m Canadian Inatituta for Hiatorlcal Microraproduction« / Inatltut Canadian da microraproductlona hittoriquaa h '»■ m [ [ [ [ c ''.4 ^— *, ,-'■31 " im if"!,, -wii.'ffl '■■"'" 1 ■ • - .%': - -- - - ■ . - ^. - ^^™ "J • ^]& ' a - .■ ■ » w S 1 . ^ '-'% "■^-1 * '■ '■ ,''>■■ . ■ ' ■ '■■ : * 1 - 1 : ■ i ■ : ■sv V ,: • J qu«s a Coloured pUtai and/of illuttrationt/ PI«whM tl/ou illuitrattont an cowlauf Bound with ottMr material/ Rali4 avac d'awl«a« doeuntanti D Ti^l bindlnf may catna thadowt Of ditloftion alon9 intarior marfin/ La raliura M«r4a p«ut cauMr da rombra ou da la dittortion la long da la marfa IntAriaura Blank laavat addad during rattoratlon may appaar within tha taut. Whanavar powiMa. thaw ha«a baan omittad from filming/ II la p4ut qua cartainat pagat blanchai aiOMtiat Ion d'una rattauration apparaitiant dan« la taxta, mai<. loriqua cala Itait poMiMa. cat paga« n'ont pat M film4at. \ D Quality o< print variat/ Quality inAgala da I'lmpratwon Continuout pagination/ Pagination conlirHM Includai indaM(at)/ Comprand un ^-^^) ^•#.-, ^ -I' . » •4'f^ voorerence in I770: with an Extract from the larnr Minute* t nHnr • View of Tinoa. Begulations respecting the P^Shera, fccViT,^ CHAPTER IV. 4SI Stoting the principal Circumatanoes of Mr. Wesley'a Lift and Labors H <- CHAPTER V. tHJutafs of the lA .Years of Mr. Wesley'. Ufo , with u AeoonntV Sereral Ri 181 t. Til -.7" r^L;*"*.**""'" "» •»"»• wB»iB¥s uie I bu Death, in Much, 1791. His last WHl, Ac., CHAPllER VI. gcr.I. ARefiewpfMr. Wesley's Character, .. .. ' m^ SS* m 43*"* Y^^T^r**'- ^»«y'« Writing, :.::••' JS a«. m. 8Mwg^ Opinion Mr W.,«Iey himaf h«i;of h; rahtiV ^ ^ gtua goB of his Socieues to other i^Hiy inmi nn^i,^^ ^ SrriS Si.*'"'r'^8?J™J ;?^ li» NotWof theChamJ - --r~ ;J^,»••»• -iuguuui ; ana nis notion rflbthod 1' *''' Ob-^'^tw- on the general IVwKb^ ./; \rin /M D M .^ '«'^, ^/•• . 411 »«•« ••a«^B^#BBa«,« -WW n pti 471 IBl •*> Mif . ■ • ■w i% m ■d MC rtl ■ r- «l -' -'--~i^~-:- » ■ ^ ■••■>■..■ .; - : •;■?*;'■. ■? ■..>'^-. " ley. his great grandfather, was educated in one of our unirenitiea, and aftemarda held the living of Allington in Doraetshire. When the at a mere engine of the state, but aomethii^ real, in com- Eariaon of which those who feel its. influence count ul other things utdung and dross. While in the universiQr, Mr. Wesley had ■applied himself to the study of physic as well as divinity; a [Mrao- tf c e w h i c h h a d been frequent, and not th e n fall e n wholly into dis - lue. He was often consulted as a physician while he held his living, and after his ejectment applied hmiself chiefly to the prao- tioe of physict thouffh he still preached oceaaionalnr. It is said that he used a peculiar plainness of sroech, which hindered him ftt>m becoming a popular preacher. He lived several years after he was dlenced; but the death of his son. John Wesfoy, of whom I shall next speak, afiected him so much, that he afterwards de- dined apace, and did not long survive him.* .. ' — -^> ■ ^ . I . . I ' . " ' ' , ' . .• ii- Asoe ^lonconfofmiiit'a Maniorial, vol. i. p. 44S. ;'t<3( ■^:i Wf M .king. .,1^ .gSSm we^'rJiaggat SXh'^'SE whatever fi, bi*|. cnemie. mighCEIHKt him-lifir ***'' it; that be hid a miilon from r«i *^ T^^^ *•» ^e had S[!?»aiKV AscohiaaST^&^^rillll^.^'^ Englandri^rhraWliti^JT^oS^^^^^^ '^^ ^'^-'^h o^ tion his lordship wSiKniSint. fn J? *"* S"**™' '^ 2"^ examina- fri«eU«cuftomit h.w been p«ii;;S^*''^23;.'f'"^^*^ conceSJf * •t»ft men grai Hre I BUn( You will tolfl for I baa ifith B. 1 •0 y( God deal It ther wen Whi fiOjDOl fon. X i tints, hit without church, that the re were [r. Gli*. hearer^ ot think that he ithfiilljr . Wes- dip g to s, that, he had aoi sat- : irch of 3^ amlna* ofhk I. He rniagil ^ tttlutm eit fndebttuM. B. It is false. W. The seciod command- ment Bp^aks the same : Thou shalt not make uniD thyself any W^^^^ image. B. That is forms of your own invention. W. iHshop Andrews taking notice^of n, ne put this ques- o«li ra^oirej by ZveramJnt and ,h» j^^"' "" *"™ *» ■1 ^--^:. /^ ■>i fot manj y kind ut 'no had a ielcomb, Thitfc. there he Preston ether he tnd J but :e his lot Lttending al arffu- . After i at Pool > day of nitjr of- ithdraw reached liis com- lues- from ►wn the why he BuUurly. M ilS( ** he bad. The vicar of Preston would not suffer him to be buned " in the church, "t '^ There are several things in this account of Mr. Wesley which 1 deserve the reader's notice. 1. He appears to have made himself | master of the controverted points in which he differed from those I of the established church, and to have taken up his opinions from I a conviction of their truth. 3. He showed an mgenuous mind, free i firom low cunning, in an open avowal of his sentiments to the } biishop.^ 8. He appears to nave been remarkably conscientious / ip all his conduct, and a zealous promoter of genuine piety bodi in j himself and others. 4. He discovered great nrmhess of mind and an unshaken attachment to his principles in the midst of the most unchristian persecution, and a tttan of accumulated evils which he suffered on that account. These are prominent features in his oiaracter, and which we cannot but admirei however we may dif- fer frdm him in opinion: they show a mind elevated far above the common level, even of those who have bad the advantages ot an ieademical education. * I cmiiecture tbat he di«d about the year 1670. t See tbe NoBeoofonnist's Menumal, vol i. p. 478 to 4M. 'iis. &C1, *•,'*■ J; ■■r>- n r. He lost his father wlien four years ^W; but his nio«« m«»i.-. violent than anv hn h« A T^J!!^- j *** ™®' w"** » «om» more place hS biTfurn^^oKrS:?^'^^^^^ The minister of thb ^<^^ntiousne9B,BsBrmmB^Ir^Z.A''^u'''^ encouragement of of the peoJTeVorSic^tenr-^^^^^^^ of the people fwdaicnidriSrinS^'^^^^ attending the meeting day. The nPonL ^ T^' drinkmg; and merriment on the LorcPr anS g r ea t ?y^?ua alar.t'^^^^^ exce e dingly fond o fhSif •I ! H>«'! If ?■ ■% '-Hi would be a sin, and he chpse to quit a fuU maintenance rather than injure his conscience. He was acknowledged by "all parties to be an Israelite indeed, and yet he suffered much for Nonconfor- mity; but such was the spirit of party, that an angel from heaven would have been persecuted and abused, if he had been a Dissen- ter. In his sufferings God often appeared remarkably for him; one person died while signing a warrant to apprehend him. He afterwards suffered, because he thought it his duty to bear witness for the old truth against Antinomianism. His integrity made him a stranger to all tricks or little artifices to seiwe his temporal inter- est; and^his charitable and unsuspecting temper, sometimes gave those who practised them, an opportunity to impose upon him. ^ In ministerial labors he was abundant. Before he was silenced, he often preached three times a day; during the troubles almost etery day ; afterwards twice every Lord's day. Sis sermons were not raw and uninteresting, but instructive and affecting; and his manner of deliveiy very peculiarly expressed his heartiness in the thiMs he spoke. . /J. Mis care and labor extended to every place *ttere he might be useful. In some measure the care of all the churches was upon film. When any place wanted a minister, he used his endeavors to procure one for them; wh e n any minister was oppressed by poverty, he soon employed himself for his reUef. "01 how many places," says^Dr. Williams, "had sat in darkness, how many ministers had been starved, if Dr. Annesley had died thirty years since !»» He was the chief, often the sole instrument in the y$ JOHN WUITEHEAD, M.U ooMrutrm tn oww volumm. TORONTO : WILLIAM BRIG OB, 78 A 80 KiHO St., East. ■t.i 'i #*^ .(*«. r'^' L-^, m -ri fire. For many years he scarcely ever drank anythinir'but ^ter SuId'^^'LS",^^ I««t sickness, height continued s^sKC ho could read the smallest pnnt without spectacles. His oietv Hili assisted at the first pubhc ordmation they had, after the act of uni- dS^ '^''?" *^'; ^""^T^ '^^ "* «^«" Were oSS iiX Dissenting phice of worship in Litde St. HeUen»8, in 1694?» 1. ''T* t<^ . CHAPTER III. Of Smnuel Wesley Senior, Mh. Jqlin Wesley, of whom I have spoken above, left two notiii «*.^ ^"""""^^""t's Memorial. Tol.ii.n. oarf p^ «i .- — . . -> v^~ > fe V2i,, walked to Oxford, iinci entered Himself of Exeter CoUege. He had now only two nbundtl sixteen shillings; and no prospect of fU- ture supplies, but from his own exertions. By industry, I tuppose by assistrng tb6 vounger students, and instructing any who chose , toempioy him, he supported himself till he took his Bachelor's de- ^^ree; wi&out any preferment as assistance ttom hb friends, ex- L45ept pve shillinigs. This circumstance does him great honor, and < shgws^him to have been a young man of wondeillal diligence and resomtloA. Many feel his difficulties, but few are capable of his vigorous and continued exertions to overcome them in so honora- ble a way, and with such success. He now came to London, havmg mcreased his little ptock to ten pounds fifteen shillinjM He was ordained deacon, and obtained a curacy, which he held one year, when he was appointed chaplain on board the' fleet. 1 bis situauon he held one year only, and then returned to London and served a cure for tw o years. During this time he married^ DOTing the IhtHwtomte, he held the living of Waltham Abbey, and the leetura 2L*l'*i^*l"' V^^ ^"*'-.. A""" *• restoration he tecdftt^im prabendTud w«s inade chaplain eztraordinaty to his B^jesty. It is said that h« hwl a inost onoommon memory. H«r wrote the Church History of Britain in IbUo- A tH w g a h - sight of Pal es tin e , and sct ett il oth er w o r k s . He died in |g«i. and 'hia fnnewJ was attended by 200 of his brethren of the ministry. ""»«« "» iliie'lire'w? tiT*^ "* *"°* verses on the death of tliis gentleman by hia "TNofes of Samuel Wesley to Ids elegy on hi? father. FW this, and some J»er onginal papers, of great use m this work, 1 anr obliged to a private friend. 'V ^>v.^'/ M ■ fvV -..r^ I . M., „v^, i ^uu JUS u la in>' only duo wiu. h lim lw«'n written whirh can riKliUuWy r*>, an autlMniUo record of the chief events connected with tho first half centurf of the oxisd^ncn of this institution IS brought fimh in an acocteible form, ahall it not b« re- garded as an aflkir deserving something better than a mere passing notice? Conaidering the partial atatements and falae colorings in reference to important matters, which prejudiced and aelfish biogr*. phera and historians have embodied in nearly all tho books extint purporting to be the lives of Wesley, and the histories of Methodism, this truthful sketch of Whitehead shines out from among the mose of error, like a sparkling diamond from the unseemly rubbish of its native bed. . *•• The life of Woaley and tho early hiatory of Methodism are so inti- mately associated as to be almost one and the same thing. The 6tmt .k^( . ■- .-tr , \ *S|6*^ J' .H IllftO ^ %•■ ^vrmasB J i^u power uii cariii wui iiin- • We scorn to worship idols, tho* of Rold.' Resistless truth damp'd all the audience round, The base informer Sicken'd at the sound ; Attentive courtiers conscious stood anittz'd, And soldiers silent trembled as they gaz'd. No smallest murmur of distaste arose, Abtfsh'd#nd vanquish'd seem'd the church's foes: , So when like zeal their bosoms did inspire, The Jewish martyrs walk'd unhurt in fire." ^ In this noble instance of integrity and firmness of mintl, Mr Wesley has given us an "unequivocal proof that a person of higv rhuroh principles may -be a true friend to the Protestunt cause, and the liberty of the subject. It is evident that he as much disliked the arbitrary proc^dings of King James, fis the religion which he endeavored to intrtnluce. When the glorious Revolution took pISce in 1688, Mr. Wesley most cordially approved of it, and was the first who wrote in defence of it. This work he dedicated to Queen Mary,t who in consequence of it, gave him the living of li^pwoFth in Lincolnshire, about the year 1693; and in 1728 heiyas .1 ._ .u- i:..:.-_ -<• Wroote in the same county, in addi tion pr e s e nted to the living of to Epworth. ♦ In the poem^ entitled the Parish Priest, intended as a description of Us Esther's character. t MSS. papers. *' *•« e,iA,^si.jiii^tijitX^iiifst^,i #-«««* him fur thu aompubla porfortiuuKW of U^ Ufk which Mr. WMley, la eonAdflnoa, intrtMtsd to him. With thfl hop« that th« nffbrt* whirh ! hiyro mado ti> ynpahliah thi#^ fSlasblo work, and which havo been atUuided with groat eipAnaa, wiU bt doly •ppreoiaUBd, and thai lh« work iUMlf*inay ba the mcaiui of Airther extending the publto aaquaintan<:» with Ihf vovNoiaa, ooo* Tama and iarlt usaou o{ a dearly oheriaked religioua ioatitotion, I rsmain the Pablio'a humble and obddieat ttrvaot in the bonda of lh« Ooapel, A •a« gospel, according to his ability; diligent in visiting the sick^ and administe'ring such advice as their situations required; and atten- tive to the conduct of all who were under his care, so that every one in his parish became an object of his attention and concern. Noi strangers could gettle in his parish but he presently knew it, and made himself acquainted with them. We have a proof of this from a letter he wrote to the Bishop of Lincoln, afler being absent from home a very short time. " After my return to Epworth, says he, and looking a little among my people, I fouiM there were - two strangers come hither, both of whom I have discovered to ba papists, though they come to church; and I have hopes of making^ one or bpth of them good members of the church of England." But this conscientious regard to parochial duties, did not divert him from literary pursuits. A man who spends all his time in the most useful manner he can, may diversify his employments, and accomplish by diligence what appears to others impracticable. His favorite study seems to have been the original Scriptures, in which he was indefatigable; a practice which can never be too much'commended in a minister of the gospel, when joined with a proper attention to practical duties. , \ The following extracts from two of his letters to his son, the late Mr. John' Wesley, will give some idea of his diligence in this * Mr. C. Wesley's papers. ■# mk c. -> -1 rimr. M^o, Un ihf tuke of pemcm amonfr th« pr«it>i«, f.w ih« httotit o( tmllm fvii«nil, u» ilraial fnMn ihia arlnirary •n«l illili«nif rMmuitKjn W jo« •lUl utmtH ttpiNi •«, mmt mak« • hr««<-h on ihia ■rrottnl, I rail th« hvtnf (kid U> WHiiMa b«Mn mm ami ymi thia day. that I am claar , ib« miachMf thai may follaw. will Im at roar d.iof , nr. Whiuhaad in wrtllnf iha Ufa of Mr VVnaUf. Ih« followinN w«ra tho l«a«a •oikltMl lo wriia lha lif*. l.y iha aiwutora, ifmu-hAra, and oth«r«. har«a aiiniad hv tha anwulora. and a (lia puhlio. a. That tha (httm prraona to whom Mr. Waalaj had hMiuaathad hin manuacripta, of whoitt I)r. Whil«hea«ratalv affraad that tha doctor ahould havo ih« uaa of th«m lo aaaiat liiui in eiecutinff tha work, and I jV"' ''*''" **"'''""^' unconditionally to him for that end, ha had a right to tha diaerational ua« of «h«im, notwithatandinf that iwoof thoaa paraooa aAar- wardaeluuifad thair mind on that aubjact. 4. Whan aoma of tha pfwvhart eppoaad Dr. Whilahaad in tha parformanca of hia rnffaMmanta to tha pahlk^ tha alapa Ihay took to injnra hia reputation, appeared to thia commitiaa unjuati- flahia, and If tolerated would take away all aacurily for tha rharaciar of aTen jnamliar of the Mathodiat aociaty t the memr>era of tha comroittaa, therafora, tnoaalUit thair duly to oppoae auch proceadiuKa, and to aupport an injurad maa Who bota a publio and raapectahle charucter, from the f ioleot and lugiut Ittacka * iM Armlnlan Magaalna Ibr January, I7V8, paffi ML r. WmIojt, la mpuhliah thW' eipoiUM, will hfl nMaiM of VMPua, ooo> la iaatitation, I bonda of iIm ion la 1. I ^f '«,* '■^'H> f( 1 find in your letter an account of a learned friend you have, who has a great veneration for the Septuaffitit, and thinks that in Bome instances it corrects the present Heroew. I do not wonder that he is of that miifdj as it is liltely he hap read Vossius and other learned men, who magnify this translation so as to depreciate the oriffinul. When I first began to study the Scriptures in earnest and had read it over several times, I was inclined to the same opin ion. What then increased my respect for it was, 1. That 1 thought I found many texts in the Scriptures more happily ex- plaineil than in our own or other versions. 2. That many words and phrases in the New Testament, can hardly be so well under- stood without having recourse to this translation. 8. That both our bayiour and his apostles so frequently quote it. -These con- V stderations held me in a Jblind admiration of the Septuagint: ahd thouffh I did not esteem them absolutely infallible, yet I Hardly ^ dared to trust my own eyes, or think they were frequently mistaken. But upon re^dUng this translatioi^ over very often, and comparing J verbatim with the Hebrew, I was forced by plain «^idence of fact to be of another mind. That which led me to it was, some v;v m i st ak e s (I think not l e ss than a thousand) in p laces indifferent, either occasioned by «he ambiguous sense of some Hebrew words, orbythejnistake of some letters, as daleth for reah, and vice versa} which every one knows are very much alike in the old He- brew character. But what fully determined my judgment wa% r.i ' fcf ,. Utt ^TT wirn t niTyi;^tm nim, ih.i u not gi»" n » ,£l »olum; ' 'fc" " •"'"""« ""'•"•' wp^'ln} lh«. all hi. priT.t« wD^rt -^rl «-! . Vl"^ ■'"«"' " *" "id-ne. ITikZ '^ -t'*-'i:ts^^w^; ^i» •* vuTo^^^^av* bv%a together, and involved in the same censure. But it is well known that the earlier ^itions of this poem were all surreptitious, in which the blank^were filled up by thetmere caprice. or envy of the editors, without %ny regard to the intention of the author. Thus, in a surreptitious edition printed in Ireland, the blank in the 104th verse of the first book was filled up with Dryden instead of Den- nis, which, no doubt, was fSr enough from the intention of Mr. Pope. With the same propriety and good judgment, in the sur- reptitious editions, the names Wesley and Watts were inserted thus, W ^ly, W— — «, in the 126th line of the same book, but they never appeared in any edition published by Mr. Pope. The lines originally stood thus: "A Gothic Vatican ! of Greece and Rome, Well purg>d, and worthy Withers, Quarles, and Blome." In a London edition of the Dunciad, printed in 1729, there is the followinj^ note on the last of these lines, « It was printed in the surreptitious editions W ly, W hs,. who were persons emi- nent for good life: the one writ the life of Christ m verse, the other some valuable pieces of the lyric kind on pious subjects. The line is here restored according to its original." Of Mr. Wesley's larger poetical performances, his son- Samuel passes the following candid but impartial judgment, in the elegy above mentioned. ■<--^i* \t-i,&>ijc a fiii-r'-^^ r» tknm |«twf, 'tn «hi4 K tf* M«il. mkI !,« inf ih#m. rMUMtMM f cmn n*ft < prnpiMHKMI out t'onlroi. wo |i«r« tha p a p — OIIAPTIR W, Of Hi feeifcw, IkfliMl Wasiar, jmkr, • • • • a • M OUAPTII Tl. •OM 40oot7irr of mi lifi or hii ■■omii, hi. ckailii WMLtT. ItaT. I. Of ya Mrth aad ErtaraikM. tit] hia f>n«tii«iUi la irsi, . . . ; « ^at. n. Of hia Vnya^a ui (iaorfia, hia Niiuaikia thaw, ami Halwa It Unfllaml in ir.l« . . . ' , ft ter.DL Of M/ I har i.a w..Uy , f ro«ntJia Id ti/ [!> wbw, if i>. m tk» ' __ _, Kn«i or JMt»«, ir3H . , , -* Wmn. IT. Coaiaininc mitnm AcnnttU ti Mr. OMtIm W«Hy^| NlMe Minulry, until h« haramaaa lunarant, ..*•», «s- • A .V. Coauiiyiiff ' aooM AaeooM U lito Lito«ifii'«i ^ ftaarhar, ,, ,^ »_• • IW lay I with aa Aoouuot uf hia Uaath m 1778, ..... Iff # BpOK THE SECOND. OHAPTEB I. (kvinff aoma Account of Mr. John iVaatay, from hia Firth to the Taw *'»• , ' *'j •II MJ^ •II ii. v/ii mat conauion, i will gladly exempt you from tflie fate of your brouier uoets. EupolU. 1 am far from pretending to be a staadard. But I- will «jf/ the best I can. THE HYMN. / Author of Beinff, sourca of light, * With unfading beautiett bright, Fulness, goodness, rolling round Thy own fair orb without a bound: . . ^ Whether thee thy suppliants call TVuth or good, or one or all, Ei, or Joa ; thee we hail Essence that can never fail, ' Grecian or Barbaric name, Thy steadfast being still the same. ■ .Thee when morning greets the skies Withrosy cheeks and humid eyes; « ' Thee when sweet declining day vv Sinks in purple waves away \ y ^ ♦ Ewponfl was an Athenian. He is mentioned several times by Horace, and OTce by Persius; and was m l^igh estimation at Athens for his Iwetical compo- mwx oy reraius: ana was m i^ign estimation at Athens for his Iwetic sitions, though he severely lashed the vices of the age he liv^ in. Hb was tolled m an engagement at sea between the Athenians and Lacedemonians, and lus death was s« much lamented at Athens, that they made a law, that no poet jiwttkl go to battle. He lived about four hundred years before Christ. '&^l -*■ .1* >;b'i!fas «5.l .Us^IlU «*» . ik '•••••• 1 d. ^ Am Nlatl ll«1km of Mil y ^ ■ ■ '.-t' nd >o- as Dd >"< ' , ■-">'■ ..:'\^\yZ^ ■.I,--.:'. Aim ere lu boii repose iney go Teach them to their lords below t On the green turf their mocay nest, The ev'ninff anthem swells their breast. Thus like thy ^Iden chain from high Thy praise unites the earth and sky. Source of light, thou bid'st the sun On his burning axles run ; The stars like dust around him fly And strew the area of the sky. He drives so swift his race aboTe Mortals can't perceive him move, So smooth his course, oblioue or straight, Olympus shakes not with his weight. As the queen of solemn nieht Fills at ois vase her orbs oT light, Imparted lustre ;/ thus we see The solar virtueyshines by thee. . / * ' £ire«l4tetmi fhtm kk Uvtof , ami «ttrul(Ml mi iha ImI ttf imnm wtlh llhiMi tUtMil#HMM o< mh— , mho eli««« nitlMr lo MfRir tkm Um of fttt llltafi #WI t to h iK tH|a •Bl^mr*. If «rt> j«ulf« AtMn fll« firruffMilaiM*«i l^i ct>«iri«Ml«, IImi I^ mm of imlfurmity firtcttuii««l 'Wiill A pM^ ^ lliat ll ivti IbumlMl in tmtmn^, aiid ba^l ctttt^Uy mtui nmtrmuArm^fttr kta nli^aet. ^ ll wa« h4iwe*«ir, lk« mciaiM iiiulrr C*ti«l, (M rmiauig up • rkiiMl tif wiu in — s a, wImi tawtiAml lo iIm wttrM Iw ||«lf MllSiriofa, tJiai roll* gi«Hi la iMtc a m«r« r>ti|ftii« of ili«i irf«i«i, rmt MHtt^ihiiur r««l, in i^inv- Chmm f>f whirh ttioMt who f««l ti» inliutttirw r«ivii| Ml (HlHMr tlun|pi I duttff Olid (iroM, Wbilo In tJMi wnkwmtkijft Mp« Wmkf Im4 •jpplifMl himavlf lo tk« stiiity of physkt a* wrtt •« itlfiniry; • pfO0> tir* which hod Imwii rrr«|iiriit, mmI tuK th«n fallen wholly inUi «11»* !!• woo oHoa riMMuliod Ml a phyakilon wMlo ho hokl hli Ihrinf. ood oAor his oiertnMtnl apptlafl hiffUMlf rhirflv to thm |Mro4V tion of phjrale, ihoutfh h«i atlll pr««rhr«l orraaionolly. ll b aold Ihol ho ttood poeuHar plolimooo of aiMNM'h, whkh httiderod hUs from boeominf a popular prv iiftiMd opMti mrf dk Ml IsM nrriv* Ite.* *too tifmtumknaift'a Maatodal, vol. 1. p. i4t. '!£' ' ^M tii^M ■a '^ ,■■ •• I ou, wnoM roou dflKend u Tow, A* hiffh ID air your bnmchM growi Y«r leafy arm. to hear*!! ez|«od. Betod your heads, in homage bend i Oedara and pinet that ware abore. And the oak belorM of Jore, Omen, monster, prodigy, Ur aothmg ere, or Jore from the* I Whether raned nature play. Or re.in»ers'd thy will obey And to rebel nuui declare fwnine, plague, or wasteful war. Laugh ye orofane, who dare despise WK5i"!'!i'* •""» wngMuwe of th^ ski Whilst the pious on his guitrd. Undismay'di.sUllprepSr'd: Life or death his mind *a at rest, Smce what thou seod'st must needs U bnl. No eril oan from thee proceed I Jm only suffer'd, not diicreed. mrkness is not firom flie sun. N o r mount th e shadeV Ull he ii gontt Theii does night obscure arise £™? Erebus, and fill the skiea. Fantastic fonns the air iorade, Mogfaten of nothing and of shad* •\ -, ', i*. Mh ftii « « J Jik.fl.i.r. ... in. kl«ir| .«.!. h« r.gh. I., ^k\Zi^,:tT^^ fckfc. ^ ■. Sj J^ M^-yt wiril j to.,,, tun, * r.mfi.ii,m iif kk ••■•«i •€i«iMi aslas !• J^^^^^^^j^JII^ ^Xn^ ^^^^*^— *— — — — ii£^ rises higher in our view of genuine piety, and a firm attachment to justice, mercy and truth, in various trying situations of life. Hia integrity was conspicuous, and his conduct uniform. As he had chosen God and his service for liis own portion, he chose the same for his children also. When two of bis sons were pursuing a courseofpiety at Oxford, which thrbw their future prospects of preferment into a cloud not likely to be dissipated, he encouraged them in it, choosing rather that he and his children should suffer affliction with the people of God, than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. Few men have been to diligent in the pastoral office as he was: none perhaps more so. Though his iUcoihe may be called BmaU, and his family large, he had alwky^ something to give to those in distress. In conversation he waa grave, yet in<^ aoructive, lively, and full of anecdote; and this talent the late Mr.' Wesley possessed in a high degree. His last momenta were aa conspicuous for resignation and christian fortitude, as his life had been for zeal and dUi^nce. His two sons, Mr. John and Charles Wesley, wore both with him when he died, and Mr. Charles has -[iven the following interesting account of his death, in a letter to .*♦•• -fiia brother Samuel, dated April SO, 17S5. Deur Brother, After all your desire of seeing my fkther alive, you are at last assured yoi^must see his face no more till he b raised in inuor- rapuoc You have reason to envy ^B who could attend him ih th« :. Y n.-.i^,...ji^tjti^-. '4 *'*^ '^*y '* |'i»««» ymr Uw^akim, «r» Wiictv lll«t tmiu* tttm m $himi m *« tmitkmm. U. It to fWjU. W. Tb» wtHipa ««Mfmi«ii.t. tpM Mil lit IMM t TlMMi ali^ mm mmlm mm ilMrwtr «nv S'^^twi tf«i«ir« R Th«l ta f.tftm «r f0*$r nwpn imniW. W. m kvf Amknww tmkinm nutk* uf »#n /«#«#• M^ aaitijpM ma, iJiai in^HlP Ml Wtnhkp ifttd hm% m i «im(fi«n*l«Mt. H. Y(l| |i^« tikmi- mnm, <mn crrvnumimm |Mftft«i *tf W««f»|ii|i. |l. W«ltt thmn, j*m mm jM*llr*in. II. Ih^y krv ihiI mmmgh m. 'I'hir* hM^mm iwofw writlwii in imtnfafthm ftrvmchuiK uf uirtngl |i«rMitMi, |rtl#plth »pyritlmit>m, ihnii haa liwwn arMWAr**! Inr anV ttw fmU Wk I mm glma I hr.*ri| iliiia IVtitii jr«mr own umuth, Y«m wvill aiat^ •f y« pm your prltteifil#«, j,«»tt myf W. I inutttd 11, (hrtm||h ihw«rar« ..f wl » tuWl to im faithiut ft) th«« KtriR'a Maj«*aif , hi nmUUn with you. W, ^aivwaU l« U^mr B. r«f«>w«ilU |aail Mr. W»*imf/* ft ia til »»#. ho|N«.l that ih« Mahoti wa« aa f«MMl as hU word. Rut ^hfn» w«ni MMiK* iMrmifM of ititlufftiew In hM nrt|rhlMirh«MMi who am too muTih hb aneniikia lu |Mily ai Whii«*hurrh, till th1 AirOMTOM. t v»5 diat to do it in his own prirate MOM, would be but jutfglinf with Gdd, with the lung, and with conscience. But after all this and a good deal more a^^inst taking the oath, he thankflilly mentions the goodness of God in so overruling Ithe law-makers, that they did not send the ministers farther from their friends and flocks: and that they had so much time to prepare for their removal, ana had liberty to pass on the road to any place. After he had lain hid for some time he ventured home again, and returned to his labor amon^ his people and among others occasionally. But notwith- standing all his prudence in managinir his meeting, he was often disturbed: several times apprehended, and four times imprisoned; once at rool for half a year, and once at Dorchester for three months: the other conlSnements were shorter. He was in many straits and difficulties, but wonderfully supported and comforted, and many times very seasonably and surprisingly delivered. The removal of many eminent Christians into another world, who were his intimate acquaintance and kind firiends; the great decay of se- rious religion among many that made a profession, and the in- creasing rage of the enemies of real godliness, manifestly sunk his spirits. "And having filled up his part of what is behmd of the "apictions of Christ in his flesh, for his body's sake, which is*the "church, and finished the worik given him to do, he was taken* ;^M*out of this vale of tears to that world where the wicked cease '■ ^ mity; but such was the spirit of party, that an angel from heaven would have been persecuted and abused, if he had been a Dissen- ter. In his sufferinffs God often appeared remarkably for him; one person died white signing a warrant to apprehend him. He afterwards suffered, biecause he. thought it his duty to bear witness for the old truth against Antinomianism. His integrity made him a stranger to all tricks or little artifices to serive his temporal inter- est; and^his charitable and unsuspecting temper, sometimes gave those who practised them, an opportunity to impose upon him. _ In ministerial labors he was abundant. Before he was silenced, he often preached three times a day; during the troubles almost etery day; afterwards twice every Lord's day. Uia sermbns were not raw and uninteresting, but instructive and affecting: and his manner of delivery very peculiarly expressed his heartiness in the thinffs he spoke. \ ,' ,; His care and labor extended to every place %Uere he might be S?® wu ****"® measure the care of all the churches was upon Jim. When any place wanted a minister, he used his endeavors to procure one for them; when any minister was oppressed by poverty, he soon employed himself for his reUef. "0! how S!S ?£-?'" says^Dr. ViUiams, "had sat in d arkness, how many ministers had been starved, if Dr. Annesley had died thir^ years since ! » He was the chief, often the sole instrument in the h'l'^'i- . ^^' -V- -#•-' 4? ?*!^'^:^" ■■*;-,* ''i*'^^^^'^^^^'l!TW^'t' '■iw*^-}- t ' tan MMt, tAMoib wMurr ramoB. m.. ,, . , ...... tfdaeatlon as welt as the sutwistence of Mvenl minlstera. * Tbt ■iok, the widows, the orphans, whom he reliered were innumera. K** A'^f: "?»"•■*«'» *>»» usefulnesf was extensive^ and God keot him faithful m his work to the last, for which he thus thanked God on his death-bed: « Blessed be God, I can say, I have been faithful in the ministry above fifty-five years.** Many called him father, as the instrument of their conversion; and.many called him a comforter. He had iminterrupted peace, and assurance of God»s love and • favor, for above thirty vears of the hitter part of his life. Thia assurance had not one cloud in all his last sickness. A little before his departure, his desire of death appeared strong, and his soul was filled with the foretaste of glory. He often sSd, " Gome my dearwt Jesus, the nearer the more precious, the more welcome." Another ume his joy was so great, that in ecstacy he cried out. " I cannot contam it: what manner of love is this to a poor worm? 1 cannot express the thousandth part of what praise is due to Thee! We know not what we do when we oflTer at praising God for his rrr; .l/' ^'i*'" n^*^* ^ can give thee, but, Ltd help me togive S^t-Tfh! •k.1'^'" ?\P.':r'"«f .thee, and- rejoice that othem can sat sfiedi Oh! my dearest Jesus, I come! » Thus died this ex- client man, December 81, 1696, in th^ 77th year of his ageVimd left us an example how to live and how to die. » »»«> ««»a •fSllLrl?