of Adam is such, that he cannot turn and prepare himself, by his ' own natural strength and good works, to faith and calling upon God.' It is most reasonable to believe the sure testimony of God, and to rely on his faithful promises, with the full consent of the heart: but man, enslaved to sin, never acts thus reasonably, except by the special preventing grace of God.Our holding this decidedly is the shade of resemblance, as to this quotation, between us and the followers of Basilides.-No doubt the opinions of Valentinus, Marcion, and Basilides, were considered heretical,' &c. This is not at all the point which wants proving: but whether the tenets of Calvinism coincide with their sentiments, in those particulars, in which they were heretical. This has not been, and I am bold to say cannot be proved.

P. DXVIII, 1. 19. The, &c." I quote this, and leave it to the reader's consideration. Looking carefully into it, as into a glass, I can discern no trace of my own countenance, or that of my brethren; and not one shade of resemblance, which it bears to our doctrines.-If our opponents, (who

The doctrine of Valentinus is, There are many material men, but not many animal men; and very few spiritual. That therefore which is spiritual is saved by nature. That which is animal, being endowed with free-will, has a fitness for faith and incorruption, and also for unbelief and corruption, according to its own choice; but that which is material, perishes by nature. P. 983.'

inay reasonably be supposed more keen-sighted in this, than we are,) will clearly shew us, in what the resemblance consists, it may be of use to us: for really, I for one, should count it my duty to retract any sentiment, which I had published, coincident with this unscriptural irrational language. Again, I repeat it, that in this part of the work, coincident quotations from our writings were indispensably necessary.

TERTULLIAN.

P. DXIX. 1. 1. 'I will, &c.' It remains with our accusers to prove, that Calvinists hold any of the whimsical sentiments stated in this quotation; for till this is done, the circumstance of the Valentinians maintaining them proves nothing against us.

ORIGEN.

P. DXIX. 1. 23. Origen, &c.'2 I suppose the

''I will now, in conclusion, collect together what they (the Va'lentinians) maintain concerning the disposal of the whole human 'race. Having professed an original threefold nature, united, how' ever, in Adam, they then divide it according to the peculiar properties of each kind, taking occasion for this distinction, (which ' is divided into three parts by moral differences also) from the 'posterity of Adam himself. They make use of Cain, Abel, and Seth, the fountains, as it were, of the human race, as arguments ' for so many natures and essences. The material, which is not ' designed for salvation, they refer to Cain; the animal, which ' is left to an intermediate hope, they refer to Abel; the spiritual, which is pre-ordained to certain salvation, they refer to Seth. Thus they also distinguish souls themselves, by two properties, good and bad. They assert, that the material kind, that is, bad souls, never admit of salvation. For they have pronounced ' their nature to be incapable of change and reformation. P. 260.' Origen speaks of hereticks, who thought that those souls,

(