Those

in the Holy Ghost, joy which no man taketh away, joy unspeakable and full of glory; this witness of the spirit I have not, but I patiently wait for it. I know many who have already received it, more than one or two in the very hour we were praying for it. And having seen and spoken with a cloud of witnesses abroad, as well as in my own country, I cannot doubt but that believers who wait and pray for it, will find these scriptures fulfilled in themselves. My hope is that they will be fulfilled in me. I build on Christ, the rock of ages; on his sure mercies described in his word, and on his promises, all which I know are yea and amen. who have not yet received joy in the Holy Ghost, the love of God, and the plerophory of faith, (any, or all of which I take to be the witness of the spirit, with our spirit that we are the sons of God,) I believe to be Christians in that imperfect sense wherein I call myself such. O brother, would to God you would leave disputing concerning the things which you know not (if indeed you know them not), and beg of God to fill up what is yet wanting in you! Why should not you also seek till you receive that peace of God which passeth all understanding? Who shall hinder you, notwithstanding the manifold temptations, from rejoicing with joy unspeakable by reason of glory? Amen! Lord Jesus! May you, and all who are near of kin to you (if you have it not already), feel his love shed abroad in your hearts, by his spirit which dwelleth in you, and be sealed with the holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of your inherit

ance." With regard to some stories to which Samuel had alluded of visions, and of a ball of fire falling upon a female convert, and inflaming her soul, he observed, that if all which had been said upon visions, and dreams, and balls of fire, were fairly proposed in syllogisms, it would not prove a jot more on one, than on the other side of the question. He built nothing on such tales.

To this Samuel replied, "You build nothing on tales, but I do. I see what is manifestly built upon them. If you disclaim it, and warn poor shallow pates of their folly and danger, so much the better. They are counted signs or tokens, means or conveyances, proof or evidences of the sensible information, &c. calculated to turn fools into madmen, and put them without a jest into the condition of Oliver's porter. When I hear visions, &c. reproved, discouraged, and ceased among the new brotherhood, I shall then say no more of them; but till then I will use my utmost strength that God shall give me, to expose these bad branches of a bad root. I am not out of my way, though encountering of wind-mills." In a subsequent letter he says, "I might as well let writing alone at present, for any effect it will have, farther than showing you I neither despise you on the one hand, nor am angry with you on the other. Charles has told me, he believes no more in dreams and visions than I do. Had you said so, I believe I should hardly have spent any time upon them, though I find others credit them, whatever you may do.”

"You make two degrees or kinds of assurance,' he continues: "that neither of them are necessary to a state of salvation, I prove thus: 1st. Because multitudes are saved without either. These are of three sorts, all infants baptised, who die before actual sin; all persons of a melancholy and gloomy constitution, who without a miracle cannot be changed; all penitents who live a good life after their recovery, and yet never attain to their first state. 2dly. The lowest assurance is an impression from God, who is infallible, that heaven shall be actually enjoyed by the person to whom it is made. How is this consistent with fears of miscarriage, with deep sorrow, and going on the way weeping? How can any doubt after such certificate? If they can, then here is an assurance whereby the person who has it is not sure. Sdly. If this be essential to a state of salvation, it is utterly impossible any should fall from that state finally; since, how can any thing be more fixed than what Truth and Power has said he will perform? Unless you will say of the matter here as I observed of the person, that there may be assurance wherein the thing itself is not certain."

Wesley replied, "To this hour you have pursued an ignoratio elenchi. Your assurance and mine are as different as light and darkness. I mean an assurance that I am now in a state of salvation: you an assurance that I shall persevere therein.— No kind of assurance (that I know), or of faith, or repentance, is essential to their salvation who die infants. I believe God is ready to give all true

penitents, who fly to his free grace in Christ, a fuller sense of pardon than they had before they fell. I know this to be true of several; whether there are exempt cases I know not. Persons of a melancholy and gloomy constitution, even to some degree of madness, I have known in a moment brought (let it be called a miracle, I quarrel not) into a state of firm, lasting peace and joy."

It was from Bristol that Wesley wrote this letter, when he was in the full career of triumphant enthusiasm, producing effects which he verily believed to be miraculous. 86 My dear brother," he says, "the whole question turns on matter of fact. You deny that God does now work these effects; at least that he works them in such a manner. I affirm both, because I have heard those facts with my ears, and seen them with my eyes. I have seen (as far as it can be seen) many persons changed in a moment from the spirit of horror, fear, and despair, to the spirit of hope, joy, peace; and from sinful desires, till then reigning over them, to a pure desire of doing the will of God. These are matters of fact, whereof I have been, and almost daily am, eye or ear witness. Upon the same evidence (as to the suddenness and reality of the change) I believe, or know this, touching visions and dreams: I know several persons in whom this great change from the power of Satan unto God was wrought either in sleep, or during a strong re.. presentation to the eye of their minds of Christ, either on the cross, or in glory. This is the fact: let any judge of it as they please. But that such

a change was then wrought appears, not from their shedding tears only, or sighing, or singing psalms, but from the whole tenour of their life, till then many ways wicked, from that time holy, just, and good. I will show you him that was a lion till then, and is now a lamb; he that was a drunkard, but now exemplarily sober; the whoremonger that was, who now abhors the very lusts of the flesh. These are my living arguments for what I assert, that God now, as aforetime, gives remission of sins, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, which may be called visions. If it be not so, I am found a false witness; but, however, I do and will testify the things I have both seen and heard.

Samuel had said to him, with a feeling of natural * resentment, "I am persuaded you will hardly see me face to face in this world, though somewhat nearer than Count Zinzendorf." In his reply, Wesley says, "I do not expect to see your face in the flesh. Not that I believe God will discharge. you yet, but I believe I have nearly finished my course;" and he added, that he expected to stay at Bristol some time, perhaps as long as he was in the body. This evidently alludes to the impression which his unlucky Sortes Biblica had left upon his mind; but it alarmed his brother, who entreated

* In a subsequent letter he thus strongly expresses his disappointment in not seeing his brother: "I heartily pray God we may meet each other with joy in the next life; and beg him to forgive either of us, as far as guilty, for our not meeting in this. I acknowledge his justice in making my friends stand afar off, and hiding my acquaintance out of my sight." Wesley must have reflected upon this with some pain, when a few months only after it was written, he lost his excellent brother.