Wesley Corpus

You may full as easily prove it from these, as from the words you quote next: “God does now give remission of sins, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, and often in dreams and visions of God.” “But afterwards,” you say, “I speak more distrustfully.” (Page 79.) Indeed I do not; but I guard against enthusiasm in those words, part of which you have recited. The whole paragraph runs thus: “From those words, “Beloved, believe not every spirit; but try the spirits, whether they be of God,” I told them they were not to judge of the spirit whereby any one spoke, either by appearances, or by common report, or by their own inward feelings; no, nor by any dreams, visions, or revela tions, supposed to be made to their souls, any more than by their tears, or any involuntary effects wrought upon their bodies. I warned them, all these were in themselves of a doubtful, disputable nature; they might be from God, and they might not; and were therefore not simply to be relied on, any more than simply to be condemned, but to be tried by a farther rule; to be brought to the only certain test, the law and the testimony.” Sir, can you show them a better way? 32. The last proof that you produce of my enthusiasm, is, my “talking of the great work which God is now beginning to work upon earth.” (Page 80.) I own the fact. I do talk of such a work. But I deny the consequence: For if God has begun a great work, then the saying He has, is no enthusiasm. To bring sinners to repentance, to save them from their sins, is allowed by all to be the work of God. Yea, and to save one sinner is a great work of God; much more to save many. But many sinners are saved from their sins at this day, in London, in Bristol, in Kingswood, in Cornwall, in Newcastle upon-Tyne, in Whitehaven, in many other parts of England, in Wales, in Ireland, in Scotland, upon the continent of Europe, in Asia, and in America. This I term “a great work of God; ” so great as I have not read of for several ages. You ask, how I know so great a work is wrought now--“by inspiration?” No; but by common sense.