In flat opposition to this, I cannot but maintain (at least till I have a clearer light), 1. That the Justification which is spoken of by St. Paul to the Romans, and in our Articles is not two-fold. It is one, and no more. It is the present remission of our sins, or our first acceptance with God. 2. It is true, that the merits of Christ are the sole cause of this our justification. But it is not true, that this is all which St. Paul and our Church mean by our being justified by faith only; neither is it true; that either St. Paul or the Church mean by faith, the merits of Christ. But 3. By our being justified by faith only, both St. Paul and the Church mean, that the condition of our Justification is faith alone, and not good works: Inasmuch as "all works done before justification, have in them the nature of sin." Lastly, That faith, which is the sole condition of justification, is the faith which is in us, by the grace of God. It is a sure trust that a man hath; that Christ hath loved him and died for him.

During my short stay here, I received several unpleasing accounts of the state of things in London, a part of which I have subjoined :— "Many of our sisters are shaken: Jy C - says that she never had faith. Betty and Esther Hare grieveously torn by reasoning; the former, I am told, is going to Germany.On Wednesday night there are but few come to Fetter-lane till near nine o' clock. And then, after the names are called over, they presently depart. It appears plain, our brethren here have neither wisdom enough to guide, nor prudence enough to let it alone.”

"Mr. Bn -n expounds much, and speaks so slightingly of the means of grace that many are much grieved to hear him; but others are greatly delighted with him. Ten or fourteen of them meet at our brother Clark's with Mr. Molther, and seem to consult about things as if they were the whole body. These make a mere jest of going to church, or to the sacrament. They have much confounded some of our sisters; and many of our brothers are much grieved."

In another letter, which I received a few days after this, were these words:

"December 14, 1739.

"This day I was told by one that does not belong to the bands, that the society would be divided. I believe brother Hutton, Clark, Edmonds, and Bray, are determined to go on, according to Mr. Molther's directions, and to raise a Church, as they term it, and I suppose above half our brethren are on their side. But they are so very confused, they do not know how to go on; yet are unwilling to be taught, except by the oravians.

"We long to see you; nay, even those would be glad to see you, who will not be directed by you. I believe indeed things would be much better if you would come to town."

Wednesday 19, I accordingly came to London, though with a heavy heart. Here I found every day the dreadful effects of our brethren's reasonings and disputing with each other. Scarce one in ten retained his first love; and most of the rest were in the utmost confusion, biting and devouring one another! I pray God, ye be not consumed one of another!

Monday 24, After spending part of the night at Fetter-lane, I went to a smaller company, where also we exhorted one another with hymns and spiritual songs, and poured out our hearts to God in prayer. Towards morning, one of them was overwhelmed with joy and love, and could not help shewing it by strong cries and tears. At this another was much displeased, saying, "It was only nature, imagination, and animal spirits." O thou jealous God, lay not this sin to her charge! and let us not be wise above what is written!

Sunday 30, One came to me, by whom I used to profit much. But her conversation was now too high for me. It was far above, out of my sight. My soul is sick of this sublime divinity! Let me think and speak as a little child! Let my religion be plain, artless, simple! Meekness, temperance, patience, faith, and love, be these my highest gifts; and let the highest words wherein I teach them, be those I learn from the Book of God!

Monday 31, I had a long and particular conversation with Mr. Molther himself. I weighed all his words with the utmost care, desired him to explain what I did not understand; asked him again and again, "Do I not mistake what you say? Is this your meaning, or is it not?" So that I think, if God has given me any measure of understanding, I could not mistake him much. As soon as I came home, I besought God to assist me, and not suffer the blind to go out of the way. I then wrote down what I conceived to be the difference between us, in the following words:

As to faith, you believe,

1. There are no degrees of faith, and that no man has any degree of it, before all things in him are become new, before he has the full assurance of faith, the abiding witness of the Spirit, or the clear perception that Christ dwelleth in him.

2. Accordingly, you believe, there is no justifying faith, or state of justification short of this.

3. Therefore, you believe, our brother Hutton, Edmonds, and others, had no justifying faith before they saw you.

4. And, in general, that that gift of God, which many received since Peter Bohler came into England, viz. "A sure confidence of the love of God to them," was not justifying faith.