^!®^ ^'^ naturally a strong, robust constitution, which enabled him o undergo great labor and fatigue. He was seldom «ck, and could endure t& coldest weather without hat, gloves, w fire. For many years he scarcely ever drank anythinir but iSter Su^iSLi^J" '•«»««»»«»* »>« light continued loT^nl^Xi SJnil ™S ^« •«»»"««* pnnt without spectacles. His pTety, diS- assisted at the first public ordmation they had, after the act of uni- ,for^ty when Dr Calamy and six others were oiSdn^ iiX Dissentmg place of worship in LitUe St. Hellenes, in iS?* '-) ' t. . CHAPTER III. Of Samuel WetUy Seniwy HrJSlli^^^^^^^'y? »*>*>««» I have spoken above, left two sons ♦ ON NonconfoniiMt's Memorial, vol ii n oarf i?«. .i.- - ZZT " t Nonconformisfg Memniialy '»'' • ~ — •- — 1608. AVrwenTthr^ vr« ' K!!i''i.P- *^°- ^ ' ' T'*""" P"«er was bom in '.m Uie following lines in his s«in*8 elegy upon him: , li.?'^"** °P*"*"* '**''**■ «"'y <*'*'» l^g"". '■" '" The boy misleads not. but foreshows the man. Directed wnmg, tho' first he miss'd the way, Train'd to mistake, and disciplin'd to stray: ^ Not long—for reason ailded error's night. And doubts well founded shot a gleam orljght.'* t He s|^nt some time at a private academy before he went to t&e umversily; ^ut where, it is Hot eaid. About the age of sixteen he walked to Oxford, imd entered himself of Exeter College. He' had now only two nbundci sixteen shillings; and no prospect of fVi- ture supplies, but from his own exertions. By industry, I suppose by assistinff th6 vounger students, and instructing any who chose to employ him, he supported himself till he took his Bachelor's de- p^l«e; widiout any preferment as assistance from hto friends, ex- , hcept flve shillings. This circumstance does him great honor, and ■'shi^ws^him to have been a young man of wondert\il diligence and fesoiution. Many feel his difficulties, but few are capable of his vigorous and continued exertions to overcome them in so honora- ble a way, and with such success. He now came to London, havmg mcreased his little stock to ten pounds fifteen shillings He was ordained deacon, and obtained a curacy, which he held one year, when he was appointed chaplain on board the' fleet. 1 his situation he held one year only, and then returned to London tnd served a cure for two years. During thia time he married! %»^t^jJ*«»g«»o»*I«. he held the living of Waltham Abbey, and the leetura was inade chaplam eztraordmary to his Majesty. It is said that be had a moat ttSrSrK.°)riS7- .H*^ V« '^. Cpch^Histoiy of Bt&^bTMi^A Pisgah-sight of Palestme, and sevetal other worki. He died in 1661. aad hia funeral was attended by 200 of his brethren of tho ministry. toot'lM.'i'^rig hr*^ "* ""^ verses on the death of this gentl ^from by hia vTNofes of Samuel Wesley to his elegy on hi9 father. For this, and some •MW onginal papers, of great use m this work, 1 am obUged to a private friend. , '1 t' ^^l^'- «»VdHU%aJI«iii»'.- mmmmmmt ~>, > ~T" '•*' ..^ P?' .« ti , THB »tV. lAliuEL WEiLlf^ilMIOEf ^ and hi8 wife brought him a son. In this period he wrote severa pieces, which brought hiip into notice and esteem, and a sniul living was given him in the country. I am not certam whether it was during his residence here, or while he was chaplain on. board the fleet, that the following circumstance happened, but I suppose the latter. He was strongly solicited by the friends of King Janioa II. to support the measures of the court in favor of poijery, witn proiTJses of preferment if he would comply with the king's desire. But he Absolutely refused to read the king's declaration-, and though surrounded with courtiers, soldiers, and informerB, no preached a boldfand pointed discourse against it, from Daniel iii. 17, 18. " If it be so, our God whom wo serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver ut out ^ thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, 0>ing that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden iinafe wh'clv,*hou hast set up." His son Samuel describes this circunwwance u ♦he following lines:* ," When zealous Jttmes unhappy sought the T'dy T* establish Rome hy arbitrary sway ; , In vain were bribes sbower'd tv the guilty crtoVtt, ;■ ._ He sought no favor, as hefeai'd no frowiu *^ " Secure in faith, exempt from worldly view^, He dur'd the declaration to reftiSe ; "A •Then from the sacred pulpit boldly shoTv'd ( The dauntless Hebrews, true to Israel's God, ^ Who spake regardless of their king's command >«, > • The God we serve can save us fr^m thy han&?4^ Ifnot,0 monarch, know we choose to die, '^ ' Thy gods alilce, and threatenings we flcfy ; No power on earth our faith has e'er controlrd, • We scorn to worship idols, tho' of gold.' Resistless truth damp'd all the audience round, The base informer Sicken'd at the sound ; Attentive courtiers conscious stood aniaz'd, And soldiers silent trembled as they gaz'd. No smallest murmur of distaste arose, : Ab«tsh'd4Pnd vanquish'd seem'd the church's foes; , So when like zeal their bosoms did inspire. The Jewish martyrs walk'd unhurt in nre." «,, In this noble instance of integrity and firmness of mind, Mr Wesley has given us an 'unequivocal proof that a person of higf rhurqh principles may -be a true friend to the Protestant cause, and the lilierty of the subject. It is evident that he as much disliked the arbitrary proc^dings of King James, as the religion which he endeavored to intrtHluce. When the glorious Revolution took place in 1688, Mr. Wesley most cordiallv approved of it, and waa the first who wrote in defence of it. This work he dedicated to Queen Mary,t who in consequence of it, gave him the living of KpwoFth in Lincolnshire, about the year 1693; and in 1723 heivaa presented to the living of Wroote in the same county, in addition to Epworth, ^_ — ^ • ^ — ; — . ♦ In th e p oe in e ntitled th e Parish Pri e st, intended as a descnpt i o n father's character. t MSS. papers. "' i^ ' ^t.^k£l'' .'--tTf-V ■ f *',. ■■'■■■ THB KSr. lAMVBL WEILKT fBIIIOm. n mil It ird use una ith [re. ind ho ill. ■ui ifie we . lOU *he Mr ligb and iked I he cook was il to gof yra» ition EmL Mr. Wesley held thc^ living of Epworth upwards of forty yeani» llis ahilitieH would have done him credit in a inpre conspicuous situation: and had Queen Mary lived much' loifieir, it is probable that he would not have H[>ent so great a part of n|^ lifb in such ^(* olwcure corner of the kingdom. In the beginning of the vear 1705, he printed n poem on the battle of Blenheim, which hap^ pened the year liefore, with which the Duke of Marlborough was so well pleased, that he made him chaplain to Colonel Lepelle's regiment, which was to stay in England some time. In conse* qucnce of tlie same (raemj a noble lord sent for him to London, . prpmining to procure him a prebend. But unhappily he was at this time engaged in a conitroversy with the Dissenters: several thin^ had been pi^blished -r itjjjfci,, jj &.^i.Vi^ t^i^-^tK^ ciUiia . ^ .¥^ f ; lll«*«' f^'> .. ' »* P' IP?' If ' ,.; -#^r^-:/'rf?%iij fHi M^* lilttnil. WMLiT MWIOB. rMp«ct; and the gecond of thorn will show us hit opinion of a Ject on which learned men have been much divided. "Jaw. 26, 1725. ** I have some time since designed an edition of the holv Bible in octavo, in the Hebrew, Chaldee, Septuaffint, and the Vuigate: and have made some progreiM in it. what I desire of you on this ar- ticle is, 1. That you would immediatelv fall to work, and read dil- igently the Hebrew text in the Polyglott, and collate it exactly with the Vulgate, writing all, even the least variations or differ- ences between them. 2. To these I would have you add the Sa- maritan text in the last column but one; which is the very sAme with the Hebrew, except in some verjr few places, diflfbring only in the Samaritan character, whicn I think is tne true old Hebrew. In twelve months' time, you will get through the Pentateuch; for I have done it four times the laiit year, and am going over it the iUlh, and collating the two Gr^ek versions, the Alexandrian and the Vatican, with what I can get of Symachus and Theo- dotion^"&c. ■ . . y ■ Mr. John Wesley was in the twenty-second year of his age, not yet ordained, nor had he attained any preferment in the university, when he received this letter fVom his rather. It gives a pleasing view of hb prm^ress in biblical learning at this early periodKof life, and shows his father's confidence in his criAcal knowledge of the Hebrew Scriptures. The following letter was written in 1 731 , and very clearly states the old gentleman's opinion of the translation of the Seventy, after a most luboriqus examination of it, "I find in your letter an account of *a learned friend you have, who has a great veneration for the Septuagitit, and thinks that in some instances it corrects the present Hemew. I do not wonder that he is of that mind; as it is likely he hap read Vossius and other learned men, who niiagnify this translation so as to depreciate the original. When I first began to study the Scriptures in earnest and had read it over several times, I was inclined to the same opin ion. What then increased my respect for it was, 1. That I thought I found many texts in the Scriptures more happily ex- plametl than in our own or other versions. 2. That many words and phrases in the New Testament, can hardly be so well under- stood without having recourse to this translation. 8. That both our Saviour and his apostles so frequently quote it. .These con- siderations held me in a Mind admiration of the Septuagint: ahd thouffh I did not esteem them absolutely infallible, yet I hordly ' dared to trust my own eyes, Or think they were fr^uently mistaken. But upon fei^ng this translatioi^ over very often, and comparing it vei-batim with the Hebrew, I was forced by plain «^idence 3 •fact to be of another mind. That which led me to it was, some mistakes (I think not less than a thousand) iii places indifferent, either occasioned by the ambiguous sense of some Hebrew words. orbythe^mistake of some letters, as daleth for rethj and vit^ versa; which every one knows are very much alike in the old He- brew character. But what fully determined my judgment wa% '■f'»' ki -Si :.t<^l YHI !■▼. •ANOBL WBtLIT fliriOB. ff that I found, or thought I found, very nrmny placea which app«ared purposely altered for no very justifiable reason. These at last come so thick upon m^, in my daily reading, that I began to note them down; not u few instances orwiiich you will see in the dis" sertation I shall send you In my next pdeket. I would have you comniiuiicate it to your learned friend, with my compliments, ear- nestly iesiring him, as well as you, to perabe it with the greatest prejudice you can: and after you have thoroughly weighed the whole! as I think the subject deserves, to make the -'strongest -oIh jectiflhs you are able against any article of it, where you are not convihced by my observations. For I should not deserve a friend if I dM-qot esteem tluise my best friends who do their endeavors to set me right, where' I may possibly be mistaken, especially in a matter of great moment." These two extracts give an interesting view of this gentleman*8 learning, diligent study of the ^ripturcs, and candor, in each of ^hich he holds forth to us an example highly deserving of imita- tion. Mr. Wesley was a voluminous writer, which in most cases is a disadvantage to an author, whatever his abilities may be. His ^jatin commentary on the book of Job is a most elaborate perform'- ance; but the subject of this book, and the language in which the commentary is written, are but ill adapted to the generality of modem readers. As a poet he has been censured by Garth and others; though when. he failed, it was perhaps as much owing to the difficulty of the subject, os to want of poetical abilities. In an early edition of the Dunciad, he and Dr. Watts were associated together, and involved in the same censure. But it is well known that the earlier ^itions of this poem were all surreptitious, in which the blank^were filled up by thdmere caprice, or envy of the editors, without Iny regard to the intention of the atithor. Thus, in a surreptitious edition printed in Ireland, the blank in the 104th verse of the first book was filled up with Dryden instead of Den- nis, which, no doubt, was fSr enough from the intention of Mr. Pope. With the same propriety and good judgment, in the sur- reptitious editions, the names Wesley and Watts were inserted thus, W ^ly, W s, in the 126th line of the same book, but they never appeared in any edition published by Mr. Pope. Th« lines originally stood thus: "A Gothic Vatican ! of Greece and Rome, Well purg>d, and worthy Withers, Quarles, and Blome.*' In a London edition of the Dunciad, printed in 1729, there is the following note on the last of these lines, « It was printed in the surreptitious editions W—^y, W — HS,.who were persons emi- nent for good life; the one writ the life of Christ m verse, the other sonrie valuable pieces of the lyric kind on pious subjects. The line is here restored according to its original." — Of Mr. We s ley^ s larg e r po e tical p e rfornMUie e a, his aon^ S arou e l passes the following candid but impartial judgment, in the elegy above mentioned. ■^ ■■h:>: ■.'M y i'li;.- ^'.XSlSkaA-iFii' »l$iB, oC 5S.4|*«^*'^**'J'- i'S*6V« fffii^^y, . '.., tl. ^»*-»j^ n^-^f i " ofl^T ^•WrT^W' ,3f >.#■ •i . .*'- .*"' rf ■*^'' 'w^lfl •n- »♦*;■ riSi^' TRI IKT. liMVBL Wrifliir SMlllOa. "Whale'er his ■tmina, Mill fflorioui wu his end, FViith to asMrt and virlu« to (icfeiitl. He sung how (.of '/ < Eupoli$. But do you really think that" thbs'e faults are insepa- rable from^etry? May not the OjfE Supreme be sung, without any intermixture of them? , - , '?: ' ""*•* ^^^ ' hardly ever saw any thin^^ thftt nature. But I shall be glad to see vou, or Any other, attempt and succeed in It. On that condition, I will gladly exempt you from tHe fate of your brother uoets. Eupotit. I am far from pretending to be a standard. But Twill «jf/ the best I can. < l\ ^ THE HYMN. / - ,r Authorof Being, source of liffht, * With unfading beautiea bright, Fulness, goodness, rolling round Thy own fair orb without a bound: ^ Whether thee thy supplianU call T^th or good, or one or all, Ei, or Jaa ; thee we hail ' Essence that can never fail, Grecian or Barbaric name, Thy steadfast being still the same. 2, Thee when morning greets the sides With rosy cheeks and humid eyes; » ' Thee when sweet declining day v^ . . i^inks in purple waves away { ♦ EoPOLis was an Athenian. He is mentioned several times by Horace, and Miee by Persius: and was in l^igh estimation at Athens for his tmetical compo- y..n^*«- - ^" °" severely lashed the vices of the age he lived in. H« ^% kiJled m an engagement at sea betw«en the Athenians and Lacedemonians, and bis dralh was s« much lamented at Athens, that they made a law, that no poet fhoukl go to battle. He lived about four hundred years before Christ. m^v'i^ii.^ ^..fc'A-.^. \|T_JiIt' '' ' «■■ »!▼. lAinniL WItLIT flHfOli — J will I •inff, O psrant Jov«, And i«ach th« world to pniiM •nd' lof*.> Yonder uur« vault on high, Tondar bluff, low, liquid tky, Barth, on its flrni IiobIi plac'a, And with circlina wave* embne'o, All creotinff iJow'r conr«M, All their nuKhtv Maker hlesa. Thnu Rhnk'st all nature with thy nod, S<>a, earth and air confttM the Ood : Yet doen thy (mw'rtul hand ausiain Hoth earth and heav'n, lioth flmi and main. Hcarce can our daring thought ariat To thy pavilion in the aki^t) Nor can Plato's self declare The hlias, the ioy, the rapture there, liarren alioTo tiiou dost not reign, Hut circled with a glorious train : The sons of (lod. the sons of light E»er ioying in tliv sight ; iFur thee their ainrer harps are strung) STer beauteous, ever young, Angelic forms their voices raise Ana through heaWs arch resoaud thy prtiM. The feather'd •■■ ■■▼. tAMVII. WMI.BT Itiri*!. Owi W9 tnmt Ihy goanlian c«rt. ' Blow lo (Hjiiiiih, pninn lo aparc | Thou lirrak'Kl thf haughty l*i>r«i«Q*i prklc, That (lar'it oM (iTDan'a pnw'r dnrid*! Their ■hiuwrtN'ka ainrOr'tl iha Kub4Mii ««f«, At Maniihnn lh«>y iiAind « fravtt. O ya hUat (irmka wIh> ihara mpir'd, For (.intern with pious anlor flr'd, What ahrinea or aliara ahall w« r«iM To a«rura your Kiiillra* praia* 1 Or n«cd wa iiionuiii<>iit« aupplv, To rasGua wluii can n«T«r dMl "^^ And yal • graatar haro Air • Snlaaa graat Horralea could art) all riae to hieaa aoina nitnra amy, . And teach tn liva, and leach to pray. '~' Come, unknown instructor, coitie! Our Iraping hearta ahnll make thee room I Thou with Jote our »owa ahalt share, or Jove and thae we are the caro. O I'^ther, King, whoae heaT'nlj (iu» Bhinea aerene on all thy raca, We thy magniflcence adore, And thy well-known aid implora | Nor Tainly for thy help we call | Nor can we want— for thou art «!]. ETery good judge, I apprehend, will readily allow that the a^- ' thor of these verses did not want talents for poetry. But wherever we fix his standing in the scale of learning and abilities, he stili rises higher in our view of genuine piety, and a firm atti^f^hinent to iustice, mercy and truth, in various trying situations of life. His Integrity was conspicuous, and his conduct uniform. As he had chosen God and his service for his own portion, he chose the same for his children also. When two of his ^ sons were pursuing a course ofpiety at Oxford, which thrbw their ftiture prospects of preferment into a cloud not likely to be dissipated, he encouraged thein in it, choosing rather that he and his children should suffer affliction with the people of God, than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. Few men have been so diligent in the pastoral office as he was: none perhaps more so. Though his irtcome may be called small, and his familv large, he had alwiiy^ something to give to those in distress. In conversation he was grave, yet in-^ •tnictive, lively, and Aill of anecdotej and this talent the late Mfi Wesley possessed in a high degree. His last moments were aa conspicuous for resignation and christian fortitude, as his life had been for zeal and diliffence. His two.sons, Mr. John and Charles Wesley, were both with him When he died, and Mr. Charles has given the following interesting account of his deathj in a letter to his brother Samuel, dated April 30, 1785. Dear Brother, ^ L T After all your desire of seeing my fkther alive, you ara^ last assured yo^, must see his face no moire till he is raised in inuor^ niptioc Tou have reason to envy ^a who could attend him ih Um .*••« * .1 • 1 *y:M .„'. L-^- I' 1 W- \,M.-J- «_ "1 '''w? *»^i I ; tH^ BtV. SAMUEL WKBLXT BCMOB. \ '".♦^^ „. <«' 'I TrUi^ .oat Btnge of his illness. The few words he could utter I saved and hope never to forget. Some of them were, "Nothing is too much to suffer for Heaven. The weaker I am in body, the stronir- er and more sensible support I feel from God. There is but a step between me and death; to-morrow 1 would see you all with nie round this table, that we may once more drink of the cup of blessmg, before we drink it new in the kingdom of God. With desire have I desired to eat this passover with you before 1 die » , /."^?"!I"S **° ^"^ *^ communicate, he was so exceeding weak and full of nam, that he could not withoiit the utmost diflicultv re- ceive the elements, often repeating, *%--.. ; 7QU should have geen wh^t were the partioular reaioiu whieh nra. vaUed onme to believe the Being of a God, and th? JSumlf rf •K^th'^r'^rV^T**'''!;.^'?*' '^"^ '""*'^«'' ''•^t induced me to em- my own private reasons for the truth of revealed reliirion Ana because \ was educated among the Dissenters, and th we wm something remarkable in my leaving them at sreariy an Z Z being full thirteen. I had drawn up an account of the VholXanS action, under which I had included the main of the con rove^sv between them and the established churchas far as it hal cS^e S aS?**'''^?*' and then followed the reasons which VadTter- ■ fYn«« my judgmentto the preference of the church of ^,S I had fairly transcribed a great part of it, when, you writinilo me for some directions about receiving the sicrament. I be«an a short aS mv i.hJl ^'^** my design the flames consumed b^th this and ail my other writings.* I would have you. at your leisure be^in to do something liice this for yourself.'and write down what SS the principles on ^^ hich you build your faith, and thoujrh I cannflJ possibly recover al« I formerly wrote, yet I wiuSf assist v^^^^^ what I can, in explaining any difficultyTbat may ScS" ^ " -nlirfi.**'^- *'*'■. ^"''*'.® meditatioiM she reckons the followinir among the signa mercies which Gda had bestowed uponTer* " Bom ma christian country: early inlti«ed and instnictedln the fn"^vSo?th«>' «^"«*-" ;i'igr-- ^^^ exampKatiJent; «^-f!I!i ]• ^^u ^"'"?^ • ^*^^ ^"l^* find ingenious conveiSation- f ~ltZ^ '^'*1! *y ««*^'dents, once from violent death: mS to L^Hnd ifterwaX;^**^'"^^^^^ Wnofffrom thTsSaa Bunf"t *"«'^*^'i'^ confirmed an& strengthened by Bishop /^ About the year 1700, she made a resolution to soend one hn«. SrT?i"*K *T "» ? P"^«*« 'J^^^tion, in prayerTnd meSr ed Ar^m«^ I!.'T?T'^ ^"P* '' *'^«'- «ft«^> unfess sickness hfnde^ hoU L I.™! **»o*"t«»y necessary business of her familv oEe/ her to shorten the time. If opportunity offered shisS^nti?™: • When iheir house was btirnl down in Febnmry, irm , ►*»- UBS. MlAirVAll WStI.iT* mentally; unl«» the heart know him to be ito rapreme good, ita onlv happinew)*, unlesa amah feel and aeknowlewerful teacher we can possibly have; without whose agency, all other means of grace would be ineffectual. How evi- dently does the Holv Spirit concur with the means of grace! and how certainly does he assist and strengthen the soul, if it be but sincere and hearty in its endeavors to avoid any evil, or perform any good. To have a good desire, a fervent aspiration towards God shall not pass unregarded. I have found by Ung experience, that it IS of. treat use to accustom one's self to enter into solemn engagements with God affainst any particular sin; but then I would have them never made for a longer time than from morning till night, and from night till mornipg, that so the impression they make on the mmd maybe always fresh and lively. This was many years tried with good success in the case of— . Glorv be to thee, .0 Lord." "lui^r Evening. ^ Give God the praise for any well spent day. But 1 am yet unsatisfied^ because I do not enjoy enough of God: I ap- pi#hend myself at too great a distance from him; I would havo my soul united more closely to him by faith and love— I can ap- peal to his omniscience, that I would love him abtfve all thinirs. He that made me, knows my desires, my expectations, my joys all centre in him, and that it is he himself f desire; it is his /aioV, his acceptance, the communications of his grace, that I earnestly wish for more than any thing m the world; and that I have no relish or delijrht m any thing when under apprehensions of his displeasure. I rejoice m his essential glory and blessedness: I rejoice in my relation to him,^that he is my Father, my Lord, and my Gdd. I rejoice that he has power over me, and desire to live in subjection to him; that he condescends to punish me when 1 transgress his lu^J'l^'u'' t"" chasteneth the son whom he loveth— I thank him that he has brought me so far, and will beware of despairinir of his mercy for the time which is yet to come; but will give &od theglory of his free grace." * « wuu i:-??**™®* '*'' i® *2** comnKm,with me upon receiving any B"'' y^ '' "PP^y of g'-ac c ,-^hink now,! have gained my point, and may say, • Soul take thine ease;' by which means I .-« \i > % F 1 tV" 4a.\ 4 \ 'Si 1^ -<* «, '»»'J 96 MKt. flVIAMHAH WXtLBT. think not of going any further; or elra fall into dejection of »pirit| ^ upon a groundletts fear, that I shall Hoon lose what I have gainedf and in a little time be never the l)etter for it. Both these are Bins. The firHt proceeds from. irninodQratc love of present ease atid spiritual sloth; the other from want of faith in the all-suffi- ciency of my Saviour. *' We must never take up our rest on this side of heaven; nor think we havg enough of grace, or enjoy enough of God till we are < ' admitted into that blessed regioii of pure find nappy spirits, where ^ we shall enjoy the beatific vision according to th^ measure of our capacities. Nor must we, out of a pretended humility, bec^se ^ we are Unworthy of the leqst mercy, jJare to dispute or qucAtionr- the sufficiency of the merits of Jesus Christ. It Was impossible for God incarnate toi undortake more than h*^ is able to perform." MokNiNo. "Though man -is born to trouble, yet I believe there is scarco a man to4)e found u])on earth, but, take the whoW cour,se of his life, hath more mercies than afflictious; and mUch more, pleasure than pa'"* I ahi sure it has been so in my case. I have maiiy years suffered much pain, and great bodily infirmitie^; but 1 have likewise enjoyed great intervals ^f rest and ease. And those very sufferings have, by the blessing of God, been of excel- lent use, and proved the most proper means of reclaiming me from a vain and sinful conversation, insomuch, that I dahnot say I had better have been without this affliction, this .disease^ loss, want, co.ntempt, or reproach. All my sufferings, by the admirable mon- ageinent of Omnipotent. goodness, have concurred to promote my spiritual and eternal ^ood. A^id if I have not reaped that advai^ tage by them which! might have done, it is merely owing to* the perverseness of my own will, and frequent lapses into prenent things, and unfaithfulness t0 the good Spn'it of God; who notwitl^ standing all my prevarications, all the stupid opposition I have, niadfe, has never totally aoandoned me. £temal glory be to thee, OLord!" ' . EvF^NiNO. " If to .Esteem and to have the highest reverence for thee ! if constantly jind sincerely to acknowledge thee, the supreme, the only desirable ^^ood, be to love thee, I do love thee I " If comparatively to des^pise and undervalue all the i*»orld con- tains, which is est^fned great, fair, or good;'>f earaestly and con- stantly to desire 'thee, thy favor, thy acceptance, thyself, rather than any or all things thou hast created, be td love thee^ I do love thee! " If to Rejoice in thy essential majesty and glory' if to feel a vital joy overspread andcheer the heart at each perception of tKy blessedness, at every thought that thou art God; that all thinra are in thy power; that theye is none superior or equ^ to thee— $e to love thee, I do lovethee ! " Notwithstandiog Mre. Wesley allotted two hours in the day foi meditation andprayer in private, no woman was eVer niore dili- gent In business, or attentive to family affairs than she wa*. Re- markable foi' method and good arrangement both in her studiea / -r **«, . ond business, she saved iHi i cii tune, and kept Ber mind free from f, perjilexity. She. had ninetpeti cMldien, ten of . whom, atleaat, 1- ■■:-■:••>'•.* JHt. V /' * tied, - . " 1 ';' ar« ease' _ • uffi.; -'■ ' nor arer lerfr •. our lUse ^ tioi*- / 5 for eve lolcf ijch . I iea j fini \ :.■■ ■■ ' ' .. ' cel- roin. had \ % ant, \ .. '■ lan- ■ V _ - \ my \ ' -%■■ ■ 'an^ \ • the " \ .;, . ■ .,>" nent y' ■ . • ave./ 1 'V ■ lee, 1 ^ ■ for 1 me, 1 on- 1 on- '. ■ .••....- . her ' t , ' " ove .• ■' •1 a •• thy are / ! to 7 li ■■'/ w ■ j ' ; ^ foi , '-'-i> lili- '/ ae-/----,::-: A- lieH ■ irspiTi Mai. SUSAHMAH WtSLBT. IT grew up to be educated, and thiet duty fell upon her; it was alnuMt impoBgiMe for the children to have had a better instructor. From seyoral things which I find in her papers, it api)ears to me that she had acquired some knowledge of the Latin and Greek languages in her yofith, though she never makes any pretensions to it^ She had read much and thought deeply, antl in general very accurately, on every part of natural and revealed religion, and on the common afiwrs of life. She had studied human nature well, and knew how to adapt her discourse either to youth or ngc; and without this no person Js properly qualified to instruct others. She hud set' out in life with a determination to think and jud^e fijr herself; and not to be influenced by custom in matters of importance, unless when custom appeared to be founded in reason and truth. It was this principle which governed her in the education of her children; for disapproving of the common methods of governing and instruptiog youth, she.adopted those methods which appeared to her the most rational and proper. Their rising, dressing, eating, exercise, and every thing that related to them was managed by rule, unless when sickness hindered. They were very early taught obedience to their parents, and to wait their decision in every thing they were to have or do, As soon as they could speak, they were taught the Lord's prayer, and made to repeat it at rising and bed liine con- stantly. As -they grew bigger, they were taught a short prayer for their parents, and some collects; a short catechism, bujI some por- tion of scripture, as their memories could bear. They were early made to distinguish the Sabbath from, other days; and were * soon taught to be stdl at family prayers, and to ask 'a blessing immedi- ately after, which they used to do by signs before they could kneel or speak. Her methqd of teaching them to read was, I think, pe- culiar to herself, and deserves to be taken notice of; I shall give it in her own words, in a letjfer to Mr. John Wesley. "None of them were taught to read till five « years old, except Ke?zy, in whose case I was overruled; and she was more years in learning than any «f the rest had been months. The Way of teaching was this: the day before a child began to learn, the hoqse'was set in order, every one's wor^c appointe or from two till five, which were our school hours. One day was allowed the child wherein to learn, its letters, and each of them did in that time know all its letters, great and small, except Molly and Nan- cy; who were a day and a half before they knew them perfectly; for which I then thought them very dull: but the reason why I thought them so was, because the rest learned them so readily, and youHbrpther Samuel^ who was the fii-st child I ever taught^ learnt the alphabet in a' few hours. He was five years old on the tenth of February; the next day he began to learn, and. as soon as he knew the letters began at ihe- first chapter of Genesis. He was, ' taught to spell the first verse, then' to read it over.and over, till he could read it offhand without any hesitation; so on to thesecond, ' &c. rill he^took ten verses for a lesson, which he quickly did. Eas- ter feu low that year, and by Whitsuntide ho could rcafta chapter very»~well; for, he read continunllj;. and hud such a prodigious .1-^ ■A. f. ^.y^ '*-i 1 %'l! -x y%y r. t i^ "K I- I K^ » , V i-.\ ■ ' ■■ ■ ' * ■ ■ ■' ' - memory, that I cwipot remember erer to have told him the aair.# hh^JH^^l J^»»«^'«:«' y« "ranger, any word he had learnt in ? S ^l ''• *"1^ wherever he saw it, either in his Bible or anv liHh author tfellT "*"" '*'"*r*' ^•'^:'^» '^ read.an Enif «• The same method was observed with- thefn all. As aoon M « hey knew the letters they Were first, put to spell, and read one ne, then a verse, never leaving till perfect in their lessons, were t snorter or longer. So one or other continued readinir at school .hTi r'if**"i *^y intermissibn: and before we left scTiool, each .hild read what he had learnt that morhiiig; and ere we parted in Ir*^ w**°"* ^**''' '**®y ***** learned that day.»» , : ** "^ '" ft..