Wednesday 18, My brother set out for Bristol. At six I preached in Marybone-fields (much against my will, but I believe it was the will of God), Repentance and remission of sins. All were quiet, and the far greater part of the hearers seemed deeply attentive. Thence I went to our own Society of Fetter-lane; before whom Mr. Ingham, being to leave London on the morrow, bore a noble testimony for the ordinances of God, and the reality of weak faith. But the short answer was, "You are blind, and speak of the things you know not."

Thursday 19, We discovered another snare of the devil. The woman of Deptford had spoke plain to Mr. Humphreys, ordering him not to preach, to leave off doing good, and in a word, to be still. We talked largely with her, and she was humbled in the dust, under a deep sense of the advantage Satan had gained over her.

In the evening, Mr. Acourt complained that Mr. Nowers had hindered his going into our Society. Mr. Nowers answered, "It was by Mr. C. Wesley's order." "What," said Mr. A-, "do you refuse admitting a person into your Society, only because he differs from you in opinion? I answered, "No. But what opinion do you mean?" He said, "That of election: I hold, a certain number is elected from eternity; and these must and shall be saved; and the rest of mankind, must and shall be damned; and many of your Society hold the same." I replied, "I never asked whether they hold it or not. Only let them not trouble others by disputing about it." He said, "Nay, but I will dispute about it." "What, wherever you come?" "Yes, wherever I come.” "Why then would you come among us, who you know are of another mind?" "Because you are all wrong, and I am resolved to set you all right. "I fear your coming with this view, would neither profit you nor us." He concluded,-" Then I will go and tell all the world, that you and your brother are false prophets. And I tell you in one fortnight you will all be in confusion.”

Friday 20, I mentioned this to our Society, and without entering into the controversy, besought all of them who

were weak in the Faith, not to receive one another to doubtful disputations; but simply to follow after holiness, and the things that make for peace.

Sunday 22, Finding there was no time to delay, without utterly destroying the cause of God, I began to execute what I had long designed, to strike at the root of the grand delusion. Accordingly, from those words of Jeremiah, Stand ye in the way, ask for the old paths: I took occasion to give a plain account, both of the work which God had begun among us, and of the manner wherein the enemy had sown his tares among the good seed, to this effect:

"After we had wandered many years in the new path of Salvation by faith and works; about two years ago it pleased God to show us the old way, of salvation by faith only. And many soon tasted of this salvation; being justified freely, having peace with God, rejoicing in hope of the glory of God, and having his love shed abroad in their hearts. These now ran the way of his commandments; they performed all their duty to God and man; they walked in all the ordinances of the Lord; and through these means which he had appointed for that end, received daily grace to help in time of need, and went on from faith to faith.

"But eight or nine months ago, certain men arose, speaking contrary to the doctrines we had received. They affirmed, 'That we were all in a wrong way still! that we had no faith at all; that faith admits of no degrees, and consequently weak faith is no faith; that none is justified till he has a clean heart, and is incapable of any doubt or fear.'

"They affirmed also, That there is no commandment in the New Testament, but to believe; that no other duty lies upon us; and that, when a man does believe, he is not bound or obliged to do any thing which is commanded there in particular, that he is not subject to ordinances; that is, as they explained it, is not bound or obliged to pray, to communicate, to read or hear the Scriptures; but may or may not use any of these things, being in no bondage, according as he finds his heart free to it.'

"They farther affirmed, 'That a believer cannot use any of these as a means of grace; that indeed there is no such thing as any mean of grace, this expression having no foundation in Scripture; and that an unbeliever, or one who has not a clean heart, ought not to use them at all; ought not to pray, or search the Scriptures, or communicate, but to be still, i. e. leave off these works of the law. And then he will surely receive faith, which, till he is still, he cannot have.'

All these assertions I propose to consider. The first was, That weak faith is no faith.

By weak faith, I understand, 1. That which is mixed with fear, particularly, of not enduring to the end. 2. That which is mixed with doubt, whether we have not deceived ourselves, and whether our sins be indeed forgiven? 3. That which has not yet purified the heart, at least not from all its idols. And thus weak I find the faith of almost all believers to be, within a short time after they have first peace with God.

