God in Christ. What sins they were, which till then reigned over me, and from which, by the grace of God, I am now free, I am ready to declare on the house-top, if it may be for the glory of God.

"If you ask by what means I am made free (though not perfect, neither infallibly sure of my perseverance) I answer, by faith in Christ; by such a sort or degree of faith, as I had not till that day.— Some measure of this faith, which bringeth salvation or victory over sin, and which implies peace and trust in God through Christ, I do now enjoy by his free mercy; though in very deed, it is in me but as a grain of mustard-seed: for the Angoop, the seal of the Spirit, the love of God shed abroad in my heart and producing joy in the Holy Ghost; joy which no man taketh away; joy unspeakable and full of glory; this witness of the Spirit I have not, but I patiently wait for it, I know many who have already received it; more than one or two, in the very hour we were praying for it. And having seen and spoken with a cloud of witnesses abroad, as well as in my own country I cannot doubt but that believers who wait and pray for it, will find these scriptures fulfilled in themselves. My hope is that they will be fulfilled in me; I build on Christ the rock of ages: on his sure mercies described in his word; and on his promises, all which I know are yea, and Amen. Those who have not yet received joy in the Holy Ghost, the love of God, and the plerophory of faith (any, or all of which I take to be the witness of the Spirit with our spirit, that we are the sons of God) I believe to be Christians in that imperfect sense wherein I call myself such; and I exhort them to pray, that God would give them also, To rejoice in hope of the glory

of

of God, and to feel his love shed abroad in their hearts, by the Holy Ghost which is given unto them.

"On men I build not, neither on Matilda Chipman's word, whom I have not talked with five minutes in my life; nor on any thing peculiar in the weak well-meant relation of William Hervey, who yet is a serious humble acting Christian. But have you built nothing on these? Yes; I find them more or less, in almost every letter you have written on the subject. Yet, were all that has been said on, Visions, dreams, and balls of fire, to be fairly proposed in syllogisms, I believe it would not prove a jot more on one, than on the other side of the question."

O brother, would to God you would leave disputing concerning the things which you know not, if indeed you know them not, and beg of God to fill up what is wanting in you. Why should not you also seek till you receive, That peace of God which passeth understanding? Who shall hinder you, notwithstanding the manifold temptations, from rejoicing with joy unspeakable, by reason of glory? Amen! Lord Jesus! May you and all who are near of kin to you, if you have it not already, feel his love shed abroad in your: hearts, by his Spirit which dwelleth in you, and be scaled with the Holy Spirit of Promise, which is the earnest of your inheritance."

November 15. Mr. Samuel Wesley answered, "I have many remarks to make on your letter, but do not care to fight in the dark, or run my head against a stone wall. You need fear no controversy with me, unless hold it worth while to remove these three. doubts.-1. Whether you will own, or disown in terms, the necessity of a sensible information from God of pardon? If you disown it, the matter is over as to you: if you own it, then, 2. Whether you will not think

you

me

me distracted, to oppose you with the most infallible of all proofs, inward feeling in yourself, and possitive evidence in your friends, while I myself produce neither. 3. Whether you will release me from the horns of your dilemma, that I must either talk without knowledge like a fool, or against it like a knave? I conceive neither part strikes-for a man may reasonably argue against what he never felt, and may honestly deny what he has felt, to be necessary to

others.

I see

"You build nothing on tales, but I do. what is manifestly built upon them; if you disclaim it, and warn poor shallow pates of their folly and danger, so much the better. They are counted signs or tokens, means or conveyances, proofs or evidences, of the sensible information, &c. calculated to turn fools into madmen, and put them without a jest, into the condition of Oliver's porter.-When I hear visions, &c. reproved, discouraged, and ceased among the new brotherhood, I shall then say no more of them; but till then, I will use my utmost strength which God shall give me, to expose these bad branches of a bad root,

"Such doctrine as encourages, and abets, spiritual fire-balls, apparitions of the Father, &c. &c. is delusive and dangerous: but the sensible information, &c. is such; ergo-I mention not this to enter into any dispute with you, for you seem to disapprove, though not expressly to disclaim them; but to convince you I am not out of my way, though encountering of windmills."

This letter appears to be full of fallacy. To give one instance. Mr. J. Wesley had said, the witness of the Spirit was the common privilege of believers: that he considered, joy in the Holy Ghost, the love of

God,

God, and the plerophory of faith, as the witness of the Spirit with our spirit, that we are the sons of God: that the whole of what had been said on " Visions, dreams, and ball of fire," could not, in his opinion, either prove or disprove the point in question between them; that is, vision, dreams, and balls of fire, were totally foreign to the witness of the Spirit, for which he was contending. But his brother Samuel changes the term witness, and substitutes for it, sensible information, by which he means, something visible to the sight, or existing in the fancy, and then indeed visions, &c. were connected with the question; and he reasons on this supposition. But this was a mere sophisın, of which Mr. J. Wesley would probably have taken notice had he been writing to a stranger, or had he foreseen that any one would print the letters after his death. November 30. He replied to his brother Samuel, and tells him, "I believe every Christian who has not yet received it, ought to pray for, The witness of God's Spirit with his spirit, that he is a child of God! In being a child of God, the pardon of his sins is included: therefore I believe the the Spirit of God will witness this also. That this witness is from God, the very terms imply; and this witness I believe is necessary for my salvation. How far invincible ignorance may excuse others, I know not.

"But this you say, is delusive and dangerous, 'Because it encourages and abets, idle visions and dreams.' It encourages'-True; accidentally, but not essentially. And that it does this accidentally, or that weak minds may pervert it to an ill use, is no reasonable objection against it for so they may pervert every truth in the oracles of God: more especially that dangerous doctrine of Joel cited by St. Peter; It shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour

pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Such visions indeed, as you mention are given up does it follow that visions and dreams in general, are bad branches of a bad root? God forbid. This would prove more than you desire."

"That

December 13. Mr. Samuel Wesley again wrote to his brother. He now discussed the matter a little more soberly, and kept closer to the point in debate. He says, you were not a Christian before May, in your sense, any one may allow but have you ever since continued sinless Sin has not the dominion! Do you never then fall? Or, do you mean no more, than that you are free from presumptuous sins? If the former, I deny it: if the latter, who disputes? Your misapplication of the witness of the Spirit is so thoroughly cleared by Bishop Bull, that I shall not hold a candle to the sun. What portion of love, joy, &c. God may please to bestow on Christians, is in his hand, not our's. Those texts you quote no more prove them generally necessary, in what you call your imperfect state, than, rejoice in the Lord always, contradicts Blessed are they that mourn-I had much more to say, but it will keep, if ever it should be proper."

In the beginning of the present year, 1739, Mr. J. Wesley replied to his brother. A part of this letter we have not been able to find.* In what remains,

he

• Mr. Wesley's papers have been separated, and parts of them selected several time, for the Magazines, and for his other publications: for some years also, they have been so much exposed to various persons, that probably some have been lost. On these accounts they are, as might be expected, much mangled, and on many subjects rendered very defective.