Wesley Corpus

Wesley might have considered,” you say, “that when they talk of “assurance of pardon and salvation, the world will extend the meaning of the words to our eternal state.” I do consider it, Sir; and therefore I never use that phrase either in preaching or writing. “Assurance of pardon and salvation” is an expression that never comes out of my lips; and if Mr. Whitefield does use it, yet he does not preach such an assurance as the privilege of all Christians. “But Mr. Wesley himself says, that, “though a full assur ance of faith does not necessarily imply a full assurance of our future perseverance, yet some have both the one and the other.” And now what becomes of his charge against Mr. Bedford ? And is it not mere evasion to say afterwards, ‘This is not properly an assurance of what is future?’” Sir, this argument presses me very hard 1 May I not be allowed a little evasion now? Come, for once I will try to do without it, and to answer flat and plain. And I answer, (1.) That faith is one thing; the full assur ance of faith another. (2.) That even the full assurance of faith does not imply the full assurance of perseverance: This bears another name, being styled by St. Paul, “the full assur ance of hope.” (3.) Some Christians have only the first of these; they have faith, but mixed with doubts and fears. Some have also the full assurance of faith, a full conviction of present pardon; and yet not the full assurance of hope; not a full conviction of their future perseverance. (4.) The faith which we preach, as necessary to all Christians, is the first of these, and no other. Therefore, (5.) It is no evasion at all to say, “This (the faith which we preach as necessary to all Christians) is not properly an assurance of what is future.” And consequently, my charge against Mr. Bedford stands good, that his Sermon on Assurance is an ignoratio elenchi, an “ignorance of the point in question,” from beginning to end. Therefore, neither do I “charge another wrongfully, nor contradict myself about the doctrine of assurances.” 21. To prove my art, cunning, and evasion, you instance next in the case of impulses and impressions.