certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his
mother’s womb who never had walked. The same heard Paul speak: who
stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed,
said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and
walked._――――Here was so _undoubted a miracle_, that the people _lifted
up their voices, saying――――The Gods are come down in the likeness
of men_. But how long were even these convinced _of the truth of his
pretences_? Only till _there came thither certain Jews from Antioch
and Iconium_; and then they _stoned him_ (as they supposed) to death!
_Acts_ xiv. 1, &c. So certain it is, that no miracles whatever, which
were ever yet wrought in the world, were _effectual_ to _prove_ the
most glaring truth, to those that hardened their hearts against it.
* 4. And it will equally hold in every age and nation. _If they hear
not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced_ (of what
they desire not to believe) _tho’ one rose from the dead_. Without a
miracle, without one rising from the dead, ἐαν τις θέλει ποιεῖν· _if
any man be willing to do his will, he shall know of the doctrine
whether it be of God_. But if he is not willing to do his will, he will
never want an excuse, a plausible reason for rejecting it. Yea, tho’
ever so many miracles were wrought to confirm it. For let ever so much
_light come into the world_, it will have no effect (such is the wise
and just will of God) on those who _love darkness rather than light_?
It will not convince those who do not simply desire to do the will of
their Father which is in heaven: those who mind earthly things; who (if
they do not continue in any gross outward sin, yet) love pleasure or
ease; yet seek profit or power, preferment, or reputation. Nothing will
ever be an effectual proof to these of the holy and acceptable will of
God, unless first their proud hearts be humbled, their stubborn wills
bowed down, and their desires brought, at least in some degree, into
obedience to the law of Christ.
Hence altho’ it should please God to work a-new, all the wonders that
ever were wrought on the earth, still these men, however _wise and
prudent_ they may be in things relating to the present world, would
fight against God and all his messengers, and that in spite of all
these miracles. Mean while God will reveal his truth _unto babes_, unto
those who are meek and lowly, whose desires are in heaven, who want
to _know nothing save Jesus Christ and him crucified_.――――These need
no outward miracle, to shew them his will: they have a plain rule,
the written word. And _the anointing which they have received of him,
abideth in them, and teacheth them of all things_. (1 John ii. 27.)
Thro’ this they are enabled to bring all doctrines _to the law and
to the testimony_. And whatsoever is agreeable to this they receive,
without waiting to see it attested by miracles. As on the other hand,
whatever is contrary to this they reject: nor can any miracles move
them to receive it.
* 5. Yet I do not know, that God hath any way precluded himself from
thus exerting his sovereign power, from working miracles in any kind
or degree, in any age to the end of the world. I do not recollect any
scripture, wherein we are taught, that miracles were to be confined
within the limits either of the _apostolic_ or the _cyprianic_ age;
or of any period of time, longer or shorter, even till the restitution
of all things. I have not observed, either in the Old Testament or the
New, any intimation at all of this kind. St. _Paul_ says indeed once,
concerning two of the miraculous gifts of the Spirit (so, I think, that
text is usually understood) _whether there be prophecies, they shall
fail, whether there be tongues, they shall cease_. But he does not say,
either that these or any other miracles shall cease, till faith and
hope shall cease also: till they all be swallowed up in the vision of
God, and love be all in all.
I presume you will allow, there is one kind of miracles (loosely
speaking) which are not ceased; namely, τέρατα ψεύδους, lying wonders,
diabolical miracles; or works beyond the virtue of natural causes,
wrought by the power of evil spirits. Nor can you easily conceive that
these will cease, as long as the father of lies is the prince of this
world. And why should you think, that the God of truth is less active
than him, or that he will not have his miracles also? Only, not as man
wills, neither when he wills; but according to his own excellent wisdom
and greatness.
6. But even if it were supposed, that God does now work beyond the
operation of merely natural causes, yet what impression would this make
upon _you_, in the disposition your mind is now in? Suppose the trial
were repeated, were made again to-morrow. One informs you the next day,
“While a clergyman was preaching yesterday, where I was, a man came who
had been long ill of an incurable distemper. Prayer was made for him,
and he was restored to perfect health.”
