Saturday, August 1, I had a long conversation with Mr. Ingham. We both agreed, 1, That none shall finally be saved, who have not, as they had an opportunity, done all good works; and, 2, That if a justified person does not do good, as he has opportunity, he will lose the grace he has received, and if he repent not and do the former works, will perish eternally. But with regard to the unjustified, (if I understand him) we wholly disagreed. He believed, it is not the will of God, that they should wait for faith in doing good. I believe this is the will of God, and that they will never find him, unless they seek Him in his way. Sunday 2, I went, after having been long importuned by Dr. Deleznot, to the chapel, in Great Hermitage-street, Wapping. Mr. Meriton, (a clergyman from the Isle of Man) read prayers. I then preached on those words in the former lesson, Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself? Because he hath humbled himself, I will not bring this evil in his days: and took occasion thence to exhort all unbelievers to use the grace God had already given them, and in keeping his law, according to the power they now had, to wait for the faith of the Gospel. Friday 7, The body of our sister Muncy being brought to Short's-Gardens, I preached on those words, Write! From henceforth, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord. Even so, saith the Spirit; for they rest from their labours; and their works do follow them. From thence we went with it to the grave, in St. Giles's church-yard, where I performed the last office, in the presence of such an innumerable multitude of people as I never saw ga thered together before. O what a sight it will be when God saith to the grave, "Give back!" And all the dead, small and great, shall stand before him! Wednesday 12, I visited one whom God is purifying in the fire, in answer to the prayers of his wife, whom he was just going to beat (which he frequently did) when God smote him in a moment, so that his hand dropped, and he fell down upon the ground, having no more strength than a new-born child. He has been confined to his bed ever since; but rejoices in hope of the glory of God. Friday 14, Calling on a person near Grosvenor-square, I found there was but too much reason here for crying out of the increase of popery, many converts to it being continually made, by the gentleman who preaches in SwallowStreet, three days in every week. Now, why do not the champions, who are continually crying out, "Popery, Popery," in Moorfields, come hither, that they may not always be fighting, as one that beateth the air? Plainly, because they have no mind to fight at all; but to shew their valour without an opponent. And they well know, they may defy popery at the Foundery, without any danger of contradiction. Wednesday 19, The scripture which came in turn to be expounded, was the 9th chapter to the Romans. I was then constrained to speak an hour longer than usual, and am persuaded most, if not all who were present, saw that this chapter has no more to do with personal, irrespective predestination, than the 9th of Genesis. Thursday 20, A clergyman having sent me word, that if I would preach in the evening on the text he named, he would come to hear me, I preached on that text, Matt. xxiv. 26. And strongly enforced the caution of our Lord, to beware of false prophets, i. e. all preachers, who do not speak as the oracles of God. Tuesday 25, I explained at Chelsea, the nature and necessity of the new birth. One who, I afterwards heard, was a dissenting teacher, asked me when I had done, Quid est tibi nomen? And on my not answering, turned in triumph to his companions, and said, “Ay, I told you, he did not understand Latin!" Wednesday 26, I was informed of a remarkable conversation, at which one of our sisters was present a day or two before: wherein a gentleman was assuring his friends, "that he himself was in Charles'-Square, when a person told Mr. Wesley to his face, that he (Mr. Wesley) had paid twenty This pounds already, on being convicted for selling Geneva, and that he now kept two popish priests in his house." gave occasion to another to mention what he had himself heard, at an eminent dissenting teacher's, viz. "That it was beyond dispute, Mr. Wesley had large remittances from Spain, in order to make a party among the poor: and that as soon as the Spaniards landed, he was to join them with twenty thousand men." Monday 31, I began my course of preaching on the Common Prayer. Tuesday, September 1, I read over Mr. Whitefield's account of God's dealings