Wesley Corpus

p. 176.) Is this your way of carefully con sidering every step you take? Can there be greater rash ness and extravagance? Reason is thus, in a manner, rendered useless, prudence is set aside, and affairs of moment left to be determined by chance!” (Remarks, p. 124.) So this you give as a genuine instance of my proceedings; and, I suppose, of your own fairness and candour ! “We agreed, at length, to decide it by lot.” True, at length; after a debate of some hours; after carefully hearing and weighing coolly all the reasons which could be alleged on either side; our brethren still continuing the dispute, without any probability of their coming to one conclusion, we, at length, (the night being now far spent,) all agreed to this. “Can there begreater rashness and extravagance?” I cannot but think there can. “Reason 1s thus, in a manner, rendered useless.” No; we had used it as far as it could go; from Saturday, March 17, (when I received the first letter,) to Wednesday,28, when the case was laid before the society. “Prudence is set aside.” Not so: But the argu ments here were so equal, that she saw not how to determine. “And affairs of moment left to be determined by chance!” By chance / What a blunder, then, is that, “The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposal thereof is of the Lord!” This, I firmly believe, is truth and reason, and will be to the end of the world. And I therefore still subscribe to that decla ration of the Moravian Church, laid before the whole body of Divines in the University of Wirtemberg, and not by them accounted enthusiasm: “We have a peculiar esteem for lots, and accordingly use them, both in public and private, to decide points of importance, when the reasons brought on each side appear to be of equal weight. And we believe this to be then the only way of wholly setting aside our own will, of acquit ting ourselves of all blame, and clearly knowing what is the will of God.” (Vol. I. p. 146.) 5. You next remarked several instances of my enthusiasm. The first was that of Mrs. Jones. The next ran thus: “Again, you say, “I expounded out of the fulness that was given me.’” (Remarks, p.