*:/' ^r^'^y observes of Tiia mother, that even she, as well as her father and grandfather, her husband and three sons, had been in her measure, a preachel^ of righteousness. As this is a remarka- / ble circumstance in her life, and sho^s her zeal and steadiness iiL doing good, I shall relate it a little more at large than Mr. WeJ: leyiias done, as the original letters are before me. Her husband usually attended the sittings of convocation: and on these occasions was obliged to reside iniondon for a length of time that was often imurious to his parish: and at an expense that was inconvenient to himself and family. \i was on- this busing! • I apprehend, that ho spent so much time in London in the bemn- ning^f the year 1712. During his absence, Mrs. Wesley fSd a imie meeting at her house on a Sunday evening, when she read a sennon, prayed and convened with tie people #ho came f^ this purpc^. - She acquainted her husband Sf tliei> meeting, who, on account of the newness and singularity of the thinir, male some Sfr^"lS?"ri'*- Heranswer^s dated the 6th S^Febr^^^! ^71 2, m vjhichjhe says, «I heartily thank yoU for dealinir so 1 he main of your objections againstour Sunday-evening meetinire are, first, that it will look particular; secondly, my sex; aid, laS- ly, your being at present in a public station wil Tharaiterito 1 1 which I shall answfer briefly. ^^uorucier} lo an ' evervlhr„l*^llj? r"* l>articular. I grant it does, and so.does almost - every thing thbt s serious, or that may any way advance the glory 1 or fnTh***^ salvationof souls, if it be perfoJtned out of the pu?- pit or in the way of coTnmon conversation: because, in our Cor- rupt, age, the iitmost care and diligence has been used to banwh all chscourse of Gpd or spiritual concerns out of society, as if X^^ ^notZf '^ ^PP^*^ »« »f ?e closet, and we we^e to be aJhaSed rZZ ^T f ®^°" r' ' ^^^y* **»'^»' «» ' "-n a woman, so I am also mstress of a lar^e family. And though thesuperior chanre of thS Tttr'^w^f ^" '' *^*« "P°" y»"' "«»»»« heaJ^f ?he fSTly,^ . as their milnster, yet myoiir absence I cannot but look upon evwv soul you leave under my care, as a talent committed to C undS • ;„H?f?^ '**' rifr^'^u**/ "^M '*»« *•«•"'««« of Cven a^d e,^; and If I am unfaithful to him or to you, in neglecting rhnpCe mand ma Jo render an account of my stewardship? !^»]g^t^j*.t 'wmm .. V 'S Um§, •vtAirwiv wuiAr^ - Tj'^iW.i''"'*!'.^; •• Af thesA and other such like thoughts, made me at flnit take • more than ordinary care of the aouls of my children and servanta. ■o, knowmff that our most holy religion rcquircH a strict observa- tion of the Lord's day, and not thinking that we fully answered the end of ?the institution by only going to church: but that like- ' wise we were obliged to fill up the intermediate simcea of that sa- ci/cd time by other ticte of piety and devption; I thought it my duty td spend some part of the day in reading to, and iBstructing my ' fainilyj e8i>«lially in yoMr absence, whbn, having no aftcrnooS ser- vice, we have so much leisure for such exercises: und such time I esteemed spent in a way more acceptable to God than if I hati re- tired to my own private devotions. ,/ , "This was the beginning of my present practice: other people's Jominpin and joining with us was purely accidental. Our lad told his parents; they first desired to be admitted; then others who heord of It begged leove also: so our company /increased to about thirty, and seldom exceeded forty last winter; ^d why it increased since, I leave jHMrto judge after you have read what follows. boon after vou went to London, Emily found in your study the account of the Danish Missionaries; which, hoving never seen, I Ordered her to read to me. I was never, I think, more affecteJ 5*2!?' ^"l"* 'K*" ^"*^ *•»« relation of their travels; and was ex- wedii^ly pleased with the noble design they were engaged in. Iheir labors refreshed my sOul beyond measure, and I could not forbear spending a good part of that evening in praising aqd \ adoring the Divine goodness for inspiring those go»^ manner m some things; I miglit pray more for the people, and speak witli more warmth to those wfth whom I have an opportunity of conversing* Ho^eveiv ' resolved to begin with ray own children; and accordingly I proposed and obeenred the following method: I take such a proportion of time as I can best ■pare every night, to discourse with each child by itself, on some- ^?f S^»-^^^^J^ *> principal concferns. On Monday I talk Th«Jf^^*r Jr'^S'.^**** Hetty; Wednesday with Nancy, JnVSKlv'^^'J'S Z'^'^^'^y ^'^'^^'^i^yj S^turdiqr with Charles 2 ^- u L y *"** Suky toget^r on Sunday. ^ ' ««Jv f«°8e/ew neighbors who then came to me, I discoursed more freely and affectionately than before; I chose the best and K«ir V *" •"'^ sermons we had, and I spent mom time with them in such e^eroises. Since this our c ompany has increased every fMlmittance. Last Sutaday I many went away for want of Pignt; for I dare deny n one who ask believe we had above 200, and yet i ■■i' • it' Mom. \ ■ ^"W^ '■■V:.- >•' ^'N If-''. mi. iirfAiriiAii wbilbt. V':^,' 'i ^Bat I never dum positiTely jnresume to hope that God would maxe use of me os an instrument in doing jrood; the farthest I ever duret go was, it may be, who can lell? With God nil thinirs are possible. I will resign myself to him: Or, as Herbert better ex- pfesses It, . . " Only, since God (iolh often make * Of lowly nnattcr, for Iki^h uses meet, 1 throw me at Ins feet 5 . - There will I He, until my Maker lieek ' For some mean stuff, whereon to ahow his tkill, Then is my time " And thus I rested,, without passing any reflection on myself, or rorming ony judgment about the success or event of this undor- taking. ' "Your third objection I leave to be answered by your own judgment. We meet not uponariy worldly" design. We baninh all temporal concerns from our society; none is suffered to mingle any^discourse about them with our reading or singing. We ke^p dose to the business of the day, and as soon as it is over they nil go home. And where is the harm of this? If I and my children went a visiting on Sunday nights, or if we admitted of impertinent visits, as too many do who think themselves good Christians, per- haps It would be thought no scandalous practice, though in truth It would be so; therefore, why any should reflect upon you, let your rtation be what it will, because your wife endeavors to draw peoj>Ie to church, and to restrain them, by reading and other per* suasions, from their profanation of God»s most holy day, I canno? conceive. But if any should be so mad as to do it, I wish you would not regard it. For my part, I value no censure on this ac- count; 1 have long since shook hands with the world, and I heaiv tily wish I had never given them more reason to speak against me. As for your proposal of letting some other person read, alas! you do not consider what a people these are. t do not think one man among them could read a sermon without spelling a good part of It; and Bow would that edify the rest? Nor has any of our familv a voice strong enough to he heard by such a number of people. • *!i?"* i**®"*® " ®"® *^'"ff ******"* ^*»'*^*» J an™ "luc** dissatisfied; that 18, their being present nt family prnyere. I do not speak of any concern 1 am under barely because so many are present. For those who have the honor of speaking to the great 6nd holy God, need not be ashamed to sneak before the whole wpjld, but because otmysex. I doubt if it be proper for me to present the prayers of thepeople to God. Last Sunday I would fain have dismissed thent before prayers; but they begged so earnestly to stay, I durst not deny them." -- — r— -_ In this, as in every other part of her conduct, Mrs. Wesley acted upon principle, and frpm mature deliberation. No person, pe?^ haps, ever had a greatei^egard for the established order of the c h nro h of E n gland, than sh e had; but she cionsidered her conduct mthw instanice as coinciding With the spirit and intention of that order; to reform the manners of the people, and to beget in them r ■T&t'^ ■' '^,i Hit. tOIAlllTAH WBNLBT. u m rorerence for the public worship. It in oLvIoh' that this eonild- eration alone m enced every objection in h«r mind, concerninir her present proceedings. But, though, nhe was gntinffed of the propri- ety of her own conduct, she thought it her duty to abide Ky the decision of her hu*band. Ho h.u? already written to her of, he jubject, and though lie nm.le 8on.e objections, yet upon the whole he Heemed to anprove of the meeting/ Hut Fnmun /he Curate, and I MI w ®,"* **"• corapanions hi^jhly dinupproved of it, and wrote L uZ^t^' compialjing heaifllv of it,'c'alling it a convenTle! &c. It IS alway8,pamful to see a clergyn.an anfong the foren.ost LT;^'^ T"^ '*!'"« '^'*^^^y tend to diffuse l^nowiedge anTg nf rrnJj"* People, and unpresH their minds with a serious sens! of rehgion, and t>.o duty ,t etiioins. This was evidently the case 1 h f^^^n' '"^^iince; and tfie representations ma.le to Mr. Wes- ley had such an,t.ffect upon hi^mind, that h«^ wrote to his wife^ a tone of disapprobation whicfc ho hml not used before. Her answer which is dated 25th of February, Is worthv of herself, and ^vi^!h. Ti'" "" • "'^i "'T ^"« jP"»««ed. " Some fi,w days since," Stan? whih'r"';' "" ''"'*■ ^'^ y'^"' ' ""^oso dated^he 16 h nstant, which I made no great haste to answer; because I judged voHpSn '^'^"^"'^^*"\« «"^« *•"'«»« consider, l,e£re you determine m a matter of such great importance. I shall not enquire how It was possible that ySushoultf be prevai ed on, "^ l.nnT'*''" t"'"*'^ "■*^'^" «•• ^'"•«« «*■«»»« worst' of your parish mvthnuTJ'i"'' ^r '"^ ^'7 ^"'^^y «PP'-«ved: but I shaU tell you SnZl «; f *' ^^"^ '^'''■^t "" P"«'«''^'«- ' ^« n«t »^««r of more than three or four persons who are against our meeting, of whom iSSe'.' bu't wit' "" ""** ^t'^"'^' ' believe, may fall It TcoT Z n-t » t« ^ hear no'outcry here, nor has any oiie said a word nffv? ioL^t"^; 1"** '^*"'' ^"^« *'^«''- «'»"•"» •» a conventicle sig- nify? does It alter the nature of the thing? or do you think that what they say is a sufficient reason to forl^ar a thing "hat has aU mo?/? TirTi:^- ^'^liJ!,"^ ^y '^' ^'«««'"g °f God may do much more? If its bein|f called a conventicle by those who know In the^r sav wS 1^'^ mTsrepresent it, did reallf make it one, what you Z one thimrTT**"' u '^^ P"'"P°«^- ^"* '» '« t»>«'» '" f«ct, that ♦hn„T^- *^ has brought more people to church than ever any ortlentv'L^**^'''''''^^^^ We us/d not to have above twenty two^nd ^& ?' ^\^T«^ '^rr ^' ^'*«'*«« "OW we have betweeh Canlnt^mtlt'^ ^'^^^^^ '^^' "'^"'^ *" **''" " Besides the constant attendance on the public iorshin of God Ind what : sSl l2,r T "^* •" '^^ greatesr^lty imagrnablej hSviw on th« T n^. ""Ji ^^^y ^'f ^^^'y •"""*» reformea in tKeir be^ S^Il?! ^"'"^ ^ .^''y^ ""d **»08e who used to be playinir in the streets, now come to hear a good sermon read which is surllv more acceptable to Almighty God, ' ^'^ ^^^^J^L^kT ^"^ ^i^*^^ ' ^^' '^ ' ^^ " * ^ h»^« "O other way of HnW?^"* '^"V^'L^ *TP'«' and therefore have no other W of uSi^I^tZfrS*' but by this I have an opportunity of exerCfsing UM» graatest and noblest charity, that Is, charity to their souls. * 4* / ''^♦,'f *i'^ • ."f^j fe.iV, «4» «•«,--». i^^^:^^f^Mj.mMiidifA^£t^ m^ zlrT^T'^ € "' ^^ ' ■? ■'l';"r' ' 41 MM. fUlAHHAM WBILBtF. I •" ' f'vlr-- •* 8om« rniiiiliftN who iwMoin went to chuirh, now git conMAnllj} and one nnrHoii who Iihh not lw«ii t\wre for Bevujli y«nrN, im now prevailed U|M)n to go with the real. ' > " There are miuiy other flicly cigainst it. I can now keep them to the church, but if it be laid aside, 1 doubt they will never go to hear him more, at least those who came from the lower end of the town: but if this bo continued till you return, which now will not l>e long, it may please God that their hearts may be so changed by that time, that they may love and delight iff'; his public worship so as never to neglect it more. *5 If you do, afler all, think fit to dissolve this assembly, do not tell me that you desire me to do it, for that will not satisfy my con- science: but send me your posi|ive command, in such full an appear that she had a clear notion of justification as distinct from sanctifkiation: on the contrary, she seems to have confounded then), together. The consequence was, that her knowledge of the doc- trine of justification by faith alone, without the jleecis of the law, ^ was not so clear as it might have been; and this hindered her from enjoying that full asAirance df her state, and the peace and joy consequent upon it, which otherwise she would have had. When faer two sons, Mr. John and Charles Wesley, began to preach the doctrine of justification by faith in 1738, and many professed to be ■o justified, and to know the time when this change in their statt todc place, she^mentions their notions as new, in a letter «he wrolB -'!# S^ ^Tf«^ ^,^ "F^irf. -^m-^ MM. IOfAV5AII WBILir. to her ion AamuH in N«v«mh«t thin year;* thnufj^h it must b« acknowlfl4lf(«vl I hilt nhn hiiii not then convomed with thi-rn on the «ubjnct, and therefore did not know whut doctrine* thev taught, except by report. It hait imlcud been iinid that Hhe " lived king enough to ditphire the extra viiRiuire of her sonii;" and thin aiwer- tion wHfi founded on the letter ulntve mentioned. Uut what Hhe raya on thin Rubjoct has only a reference to dreanm, viHionn, or Bonio extraordiiWy r«'vel»tion, whieh Home perMonn pretended to have hud, and iji^ which they had received the knowledge of their Juatification, at least this was reported of several; but she no where charges her sons with teaching thiH as the way of justification. But the author of the aMHcrtiou above mentioned has made severul assertions concerning some of his family, which have not the least foundation in ony fact, and couhl have originated no whtre but in his own mistaken fancy; so little credit is g'tnerully due to an au- thor, even of character and ability, when he speaks of religious persons, ogainst whom he huH irnbilied some prejudice. The followirig extract from three of her letters to Mr. Charles Wesley ,t will show us her opinion of the doctirine and conduct of her sons, more clearly than any thing which has yet appeared in print. J ** October 19^ 1788. " «* It is with much pleaiiufo 1 find youfmind is somewhat itaaler than formerljt, and 1 heartily thank God for it. The spirit of man may sustain his infirmity, but a wounded spirit who can l)ear* If this hath been your case, it has been sod indeed. But blessed be God who gave vou convictions of the evil of sin, as contrary to the purity of the divine nature, and the perfect goodness of his law. Blessed be God who showed you the necessity you were in of a Saviour to deliver you from thp power of sin and Satan (for Christ will be no Say;iour to such as see not their need of oj^e) and directed you by faith to lay Jiold of that stuiiendous mercy offered us by re- deeming love! JE8DS is the onty physician of souls; his blood the only salve which caii heal a wounded conscience. Itisnotinx-^ wealth, or honor, or sensual pleasures, t(y relieve a spirit hea^ •aden and weary of the burden of sin; th&ie things have power to increase our gudt, by aliehating our hearte from. God, but none to moke our peace with him; to reconcile God to man, and man to God, and to renew the union between the diving and ^uman na- ture. No, there is none but Christ, none but CHriijIt, who is sufficient for these things— But blesseiibe God, he is an all-suffi- cient Savuiur! and blessed be his holyliame, that thou hast found bim a Saviour to thee; my son— Ql let us love him much, for we have 'much to be forgiven.' . "I would gladly know what your notion is of jiw^fying faith j because you 'speak of it as a thing you have blit latqAr Obtained." The second l^er is d^ed December 6th, 1738. In it she says, " I Uunk youdttle fallen into an odd way of think in g. \Yi>n Buy, ♦ Planted in Dr. Priestley** collection. t -For these letters, ond some other papers of importance in this work. I am ■ wider great obbgalions to the Rev. Mr; Lr-— y. •» "■ N t! •■fjl T: r-. ■A > ;S4»''.- "fk-' pp^FW»y.'' ™ w_ *'^^ 'ni«4'*#u'».,.j' ^*'^:Li.l^\A 44 ■*»i V t 'V Mil. laiAMJIAN WBtlilf; -H •— ■ -i-'* th»t, till within n r((»w itionthii, y«ii hR*l no Ntilritiinl lifo, nor aiij juNtifViuK fiiith. Now tluM im, im if u man it)iouln that I <;nn )(Httii>r froii^ voiir l«'tte in («od*M mercy thrnutfh Chrint. , Not that I can think you were totally without imivuik faith iM'foro ; but it Im onu thintr to huve Otith, nnij another thing to lie ■oijMible we have it Fiiith iit the fruit of the Spirit, and in the jrift of («4hI; but to feel, or \m inwardly MenMibje that we have true faith requires a further o|M'ration of (Jod'n Ifoly JSpirit. "You nay you have iMMice, but not j<»v, in iMjIievini?; blertHed Ikj God for jieacej nniy thia j»enco reHt with you. Joy wil| follow, perhapH not very cloaely, but It will follow faith and love. God'M proniirieM are Mealed ta un, but not ilated. Therefore patiently uttend hia pluuMure; ho will giv^ you joy in Itelieving. Amen." Fnmi theMe lett4>rM vvc «o<», that Mm. WeMley wan ro far from ♦Mejdorinjf the extrayaj^anco of her hoiim," that nhe rejoiced in their chriMtiun experiencei nn«l praised (ioti for it. She thought them mistaken in jud;;iiij? of their former state, but not in their notions of juntifyinjf fltanco should be made a necessary criteriim of conversion which she thought might hurl the minds of weaker Christians. These letters, therefore, are a flill confutation of Mr. Badcock's assertion. The third bftcr is dated Decemlxjr 27th, 1739, after she had come tenefit . — But h iij visits are s e ldom ond short; for which I never blame him, liecause I know he is well employed and blessed be God, hath great success in his ministry. "But my^ dear Charles, still I want either him or y mi- Raf . "^ "1" ,,Mi^x^J:i!.jr. l§^:te*dlL ^ Indeed, In the moat litural, mntm, I am licM^onie a little child, and warn coutinunl auccor, • Am iron iihur|HTtH'tfa iron, ao <|o(h the countenanco of a man hix fri«'iKl.» I fwl much mmfort mul miiiport from ri'ligioiiii roiivtUHUtioii whoa I v»u olitiiin it. Foruitwly I rrjoiccd ill th« uImviiuu of coiii|»uiiy, niui found, tKo Imw I hud of croalure comforU, the more I hud from God. Dut ulnit! I am fiilUtn from that Mpirituiil nonvurito I onc« enjoyod; and why ia it ao^ ImcuuHO I want faith. Go*! ia omiilproaent unchanKruhle irood, •in wbomia no variabloneaa, neither ahadow of turiiiiiK.» The fault ia in mynolf; and I attrihuto all iiiiHtakea in judgment, all errora in procticis to want tif faith in the bluaiiod Jomum. OI mv urfectinn of hiti boundh dflur, when I coiiaider the ditfiiity of hia pemon, the ik hJH purity, th« gn;utii«>MM of hia auft'oringH; but above all, 1«HM lovt), I urn UHttmiNhml and uttiuly confounded: 1 aii| loat in thought; I full into nothing before him ! O how inoxcuaablo ia that perHoii who huM knowledge of the«« thriigM, and yet remaina poor and low m faith and love. I H|M!uk um one guilty in thia matter. "I have been prevented from fiiiiahing my letter. I complained 1 had none to converBe with me on aniritual thinga; but for theao ieverul tlaya I have had the converHution of many good Chriatiana, who have refreshed in aomo meaaure my fainting apirita. And though they hindered my writing, yet it wum a pleeaing, and I hope not an unpwfuable interruption they gave me. I hope wje ahall •hortiv ik face to face, and I Hhull theiV, if God permit, impart my tl*i>ushu» more fully. Dut then, alua! when you cpme, your brother l«livea me— yet that ia the will of God, in whoae bleased aervico you are engaged, who hath hitherto bleaaed your labon, Uttd prtiaerved vour peraona. That he may continue so to prosper y«ur word, ond protect you both tVom evil, and give you strength and couni^o to preach the true gospel, in oppoaition to the uiUted P«wer8 of evil men and evil angeLi, ia the. hearty prayer nf, dear Charles, your loving mother, g. W." This fetter gives full evidence tfaftt Mrs. Wesley cordially ap- proved of the conduct of her sonH, and was animated with zeal for the succe^ of their labors. She continued in the most perfect har- mony with them till her deatlw attending on their ^iinistry, and walking in the light of God'^ountenance, she rejoiced in the happy experience of the trutha she heard them preach. In the first attempts of a Layman to preach, it iasaid she heard hi» dis- courses. Mr. John Wesley wa« at this time absent from London; but the thing being quite new, and appearing extraordinary, he was immedJiitely acquainted with it. He hastened up to London, with a full determination to put a stop to so glaring an irregukrity. He conversed with his mother on the subject, and told her his intention. She said, " I charge you before God, take care what you do, for that man is as much called to preach the gospel as ever you were." This kept him from a hasty execution of hi« purpose; and it bcin^ found upon enquiry that good was done to tn?people, the practice was suffered ' — — " — was Buttered to continue, esley gives the following account of his mother's death:^ l,*^J^yj« Worka^ol. xxfiii, p. 83. N. B. The date in the pripted jowimI / .• Mi* ,/•• Vi5 Mil. S0IAirirAH WBtZ-BT. «"i^j '• i , r I5«-' ?'<;:< ; '-*. t*'-' 1 '•I left Brutol in the evening of Sunday the 18th (July, 1742^. and on Tuewlay cMne to London. } found my mother on the bonlera Of eternity. But she had no doubt or fear; nor any deaire, but aa ■"«V?i^^u**°"*** '''*"' »°*'«P'^'^ a"'*"* with Chrwi. *riday the 2Sd, about three in the afternoon, I went to mv mother, and found her change waa near. She was in her last con- flict; unable to speak, but I believe quite sensible. Her look was Sr";«^!l t«T!!?* "i^ ***" t^*' ^^ "P^"*"^' ^»»"« ^e commended uZ !y u ?i ?r"™ ^^^ «o four the silver cord was loosing, and the wheel breakmg at the cistern; and then, without any struJ* fit °L5* "J" S7«n * J% "^"* ^"'' "^^ " "herty I We stooj round lost hJr Cih*^ rtl^' *"** '^"^n* ""^'^ «» ""»« before she o^pralL T G«l' » ' a- soon as I anr released, sin^ a psalm nirSiH^^^u "«^''* ^"'V Almost an innumerable company of peo- fo th^ p!5J ?h''''l!?«**5*'* about five in the afternoon; I cbmm^ TK« Ji"^*V® body of my mother, to «leep with her fathew. The poruon of scripture from which I aftenJards spoke, was. « I ?ir/«5HTJ?i:*V'*'**"*2"l*''"**»^*««'»"'tJ fro™ whose face Sr Zt '^i ^« *»«*^«i! ««? «r«y» and there was found no place «Ll «S'.K^"ii'j*'^*^® dead, small and great, standing before S-»h 1i?® books were opened~«nd the Head were judged out wnli^-f u"^ '^'*"'** TT '^""*" '" 'be books, accordilig to their !?^;» ''^"'^^.r^C 'be most solemn assemblies I eve? saw, or expect to see, on this side eternity. •»«w, ur wi^JLe follo"£i^PwSd:r' " "^^ '^''^^ "' '•'' «'''^"«' ^""""^^f "Here lies the body of Mrs. Susannah Weslev. the younirest and last surviving daughter of Dr. Samuel Annesley. y**""»^** " In sura and steadfast hope to rise, And claim her mansion in the skies, AChnstum here her flesh laid down, The cross exchanging for a crown," &c. fnr^S; tK«f*^*^ ^i"*** '"i!^®" S'f** P*'™ ^''b all her children, to SlnHni^S mind* With useful knowledge, and to instil into them the principles of religion and virtue. The daughters were by no means neglected, thev shared their mother's care with the sons Lnrcra^wt '^j ^"""™ ^'r ""' '" ^*»'«*» 'bere is mWhstrong ^ Sflii^rjK-' *?** accurate language; though thev were writteS h^ ™^ aubjects, and without any expectation that they would MJ^^-t**- J^o** of tbem had a fine genius for poetry; but Mrs. WnghtBhone the brightest in this wllk of eleiaS^usS Sffi hI*^ '^l^' V'l'^" chieSy confine my observatioSsAXng i? **t"Jfbters of these venerable parents. "pcaiung JMra. Wnjjht was her mother's tenth or eleventh child- and it th? & tt ^"^^ r**'5 «*»« r^»«. «i«bt years old, she ciiid^ad Jlie Ureek Testament. From her infancy she was miv and soriirht- ly; and extremely addicted to wit and humorTAV she eJJw un •he indulged herself in these dispositions so far, i to gS^|^{ !«^?.;!?*" ***..^\' P*™"?f » *"^ ^•»»'k«" betravedTntolftleSS! tertaneea, whicfe Cflpp-ibut e d, at | e a«^, to herftiture unhappSSi y^ ^=iu V -^ .i'*'' MMt. WBIOHT. ^v ',\ jflTHtjl- ^ in life. About the year 1734i or the beginnifw of 1795, a gentle- man, respectable, sa far as I can find, both for hM abilities and situation in life, paid his addresses to her, and she had a sincere regard for him. But, from some circumstance or other, he and her father disagreed, and the affair was broken off. From a con- currence of circumstances in the end of the year 1725, she was in- duced to iparry a person no wav adapted to make her happy ^ beinff low and rude in address, and much inferior to her in untler- standing; and he proved unkind to her. Her situation preyed upon her mind, her health and strength gradually wasted away, and, at length she sunk into a degree of melancholy that niade her truly wretched. Most of her verses which have been preserved) though beautiflil, and written in the true spirit of poetry, are sad- dened with an air of deep distress, which strongly marks this sti|te of body and mind. The following address to her husband will give us some notion of his character, and show us the true cause of her wretchedness. '■$ MRS. BIEHETEBEL WRIGHT TO HER HUSBAND. The ardent loTer cannot find A coldness in his fair unkind. But blaming what he cannot hate He mildly chides the dear in^te; And thougfh desjiairing of relief, In soft complaining vents his grief. Then whVt should hinder but that I, Impatient of my wrongs, may try, By saddest, softest strains, to move My wedded, latest, dearest love 7 To throw his cold neglect aside And cheer once more nis injur'd bride. O ! thou whom sacred rites design'd. My glude and husband ^ver kind ; My soy'reign master, best of friends, On whom my earthly bliss depends ; If e'er thou aidst in Hetty see Aught fair, or good, or dear to thee { If gentle speech can ever move .. The cold remains of former love, Turn thee at last— my bosom'eaM, Or tell me why I cease to please. Is it because revolving vears, Heart-breaking sighs, and fruitless t Have quite depriv'd this form of mine Of all that orice thou fanci'dst fine? Ah no ! what once allur'd thy sight. Is still in its meridian height : These eyes their usual lustre show, When uneclips'd bv flowing woe. Old age and wrinkles In tins face As yet could never find a place ; A youthful grace adorns the lines, Where still the purple current shines; Ifnless by thy ungentle art, It flies to aid inv wretched heart i J' ^ fir*l>J '*V 1 a X. , :M > n •i - -M ^' if ,A'^ >. 1 ft \5^ ■-i-- -5^ ia^iMl P - >VIH b/" ■» ; ' ^ 1 >'^W-1 i. til MM. WaiOHT,''- ?;:.^-;> Nor,.does this niighted bosom show Tlie thousand hours it spends in wo*. ^ Or is it that oppress'd with care I stun with loud toinphiinls thine ear. And make thy home, for quiet meant. 1 he seat of no^se and discontent 7 Oh no ! those ears were ever free From matrimonial melody, For thoueh thine absence I lament, When halfthe lonely night is spent! , Yet when the watch or early mom, Has brought me hopes of thy return, I oft hive wip'd these watchful eyes, Oonceal'd my cares, and curbed my siffha. In spite of grief, to let thee see "^ I wore an endless smile for thee. Had I not practis'd eT'ry art T' obliffe, divert, and cheer thy heart. 1 o make thee pleasing in thine eyes. "And turn thy home to paradise, ' ' I had not ask'd why dost thou shun 1 nese laithful arms, and eager fun w- 'i??® ohscure, unclean retreat, ^ With- fiends mcamate glad to meet. The vile companions of thy mirth. The scum and refuse of the earth 7 Who when inspire with beer can grin At witless oaths, and jests obscene : Till the most learned of the thronv Begin a tale of ten hours long, Whilst thou in raptures, with Stretch'd . . ' l/rownest ^ach joke with loud applaus*. Depriv'd of freedom, health, and east And rival'd by such things as these. This latest effort will I t?y, ' Or to regain thine heart, or die : Sjoil as I am, I'll make thee see, 1 will not brook contempt from thee. Then quit the shuffling doubtful sense. «or hold me longer in suspense. Unkind, ungrateful as thou art, ^y, must fne'er regain thy heart 7 fc»«'"«"«'njPt8 to please thee.proTO Unable to regain thr love? If so, by truth itself I swear, The sad reverse I cannot bear ; No rest, no pleasure will I see. My whole of bliss is lost with 'the*. 1 11 give all thought of paUence o'er. Sis'*''' ■•■A ■' > ~^ MiuurDonsunaie, disdain relief; - And call that wretch my mortal fo*. Who tries to mitigate my woe ; Till life, on terms severe as these. Shall ebbing leave my heartat ei^. io thee thy liberty restore, To laugh when Het ty is no mow. i££:>A£ls.ii ^«< rf . ■ 'V, ^jyi:^" »?-'"* '■^*m^^' r'^^rw" ^•'.■r' ..v^'f^.^'wi^f^ ■ ; •'' ■. ■■•■>^,,■^ ■ : 'y^^'^-r'-J ■•■ - MM. WBMBf* ■'■.■,.:•;:' .# #/ ■ - ■'.t ' ■ . . . ■ ■■_..: . ■• .'« "..■■^— " - f The foHowing Keautiful linen seem to have lieen a inere actenH - pore effusion poured out fropi the fulness of her heart on the occa- sion, and sharpened with the keen distress of her hopeless situa- 'Uon. .. . . ;:'^..- A"^ HER ADDRESS TO HER DYING INFANT ♦SEPTEMBER, 1728. Tender softness I infant mildl ' Perfect, sweetest, loveliest child 1 . ' Transient lustre ! beauteous clay I , « Smiling wonder of a day 1 A Ere the last convulsive start Rend thy unresisting heart, » Ere the long enduring swoon Weigh thy precious eye-lids down t ' Ah, regard a mother's moan ; " r • Anguish deeper than thy own. . . ' Fairest eyes, whose, dawning light Late with^rapture bless'd my sight ; , Ere your orbs extinguish 'd be, Bend their trembling beams on me I Drooping sweetness! verdant flower I Blooming, with'ring in an hour 1 Ere thy gentle breast sustains , *, Latest, fiercest, mortal pains, ' ' Hear a supnliant ! let me be I^rtner in tny destiny f ^ That whene'er the fatal cloud • Must thy radiant temples shroud ; When deadly damps (impending now) j Shall hover round thy destin'd brow { Diflusive may their infltience be, And with the blossom blast the tree ! "^ In this state of mind, and declining fast in health, she wrote the following Epitaph for herself: " Destin'd while living, to sustain ' An equal share of grier and pain I All various ills of human race Within this breast had once a place, ^ Without complaint she learn'd to bear A living death, a long despair ; / ■■'.' Till hard oppress'd by adverse fate a V (Vercharg'a, she sunk beueath the weight, ' * And to this peaceful tomb retir'di So much esteeni'd, so long desired ! The painful, mortal conflict's o*er : . \ A broken heart can.bleed no more.'