with his soul.Great part of this I know to be true. O let not mercy and truth forsake thee! . Bind them about thy neck! Write them upon the table of thy heart! Thursday 3, James Hutton having sent me word, that Count Zinzendorf would meet me at three in the afternoon, I went at that time to Gray's Inn Walks. The most material part of our conversation, (which I dare not conceal) was as follows: Z. Cur religionem tuam mutâsti? W. Nescio me religionem meam mutâsse. Cur id sentis? Quis hoc tibi retulit? Z. Planè tu. Id ex epistolâ tuâ ad nos video. Ibi, religione, quam apud nos professus es, relictâ, novam profiteris.. W. Qui sic? Non intelligo. Z. Imò, istic dicis, verè Christianos non esse miseros peccatores. Falsissimum. Optimi hominum ad mortem usque miserabilissimi sunt peccatores. Siqui aliud dicunt, vel penitùs impostores sunt, vel diabolicè seducti. Nostros fratres meliora docentes impugnâsti. Et pacem volentibus, eam denegâsti. W. Nondum intelligo quid velis. Z. Ego, cum ex Georgiâ ad me scripsisti, te dilexi plurimum. Tum corde simplicem te agnovi. Iterum scripsisti. Agnovi corde simplicem, sed turbatis ideis. Ad nos venisti. Ideæ tuæ tum magis turbatæ erant & confusæ. In Angliam redîisti. Aliquandiu post, audivi frastres nostros tecum pugnare. Spangenbergium misi ad pacem inter vos conciliandam. Scripsit mihi, Fratres tibi injuriam intulisse. Rescripsi, ne pergerent, sed & veniam à te peterent. Spangenberg scripsit iterum, eos petiisse: sed te gloriari de iis, pacem nolle. Jam adveniens, idem audio. W. Res in eo cardine minimè vertitur. Fratres tui (verum hoc) me malè tractarunt. Posteà veniam petierunt. Respondi, id supervacaneum; me nunquam iis succensuisse: sed vereri, 1. Ne falsa docerent, 2. Ne pravè vive rent. Ista unica est, & fuit, inter nos quæstio. Z. Apertiùs loquaris. W. Veritus sum, ne falsa docerent, 1. De fine fidei nostræ (in hac vita) scil. Christiana perfectione, 2. De mediis gratiæ, sic ab ecclesia nostra dictis. Z. Nullam inhærentem perfectionem in hac vita agnosco. Est hic error errorum. Eum per totum orbem igne & gladio persequor, conculco, ad internecionem do. Christus est sola perfectio nostra. Qui perfectionem inhærentem sequitur, Christum denegat. W. Ego verò credo, Spiritum Christi operari perfectionem in verè Christianis. Z. Nullimodo. Omnis nostra perfectio est in Christo. Omnis Christiana perfectio est, fides in sanguine Christi. Est tota Christiana perfectio, imputata, non inhærens. Perfecti sumus in Christo, in nobismet nunquam perfecti. W. Pugnamus, opinor, de verbis. Nonne omnis verè credens sanctus est ? Z. Maximè. Sed sanctus in Christo, non in se. Z. Imò, sanctè in omnibus vivit. W. Nonne, & cor sanctum habet? Z. Certissimè. W. Nonne, ex consequenti, sanctus est in se? Z. Non, non. In Christo tantùm. Non sanctus in se. Nullam omnino habet sanctitatem in se. W. Nonne habet in corde suo amorem Dei & proximi, quin & totam imaginem Dei? Z. Habet. Sed hæc sunt sanctitas legalis, non evange lica. Sanctitas evangelica est fides. W. Omnino lis est de verbis. Concedis, credentis cor totum esse sanctum & vitam totam: eum amare deum toto corde, eique servire totis viribus. Nihil ultrà peto. Nil aliud volo per perfectio vel sactitas Christiani. Z. Sed hæc non est sanctitas ejus. Non magis sanctus est, si magis amat, neque minùs sanctus, si minùs amat. W. Quid? Nonne credens, dum crescit in amore, crescit pariter in sanctitate? Z. Nequaquam. Eo momento quo justificatur, sanctificatur penitùs. Exin, neque magis sanctus est, neque minùs sanctus, ad mortem usque. W. Nonne igitur pater in Christo sanctior est infante recèns nato? Z. Non. Sanctificatio totalis ac Justificatio in eodem sunt instanti; & neutra recipit magis aut minùs. W. Nonne verò credens crescit indies amore Dei? Num perfectus est amore simulac justificatur? Z. Est. Non unquam crescit in amore Dei. Totalitèr amat eo momento, sicut totalitèr sanctificatur. W. Quid itaque vult apostolus Paulus, per renovamur de die in diem ?. Z. Dicam. Plumbum si in aurum mutetur, est aurum primo die & secundo & tertio. Et sic renovatur de die in diem. Sed nunquam est magis aurum, quàm primo die. W. Putavi, crescendum esse in gratia! Z. Certè. Sed non in sanctitate. Simulac justificatur quis, Pater, Filius & Spiritus sanctus habitant in ipsius corde. Et cor ejus eo momento æquè purum est ac unquam erit. Infans in Christo tam purus corde est quàm pater in Christo. Nulla est discrepantia. W. Nonne justificati erant apostoli ante Christi mortem ? W. Nonne vero sanctiores erant post diem Pentecostés, quàm ante Christi mortem ? |