Wesley Corpus

A. They generally allow, that many believers have such an assurance; and, that it is to be desired and prayed for by all But then they affirm, that this is the highest species or degree of faith; that it is not the common privilege of believers: Consequently, they deny that this is justifying faith, or neces sarily implied therein.- Q. 3. And are there not strong reasons for their opinion? For instance: If the true believers of old had not this assur ance, then it is not necessarily implied in justifying faith. But the true believers of old had not this assurance. A. David, and many more of the believers of old, undenia bly had this assurance. But even if the Jews had it not, it would not follow that this is not implied in Christian faith. Q. 4. But do you not know that the Apostles themselves had it not till after the day of Pentecost? A. The Apostles themselves had not the proper Christian faith till after the day of Pentecost. Q. 5. But were not those Christian believers, in the proper sense, to whom St. John wrote his First Epistle? Yet to these he says, “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” (v. 13.) A. This does not prove that they did not know they had eternal life, any more than that they did not believe. His plain meaning is, “I have written unto you that you may be the more established in the faith.” Therefore, it does not follow from hence, that they had not this assurance; but only that there are degrees therein. Q. 6. But were not the Thessalonians true believers? Yet they had not this assurance; they had only a “good hope.” (2 Thess. ii. 16.) A. The text you refer to runs thus: “Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.” This good hope does not exclude, but necessarily implies, a strong assurance of the love of God. Q. 7. But does not St.