T+ EXTRA C T OF THE Rev. Mr. JOHN WESLEY'S ミャ JOURNAL From FEBRUARY 1, 1737-8. To his Return from GERMANY. The SECOND EDITION. For this Caufe I obtained Mercy, that in me firft JESUS BRISTOL: Printed by Felix Farley. M. DCC. XLIII. I. ************************ THE PREFACE. "T HAT Men revile me and fay all Manner of Evil against me, that I am become as it were a Monfter unto many, that the Zealous of almost every Denomination cry out, Away with fuch a Fellow from the Earth: This gives me, with regard to myself, no Degree of Uneafinefs. For I know the Scripture must be fulfill'd. If they have call'd the Mafter of the Houfe Beelzebub, how much more them of his Houfhold? But it does give me a Concern, with regard to thofe, who by this Artifice of the Devil, are prevented from hearing that Word, which is able to fave their Souls. 2. For the fake of these, and indeed of all who defire to hear the Truth of thofe Things which have been fo varioufly related, I have been induc'd to publish this farther Account: And I doubt not but it will even hence appear, to all candid and impartial Judges, That I have hitherto liv'd in all good Confcience toward God. 3. I fhall be eafily excus'd by those who either love or feek the LORD JESUS in Sincerity, for fpeaking fo largely of the Moravian Church, a City which ought to be fet upon an Hill. Their Light bath been too long hid under a Bufhel: It is high Time it fhou'd at length break forth, and fo fhine before Men, that others alfo may glorify their Father which is in Heaven. 4. If any fhou'd ask, "But do you think even this "Church is perfect, without Spot or Wrinkle or any "fuch Thing?" I answer plainly, "No; tho' I trust it "will be, when Patience has had its perfect Work." But neither do I think it right, to entertain the World with the Spots of God's Children. 5. It has been farther asked, "Whether I imagine "GOD is to be found, only among Them? "Ireply, 66 By ઃઃ vains from this Afperfion. And the more, because I am Perhaps the only Perfon now in England, that both can and will do it. And I believe it is the peculiar Providence of GOD that I can: That two Years fince the most eminent Members of that Church, fhou'd fo fully declare both their Experience and Judgment, touching the very Points now in Question. 10. The Sum of what has been afferted, as from Them, is this, 1. "That a Man can't have any Degree of Juftifying "Faith, till he is wholly freed from all Doubt and Fear, "and till he has (in the full, proper Senfe) a New, a "Clean Heart." 2. "That a Man may not use the Ordinances of GOD, "the LORD'S SUPPER in particular, before he has fuch a Faith as excludes all Doubt and Fear, and implies a New, 66 a Clean Heart." In flat Oppofition to this I affert, I. 1. "That a Man may have a Degree of Juftifying "Faith, before he is wholly freed from all Doubt and Fear, "and before he has, in the full, proper Senfe, a New, a "Clean Heart." 2. That a Man may use the Ordinances of GOD, the LORD'S SUPPER in particular, before he has fuch a "Faith as excludes all Doubt and Fear, and implies a a Clean Heart.” "New, 1 Ifarther affert, "This I learned (not only from the English, but also) from the Moravian Church." And I hereby openly and earnestly call upon that Church (and upon Count Zinzendorf in particular, who I turft is not afham'd or afraid to avow any Part of the Gospel of CHRIST) to correct me and explain themselves, if I have mifunderflood or misreprefented them. London, Sept. 29. 1740. JOHN WESLEY. JOURNAL |