Suppose now, that this were real fact, perhaps you would scarce have
patience to hear the account of it: but would cut it short, in the
midst, with, “Do you tell this as something _supernatural_? Then
miracles are not ceased!” But if you should venture to ask, where was
this? And who was the person that prayed? And it was answered, “At the
Foundery near _Moorfields_; the person who prayed was Mr. _Wesley_:”
What a damp comes at once! What a weight falls on your mind, at the
very first setting out? ’Tis well if you have any heart or desire
to move one step further. Or if you should, what a strong additional
propensity do you now feel to deny the fact? And is there not a ready
excuse for so doing? “O! they who tell the story, are doubtless _his
own people_: most of whom, we may be sure, will _say_ any thing for
him, and the rest will _believe_ any thing.”――――But if you at length
allowed the fact, might you not find means to account for it by
_natural_ causes? _Great crouds, violent heats, with obstructions
and irregularities of the blood and spirits_, will do wonders.――――If
you ♦could not but allow, it was more than _natural_, might not some
plausible reason be found for ranking it among the _lying wonders_,
for ascribing it to the devil rather than God? And if, after all, you
was convinced it was the finger of God, must you not still bring every
doctrine advanced, to the law and to the testimony, the only sure
and infallible test of all?――――What then is the use of this continual
demand, “Shew us a sign, and we will believe?” What will you believe? I
hope no more than is written in the book of God. And thus far you might
venture to believe, even without a miracle.
♦ “could” replaced with “could not” per Errata
7. Let us consider this point yet a little farther. “What is it you
would have us prove by miracles? The doctrines we preach?” We prove
these by scripture and reason; and, if need be, by antiquity. What else
is it then we are to prove by miracles? At length we have a distinct
reply――――_Wise and sober men will not otherwise be convinced_ (i. e.
unless you prove this by miracles) _that God is, by the means of such
teachers, and such doctrines, working a great and extraordinary work in
the earth_. Preface, page 6.
So then the determinate point which you, in their name, call upon us to
prove by miracles, is this, _That God is, by these teachers, working a
great and extraordinary work in the earth_.
What I mean by a great and extraordinary work, is, the bringing
multitudes of gross notorious sinners, in a short space, to the fear,
and love, and service of God, to an entire change of heart and life.
Now then, let us take a nearer view of the proposition, and see which
part of it we are to prove by miracles.
“Is it, 1. That A. B. was, for many years, without God in the world, a
common swearer, a drunkard, a sabbath-breaker?
“Or, 2. That he is not so now.
“Or, 3. That he continued so, till he heard these men preach, and from
that time was another man?
“Not so. The proper way to prove this fact, is, by the testimony of
competent witnesses. And these witnesses are ready, whenever required,
to give full evidence of them.
“Or would you have us prove by miracles,
“4. That this was not done by our own power or holiness? That God
only is able to raise the dead, to quicken those who are dead in
trespasses and sins?”
Surely no. Whosoever believes the scriptures, will want no new proof of
this.
Where then is the _wisdom_ of those men, who demand miracles in proof
of such a proposition? One branch of which, “That such sinners were
reformed by the means of these teachers,” being a plain fact, can only
be proved by testimony, as all other facts are: and the other, “That
this is a _work of God_, and a _great and more than ordinary_ work,”
needs no proof, as carrying its own evidence to every thinking man.
* 8. To sum up this. No truly _wise_ or _sober_ man can possibly desire
or expect miracles, to prove, either, 1. That these _doctrines_ are
true: this must be decided by scripture and reason; or, 2. That these
_facts_ are true: this can only be proved by testimony; or, 3. That to
_change_ sinners from darkness to light, is the _work of God_ alone;
only using what instruments he pleases: this is glaringly self-evident;
or, 4. That such a change wrought in so many notorious sinners, within
so short a time, is a _great_ and _extraordinary_ work of God. This
also carries its own evidence. What then is it which remains to be
proved by miracles? Perhaps you will say, it is this: “That God hath
_called_ or _sent_ you to do this.” Nay, this is implied in the third
of the foregoing propositions. If God has actually _used_ us therein,
if _his work_ hath in fact prospered in our hands, then he hath
_called_ or _sent_ us to do this. I intreat reasonable men to weigh
this throughly, whether the _fact_ does not plainly prove the _call_:
whether he who _enables_ us thus to save souls alive, does not
_commission_ us so to do? Whether by _giving_ us the _power_ to pluck
these brands out of the burning, he does not _authorize_ us to exert it?
