Written in 1744
*3 1.although it is with us a 'very small thing to be judged of you or of man's judgment' seeing we know god will 'make our innocency as clear as the light and our just dealing as the moo-day' ; yet are we ready to give any that are willing to hear a plain account, both to our principles and actions; as having 'renounced the hidden things of shame' and desiring nothing more, 'than by manifestation of the truth to commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God'.
2 we see (and who does not?) the numberless follies and miseries of our fellow-creatures. we see, on every side, either men of no religion at all, or men of a lifeless, formal religion. we are grieved at the sight and should greatly rejoice, if by any means we might convince some that there is a better religion to be attained, - a religion worthy of god that gave it. and this we conceive to be no other than love; the love of God and of all mankind; the loving God with all our heart and soul and strength, as having first loved Us, as the fountain of all the good we have received and of all we ever hope to enjoy and the loving every soul which God hath made, every man on earth, as our own soul.
3. this love we believe to be the medicine of life, the never failing remedy for all the evils of a disordered world, for all the miseries and vices of men. wherever this is, there are virtue and happiness going hand in hand. there is humbleness of mind, gentleness, long-suffering, the whole image of God and at the same time a peace that passeth all understanding and joy unspeakable and full of glory.
eternal sunshine of the spotless mind,
each prayer accepted and each wish resign'd,
desires composed, affections ever even,
tears that delight and sighs that waft to heaven.
4. this religion we long to see established in the world, a religion of love and joy and peace, having its seat in the
*4 inmost soul, but ever showing itself by its fruits, continually springing forth, not only in all innocence, (for love worketh no ill to his neighbour) but likewise in every kind of beneficence, spreading virtue and happiness all around it.
5. this religion have we been following after for many years, as many know, if they would testify, but all this time seeking wisdom, we found it not; we were spending our strength in vain, and being now under full conviction of this we declare it to all mankind; for we desire not that others should wander out of the way as we have done before them, but rather that they may profit by our loss, that they may go (though we did not, having then no man to guide us) the straight way to the religion of love, even by faith.
6. now, faith (supposing the Scripture to be of God) is...'the demonstative evidence of things unseen', the supernatural evidence of things invisible, not perceivable by eyes of flesh, or by any of our natural senses or faculties. faith is that divine evidence whereby the spiritual man discerneth God and the things of God. it is with regard to the spiritual world, what sense is with regard to the natural. it is the spiritual sensation of every soul that is born of God.
7. perhaps you have not considered it in this view. I will, then, explain it a little further.
faith, according to the scriptural account, is the eye of the new-born soul. hereby every true believer in God 'seeth Him who is invisible'. hereby (in a more particular manner since life and immortality have been brought to light by the gospel) he 'seeth the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ' and 'beholdeth what manner of love it is which the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we,', who are born of the Spirit, 'should be called the sons of God'.
it is the ear of the soul, whereby a sinner 'hears the voice of the Son of God and lives'; even that voice which alone wakes the dead, 'Son, thy sins are forgiven thee'.
it is (if I may be allowed the expression) the palate of the soul, for hereby a believer 'tastes the good word and the powers of the world to come' and 'hereby he both tastes and sees that God is gracious', yea, 'and merciful to him a sinner'.
it is the feeling of the soul, whereby a believer perceives through the 'power of the Highest overshadowing him', both the existence and the presence of Him in whom 'he lives,
*5 moves and has his being' and indeed the whole invisible world, the entire system of things eternal. and hereby, in particular, he feels, 'the love of God shed abroad in his heart'.
8. if you ask, 'why then have not all men this faith? all, at least, who conceive it to be so happy a thing? why do they not believe immediately?'
we answer, (on the Scripture hypothesis) 'It is the gift of God'. no man is able to work it in himself. it is a work of omnipotence, it requires no less power thus to quicken a dead soul, that to raise a body that lies in the grave. it is a new creation and none can create a soul anew, but he who at first created the heavens and the earth.
10. may not your own experience teach you this?
can you give yourself this faith?
is it now in your power to see or hear or taste or feel God?
have you already or can you raise in yourself, any perception of God, or of an invisible world?
you will not charge it in poor old Hesiod to Christian prejudiced of education, whe he says, in those well-known words,
'Millions of spiritual creatures walk the earth
unseen, whether we wake or if we sleep'.
now, is there any power in your soul whereby you discern either these or him that created them?
or, can all your wisdom and strength open an intercourse between yourself and the world of spirits?
is it in your power to burst the veil that is on your heart and let in the light of eternity?
