cause of God and truth; or it must exert itself in unjustifiable measures and practices. But if our ardor of mind be warranted by the word of God; if it do not tend to the dishonor of God; and if it be confined in its exercise to the rules and precepts of the word of God; how intense soever it may be, I can see no cause to censure it ; unless men can ; be too zealous for the glory of God, and the salvation of souls.

But whatever be the distinguishing criterion of enthusiasm, I suppose it will be difficult to fix a charge of it upon any thing, for which I plead in this Narrative. I never was taught any thing by impulses, impressions, visions, dreams, or revelations; except so far, as the work of the Spirit, in enlightening the understanding for the reception of those truths, contained in the Holy Scriptures, is sometimes styled revelation. Other revelation I never expected or experienced, nor ever taught others to expect. Not but that the Lord is sovereign, and may do what he will with his own; and, if he pleases, may, and I suppose sometimes does, go out of the ordinary

course for the conversion of a sinner, or the guidance of a perplexed, or the comfort of a distressed soul; but I never took one step in dependence on any such extraordinary interposition, nor encouraged any person to do so. And surely it will not be called enthusiasm, by any, but avowed infidels, to believe God's word to be the rule of truth, and his promises to be faithful, and in this belief to seek for the knowledge of the doctrines of the gospel, in the manner related. In this way I have been taught no new truths, but as I believe, have been shewn the meaning, use, tendency, consistency, harmony, wisdom, and glory of those truths, which are contained in the sacred volume, but which before, through pride and ignorance, 1 perverted, neglected, reviled, and counted foolishness. Nor do I make any pretences to infallibility. God hath not, I trust, left me so unstable, as to float about in the uncertain stream of opinion, and to be tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lay in wait to deceive. As to the grand doctrines of the gospel, which I have en

deavored to mark out, as necessary to salvation, they are neither so uncertain nor so difficult, as men would persuade us, their uncertainty and difficulty arise wholly from our pride, prejudice, love of sin, and inattentive ignorance of our hearts. There is really much difficulty in bringing vain man to cease from leaning to his own understanding, and in prevailing with him to trust in the Lord with all his heart, and to be willing, in the humble posture of a little child, to be taught of God. Nothing but a deep conviction of guilt, a fear of wrath, and a sense of our lost condition by nature and practice, can bring our minds unto this submissive frame; but this being effected, the difficulty is over, and the way of salvation is so plain, that the way-faring men, though fools, shall not err there

in.

As to the other doctrines, which I believe myself, though they seem plain enough to me, I desire not to proselyte others to them, but am willing to leave them as matters, in which fallible men may differ without danger. And as to my sufficiency for the faithful discharge of my ministry to God's glory, and the salvation of souls, he will not I trust, de

ceive my expectations, which are grounded on his promises; for the rest I mistake daily, and find myself in continual danger of mixing my own imaginations with his divine truths, and following my own spirit instead of his. Whatever I preach truly, or do wisely, to God be the glory, for I am not sufficient of myself to think a good thought; whatever I speak falsely or dofoolishly, to me be the shame, for it is the natural fruit of my own deceitful heart. If this be enthusiasm, it is an enthusiasm warranted, not only by the word of God, as I have endeavored to prove, but by the whole liturgy of our church. We all at ordination profess to be moved by the Holy Ghost, to take the ministerial office upon us, and assuredly we cannot be moved by the Holy Ghost, if we have not the Holy Ghost, nor may expect his help and guidance. We agree to pray, that the Lord would lead into the way of truth,all such, as have erred and are deceived; that he would illuminate all Bishops, Priests, and Deacons with true knowledge and understanding of his holy word; that he would cleanse our hearts by the inspiration of his Holy Spirit; that he would

grant us true repentance and his Holy Spirit; and much more to this effect; and I am persuaded, that such a confidence, as I have expressed, cannot be censured as enthusiasm, without directly including our church establishment,and continual public worship in the same charge.

VII. Lastly, I would observe, that our opposers, and despisers will seldom give us the hearing. With all their pretensions to candor, reasoning, and free inquiry, they accuse and condemn us without so much as knowing, with any tol. crable degree of accuracy, what our sentiments are; although they are furnished with such plentiful means of information, in those numerous publications, which are now extant upon these subjects.

Having imbibed strong prejudices against us, they frame so contemptible an opinion of our understandings and our writings, that they will not bestow so much pains, or afford us so much regard, as to peruse our books; and to call an author a Methodist, is, with many people a sufficient reason, why they should not read his works. Hence it comes to pass, that for want of information our doctrines