Letter 221

“Concise History of England,” Clarendon’s “History of the Great Rebellion,” Neal’s “History of the Puritans,” his “History of New England,” and Solis’s “History of the Conquest of Mexico.”

14. Whitby’s “Compendium of Metaphysics” will introduce you to that science. You may go on with Locke’s “Essay on Human Understanding;” Bishop Browne on the “Nature, Procedure, and Limits of Human Understanding;” and Malebranche’s “Search after Truth.”

15. For Poetry, you may read Spencer’s “Fairy Queen;” Fairfax’s or Hoole’s “Godfrey of Bulloign;” select parts of Shakespeare; “Paradise Lost;” the “Night Thoughts;” and “Moral and Sacred Poems.”

16. You are glad to begin and end with Divinity. But I must not expatiate here. I will only recommend to your careful perusal, Bishop Pearson upon the Creed, Mr. Nalson’s “Sermons,” and the “Christian Library.” This course of study, if you have the resolution to go through it, will, I apprehend, take you up three, four, or five years, according to the degree of your health and of your application. And you will then have knowledge enough for any reasonable Christian. But remember, before all, in all, and above all, your great point is, to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent.

I am, dear Miss L——,

Your affectionate brother.

—————

CCXXI. — To the Reverend. Mr. G——.

REVEREND SIR, April 2, 1761.

I HAVE no desire to dispute; least of all with one whom I believe to fear God and work righteousness. And I have no time to spare. Yet I think it my duty to write a few lines, with regard to those you sent to Mr. Bennet. You therein say, “If you sent me the books to inform me of an error which I had publicly advanced, pardon me if I say, I know numbers who call themselves Methodists assert their assurance of salvation at the very time they wallow in sins of the deepest dye.” Permit me, Sir, to speak freely. I do not doubt the fact. But,

1. Those who are connected with me do not call themselves Methodists. Others call them by that nickname, and they cannot help it; but I continually warn them not to pin it upon themselves.

2. We rarely use that ambiguous expression of “Christ’s righteousness imputed to us.”

3. We believe a man may be a real Christian without being “assured of his salvation.”

4. We know no man can be assured of salvation while he lives in any sin whatever.

5. The wretches who talk in that manner are neither Methodists nor Moravians, but followers of William Cudworth, James Relly, and their associates, who abhor us as much as they do the Pope; and ten times more than they do the devil. If you oppose these, so do I; and have done privately and publicly for these twenty years.

But you say, “Such as do not profess this doctrine will not be affected by my sermon.” Indeed they will; for the world (as you yourself did) lump all that are called Methodists together. Consequently, whatever you then said of Methodists in general, falls on us as well as them; and so we are condemned for those very principles which we totally detest and abhor: A small part of the “Preservative” (had you taken the pains to read it) would have convinced you of this. “Did you send them to convince me of some important truth? I have the New Testament.” So have I; and I have read it for above these fifty years; and for near forty, with some attention. Yet I will not say, that Mr. G —— may not convince me of some truth, which I never yet learned from it. I want every help; especially from those who strive both to preach and to live the Gospel. Yet certainly I must dissent from you, or you from me, wherever either conceives the other to vary from it. Some of my writings you “have read.” But allow me to ask, Did not you read them with much prejudice, or little attention? Otherwise surely you would not have termed them “perplexing.” Very few lay