Wesley Corpus

If God has actually used us therein, if his work hath in fact prospered in our hands, then he hath called or sent us to do this. Ientreat reasonable men to weigh this thoroughly, whether the fact does not plainly prove the call; whether He who thus enables us to save souls alive, does not commission us so to do; whether by giving us the power to pluck these brands out of the burning, He does not authorize us to exert it. O that it were possible for you to consider calmly, whether the success of the gospel of Jesus Christ, even as it is preached by us, the least of his servants, be not itself a miracle, never to be forgotten l one which cannot be denied, as being visible at this day, not in one, but an hundred places; one which cannot be accounted for by the ordinary course of any natural causes whatsoever; one which cannot be ascribed, with any colour of reason, to diabolical agency; and, lastly, one which will bear the infal lible test,--the trial of the written word.” (Second Letter to Dr. Church, Vol. VIII. pages 460-468.) “But ‘why do you talk of the success of the gospel in England, which was a Christian country before you was born?’ Was it indeed? Is it so at this day? I would explain myself a little on this head also. “And, (1.) None can deny that the people of England, in general, are called Christians. They are called so, a few only excepted, by others, as well as by themselves. But I presume no man will say, the name makes the thing; that men are Chris tians, barely because they are called so. It must be allowed, (2.) That the people of England, generally speaking, have been christened or baptized: But neither can we infer, “These were once baptized; therefore, they are Christians now.’ It is allowed, (3.) That many of those who were once baptized, and are called Christians to this day, hearthe word of God, attend public prayers, and partake of the Lord’s supper. But neither does this prove that they are Christians.