So this you give as a genuine instance of my proceedings――――And, I suppose, of your own fairness and candour! “We agreed at length, to decide it by lot.” True; at _length_: after a debate of some hours; after carefully hearing and weighing coolly, all the reasons which could be alledged on either side; “Our brethren still continuing the dispute, without any probability of their coming to one conclusion, we at length (the night being now far spent) all agreed to this.” _Can there be greater rashness and extravagance?_――――I cannot but think there can. _Reason is thus in a manner rendered useless._ No: we had used it as far as it could go: from _Saturday, March 17_, (when I received the first letter) to _Wednesday 28_, when the case was laid before the society. _Prudence is set aside_: Not so; but the arguments here were so equal, that she saw not how to determine:――――_And affairs of moment left to be determined by chance_! By chance? What a blunder then is that, _The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposal thereof is of the Lord_!
* This I firmly believe is truth and reason, and will be to the end of the world. And I therefore still subscribe to that declaration of the _Moravian_ church (laid before the whole body of divines in the university of _Wirtemberg_, and not by them accounted _enthusiasm_) “We have a peculiar esteem for _lots_, and accordingly use them both in public and private, to decide points of importance, when the reasons brought on each side, appear to be of equal weight. And we believe this to be then the only way, of wholly setting aside our own will, of acquitting ourselves of all blame, and clearly knowing what is the will of God.” Journal 2, page 81.
5. You next _remarked_ several _instances_ of my enthusiasm. The first was, That of Mrs. _Jones_. The next ran thus. _Again, you say_, “I expounded out of the fulness that was given me.” (page 64.) I answered, “I mean, I had then a _fuller_, deeper sense (of what I spoke) than I _ordinarily_ have.” (page 41.) But if you still think, _It would have been more decent to have said, according to the best of my power and ability, with God’s assistance, I expounded_; I will say so another time.
With regard to the third _instance_ of enthusiasm, you _remarked, If you would not have us look on this as miraculous, there is nothing in it worthy of being related_, page 64.――――I answered, “It may be so. Let it pass then as a trifle not worth relating; but still it is no proof of enthusiasm. For I would not have you look upon it as miraculous――――But as a signal instance of God’s particular providence, page 42.” How friendly and generous is your reply! _You seem ashamed of it――――I am glad you give this fooling up, and hope for the future, you will treat your readers better._ (page 131.) Sir, I am not _ashamed of it_; nor shall I ever give _this fooling_ up, till I give up the bible. I still look upon this “as a signal instance of God’s particular providence”――――But _how is this consistent with yielding it to be a trifle_? (page 132.) My words do not imply, that I _yield_ it so to be. Being urged with the dilemma, “Either this is related as miraculous, (and then it is enthusiasm) or it is not worth relating:” I answered (to avoid drawing the saw of controversy) “Let it pass then as a trifle not worth relating. But still, (if it be a trifle, which I _suppose_, not grant) it is no proof of enthusiasm. For I would not have you look upon it as miraculous.”
And yet I believe I yielded too much, and what might too much favour your assertion, that _there is a great difference between particular providences and such extraordinary interpositions_.――――Pray, Sir, shew me what this difference is. It is a subject that deserves your coolest thoughts――――_I know no ground――――to hope or pray for such immediate reliefs.――――These things must be represented either as common accidents or as miracles._ I do not throughly understand your terms. What is a common _accident_? That a sparrow falls to the ground? Or something more inconsiderable than the hairs of your head? Is there no medium between accident and miracle? If there be, what is that medium?――――When we are agreed with regard to these few points, I shall be glad to resume the subject.
6. The fourth instance of my enthusiasm was this, that I _related judgments inflicted on my opposers_. As to Mr. _Molther_, I must observe once more, that I do believe there was a particular providence in his sickness. But I do not believe, (nor did I design to insinuate) that it was a judgment, for opposing _me_.