* Consider now (I would not speak; but I dare not refrain) what have been the consequences of even my preaching the other doctrine? By the fruits shall we know those of whom I speak: even the cloud of witnesses, who at this hour experience the gospel I preach, to be the power of God unto salvation. The habitual drunkard, that was, is now temperate in all things. The whoremonger, now flees fornication. He that stole, steals no more, but works with his hands. He that cursed or swore, perhaps at every sentence, has now learned to serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice unto him with reverence. Those formerly inslaved to various habits of sin, are now brought to uniform habits of holiness. These are demonstrable facts. I can name the men, with their several places of abode. One of them was an avowed _Atheist_ for many years; some were _Jews_; a considerable number _Papists_: the greatest part of them as much strangers to the form, as to the power of godliness.
When you have weighed these things touching the consequences of _my preaching_, on the one hand, (somewhat different from those set down in your remarks) and of _your preaching_ on the other, I would earnestly recommend the following words to your deepest consideration: _Beware of false prophets; ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree_ (every true prophet or teacher) _bringeth forth good fruit――――Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down and cast into the fire?_¹
¹ Matthew vi. 15, &c.
III. 1. Having spoken more largely than I designed, on the principle _I hold in common with the Moravians_, I shall touch very briefly on ¹_those errors_ (so called) which, you say, I _hold, more than theirs_.
¹ Remarks, page 55.
“You name, as the first, my holding, ‘that a ¹man may have a _degree_ of justifying faith, before he has, in the _full, proper_ sense, a new, a _clean heart_’.”
I have so often explained this, that I cannot throw away time in adding any more now: only this, That the moment a sinner is justified, his _heart_ is _cleansed_ in a _low degree_. But yet he has not a _clean heart_, in the _full, proper_ sense, till he is made _perfect in love_.
2. Another error you mention, is this ¹_doctrine of perfection_. To save you from a continued _ignoratio elenchi_, I wave disputing on this point also, till you are better acquainted with my real sentiments. I have declared them on that head again and again; particularly in the sermon on _Christian Perfection_.
¹ Page 60.
3. Into this fallacy you plunge from the beginning to the end of what you speak on my third _error_ (so you term it) relating to the Lord’s _supper_; confuting, as mine, ¹notions which I know not. I cannot think any farther answer is needful here, than the bare recital of my own words.
¹ Remarks, pages 56, 57.
¹“_Friday, June 27._ I preached on, _Do this in remembrance of me_.――――
¹ Journal, pages 46, 47.
“It has been diligently taught among us, that none but those who are _converted_, who _have received the Holy Ghost_, who are believers in the full sense, ought to communicate.
“But experience shews the gross falshood of that assertion, That the Lord’s supper is not a _converting_ ordinance. Ye are witnesses. For many now present know, the very beginning of your _conversion_ to God, (perhaps, in some the first deep _conviction_) was ♦wrought at the Lord’s supper. Now one single instance of this kind, overthrows that whole assertion.
♦ “brought” replaced with “wrought” per Errata
“The falshood of the other assertion appears both from scripture ――――precept and example. Our Lord commanded those very men who were then _unconverted_, who had _not_ yet _received the Holy Ghost_, who (in the full sense of the word) were not _believers_, to _do this in remembrance of him_. Here the precept is clear. And to these he delivered the elements with his own hands. Here is example equally indisputable.
“_Saturday 28._ I shewed at large, 1. That the Lord’s supper was ordained by God, to be a _means of conveying_ to men, either _preventing_, or _justifying_, or _sanctifying grace_, according to their several necessities. 2. That the persons for whom it was ordained, are all those who know and feel that they _want_ the _grace_ of God, either to _restrain_ them from sin, or to _shew their sins forgiven_, or to _renew their souls_ in the image of God. 3. That inasmuch as we come to his table, not to _give_ him any thing, but to _receive_ whatsoever he sees best for us, there is _no previous preparation_ indispensably necessary; but _a desire_ to receive whatsoever he pleases to give. And 4. That _no fitness_ is required at the time of communicating, but _a sense of our state_, of our utter sinfulness and helplessness: every one who knows he is _fit for hell_, being just _fit to come to_ Christ, in this as well as all other ways of his appointment.”