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rance is in no respect invalidated, or rendered doubtful by any thing Mr. Samuel Wesley has said against it.— But the subject will be further considered in reviewing Mr. Wesley's doctrines.-Mr. John Wesley affirmed, that he had known several persons, who had received this assurance of the pardon of sins, in a kind of vision or dream; but his brother's objections against the possibility of his knowing this, are in general convincing and satisfactory. Indeed there could be no evidence of this, but their own testimony; which, if convinced of their sincerity, Mr. Wesley was always much disposed to believe. It is true, he built no fundamental doctrine of the gospel, on the testimony persons gave of their own experience; but some of his opinions in matters of less importance, and in which he appeared most singular, were chiefly supported by such kind of evidence, which the goodness of his own mind disposed him to receive as sufficient proof.

It is observable in the course of this dispute, that Mr. Samuel Wesley's mind was much softened towards his brother; and the opposition he at first made against his brother's doctrine, and manner of proceeding, became less violent. In the last letter he wrote, he says not a word against assurance, though he does against the manner in which it was said persons had received it. This seems to imply, that he no longer opposed the thing itself, when properly explained and guarded. At the bottom of the last letter but one, he addressed his brother in these words, σε τό λοιπόν, ἀδελφ», προσευχεσθον περί ημων, κ. τ. λ. * Finally, brethren pray ye both for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you. See 2 Thess. iii. 1. A strange address

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It is supposed he refers to his two brothers, John and Charles, as he has put the verb and noun in the dual number.

this, if he believed his two brothers were preaching false and dangerous doctrines! The truth seems to be, that he thought more favourably of their doctrines and methods of proceeding, when he wrote these words than he did when they first set out.-After persevering fifty years, through all kinds of difficulty, the two brothers extorted from the public, the same favourable opinion.

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Some years after this period, Mr. Wesley expressed his opinion more fully concerning those agitations, &c. which attended the conviction of sin under his sermons this summer at Bristol. He supposes, it is easy to ac- count for them either on principles of reason, or scripture. First, (says he) on principles of reason. For how easy is it to suppose, that a strong, lively, and sudden apprehension of the heinousness of sin, the wrath of God, and the bitter pains of eternal death, should affect the body as well as the soul, during the present laws, of vital union; should interrupt or disturb the ordinary circulations, and put nature out of its course. Yea, we may question, whether while this union subsists, it be possible for the mind to. be affected in so violent a degree, without some or other of those bodily symptoms following?

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"It is likewise easy to account for these things on principles of scripture. For when we take a view of them in this light, we are to, add to the consideration. of natural causes, the agency of those spirits who still excel in strength, and as far as they have leave from God, will not fail to torment whom they cannot, destroy; to tear those that are coming to Christ. It is also remarkable, that there is plain scripture precedent of every symptom which has lately appeared. So that we cannot allow even the conviction attended with

these

these to be madness, without giving up both reason and scripture."*

After eight or nine days, absence, in which he came to London, Mr. Wesley returned to Bristol, and continued his labours with increasing success. He was now attacked by friends as well as enemies, for his irregularity. To a friend † who had expostulated with him on this subject, he wrote his thoughts in a letter, of which the following is an extract. "As to your advice, that I should settle in College, I have no business there, having now no office, and no pupils. And whether the other branch of your proposal be expedient, viz. to accept of a cure of souls, it will be time enough to consider when one is offered to me. But in the mean time, you think, I ought to be still; because otherwise I should invade another's office.You accordingly ask, how it is 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 spiritual, they weigh nothing with me: I allow no other rule, whether of faith or practice, than the holy scriptures. But on scriptural principles, I do not think it hard to justify whatever I do. God in scripture commands me, aćcording to my power, to instruct the ignorant, reform the wicked, confirm the virtuous. Man forbids me to do this, in another's parish; that is, in effect, not to do it at all; seeing I have now no parish of my own, nor probably ever shall. Whom then shall I hear?

* Wesley's Works, vol. xiv. page 323.

God.

† The late James Hervey, who had been his pupil; and was the author

of Theron and Aspasio; Meditations, &c. &c.

God or man? If it be just to obey man rather than God, judge you. A dispensation of the gospel is com mitted to me, and woe is me if I preach not the gospel. But where shall I preach it upon the principles you mention-Not in any of the christian parts, at least, of the habitable earth. For all these are, after a sort, divided into parishes.-Suffer me 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, the glad-tidings of salvation. This is the work which I know God has called me to: and sure I am, that his blessing attends it. Great encouragement have I therefore, to be faithful in fulfilling the work he hath given me to do. His servant I am, and as such am employed according to the plain direction of his word, as I have opportunity, doing good to all men, And his providence clearly concurs with his word; which has disengaged me from all things else, that I might singly attend on this very thing, and go about doing good."-We have here a specimen of the manner in which Mr. Wesley reasoned, to satisfy himself that his conduct was justifiable before God and man. His arguments are taken from the obligation laid upon him to preach the gospel, the necessity of his situation, and the success of his labours. It is evident through the whole of his history, that, in addition to the two first considerations, the success of his labours in diffusing knowledge among the people, and in reforming their manners, bore down all objections in his own mind, against the irregularity of his proceedings.

About the middle of August, Mr. Wesley had a conversation with the Bishop of Bristol, on Justi

fication

fication by faith alone; a part of which has been preserved.

Bishop. "Why, Sir, our faith itself is a good work, it is a virtuous temper of mind."

Wesley. "My Lord, whatever faith is, our church asserts, we are justified by faith alone. But how it can be called a good work, I see not: it is the gift of God; and a gift that presupposes nothing in us, but sin and misery."

B. "How, Sir! Then you make God a tyrannical Being, if he justifies some without any goodness in them preceding, and does not justify all. If these are not justified on account of some moral goodness in them, why are not those justified too?"

W. "Because, my Lord, they resist his Spirit; because they will not come to him that they may have life; because they suffer him not, to work in them both to will and to do. They cannot be saved, because they will not believe."

B. "Sir, what do you mean by faith ?”

W. "My Lord; by justifying faith I mean, a con viction wrought in a man by the Holy Ghost, that · Christ hath loved him, and given himself for him, and that through Christ, his sins are forgiven."

B. "I believe some good men have this, but not all. But how do you prove this to be the justifying faith taught by our church?"

W. "" My Lord, from her Homily on Salvation, where she describes it thus; A sure trust and confi dence which a man hath in God, that through the merits of Christ his sins are forgiven, and he reconciled to the favour God,"

B. "Why, Sir, this is quite another thing."
W. "My Lord, I conceive it to be the very

same."

B. " Mr.

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