neither do you love your neighbour as yourselves. You are neither happy nor holy. You have not learned in every state therewith to be content; to rejoice evermore, even in want, pain, death; and in every thing to give thanks. You are not holy in heart; superior to pride, to anger, to foolish desires. Neither are you holy in life: you do not walk as Christ also walked. Does not the main of your Christianity lie in your opinions? Decked with a few outward observances? For as to morality, even honest Heathen morality, (O let me utter a melancholy truth,) many of those whom you style Deists, there is reason to fear have far more of it than you.

8. Go on, gentlemen, and prosper. Shame these nominal Christians out of that poor superstition which they call Christianity. Reason, rally, laugh them out of their dead, empty forms, void of spirit, of faith, of love. Convince them, that such mean pageantry (for such it manifestly is, if there is nothing in the heart correspondent with the outward shew) is absolutely unworthy, you need not say of God, but even of any man that is endued with common understanding. Shew them, that while they are endeayouring to please God thus, they are only beating the air. Know your time; press on; push your victories, till you have conquered all that know not God. And then He, whom neither they nor you know now, shall rise and gird himself with strength, and go forth in his almighty love, and sweetly conquer you all together.

How do I long for

9. O that the time were come! you to be partakers of the exceeding great and precious promise! How am I pained when I hear any of you using those silly terms, which the men of form have taught you, calling the mention of the only thing you want, Cant! The deepest wisdom, the highest happiness, Enthusiasm! What ignorance is this! How extremely despicable would it make you in the eyes of any but a' Christian! But he cannot despise you, who loves you as his own soul, who is ready to lay down his life for your sake.

10. Perhaps you will say, " But this internal evidence of Christianity affects only those in whom the promise is fulfilled. It is no evidence to me." There is truth in this objection. It does affect them chiefly; but it does not affect them only. It cannot, in the nature of things, be so strong an evidence to others as it is to them. And yet it may bring a degree of evidence, it may reflect some light on you also.

For, first, You see the beauty and loveliness of Christi anity, when it is rightly understood. And you are sure there is nothing to be desired in comparison of it.

Secondly, You know the Scripture promises, and says, It is attained by faith, and by no other way.

Thirdly, You see clearly how desirable Christian faith is, even on account of its own intrinsic value.

Fourthly, You are a witness, that the holiness and happiness above described can be attained no other way. The more you have laboured after virtue and happiness, the more convinced you are of this. Thus far then you need not lean upon other men: thus far you have personal experience.

Fifthly, What reasonable assurance can you have of things whereof you have not personal experience? Suppose the question were, Can the blind be restored to sight? This you have not yourself experienced. How then will you know that such a thing ever was? Can there be an easier or surer way than to talk with one or some number of men who were blind, but are now restored to sight? They cannot be deceived as to the fact in question, the nature of the thing leaves no room for this. And if they are honest men, (which you may learn from other circumstances,) they will not deceive you.

Now transfer this to the case before us; and those who were blind, but now see; those who were sick many years, but now are healed; those who were miserable, but now are happy, will afford you also a very strong evidence of the truth of Christianity: as strong as can be in the nature

of things, till you experience it in your own soul. And this, though it be allowed they are but plain men, and, in general, of weak understanding; nay, though some of them should be mistaken in other points, and hold opinions which cannot be defended.

11. All this may be allowed concerning the primitive fathers: I mean particularly Clemens Romanus, Ignatius, Polycarp, Justin Martyr, Irenæus, Origen, Clemens Alexandrinus, Cyprian; to whom I would add Macarius and Ephraim Syrus.

I allow that some of these had not strong natural sense, that few of them had much learning, and none the assistances which our age enjoys, in some respects, above all that went before.

Hence, I doubt not but whoever will be at the pains of reading over their writings for that poor end, he will find many mistakes, many weak suppositions, and many illdrawn conclusions.

12. And yet I exceedingly reverence them as well as their writings, and esteem them very highly in love. I reverence them because they were Christians, such Christians as are above described. And I reverence their writings, because they describe true, genuine Christianity; and direct us to the strongest evidence of the Christian doctrine.

Indeed in addressing the Heathens of those times they intermix other arguments; particularly that drawn from numerous miracles, which were then performed in the church; which they needed only to open their eyes and see daily wrought in the face of the sun.

But still they never relinquish this; "What the Scripture promises I enjoy. Come and see what Christianity has done here and acknowledge it is of God."

I reverence these ancient Christians (with all their failings) the more, because I see so few Christians now; because I read so little in the writings of later times, and hear so little of genuine Christianity and because most of the modern Christians (so called) not content with being

wholly ignorant of it, are deeply prejudiced against it, calling it enthusiasm, and I know not what.

is

That the God of power and love may make both them and you, and me, such Christians as those fathers were, the earnest prayer of,

Rev. Sir,

Your real Friend and Şervant,
JOHN WESLEY.

Jan. 24, 1748-9.

LETTER

TO THE RIGHT REVEREND

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester.

OCCASIONED BY HIS TRACT ON THE

OFFICE AND OPERATIONS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

MY LORD,

YOUR lordship well observes, "to employ buffoonery in the service of religion, is to violate the majesty of truth, and to deprive it of a fair hearing. To examine, men must be serious." (Pref. p. 11.) I will endeavour to be so, in all the following pages. And the rather, not only because I am writing to a person who is so far, and in so many respects, my superior, but also because of the importance of the subject. For is the question only, What I am? A madman, or a man in his senses? A knave, or an honest man? No: this is only brought in by way of illustration. The question is, of the Office and Operation of the Holy Spirit; with which the doctrine of the New-Birth, and, indeed, the whole of real religion, is connected. On a subject of so deep concern, I desire to be serious as death, But, at the same time, your Lordship will permit me to use great plainness. And this I am the more emboldened to do, because by naming my name, your lordship, as it were, condescends to meet me on even ground.

I shall consider, first, what your lordship advances concerning me; and then what is advanced concerning the Operations of the Holy Spirit.