And, 3. That you are governed through all that you have written and done by these two fundamental maxims of our Lord: "Without me ye can do nothing ;" and, "If any man will come after me, let him take up his cross and follow me."

The facts I allow, but not the consequence. In "Theologia Germanica," I remember something of Christ our Pattern, but nothing express of Christ our Atonement. The answer to "The Plain Account of the Sacrament" I believe to be an excellent book, but not so as to affect the main question. Those two maxims may imply, but do not express, the thing itself,— "He is our propitiation, through faith in his blood."

But how are you "chargeable with my not having had this faith ?" If you intimate, that you discerned my spirit, then you are chargeable thus: 1. You did not tell me plainly I had it not. 2. You never once advised me to seek or to pray for it. 3. Your advice to me was only proper for such as had faith already; advices which led me further from it, the closer I adhered to them. 4. You recommended books to me, which had no tendency to this faith, but a direct one to destroy good works.

However, "Let the fault be divided," you say, "between me and Kempis." No; if I understood Kempis wrong, it was your part, who discerned my spirit, and saw my mistake, to have explained him, and to have set me right.

I ask pardon, Sir, if I have said anything inconsistent with the obligations I owe you, and the respect I bear to your character. I am, Reverend Sir,

Your most obedient servant.

XXXV.-To Count Zinzendorf, at Marienborn.

MAY our gracious Lord, who counteth whatsoever is done to the least of his brethren as done to himself, return seven-fold to you and the Countess, and to all the brethren, the kindnesses you did to us! It would have been a great satisfaction to me, if I could have spent more time with the Christians who love one another. But that could not be now; my Master having called me to work in another part of his vineyard. Nor did I return hither at all before the time; for though a great door and effectual had been opened, the adversaries had laid so many stumbling-blocks before it, that the weak were daily turned out

of the way. Numberless misunderstandings had arisen, by means of which the way of truth was much blasphemed: And thence had sprung anger, clamour, bitterness, evil-speaking, envyings, strifes, railings, evil surmises; whereby the enemy had gained such an advantage over the little flock, that "of the rest durst no man join himself to them."

But it has now pleased our blessed Master to remove, in great measure, these rocks of offence. The word of the Lord again runs and is glorified; and his work goes on and prospers. Great multitudes are everywhere awakened, and cry out, “What must we do to be saved?" Many of them see that there is only one name under heaven whereby they can be saved: And more and more of those who seek it, find salvation in his name; and these are of one heart and one soul. They all love one another, and are knit together in one body and one spirit, as in one faith and one hope of their calling. The love and zeal of our brethren in Holland and Germany, particularly at Hernhuth, has stirred up many among us, who will not be comforted till they also partake of the great and precious promises. I hope, if God permit, to see them at least once more, were it only to give them the fruit of my love, the speaking freely on a few things which I did not. approve, perhaps because I did not understand them. May our merciful Lord give you a right judgment in all things, and make you to abound more and more in all lowliness and meekness, in all simplicity and godly sincerity, in all watchfulness and seriousness; in a word,—in all faith and love, particularly to those that are without; till you are merciful, as your Father which is in heaven is merciful! I desire your constant and earnest prayers, that he would vouchsafe me a portion of the same spirit.

XXXVI. To the Church of God which is in Hernhuth, JOHN WESLEY, an unworthy Presbyter of the Church of God in England, wisheth all grace and peace in our Lord Jesus Christ.

October 14, 1738.

GLORY be to God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for his unspeakable gift! for giving me to be an eyewitness of your faith, and love, and holy conversation in Christ Jesus! I have borne testimony thereof with all plainness of

speech, in many parts of Germany, and thanks have been given to God by many on your

behalf.

We are endeavouring here also, by the grace which is given us, to be followers of you, as ye are of Christ. Fourteen were added to us, since our return, so that we have now eight bands of men, consisting of fifty-six persons; all of whom seek for salvation only in the blood of Christ. As yet we have only two small bands of women; the one of three, the other of five persons. But here are many others who only wait till we have leisure to instruct them, how they may most effectually build up one another in the faith and love of Him who gave himself for them.

Though my brother and I are not permitted to preach in most of the churches in London, yet (thanks be to God!) there are others left, wherein we have liberty to speak the truth as it is in Jesus. Likewise every evening, and on set evenings in the week at two several places, we publish the word of reconciliation, sometimes to twenty or thirty, sometimes to fifty or sixty, sometimes to three or four hundred persons, met together to hear it. We begin and end all our meetings with singing and prayer; and we know that our Lord heareth our prayer, having more than once or twice (and this was not done in a corner) received our petitions in that very hour.