O that it were possible for you to consider calmly, whether the
_success_ of the gospel of Jesus Christ, even as it is preached by
us, the least of his servants, be not itself a _miracle_, never to be
forgotten! One which cannot be denied, as being visible at this day,
not in one but a hundred places: one which cannot be accounted for,
by the ordinary course of any _natural cause_ whatsoever: one which
cannot be ascribed with any colour of reason, to _diabolical_ agency;
and lastly, one which will bear the infallible test, the trial of the
written word.
* * * * *
VI. 1. But here I am aware of abundance of objections. You object,
first, that to speak any thing of myself, of what I have done, or am
doing now, is mere _boasting_ and _vanity_. This charge you frequently
repeat. So, page 102. _The following page is full of_ boasting――――Page
113. _You_ boast _very much of the numbers you have converted_: and
again, _As to myself, I hope I shall never be led to imitate you in_
boasting.――――I think therefore it is needful, once for all, to examine
this charge throughly; and to shew distinctly, what that _good_ thing
is, which you disguise under this _bad_ name.
From the year 1725 to 1729, I preached much, but saw no fruit of my
labour. Indeed it could not be that I should; for I neither laid the
foundation of _repentance_, nor of _believing the gospel_: taking it
for granted, that all to whom I preached, were _believers_; and that
many of them _needed no repentance_. 2. From the year 1729 to 1734,
laying a deeper foundation of repentance, I saw a little fruit. But
it was only a little; and no wonder. For I did not preach faith in the
blood of the covenant. 3. From 1734 to 1738, speaking more of faith in
Christ, I saw more fruit of my preaching, and visiting from house to
house, than ever I had done before: though I know not, if any of those
who were outwardly reformed, were inwardly and throughly converted to
God. 4. From 1738 to this time, speaking continually of Jesus Christ,
laying him only for the foundation of the whole building, making him
all in all, the first and the last: preaching wholly on this plan, _The
kingdom of God is at hand; repent ye and believe the gospel_: The _word
of God ran_ as fire among the stubble; it _was glorified_ more and more:
multitudes crying out, _What must we do to be saved?_ And afterwards
witnessing, _By grace we are saved through faith_. * 5. I considered
deeply with myself, what I ought to do? Whether to declare the things
I had seen or not? I consulted the most serious friends I had. They
all agreed, I ought to declare them: that the work itself was of such a
kind, as ought in no wise to be concealed; and indeed, that the unusual
circumstances now attending it, made it impossible that it should.
6. This very difficulty occurred, “Will not my speaking of this be
_boasting_? At least, will it not be counted so?” They replied, “if
you speak of it as _your own_ work, it will be _vanity_ and _boasting_
all over: but if you ascribe it wholly to God, if you give him all
the praise, it will not. And if, after this, some will account it so
still, you must be content, and bear the burden.” 7. I yielded, and
transcribed my papers for the press; only labouring, as far as possible,
to _render unto God the things which are God’s_, to give him the praise
of his own work.
* 2. But this very thing you improve into a fresh objection. If I
ascribe any thing to God, it is _enthusiasm_. If I do not (or if I do)
it is _vanity and boasting_, supposing me to mention it at all. What
then can I do to escape your censure? “Why, be silent, say nothing at
all.” I cannot. I dare not. Were I thus to _please men_, I could _not
be the servant of Christ_.
* You do not appear to have the least idea or conception of what is
in the heart of one, whom it pleases him that worketh all in all, to
employ in a work of this kind. He is in no wise forward to be at all
employed therein; he starts back, again and again: not only, because
he readily foresees, what shame, care, sorrow, reproach, what loss of
friends and of all that the world accounts dear, will inevitably follow:
but much more, because he (in some measure) knows himself. This chiefly
it is which constrains him to cry out, (and that many times, in the
bitterness of his soul, when no human eye seeth him,) “O Lord! Send by
whom thou wilt send! Only, send not me!――――What am I? A worm! A dead
dog! A man unclean in heart and lips!”――――And when he dares no longer
gainsay or resist, when he is at last _thrust out into the harvest_,
he looketh on the right hand, and on the left, he takes every step with
fear and trembling, and with the deepest sense (such as words cannot
express) of, _who is sufficient for these things_? Every gift which he
has received of God, for the furtherance of his word, whether of nature
or grace, heightens this fear, and increases his jealousy over himself:
knowing that so much the stricter must the enquiry be, when he gives
an account of his stewardship. He is most of all jealous over himself,
when the work of the Lord prospers in his hand. He is then amazed and
confounded before God. Shame covers his face. Yet when he sees, that he
ought _to praise the Lord for his goodness, and to declare the wonders
which he doth for the children of men_, he is in a strait between two:
he knows not which way to turn: he cannot speak: he dares not be silent.
