Wesley Corpus

4. The case of many who subscribe to the Eleventh and following Articles I cannot yet think is exactly the same with the case of Mr. Whitefield and me subscribing the Seventeenth; for each of us can truly say, ‘I subscribe this Article in that which I believe from my heart is its plain, grammatical meaning.’ Twenty years ago I subscribed the Fifteenth Article likewise, in its plain, unforced, grammatical meaning. And whatever I do not now believe in this sense I will on no terms subscribe at all. 5. I speak variously, doubtless, on various occasions; but I hope not inconsistently. Concerning the seeming inconsistency which you mention, permit me to observe briefly, (1) That I have seen many things which I believe were miraculous; yet I desire none to believe my words any farther than they are confirmed by Scripture and reason. And thus far I disclaim miracles. (2) That I believe ‘he that marrieth doeth well; but he that doth not (being a believer) doeth better.’ [Wesley's critic said: ‘In one paragraph you allow it lawful for good people to marry; in another, you say all should refrain who can, and that all the children of God can.’ See Works, xi. 456n, for Wesley's Thoughts on Marriage and a Single Life (1743).] However, I have doubts concerning the tract on this head, which I have not yet leisure to weigh thoroughly. (3) That a newly justified person has at once, in that hour, power over all sin, and finds from that hour the work of God in his soul slowly and gradually increasing. And (lastly) That many, who while they have faith cannot doubt, do afterwards doubt whether they ever had it or no. Yea, many receive from the Holy Ghost an attestation of their acceptance as perceptible as the sun at noonday: and yet those same persons at other times doubt whether they ever had any such attestation -- nay, perhaps more than doubt, perhaps wholly deny, all that God has ever done for their souls; inasmuch as, in ‘this hour and power of darkness,’ they cannot believe they ever saw light.