Wesley Corpus

“As to the manner of propagating the faith, you believe (as I have also heard others affirm,) That we may, on some accounts, use guile: By saying what we know will deceive the hearers, or lead them to think the thing which is not: By describing things a little beyond the truth, in order to their coming up to it: By speaking as if we meant what we do not. But I believe, That we may not ‘use guile’ on any account whatsoever: That we may not, on any account, say what we know will, and design should, deceive the hearers: That we may not describe things one jot beyond the truth, whether they come up to it or no: and, That we may not speak, on any pretence, as if we meant what indeed we do not. Lastly, As to the fruits of your thus propagating the faith in England, you believe, Much good has been done by it: Many unsettled from a false foundation: Many brought into true stillness, in order to their coming to the true foundation: Some grounded thereon, who were wrong before, but are right now. On the contrary, I believe that very little good, but much hurt, has been done by it. Many who were beginning to build holiness and good works, on the true foundation of faith in Jesus, being now wholly unsettled and lost in vain reasonings and doubtful disputa tions: Many others being brought into a false unscriptural stillness; so that they are not likely to come to any true foundation: And many being Jan. 1740.] REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. 175 grounded on a faith which is without works ; so that they who were right before, are wrong now.” Tues. Jan. 1, 1740.--I endeavoured to explain to our brethren the true, Christian, scriptural stillness, by largely unfolding those solemn words, “ Be still, and know that I am God.” Wednesday, 2, I earnestly besought them all to “ stand in the old paths,” and no longer to subvert one another’s souls by idle controversies and strife of words. They all seemed convinced. We then cried to God, to heal all our backslidings: and he sent forth such a spirit of peace and love, as we had not known for many months before.