Nor hath he left himself without other witnesses of his grace and truth. Ten Ministers I know now in England, who lay the right foundation, "The blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin." Over and above whom I have found one Anabaptist, and one, if not two, of the Teachers among the Presbyterians here, who, I hope, love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, and teach the way of God in truth.

O cease not, ye that are highly favoured, to beseech our Lord that he would be with us even to the end; to remove that which is displeasing in his sight, to support that which is weak among us, to give us the whole mind that was in him, and teach us to walk even as he walked! And may the very God of peace fill up what is wanting in your faith, and build you up more and more in all lowliness of mind, in all plainness of speech, in all zeal and watchfulness; that He may present you to himself a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that ye may be holy and unblamable in the day of his appearing.

MY LORD,

XXXVII. To the Bishop of Bristol.

October 13, 1741. SEVERAL persons have applied to me for baptism. It has pleased God to make me instrumental in their conversion. This has given them such a prejudice for me, that they desire to be received into the Church by my ministry. They choose likewise to be baptized by immersion, and have engaged me to give your Lordship notice, as the Church requires.

SIR,

XXXVIII.-To Mr. John Smith.*

September 28, 1745.

1. I was determined, from the time I received yours, to answer it as soon as I should have opportunity. But it was the longer delayed, because I could not persuade myself to write at all, till I had leisure to write fully. And this I hope to do now, though I know you not, no, not so much as your name. But I take for granted, you are a person that fears God, and that speaks the real sentiments of his heart. And on this supposition I shall speak, without any suspicion or reserve.

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2. I am exceedingly obliged by the pains you have taken to point out to me what you think to be mistakes. It is a truly Christian attempt, an act of brotherly love, which I pray God to repay sevenfold into your bosom. Methinks I can scarce look upon such a person, on one who is a contender for truth and not for victory," whatever opinion he may entertain of me, as any adversary at all. For what is friendship, if I am to account him my enemy who endeavours to open my eyes, or to amend my heart?

The person who addressed a series of letters to Mr. Wesley in manuscript under the assumed name of John Smith, and to whom the following answers were directed, there is reason to believe, was Dr. Thomas Secker, at that time Bishop of Oxford, and afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury. Secker was born in 1693. The writer of these letters says, "I was confirmed about the age of fourteen. What childish apprehensions I might have had before that time I cannot well say, but for ABOUT forty years since" &c.-These two periods added together will give us fifty-four years, or rather fifty-three, from his word "about." Let this be added to 1693, the year of Secker's birth, and it gives us 1746, the exact date of this letter. His letters are given entire in the Appendix to Moore's Life of Mr. Wesley, Vol. ii. p. 475, &c.; and some account of the Correspondence will be found in the same volume, p. 95, &c. -EDIT.

I. 3. You will give me leave (writing as a friend rather than a disputant) to invert the order of your objections, and to begin with the Third, because, I conceive, it may be answered in fewest words. The substance of it is this: "If in fact you can work such signs and wonders as were wrought by the Apostles, then you are entitled (notwithstanding what I might otherwise object) to the implicit faith due to one of that order." A few lines after you cite a case, related in the Third Journal, page 88,* and add: “If you prove this to be the fact, to the satisfaction of wise and good men, then I believe no wise and good men will oppose you any longer. Let me therefore rest it upon your conscience, either to prove this matter of fact, or to retract it. If upon mature examination it shall appear that designing people imposed upon you, or that hysterical women were imposed upon themselves, acknowledge your zeal outran your wisdom."

4. Surely I would. But what, if on such examination it shall appear that there was no imposition of either kind?-to be satisfied of which, I waited three years before I told the story. What, if it appear by the only method which I can conceive, the deposition of three or four eye and ear witnesses, that the matter of fact was just as it is there related, so far as men can judge from their eyes and ears; will it follow, that I am entitled to demand the implicit faith which was due to an Apostle? By no means. Nay, I know not that implicit faith was due to any or all of the Apostles put together. They were to prove their assertions by the written word. You and I are to do the same. Without such proof I ought no more to have believed St. Peter himself, than St. Peter's pretended successor.

5. I conceive, therefore, this whole demand, common as it is, of proving our doctrine by miracles, proceeds from a double mistake: (1.) A supposition, that what we preach is not provable from Scripture ;-for if it be, what need we farther witnesses? "To the law and to the testimony!" (2.) An imagination, that a doctrine not provable by Scripture might nevertheless be proved by miracles. I believe not. I receive the written word as the whole and sole rule of my faith.

II. 6. Perhaps what you object to my phraseology may be likewise answered in few words. I throughly agree, that it is best to 66 use the most common words, and that in the most obvious sense;" and have been diligently labouring after this very * Vol. I. p. 231, of the present edition.-EDIT.