The Catholic Spirit
3. THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
But although a difference in opinions or modes of worship may prevent an entire external union, yet need it prevent our union in affection? Though we cannot think alike, may we not love alike? May we not be of one heart, though we are not of one opinion? Without all doubt, we may. Herein all the children of God may unite, not withstanding these smaller differences. These remaining as they are, they may forward one another in love and in good works.
Sermons, Vol. II, p. 126
In some of the following days I snatched a few hours to read The History of the Puritans. I stand in amaze: first, at the execrable spirit of persecution which drove those venerable men out of the Church, and with which Queen Elizabeth's clergy were as deeply tinctured as ever Queen Mary's were; secondly, at the weakness of those holy confessors, many of whom spent so much of their time and strength in disputing about surplices and hoods, or kneeling at the Lord's
Supper.
Journal, Wed. 4 March 1747 . . . you think I ought to "sit still" because otherwise I should invade another's office if I interfered with other
people's business and intermeddled with souls that did not belong to me. You accordingly ask, "How is it that I assemble Christians who are none of my charge, to sing psalms and pray and hear the Scriptures expounded?" and think it hard to justify doing this in other men's parishes upon "catholic principles".
Permit me to speak plainly. If by "catholic principles" you mean any other than scriptural, they weigh nothing with me .. .
Suffer me now to tell you my principles in this matter. I look upon all the world as my parish - thus far I mean, that in whatever part of it I am, I judge it meet, right and my bounden duty to declare unto all that are willing to hear me the glad tidings of salvation.
Letter to James Hervey, March 20th, 1739 Beware of schism, of making a rent in the Church of Christ.
That inward disunion, the members ceasing to have a reciprocal love 'one for another' (1 Cor. xii, 25), is the very root of all contention, and every outward separation.
Beware of everything tending thereto. Beware of a dividing spirit; shun whatever has the least aspect that way.
Therefore, say not, 'I am of Paul or of Apollos'; the very thing which occasioned the schism at Corinth. Say not,
'This is my Preacher; the best Preacher in England. Give me him, and take all the rest.' All this tends to breed or foment division, to disunite those whom God hath joined. Do not despise or run down any Preacher; do not exalt any one above the rest, lest you hurt both him and the cause of God.
On the other hand, do not bear hard upon any by reason of some incoherency or inaccuracy of expression; no, nor for some mistakes, were they really such.
Works, Vol. XI, p. 433
Beware of tempting others to separate from you. Give no offence which can possibly be avoided; see that your practice be in all things suitable to your profession, adorning the doctrine of God our Saviour. Be particularly careful in speaking of yourself. You may not, indeed, deny the work of God; but speak of it, when you are called thereto, in the most inoffensive manner possible. Avoid all magnificent, pompous words; indeed, you need give it no general name; neither perfection, sanctification, the second blessing, nor the having attained. Rather speak of the particulars which God has wrought for you. You may say, 'At such a time I felt a change which I am not able to express; and since that time, I have not felt pride, or self-will, or anger, or unbelief; not anything but a fulness of love to God and to all mankind.' And answer any other plain question that is asked, with modesty and simplicity.
And if any of you should at any time fall from what you now are, if you should again feel pride or unbelief, or any temper from which you are now delivered; do not deny, do not hide, do not disguise it at all, at the peril of your soul. At all events go to one in whom you can confide, and speak just what you feel. God will enable him to speak a word in season, which shall be health to your soul. And surely He will again lift up your head, and cause the bones that have been broken to rejoice.
Ibid, p. 434
First published 1762; re-issued in A Plain Account of Christian Perfection, 1777 Suffer not one thought of separating from your brethren, whether their opinions agree with yours or not./Do not dream that any man sins in not believing you, in not taking your word; or that this or that opinion is essential to the
work, and both must stand or fall together. Beware of impatience of contradiction. Do not condemn or think hardly of those who cannot see just as you see, or who judge it their duty to contradict you, whether in a great thing or a small} I fear some of us have thought hardly of others, merely because they contradicted what we affirmed. All this tends to division; and, by everything of this kind, we are teaching them an evil less against ourselves.
O beware of touchiness, of testiness, not bearing to to be spoken to; starting at the least word; and flying from those who do not implicitly receive mine or another's sayings!
Ibid., p. 434
I administered the Lord's Supper to near two hundred communicants: so solemn a season I never remember to have known in the city of Norwich. As a considerable number of them were Dissenters, I desired every one to use what posture he judged best. Had I required them to kneel, probably half would have sat. Now all but one kneeled down.
I met them all at six, requiring every one to show his ticket when he came in: a thing that had never been heart of before. I likewise insisted on another strange regulation, that the men and women should sit apart. A third was made the same day. It had been a custom ever since the Tabernacle was built, to have the galleries full of spectators while the Lord's Supper was administered. This I judged highly improper; and therefore ordered none to be admitted, but those who desired to communicate. And I found far less difficulty than I expected, in bringing them to submit to this also.
Journal, July 18th and April 1st, 1759
To a Roman Catholic If God still loveth us, we ought also to love one another.
We ought, without this endless jangling about opinions, to provoke one another to love and to good works. Let the points whereon we differ stand aside: here are enough wherein we agree, enough to be the ground of every Christian temper and of every Christian action. . . .
In the name then, and in the strength of God, let us resolve, first, not to hurt one another; to do nothing unkind or unfriendly to each other, nothing we would not have done to ourselves. Rather let us endeavour after every instance of a kind, friendly, and Christian behaviour towards each other.
Let us resolve, secondly, God being our helper, to speak nothing harsh or unkind of each other. The sure way to avoid this is to say all the good we can both of and to one another; in all our conversation, either with or concerning each other to use only the language of love, to speak with all softness and tenderness, with the most endearing expression which is consistent with truth and sincerity.
Let us, thirdly, resolve to harbour no unkind thought, no unfriendly temper towards each other. Let us lay the axe to the root of the tree; let us examine all that rises in our heart, and suffer no disposition there which is contrary to tender affection. Then we shall easily refrain from unkind actions and words, when the very root of bitterness is cut up.
Let us, fourthly, endeavour to help each other on in whatever we are agreed leads to the kingdom. So far as we can let us always rejoice to strengthen each other's hands in God. Above all, let us each take heed to himself . . . that he fall not short of the religion of love . . .
Letters, Vol. Ill, pp. 12-14