It may be, for a time he _keeps his mouth with a bridle; he holds his
peace even from good. But his heart is hot within him_, and constrains
him, at length, to declare what God hath wrought. And this he then doth
in all simplicity, with _great plainness of speech_, desiring only to
commend himself to him, who _searcheth the heart and trieth the reins_:
and, (whether his words are the _savour of life_ or _of death_ to
others) to have that witness in himself, _as of sincerity, as of God,
in the sight of God, speak we in Christ_.――――If any man counts this
_boasting_, he cannot help it. It is enough, that a higher judge
standeth at the door.
3. But you may say, “Why do you talk of the _success_ of the gospel in
_England_, which was a Christian country before you was born?” Was it
indeed? Is it so at this day? I would explain myself a little on this
head also.
And 1. None can deny, that the people of _England_, in general are
_called_ Christians. They are _called_ so, a few only accepted, by
others, as well as by themselves. But I presume no man will say,
that the _name_ makes the _thing_; that men _are_ Christians, barely
because they are _called_ so. It must be 2. allowed, that the people
of _England_, generally speaking, have been _christened_ or baptized.
But neither can we infer, these were once _baptized_; therefore they
are _Christians_ now. It is 3. allowed, that many of those who were
once _baptized_, and are _called Christians_ to this day, _hear_
the word of God, attend _public prayers_, and partake of the _Lord’s
supper_. But neither does this prove, that they _are Christians_. For
notwithstanding this, some of them live in open sin: and others (though
not conscious to themselves of _hypocrisy_, yet) are utter strangers to
the _religion of the heart_: are full of pride, vanity, covetousness,
ambition; of hatred, anger, malice or envy; and consequently, are no
more _scriptural Christians_, than the open drunkard or common swearer.
Now these being removed, where are the _Christians_, from whom we may
properly term _England_ a _Christian country_? The men who have the
mind which was in Christ, and who walk as he also walked? Whose inmost
soul is renewed after the image of God; and who are outwardly holy, as
he who hath called them is holy? There are doubtless a few such to be
found. To deny this, would be _want of candor_. But how few? How thinly
scattered up and down? And as for a Christian, visible church, or a
body of Christians, visibly united together, where is this to be seen?
Ye different sects, who all declare,
Lo! here is Christ, or Christ is there;
Your stronger proofs _divinely_ give,
And _shew_ me, where _the Christians_ live!
* And what use is it of, what good end does it serve, to term _England_
a _Christian country_? (although ’tis true, most of the natives are
_called_ Christians, have been _baptized_, frequent the _ordinances_:
and although a real Christian is here and there to be found, _as a
light shining in a dark place_:) Does it do any honour to our great
Master, among those who are not _called_ by his name? Does it recommend
Christianity to the _Jews_, the _Mahometans_, or the avowed _Heathens_?
Surely no one can conceive it does. It only makes Christianity stink in
their nostrils. Does it answer any _good end_ with regard to those on
whom this worthy name is called? I fear not; but rather an exceeding
bad one. For does it not keep multitudes easy in their _Heathen
practice_? Does it not make or keep still greater numbers, satisfied
with their _Heathen tempers_? Does it not directly tend to make both
the one and the other imagine, that they _are_ what indeed they _are
not_? That they _are Christians_, while they are utterly without Christ
and without God in the world?――――To close this point: if men are not
_Christians_, till they are renewed after the image of Christ, and if
the _people of England_ in general are not thus renewed, why do we term
them so? _The God of this world hath_ long _blinded their hearts_. Let
us do nothing to increase that blindness: but rather labour to recover
them from that _strong delusion_, that they may no longer _believe a
lie_.