* ' ^ ' . ' ■ . - ■ - . ■■ Mrs. Wright however lived many years after this; and at length religion coming to her aid, it soothed the anguish of her mind, and gave her peace, though she never recovered tier health. , , ~ The first religious letter she wrote to Mr. Wesley was in 1748; she says, ''Some years ago I told my brother Charles, I could not be of his way of thinking then, but that if ever I vf^as, I would m * Tb« child died theyihird day after it was bora. Piitate paprnk ^J I; ^ R? ? tilf! N"^ »- '•t/^ • i» •^ MM. ^/' V.-'. c^-^'i^ freely (fwn h. After I was conyinced of sin— and ofyour opinion l^ar as 1 had exumiiVBd -your principles, I still forbore declaring .m sentirnents so openly as I tiad inclination t* tlo, fearinir I siioutd Jfelapse into my forwer state. Wlien I was delivered from this tear, and had a blessed hope, that he who had begun, would fmish his \(rork, I never confessed, so fully as 1 ^ght,how entirely I wa« ot your mind; because I was taxed with insincerity and hypocrisy Whenever I opened my mouth in favoV of religion, or owned how greiit things God had done for me. This discouraged me utterly, and prevented- me fVoin making my change as nublic as my folly and vanity had formerly been* But noW r^y heafth is gone, I can- ", not be easy without declaring that I hav? long desired to know but one thing; that is Jesus, Ghnst and him erueffiedj'and this desire pevails above all others. And though I am cut off from all human nelj) or ministry, 1 am not without assistance; though I havfe nb Spimual friend, nor ever had one yet, except perhaps once in a . year or two, when I have seen pne of my bl-othenijor some other religious person, by stealth: yet (no thanks to me.) t am enabled \ to seek him still, and to be satisfied with nothing less than God, m. whose presence I affirm this truth. I dare not desire hefilth. only pai^nce, resignation, an^^he, spirit of an healthful mind— I Mve been so long weak/ that I know not how long my trial may last; but J have a firm persuasion and blessed hope Ohouffh no fbirasswrance) thatin the country I am going to, IsfiaB sinj hal- leJujah, and holy, itoly, My, without company, as I have done jn this. Dear brother, I am unused to speak or write on these 55'"*^^ ''™y ^P^**^ ™y PJ^M thoughts as they occur. Adieu. U you Jtove time from better business, to send a line to Stanmore,* sogreatacomfort would be as welcome as it ^8 Wanted." ' In Julv, 1744, she wrote |o her brdther from Bristol, where it seems she then resided., at least for some time. She speaks of ^ herself in the most humiliating terms. She highly commends the christian friendship of Mw. Vigor, Miss Stafford,.and someothere.' She now enjbyed the means of grace, and the benefit of conversa- tion with the peopleofthtf society, and continued to grow in ifface r"4'" fe'^^^^^^^Se of our Lord and ^aviour Jesus Christ. I Mrs. Wnght persevered in a religious course of life, patitent In I her sufterings, resigned to her weakness, and waiting for full saK vation in a deliveranceTrom this mortal state, till 1751. In March * ' ' ^ «r' . .'■• Charies Wesley speaks thus of her— "Prayed by mv *'?-^ K il'''^*'*' MIT'**"^' tender^ trembling soul; a bruised reed, which the Lord will not break." She died on the 21st of the same month^andMr.Charles preached her funeral sermon. He ob- ^ZT ^h^i}*" had sweet fellowship wi^h her in explaining thos8 . j^prds, "Thy sun shall no more go down, neither shall thy moon withdraw Itself; for the Lord shall be thine everlasting lightV^ the days of thy mourning shall be ended." He adds, "All pr^ent ■eemed partakers both ofmy sorrow and my joy." From this authentic account of Mrs. Wright, talten from original !g?f"^?^n '"'^y ?*" 1^^'^»^"'?'' *>^^''- Duncombe c^ncerninyherl This genUemau has insinuated in hip i-'cmtnearf, that her puSgent distress and gloomy despair, oriipinated from mistaken ana super- nit. wiioorr. fit ^^•TU- •) gtittous views of "relh^ion; it appears, on the contrary, that they arose from a very difierent cause, hnd that Teligion was the thlii]^ that restored her to peace and liappiness; and ii^eedthe only thing ihat could do it. Mr. Dunconibe's Words are, »■■♦',■ ' *' ' {," But uh^ wl)y heaves my br^aat this pensive sigh 7 d ^ Why starts this tear unbidden from my eye 1 . ' * What- breast from sighs, what eye from tears refrains, , ' . When sweeUyi'^nournful haples| Wright cuinpfains 7 . - "^ And who but grieves to see tier gen'rQus mind, . . '^ Foe nobler views^ and worthier guests d^siga'd, Amidst the hateml form of black desimir, ' ' , Wan with the gloom of superstitious cariB>7 . In pity-moving lays, with earnest cries, ' '' > ' *j She xal I'd on heaven to close her weary eyes, ' \sv'' \ ' AndTOUg on earth by heart-felt woes opprest, • "', - r 'v' Was borne by friendly death to w^lpome rest!"* ' ^-.^ >. It lis grievous to see authoi^, whose works are likely to be rvadt take every opjportunitv to dress tiut relision ifc fhe tno8t ugfy fonus th^y can invent, to deter young people' firom' eiiibraciiig ^ it, and attributing to it the calamitieis of life whjbh religioh alone is able to alleviate and redress, y .,. " ». The fbllpiwing amoi^ other poeucal eoQiposittons, were wHtten by Miti. Wright} but a( what period of her life I do not know. Td f HE JSEHORT HER 'UNCLE. APHYl IN 1737,t :t V '. \° How call tKe mnse af t^ttq^t the itring, ' ' Foi>8akep by her' guardian power: , < Ah jpe ! . that she survives to sing, , Iftr fVien^l and pittron, novtr no, more I , ' , Yet ^ivate grieJTsne might suppress, < '"' v ' V Since Clio bears no sel6sl»^lQU];d ; i . But 6h!shc! mourns, to wild excejpis . The frieilid'tod P<^troj^ of mankind. ', Alas t t]$e sovereign healing art, . , Whieh rescukl thousands from the gravs, Utiaided left the gentlest heart, . Nor, could its skilful Master save. '. Who shiill the 'helpless sex sustaii^ \ .'* 'Now Varo^ lenient hand is^pe7 Which knew sa well to soften pain, .. r And ward all dangers but tub ofwn. His datlinemuse, his Cjio dear," WhiMn ^t his favor rais'd to fanpe, His gentle voice vouchsard to cheer ; His heart upheld her tender frame. Pale envy durst not show her teeth,,. Above contempt she gaily shone . Chief favorite ; till the hand of dfath Endanger'd both by striking one. ,■ ' *S«e Chrittian Msguaijie, vo l. iii. p. 683. t Christian Magazind, vol. iii. p. 284. See i^ve, pi^ 98. (Mr. Clkailes Wesley'aJmiraal.^ "^ » i ' * " a HE DIED • 'i't? \ • , ■» ■' "t; 2 ^ 4- - , 'V.| • '-^l « m * ^ * '^z* S "fdfl a ^ '^nl ^"^9 w ,ir,^M| • . , ", '1 . ; * • ^^^'4 " ^I'lM " ■j^pm • ■■ , ■^4m a '- ' l^t^ . . ' \4 '^ * |"'| ■ 3a •&.r '.A '' . .. *#» 1 r m ."sr^''.'PfJ Him ^- :f /^ I ■ R^" !>.,■• 1 f . - r ■ - 1' t-. '. !.., t^.'..,' i^A -..', ^;- ■'■v i; ■ V .■ . - . */'". ■'.■ f' -. ' ' ■. ■'■ k ■&■■..-■■■ ■■ ^i' Mli,. .wit6«¥. . P*«»iflngwell,Me*oidoffe«r, Hi* latest fiital conflict nigh, . ."•S""** o" he** he held most dear, ' _';,Wh08e breast receiv'd his parting sighl With every art and grace adorn'd, Byjnan udinir'd, by heaven approv'd. Good Varo died- applauded, moUm'd, • • And honor'd by the muse he lov'd. ► TO THE MEMORY OP HER SISTER. . If happy spirits are aliowed to know, « And hovbr round what once tHey loT'd below. Maritf, gentlest excellence, attend*. To one who glories tft have call'd thee friend I Remote m merit, though allied in blood. Though worthless I, and thou divinely good. Accept, dear shade, from me these artless lay*. Who never durst unjustly blame or praise. With business and devotion never cloy'd. No moment of thy life pass'd unemployy: Well-natur'd mirth, matur'd discretion join'd, C/onstant attendants on the virtuous mind : Ah nie! that heav'n has from this bosom torn The dearest friend whom 1 must ever mourn, ^re Stella could discharge the smallest part Of what she ow'd to sucb immense desert. Pleasing thy face and form, though heav'n cooflo'l To scanty limits thy extensive mind .' Witness the taintless lustre of thy skin, .' . Bright emblem of the brighter soul within J That soul which easy unaffected, mild. Through jetty eyes with pleasing sweetness s^'d. To soundest prudence, life's unerring guide. To love sincere, religion void of pride:* 1 To fnendship, perfect in a female mind, v I' Which IcAit never hope again to find : To mirth, the balm of care, from lightneto free. To steadfast truth, unwearied industry. To every charm and grace, compris»d in you. Sister and friend, a long and last adieu I A FAREWELL TO THE WORLD. While sickness rends this tenement of clav. nt "PPrjachi"? change with pleasure I survey. O'erjoyed to reach the goal wiU eager pace. ' Ere my slow life^has measur'd half its race No longer shall I bear, my friends to please. The hfrd constraint of seeming much at earn. Wearing an outward smile, a fook serene. While piercmg racks and tortures lurk within. Yet let me not, ungrateful to my God. SKk f i*''\H/°''«*'Mhe good. ' |or both I humble adoration pay. And bless the " • ■\ ^ W ??■" "}7 ^*'»'>f"' memory retain. ' And oft recall each interval ofpain. •t1 e li y^ 41 .t« 'iii MB ^vi m Mwl K| ^9 m TO serre, delight, andcivilize mankind : Jn wisdom's lore lire et'ry heart engage, I, And triumj^h to restore the golden ag«! Now close the blissful scene, exhausted lAUse, The latest blissful scene Vrhich thou shalt choose : Satiate with life, What ioys for me remain, • 2?'* °"*deor wish, to balance 'ev'ry pain; To l)ow my head, with grief and toil of}pro8t, ' \ Till bonie oy angel-bands tb eteitostiag. rest. MiBs Kezzey Wesley was addressed by Mr. Hall, a young tcih tlemafi of a ffood understanding, agreeaWe' inhis person, and ??f"S?*f ,*""'* address.. He was entered at I^incolh College aa Ml". Weslejr's Rupil,on the 22d of January, 1731} but Mr. Wesley was totally ignorant of the matter wbeft he first paid his addresses to bis sister.* Mr. Hall, I think, entered into orders while he was at Uxford; and though roost of the family thought highly of hinj in every respect as a religious character, yet Samuel Wesley ' strongly doubted his sincerity. Mr. John Wesley believed him sincere and pious, but in a letter Written to his mother, when Mr. Mall was at Oxford, he speaks 6f him as highly enthusiastic and superstitioiis. After he had gained the afiections of the young !Sjy 5® ^""'®'^ **®*'' *"** paid, his addresses to her telder sistert 1 he tamely opposed this conduct with great vehemence, especially the three^others. But the marriage^ notwithftanding, toOk place, and the fqture conduct of Mr^#^y no means corresponded to a; ^ •This appeals from a letter Mr. Wesley wrote to Mr/H«1L in which ha am Uoas this circmnstance. / * *««,«• wmwi » ifiw '^"^ 1+ L_„^! ■ __^ .^ \. ' _^ Z^^8^__ fJIB RBT. lAMOIL WSfLlV JirjKIOli«L « 'i tho oxpectatiorm thev at first formed 0{f him. Al^er some yemn h« auitteil his wife, and aflerwards lived in the most loose and scan- alous manner. Mrs. Hall l«ure her' trials ivitb remarkable pa- tience and resignation. Indeed in thifi res()ect she was a pattern to all Christians; for I d(» not remeiiil>er, that I ever heard her speak ill of any person, whatever injuries nhe might have received. —Miss Kezzy Wesley died on the 9th of March, 1741^ and Mr. Charles gives the following account of her death in a letter to hia brother. * ^ / > " Yestenlay morning sistejuKezzy died in the Lord Jesus. He finished his work, and cut it^bort m mercy— full of thank'Ailness, resignation and love, without imin or trouble; she connnehded her spirit into the hands of Jesu^arid fell asleej)." Mrs. Hall sur- vived aU her brothera and bMterSf and died m peace, July t^tb, r*' CHApTEIt V. V / Of the Rev. Samuel Wetley Jmior. Samuel Wbblbt, M. A., son of Samuel and Susannah WeslejT, was born about 1692,* a year or two before his parents removed to.£pworth; being nearly eleven years older than his brother Mr. John Wesley, and sixteen older than Mr. Charles. He was sent to Westminster School about the beginning of the vear 1704, and admitted a Kind's Scholar in ITOT.f Before be left home, his mother, by judicioMs and constant ihstruction, had formed his minti to a knowled^ and serious sense of religion; but she knew tM danger of his situation at Westmintser, apd how exceedingly .*pt.ypung persons are to be drawn aside from religion and virtue, by jmproper companions, and bad^xamples constantly bdbre their eyes. On this account she was juixious for the preservation of his morals, as he grew up and became more exposed to tbe temptations of eviV. After she. had recovered from the shock of the fire whidh destroyed all they had, and from the fury of which they saved Uiemselves with great difliculty, she wrote to him a long letter, dated October, 1709; which, for the importance of the matter, and . ,the energy with which it is written, is nighly deserving of preser- ^tion; but on account of its length I can insert only a part of it. This part of it, however, will bring forward to the view of parents an example of attention to the best interest of a child, which it will be their haplpiness arifl glory to follol/v. "I hope,»' says she, *«that yo|i retain the impressions of your education, nor have forgot that the vows of God are upon you. You know that the first Iruits are hefiven*s by an unalienable right, ^-, ' ; -' ■' — — ■ : — ' — I -wr- . * This due of his birth is taken from a memorandum, which Mr. John Weslef > wrote OQ the bade of one of his brother's letters. T Welcb;8 Lut or Sehohn of St. Peter's College, Westminster, as thev w •lected to Christ Church, Oxford, and t» Trinity College, Cambiiilge, p. %i. waia W*f ^_ , -^r^^' Vlfl MBV. tAllVBL WltLBT iVNIOS. || •od that, M your parents devoted jrou to the service of the altar ■o you yourself made it your choice when your father W4s oftknS another way of life for you. But have you duly considered what such a choice, and such a dedication imports?. Consider jwoII what separation from the ^world! what purity! what devotion', •what exemnlary virtue! is required in those who are to guide pthers to glory. I »ny exemplary, for low, common degrees of piety are not sufficient for those of the sacred Ainctionl You muMt vtiot think to live like the rest of the world: your light must so shine *mong men, that, they may see your good works, and thereby be led to glorify your V uthqr which is in lieaven. For my part, I cannot see with what face clergymen can reprove sinriers, or ex- hort men to lead a good life, when they themselves indulge their own colTupt inclinations, and by, their practice cbntradust their doctrine. If the holy Jesus be in truth their Master, and they are really bis ambassadors, surely it beconies them to live like his dis- ciplesj and if they do not, whttt a sud account must they give of their stewardship. • " I would advise you, as much as fbssible in your present cir- cum8tancei,toihrowyour businesii intoU cer^pH method; by Which Hie^ns you will learn to improve every .precious moment, and And an farther. So in all things else, appoim so much time for sleep, eating^ company, &c. But above all things. ^ my dear Safemy, I command,.! beg, I beseech you, tp be very strict m observing the Lord's day, in all things endeavor to act upon principle, and do not live like Ijjjerest of mankind, who pass through the world like str«Ws upon alfver which are carried which way * ./*w J" ^V" ^ind drives them. Often put this question to yoCir- self, Why do I this or that? Why do 1 pray, read, study, use devotion, &c, P—by which means you will come td such a steadiness and consistency in your words and actions, as becomes areasonable creature and a good Christian.'* 'These observations were worthy of the mother, and they were properly regarded* and followed by toe son. * "^ ■ Whep. senior scholar at Westjninster, the Bishop of Rochester* took hin? to^his seat at Bromley, in Kent, to read to him in the evenings. He was at this time eagerly pursuing his studies! and this circumstance, which for. severalreasons would have been highly , gratifying to many, was to him no,smaU mortiftcation. From this place he wrote a Latin letter to his father, in August, 1710.' in which ^e complains heavily of the bishop for the interruptien he ,, ~r ■ ' —■ — -— — i- : B , ^Miin???'^***"*" of Aucrbury, who was not advanced to thoJSe^ of Kochw^ v' ^ .;>" t 'j^yg^^'-^^l^m •;ki fi^'^nP r>x SP^--- if f tHl IIT. fAMVBL W11I.BT JOVKMI. * KTe him in his learning. An extnet from this lettei- 1 shall Inmii* low,« and give the general purport of it in Engliiih. Sponking of the bishop, he obeerveH, •* Ho will alwnyii be exceeilingly troublesome to me Iwth in mcred and profane learning ; for he in- torrupts the studies to which I had applied with all my might. Last year, in the- midst of our business in the college, he to<»k ino off both from Htmly and from school, not only without any benefit, but Without calling me to any thing which had even the appearance . of either utility or pleasure. To- this IS impossible ; but with God all things bre possible.' Amen." • The next year, 1711, he was elected to Christ Church, Oxford:! and here, as well as at Westminster, he acquired ' the character of an excellent classic scholar. But his mind was too large, and his zeal for religion and the established church too ardent, to be" . * Speaking of the bishop, he ssys, " Ille mihi, et in sacris et in profanis rehus semper ent inrestis8in)U»; studia enim intermitti cogit, quibUs pro \urili iiicubu- mm. Ultimo anno in coUegio ag^do, ubi non milii seniori opus est amicorum ftospitiOj a studiis et a schola me detraiit ; non modo nuUam ad utilitatem sed ne ad minimam auidem vel utilitatis vel voluptatis speciem me vocaTit Ipsb hodie foras est, aluer Tix otium foretquo has subscriberem. Me ex omnibus discipuhs elegit, ut perlegerem ei noctu tibros ; me raucum, me nvmta. Gaudeo Tos yaletudme bona frtii. Tuam et maieniam benedictionem oro—EpiacoDus lussit me Uhus m literis mentionem facere. Da veniam subitis— Aviam ultimis lesus Tidi; his Tenient i bus non possum, qui a a b iniinico a micod e tin c o r ." .Pk '"'•S'?!*"' °^J(!\^°}^ Wesley, of New-Inn Hall, Oxford, and niece to Dr. 1 nomas li^iUer. She had now been a widow near forty years. ^ Welch's List, &c. page 9oi • , ^ ^*. / ^ ■-]'-' 0^ '■y^*^". mi 'jL^-im* ^"y^' turn MIT. tAMOlt. WMLBT JVfttMl. ■*■■ eonffniMl Within the bounds prnacribed by the common oxerciaes of ' toenlace. i The following letter iihowa thiit he took un nctive imrt in some oftho pnrinpnl qiu'MtioiiM nj^itatfil niiioiig the litornti of that time. -4» iM iIuUhI June 3, l7liJ, whim h« luui Imhui atHiut two yrnrn ut Ox- ford ; arvl t» ndrlremMil to ^|i« Hofioruble Robert NelMon, KHnuire. He Bayg, " I ho|M>d long «ro tliJH to have jicrfccte*!, an well I could/ n)y diiwertation on IgnatiuH, and gotten it readj- for the prcBH, when I (»me to town this year. But I A)und myttolf diMai»i.ointed, at firwt. for some monthH, by my affaii-H m the East India IfouMe, and since by my charity hyinn« and other matterH. I tl)lkik I told you some tmio smce that I had laid materials together for a second ditM^ourno on that subject, directly against Mr. WhiHton's objcctieared when Hishop Fear- - son orHhe others wrote, coul«l not be taken notice of by them, and being now published in the English language, may seduce some well-meaning persons, and persuade them tTiut the true Ignatius was of the same oprhion with the Arians (whereas I am sure he was as far froin it vk light is from darkness) and that the rather because there has bfeen as yet no answer, that I know of, published to tnem, though>t^ey were printe*y way, but cannot tell whether It wdl be safe m respect to the common people, or will tend so much to the honor of our church and nation. Of this, however, I am pretty confident, that I can prove all his main ob^ jections, whether general or particular, against the shorter cony, to ^JMrtonousIy ^Ise. Such as that pp. 8(J, 87, -that the mmilhr so fi%iently call Christ God.' which L says was clone to serve ine turn ol the Athanasians, and cannot in reason be supposed to be an omission in the larger, but must \k interpolation in the smalle*^ whereas I find thai the smaller call him dolhirn, olMrrvntioiia on Pitar-^ ■on'a Vindicia^ and noiiio ^immj. account of tho Jtmiith Hitphirotb} » bocauMo 1 think th« (inoiiticM, BaMilidianH, and VahMitinianN, hoi> ' . rowed manv of thtMr if'.onN iVoin th«ni, aince they have thf> Haitie nayiea; an«l thin nii^ht porhapH givn furtheir light to th« fainHUM ^//'/Z of IgtiutiuH; lor the clearing whereof Uiahup I'eiirio^j jUr. g^ Bull, and IfrotiuH have «o well lalM)red.** ' ' r ThiH hotter nhuwH the Hpirit anr to officiate iiM UHher at WeHtniinHter nchool : andmmn af* ' tQrwarda he took orders, under the iiatronagi; of I)r Attcrbury^ **, ,^ Biahoj) of Rocheater, and doaii of We»tniiii»ter. He. became unA'^ able, judiciouH divine: bin conduct in dirwharging the vnrioiui du-'jlj, ties of life, waa exemplary, and did honor to hia profeaaion oa a ^^^ Chriatian and a niiniater of the gimiwl. He waa a man who had the nireat aeuHe of honor and integrity: and tlie utnioNt abhorrence ' of duplicity and falsehood. He waa humane iM»d (ibaritable; not ' only administering to the wants of the poor pnd afllicted, ay far as ' hia income would iiermit, but alao using his influence with others^ to procure them relief. In filial riflection and duty to parents, ho was remarkable; no man hi the same circumstances' ever shone brighter than he, in tliia branch of chriatian duty, through the whole course of hia life. . Mr. Samuel Wesley was highly esteemed by Lord Oxford, Bishop Atterbury, Mr. Pone, ond several other persona among the first characters in the king(iom, for rank an»l literary talents. With Lord Oxford. And Mr. Pope he held a friendly cqrrespondcnce; with Bishop Atterbury he was in close babita of Iriendship. Atter> » buiy was a mon of io-at-rate abititiea.: ho had a fine gcAius im-f proved by study, and a spirit to exert his talents. Uisnotibnsot Church govjemment were very high, arid on this subject there wa« . perfect harmony la'tween theiiw The bishop had made himself an > object of hatred to Walpole and the rest of the King's ministers, by the opposition which he gave, in the House of Lords, to their nieasuresj being generally among the ..protci^tors, and drawing up the reaaons of the protects with his own harid. On the 34th Of Au-' gust, 1722,* he was apprehended under a suspicion of being con- * March 23, 1723, u bill was J)rougiit iato the House of Cwamons, for " ia- ■ flicting certain pninsand penalties onPrnncia Lord Bi«hopof Rochester." The hill passed tl»e Cbmmoiis on the 9th of April, an don the 6th of May the bishop was brought to Westminster to make his defence before the HbUse of Lords. In the course of his defence he observes, " Here is a plot of a year or two stand- ing, to subvert the oovemmeat with an armed force; an invasion front abroad) an insurrection at tiome: just when ripe for execution it is discovered ; ana *•• .^^' V iweive inunths after the contHvonbe ofthis scheme, no consultation appears, no men corresponding together, no provision made, no arms, no officers proviaed^ not a man in arms ; and yet the poor bishop has done all this. What coala f * _^ tempi uie to st^p ihus oat of my way 1 Was it aiubiliou, aad a desir« of cUmtH ■f^J •m ■l. 1 n "HI - ■"'•* - u^.? ! .fc.^ ,-*-' ;■' mw>'^:' ' 85 i | | ^' J ^ff* Wfc^jl,^ aL.^„ in n plot to nuhvort tiw f^ovnrtirriAnt, and bring In th« Pr»» lemlnr. Mr. Wt^Hlt^y, hy his intiiniiry with him, iMN^nrnfl an uhjocf* ofdiHlikA to WaJpoln; and on thiN ifround, only, 1 Im>Ii«iv«, hiiM of Into yiinrn been uccummI olMaoohitisni.* Uut from the note bnlow .. it douM not apiH^nr prohuhhs that Att«rbury wna guihy of the thin^fN alh'mjd nirAiiMt him; and Mr. J<)hii Wwnlny vdiomontly affirmod that hiHlinitlwr Sainiiul wu« not dinnd'cctcil to (he pr«ii- ont ruignin^/uiiitly. If w« c«nHid«r, that hiHTiithor waa tho jjirat , £o of the Uvvolution, and that he mcntioiiM ihi« tly with pltiitsiun^ it will "ot apjitiar proha<*' ■ Itc Ah Mr. Wehluy act«d oh principle in- ' t, bo the baniNhinent of Atterhur#!triaile no. for hltn. If ho had full tonvjMlm of ihm Ich ia prohalile, it inuHt bav4M|ivun hiin ia Hriend fienif uutecl, uppreatfed, and bunlnhod by tho mano'UVn^H «f u MinfHtflr of Siiiie. Jt ia no wondc>r i]0§ treatniout of hia friujid gfiuuld caino hia iudi{{nation to- tbu highuat who wrote in cirruuiMtiinci bl« that he every part < (■lmiiK» in hi liiHhop'a iniioc ffreat pain, to ins into » hivher atation in tha Church 7 Thtre it not a man in my o%# fiiN ' Jher renirtvodrrom thin than I am. Wat money my aim i t alwaya tUdpoMsd it-- - too murh, ronsideriiiK what oorasion I am now like lo hav« for it : Tor out of t poor hisliopric of Xfluo [hsx annum, I have laid out no Imh thiin XlOOO lowarda th«» repairs of the9Ctc>d, and wrote to that puruoic from my infancy ; and whatever happf n« to ine, I win Hufler any thing, and by ChkVn grace burn at the atake, rather than depart from any matenal point of the Protestant rcligionj an professed in the Church of England. Once more: can VtofeM^upposed to iuvorarliitrnry power? the whole tenor of my life haw been omSMfo ■ \ was always a friehd to the liberty of tho subject ; ami to tlie best of ilty power constantly maintained it." Afterwards, speakina pf the pri>cceding against him as unconstitutional ,"116 says, " my ruin is not of ihut moment to any number of men, to make it worth ihoii while to violate, or even to seem tp violate, the Constitution in ttny degree, which they ought to nrtsscrve against any attismpts whatsoever. Thia is a pro- ceeding with which the Constitution js unacquainted ; which Under the pretence pf supporting it, wiU at last efectually dfiatroy it. ,, Vot God's sake lay aside these extraordinary proceedinn; set'not up.tnesenew and .dang^roua prece< denta.. 1. for my part, will vtdunturity and cheerfully go into perpetual banish- ment, and please myself that I am in some measure the occaaion of putting a stop to such precedents, andi^oinir some good to my jcountry :■ I will live arhlna- • ever I am, praying foMta ptoapeirity t and do, ih„tfae virords of IVtber Paul loth* State of Venice, say, Esto perpetua— Let me depart, and let my country be ~ ■ .fixed upon the immoveable foundation of Uw and lustice, and stand forever." " : isJ' It has |een said that AttejrbUrV's wishiss reached to the bishopric of K^ndon, * or even to ^York or Canterbury.. But those who were better arc|uainted wi^hhia views, knew that Winchester would have b<;|en'niuctl more-desirable to hJmthan either of the others. Ajid there are those now living, who havebe^n told froilri - respec-iahb authority^ that this bishopric was offered to hiifH; Whenever it should become vacatit (awl till that event should happen a pension of-Jsooa a year, be- * aide an ampld'provision for Mr. Morrice) if he would cfeaae to give the owwai- "' tinn he did to'air Robert Walpolc'sadniiaistratioh, by his apeecnesand protesta in the House of Lords. When that offer was rejcctm by the bishop, then the fiontrivance for his ruin was determined on.''— JSneudomedta itritan.. orL'V- AtUrbury. 'a - . ^ * Jf I mistake noti by Mr. BadocH)„uiLl||Sr^« B«tii«. ^_ 9 #'t m^y'WP TBK IIV. SAmriL WBIItBT JVKIOE;: -%"?f* .' i'-> r^ 5-? pitch; which seeins to have been the case and will be some apolo gy for the severity of hia satire in tho following verses, which, I beueve, be wrote on this occasion. ' When patriots sent a bishop cross the sc The^f met to fix the pains and penalties/ ^ While true blue blood-hounds on his d^ath were bflM •' Thy mercv, Walpole, voted banishment I Or forc'd thy sovereign's orders to perform, "Or proud to govern as to raise the storm. Thy goodness shown in such a dangerous day, He only, who received it can repay ; ' :> ^- Thou never justly recompens'd canst be, /nil banish'd Francis do the same for thee. Though some would give Sir Bob no quarter, But long to hanff him in his Garter; Yet sure he well deserves to have Such mercy as in pow'r he gave. Send him abroad to take his ease ^ By act of pains and penalties : ■ But if he e'er comes here again. Law take its course, and hang niin then. Four shillings in the pound we see, And well may rest contented; Since war (Bob swore '| should aeverbe) Is happily prevented. But he now albsolute become. May plunder ev'ty penny ; • Then blame him not for takmg some, But thank for leaving any. Let H- his treasures now confess, Display'd to ev'ry eye : •T was base in H— to sell a peace. But great in Bob to buy. Which^mcmt promotes great Britain's gaift To alrmankiod is clear : One sends our treasure cross the main. One brttigs the foreign here. Butof' t is fit to gite rewards ** Or punishments to either, Why, make them both together Lords, Or hang them both together* At scribbles poor, who rail to eat, '^ Ye wags give over jeering ; \ Smcegall'd by Harry, Bob the great v, Has stoop'd to pamphleteering. Would not one champion on his side. For love or money venture ; Must knighthood's mirror, spite of prid% ■■ So mean a combat enter: To take the fiel4 his weakness shows. Though well he could maintain itf Since H no honor has to lose, Pray how ca n R o bin gaih it ? .MsJi > i' ~ . ■;%3i: . ■■^>;4^'- ^* 1 % «ll UV.f«AMOBI« WMUY JtVlUO^ _ ' v. .',«.«^ '^^ Worthy each oth«r are tlM two, Halloo t Boys ikirly start ye I : . ; Let thosebe hated worse than you, Who jver strive to part ye. -^ A steward once, the scripture saya, When ordered his accounts to pass, To gain his master's debtors o^er, Cried, for a hundred write fourscore. Near as he could, Sir Robetf bent -> To follow gospel precedent When to|a a nunared late would do, >rled, I beseech you, sir, take two. In merit which should we prefer, The steward or the treasurer ? Neither for justice car'd a fiff, Too proud to l»eg, to old to dig} ~ ^^ Both bountiful themselves hare shown, In things thht never were their own r^ But here a difference we must grant," ■One robb'd the rich, to keep on want; ^ ' T* other, vast treasures tp secure, '." ; Stole from the public ana4he poor. His known attachment to Attefbury, and opposition to Walpole, bloclced up liis way to prefefmeht at»We8tnujaster;vhe therefore left his situation at this plaoe about the year 1733, for the free g[raniniar school at Tiverton, in pevon, over wbiobhe presided till his death. In 1736 he publishld a quarto voiume of poems, fer which he obtained a numerous and respectable list c/f subscribelrs. Many of these poems possess a considerable shar^ of excellence; the tales are admirably well told, and highly entertaining: the satire is pointed, and the iporal instfudtive. ' The following 1>eautiful verses are a paraphrase on these words in the fortieth chapter of Isaiah: " AH Qesh u grass, juid all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field. The>grttss withereth, and the flower fadeth, but the woird of otir Ood shall stand forever." ' They, were oCQit* ■ioned by the death of a young lady, '^ ibomin^ flow'rs dfllj^ their sweets, .' And Bay their silkenlMlres unfold} ,, ' As careless of the ^noon-day heats. , Aad fearless of the eveoing cola.' . NiVli'd by the Wind's unkindly Mast, . Parch'd by the sun'k directer ray. The momentary glories waste, T^e shott-Uv'd beauties die away. So blooms the human face divine, when youth its pride of beauty shows | Fairer than spring the colors shme, And sweeter tfiin the virgiA rots. ^ Or worn by slowly rolling yean, ' Or broke bv sickness in a day; The Ihding giory disappears, - T — TJ b e short - liv*d b e anU s s dM Hwrsji — — — '- -^ "-■it. 6 V* > fi ■: •: ..ip^v, ^^ . , . tRS'BiT.