32. I cannot conclude this head without one obvious remark. Suppose we really were _enthusiasts_; suppose our doctrines were false and unsupported either by reason, scripture, or authority: Then why hath not some one, _who is a wise man, and endued with knowledge among you_, attempted at least, to shew us our fault _in love and meekness of wisdom_? Brethren, _if ye have bitter zeal in your hearts_, your _wisdom descendeth not from above. The wisdom that is from above, is pure, peaceable, gentle, easy to be intreated, full of mercy or pity._ Does this spirit appear in one single tract of all those which have been published against us? Is there one writer that has reproved us in love? Bring it to a single point. _Love hopeth all things._ If you had loved us in any degree, you would have hoped, that God would some time give us the knowledge of his truth. But where shall we find even this slender instance of love? Has not every one who has wrote at all (I do not remember so much as one exception) treated us as _incorrigible_? Brethren, how is this? Why do ye labour to teach us an evil lesson against yourselves? O may God never suffer others to deal with you, as ye have dealt with us! VI. 1. Before I enter upon the consideration of those objections, which have been made to the manner of our preaching, I believe it may be satisfactory to some readers, if I relate how I began to preach in this manner. I was ordained deacon in 1725, and priest in the year following. But it was many years after this, before I was convinced of the great truths above recited. During all that time I was utterly ignorant of the nature and condition of _justification_. Sometimes I confounded it with sanctification (particularly when I was in _Georgia_.) At other times I had some confused notion about the forgiveness of sins: but then I took it for granted, the time of this must be, either the hour of death, or the day of judgment. I was equally ignorant of the nature of _saving faith_; apprehending it to mean no more, than a “firm assent to all the propositions contained in the old and new Testament.” 2. As soon as, by the great blessing of God, I had a clearer view of these things, I began to declare them to others also. _I believed, and therefore I spake._ Wherever I was now desired to preach, salvation by faith was my only theme. My constant subjects were, _Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. Him hath |God| exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance and remission of sins._ These I explained and inforced with all my might, both in every church where I was asked to preach, and occasionally in the religious societies of _London_ and _Westminster_; to some or other of which I was continually pressed to go, by the stewards or other members of them.