4. Let us labour to convince all mankind, that to be a real Christian,
is, to love the Lord our God with all our heart, and to serve him with
all our strength; to love our neighbour as ourselves, and therefore
do unto every man as we would he should do unto us. Nay, you say,
_Had you confined yourselves to these great points, there would have
been no objection against your doctrine. But the doctrines you have
distinguished yourselves by――――are not the love of God and man, but
many false and pernicious errors._ (page 104.)
I have again and again, with all the plainness I could, declared, what
our constant doctrines are; whereby we are _distinguished_ only from
Heathens, or nominal Christians; not from any that worship God in
Spirit and in truth. Our main doctrines, which include all the rest,
are three, that of repentance, of faith, and of holiness. The first
of these we account, as it were, the porch of religion; the next, the
door; the third religion itself.
That repentance, or conviction of sin, which is always previous to
faith (either in a higher or lower degree, as it pleases God) we
describe in words to this effect:
“When men _feel_ in themselves the heavy burthen of sin, see damnation
to be the reward of it, behold with the eye of their mind, the horror
of hell: they tremble, they quake, and are inwardly touched with
sorrowfulness of heart, and cannot but accuse themselves, and open
their grief unto Almighty God, and call unto him for mercy. This being
done seriously, their mind is so occupied, partly with sorrow and
heaviness, partly with an earnest desire to be delivered from this
danger of hell and damnation, that all desire of meat and drink is laid
apart, and loathing of all worldly things and pleasure cometh in place.
So that nothing then liketh them more, than to weep, to lament, to
mourn, and both with words and behaviour of body, to shew themselves
weary of life.”
Now permit me to ask, what if before you had observed, that these
were the very words of our own church, one of _your_ acquaintance or
parishioners had come and told you, that ever since he heard a sermon
at the _Foundery_, he _saw damnation before him, and beheld with the
eye of his mind the horror of hell_? What, if he had _trembled and
quaked_, and been so taken up, _partly with sorrow and heaviness,
partly with an earnest desire to be delivered from the danger of hell
and damnation_, as to _weep, to lament, to mourn, and both with words
and behaviour, to shew himself weary of life_? Would you have scrupled
to say, Here is another _deplorable instance_ of the _Methodists
driving men to distraction_! See, _into what excessive terrors, frights,
doubts and perplexities, they throw weak and well-meaning men! Quite
over-setting their understandings and judgments, and making them liable
to all these miseries._
I dare not refrain from adding one plain question, which I beseech
you to answer, not to me, but to God. Have you ever experienced this
_repentance_ yourself? Did you ever _feel in yourself that heavy
burthen of sin_? Of sin in general; more especially, inward sin? Of
pride, anger, lust, vanity? Of (what is all sin in one) that carnal
mind, which is enmity, essential enmity against God? Do you know by
experience what it is, _To behold with the eye of the mind, the horror
of hell_? Was _your mind_ ever so _taken up, partly with sorrow and
heaviness, partly with an earnest desire to be delivered from this
danger of hell and damnation, that even all desire of meat and drink_
was taken away, and you _loathed all worldly things and pleasure_?
――――Surely if you had known what it is, to have the _arrows of the
Almighty_ thus _sticking fast in you_, you could not so lightly have
condemned those who now cry out, _The pains of hell come about me: the
sorrows of death compass me, and the overflowings of ungodliness make
me afraid_.
5. Concerning the gate of religion (if I may be allowed so to speak)
the true, Christian, saving faith, we believe it implies abundantly
more than an assent to the truth of the bible. “Even the devils believe,
that Christ was born of a virgin; that he wrought all kind of miracles;
that for our sakes he suffered a most painful death to redeem us from
death everlasting. These articles of our faith the very devils believe,
and so they believe all that is written in the Old and New Testament.
And yet for all this faith, they be but devils. They remain still in
their damnable estate, lacking the very true Christian faith.
“The right and true Christian faith is. Not only to believe that the
holy scriptures and the articles of our faith are true, but also to
have a sure trust and confidence to be saved from everlasting damnation
through Christ.” Perhaps it may be expressed more clearly thus, “A sure
trust and confidence which a man hath in God, that by the merits of
Christ his sins are forgiven, and he reconciled to the favour of God.”