>^tAlfVlL WStLIT JITKIOB. ' >" '• ' -'■*-;/*^/'^ T« thw, Mw riting finom the tomb. With lustre brigrhter far thall »hine. Revife with ever-during bloom, Saft from diseaae* and decline. ' ' ^t'JckneM blast, and death devour, «.?*"'" ™'"*'*«>'npen8e our pains: Perish the Rrtus, and fade the flow'r, IT firm the word of God remains. ^r b«?in?5"lh!l]!^*'*^^™ * very.hifh cburchmwi; and it intiBt be owned,^hat he was extremely rigid in his principles, which is perhang the greatest blemish in'lf.s character.*^ ItTas iLtTl v been TlJ^^b ^"""T '»«»y«r the Dissenters insisteS upon ttem. This IS a heavy charge, and if true, would show him to Save been a man almos void of principle; but happily it is wholly without Z Ji'^Sih^^'^r ""iP''^!J?*7 hafe'giW it exisZc^^ *^""' Dr^ve^ A„ h"!^!"""' M'- y««Iey had objections to extempore fuH r " t'^e duodecimo^edition of his poems are the folloJKnif Form stints the spirit, Watts has said. And therefore oft is wrong; % At best a crutch the weak to aid, A cumbrance to the strong, l^^prj^: Old DaTid. both in prayer antf tll^' „ A form for crutches brings j And fumish'd him with wingtf' Evhi Watts a form of praise can choose. ^J'^or prayer, who throws it by; «.^ Crutches to walk he can refuse. "' But uses them to«fly. - B-v ..'i.' \ VHB BIT. liJIIIBI. WBS1.BT 'OITIOB. ■:#ft|*?:'^-TS"' Tiverton, Ko9. 14,1799. •« RiT. AHD Dear Sib,— , '^ ** Your brothdJh and my dear fVierid (for so you are sensible ha was tome) on Monday the 5th of November went to bed, as he thought, as well as he had been for some time before^ was seized about three o'clock in the morning very ill, when your sister im- mediately sent for Mr. Norman, and <^dered the servant to cab me. Mr. Norman came as quick as-he i>08sibly could, but said aft soon as he q^w him, that he co\ild not get over it, but would die in a few hours. He was not able to take any thing, nor ab\e to speak to us, only yefi or no to a question asked him, and that did not last half an hour. I never went from his bed-side till he expired, which was about seven the saitle morning. With a great deal of difficul-* ty we persuaded your dear si^er to leave the room before he died. I trembled to thiiric hdw she would bear it, knowing the Bincer® affection tnd love she had for him— but blessed be God, he hath* heard and answered praver on her behalf, and in a great measure calmed hfer^fllpirit, though she has not vet been out of her chamber. Your brother was buried on Monday last in the afternoon — and is gone tb reap the fruit of his labors. I pray God we may imitate im in all hiilVirtues, and be prepared to follow j I should enlarge much more, but have not time; forAvhich reason I hope you wiU excuse him who is under the greatest obligations to be, and really is, with the greatest sincerity, yours in all things, t ' ^ Amos Matthews." In the second edition of his poems in duodecimo, printed at Cambridge, in l74S,1ithere is some account of the author, by a friend, prefixed to it. I know not who the writer of this account was, but as it was- w»tten soon afler his death, and by a person ,who seems to hav;p |^en well acquainted with him, I shall giv4 a short extract from it. "^ ' "The author of these ]|oems,the R^v. Mr. Samuel Wesle^ frankly declares in his preface to the edition published by himself, that it was not any^optnion of excellence in the verses themselves, thatppccasigined their present collection and publication, but mere- ly the profit proposed \jy the subscription. If hismodestv had per- nutted him to have been sensible of bis own merit;, he might, with- out this, or any other apology, have safely' trusted them to .speak for themselves: and perhaps the candid reader^ upon an impartivl perusal, will hardly think them inferior to the most favored and celebrated collections of this kind. « For though it must be owned, that a certain roughness may be observed to run through them, the vehemence and surprising viva- city of his temper n6t suffering him to revise, or, as he used to call It, to tinker vfrhat he had once finished— yet strong, just, manly sen- timents every Where occur, set off with all the advkntage which a most luxuriant fancy, and a very uncommon compass of knowledge could adorn them with; together with a flowing and unafrecte4 Pl^Wf^ttiesa in the more humorsome parts, beyond what cpuld ptpf ceed fh > m even th e happi e st talent 6f^wit|^unle a 8 also accompanied I and cheerfulness of beart. which to him omAm ^. Z ••" "' ■ " ' "" *" ° uajyi on t mi c ui, w w nj^miiOTB aiso accompanieu with that innocence and cheerfulness of heart, which to him made ■y- v.v a A^ *'«^ ., 1> ^i ?1 *ji,IS *l ' 9 ^^3 1 Ik iilTM •ilfc^ K^r^HJ^|fi£^^CKKik-.MK|K^' ..j^«f«<: kV-: p 1 ■,»i. '. - M VBl aiv. SANVKL WsiUT \v9]r|««^ through the Sire ., aSirSh^ ri' ■*''*'^ '*'''»« !»««« Chri« Church n*OxfordlS hJh ?i^ '"■"'°' 'i'"^ ^V™' "^ repuution beyond most of hU rml^™. • '."' ""T' "' g«toed a benevolent temner whlrh kl i, i ^ ■ ^ '"°" ^ I''"'^'*®- An open, uponprincipfeTLir& n^i;^^^^ "''*"'^' ^« «> enhivfted good iffices^vas astolli^hrnre^k to h^VS *^^ ^'• stance how exceeding v servir^nhll :« rr *'^'®"^«- He was an in- rior station may be, wL 861^^1 hll» ^® * P®"??. °^ '^*^«'7 infe- *«»me was liberally made use of and ««Tr '** ?'" «^" *'«'« un- applied to,were alTays con/d^^^^^^ never wanted means to eaS^^nT H'^ ''**® ''"^ integrity, he lar must not be Sted- h7w«K nl^^l^^'J^'^^' One pa«icu- ve^r careful and TS\rZot«r nVf A ^^'-^ pojectors, and a Westminster, foVierdiff of »h!-[ the first Infirmary set up at his Lordship's daughter. ^^ ^"^ "* *he death ojf M«. rfdrice. Morice-I cannot helb an L^/^i ^**"*' ^^'^^^^ **" 'S« <*««»«»» of Mra! ^ own hand, the sa isfa^ti^S 7iS Th^T '"I* '^ *^l ^^^ """"^^^"j I bear you, for this S work ''^n 2^I''**'S**" ' «'^«' «he envy you, I esteim you."* ' as a poet and as a man, I thank « I am dbliired to W f^^ i. * u u " ^''*^' ^'^ ^''» '^^80. ... and take T hf mSe Wndlv Tern .J« t?** "^J"" »» '"y dear child ing everin a coSU to JLwarThinSlfhn <*«' ™y hei for he has shown an invariaWe re^a^Sr "^** '^,f T"""""' J^'"; ■^ came irom the heart of thg ^•Utliffr, and 1m hat '^ share of mine inf'return; and If erar I ibMiM f:^';. back to my ippntry \|rith honor, he ihall find it." | These extractsdo honor to the feelings of Atterbury as, a,man; and they give a hoble testimony tojhe^ diHinteretited and unchange- able friendship of Mr. Wesley fifr. a- pjsrson whom he esteemed^ and whom he thou^t deeply injured. The author of ''Sortie Account of Mr. Samuel Wwley," pre- fixed to his poems, informs VH that the following imicription waa put upon his grave-stone in the church-yiird at Tiverton. ij? Here lie interr'd ' . Theremaina of the Rer. SAMfBL WuLVT, A. M. Some tiipe Student of Christ Church, Oxon: ., A man for his uhcnmmoii wit and learning, , ^ _ _^ * For IIjo hjsnevolcnce of his temper, And simplicity of manners * « Deserredir beloved ami esteemed by all. ' ♦ An excellent Preacher : • '• _^ -But whose best sermon Was, the constantjfeixample of an edifying life. . So continuallfand zealously employed ' In acts of fieneficence and chacity, That he truly followed His blessed Master's example . I • In going about doing good. -^ CXf such scrupulous integrity, ^^ That he declined occasions of advancement m the woi&~ Through fear of being involved in dangerous compliances, Ai^d ^voided the usual wavs to preferment As studiously as many others «eek them. Therefore after a life spent In the laborious employment of teaching^outh; , , First, for near twenty years As one'of the Ushers in Westminster School; AAerwards for se^'en years As Head Master of the Free School ^tjfirerton, > He resigned bis soul to G study. Dill- , lekly sacrament,' mpany me, and statute/ofThe _ of Methodist. In gniracy at Epworth, fhe * "ter^As they were 1 nid»raeg«, Camhridge, , * Jo hit letter to Dr. Qhondler. V >. «l?^ m „ I ■:;■:. ^ ; /;■•>' ^ : ■ ■ \ " ■':■:_'( and catne to our assistance. We then proceeded regularly In our ■tudies, and in doing wtiut good we could to the bodies and souls of men." It was in the year 1728, in the twentieth year of his a^, that h« began to apply mure closely to study, and to be more serious in his general deportment than UHual. He Hoon gave proof of his sincere esire to be truly religious, by expressing a wisti to write a diary, , in which he intended to rcginter daily the state of his mind, and the v^ctions of the day. A diary of this kind, faithfully kefit, is a de- pe, that nmther before nor after that timeVi shall rela|)se into imr former state of insensibility. It is thr9Ugh your means, I fifmly believe, that God will establish what he has liegun in iiie; and there 18 no one person I would ' so willingly have to be the instrument of good to me as you. It is owing, m great measure, to somebody's prayers (my mother's most likely) that I am coihe to think as I, do; for I cannot tell myself, how oif wnen I awoHetnit le t^Siig Jiy^Mily that it was nut lon^ after voii went away. ^» ll^dHpc8!0^jhe Christian Revelation, and flriends of Deism, «rawirawh Ltoneascd about this time, and were become so Imld and daVinJIln ime^r attempts to propagate their principles in the uniyereity, as to rousc^the ^ttentitm f f .the y icerChancellor; who, with tl^e consent of t^^eads ^ Hou|bs and Proctors, issued the following /»rogT<»iw4 jndmore wary con'duct "HKhT Sv^Ihe" fZe rEJsoSnf ^2 vou7h J'th- '" '/""'•' ««l^<^'«»y "«<^«HMnry nt this tf,„e, t^W youth 0i this pla<^e afptinnt these wicked advocates fi.r Jr«fLH«,i2S Unan reason a^a inn? .livine rev.rlntion andToennhJ Zm 1S2 ^rhn *'' *'S'^»'l;heir religion, and to expose the pHdo and imiim them the articles of religion which they profess and Te«Ln CttHed upon to subscribe, Snd in recommend rngtoThCtheTenuen^ and careful remJing of •- Bi»^ ♦!.-. • "" """ """ «i i"« same time. — He durst nat ^ve the sacrament, but at the usual times, for fear of tehj :fer -J*. ??■ ^J tai Ltn or TBB ms?. QBAlLSt WMLtfV ' # laQglied at. By eonvlneing him of tli0 duty of iUquent ffonimn^ nicating, I hove iiroviilled on both of us to receive once a week. *«I earnestly long for, and iluHire the UlCHMing God is Aout to Rend me in you. ram HenHiblo thii in my ilny of grace; and thnt ui»on my employing the timo before our meeting and next' parting, will in great meaHure depend my condition foV eternity." ° from thoHe extraetM of two yf Mr CharleH Wenloy»H letters to his brother, and from the account' which he has given of himself in a letter to Dr. Chandler, the following particularji a|)pear evi- ' dent. 1. That ho whh awakened to a iiioHt Heriou« and earneMt desire of being truly religious and devoted to Uod; while his brother was at Epworth, as his father's curate, 2. That he olxtcrved an exact method m his studies, and in hia attendance on the duties of reliffionj receiving the Macrameiit once a week. 8. That he per- suaded two or three young ircntlemen to join him in these things, , among w^om I believe Morgan was ono. 4. That the exact method and order which he olwervcd in spending his tint?, and regulating his conduct, gaineil him the name of ^etho«list. Hence It appears that Mr. Charles Wesley was the ffrst Methodist, and laid the foundation of that tittle society at Oxford^which After* wards made so much noise in the world: but it dofllnot apiieaf . that any regular meetings weil^ held, or that the irienibers had extended their views beyond their own improvement in MBbdire and Virtue, until Mr. John Wesley l^ft hi» curacy, anXKe to reside wholly at Oxford ^in November, 1729.;' The beginning of this society was small, and it api>eared cOntemptibld to thof»e around} but events have shown, that it wa« big with consequences of the utmost importance to the happiness of thousands. So little do men Jinow beforehand of the designs of providence. Man was made for social intercourse wrth man. A well regu- lated society of a few well chosen persons, improves the under- standing, invigorates jhe powers of the mintC strengthens our resolutions, and animates us to perseverance in thp execution of our designs. These .were the happy effects of.^Mi|l|on of the gvo brothers in November this year, when Mr. Jiil BwiH sley left Epworth, and came to reside at Oxford. They now formed u regular society, and quickened the diligence and ze(il of each other^in the execution of their pioUs purposes. About this time Mr. Charles began to take pupils. On this occasion his father wrote to him as follows, in a letter dated January, 1730, wheif^ Xi ***^j"^* passed the twenty-jfirst year of his age. «'I had last, and you may easily guess whether I were not well pleased it, both on your account and my own. You have a double idvantage by your pupils, which will soon bring you more, if you will umprove It, as I firmly hope you» will, |)y taking the utmost care to form their rininds to piety as well as learning. As for your- AWlf, between logic, grammar, and mathematics, be idle if you can. ^^give tny blessing to the bishop for having tied you a little ftister. ^ y qbliyng you to rub u»^ur Arabic; and a fixed and constiint od wil '.V''' wnTiiMdceTheWRQEboflr fflfd u# Tireth „„ But for all that, you must you know you may do wi &'(l. iii^ii. asing a^d delightftil to ,you. ^ery day for walking, which 3|^>- * to vour pupiltf; and a iiltle,^^* 10 KBV. OWAILMI WtlLir. /^Vt ■^ >■ Jj^ ' * "Sr-'llCP^^^u*"'"^' ^^'Sr'^i *»"'^ up your head, uml awm • i"*« ••*•*»'; »•"' 'Then you culf the wuv« lH,noath you, lay to S. much IM another hero (lid, "^ ' -^ *" "»^ "•. ,■'%.'■ f Carolufn yehit, et Caroli forlunam.* .^ffut nlwnyH keen youip4|p|l*pli%ov«W^ho>leH,tnr, ami ro 6o«| j» lend you a ffood voywe through tho tiouhlosomeHeaoflifo. which '%■ ^ iV '•^•I'^y '"■7*''' "»^your4ovinff father." , * ^ 1 ^,« Mr. CharleM W.^Mley and hh bi'other John had lieen nlway? r^ united in affection: they were now united in their pbrMuit of learin liu?, their views of religion, and their endeavors to do irood. Mr % Morgan was to them as another brother, and united together, they were aa a three-fohl cbrd, which is not cwily broken. Though few in n*nber, of little reputation in the worhf, and unsupported bv anv powerful allien, yet they lioldly lifted up their standard against Infidelity and profanenesH, the common enemies of reliirion and » »i .h ^^,''"' ""* '"•'2*''*' ?* \*^^^^U make any great inroaila ^ JISI 1^ Tt"-^t- tf ••'«»'^>?>"t th«y »>ravcly kept tl^r groun.l, nrnl dftf^ncted their ittio fort with success, agniiwt evc»ttei,u»t of the enemy to diHlodgo them. When death robln^d Vfi3n. of *Moriran. . ,H8^**. *''"i*»*""*' reinained un«haken in their purpose. They were thelflSniI of union lietween the memliers of^ their little ao^ety at t>Krord*^id if one or more of these deserted them, throUirh lear. or shame, or bg injf weary of restraint, they stood firm as a rock perseveritjg in^heir resolution to serve Got! and do «kmI to men without the h , gooak the myMery of Chri«t, that I iniiy make t nmnifeat UH I ought to npeak Walk in wiadom lowai thime h-^l'r'U'^ '•""*'. '*"*^««"''"g the tiino.-Sav to ArchipiMia, take fidffl It'^lT'V rtL^** *r"u *"?* "T«'''«^ "f »h« l^«"/th«t thou nmu It. After the labors of the day, he returned and slept in th« m.3lhri°"Vi;'" ■* ^**'' *'™*. '"'^'y '^»"*1'3^ P'"«^'*^«*' with "cco'n- modations. There was no place erected where the people could •saemble for public worship; for on March 10th MweenTve a" •ix in the morning. Mr. Charles Wesley read short prayers to a few persons lK,fore Mr Oglethorpe's tent, in a hard^howef of S n w .k'i."""'''^,"k-^ ^'""V"'^ ^"*» ^"'- ^- who had come in the Ihl^ZJit '^r^S"* M °***T' '"'* «n*l«r"''«*' *« ^""••J her against O^fT! -^ ^^^ '*?'"''l' ''"'' *** r>«rsunde her to give hersc/up to ?A u ""T' *" ^^^ T "'"K ^"^ endeavored to reconcile her and Mrs. H. who wtre greatly at variance, but to no purpose. S<>me of the women now l)egan to lie jealous of each other, and . to raise animosities and divisions in the colony, which tfave a sreat i'ltnL'd"""", '"^ ^l' ^K'«»horpe. Mr. ^^csle^H EusTnd religious deportnient, his constant presence with tliem, and hiafre- S» Thfi'^ 'V", ''««"»'""« fH.havior, soon made him an objoctofhau^ed: and plans were formed eithfir to cuin him in the opinion of Mr. Oglethorpe, or to take him off by violence. We shall see these plans open by degrees. / » u«^. wo Rliij'TM"*'' "^ *^" '"u**" "»«■:"'"*' he began the full service to SZ i? ^VZT"" ^^«™ he had got together, intending to con- tinue it, and^ only to read a lew prayers to the men befSre they went to work. He also expounded the second lesson with some degree of boldness, which he had done several times before; and it w probable that he did this extempore. After pravers he met Mrs. 'hJrZ''^?JJi}^^u P*"?"*" ""** flood of tears, at the treatment she K^lrS? • ^ from her inistress. She seemed deterrnine«l to destroy herself, to escape her Egyptian bondage. He prevailed with her to return, and went with Vi home. He iltked Mrs. H. to forgive r^lh^T "h "'*"?'* "Vt '^^ "*.'""'•* roughness, rage, ami almost Sn inf;„^ \"^''* ""^ ^'' Tackner, who, he obsprJei, made him wSl. K- V ** V** "? an excel ent tomper, resolved to strive, not r,Sn ^ L /k ' **"* ^^i'^ hims e lf; in putting off the old man/and putting on the new. In the evening he received the first harsh word from Mr. Oglethorpe, when lie asked for something for a r, . f # tm Un OP VMS SBT. OIIAftLM WMLBf^ fMwir wonuin. Th« n«it day he rveeivod • rouffh«r aiuiwnr la « limtuir which d«M«rvml hiIII grtiAtnr «riC4}urii|{eiii«iit. •• ( know imt,»» ■oyn he» " how to niMHmnt fur hiM iiior«aaitig ouliit; no wdrul,iio untmriHlih'. m llerifl. Unit he couhl not h««r to utiiy noar her. Thin fvoning Mr. QglothoriN) waa.with the raen uiultr rtrma, in fX|Mciatiun of an enttinv, hut In the fmma ill humor with Mr. Waiilcy. •* I ataid/* ^ MAyN he, •• aa long aa I couhh howi>v«r uoa(tf«, within the wind pf ■uch conmiuUon} hut «t Itai Um htirHettiM of Ui {NuNaoii drova mt ftw \ *t v. • .ir* We»Iey»a ittuation wit tiow truly A)»rinlfifs Qoi only ts tt jreicnnlpd hia uaeAihieaa, hut oi U aflbcted hia aftfetv« Mjany uef** ftonit lo«t all dwcnncy in th«?lr tK>havior towartfa him, ^tuf Mr. Ogl<>thoriw'i* trcattmrnt of him ithownd that h« hud rocnivtMl iin* Srejwionii greatly to hia tltaadvantagej at the aame time he wat ItaHy ignorant of hia ncciiMerH, and of what ho waM accuaed. Bu| hiing conkc;ioua of hia own inntM^onco ho trusted in (mmI, and coii- aidcrred hia sufTcringa aa a part <»f the jiortion of ihoM who will live j(odlv in Chnat Jeuun, ewpocially if they porauade others to Walk HI the aame rule. Sunday, March 14ih, he reutl prayer*, and IMNnched with boldneaa in aingloneaa of intention, under a groat « tiwe^ to about twenty people, among whom waa Mr. Oglethorpe. Allft the K.pi8tle,»» aaya he, «' I waa plainly shown what 1 ought to • m^rid what I ought to expect. • Giving no otlence in any thing," tkm the minioir^ be hot blamed, but in all things approving our* aelvea as the ministora of Christ; in much patience, in afilictiona, in neceHHitifs, in di8tre«8, in atripea, in imprisoimieilfUi, in tumulta, in laborH, in watchings,' &c.** At night he found himself exceedingly faint: hut had no better be 'f lUr- U '^U^s£ii^^:j:t lA^ . •«> >. ., "f^pi" ' VMI Lir| Ot THB BET. OHAELBt WMLBT. wboh myatery of iniqui^.*' I luppote he meahs the p.o4 and deaigna which were formed, chiefly RgaiiiMt hitiiHclf. T He went to hia myrtle grove, and while he waa repeating "I will thank thee, for thou htiHt heard niCi und art become my lalva- tion," a. gun wuh fired from the other aide of the bushea. Frovi- dentially he had the moment liefoie turnfd from that end njf the walk where the ahot entereil, and heard it paua cluae by,iiim. Thia waa, apparently, a dftaign upon hia life. '\ A circumatance-now took place which xoon brpught on an expla* nation between Mir. Oglethorpe and Mr. Wesley.^ i^r. Oglcthorf}e hud, more than once, given ordera that no man ahoidd t>h(Hiit on a Sunday; ond Germtiin had Itech confined in the guard-room for it In the midst of aennon, tm Sunday the 3lHt, a gun waa.fired^ the constable, ran out, and found it waa the Doctor, and told him ii waa contrary to ordera, and l^e must go with himlto the officer. The Doctor's passion kindled; *• What," said he, "don't you know that I am not to be looked upon aa a common fellow?" The con->^ atable not knowing what to do, went back, and af\er consultini with Hermadorff, returned with two sentinels, and took him to thf guardnroom. Hia wife then charged and fired d gun, and rar thither' like a mad woman/ and said she liad' shot, and would 1^ , confine4|too. She curst and swore in the utiriost trurupbrt of rage, * threatenmg to kill the first mun that should come pear her;, but at last was fiersuaded to go riway. In the aftermi^On ahe fell uiraiT Mr. Wesley in the street with the greatest bitterness and scurrility: said he was the cause of her husband's confinement, but she^ivould be revenged^c. &c. He replied, that he pitied her, liut defied all that she dr the devil could do; and he honed she would soon be "*", * •^tter^mind.^^ " In niy evening hour of retirenient,^' says lijg^ « I. f J j^, ^ . . .. - . efinjf °1 jfi; "I resigned myself to God, in proyer for conformity to a au Saviour." Before prayers thiai evening he took a walk with Mr. Ingham, who- seemed surprized that he should not think innocence a suffi- cient projection: but Mr. Wesley hud not acquainted him with the informatimi he had received of designs formed^against him.— At night, he tells us, "I was forced to exchange' my usual bed, the ground, for a chest, being almost speechless with a violent cold." Mr. Oglethorpe Was now expected to ^return fiotn his excursion with the Indians, and stfich was the violence of the party Yorme^d against Mr. Wesley, that the Doctor seht hia wife to arm herself from the case of instruments, and forcibly to make her escape, to apeak to hirri first on his landing, and even'to stab Miy per^h who should oppose her. « I was encouraged," says Mr. Wesley, »« from the lessoii, Gml hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power —Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord," &c. March 24th, " 1 was enabled to pray eafnestly for my enemies, f» ed it-— Mr. Ingham then came aih gloriojufl exliortati6n to patience, and c notice was given uaof Mr. Oglethorpe's qi«S7th' puling :e in God.— Whet Mr. H., Mir» li^ «*N,» 'S, .J*' VHB LIFB 09 TBS. MMT,, 0«Ami.M, WULBt, « ImiI) and I ^^^ «ent;for; We found him in bit tont, wift |Im people around it, and Mr. .^lid /Mra. H. witbtn. After a fi^rt bearing tta# officers were reprimanded, and the prisonera diauiiMed. ■,7A When they were gone, Mr. Oglethorpe said, he wap convinced and glad that I had ne^hand in oil thi»«--] told hiin'tha| ( had slfnc- thing to impart of the last ihiportancei When he waji^ at figure. He took no notice, but read bin letti^!^, and I walked av^ay with ^ Mr. Ingham, who was utterly astonished. The issue is just y^tA . I expected — I was struck' with these word%1in the evening lesson;' * Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that itf) in ^thrifft Jesus: remeniber that Jesus Christ was riiised from the '^ead, according to my gospel, wherein I suffer trodble aa an evil dOcr< even unto, bonds, but the word of God 4s not bound, therefor^ 1 endure al) things for the elect's take. It is a faithful sa^ingi.for if we lieid^ad with him, we shall also live with him: if we sufller, we- ' shall also reign with hini-r^Aflter readinffthess words, I cqluld not ' forbear adding, I need jsay nothing; j3od will shortly appW this — Glory be to God for my confidence hitheitd*— 1 what aiii I, if lfef\ to myself; but i can do and sufl'er all thi|ig8thrQiighCi)iriiit strength- ening me.'* •» „ /''"• He goes on: «« Thursday, March 35th, I heard the second dfum beat for prayers, which I had desired Mr. Inghfim to read, being„ much weakened'-by ^ly fever; but coiisidering (hat fought to ap- pear at this time especially, I rose, and heii^rd those animating , words, * If any man serve me, letliim follow me, andfwhere I am thera shall my servant be. If any man serve me, him will my Father honor,' 8fc. At half past Beven,..Mr. Oglethorjie called me out of my hut^; I looked up to God and went. He charged me with mutiny and sedition; with stirring dp the people to leave the colony. Acconlingly he saidj thev liad a ineeting last night, and sent to him this morning, desiring leave to go—That their speaker had in- formed again^ them, and me the spring of all — That the men wore , such as constantly came to prayers, therefore I must have instigated thenhr-That he should not scruple shooting half a dozen of them - .ftt once, but that he had, out of kindness, first spoken to me. My answer was, *f desire, sir, that you would have no regard to my friends, or ihelove you had for me, if any thing of this charge bd made out against me— I know nothing of their meeting or designs. . Of those you havd mentioned, not,jone comes to prayers or sacra- i^nt— I never invited any one iq leave the colony — I desire to answag accusem face to face.* He said my accuser was Mr. Law- ley, whom he would, bring, il^ I would wait here— I added, Mr Lawley is a man who has declared, that he knows no reason for keeping fair with any one, but a design to get all he ciui by him* but there was Wthiiig tobe go^by the poor parson. I asked wjbether he was not tifssured that there were men enough in Fred- erica, who would say or swear any thing against any man, if he were in disffrilce^-^Whether if he himsieTfwatr removed, or sm> ceeded> ill, the ^hoJb streain of the people would nut be turned; ^ '.'« ,-r ^'i. I' n .t tmjTttwm or the *■▼. ohaelbs wisunr. ■'.r>r^^jp^-^.r ^ a^intt him; and even this Lnwley, who was of all otlTeri th« moit violent in condeinnins the nrinonen*, ond justifyitiff the oide/enf 1 . observed, this wiIh tlie old er^, away with the ChristianH to the lions-T^I irieiitioiied H. and hia wife Hcundulizinff f uy brother and me, and vowing rpvcnge.affainHt us tioth, threatening nie yesterday even in lii^ presence. | asked what HUtitifaetioii or redrens was due to my character— What good I could do in my parish^ if cut oH'liy calumnies from ever seeing one half of it? i ended with assuring him, that I had, and should make it niy business to promote peace among all." *» When Mr. Oglethorpe returned with Lawley, ho oliserved the place was too public — 1 offered to take him to iiiy usual walk in the wooils — In jhfe way, it cunie into my mind to say to Mr. Ogle- thorpe, 'show only the least disinclination to Hnd me guilty, amt^ you Khali see what a turn it will give to the uccuHiition.' He took the hint, and insisted on Lawley to make |food his charge. He l)egan with the quarrel in general, but did not show" himseU* an^ with me, or desirous to find ine to blame. Luwley, who ap|>eHF^d full of n^uilt and fear, u{Nm this dropt o charged with all the niiachief. « How eJae can It be,' aaid he, 'that there ia no k>Ve, no nioekhesa, no true religion Hmong the people', but inatead of thia, mere iformal prayers/' I' said, ^as'U) that I, can answer for thfm, that the^ have no more of the form of godlineaa than the poi^er: for t have aeldom more than six at the public ^ryice.' « Biit that would an unbeliever say to your raiaing these diaordera? ' T anaweri^, • if I had raiaed them, he might aay there ia nothing in religion|i}ut what woifld that aig- nlfy to thoae ^ho had exiKjriencedgTfPnfy would not say so. * He said iho |)cople were full of dread |n{rconfusiou--tbat it was much more enay to gOvem a thousand tNan sixty |)eraons— 4hat he durst not leave them4)efore't|Mi^ ^ere settled., I asked him whether ho would have me a1tog«Wilr forbeaij.to converse with ifkiy iwriahion- era? To tliia I couM get^ini anavp-. 4 went on to observe, that the reason why 1 did not interi>oiM>' for or againSt the Doctor, was hia having at the beginning eharged^ne with hia confinement, I said, * I have talked leas with my pariahioncra theae five daya past, than I had done in any one aAernoon Before. I have shunned aii- E paring in public, lest nijr advice should be asked;, or, leatif I eard others talking, my silencp should lie deciphered Into advice. But one arffumentof my innocence 1 can give, whicbf^wiU qonvintie even you of it. I know my life is in^#ur hands; aiid you know that were you to frown upon me, ^Yid giVe th^ least intimation that oie case WAS sostwith theift^all. « Ypu see,' said I, Vthat my safety f eijenda on yoUlr single opinion of me : must I'not therefore be mad, ifi m such n sUaauuir, I should prt^voke you Ky disturbing the pub* « M .1 ^7i J^ V-. e* ,^ ' fiire, m well as for my own, I shall write no more, and desire you will eot. Nor will you have occasion, as you visit us so soon. I hope your coming may be of use to many. \ «• Mr. Oglethorpe gave me an exceeding necessary piece of ad- vice for you--« Beware of hypocrites, in particular of log-house converts.* They consider you \as favored by Mr. Oglethorpe, and will therefore put on the form of religion, to please— not God, but you. To this J shall only add, give ne teini>oraf encouragement whatsoever to any seeininjg converts, else they will follow you for the sake of the loaves. Convince them thus, that it can never be worth their while to be hypocrites. Stay till you ar© in disgrace, in persecuUon, by the heathen, by your own eountryifien; tin you " ere accounted the offscouring of all things (aH you mM«t infallibly be, if God IS Uue), and then see who will follow you.--I. • ^ "God, you believe, hai much work to do i^ Ameirlca. I be- lieve so too, and begin to enter into the designs which he has over me. I see why he brought me hither; and hope ere king to say * with Ijjnatius, ' If is now that 1 begin to be a di^wiplebr Christ.' * Ged direct you t» pfay for me Adieu." \ T On the evening of the day when Mr. Charles Wesley Woti this letter, a thought ctttne into his mind to send Mr. h^gha^ for his brother. Mr. Ingham was at first much averse to lekve him ill hie if^t^'Ar^ .** '®"***' *^" persuaded to go to Savannah, kndTMr. John W^lev set out from thence on the 4th of Aprtl.* VI ihall now pursue Mr. Charles* narralive. . . ^^ V I "Sunday, March 28. I went to the storehoii^^rtallrnade . ftt.present^ to hearken what the l>)rd God would ^y concernitiff both myself and the congregation, r was itrucfc With the first lee- ■on» Joseph and Potiphar»s wife. The methiif. < If the world ^ _. second -wae still more ani- hate you, ye know it haleHnie befbieit • 9mlb. Wwley'i JojifniJ, 1^^ of his 9^^ pf Wr.4|% T«B UW* M THS MIT. OMARLM WlfUl^ luHted jou; if y« WMw'of cImi world,Mu3. Afk0 pitiyvm, poor Mr. Darispn staid behind to take bis leave of M^. Inghnm. ne burst into tea|v, and said, * one good man ih leaviniir iih already; f furdN see ilothinfi^ but dcHolation. Must^my poor, children be broui^ht up like, these wivages? ' We endeavored to corr^fort him, by Hhowing him his calling. At ten o'clock Mr. Ingham preached an ainrmiritf sermon on the day of judgment. In my walk at noon I waM full or heaviness; I complained to God that I had no friend but him, and even in him coulu fimTno comfort. Imiiifldiatcly I received power to pray; then onenlVig my l)ible, I read us follows: * Hearken unto me, ye that seex the Lord; look unto the rock from whence vou were hewn: fear not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraiil of their reviling. Awake, awake^ flee avmy; who art thou tliat thou shouldst be afraid of a man that shall die, and hast feareij continu- ally every dav,l)ecau8e 0|f the fury of the oppre«Mor? and where is the fuiT-of the oppressor?