*6 you know it is not. you not only do not, but cannot, by your own strength, thus believe.
the more you labour so to do, the more you will be convinced 'it is the gift of God'.
11. it is the free gift of God, which He bestows,
not on those who are worthy of His favour,
not on such as are previously holy and so fit to be crowned with all the blessings of his goodness,
but on the ungodly and unholy;
on those who till that hour were fit only for everlasting destruction;
those in whom was no good thing and whose only plea was, 'God be merciful to me, a sinner!
no merit, no goodness in man precedes the forgiving love of God.
His pardoning mercy supposes nothing in us but a sense of mere sin and misery,
and to all who see and feel and own their wants and their utter inability to remove them,
God freely gives faith, for the sake of Him in whom He is always 'well pleased'.
12. this a a short, rude sketch of the doctrine we teach.
these are our fundamental principles
and we spend our lives in confirming others herein and in a behaviour suitable to them.
now, if you are a reasonable man, although you do not believe the Christian system to be of God, lay your hand upon your breast and calmly consider what it is that you can here condemn?
what evil have We done to You, that you should join the common cry against us?
why should You day, 'away with such fellows from the earth; it is not fit that they should live?
13. it is true, your judgment does not fall in with ours. we believe the Scripture to be of God. this you do not believe. and how do you defend yourselves against them who urge you with the guilt of unbelief? do you not say, 'Every man Must judge according to the light he has', and that 'if he be true to this, he ought not to be condemned? keep then to this and turn the tables. Must no We also judge according to the light we have? you can in nowise condemn us without involving yourselves in the same condemnation. according to the light We have, we cannot but believe the Scripture is of God and while we believe this, we dare not turn aside from it, to the right hand or to the left.
14. let us consider this point a little farther.
you yourself believe there is a God.
you have the witness of this in your own breast. perhaps sometimes you tremble before Him.
you believe there is such a thing as right and wrong;
that there is a difference between moral good and evil.
*7 of consequence you must allow, there is such a thing as conscience:
I mean that every person, capable of reflection, is conscious to himself, when he looks back on anything he has done, whether it be good or evil.
you must likewise allow, that every man is to be guided by his own conscience, not another's.
thus far, doubtless, you may go, without any danger of being a volunteer in faith.
15. now then, be consistent with yourself.
if there be a God, who, being just and good, attributes inseparable from the very idea of God)
is 'a regarder of them that diligently seek Him,
ought we not to do whatever we believe will be acceptable to so good a Master?
Observe: if we believe, if we are fully persuaded of this in our mind,
ought we not thus to seek Him and that with all diligence?
Else, how should we expect any reward at His hands?
16. again: ought we not to do what we believe is morally good
and to abstain from what we judge is evil?
by good I mean, conducive to the good of mankind,
tending to advance peace and good-will among men,
promotive of the happiness of our fellow-creatures
and by evil, what is contrary thereto.
then surely you cannot condemn our endeavouring, after our power, to make mankind happy;
(I now speak only with regard to the present world)
our striving , as we can, to lessen their sorrows and to teach them, in whatsoever state they are, therewith to be content.
17..yet again: are we to be guided by our own conscience, or by that of other men?
you surely will not say that any man's conscience can preclude mine.
you, at least, will not plead for robbing us of what you so strongly claim for yourselves:
I mean, the right of private judgment, which is indeed unalienable form rational creatures.
you well know, that, unless we faithfully follow the dictates of our own mind,
we cannot have a conscience void of offence toward God and toward man.
18. upon your own principles, therefore, you must allow us to be, at least, innocent.
do you find any difficulty in this?
you speak much of prepossession and prejudice; beware you are not entangled therein yourselves!
are you not prejudiced against us, because we believe and strenuously defend that system
of doctrines you oppose?
are you not enemies to us, because you take it for granted we are so to you?
*8 Nay, God forbid!
I once saw one, who, from a plentiful fortune, was reduced to the owest extremity. he was lying on a sick bed, in violent pain, without even convenient food or one friend to comfort him: so that when his merciful landlord, to complete all, sent one to take his bed from under him, I was not surpriesed at his attempt to put and end to so miserable a life. now, when I saw that poor man weltering in his blood, could I be angry at him?
surely, no. no more can I at you.
I can no more hate than I can envy you.
I can only lift up my heart to God for you, (as I did then for him)
and with silent tears, beseech the Father of Mercies,
that He would look on you in your blood and say unto you, 'Live'.
19. 'Sir, said that unhappy man, at my first interview with him,
'I scorn to deceive you or any man.
you must not tell me of your Bible for I do not believe one word of it.
