he tells him, "I think Bishop Bull's sermon on the witness of the Spirit (against the witness of the Spirit it should rather be entitled) is full of gross perversions of Scripture; and manifest contradictions both to Scripture and experience. I find more persons, day by day, who experience a clear evidence of their being in a state of salvation. But I never said this continues equally clear in all, as long as they continue in a state of salvation. Some indeed have testified, and the whole tenor of their life made their testimony unexceptionable, that, from that hour they have felt no agonies at all, no anxious fears, no sense of dereliction. Others have. "But I much fear, we begin our dispute at the wrong end. I fear you dissent from the fundamental Articles of the church of England. I know Bishop Bull does-I doubt you do not hold justification by faith alone: if not, neither do you hold, what our Articles teach concerning the extent and guilt of original sin neither do you feel yourself a lost sinner; and if we begin not here, we are building on the sand. O may the God of love, if my sister or you are otherwise minded, revcal even this unto you." "DEAR JACK, "Tiverton, March 26. "I might as well have wrote immediately after your last, as now, for any new information that I expected from my mother and I might as well let it alone at present, for any effect it will have, farther than shewing you, I neither despise you on the one hand, nor am angry with you on the other.-I am persuaded you will hardly see me face to face in this world, though somewhat nearer than Count Zinzendorf. Charles has at last told me in terms-He believes no more Had you said more of dreams and visions than I do. assurance: state of salvation, I prove thus : "1. Because multitudes are saved without either. These are of three sorts, 1. All infants baptised, who die before actual sin. 2. All persons of a melancholy and gloomy constitution; who, without a miracle, cannot be changed. 3. All penitents, who live a good life after their recovery, and yet never attain to their first state. 66 2. The lowest assurance is an impression from God who is infallible, that heaven shall be actually enjoyed by the person to whom it is made. How is this consistent with fears of miscarriage; with deep sorrow, and going on the way weeping? How can any doubt, after such certificate? If they can, then here is an assurance whereby the person who has it is not sure. 3. If this be essential to a state of salvation, it is utterly impossible any should fall from that state finally; since, how can any thing be more fixed, than what Truth and Power has said he will perform? Unless will of the matter here, say you as I observed of the person, that there may be assurance wherein the thing itself is not certain. We join in love. I am your affectionate friend and brother, "S. WESLEY." April 4. Mr. John Wesley replied from Bristol. "I rejoice greatly (says he) at the temper with which you now write, and trust there is not only mildness, but love in your heart. If so, you shall know of this doctrine, whether it be of God: though perhaps not by my ministry. "To this hour you have pursued an Ignoratio elenchi. Your assurance and mine are as different as light from darkness. I mean, an assurance that I am now in a state of salvation; you, an assurance that I shall persevere therein. The very definition of the term cuts off your second and third observation. As to the first I would take notice; 1. No kind of assurance, that I know, or of faith, or repentance, is essential to their salvation who die infants. 2. I believe God is ready to give all true penitents, who fly to his grace in Christ, a fuller sense of pardon than they had before they fell. I know this to be true of several: whether these are exempt cases I know not. 3. Persons that were of a melancholy and gloomy constitution, even to some degree of madness, I have known in a moment brought (let it be called a miracle, I quarrel not) into a state of firm and lasting peace and joy. my eyes. My dear brother, the whole question turns chiefly, if not wholly, on matter of fact. You deny, that God does now work these effects: at least, that he works them in such a manner. I affirm both, because I have heard those facts with my ears, and seen them with I have seen, as far as it can be seen, very many persons changed in a moment, from the spirit of horror, fear, and despair, to the spirit of hope, joy, peace; and from sinful desires, till then reigning over them, to a pure desire of doing the will of God. These are matters of fact, whereof I have been, and almost daily am, an eye and ear witness.-This I know, several persons in whom this great change from the power of Satan unto God, was wrought either in sleep, or during a strong representation to the eye eye of their minds of Christ, either on the cross, or in glory. This is the fact. Let any judge of it as they please. But that such a change was then wrought, appears, not from their shedding tears only, or sighing, or singing psalms, but from the whole tenor öf their life, till then many ways wicked; from that time holy, just, and good. "I will shew you him that was a lion till then, and is now a lamb he that was a drunkard, but now exemplarily sober: the whoremonger that was, who now abhors the very lusts of the flesh. These are my living arguments for what I assert, that God now as aforetime, gives remission of sins and the gifts of the Holy Ghost; which may be called visions." April 16. Mr. Samuel Wesley rejoined. "I find brevity has made me obscure. I argue against assurance in your, or any sense, as part of the gospelcovenant; because many are saved without it-you own you cannot deny exempt cases, which is giving up the dispute. Your assurance, being a clear impression of God upon the soul, I say must be perpetual must be irreversible. Else it is not assurance from God, infallible and omnipotent.-You say the cross is strongly represented to the eye of the mind. -Do these words signify in plain English, the fancy? Inward eyes, ears, and feelings, are nothing to other people. I am heartily sorry such alloy should be found among so much piety." We now see this controversy reduced to two points; assurance itself, and the manner of receiving it. Mr. John Wesley still maintained his former positions, and, May 10, tells his brother, "The gospel promises to you and me, and to our children, and to all that are affar off, even as many of those whom the Lord our God shall call, as are not disobedient to the heavenly VOL. II. I heavenly vision, The witness of God's Spirit with their spirit, that they are the children of God: that they are now, at this hour, all accepted in the beloved: but it witnesses not, they always shall be. It is an assurance of present salvation only; therefore, not necessarily perpetual, neither irreversible. "I am one of many witnesses of this matter of fact, that God does now make good this his promise daily, very frequently during a representation (how made I know not, but not to the outward eye) of Christ, either hanging on the cross, or standing on the right hand of God. This I know to be of God, because from that hour the person so affected is a new creature, both as to his inward temper and outward life. Old things are passed away; and all things become new." Mr. Wesley did not remember, that after this time he received any letter from his brother. But there is one in Dr. Priestley's collection, signed Samuel Wesley, and addressed to his brother John; in which he tells him, "You yourself doubted at first, and inquired, and examined about the extacies; the matter therefore, is not so plain as motion to a man walking. But I have my own reason, as well as your own authority, against the exceeding clearness of divine interposition there. Your followers fall into agonies. I confess it. They are free from them, after you have prayed over them. Granted. They say it is God's doing. I own they say so. Dear brother,. Where is your occular demonstration? Where, indeed, the rational proof. Their living well afterwards may be a probable and sufficient argument, that they believe it themselves; but it goes no further." Upon a review of the whole of this controversy, we may safely pronounce that the doctrine of assu rance |