Wesley Corpus

“5. Perhaps you say, you can prove this of Mr. Whitefield. What then? This is nothing to me. I am not accountable for his words. The journal you quote I never saw till it was in print. But, indeed, you wrong him as muchas me: First, where you represent him as judging the notions of the Quakers in general (concerning being led by the Spirit) to be right and good; whereas he speaks only of those particular men with whom he was then conversing. And again, where you say, he supposes a person believing in Christ to be without any saving knowledge of him. He supposes no such thing. To believe in Christ was the very thing he supposed wanting; as understanding that term believing to imply, not only an assent to the Articles of our Crecd, but also ‘a true trust and confidence of the mercy of God through our Lord Jesus Christ.’ “ 6. Now this it is certain a man may want, although he can truly say, ‘Tam chaste; Iam sober; Iam just in my dealings; I help my neighbour, and use the ordinances of God.’ And however such a man may have behaved in these respects, he is not to think well of his own state till he experiences something within himself, which he has not yet experienced, but which he may be beforehand assured he shall, if the promises of God are true. That something is a living faith; ‘a sure trust and confidence in God, that by the merits of Christ his sins are forgiven, and he reconciled to the favour of God.’ And from this will spring many other things, which till then he experienced not; as, the love of God shed abroad in his heart, the peace of God which passeth all understanding, and joy in the Holy Ghost; joy, though not unfelt, yet ‘unspeakable, and full of glory.’