Yet that weak faith is faith, appears, 1. From St. Paul, Him that is weak in the faith, receive. 2. From St. John, speaking of believers who were little children, as well as of young men and fathers. 3. From our Lord's own words, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith: 0 thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt.I have prayed for thee (Peter) that thy faith fail thee not. Therefore, he then had faith, yet so weak was that faith, that not only doubt and fear, but gross sin in the same night prevailed over him.

Nevertheless he was clean, by the word Christ had spoken to him, i. e. justified, though it is plain he had not a clean heart.

Therefore, there are degrees in faith; and weak faith, may yet be true faith.

Monday 23, I considered the second assertion, That there is but one commandment in the New Testament, viz. To believe; that no other duty lies upon us; and that a believer is not obliged to do any thing as commanded.

How gross, palpable a contradiction is this, to the whole tenor of the New Testament! every part of which is full of commandments, from St. Matthew to the Revelation! But it is enough to observe, 1, That this bold affirmation is shamelessly contrary to our Lord's own words, Whosoever shall break one of the least of these commandments, shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven; for nothing can be more evident, than that he here speaks of more than one, of several commandments, which every soul, believer or not, is obliged to keep as commanded. 2. That this whole scheme is overturned from top to bottom, by that other sentence of our Lord, When ye have done all that is commanded you, say, We-have done no more than it was our duty to do. 3. That although to do what God commands is a believer's privilege, that does not affect the question. He does it nevertheless as his bounden duty, and as a command of God. 4. That this is the surest evidence of his believing, according to our Lord's own words, If ye love me, (which cannot be unless ye believe) keep my commandments. 5. That to desire to do what God commands, but not as a command, is to affect, not freedom, but independency. Such independency as St. Paul had not; for though the Son had made him free, yet was he not without law to God, but under the law to Christ: Such as the holy angels have not; for they fulfil his commandments, and hearken to the voice of his words: Yea, such as Christ himself had not; for as the Father had given him commandment, so he spake.

Tuesday 24, The substance of my exposition in the morning, on, Why yet are ye subject to ordinances? was,

From hence it has been inferred, That Christians are not subject to the ordinances of Christ; that believers need not and unbelievers may not use them; that those are not obliged, and these are not permitted so to do; that those do not sin when they abstain from them; but these do sin when they do not abstain.

But with how little reason this has been inferred, will sufficiently appear to all who consider,

1. That the ordinances here spoken of by St. Paul are evidently Jewish ordinances; such as, Touch not, taste not, handle not; and those mentioned a few verses before, concerning meats, and drinks, and new moons, and Sabbaths. 2. That consequently this has no reference to the ordinances of Christ; such as prayer, communicating, and searching the Scriptures. 3. That Christ himself spake, that men ought always to pray; and commands, not to forsake the assembling ourselves together; to search the Scriptures; and to eat bread and drink wine, in remembrance of him. 4. That the commands of Christ oblige all who are called by his name, whether (in strictness) believers or unbelievers; Seeing whosoever breaketh the least of these commandments, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven. In the evening I preached on, Cast not away your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.

Ye who have known and felt your sins forgiven, cast not away your confidence, 1.. Though your joy should die away, your love wax cold, and your peace itself be roughly assaulted: Though, 2. You should find doubt or fear, or strong and uninterrupted temptation: Yea, though, 3. You should find a body of sin still in you, and thrusting sore at you that you might fall.'

The first case may be only a fulfilling of your Lord's words, Yet a little while and ye shall not see me. But I will come unto you again, and your hearts shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.

Your being in strong temptation, yea, though it should rise so high, as to throw you into an agony, or to make you fear that God had forgotten you, is no more a proof that you are not a believer, than our Lord's agony, and his crying, My God! my God! why hast thou forsaken mc? was a proof that he was not the Son of God.

Your finding sin remaining in you still, is no proof that you are not a believer. Sin does remain in one that is justified, though it has not dominion over him. For he has not a clean heart at first, neither are all things as yet become new. But fear not, though you have an evil heart,