* A iter reading this, it is no wonder that I found mvself renewed in confidence. While Mr. Ingham" waited for the boat, I took a turn with Mr. Horton: he fully con- vinced me of the true character of Mrn, H. In the highest degree ungrateful, &c. &.c. I then hasted to the water-side, wnere I found Mr. Inghatn juHt put off. ! haupy happy friend ! Mtit ertmit evth- nt:* but woe is me that I am still constrained tod^ycll in Mesbbch. I languished to bear him company, followed him with, my eye till out orsight, and then sunk int|| deeper dejection of Spirit than I had known before." "March -29. I was revived with those words . of ^ our licnjl: * These things have I spoken unto you, that you should not be of- fended. They shall put you out of their t^ynagoguek ;• yea, the time cometh, that whosoever kllleth you shall think that he doeth God 1 aervice,* &.c» Knowing When flefl England, that I was to live with Mr. Ogiethor{ie, 1 brought nothing with me but my clothes and books. This morijing, asking & servant for something I wanted, I think a tea-kettle, he told me that Mr. Oglethorpe nad ' given .orders that no one shbuld use his things. I aniswered, that order, 1 supposed, did not extiand to me: '^yes, sir,* said Ae, * you were excepted b;^ nanie.* Thanks be to God, that it if> not yet made capital to give me ai morsel of bread. - " Mancb 80. Having lain hitherto on the ground, in a comer of. Mr. Reed^s hut, and hearing some hoards were to be disposed'of, I attempted in vain to get some of them to lie upon— they Were given to aH besides—the minister of Frederica only must bo , *«f(»»;fpi(», a9tfiiiToi, onnrirtf. f „ Yet are we not hereunto called ■itnrarti», ttamTiaSrur.^ Even tbcf^^on of Man had not where to lay ~ bis he^d^ — I find the Scriptures an inOxhaustible fui^d of comfort— * ]|b my hand shortened mt all that I cuhnot save, or have I no power to deliver' — Behold the Lord Gqd will help me, who is he thal^ •ball condemn me? * He is gon« ; he has broke ^oo«e ; he has escaped. t Treat«d as aa enemy to soCjety, as an unjust person, and be deititote of an babiution. * t To hsTe no A .^"^iS 1 Cor. iv. U. a St? " ' ^i^.tTi^'a • > ::m wn ura Of m atr. oraklii wiilit. Ion ^^v fin ^^'r "'IT *" ** ■^"•«** ""'^ ■"«f»'««^ into M opt" dum jncet m ripa, calcemus C»sarlii b0«tem • Mv feW well- ' wivtoVvoi/'*''"'^"!:'*'".^ ^" !"«' ""^"^ have turneShrmrAnrr4T&V''''**'^^ ^''•^"^ ^^«*«^A got an old bedstead to sleeii ui)onTbefnJ*^th«» «n ?*u \* "I?**' ^ ilown let U8 trwnple ott tiie enemy ol Q^^*««™j»%»«ic^i«a4iirhjle h« is FjIK^'^^ ■m:^-< TBt Uri OV *■■ BIT. ORABLM fmiClV; ^■^•■-#': toat it wiM with the utmost difiiculty I ffot through the prateri < Mr. Daviiion, my good Snmaritnn, wouftl oAon cull or •end hit wife to attend inn, and to their cUre, under GimI, 1 cwo my life. To-day Mr. Oglethorpe ' gave away my bedstead from under me, ^ and refijHed to Hnare one of the carpenters to mend me up another ** «• April 10. Mr. Reod waked me with the ni'WH that mv brother and Mr. Dclomotte we^e on their way to Frederics. I Uiund the eiicouragement I sought, in the Scripture for the dtfy, Psalm Hi* < Why boasteHt thou thyH^f, thou tyrant, that thou cannt do mis- chief, whereas the {^oodnexs of Gml endureth yet daily* Thy "^ tongu^e imagineth wickedness, and with lies thou cuttest like a sharp razor,' &c. At six my brother and Mr. Delamotte landed, when my strength was so exhausted, that I could not have read prayers once more. He helped me into the woods, for there was no talking among A people of spies and ruffians: not even in the woods unless injpin unknown tongue-^ And yet Mr. Oglethorpe re- ceived my brother with abundant kindness. I l)<;gan my account of nil that had passed, and continueci it till prayers. It would be needless to mention nil the Scriptures, which, for so many days, have been adapted to my circumstances. But J cannot pass by the — lesson for this evening, Heb. xi. I was ashamed of having well ni^h sunk under my r^utferings, when I licheld the conflicts ofthose thumphant sufferers of whom the world was not Worthy. April , 11. What wordH could tj^re support our confidence, than the fol- lowing? out of the PsnIntPfor tne day. * He merciful unto me O God, for man goeth about to devour me. He is daily fightinjg and troul>ling ine. Mine enemies be ■ . ■% leM oome fgain with joy, and bring hia abeavea with him.» £aatnw eve, April «4, I wua nent for at 10, liy Mr. Oglethorpe. « Mr. Wealey, you know what haa piuMtuil ^MJiween uh. 1 toolt aunie naiua to Batiafy your brother alMHittho rejiorta concerning me, bul in vaui; he here renewahia auapicion in writing. I did deHire to convnico hiin, bocauHo I hud an enteom for him; and he is juut as conaiderable to me ua my UHtevm mukea him. I could clear up all, but It mattera not, you will aoon see the reaaoii of my actiona. 1 ftni now goiiiff to death, ypu will ace im> no more. Take thiH ring, and carry it from ine to Mr. V.; if there be a friend to he depend- ed on he la one, Hiaintereat in next to Sir Roliert'Hj whatever you aalt, withm hin power, he will do for you, your Itrothcnuid family. I have expected death for nome daya. Theae hiterM nhow that the Spaniard* have long lieon seducing our alliea, and intend to cut ua off at a blow. I fall by my friendii, on whom I re on earth and care hot how mooii I fiillow you.» He addwl, how iriuch he tlo- .•ireUtheconveraionof the heathen, and la^lieved my -brother in- tended for It. 'But I believe,' said I, ' it will never lie uml^r your patronage; tor then men would account for it, without taking God into the account.' He replied, • I believe ho too'— 1 hen embraced and kiaaed me with the nuwt cordial affection. I attended him to the Scout boat, where lie Waited aoine minutea for hiH awonl. 1 hey brough»a mourning rword the firnt and a necond I'w'u u- **»ey.Kove him hia own, Which hail la^en \m fathcr'a— W ith thiH Hworti,' Haul he, « I waa never yet uiwucceHaful.' When " the boat put off, I raA into the wooda to aee my lunt of him. See inyne and two othern run after Wm, he Htoju tin; laiat and a»ked iflvewanteil aiiythmg? Capt. Mackintoafi, whom he left com inander, desired h», laat <,rdera. I then aaid, • Ci^al ia with y..u : go forth, Chruto duce, et mupice Ckrulo.' *.You haVe,' said he, •r?I"S ""tT* "^ '»!"«'>:»« will there aee ii^ thoUghta of *ucc«ia.' The boat then carried him out of ^ight— I interceifed for him, that *' April 3». About half-paat 8, I went down to the bluff, to set -*-«- • This bt the last tim« I am atktwsd lu npcuk to you. ♦n jN^^il' •f llUi M?. ftU/tOMB WULlt, r ■ boat that Wffi|6mln||.up. At 9, it arrived, with Mr. Oftlethorp*. I bleitscd (>cm1 tor still hoMin(f hiii houI iirlife. lii the eveninc we took a walk tovethor, an<(*ti> tetiipt and reproach under the moat irritating and provoking circum- Btniict'H, his patience, and conikience in (iud, in expectation of de- liverance, stand forth in a conspicuyius light, and form the moat prominent features of his character. Mrs. H. and Mrs. W. were woiiicn of very loose moraln; thev had come from England in the ahin with Mr. Oglethorpe, and ig^ile at sea, Mra. W. seemed to lie uiuler some religious imi>ressiotM, but soon lost them on shore. The character of Mrs. H* was well kiMiwn in Kngland: Mr. Shurles Wesley was informed l»y Mr. Hird, that Mr. Oglethorpe k*lured he wouhl rather iriVc iinj^nndred pounds than toKe her jn the ship. Though Mr. Wesleyknew this, und the whole of her character, yet he never upbraided her with it, but patiently en- dured her revilings. His innocence unpears on the very tkce of their prm-itHlin;^**, and hence Mr. Ogletlnirpe, when undeceived, attributed h in comluct tii a want of 'time for coiisideration. The sectMHl day atler hti« cosjJribjunong them, Mrs. H. begun to abuse him; and seven da^s ii^BHieir whole phH was disi^overed to hiin^ which ipake» it alinil^lMain that thi^r designs were formed befbre he came among theii1$\|Sler uii iipiirehet^sioii thut he would be too great u check on tMir.'UMrncious behaVitfr. After such an iflatence aa this, of ^he pcmcl|||iyiind practicea of this peoplei i' •-t ■5r Tf r«M. I -4 0' r«|M*l*'-# *■■ Liri of TM MT. OBAltM otiriit w» to wonder kt mif report* tfcey might' rmite conceminff •Uhor of the two lirothefH? " Mr. Churlen Wmiey being now more at ease from hia neraeeu- tora, grmlually rejririwH hiM xtmijfth; iiiid on ihe 11th of May he Waa Hurticuiitly nrov«rcenta and hurndeaa aa dovoa. Hut l»eware of men, for they will deliver you up, and ye ahall be u i'A ''«'"''<' p'vcrnora and kinga for my nnini^'H ankr; and ye BhHilije hated ol nil men; but h« that enduieth to the tnd Hhall be ^uved. 1 he tliwiple la not aliovo hia 'maatcr; fear ye not therefore, for there 18 nothnig covered which ahull not U rev«>cded, and hid which ahall not be made known.* In explaining ibiM," he ndda, I dwelt on that bleMHcd topic of conaolution trt the innocent, that however he mav auller hero, he will shortly lie cleared at (iod'a righteoua bar, where the accuser and the nccuseuck, and I'hmd the congregation." No one would have rejoiced ^rcMientunce and conversion to God, than Mr. Wesley. nu .- V.r . ^^K'«'t*>orpe being gone to the southward, Mr! lyharlca Wesley set out for Savannah, whither the Indian traders were coming down to meet him, in order to take out their licenses On the 16th, he reached Thunderbolt at six in the evening, and from thence walked to Savannah,* which la about five railop. His brother, Mr. Inghuiri, and Mr. Delaniotte wore surprised at his un- expected visit; but it being late, each retired to hia corner of the room, and "without the 'help of abed," aaya Mr! Charles, « we slept aoundW till the moving." On the 19th, Mr. John Wesley set out for Ia^ not my own." The day woa usually divided between visiting bis parishioners, considering the lesson, and conversing with Mr Ingham, Delaniotte, &c. On the 22d he first met the traders at Mr. Causton's and continued to meet some or other of them every duv for several weeks. ' May 31. Mr. Oglethorpte being returned from the southward, andcotne to Savannah, he this day fa<>ld a court, ««We went »» says Mr. .Wesley, "and heard his siH-ech to the people;" in the close of which hosaiil, " if any one here has lM>en abused, or op- pressed bjj any man, in or out <»f office, he has fn^e and full liberty of complaining^ let him deliver in his complaints in writing at my ♦ This kccords with Mr. Joha Wesley's Journal. See his Works, vol. xxfi • p. »3n_ • . na Lira or *■■ twr. nAiuM mtuTt V f will raad them all ornr lar man justice." '* At eii^ht And fiiund the thri;« ina «lariiM)d by hiN hiwim^I^^^ •nititeut.'-'He «liMini nwn of the riotioiia win eminent. Thvy aeein to ora, to o|)preu iiny iiuliv convenience or iiicliiinti ■ee this notion of govurnini potty givfemorn, both in inutie tn tne beginning of July, I Mr. Charioii WeMley, all at Savannah: by myaeir and do vnrf ptrdeo* tho fveiiing I wsit«Mi u(K>n hiinf ith him, who aeenied Miwh wiHild not discourage gov- ' live hure a ruriouM ii|M«(!i- oC Savannah hud of gov* sir privilege, art govcni« iraint, as it Muitt*^! tlinir Mii^, thut we too ot\eii itHC'lf in the conduct of littlo iiiMticnl and civil. ()giethor|K>, Mr. John and but there is no intiiViatiou how long they had lieen there, or on what - I , 1 •^■' , ', ■ V: \^ /"'■^*'y ^'" \^\ iv\\\ ■>■'■■' ■ ■ < I^V H i,;;', .. .-,■ ., ■ .:'«'.r.';. -'.t :.■ -^'^^^ii:^- \ '-'VT^' ' . ■ •■■■■' ■■' ' ■ , ■ ; • • ^ • ■ ■ _ ^ , ' ' ' * ■ •■ ■-•§;./ ■:'■;: -v. 1- ' ;^ ,/ :-;■ ■«: ■■- ,■*-- ■ ,. , v' i •i • ■ - " - ■ - ';-'---■■-. . \ :' * ■- ■ ' . ■■^■Tf- ■ ■ » — . — -_ . ^ ■, . ■ ■ . y \ ' ■■ - - * ■■'-•■■ ■■( '■M ,_*. .^ . ... / ■. m '■ ,■ J ' _.^ ■.'."-•■ ''' ■ ■ AT. ■ '■ . ', ' -vi .(4. # ■ s haracteristic of the followers of their experience in religion, at the ing, it appeared to many as a new they made use of, had not as yet 5 the genuine expressions of what and therefore signified something who experiencedf the same things^ 3 il y nnderst a nd; though to othera now, mere cant phrases, without them. Mr. Wesley's knowledge 9f peace with God, on a foumk- and h e that formed tli H ^^ ^t ;>> ^^M\Cf\Q£bm RBSQLUTION TEST CHARr* ' yfJATI^L BUftEAW OF STANDARDS STANglARO REFERENCE MATERIAL lOIOl r (ANSI «rut ISO TEST CHART No 2) plication to himself. Extempore prayer has therefore a great ad- vantage pVer set forms, in awakening and keeping up the attention of an auclWence. Whether Mr. Wesley had reasoned thus on forma of prayey, I cannot say: but he evidently found them at this time, to be a restraint on the freedom of his devotional exercises, and now began to pray occasionally without a form, with advantage and comfort to himself and others. It was however a new practice with him, and he seemed surprised lioth at his boldness and readi- ness in performing it, aM hence he says, " Not unto me, O Lord, not unto me, but unto thy name be the glory." Both the Mr. Wesleys were greatly censured by some persons, particularly by their brother Samuel, when they began this prac- tice. I cannot see any cause for censure. The most sensible and moderate men have allowed, that a form of prayer may be useful to some particular persons in private; and that it may be proper on some wjcasions in public worship. But the more zealous advo- cates for forms of prayer are not satisfied with this; they wish to bind them upon all persons, as a universal rule of prayer in public worship, from which we ought in no instance to depart. This ap pears to me unjustifiable on any ground whatever. To say that we shall not ask a favor of God, nor return him thanks; that w e ahall hold no intercourse with him in our public assemblies, but in a set ot vvords dictated to us by others, is an assumption of power in sa- cred thmgs, which is noLwarranted either by Scripture or reason: f ~. {^^mt-J^pkMo i^>^ fji^1-j*»' .^^iktfv^;t\ j^-*^JtP Jtf^4%Ju3 ;; < ' , 1 . -«^ku i^J^-iiiCi ^^^ ';''.5iPf> dimd: whirn by th— Thei«« horrid crunltiitH are the \m» to \m wondered at, Iwcaune the law ititi^lf, in ert'»!rt, couiittuiaiM'cM and nlloWM tlii-in to kill their ■lavcH, by the ridiculouM |>cnalty appointed ft>r it.— The {lenalty is alniul ■«v«Mi |M)un«h Ht(>rlitig, one half of which ii usually remitted if (he criiiiinul inrurin hguiiiHt hiniM'If.'* These instances, to which tun thousand othom might bo added, of delilM'rate, morcilcMs cruelty, cxerciMcd by one part of mankiiul over anotlitir, often without any cuum« that can be* culled a pn>vt>- cation, show us to what a wretched state of depravity and inseiiMi- bility human nature may l>e reduceil by vicicuw habitH. How much lesM would have lH>eii the HUtluriiig of theM* iiiiHeruble negroes, if they had fallen into the power of their more merciful enemies, the lioiiM, lieuiH, and tigers of Africa I Yet these wiM iK-usts ar«» hunted and destroyed as enemies to the human specieH: what then do the cruer slave-holder^ aixl masters deserve? who have more cruelty, and ten times the art of exercising it, even u|M»n their <»wn s|)ecie8. But what is more wonderful than all the rest, if possible, is, that in this fVeo and enlightened country, which boasts of the mild and equitable principles of Christianity, there is a large body of men who defend the slavu-trude, the source of all these niiacriea, and '■#1. % %. li^ ■4. ^birff if* over the motions of his own heart; and had a degree of strength to resist temptatjion, and to do the will ofrCiod, which he had not found liefore his justification; but he felt no great emotion of mind, or transport of joy in any of the means of grace. He now intended to receive the/sacrament, and was fearful lest he should be as flat and comfortless in this ordinance a^ formerly; he received it with- out any very /sensible effect on his ijnind more than usual, but with thi» difference from his former stat(^, that he found himself, af\er it was over,/ calm and satisfied with the goodness of God to his soul, and frj^e from doubt, fear or scruple, of his interest in Christ. In this vfo^he was early taught bv experience, to place little con- fidence in ^ny of those sudden and transient impressions which ar^ often mad{^ on the mind in public or private acts of devotion. Nor was he UQeasy because destitute Of that rapturous joy which some persons have experienced; he was mankful for the more calm and more permanent operations of divine grace on the miiM, by which his heart was kept in peace, staidjupon God, and watching unto prayer. I May 28. He rose in great heaviness, whiqh neither private nor joint prayer with others could remcive. At last he betook himself to int e rces s ion for his r e lations, and! was gr e atly e nlarg e d th e r e in — particularly for a most profligate sinner. He spent the morning with James Hutton, in prayer, sing^g and rejoicmg. In the afier- Offon his brother came, and aftei' priiyer for 8uc<^B8s on their minis- the caplftin, drinkiiiK nothiiij^ w'arcily but giii^ luul iu.v«M?uubkd hi« hflnd nlMiut taking in iiMufhcienl quantity of water; so thai on t|M atilh thuy were obligt.! to lie r«duco«l to i.hort allowanc*., MefSD •ftorwarda With »toriny weather, th« l«>iik lN>canio ularmiiitfjSiiid their difliruItu'H uior«aj«Ml m> faitt upon them, that they were obltged *" •»««r for Uonton in New Kngfnnd, wh#r« they arrived, with " ""iS Hiy*'""^ ■"*' •*'»"«cr, on the a4th of Stipiemfwr. Mr. WeHJry wuh h ^rvation lie, which can make auoh n wretch a« I am willing to Uve y^ : — > • -^ — ^ i ^^ ■• ravtitaatM in ras Irahaat. Cofor hane Angliain contcmpUri, ttiam aniiqua * WMIlUofWn I ft nrnjuto non cxclamare, O furtunatn re»i«, nee hiuw ■■ alenN, twc erocndiloa, n« deklorea \ Huh Hue hujua hulMlomain* uavf>m ccrtitaune c»iii- Ktndiinua, duplicaio aumpiu pairinni riiipiuri, ('nrolineaium, nrmo, viaiua auppmii(M*it i «t hic iiulHu nil iiiai cum pmwi. |V«»iinfl.ma batiat quod cogiir murntn banc cinero, inawHunH|U« prrtiuin (kyrt'aainnia tmUen." " Morliua m«ua, tu-tn Tmk aalulK^rruiiii •#nnil (uKatua, ^vrum mliil. Huadenl amiri omnea,' ut medtcum cwuaulem \ acd * Funcra uuu poMiun tam preUuaa pall."* *^ • When Mr. Wealey was at Predarica, tha aand -AIm w«r« on* night so ei- CMdmgly iroubleaome, that ho waa oblige«l to ria« at on« o'clock, and auxika them nut of hia hut. Ha tails us that tha whole town v^aa employed in iha same way. t He meana that apeciea of the crocodile called the alligator. When at 8a* vannah, he and Mr. UelamoUe uaed to hatha in the Havannah river between four and five o'clock in the morning, before the alligaiora were atirring, but they heard them anoring all round them. One morniiig Mr. Delamntle waa in great danger ; an alligator roae juat behind him, and puraued him to the land, whither ae eacaped with difficulty. t He puts informrra in good company j they are always troublesome, and •ometimra deatructivc crraturea. They aeldum or never confine themselves to simple facts ; suspicion supplies much matter, and invention more. After wha« m bad oafferad, it is no wtinder he speaks of them in yo (eeling a manuar. \ » _ "■♦ fr.i ..r'^Vlit ."iiA: ^"UW^ XVI.A • M. llyAD uau uccii «cu iM rcuu iiie ooiniiy on jusiincation, Dy wnicn he was convinced that in him, by nature, dwelt no good thmg. 1 his prepared him to receive what these messengers of peace re- lated, concerning their own experience. He now saw that all the thoughts of his heart were evil, and that continually, forasmuch as whatsoever is not of iaith. is sjn. /^ June the 10th. He became earnest for present salvation; he prayed to God for comfort, and was encouraged by reading Luke V. 23. « Whether is it easier to say, thy sins be forgiven thee, or to say, rise up and walk? ^^But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sin*, (he said unto the sick of the palsy) I sav unto thee arise, and take up thy bed ttnd go unto thme house," &c. Mr. Wesley and Mr. Bray now conversed with hun on the power of Christ to save, and then prayed with him ;i they afterwards read the 65th Psalm, and all of them were anima- u i7 « 2®Pu ^° reading, « Thou that hearest prayer, unto thee Shall all flesh come. Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and receivest unto thyself; he shall dwell in thy court, and shall be he received the appellation of Doctor, by which he was always known; but re- ducing himself to narrow circumstances by a precipitate marriage, he supported himself hv taHchlnor n nnnr n.atK«..l «f ...-;;:, tit l-i j ^ruT" ' . *^*T. ^ „.., f by teaching a new m e thod of wiitin g S i iu r t-liand, of his own inTcntion ; until an estate devolved to him by the death of an elder brother. He was a man ot ready, lively wit, of which he gave many humorous specimens, whenever a favorable opportunity tempted him to indulge his disposition. He died in 17«8t thoUKht unii«c«iwiiry. I muMt din to prove mywlf i.irk, niid I cnii do iM» morn lit M>M. I i|iii thiT«'fiir«! di'tonniiuHl to Iw carried on b«ittnl to-inorruw, nnd leiivi- th» ejviAit to C«imI.»» "(ktolwr 25. Thw ship rtll down nn wnn «in hud iiidci'd lieen in the wiUkTrn'M, where the hand of (ichI hiul lieeii ninnifeiited in hi« preiiervntion, and Anally in hiN driivernnre. Hf^ro (;i(Hl had |/rov<>d him, and tried hirn, mid •hown him what was in hi$ heart. In thiH Htute of tiutU'ring, he was le«l to a mom i>erf«ct 'kriowledge of human nature, thim ho could have olitiiin«'lo couriiu of hix mV'. II Im knowledge waA derived iVoni experience,, which ia the moMt certain, and the most uscftil in the conduct of life, and rnnkeH the deepeHt iinpreHMion on the mind. In his distreHM the Scriptures became more precious than ho hafore. He now saw a beauty in them, which ths < moat learned and refined criticism can never discover. From tb« * IIo nieann with cuafHlenco oud couifort. / \ ■5 . . r^mr .Ws -^4 tvt t^'^m Jt.' thmr must be pardoned and accepted by an act of grace or favor, and the same condition of receiving these blessinirs is required of every ihan, without any regard to his works, which are all sinful. Our state in heaven will be regulated by a different rule. All who are saved will. not be treated as equal: "Every man will be rer warded according to his works;" that is, according to his improve- ment in practical holiness, on gospel principles. Heaven will un- doubtedly be a state of socie^; this appears evident, not only from some passages of Scripture, but from the faculties of men, which are formdd for social intercourse, in order to obtain the higliest degree of happiness. But in a state of society, the members occu- py different ranks and degreei?; there are certain honors and re- wards to be bestowed: in heaven these will all be distributed in proportion to our works, and the conformity to Christ, to which we may attain in this life. Mr. Delamotte, however, thought his conclusion good, and was animated with zeal against this new faith, as it was then commonly called. He collected his^^trong reasons against it, and filled two sheets of'paper with them :vbut in searching the Scripture for pas- H B ges to s trengthen hi s arguments, he met with Titus iii. 5. — "JJot by works af righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he hath saved. us." This passage of i Scripture cut him to the heart, destroyed all confidence m the specj^ous reasoning he bad used on this subject, and convinced him he > was wrong. H« '"Vi y!> tm th«t f JmiegiiiiM wvrm at thia liiiw. Mr. Cbarlva had happily eacaiMMl, out of their rrach, and th« Hlomt M\ with doubb violence on hia brothitr.* Thn -journal which h« now rt;ciiiv4««l from Mr. Kiviiitftoii, infonncd huii of the |iarttculani. ••! r«ad it," aaya Mr. Charlifa, " without «ilh«r Murpria« or lin|NiliffiiCK. Tlui dro|H pinc of my fatal letter, I ho|Mi will convinmi him, of what I nevnr rouUI, hia own ^rnut'can^lcaitiifNa: a|ul the HulfuriiiKM which it has brought u|Nm hiin, may ahow hiui hia bliiidimaa. Ilia aiinplidty in tnlliiig, what, and who were meant by the two (ireek woc«Im, wa« outnltiinK hiM own out-^loing)!. Sun^ly all thia will Imi MutHcieiit to teach him a little of tlio wiMloin of the iieriient, of which he aeeiiui na entirvly void, na Mm. H. ia of the iiitiiK>y haa ^iven ua in thcae rcinarka, a atrikinf inatance of the artlciM, uiidiHKuiMod conduct of hia brother. Ho Buppoaea indeed, that hia brother wanted foreaight; that he did not pfirceive the coiiMequcncea which would follow from hia o|ien avowal of the whole truth. Thia however waa far from inline the coae. Mr. John Wealey had tiM> much fienetratioii'mid knowftMige of human nature, not to foreaco what wouhl tnllow rroiii hia con- duct oil thia ocuaaion. The truth ia, that Mr. John Wealey hail adoDted a princiole of unreaerved opcnnM in hia converfation with otherN, which, on particular (Mu;aMioiiarne carried abundaiiUy too far. His conduct in the preaent inatunce, may prove hia aiii- *Thii waa «{ •ocottot of Mrs tv or nin« monlha prerioua to the pertMUtion he wttdnd on liamioB. { 1, <. . 1 some time between darkness and light; but God'was greater than my heart, and burst the cloud, and broke down the' partition wallj and opened to me the door of faith.' n ?vy- CHAPTER VII. If SECTION IV. CONTAIITIirO 80BCS ACCOUNT OF MR. CHARLES WESLET's PUBLIC MINISTRY. If we consider how necessary the gospel is, to the present and future happiness of men, we shall readily acknowledge that a min- ister of it, occupies the most important office in society; and hence it becomes a matter of the utmost importance, that this office be filled with men properly qualified for it. Christiani^ is a practical sci e nc e , th e th e ory of its principl i gs beifi i g only pr e paratory to th e practice of those duties which it enjoins.* A preacher therefore should not only understand the doctnnes of the gospel, and be able to arrange them according to the natural order in which they are intendea to influence the mind, and direct the conduct of life; but he ought to experience their influence on his own heart, an lb« ililii lUgy I 111 >■ !i HUM I I w I till MTTTTmrrn ( iiui < ii , iuni i In i i n 1 1 < i i rri tUiKlHiui, III (•riir^iM; •tiul tu K«'t lh«'iii it<'liiiu%% ItMlgf «| liy llii* i-uui^ try M uii« rhuri^h. Viw iUnml had Iweii int'i»riii«d of iHa piotv and Mat of lh« two brirth«ni, and on lli« I9tb, a ftiw day* sAwr.liM ■rrivnl, hn uvut for Mr. C)iarl«*« Wndry. . Il« wriic, mul the INiunt Mlutrd him with «U |mnmiIiI« atlVrtioii, antl iiiaU« hini pniio- Im to call •vttry day. Here h« wm acquninlml with lh« ubjfwt of thii rotuit*« vi«it to ihiirr«>tii^ry. Fniiii him h» wont to tli«« liiMhop of Oxfonl, who r«coiv«d hiin with C4|uol kiiidiicMi, aiMl ihiMirvd him to call M oAan as he coukl, without cflr«itM)iijr or fVirth«r ii>- vh.ilion. Thry hud much talk of th» Hinin of rrliKioii niiioiig th«i Moriiviami; of th«f olyrt't of th« CouiiCii vinil; and (h» liiahop ac- kndlrledgfld thai the Moravian biahopa had the true aucctniMion. On the il5th» lya paid a vbit to tha ealabratad Dr. Hal«w,t oaar (k-auluiMHl l»y ^r. GharUa WaaUy'i latur td bU bruitMr, just now men* t HaUa (Sirphan), D. D., a Mlchraud divim antt philnwiplMr, «•• iMirn ia 1(77. In lilOA hn wm «iil«>rml at ll<*niti>t Collf*g«, C!uiiiliriilKi', mihI «(imil|i>ii a PiIIaw in I7U3. He Mtnu iliinivffrfd ■ Rrniun Inr nntumi piiilimoutiy. Ihtuny WB« III* tirnt ntudjr, Biiii hn uini in inakt* riciiraioiia aiixHiK iIik IiiIU with a viaw •r pro«iN;uliiiK It. In thn ■tudy ofaaitronoiiiy iir wna cqunlly nmiMiutMia. Haf- iny ina N«ii<>inrna ul the lieavrnly lMNiiea,on much the aaine principles with that afkerwanla mad* by Mr. Rowley, whkb, frum lb« nam* ofhta pairoo, waa called an Orrf*ry. I • In 17 IH, hr waa olccted Fellow of th« Itoval tMikty : and lh« T«ar following '«ad an account of aomo «ip«r(menu b« had lalMy made oo toe etftct uf tha mi.':-t' by perpetual declamation, like 4he sophists of old, render them prompt and ready in speaking with plausibility on any subject, and to pomt out to them the sources from whence thiey may draw mat- ter for declamation. But tfaie pastor whom we should form in our academies, is something much greater and more divine than all this. He is a man of God, who is influenced by nothing but high and heavenljr thoughts: of promoting the ^lory ^f God, of propa- gating the kingdom of Christ, and destroying the power of satan; of obtaining daily a more perfect knowledge of that sublime science on which eternal happiness depends, of more widely diffusing it, and more efficaciously persuading others to embrace it; of restoring fallen Christianity, binding up the wounds of the church, and heal- ing her divisions. — He is a man whose business it is to perform and direct all the parts of divine worship before the whole churchy to offer to God, the desires, the prayers, the praises and thanksgivings of the people assembled. — This pastor is a man divinely called, an ambassador of God sent to men, tha^ he may bring as niany souls as possible, from darkness to l^ht, from the world to Christ, from the power of satan to God, from the way^jbperdition to the way tion, faithfully explains the word Qt God, especially the doctrines of salvation contained in it, and by the simplidity and clearness of explanation adapts them to the capaci^ of every individual pemon. O tremendous employment!" &c.* * H'ercfi^bttw in Dissert, de Scopo Doctoris Tbcologi. %''■ Jn \n — AUXd <1 — ^ — ^^VTT^ — I I iiiii ■^t< il 1.. c !il 1 \ li|> \\i> — Vrhtn-T'r-H-nfl' Univvrstljr (Ml' Oxttml* to turn Mi\|Mtjr. AcciDniiii§ljr» «ia Um OT^^V* f^' Hun'« wamilh in raiaing lh« Mp in* tr«v« TK«>«# vi|>«fttn«nU lining Hiffkty s^ WfifMi ^tf ihtf lUijfat MtHK'lt, ho wKa viHliah«il lh«iti rnlxrgixl arMl liiiiirii«itihtn( m now f ttiUmy M CknflH*. On i\w 6lh uf Julv, lt33, lk« IFiutorally uf Oifonl hmiMml him with • dlpToiiNi ^ itM il«ffr«« of (htttof tn thvinitv i • mark of liladmiiim lb* mar* bonuraliU, ■• it ta mit uaual N on* ttntvtrMtjr to etmUr tmtttnuvl H*maf am th«M« who wont Mluialpii •! |ln<>ih*r. In 1739, h* prinlMi • vitluni* in oclafo, MtUlM i*hilaM, hoa|»llala, priaona, aiul lh« iloao |Mir1a of ahipa, whi< h waa uaoii with groat aun-raa, not only for lhoa« y»t\mtme*, iiul ala>««ioricli l*riN4-« uf Waloa. wh^i fri>«|u«nlly traitotl him, and tiNik • delight in aurpriaing him in th«> miilatai hiaritrtoua r«>a««rrhoa into iho tarioua parta of Naturw. Thn Priuro ilying in I7A0, I)r. llaira waa apmiinlMt Alinonor to bar lUtyal IlitfhnoNa, (ho I'riiiroaa TKiwagor, withnni hia aolinlalioh or kiiowlon«*olonuunrti. ti ., In ilw lirgMMiMiK uf Frttrusrv, I73H, I'cirr It^ihlrr arrivrtl m I'imUimI, alMiui iti« lint* Mr. J<4ifi WiNtlvy nHMroMl fWxit (•cmqiiii. It^inltir wktti Im>«*iiim«< «r«|iiMinlrti rtilrrrj inio mtn%« cUmm r«inviirMli«Mi With bitii, ikmI wtlh mwiw MrtniUm wh«» wprr MrriouM. H« prrMinl u|kmi ihriii th« •MMMMltjr of «(Miv«niUNi| M t^iwMl ilwini jhal itMiity wliu had bNtn awallrt)«<«t, hiid fittli^d Aiil*p Hfnin for «*nii| of AttniiiitiK |ii it. Ha •|Mik« iimch 0( ih«i ntH-rmny of prajrcr ami faith* but uum of iJM;tn laatiMNl to andnmlaml him. Mr. Ch«rl(<« Wr«lnv witM Immmtiiiirly lifter thU, tak**!