28. But to proceed. I was not _offended with the_ Moravians, for warning men, ¹_against mixing nature with grace_; but for their doing it in such a manner as tended to destroy all the work of grace in their souls. I did not blame the thing itself, but their _manner_ of doing it. And this you know perfectly well. But with you, truth must always give way to wit. At all events, you must have your jest.
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29. Had you had any regard to truth, or any desire to represent things as they really are, when you repeated Mr. _Church_’s objection concerning _lots_, you would have acknowledged, that I have answered it at large. When you have replied to that answer, I may add a word more.
30. You are sadly at a loss under the article of _extasies_ and _raptures_, to glean up any thing that will serve your purpose. At last, from ten or twelve tracts, you pick out two lines; and those the same you had mentioned before. “_My soul was got up into the holy mount. I had no thought of coming down again into the body._” And truly you might as well have let these alone. For if by _extasy_ you mean _trance_, here is no account of any such: but only of one _rejoicing_ in God _with joy unspeakable and full of glory_.
With the ¹_girl of seven years old_, I have nothing to do: though you honestly tack that relation to the other, in order to make me accountable for both. But all is fair toward a _Methodist_.
¹ Page 77.
31. What I assert concerning ¹_Peter Wright_, is this, 1. That he gave me that relation (whether I believed it no, I did not say.) 2. That he died within a month after. Now, Sir, give us a cast of your office. From these two propositions, extract a proof of my being an enthusiast.
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You may full as easily prove it from these, as from the words you quote next, ¹God _does now give remission of sins, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, and often in dreams and visions of God. But afterwards_, you say, _I speak more distrustfully_. Indeed I do not. But I guard against enthusiasm, in those words, part of which you have recited. The whole paragraph runs thus,
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“From those words, _Beloved, believe not every spirit; but try the spirits, whether they be of_ God: I told them, they were not to judge of the spirit whereby any one spoke, either by appearances, or by common report, or by their own inward feelings: no, nor by any dreams, visions, or revelations, supposed to be made to their souls, any more than by their tears, or any involuntary effects wrought upon their bodies. I warned them, all these were in themselves of a doubtful, disputable nature: they _might be_ from God, and they _might not_, and were therefore not simply to be relied on (any more than simply to be condemned) but to be tried by a farther rule; to be brought to the only certain test, the law and the testimony.” Sir, can you shew them a better way?
32. The last proof that you produce of my enthusiasm is, ¹_My talking of the great work which_ God _is now beginning to work upon earth_. I own the fact. I do talk of such a work. But I deny the consequence. For if God has begun a great work, then the saying he has, is no enthusiasm.
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To bring sinners to repentance, to save them from their sins, is allowed by all to be the work of God. Yea, and to save one sinner is a great work of God: much more to save many.
But many sinners are saved from their sins at this day, in _London_, in _Bristol_, in _Kingswood_, in _Cornwall_: in _Newcastle-upon-Tyne_, in _Whitehaven_, in many other parts of _England_: in _Wales_, in _Ireland_, in _Scotland_: upon the continent of _Europe_: in _Asia_, and in _America_. This I term _a great work of_ God; so great, as I have not read of for several ages.
You ask, _how I know_, so great a work is wrought now? _By inspiration?_ No; but by common sense. I know it by the evidence of my own eyes and ears. I have seen a considerable part of it: and I have abundant testimony, such as excludes all possible doubt, for what I have not seen.
33. But you are so far from acknowledging any thing of this, as to conclude, in full triumph, ¹_That this new dispensation is a composition of enthusiasm, superstition, and imposture_. It is not clear what you mean by a new _dispensation_. * But the clear, and undeniable fact stands thus――――A few years ago, _Great Britain_ and _Ireland_, were covered with vice from sea to sea. Very little of even the form of religion was left: and still less of the power of it. Out of this darkness God commanded light to shine. In a short space, he called thousands of sinners to repentance. They were not only reformed from their outward vices, but likewise changed in their dispositions and tempers; filled with _a serious, sober sense of true religion_, with love to God and all mankind, with an holy faith producing good works of every kind, works both of piety and mercy.
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