5. And that the joy and love attending it were from animal spirits, from nature or imagination; not joy in the Holy Ghost, and the real love of God shed abroad in their hearts.

Whereas I believe,

1. There are degrees in faith, and that a man may have some degree of it before all things in him are become new, before he has the full assurance of faith, the abiding witness of the Spirit, or the clear perception that Christ dwelleth in him.

2. Accordingly, I believe, there is a degree of justifying faith (and consequently, a state of justification) short of, and commonly antecedent to, this.

3. And I believe our brother Hutton, with many others, had jusfying faith long before they saw you.

4. And, in general, that that gift of God, which many received since Peter Bohler came into England, viz. "A sure confidence of the love of God to them," was justifying faith.

5. And that the joy and love attending it were not from animal spirits, from nature, or imagination; but a measure of joy in the Holy Ghost, and of the love of God shed abroad in their hearts.

As to the way to faith, you believe, that the way to attain it is to wait for Christ, and be still, i. e. not to use (what we term) the means of grace; not to go to church; not to communicate; not to fast; not to use so much private prayer; not to read the Scripture ;-(Because you believe, these are not means of grace, i. e. do not ordinarily convey God's grace to unbelievers; and that it is impossible for a man to use them, without trusting in them :)-Not to do temporal good; nor to attempt doing spiritual good; because you believe no fruit of the Spirit is given by those who have it not themselves; and that those who have not faith, are utterly blind, and therefore unable to guide other souls.

Whereas I believe, the way to attain it is, to wait for Christ and be still, in using all the means of grace. Therefore, I believe it right, for him who knows he has not faith, (i. e. that conquering faith) to go to church, to communicate, to fast, to use as much private prayer as he can, and to read the Scripture;-(Because I believe these are means of grace, i. e. do ordinarily convey God's grace to unbelievers: and that it is possible, for a man to use them, without trusting in them :)-To do all the temporal good he can, and to endeavour after doing spiritual good: Because I know many fruits of the Spirit are given by those who have them not themselves. And that those who have not faith, or but in the lowest degree, may have more light from God, more wisdom for the guiding of other souls, than many that are strong in faith.

As to the manner of propagating the Faith, you believe, as I have also heard others affirm, that we may, on some accounts, use guile; by saying what we know will deceive the hearers, or lead them to think the thing which is not; by describing things a little beyond the truth, in order to their coming up to it; by speaking as if we

meant what we do not.

But I believe, that we may not use guile on any account whatsoever; that we may not, on any account, say what we know will, and design should, deceive the hearers; that we may not describe things one jot beyond the truth, whether they come up to it or not; and that we may not speak, on any pretence, as if we meant what indeed we do not.

Lastly, as to the fruits of your thus propagating the Faith in England, you believe, much good has been done by it; many unsettled from a false foundation; many brought into true stillness, in order to their coming to the true foundation; some grounded thereon, who were wrong before, but are right now. On the contrary, I believe that very little good, but much hurt has been done by it; many, who were beginning to build holiness and good works on the true foundation of faith in Jesus, being now wholly unsettled and lost in vain

reasonings and doubtful disputations; many others being brought into a false, unscriptural stillness; so that they are not likely to come to any true foundation; and many, being grounded on a faith which is without works, so that they, who were right before, are wrong now. Tuesday, January 1, I endeavoured to explain to our brethren, the true, christian, scriptural stillness, by largely unfolding those solemn words, Be still, and know that I am God.

Wednesday 2, I earnestly besought them all to stand in the old paths; and no longer to subvert one another's souls, by idle controversies and strife of words. They all seemed convinced. We then cried to God to heal all our backslidings. And he sent forth such à spirit of peace and love as we had not known for many months before. Thursday 3, I left London, and the next evening came to Oxford, where I spent the two following days in looking over the letters which I had received for the sixteen or eighteen years last past. How few traces of inward religion are here! I found but one among all my correspondents, who declared (what I well remember at that time I knew not how to understand), that "God had shed abroad his love in his heart, and given him the peace that passeth all understanding." But, who believed his report? Should I conceal a sad truth? Or declare it, for the profit of others? He was expelled out of his society as a madman, and being disowned by his friends, and despised and forsaken of all men, lived obscure and unknown for a few months, and then went to him whom his soul loved.