* Ill of a plouriay. On lh«i 'i-Kli, ihd pain livrainr mo violrtil a« to ihrrairn autfclan daatli. Wbila In thb iitata. Falar Uokkr eaina to hia ImmI- Bld«. •• I nmkrtl hini," ndilt Mr. Wi'ub'y, "to nrny for hw. Ma a«i«inrd uimilling at flfMt, hut liri(iniiiii|( I'nintly, m rnisni hia voica Inr ile|cr«!«a, and prayed For inv rwovary with atrani^n ciNifklanea. I hon h«i l*N>k iM«f liy th«i hani, M»|f-«lmi*iiM'iii, ainl « wii*«' «»f hla want of thai fnlih whirh hrlnipi r%f(ktf*i«iWy he intirht b« wrong, hailtnkrn hoW f Christ to sinners. The negro was quite happy, ind another orimlnal in an e^ce)|()|it tppiper. I talked with on« Jtai- ♦v. hmwm lh«i ho h«|irfl r,tr li, m$ml fm mhmium *^ H b r«MHtiNMiiy imimI. ih«i ,H»-».w mml |.rrju r*kkgUm, M« *1«.«*«<1 thrtHiffll IM «»NlU„„ .^p,.ju.lM-r, MHl h.. u,Kl«r.i.„.luHr *.n^ ruuUI ,HH H.M.. .Ik. ,l.,.rday of ,h.Sr ««.M.. ... •..ru,,;;?;.^! l»yv« U ! or |„ hav« .I«,iiIhi,, ..mI hm totally m.«.«,w«.|„u. ami l«iu.ra.rt Wr. f barl»li7 .miw .aw, thai ih« K«Mn«i| nnmiiaM to man a imiirtl, thai « prr-m. |ir.t|NiriHt lo r^mivm it a. hr «»a. I.y k.iowifw Jim in h.ni; ami h« Wama „Mir« and moffi ii«rit«ai in nur.i»ii ,| Ifclrsling after rif htouuMuiM, «««.. ih« nghlouuaueaa which tooT Gwl \ a: J'E-* Mif ^fea& , 11 wan one oi fne moMi intimpnnncjiours i navo ever Known. let, on July 19th, I rose very heavy and backward to visit them for the last time. At six in the morninff, I prayed and suns with them all together. The orflinary would road proyers, and Jhe preached ' most miserably.'* Mr. Sparks and Mr. &roughton were present; vA^K ''''^^^''^^ whom administered the sacrament, and then prayed; "'WlKn. Wesley prayed after him. At hRlf-past nine o'clock, their irons were Knocked off, and tfieir hands tied, and they prepared for the solemn journey, and the fatal hour. The clern'men went in a coach, and about eleven the criminals arrived at Tyburn. Mr. • Wesley, Mr. Sparkj^, and Mr. Broughton got upon the cart with them; the ordinary endeavored to follow; but tne poor prisoners begged that he would not, and the mob 'kept him down. They were all cheerful : full -of comfort, peace and triumph : firmly per- suaded that Christ had ^ed for them, had taken away their sins, and waited to receive them into paraditte. None showed any nat- ural terror of death: no f^ar, or crying, or tear. , " I never saw," Bays Mr. Wesley, "such C9;lm triumph, such incredible indifrer- 'Cnce to dying. We sang several hymnu; lyirticularly, - 'A guilty, Veak and helpless worm, ~ ■- - , Into thy bands I fall ; * ' _£ , Be thou my IKe, my righteotlsness,. » . ^s^ ''.:■.'■■' -'---ik::!! . My Jesus and myall.* ^ ^ _r^ ' ^ I took iMve of each in particular. Mr. Broughton bid them not to be surpniBed when the cart should draw away. They cheerfully nf *mt frictwU mm rAMi« l«* •«• iiMi in iIim Aiti*l«iiMriti«l IfMlll. Hm* ~ valkMt by faillk •imm- mA mn nlim, tj«« baa wimIwuI iiw in bi« M«hm|} I b«vr |M«a*'c« in biui, antl i^ rMol«a wllb Joy uiM|MaliMlit« and fVili of f l«'f^y-" Mr. WmWy a«bl», ** liar atwwrr* wrrti mi full to ibrar anJ llt« nMMl ararfhiiiff «iu«r havuig rocciveu llM r imnr ■III I'liiMjii i ■iji.iiiiii.iiiii i.iiiiiiniii..._j.iiiii i ■ ■■ ■ iiiiii^ - i ^i r *— *TIU« U a mml pUMintf •nvoliKu <»f ■ man ttl •'> niurh r«»i ■-•N Ii4 uui,cp iMo Miiiigs Hc luiiiiciijr luvcu, aiiu iuvi:;h ine uiiiigs wnicil leaQ to God and heaven. To say that the publication of such conver sions, ^hich in every step of their progress, condemn sin, can encourage the practice of it, appears to me little legs than a con- tradiction. Is it possible, that any p^son, who has the least serious thought of heaven, would voluntarily choose to go thither by the way of Tyburn or Newgate? Can we for a moment sup- poscj that a person who thinks of finally going to heaven, will plunge himself deeper into sin in order to get there ? That he will bring himself so close to the brink of hell as Tyburn or Newgate, (where there is a bare possibility, but little probability, that he will not fall into the pit of destruction) in hope of conversion flnd heaven? Such a conduct would be a proof of insanity. It seeihs to me as certain a principle as any from which we can reason, that the conversion of notorious sinners from vice to virtue, is a public condemnation of vice, and must discourage it, in proportion as these conversions are made known, and firmly believed to be gen- uine and real. ^ ^ July 30th, Mr. Wesley was at the mominff prayers at Islington, and had some serious conversation with Mr. stonehouse, the vicar. The next day, Mr. Robson confessed that he believed there \^as such a faith as Mr. Wesley and his friends spake of, but thought It impossible for him to attain it; he thought also that it must necessarily bring on a persecution, which seems to have had a very unfavorable influence on his mind, though convmced in hit .'4!4»4.rA #^"-i '>^ , ^ iW li'. w«u rilul agaiiiNt Min, nmf dihgoiit and z«niI.,u« in pursuit uf hnli- njj.; U len< .Ml to giv« convolution, to wcreane 'putie Jo ir ?«"; n oS'ISi 'nTll^'i'"' ;h«M c«..fi.lm.c« of ddl virance and vic- nnLLn h! 1 " **"**• ' ••••«^" »»»i. meth«Kl of rdigi«u« !„,- ?,nonT.h^ M ,i'T."'"i" "'"^""•«"y ""«« co,u.tuntly attended to «!rffil .rTi Jn*fc*fAl»PPf«»'«nd,they have very niurh „>- •en bl«d th« Primitive (fhri«t*inn«, nn long an theM retained hoi^ fid of ".L"'"' -'"?'"*'«>• ^»''«»l r^baUly ias till toward! the I m'^ «nd of the^gccond century, and h some places much lutrr What a pity that nfjy^enon.inatlon of ChriHtinns. the MeUiS nt^ i„ „„! ticular, .houia ever lo«e this characteristic of the 7olb Jerrof .«.S*"r'^iT."". **"*'*" *" '■*''"**' **•*'••■ ^tp^rionco in religion, at the J-. f I . Ti 1: ' he phrases they made use of, had n«»t as vet b«e„ learned by heart; thry were the genuine exprUions of wK had »««,«< in their own heurtM, an.l therefore signified ^meS fixcjf aiHl determinate, which all who «X|H,rie«re,rthe ^2 & orthcir wan of them, would ennily un/lerHlnnd; thc.urfh t^, otffi they would, appear, as they do now, mere cunt phrleVwUhZ IS^^Tir'"'? "'*"*"• "^^^ *° »*»«'"• Mr. WesL'yC k/u,wlS •f hmiself, and -onwiious want of |M>ace with Godf on « foumfi! %• erally occasioned some opposition, both from the wise und igno-> rant amon^ mankind. And when the professors of religion oiany denomination, wishing to avoid persecution and become more re- , spectable in the eyes of men, have either concealed the truth, or itebased it by philosophical explanations, the offence of the cross indeed ceased, but the glory of the gospel departed from them: they became lukewarm, and gradually dwindled away, unless held together by some temporal consideration, having a name to live, ' but were dead. I cannot on the contrary, commend the rash, Intemperate zeal of some young converts in religion, who have often, both in ancient and modern times, invited persecution by their own imprudence; either by ill-timed reproofs, or an improper introduction of their religious sentiments ii^ discourse. Nor can 1 approve of the rude vulgarity, which has soni^times been used both in conversation and in the pulpi^ under a pretence of speaking the plain truths of the gospel. There is a medium between these extremes; and I would say to myself, and to the reader, medio tutissimus ihisy the middle path is the safest, though perhaps the most difficult to keep on some trying occasions. - — Had Mr. Wesley and hia brother listened to the Syren song of ' ease and reputation, they would never have been the happy instru- ments of so much good as we have seen produced by their means. On this occasion Mr. Wesley said to Mr. Chapman, " I believe . every doctrine of God must have these two marks, 1. It will meet ,t-^j , f-i '-M\ ^j"*^^" f^I\ \H' Vf wuhIh h« oiM'n«'«l uiM»n Imiiiih xl. I. " ('omfort yi«, comfort y« my people, saitn our GinI, ii|H>nk coiiifortnblv to .liTUMnlcm nnd cr^ unto h«r, that hnv wnrfiin! in nrcontpliithrd, that hiT initpiity is Imnloned, for she both rtreivod of the Lord'n hnnd dnublti for oil i«r sins." In ri'sding i\wm paitMngcs of Scriptun?, ho was rna- blod to vit^w ChrJHt as set forth to lie a propitiation for his sins, through fnith.in his bbMHi.and received that i>«a<*o and rest in Gmi, which he had so earnestly sought. The next moniing ho woked with a iwnne of the divine gmidncMi and protection, and rejoictnl in reading the 107th PHalm, mo noblpf doHcrintiye, he oln^rves. of what (mmI had done for his soul. Thlit clay he had a very humbling view of his own weaknemi; but WttH enalled to contemplate Christ in his power to save to the ut- termost, all thoBc who come unto Gwl by hiin. Many evil thoughts were suggested to his mind, but they immediately vati- iMhed avray. In the afternoon he was greatly strengthened liy thoHC words in the 43«1 of Isaiah, which he saw were npoken to en courage [and comfort the true Israel of GckI, in every oge of hite church. J ** But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, fear not: for I have redeeniecl thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou possest through the waters I will be with thee: and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through ' '^if \ Mr. Wesley was now incessantly employed in his blessed Ma»i ter's sek-vice; either in reading prayers and preaching in the churchepi or holding meetings in private houses, for prayer and ex- pounding the Scriptures; and the number of persons convinced of sin, and converted to God/ by his ministry, was astonishing. Au- gust 3, Ae observes, " I corrected Mr, Whitefield's Journal for the. press^ my advice to suppress it, being overruled." In the end of this month he went to Oxford, where he saw and cofaversed with Mr. Gambold, Mr. Kinchin, and several others of his old friends, who surprised him by their readiness to receive the doctrine of faifh. Thenumberof persons who attended their evening meetings in London, were now much increased. September the 10th, he tells us, that, after preaching at Sir George Wheeler's chapel in the morning, and at St. liotolph's in the afternoon, he prayed and ex- pounded At Sims's to above three hundred attentive hearers. Sat- urday, September 16th, in the evening, Mr. John Wesley returned from Hernhuth, when he and Mr. Charles Wesley took sweet coun- sel together, and compared their experience in the things of God, , On the 22d, in expounding the first chapter of the Epistle to the Ephe s i a n s , a t Br a y' s , a dispute arose, concerning ab s olute pr e d e s - tination. This is the first time I find any mention of this mis- ehievous dispute. Mr. Wesley says, " I entered my protest against that doctrine." Mr. Wesley, by the daily exercise of preaching, expounding, ex- — ^ 1 V'"}' ' """ tm i vmi<- i \ ^^Tt-n\ nn- vnntagn uivr mM (orniM, in nwiikiMiitiff iinM, and now Iwgan to pray (MTuni.umlly without n form, with advantago and CoMiforl to hiiiiHflf and othera. It waa howevnr a now pnirtico With hiin, and he aoeni«d aurpriard lM>ih ut hia boldnoMt and nmdi- no^H in |Mmi>yT*p^ ^ I .Stir * Dr. EldQiUBd Gibson, Bishop of London, was bom in Westmoreland in 1669^ He applied himself early and vigorously to learning, and displayed his knowledge in several writings, which recommended him to the patronage\of Archbishop Tennison, who made him his domestic chaplain. Being now a member of Con- vocation, he engaged in a controversy, in which he defended his patron's rights, as president, in eleven pamphlets. He aAerwards enlarged tham on a more comprehensive plan, containmga view of the legal dyties and rights of the Eng- lish clergy, which was published under the title of Co4tx Junk EecluiaBttd Angluant, in folio. Archbishop Tennison dying in 1715^nd Dr. Wake, Bishop of Lincoln, being made Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Gibson succeeded^ him as Bishop of Liincoln ; and in 1720. was promoted to the Bishopric of Lon- don. He governed his diocese with the most exact care, but was extremely jealous of the least privileges belonging to the Church. He approved of the toleration of Protestant Dissenters, biit opposed all attempts to procure a repeal of the Corporation and Test Acts. His opposition to those licentious assemblies, called masquerades, gave great umbrage ,at Court, and prevented further prefer- ment. His pastoral letters are justly esteemed masterly productions.\ Beside the Codex above-mentioned, he published, 1. An edition of Drumntondw Pole- mo-JUiddiana, and James V. of Scotland's Ccmtilena Rtutica, with notes. 2. The Cronicon Saxomcum, with a Latin translation, «nd notes. 3. Reliquia ' Speliutnniana. 4. An edition of QuintUian de Arte Oratoria, with notes. 6. An English translation of Camden's fritonnia, with additions, 2 vols. folm. 6. A number of small pieces collected together and printed in 8 vols. folio.\ He died in Sefttember, 1748. He was a steady friend to the established Church, hut a g re at en e my t o pers ecution ; a g r eat eco n omist ; hut l i be r al and ben e fiq e n t . — Dr. Crow, who had once been his chaplain, left him two thousand five hundred pounds ; the whole of which, the bishop gave to Dr. Crow's own relatictis^ who were very poor. He correspbnded with Dr. Watts, and expressed > ihendly concern for the interests of jneligion, among Dissenters as well as in his owa Church. resiMt tnniptntioii, atul to do ihn will of CmhI, which he had n« it found lioforo his juMtiflcation; hut Im frit no great emotion of mind, or traiifl(M)rt of joy in any of the meanM of grace. Mn now intendeti to receivf! the Macrnment, and was fearful lent ho shouhi \w. uh tint and conifortl«Mi in this ordinance a« formerly; he r«ceiver It was over, culm and satixfiod with the go do not inhibit you." "Why then, my lord, according to your own concession, you permit op authorize me." " I have power to pun- ish and to forbear." "To punish: that seems to imply, th$t I have done something worthy of punishment; I should be glad to jcnow, that J may answer. Does your lordship charge me wj^ any ~" crime.?" " No, no, I icharge you with no crime." *' Doyou then dispense with my giving you notice of any baptisms in future?" '^neither dispense, nor not dispense." — " He censw^ Lawrence . * Seeal)ove, page 71. itKe&A^ K-» * TKJutr ThU WM a mom InHtructivD VxerciiM. It showed him, I. HIa own ittwr hrlplfMnnoNN in tho work of hin unlvation. Mo found by ex|)eriunc<) that he could not priMhint comfort or any rpliKjouM nr- (l*clion in hiniM'lf when h« moMt wanted them. The work in (mmI'm: ' when ho giv«>M Unht and •.tn'ngth, man may work, and he in re^ Xuirwl to work out hiM milvntion with fear and trembling; hut till («kI begin the work, man cannot move a »U*\t in it. a. It tiniuht hini to value thojfiAit of (mmI which nothing ran punhaM^ and to guani them an Iiim trcaHure, and not Iwrter tlifiu for the goodM of thin life. 8. He naw hureb;^, that If he could not produce comfort and rtliglouH nfrrctiv: nor did I sleep very sound with satan BO near me." He escaped, however, without harm, and came safe' to London the next day; where he heard a glorious account of the success of the gospel at Islington, some of the fiercest opposera being converted. January 5th, 1789, Mr Wesley gives us another convincing proof, that no plan of becoming itinerants, was yet 'formed. He savk, " My brother, Mr. Seward, Hall, Whitefield, Ingham, Kin- chm, andHutchins, all set upon me to settle at Oxford." But he " "fi ->- ' t'^m M :, M •V iK) WM convincfMl that in him, by nature, dwrh no f^iHn\ thing. l hi* i»rA|wr««l >im to receive what xhfmm nwim^txgvTm of i»«ar«) ro- Jali-d, conri'rning th«ir iK^A. H« now mw that «U th* thoughU of bin hwari w«re evil, and that continually, foraamueh a« whatJMHiver ia not of fiiith i« ajn. /' Jun« thfl lOth. H« Iwrnnin ommmit fiir preaont aalvationt he pr^ed tu ^(xl f«»r comfort, and wait i-nooumgi'd by n^ading Luke ▼. U. " Whether in it eaaler to aay, thy ninii Im) forgiv.-n th«o, or to Hav, rin** up and walk? Hut that ye may know that the Son of man hath iM)wcr on earth to forgive iiinN, (ho Raid unto the airk of the palay) I mv untit tbeo ariiw, «nd takn up thy \m\ and iro unt«» thino hoiwe," &<•. Mr. W«.nl«y and Mr. Bray nowcunvenwd with/-- hiiti on the power of Chrint to nave, and then prayml with hiiii/ they aftervVarda read the (i5th Paalm. anuu|iarted himself hy lencliing a ni^w n,eih«;jL^^^^ The next day he set out,*^ recommended by us to the graAe ot l»od. He left a blcising behind him. I de8ire4 to die with him ^' Soon after Ihis, a Mr. Shaw began to give some disturbance to their little, society, by insisting, that there is no priesthobd; that 8, here is no ordir o/men in the christian ministry j^ho, pWrly peaking, exercise the functions of a priest: that fi^ him«^f had (ai good a right to baptize and administer the sacrament,^ any hthef man. It appears by his claimiqg a right to baptize, &c\ that t waH Tayman^^nd it Lst be ack^wle%ed by all parties,^^^^^^ christian ministers, considered as an order m the Church diMin- gu hedTb^ their office, from other believers, are no where, ir^he !jew Testament, called priesfS.. « I tried in vain," says Mr. W^s- T ^y," tn check Mr. Shaw in his wild rambling talk ag amst achr llaA priesthood. At last 1 told him, I v^ould oppose him lo ihe uV most, and either he or I must quit the.societv.. In expounding warned them strongl y against ^ihism; mto which Mr. Shaw»a noA ^ ~* This exactly accords with Mr. John Wesley^s printed Jourarf; S-« hti Worlu, vol. wvii. i«ge 64. ... ., ..■»^■J .^..liM.jHafti. -«*;■ ■^^^"- ^^M^^^" i^ "i 'J.' A short iinif! aftiirwartk ibn ||irilf>n<>r wm ni«ii« • htiipy tmrtaker of ih« N«ni« hliMinga. Mr. PieranlM) benn to m« Iho ftnii of hit Riinist«riNl laliyrM. Hning srnt for to vi«it n dying woinnn in do- MMi f, h«T«UM4r mhv had doiKi Ito lillin k«>«m1 ami no tiiuth«vili h« drclarrd to h«r ihv glad tidiiiga of aalvalion by grM«, mmI ahow<*«l n«r, that if ahw ro^ld Hinrrri'ly rfprnt aiul ri'CflvM C'hrint by a liv- Inif faith, («imI would pardon hvr Nina and rtN-rivt* |i«t grtu'ioualy. Ihia o|M*iiw..-i..j .. .■Uj.J..;-,i.;.vL.;£i,:..t...'.:4.-^-.!BiLjj3Li ihflV tnu«t Iw |Mird«iiird atMl ■rcrplrd l»jr »n met uf grnrr or ftiVitr. mtHl th« Millie coiuliiion ofrnrriviiiff lhr«« hlrMiiiitfs i« rr«)uirr(l of •v«ry man, without any r«f(ard to Tib worka, whirli ar* ftU ainfVil. Our atatn in hiavAu will Im rrffulntfd hv a ditrrritnt rtilf. All who tra aavfd wiN.riol tm tnniod aa ffqual: •• F.vrry man will Im; rc- wanlMl according lu hia worka;" thai la, MCordin| to hb Impro?*- nwnt ill practical holinraa, on goativl prinripka. l|i>av«in will un- doubtrdly \m a atntit of aocirty; tliia npiM'nrit uviilrnt, not only frutn ■MiiKf paiwngi'a iif Soripture, but from the (kcultifw of man, whieii •re forniiul for aocial iiitnrrourae, in ordrr toolit»in lh« higTtfwt drgr(>e of happinraa. Hut in m atati* ofM(M'i<;ty, th« ini'mlMTa «Kru- py ditfiTimt rniika and drgrera; thi'rc are rrrtain honors ami n- warda to lie tN>Htowf>d: in hflavcn thmA wilt all l)i? diMiributf^d in pro|H)rtion to our worka, and thw cunforinity to Chriat, to which we may attain in thia life. Mr. 1)olaniottp, however, thought hIa concluilon good, and waa animated with xeni affniiiatthia ii«w fuith, om itwaa then roininoiily called. He collcrtrd hia|itron{^ reaaona againat it, and filled two ahceta of'paper with thcnii.but in aearrhing the Hrripture for pa»< augea to atrrn^thcn hia arguni(>ntM, he met with Titua iii. 6. "Not bv worka if nghtoouaneaa which we have done, but according to hia niercy he hath aaved-ua." This paaaage of Scripture rut him to the heart, deatroved all confidence in the M|iecioua reaaoiiing he had used on this subject, and convinced him he was wrong. H« \ ktir hi* rle- he ted iv- .Iv. illy die ec- u»- 'ler Ilia led Iter jn, to iet ith his ed. -od ins ' i Bi lift i?iihS^#i ^' ' 1 "4. ^ '.y ought not to be condemned by others, when no essential principle , of religion is violated, nor any serious inconvenience follows from it. In this case, the end to be attained, is infinitely more viiv portant than any prudential rules to direct the means of attaining It: which should always admit of such ^Iterations as circurastancfes require, to promote the end intended. Mr. Wesley bore the archbishop's reproof with great firmness, while in his presence; but after leaving him, he fell into great heaviness, and for several days suflfered a severe inward conflict. He perceived that it arose from the fear of man. Mr. Whitefield • urged him to preach in the fields the next Sunday; by this step he would break down the bridge, render his retreat diflicult or impos- sible, and be forced to^ght his way forward in tlie work ot the ministry. This advice he followed. June 24th, " I prayed," says he, ** and went forth, in the name of Jesus Christ. I found near a thousand helpless sinners, waiting for the word in Moorfields. I invited them in my Master's wQrds, as well as natne; * Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.' The Lord was with me, even me, the meanest of nis mes- s e ng e rs, according to his promis e . — At St. Paul' s , the p sa lm a , l e s - Bon, &c., for the day, put new life into ine: and so did the sacra- ment. My load was gone^ and all my doubts and scruples. God shone on my path, and I knew this was his will concerning me. J walked: to Kennington-common, and cried to multitudes upon mul- tUudes, * Repent ye, and belidve the gospel.' The Lord wag mv Mito ^iBiiliBiMiita . iMMit*) liiii« Imi(mio«mi titirkiH-ani aii«i tiKhii but (mmI wan nrrnicr Ihaii ,> my iHttirt, iiimI iMimt lh, that thin oflicn Im fillod with mnn pro|Hirly qunlitiud for it. Chrintiniiity i« a practical ■oienee, th« thimry of ita principlea b«tifif only prr|Niratory to th« prnrtiffl of thoiin duti<>M whit'h it t'liioiiw.' A pri'arh«r lhi'rrfor« ahould not only utidfimtand th« dtiotriiifM of thn ff«Mi|»ni, aiul \m able to arrange them according to th« natural onlarln which they ara inU'ndml to infliifliirn thn mind, ami dirnot thn conduct of life; but ha ought to experience their tndueuco on hia own heart, an I ba \H:. atidress-to bring, ne off from preaching abroad, from expoundinir Julv 4th, Mr Wesley returned ti aiMl n«a widrly ditl^aing it, ami mom rttirnriouMly iwrauading othrra lormlirara it} of rrkit«iriiif falirn ('hriatinnity, bimling up thw«r of aatan to liwl, from tho way^^irrdition to tlua^ way of aalvalion: a man who, by public nrtfacmif ami privalt; "Vkr^io tinn, fniihfully rx^daina the woni or Uonriit«aa of explanation adupta them to the capacity of every iiulividual peniou. O tre nwnJotiM ^mfhyttminl^ Im.* • MmV^Mw ia IHaaart. d« Soopo Doetoria Tbeolafi. ~* « \, k. ti.'tS-'d 'w^imi of his Lord's goods, I cannot consent that bis ruin should in any degree aeem to be under my hand. I am continually tempted to leave off preaching, and bide myself like J. Hutchins. I should then be free from temptation, and have leisure to attend to my own improvement^ytlod continues to work by me, but not in me, that I perceive. Bo not reckon upon me, my brother, in the work God is doing; for I cannot expect that he should long employ one, who is ever longing and murojuring to be discharged." "To-day," says Mr. Wesley, " I took J. Bray to Mr. Law, who resolved ah his experience into fits, or natural affection or fits; and desired him to take no notice of his comforts, which he had better be without, than have. He blamed Mr. Whitefield's Journal and way of proceeding; said, he had gieat hopes that the Methodists would have been dispersed by little and little, into livmgs, and have ' leavened the whole lump. I told him mv experience: ' then,' said he, * I am far below you (if you are ri^ht) not worth v to wipe your shoes.' He agreed to our notion of faith, but would have it, that all men held it. He was fully against the laymen's expounding, as the v ery worst thing both for themselves and others. — I told hitn be was my school-master to bring me to Christ; but the reason why 1 did not come sooner to Christ was, I sought to be sanctified before 1 waa justified. I disclaimed all expectation of becoming some ORBAT ONE. Amoog Other things he said, 'Were I so talked of as Mr. Whitefield is, I should run away, and hide myself entirely.* 1 answered, * you might, but Gotl would bring you back like Jonah.' by iMrning umI tkmp MiMly, In wkklk b* ImmI li#«fi ff imilM of rrUgum hf w«ry m»mm in ihnr |i«m«*r, wh«l an ■mniinK VlMinf* nhtmM m9 trntm w0« in ih^ iiHir«l« of ihr jiroiikt I Ii U anf MAiti-on«ii, thnuifh « want of krMf^r«|ff, i*i|irri«*«wr,iliti|rra4*«i, •ml «••!. Il would \w wril if utrrry nnniKirr Mould ■rriouii|y/i>i* •niin« hinNwIf on ihrwi h^mU, •« Mr. WmiH*y did, and ki^ In ?ltw thr scrount whirh b« niuat mkmi give lo iIm grtal 8h«|ih«nl and |li«ho|i of mntU. ThouKh Mr. Wrulry hnd hwm vrry diligvnl (n bia MasUrr^i m^ virn, miitrm th« 9lM of May, ho had not yrt tirrn nbl<« to pr^trb On Sunday, July ftl, K«i u)iii«>rvrM, •• Itring loprrarh ihi« niomin| for ih« flmi liuit., I rrrniviNl Mir^ngth for ib« work of lb« minhrtry Tho whol« MrHirr nt iiniiin|r«hRW Churrh. wnn woiMtrrAdty nnl mating, rH|>r<'iiilly ihi^ irrttiMt), ronrrming ihn mirai^ulouH dmuKlli of tirnhm. I prrnchrd NnlvHtion by faith, l» a d«>Aply ailffnliv#» audi* mu'*!, awl aArrwnnlM j(nv« ih« nip. (HMrrviiiif a woinnn Aill of Nvervnce, i aakodbcrif sho hadrur|iveiiiMMuf niiM? Mh«ttiMw«r«i .♦*. / . . O ^^.i^^^mii Cossart's opinion of your letter to the bishop, weaken your handg. fbundatueauUo nocet:* itis the Moravian infirmity. To-morrow .1 set out for Bristol I pray you may ail have a good voyage, and that many poor souls iiiay be added to the church by your ministrv. before we meet again. Meet again I am confident we shall, per! hajw both here and in America. The will of the Lord be done, with ua and by us, in time and in eternity ! " * CHAPTER VI. SECTION V. GONTAINING SOME ACGOUNl- OF MR. CHARLES WESLKT'S LABORS A* AN ITIJTERANT PREACHER. .^:^,^?5^i'MA^^*!» ^^- "^es^ey entered on the itinerant plan. He rodo to Wickhaiii, and being denied th e <;hurch, would have Mr ^h^H^}^*^ ** * r'if"' ^T. P*^"""' r'*"*?" ™«y »»»ink, that neither Mr. Whilefield, nor any of them stood in need of this admonition ; if this, how- Zl:.H "*" "*^* '*'^uP"*'?^5 J""*^^" "V**'** distance of time. It is evident that h« kIh y °cca»'0"8 they did use muth caution. Mr. Wesley speaks as though 'L i,^.™rifi»'*°"'5^.1^°'°8 "»"" ^° America, and hetaentlonrsuch int(>nUou .n several places j but they never came to anything fixed^d detennined -^. Mcwilnii* ihrtiufb yuttr mlni«irv, I mu«i tnfunti yiiii n#, llhMn, M llwjF will sl/viiillitfti fmtt ImmU, •nii i>rri|ilur« war* nr»*ml lolwif mlrail * Kilh#r what wnnian, havtiig Irti pirrva of anvrr, if mht^ Umm imm of lh«m, (loth not lt|fht a ramTlA ami awfwp lb« houwi ililinrnily till ■W Ami li.' BIm> rtMM> tmtttMtUiolv, looli up Hiahop Taylor, uid niirnrHi •trotiKiy a«arrlt<«l ihia tivttiK fNilh, lh«| anff waa Ailly ronvliirrd. Ilui th«rn«nijr urvarhrd huinihty to ii«r| Umi ah« «ould imm dawirve m fnNil • gill. Uod, liowerer, Mili piiraurtl, and ahf* rout4l not lonf forlwar (o ronunuMk'alr ihr f- lioo of her a«ul to rtw, W« praymt, rrail, atxi ro«vrra«'«l fVir an iMMtr. TIm Lord mast our way as often as we could: there were only two horses between three of us: when we had got to Gloucester, we vvere turned back from a friend's house, on account of his wife's sick- pesv' and tny voice and strength were quite gone. To-day they :^ ■ ...* ' % ♦ » t^Gml' hia •rtrnm*. Kftmy •«•! lU^lfc. U«> ImIvimnT Willi «|i ||m •tt tfii* fof mt |MMi# « «r«i#t«ir« m tmt* I bA kkm wHktt$ IW iIm wUv«ii«)a of Uo4,** ** Jwly llik. I nmd pr»y«i« awl ptwmlm*! «yN«wfiii«. smI i mMmimtnti f^ tferunwm In nur furmim mtui (iWof UN' |V| ikm inrntr mmMmrinn, nimI to |||« t^k B«gro in ih« roiUliyiKif tl h«4« : wm itnivMl tijr h>« mttuw mwi r«r- * ' TIm fM»it lUy, July Iftih, I pftKirlMMl i attil rvjolrtNl Willi my |MMir ^ Uod bvM luiti, ami f«v« ^twg«^pR|^«th, whirh ih«« mat*- - U^nmrruw. Mr. M|Nirli« Mwi«i«^ iHMidMiraof (h liMM affain, with MmIi, who iHiw I kimmUfkw kinu** "July I7«h. I I Ibcton muii BulTer, , „. _ „„ „,,.„ N flvtAf IIm MMrattMinl, and aiuHlMir rlnrfyman waa |)f«Mnl. N«win|f1«in aakrii iii«; \n fti in Ih*' ronrh wilh him. Al itnm oVlork, i waa with thf Murk in hiii rt«||, wh«n nmrv of lh« MialrfarUim MUM lo M. I foumi fraat b«lp ami nowar in ttraynr for ih«m. On«i of lh«tn rumm hII in ■ MWfi«l (^|iriifNiliU with Ihti nKtlnitun ofhb mind) atwl pnifinMMid f«ilh in ( hrial. I foui«l niyMiruvarwIi^lnMiil •With llM bva^ir CkriM lo ainmira. T|m nagro was quii« happy, •mi aiioihAr eHminal in an •%e«\^»M Iftfnpar. I lalkcid wUh uim ¥k: addreiwed iimi, with, « What,- Mr. WfiHley, iid it you I see! i» it poMible that you, who can preach at Chri8t-«liurch, St. Mary^g, &c. should come hither fifter a mob!" Ho gaVe her a short an- swer, and went to his mob; or to put it in the plirase of the Phari- sees, to this people, which is accursed. Thousands heard him gladly, whde he explaiijiBd the bicssingd and privitegeM of the gospel, and exhorted all to iconic to Christ as lost smneri that they m^ht enjoy them. I cannot t>ut observe here, that thh more ignorant and wicked the common peonle were at this time; the greater was the charity and kindness of those who endeavored Ui instruct them m their dunr to God and man, and by this means reform their manners. Ihe reader will easily perceive, that it required no small degree of resolution, to expose himself to the ignorant rude- ness of the lowest of the people, to the contemptuous sneers of those of respectability and influence, and to the severe censures of his particular friends. Yet this, both he, his brother, and Mr. Whiteneld did, in adopting the plan of itiherant preaching." It is almost impossible to imagine, that in their circumstances, they ^u l d act fVom a ny other motive, than a pure d e sir e of doi n g g o ocl. 1 ravelling from place to place, and every where preaching in the open air, was a plan of proceeding well adapted to diffuse knowl- edge among the common people, and to awaken a concern for religion. But it was extraordinary an|^l new; and the novelty of it would naturally engage the attention of the puWic so muph, that \ •I suppose a brother of the Rev. Mr. Qeorge Whitefleld. -.,K. .fl. '¥, •/^^i wK9 IIp'^ fc mm mm n( hm mmt* lffium|*li«M jNMtm I Nit* t/ww kmmm* tM, •n Jiitjr Itlll, I rtmm ^»f^ kvavy anii iMirlwarfl !»• vhi^l ||hHM f«>f i^ Im Urn*. Al •(« «». wnd Jb» f»—t>Mi niiiSl mfltrtMy.^ Mr ^|tMrlka arMt Mr lfrMU||fi««»fi mn-tm |trt<««-r»«| CMmM whMMl rnhfiMiitaltrrinl ih«> Mrr^inrtit, nmi ihmn Mftmi^ Wm|»* |if»)r«4 tflir Ma. At lu^mMi AtM «>V|twk« ttmkf wrrt* kn«iriie«i att, ami Mr kMlAl U0^. «(mI ih^y |if»t.