瓼F3?center>JohnWesleySERMON55(textfromthe1872edition)^ONTHETRINITYADVERTISEMENTSomedayssinceIwasdesiredtopreachonthistext.Ididsoyesterdaymorning.IntheafternoonIwaspressedtowritedownandprintmysermon,ifpossible,beforeIleftCork.Ihavewroteitthismorning;butImustbegthereadertomakeallowanceforthedisadvantagesIamunder;asIhavenothereanybookstoconsult,norindeedanytimetoconsultthem.Cork,May8,1775."Therearethreethatbearrecordinheaven,theFather,theWord,andtheHolyGhost:Andthesethreeareone."1John5:7.1.Whatsoeverthegeneralityofpeoplemaythink,itiscertainthatopinionisnotreligion:No,notrightopinion;assenttoone,ortotenthousandtruths.Thereisawidedifferencebetweenthem:Evenrightopinionisasdistantfromreligionastheeastisfromthewest.Personsmaybequiterightintheiropinions,andyethavenoreligionatall;and,ontheotherhand,personsmaybetrulyreligious,whoholdmanywrongopinions.Cananyonepossiblydoubtofthis,whilethereareRomanistsintheworld?Forwhocandeny,notonlythatmanyofthemformerlyhavebeentrulyreligious,asThomasaKempis,GregoryLopez,andtheMarquisdeRenty;butthatmanyofthem,evenatthisday,arerealinwardChristians?Andyetwhataheapoferroneousopinionsdotheyhold,deliveredbytraditionfromtheirfathers!Nay,whocandoubtofitwhilethereareCalvinistsintheworld,--assertorsofabsolutepredestination?Forwhowilldaretoaffirmthatnoneofthesearetrulyreligiousmen?Notonlymanyoftheminthelastcenturywereburningandshininglights,butmanyofthemarenowrealChristians,lovingGodandallmankind.AndyetwhatarealltheabsurdopinionsofalltheRomanistsintheworld,comparedtothatone,thattheGodoflove,thewise,just,mercifulFatherofthespiritsofallflesh,has,fromalleternity,fixedanabsolute,unchangeable,irresistible,decree,thatpartofallmankindshallbesaved,dowhattheywill;andtherestdamned,dowhattheycan!2.Hence,wecannotbutinfer,thattherearetenthousandmistakeswhichmayconsistwithrealreligion;withregardtowhicheverycandid,consideratemanwillthinkandletthink.Buttherearesometruthsmoreimportantthanothers.Itseemstherearesomewhichareofdeepimportance.Idonottermthemfundamentaltruths;becausethatisanambiguousword:Andhencetherehavebeensomanywarmdisputesaboutthenumberoffundamentals.Butsurelytherearesomewhichitnearlyconcernsustoknow,ashavingacloseconnexionwithvitalreligion.Anddoubtlesswemayrankamongthesethatcontainedinthewordsabovecited:~Therearethreethatbearrecordinheaven,theFather,theWord,andtheHolyGhost:Andthesethreeareone.3.Idonotmeanthatitisofimportancetobelievethisorthatexplicationofthesewords.Iknownotthatanywelljudgingmanwouldattempttoexplainthematall.Oneofthebesttractswhichthatgreatman,DeanSwift,everwrote,washisSermonupontheTrinity.Hereinheshows,thatallwhoendeavoredtoexplainitatall,haveutterlylosttheirway;have,aboveallotherpersonshurtthecausewhichtheyintendedtopromote;havingonly,asJobspeaks,"darkenedcounselbywordswithoutknowledge."ItwasinanevilhourthattheseexplainersbegantheirfruitlessworkIinsistuponnoexplicationatall;no,notevenonthebestIeversaw;Imean,thatwhichisgivenusinthecreedcommonlyascribedtoAthanasius.Iamfarfromsaying,hewhodoesnotassenttothis~shallwithoutdoubtperisheverlastingly."Forthesakeofthatandanotherclause,I,forsometime,scrupledsubscribingtothatcreed;tillIconsidered~(1.)Thatthesesentencesonlyrelatetowilful,notinvoluntary,unbelievers;tothosewho,havingallthemeansofknowingthetruth,neverthelessobstinatelyrejectit:(2.)thattheyrelateonlytothesubstanceofthedoctrinetheredelivered...