Monday 7, I left Oxford. In the evening I preached at Burford; the next evening at Malmsbury; and on Wednesday 9, I once more described the exceeding great and precious promises at Bristol.

Saturday 12, I explained the former part of Heb. vi. and many were renewed again to repentance.

Sunday 13, While the sacrament was administering at the house of a person that was sick in Kingswood, a woman who had been before much tempted of the devil, sunk down as one dead. One could not perceive, by any motion of her breast, that she breathed, and her pulse was very hardly discernible. A strange sort of dissimulation this! I would wish those who think it so, only to stop their own breath and pulse one hour; and I will then subscribe to their opinion. Monday 14, I began expounding the scriptures in order, at the New Room at six in the morning; by which mean many more attend the college prayers, which immediately follow, than ever before. In the afternoon I preached at Downend, four miles from Bristol, on, God hath given unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son: Tuesday 15, at Sison, five miles from Bristol, on, the blood which cleanseth us from all sin. After preaching, I visited a young man dangerously ill, who, a day or two after, cried out aloud, "Lord Jesus, thou knowest that I love thee! And I have thee, and will never let thee go," and died immediately.

Thursday 17, I preached at Kendalshire, six miles from Bristol, on, Whosoever is born of God, doth not commit sin.

Sunday 20, My heart was enlarged at Kingswood in declaring, Ye are saved through faith. And the woman who had been so

torn of the devil last week, was now made partaker of this salvation; being above measure filled with the love of God, and with all peace and joy in believing.

Monday 21, I preached at Hannam, four miles from Bristol. In the evening I made a collection in our congregation for the relief of the poor, without Lawford's-gate; who having no work, because of the severe frost, and no assistance from the parish wherein they lived, were reduced to the last extremity. I made another collection on Thursday, and a third on Sunday; by which we were enabled to feed a hundred, sometimes a hundred and fifty a day, of those whom we found to need it most.

Tuesday 22, I preached at Bridge-gate, six miles from Bristol: Thursday 24, at Westerleigh, eight miles from thence; in the evening, at the New-Room, I expounded Exod. xiv. And we found that God's arm is not shortened, and rejoiced before him with reverence. I was a little surprised, in going out of the room, at one who catched hold of me, and said abruptly, "I must speak with you, and will. I have sinned against light and against love. I have sinned beyond forgiveness. I have been cursing you in my heart, and blaspheming God ever since I came hither. I am damned. I know it. I feel it. I am in hell. I have hell in my heart." I desired two or three who had confidence in God to join in crying to him on her behalf. Immediately that horrible dread was taken away, and she began to see some dawnings of hope.

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Friday 25, Another was with me, who, after having tasted the heavenly gift, was fallen into the depth of despair. But it was not long before God heard the prayer, and restored to her the light of his

countenance.

One came to me in the evening to know, if a man could not be saved without the faith of assurance? I answered, "1. I cannot approve of your terms; because they are not scriptural. I find no such phrase as either, faith of assurance, or, faith of adherance, in the Bible. Besides, you speak as if there were two faiths in one Lord; whereas St. Paul tells us, there is but one faith in one Lord. 2. By, Ye are saved by faith, I understand, Ye are saved from your inward and outward sins. 3. I never yet knew one soul thus saved without, what you call, the faith of assurance; I mean, a sure confidence, that by the merits of Christ he was reconciled to the favour of God.

Saturday 26, I was strongly convinced, that if we asked of God, he would give light to all those that were in darkness. About noon we had a proof of it; one that was weary and heavy laden, upon . prayer made for her, soon finding rest to her soul. In the afternoon we had a second proof; another mourner being speedily comforted. M-y D-n was a third, who about five o'clock began again to rejoice in God her Saviour; as did M-y H-y about the same hour, after a long night of doubts and fears.

Thursday 31, I went to one in Kingswood who was dangerously ill, as was supposed, past recovery. But she was strong in the Lord, longing to be dissolved and to be with Christ. Some of her words were: "I was long striving to come to my Saviour, and I then