But this only by the by. In your 18th section, page 43. you return to me. “After these _sudden conversions_, usually they receive their _assurances of salvation_; and these (as also the proofs of their conversion) are certainly known, heard, seen or felt; they can ascertain the particular time and place of their receiving them; as so many seals of the Spirit.” These you call, page 44. “_Presumptuous imaginations_.” Is assurance of faith then, in your opinion, a presumptuous imagination? For you not only ridicule the Methodists way of expressing it, which in several respects may have been unguarded; nor are you content with asserting, that some who really had not this assurance, have presumptuously imagined they had it, which we readily grant; for there is counterfeit as well as current coin: but you seem to explode the thing itself. And yet you intend in this pamphlet, to draw a _parallel_ between the Methodists and Papists. Could you give a greater proof of your symbolizing with the Papists yourself? Or need you be informed, that one grand article of the council of _Trent_ is this, “That there is no such thing as a person’s knowing that his sins are forgiven him, or being assured of his salvation;” and that with good reason: for if there be such a thing as being assured of the forgiveness of our sins by the internal testimony, whether mediate or immediate, of the Spirit of GOD; and if a person ought to be satisfied only with that, then how could the people be brought to believe in, and trust to the mere external _verbal absolution of a priest_? Our church, on the contrary, in one of her homilies, says, that a true faith “is a sure trust and confidence in GOD, that by the merits of CHRIST, his sins are forgiven, and he reconciled to the favour of GOD.” And that the Scriptures every where promise to believers, a sure and internal witness from the Spirit of GOD, to witness with their spirits that they are his children, is so evident, that he who runs may read. What says our LORD? “He that believeth in me, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” This spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive. What says St. _Paul_? “Because ye are sons, GOD hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our Spirit, that we are the children of GOD.” Saith another, “He that believeth hath the witness in himself.” And a third exhorts all “to give diligence to make their calling and election sure.” Art thou a master in _Israel_, a protestant minister, and a minister of the Church of _England_, and knowest not these things?
But to come nearer to a close. Your 20th section is introduced thus: “And where will these bold enthusiasts _stop_?” I answer for one, in order to relieve both myself and you, even _here_, Sir. And without giving you the trouble of taking a flight after us to heaven, from whence, you say, page 48. “These methodistical enthusiasts have taken the sacred light and fire, in order to compass effectually their own, and others delusion,” I will freely and readily acknowledge, that you and others have had too much occasion for reflection, by several things that have been _unwarily dropped_ up and down in my Journals.
These, you inform us in your preface, are what you have chiefly consulted. In this you have acted wisely enough for your purpose; though whether _candidly_ or not, I will leave you and the world to judge, since there were later writings of mine, which might as easily have been procured. My Journals were some of my most _early performances_, wrote too in the very heights of my first popularity (which is apt to make the strongest head run giddy) in the midst of which, persons very often do things, which after-experience and riper judgment teach them to correct and amend.
This is true, however, in respect to myself; and, to convince you that this is the real language of my heart, and not extorted from me by your pamphlet, I will lay before you an extract of a letter written by me to a worthy friend in _South-Carolina_, in my late return from _Bermudas_, and published, with very little alteration, in _Scotland_ months ago¹.
¹ Vide the Letter at full length, volume ii. page 143.
_On board the Brigg Betsey, June 24, 1748._
“_Reverend Sir_,