I know there is a God and believe He is all in all, the Anima mundi (foot- the soul of the world.)
...but farther than this I believe not:
All is dark; my thought is lost.
but I hear', added he, you preach to a great number of people evey night and morning.
pray, what would you do with them?
whither would you lead them?
what religion do you preach?
what is it good for?
I replied, 'I do preach to as many as desire to hear, every night and morning.
You ask, what I would do with them.
I would make them virtuous and happy,
easy in themselves and
useful to others.
Whither would I lead them?
To heaven; to God the Judge, the lover of all and to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant.
what religion do I preach?
the religion of love; the law of kindness brought to light by the gospel.
what is this good for?
to make all who receive it enjoy God and themselves:
to make them like God; lovers of all; contented in their lives and
crying out at their death, in calm assurance,
'O grave, where is thy victory!
Thanks be unto God, who giveth me the victory through my Lord Jesus Christ.
20. will you object to such a religion as this, that it is not reasonable?
is it not reasonable then to love God?
hath He not given you life and breath and all things?
does He not continued His love to you, filling your heart with food and gladness?
*9 what have you which you have not received of Him?
and does not love demand a return of love?
whether, therefore, you do love God or no, you cannot but own it is reasonable so to do;
nay, seeing He is the Parent of all good, to love Him with all your heart.
21. Is it not reasonable also to love our neighbour, every man whom God hath made?
are we not brethren, the children of one Father?
ought we not, then, to love one another?
and should we only love them that love us? is that acting like our Father which is in heaven?
He causeth His sun to shine on the evil and on the good and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust
and can there be a more equitable rule than this: Thou shalt love they neighbour as theyself?
you will plead for the reasonableness of this, as also for that golden rule,(the only adequate measure of brotherly lovee, in all our words and actions)
'whatever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do unto them?'
22. is it not reasonable, then, that, as we have opportunity, we should do good unto all men;
not only friends, but enemies;
not only to the deserving, but likewise to the evil and unthankful?
is it not right that all our life should be one continued labour of love?
if a day passes without doing good, may one not well say, with Titus, ( My friends, I have lost a day.)
and is it enough
to feed the hungry,
to clothe the naked,
to visit those who are sick or in prison?
should we have no pity for those
'Who sign beneath guilt's horrid stain,
the worst confinement and the heaviest chain?
should we shut up our compassion toward those who are of all men most miserable,
because they are miserable, because they are miserable by their own fault?
if we have found a medicine to heal even that sickness,
should we not,
as we have freely received it,
freely give?
should we not pluck them as brands out of the fire?
the fire of lust, anger, malice, revenge?
Your inmost soul answers, 'It should be done; it is reasonable in the highest degree'.
well this is the sum of our preaching and of our lives, our enemies themselves being the judges.
if therefore you allow, that it is reasonable to love God, to love mankind and to do good to all men,
you cannot but allow that religion which we preach and live to be agreeable to the highest reason.
*10 23. perhaps, all this you can bear. it is tolerable enough; and if we spoke only of being saved by love, you should have no great objection,
but you do not comprehend what we say of being saved by faith.
I know you do not.
you do not in any degree comprehend what we mean by that expression:
have patience then and I will tell you yet again.
by those words, 'We are saved by faith', we mean...
the moment a man receives that faith which is above described,
he is saved from doubt and fear and sorrow of heart,
by the peace that passes all understanding;
from the heaviness of a wounded spirit,
by joy unspeakable
and from his sins, of whatsoever kind they were,
from his vicious desires, as well as words and actions,
by the love of God and of all mankind, then shed abroad in his heart.
24. we grant, nothing is more unreasonable, than to imagine that such mighty effects as these can be wrought by that poor, empty, insignificant thing, which the world calls faith and you among them.
but supposing there be such a faith on the earth as that which the Apostle speaks of, such an intercourse between God and the soul,
what is too hard for such a faith?
You yourselves may conceive that 'all things are possible to him that' thus 'walks with God',
that is now a citizen of heaven,
an inhabitant of eternity.
if therefore you will contend with us, you must change the ground of your attack.
you must flatly deny there is any faith upon earth,
but perhaps this you might think too large a step.
you cannot do this without a secret condemnation in your own breast.
O that you would at length cry to God for that heavenly gift!
whereby alone this truly reasonable religion,
this beneficent love of God and man,
can be planted in your heart.
25. if you say, 'But those that profess this faith are the most unreasonable of all men;
I ask,
who are those that profess this faith?
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