«rf<«| fur iHti Milriiiti jmtyne^, Mi>>m| lk« AltiU homf, 1 h* c|#rf»Mi#n WBWl ki • «oarh, ami mitrmt rl#vHi« t^ iriiiiinaU %niv*4 al 1>Nrs. Mr» WraUijr, Mr. H|Mirlii^ mkI Mr, hmuihum mn uimmi iIi« etuti mUh them I lU uril»M«r|f «N)#i»v«pi to f«tU«»w( but iV |i«i.if wtMinor* li*igwl thai tea mtmM ^jM^mH MN itMib tottH hkm down. TWy w»ff» sit ehmt^rfUl full nf .•n awny fb«ir altM, and waiiMl m ra«H»iv« iti»fn Into fmrnd^tmn. Httm t^wM any nai» liraJ Irrrur of d«alli! no Anmt. «f erj'm$(, or ir*r. " I »#»««r "aw,* aays !Mr. Witak- v. ••surh ct^m ifiuriipK, atirh iiirr««liM« ludjtftr- to dyinf . \V« sang Mvatpl kyrnnai |yirtk:ttl«f|jf, ^ p'g ^ Itoolll^ It h§ iur|tr ' A fwllljr, ^»«k ■n«i h«lpUi« *^ik lain Ihy M«hU I rail t ^ My Ja«tt« ami my ail.' ' avmntmmth In p«ilksuiar. Mr. Ilrougliton bid ihnm no( mnI wh«ti ih« flan shiiuhi dmw away. They ebaarAilly fA^^.^ Iljpr * t.H 4- -'A' > / I WM ' 'i-^K ^/k^ *?. /;'- I' I itt »,*'.■■ . ; *|» .|4»B-0t:"T|li : lUMr. i«ll#|jblf« . WBSIiBT. replied, they 8hou14 iiot; We Id^jit ihem eoing to meet tlieii Lord. They were turned off exactly at twelve o'clock; not on* struggled for life. I Hpoke u few Muitnble words to the crowd, aud returned full of peace and confidence of pur friends' happiness." The whole of this awful scene, must have appeared very extra- ordinary. The newness and singularity of it, would add greatly to its effects, not only on the minds of the clergymen concerned in it, but on the populace, at the place of execution. Some well-mean- ing persons, have greatly objected to the publication of such conversions as these, even supposing them possible and real; ap- prehending that they may give encouragement to vice among the lower orders of the people. The possibility of such conversions, can hardly be disputed, by those who understand, and believe the New Testament: we must judge of their reality, by such evidence, as the circumstances of the persons will admit. The objection against their publication when they recilly happen, for feur they should encourage vice, appears to me without any solid foundation. It is pretty certain, the^persons who commit crimes that bring them to the gallows, have no thoughts either of heaven or hell, which have any influence on their actions. They are so far from paying any regard to the publication of these conversions, that they mock and lauffh at them. .Conversion is the turning of a sinner from his sins to the living God: it is a change; 1. In a man's ivdgme^t of himself, so that he condemns his former course of life, aiid^e princiules from which he acted even in hi^ best works : 2. In his will; he now chooses God and the wdys 6f God, in preference to vice, ui^Ier any%( its enticing forms: 3,. In his affections; he bates the things he formerly loved, and loves the things which lead to God and heaven. To say that the publication of such conver sions, ^hich in every step of their progress, condemn sin, can encourage the practice of it, appears to me little legs than a con- tradiction. Is it possible, that any p^son, who has the least serious thought of heaven, would voluntarily choose to go thither by the vvay of Tyburn or Newgate? Can we for a moment sup- pose, that a person who thinks of finally going to heaven, will plunge himself deeper into sin in order to get there? That he will bring himself so close to the brink of hell as Tyburn or Newgate, (where there is a bare possibility, but little probability, that he will not fall into the pit of destruction) in hope of conversion j^nd heaven? Such a conduct would be a proof of insanity. It seehis to me as certain a principle as any from which we can reason, that the conversion of notorious sinners from vice to virtue, is a public condemnation of vice, and must discourage it, in proportion as these conversions are made known, and firmly believed to be gen- uine and real. ^ ^ July 20th, Mr. Wesley was at the morning prayers at Islington^ ^nd had some serious conversation with Mr. Stonehouse, the vicar. The next day, Mr. Robson confessed that he believed there n^as such a faith as Mr. Wesley and his friends spake of, but thought it impossible for him to attain it; he thought also that it must necessarily bring on a persecution, which seems to have had a very unfavorable influence on his mind, though convinced in his % » VHK LIVE OV TBI 1^. OBAftLIt WKtLKY. V ' tit / >. jjudfptient, of the truth. In the evening Mr. Chapman, who had lunbraced the doctrine of ju8tification oy faith, came from Mr. Brouffhton, and seemed quite estranged from his friends. Ho tbougnt their present proceedings would raise a persecution, and he insisted that there was no necessity for exposing themselves to such difficulties and dangers, in the present circumstances of things. This kind of worldly prudence in propagating the doc- trines of the gospel is sure to produce lukc'-warmness and a cow- ardly mind, if it do not arise from them. It has occasioned greater evils to the church of Christ, than all the persecutions that ever happened. It is this principle of worldly prudence, that has in- duced some ministers to adulterate the most important doctrines of {'race, with th^ prevailing philosophy of the age in which they have ived, to make tnem pleasing and palatable to the more polite and learned part of their congregations. By this means the preacher has gained reputation, but his ministry has lost its authority and power to change the heart and reform the life: the patural powers of man have been raised to a sufficiency for every duty required of him, and the gospel has been sunk into a mere collection of moral precepts enforced bv the certain prospect of future rewards and punishments. In this way the true doctrine of faith, and of a di- vine sunernatural influence, accompanying the means of grace, have been gradually Host sight of^ and at length denied; and the gospel thus mutilated has never fallen found of sufficient efficacy to accomplish the purposes for which it was promulgated to the world. It is remarkable that in every ^reat revival of religion, these doctrines have been particularly insisted upon, and have gen- erally occasioned some opposition,, both from the wise and igno- rant amon^ mankind. And when the professors of religion ofany denomination, wishing to avoid persecution and become more re- spectable in the eyes of men, have either concealed the truth, or debased it by philosophical explanations, the offisnce of the cross indeed ceased, but the glory of the gospel departed from them: they became lukewarm, and gradually dwindled away, unless held together by some temporal consideration, having a name to live, » but were dead. I cannot on the contrary, commend the rash,'lntemperate zeal of some young converts in religion, who have often, both in ancient and modem times, invited persecution by their own imprudence; cither by ill-timed reproofs, or an improper introduction of their religious sentiments ii^ discourse. Nor can I approve of the rude vulgarity, which has sometimes been used both in conversation and in the pulpi^ under a pretence of speaking the plain truths of the gospel. There is a medium between these extremes; and I would say to myself, and to the reader, medio tutissimus ihis^ the middle path is the safestj though perhaps the most difficult to keep on some trying occasions. Had Mr. Wesley and his brother listened to the Syren song of ease and reputation, they would never have been the happy instru- ments of so much good as we have seen produced by their means. On this occasion Mr. Wesley said to Mr. Chapman, " I believe e v e ry doctrin e of God must hav e th e s e two marks, 1. It will m e et — — •■4' M fAT' ':"V m If ■0~ *'*<■ Wu: 114 •m Lira or vhb umr. oriblbs wbilxt. ("^'S^'' with opposition from men and devils; 2. It will finally triumph and {>revail. I expressed my readiness to part with him, and all my riends and relations for the truth's sake. I avowed my liberty and happiness, since Whitsunday; made a bridge for a flying enemy and we parted tolerable friends." July a4th, he wreached on justificaticm by faith, at Mr. Stone* house^s, who could not yet conceive ho#.God can justify the un- godly, upon repentance and faith in Christ, without any previous holiness. He seemed to think that a man must be sanctified be- fore he can know that he is justified. It is probable Mr. Stonehouse did not consider, that, to justify, in the language of St. Paul, is to pardon a repenting, believing sinner, as an act of grace: not for the sake of any previous holiness in him, but in and by Jesus Christ, with whom he is then united by a living faith, and entitled to such Efospel blessings as mav lead him on to true holiness of heart and ife. This day Mr. Wesley a^jreed with Mr. Stonehouse, tto take charge of his parish, under him as curate; after which he read prayers at Islington almost every day, and had frequent opportuni- ties of conversing with Mr. Stonehouse, and of explaining the na- tur^f justification, and of justifying faith. Jiily 26th, Mr. Wesley was at Blendon. Here Mre. Delamotte called upon hirn to rejoice with her in the experience of the divine ?[oodness. She then confessed, that all her desire had been to af- ront or make him angry: she had watched every word he spake; had pebiecuted the truth, and all who professed it, &c. A fine instance pf the evidence and power of gospel truth, to subdue a \niind blinded by the most obstinate prejudice. \ Mr. Wesley was now incessantly employed in his blessed Masi ter's service; either in reading prayers and preaching in jthe churche^, or holding meetings in private houses, for prayer and ex- pounding the Scriptures; and the number of persons convinced of sin, and converted to God, by his ministry, was astonishing. Au- gust 3, ,he observes, " I corrected Mr. Whitefield's Journal for the. press^ my advice to suppress it, being overruled." lo the end of this month he went to Oxford, where he saw and conversed with Mr. Gambold, Mr. Kinchin, and several others of his old friends, who surprised him by their readiness to receive the doctrine of faifh. The number of persons who attended their evening meetings in London, were now much increased. September the 10th, he tells us, that, after preaching at Sir George Wheeler's chapel in the morning, and at St. liotolph's in the afternoon, he prayed and ex- pounded At Sims's to above three hundred attentive hearers. Sat- urday, September 16th, in the evening, Mr. John Wesley returned from Hernhuth, whenhe and Mr. Charles Wesley took sweet coun- sel together, and compared their experience in the things of God. , On the 22d, in expounding the first chapter of the Epistle to the Ephesians, at. Bray's, a dispute arose, concerning absolute predes- tination. This is the first time I find any mention of this mis- ehievous dispute. Mr. Wesley says, " I entered my protest against that doctrine." — Mr. W e sley, by th e daily e xercise of preaching, ex i wiuiidiiig, ex- «ii. ' M .L. f'5M^i' TRB Lira or THB BIT. OHABLBt WBILBI. > hortinfft and praying with the people, had\ now acquired sume de- gree of boldness in public speaking; the great and leading doctrines of the l^spel we^e become familiar to his mind, and expression flowed natural andeaHy in conversing on them. He preached at Islingtoni October 15th, and added to his notes, a i^ood deal extem« pore. On Friday the 20th, seeing fewpeople present, at St. An- tholin's, hethought of preaching ext^mpore.^ " I was afraid," says he, "yet ventured, trusting in the promise^T'Lo! I am with you always.* I spoke on justification, from the\third chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, for three quarters of an hour, without hesi- tation. Glory be to God, who keepeth ^promise for ever." This dav he and his brother Mr. John Wesley waited on Dr. Gibson,* the Bishop of liondon, to answer the complaints which he -" 4m^ heard alleged against them, respecting their preaching an at>- ^^ ^^^i^ite assurance of salvation. Some of the brehop's words were, M^CV^f by assurance you mean, an inwai'd persuasion, whereby a man %■ -^ ;^ conscious in himself, after examining his life oy the law of God, ''and weighing his own sincerity, that he is in a state of salvation, and acceptable to God, I do not see how any good Christian can be ' without such an assurance." They answered, <\^e do not con- tend for this, but we have been charged with Antmomianism, be- cause we preach justification by faith alone. Can any one preach otherwise, who agrees with our Church in, the Scriptures?" In- deed by preaching it strongly, and not sufficiently inculcating good works as following justification, and being the proper evidences of it, some have been Antinomians in theory rather \than practice; * Dr. EdQiund Gibson, Bishop of London, was bom in WestiAoreland in 1669. He applied himself early and vigorously to learning, and displayra his knowledge in several writings, which recommended him to the patronage! of Archbishop Tennison, who made him his domestic chaplain. Being now a member of Con- vocation, he engaged in a controversy, in which he defended his patron's rights, as president, in eleven pamphlets. He aflerwards enltirged them on a more comprehensive plan, containmg a view of the legal dyties and rights of the Eng- lish clergy, which was published under the title of Co4ex Jum EecUnatttei ilngUcom, in folio. Archbishop Tennison dying in 1715^nd Dr. Wake, Bishop of Lincoln, being made Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Gibson succeeded , him as Bishop of Lincoln ; and in 1720. was promoted to the Bishopric of Lon- don. He governed his diocese with the most exact care, but wa» extremely jealous of the least privileges belonging to the Church. He approved of the toleration of Protestant Dissenters, hut opposed all attempts to procure a repeal of the Corporation and Test Acts. His opposition to those licentious assemblies, called masquerades, gave great umbrage at Court, and prevented further prefer- ment. His pastoralletters are justly esteemed masterly productions.\ Beside the Codex above-mentioned, he published, 1. An edition of Drumn>ond» PoU- mo-JUiddiana, and James V. of Scotland's CcmtiUna Rtutica, with no\«s. 2. The Cronicon Seixonieum, with a Latin translation, mnd notes. 3. KeliquUt SpeliumnUma. 4. An edition of QuttUtitan de Arte Otatoria, with notes. 6. An English translation of Camden's Britannia, with additions, 2 vols. folm. 6. A number of small pieces collected together and printed in 8 vols. folio.\ He died in September, 1748. He was a steady friend to the established Church, but a great enemy to persecution : a great economist ; bnt liberal and benefiqent. Dr. Crow, who had once been his chaplain, left him two thousand five hundred pounds ; the whole of which, the bishop gave to Dr. Crow's own relaticvs^ who were very poor. He correspbnded with Dr. Watts, and expressed > fnendly conceni lor the interests of religion, among Dissentera as well as in his o^g uhuich. ; 7^ ^ ' ^1 ^1 '.-.w,»; 2^' >^ ' ■^m W jpfc." . 116 THB Lirt or TRB RBT. CHARLBS WB8LBT> particularly in the tinife of King Charles. " But^^yaid the bishop^ " tner&is a very heavy charge brought against us/bishops, in con- ■euuence of your havinff re-baptized an adult, nnd^alleged the arch- bisnop's authority for doing it. Mr. John We^ey niiRwered, that he had expressly declared the contrary, and/acquitted the arch- bishop from bavins any hand in the matter; ^out added, " If a per>- Bon dissatisfied with lay-baptism, should desire Episcopal, I should think it my duty to administer it, afler having acquainted the bishop, according to the canon." " Well," said tKe bisnop, " I am against it myself, when any one has had baptiMn among the Dissenters.'' The bishop here shows that he possessed a candid and liberal mind. Mr. Charles Wesley adds, "My brother enquired whether his reading in a religious society made it conventicle ? His lord- ship warily referredus to the la^: but, on urgins the question, * Are religious societies Conventicles? » he answered, « No, I think not: however you can read the acts and laws as well as I; I de- termine nothing.' We hoped his lordship would not, hencefor- ward, receive an accusation against a presbvter, but at the mouth of two or three witnesses. He said, * iio by no means; and you may have free access to me at all times.' We thanked him and took our leave." Tuesday, November 14th, Mr Charles Wesley had another con- ference with the Bishop of London, without his brother: "I have used your loi'dship's permission," said he, " to wait upon you. A woman desires me to baptize her, not being satisfied with her bap<- tism by a Dissenter. She says, sure and unsure is not the same." He immediately took fire, and interrupted me. "I wholly disap- - 5 rove of it; it is irregular." " My Jord," said Mr. Wesley, " I id not expect your approbation; I only came in obedience, to give you notice of my intention." " It is irregular; I never receive any such information, but from the minister." " My lord, your rubric does not so much as require the minister to give you notice, but any discreet person. I have the minister's leave." *' Who gave you authority to baptize i" " Your lordship;* and I sh^U exercise It in any part of the known world." " Are you a licensed cui'ate ?" ** I have the leave of the proper minister." " But do you not know that no man can exercise parochial duty in London, without my leave? It is only m6 silentio.** "But you know, biany do take that permission for authority; and you yourself allow it." "It is one tiling to connive, and another to approve; I have power to in- hibit you." " Does your lordship exer^ that power.? Do you now inhibit me.?" " O why will yo\i push matters to an extreme? V do not inhibit you." "Why then, my lord, according to your oven concession, you permit op authorize me." " I have power to pun- ish and to forbear." "To punish: that seems to imply, thQt I have done something Worthy of punishment; I should be glad- to )cnow, that I may answer.' Does your lordship charge me wiih any crime?" " No, no, I icharge you with no crime*" " D8 were jepealed, He assGred us, he knew of no design in the govembrs of the Church, to innovate; and neither should tliere be any 'nnW^^^^J'^^^^' ^ lived. He avowed justification by faith alone; i^nd si^ified bis ffladness to see us, as often as we pleased." - \ . . ^ « From him we went to the Bishop of London,^ Who denied^that he4iad condemned, or even heard m»ch concemin^s. He said Mr. Whitefield's Journal was tainted with enthusia^, though he himself was a pious, well-meaning youth. He wamW us agamrt Antinomianism, and dismissed us kindly." , . \ ,„ ti^„.„i . « Mhrch 28th. We dissuaded my brother froni gomgto Bristol , fron?an unaccountable fear that it would prove ^^taj ^TJ*'"™- &® offered himself willingly, to whatevg^ the l^rd should^appoint. The next day he set out,*^ recommended by us to the RraAe of Ood. He left 'a blessing behind him. I desire4 to die with himl" Soon after ihis, a Mr. Shaw bewn to give some 4'8*"^fr® *, their little, society, by insisting, that there is no priesthood; that 8, here is no ordir of men in the christian mmistryoyho, pWrly siJeaking, exercise the funfetions of a priest: that fie hims^f bad (aL good a right to baptize and adniinister the sacrament, rij any Wef man. It appeats by his claimi*^ \"§^^ iV^^^^^'^^l^^ S» he was a laymanVand it must be ack^wle%ed bjr al^P^"'««|\\ha Christian ministers, considered as an order in the Church diijtin- Sed by their office, from other believers, are no where, inVhe Sew Testament, called priesfS.. "I tried in vain," says Mr Wes- by, « to check Mr. Shaw in his wild rambling talk against achrb- 7iin priesthood. At last I told him, I Would oppose fiim to the^uV mostrand either he or I must quit the society.. In expounding, I warned them strongly against schism; into which Mr. Shaw's nc * This exactly accords with Mr. John Wesley^s printed JoumaT. Works, vol. yjLvii. roge M' SMbta fei . 1 /. ' .'■'m'ym''sm' ^:^f,i,^ .' ^"•?, "^^i4pi^^-Jfks^- vj-.i ;.|r''-fr;«;; ',^ THB LirB or THE MET. OHAKLES WBBLET. \ tions must necessarily lead them. The society were all for my brother's immediate return. April 19th, I found Mr. Ston^houae exactly right (that is, in his notions on the priesthood;) Warned Mrs. Vaughan and Brookmans, against Shaw's nextilent errors. I spoke strongly at the Savoy society, i^i behalf or the Church of England." April 24th, Mr. Whitefield preached at Fetter lane; being re- turned from Bristol, where he first preached in the open air, and m some sense opened the* way to an itinerant ministry, which was sure to follow this step; but of which none of them hitherto, seen; to have entertained the least conception. It seems that Howel Harris came to London with him; " A man," says Mr. Wesley, . "after my own heart. Mr. Whitefield related the dismal effecte of Shaw's doctrine at Oxford. Both he and Howel Harris insisted on Shaw's exiMilsion from the society. April 96th, Mr. Whitefield preached m Ishngton church-yard: the numerous audience, could not have been more affected within the walls. Saturday the 28th, ho preached out again. After him, Mr. Bowers got up to speak. I conjured him not: but he beat me down, and followed his im- pulse. I carried many away with me." This last circumstance 18 the more worthy of notice, as it is, so far as I can find, the first instance of a layman attempting to preach among the Methodists. It must be observed, however, that it was not with approbation, but by violence. He was not discouraged, however, by this oppo- sition: and it is probable, that about this time, several other lay- men began to expound or preach; for on the 16th of May, a dis- pute ^roso at the society in Fetter-lane, about lay-preachingj which certainly implies that some laymen had begun to preach, and that the piT^ctice was likely to become more general. Mr. Wesley ob- serve^, that he and Mr. Whitefield declared against it. May 25th, Mr. Clagget having invited Mr. Wesley to Broad- oaks, he went thither, and preached to four or five hundred atten- tive hearers. May 2»Jth, « A farmer," says he, "invited me to preach in _hi8 field. I did so, to about five hundred; on, « Repent tor the kingdom of heavfen is at hand.' On the Slst, a Quaker sent me a pressing invitation to preach at Thackstead. I scrupled S reaching in another's parish, lijl I had been refused the church! lany Quakers, and near seven hundred others, attended, while I declared in the highways, the scripture hath concluded all under sm." . June the 6th." Two or three who had embraced the opinions of ^haw, declared themselves no longer mWibers of the Church of l^ngland. "Now," says Mr. Wesley, "am I clear of them: by renouncing the Church, they have discharged me." About this tmie the * rench Prophets raised some disturbance in the society, and gained ^everal proselytes, who warmly defended them. June lith, two of them were p»p«ent at a meeting, and occasioned much disputing; At length M^r. Wesley asked, « Who is on God's side? Who for the old Prophets, rather than the new.? Let them follow me. 1 hey followed me into the preaching-room. I expounded the Icssonj several gave au account of their conversion; ctear brc r ■ W 1 ^:^\,^-'Vf'' IWT^^,- tWtk LWB 0> run ftff* GHAftLlt WB|L1T« o ■ *, . M ■ Ft''' V . \/' J'*'-- i ther iBowern confcMssecl his erroraj and we rejoiced and triumphed in the name of the Lord our Ood.^' « Juno the 19th, Mr. Wesley was at Lambeth, with the archbwh- op, who treated him with much severity. His Grace declared he ^ould not dispute; nor would he, as yet, proceed to excommuni- cation. It does not appear that the archbishop condemned the doctrines MV^Wesley preached, but the manner or preachins them it was irrcgijlar, and thiis was judged a cause sufficient for con- demning him. Regularity is undoubtedly necessary, in the gov- ernment both of church and state. But when a system of rules , and orders purely human, is so established for the government of the Church, as to be made perpetual, whatever changes may take place in the state of the people; it must, in mony cases, become injurious rather than useful. And when conformity to such an es- tablishment, is considered as comprehending almost all virtue, and niade the only road to favor and preferment in the Churchj and a . deviation from it, is marHed with disgrace; it becomes an idol, at whose altar many will be tempted to sacrifice their judgment, their conscience, and their usefulness. Civil government knows nothing of this perpetual sameness of its regulations and laws, in all circumptances of the people. And why should the Church, in regu- , lations which are purely human, and prudential "* The end of reg- ularity, or conformity to a certain established order in the govern j. men* of the Church, is, the propagation of christian knowledge, and the increase of true religion; but if a minister be so circum- stanced, that regularity would obstruct, rather than promote his , usefulhess in these respects, irregularitv becomes his duty, and ought not to be condemned by others, when no essential prihciple / of religion is violated, nor any serious inconvenience follows from it. In this case, the end to be attained, is infinitely more im- portant than any prudential rules to direct the means of attaining It: which should always admit of such alterations as circumstances require, to promote the end intended. Mr. Wesley bore the archbishop's reproof with great firmness, while in his presence; but after leaving hitn, he fell into great heaviness, and for several days suffered a severe inward conflict. He perceived that it arose from the fear of man. Mr. Whitefield • urged him to preach in the fields the next Sunday; by this step ho would break down the bridge, render his retreat difficult or impos- sible, and be forced to^ght his way forward in tlie work ol the ministry. This advice he followed. June 24th, « I praved," says he, •« and went forth, in the name of Jesus Christ. I found near a thousand helpless sinners, waiting for the word in Moorfields. I invited them in my Master's WQrds, as well as name; • Come ' uiito me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.' The Lord waff with me, even me, the meanest of nis mes- sengers, according to bis promise. At St. Paul's, the psalms, les- son, &c., for the day, put new life into me: and so did the sacra- ment. My load was gone, and all my doubts and scruples. God shone on my path, and I knew this was his will concerning me. J walked to Kennington-common, and cried t o multi t udes upon mul - tUudes, * Repent ye, and belidve the gospel.' The Lord was mv ."^ tj.,.-. , Itl fli*rtfth, and my mouth, nml my w'mlom. O that all would thertn fore priiiHn ih., l.im\, tor hin gootlnetwf" June 29th, he wns at Wiekhmn, in hia wtty to Oxford. " Here » ■ny« hfi, « I h«nnl of much cliHtiulmt„.« occa«ioncd by Boweiii» mg hail commenced, even btjyond tb<.> nocietV'H in London, \houKh not with tho^conHent .>f any of the riergymen. The next day f.e reached Oxfi.rd, and wuucd on the Dean, who Hooke withu mnud .everjty against field-nreachihg, ami Mr. Whiteheld, who m .y T, called the author or founder of field-preaching; it s perhapH on of SSif^^^SS^^ bcon^uppoHeJ to be t^e foTde? ot Methodisni. ^nnytrtrfie preached a Bcrmon on justification, before the umvcrH.ty, with great bohlness. All weroVern en- h^^' T T^f H*' '•"'<' r^V'"*^' •'"'y 2«l«l of. for preaching in Oxford! ^To! ' hS nn^h^^l'" ^T^]^' *"'" '? '"«• ' *"'ked to him closely; h^ had nothing o reply, but promised to do so no more, and thereby obtamed his hbertv. ^At night I had another conference with tho Dean, who cited Mr. Whitefield to judgment.* I said, « m7. De „. he shall be reddy to answer the citation.' He used the uTmost address-to bring me off from preaching abroad, from expoS SittS^?,^^lT^^ P-*--«« ^-'^'^ JustifiSnX* Julv 4th, Mr Wesley returned t# London. On the 8th he Cr^'^^'r"'*'* *«»»»»«"«""•» '•^'"•ers, by computation JnM„o.! fields, and the^^same day at KcnningtonKjommon. His JaborTnow daily increased upon h^n; and hi« success, in brfhging gr^a?num^ bers from darkness to light, and in rousing the minds o? vast mS mudes to a serious enciuiry after religion, was beyond WtW we can, at nresent, easi y conceive. In such circumstSs o5 these It .8 almost impossible for a minister to keep his mind nuite free from all thoughts of self-applause. He wil be l«l „r 'fir ^ almost insensibly, to think more Wghly of himsdf than he o.^tf to attribute some part of his succeslto his own super^"r exce"fe^: ces, and to think too meanly of others. If his judgLnt brSt?v informed, and his conscience tender, he is shicked when he d s covers these workings of his mind, a«d endeavors to suppres; them; but he soon jinds that the thoughts and propensities o? his heart, are not under the control of liis judgment; they nresen? themselves on every occasion against his will, -and arHiotriittle strengthened by the commendations and praises of those who hl!l been benefited by him. The natiiral temper of the nSd t some Umes so far awake nedon these occasi onj_asjojS^^ ^^^^j'^ * I suppose for some breach of order. "" "■"■.-■- 11 1^ /* ■'ifK .•«f •t^f^'^f: ,^,,;v,. *» " I" VpJ^«3» :J^ m tWk LIPI Of TUB RkV. OHARLBt WBtLBT. inwani conflict, bring on grant diatreM, and make a man aHhained „ ofhiinHelf in the pr«Monco <»f Goe your shoes.' He agreed to our notion of faith, but would have it, that all raeii held it. He was fully against the laymen's expounding, as the very worst thing both for themselves and others. 1 told him be Was my school-master to bring me to Christ; but the reason why 1 did not come sooner to Christ was, I sought to be sanctified before i w^ justified. I disclaimed all expectation of beconriing^ some ORBAf ONE. Among other things he said, « Were I so talked of V as Mr. Whitefield is, I should run away, and hide myself entirely.' "r 1 anawered, ' you might, but Goil would bring you back like Jonah.' I "^ .- . • . ,,..... ■ -^ ■ i . "^T ■"TT''; iT^'i %y(Pf- f, TWl Lm Of vni iKr. oramlbi wislbt. Ho toW mo, joy in tho Holy Ghmt wan the moHt danmrouii thin* (mm! couI.I giv«. I rnplu«|, • hut cnniiot (mm! gunrd hiN own aift.?^ H« often (limrlumu;.! mlviiiinjr'ij«, HnohiK wo had tho Spirit of (ioU: but inondod on our hnndx, and ut toMt ciiirio nhncmt 4iilito ovor tc un »• It iH r buffeted both before and after, that were I not fi.rcibly detained. I shouhl fly from ovorv human face. If God does make a way for me to escape, I shall not easily be brought back again. I cannot ove advertising: it looks like sounding « trumpet. I hope our brother Hutchins will come forth at last, and throw away mv »na""e of reserve, which he seems to have taken up." • i3^iy*"!e^i^''LT* now on the point of returning to America, and on the 15th of August Mr. Wesley wrote to him. "Let not Cossart's opinion of your letter to the bishop, weaken your hands. ^bundatucautto nocet:* it is the Moravian infirmity. To-morrow .1 set out for Bristol I pray you may all have a good voyage, and that many poor souls hiay be added to the church by your ministry, before we meet again. Meet again I am confident we shall, perl hups both here and in America. The will of the Lord be done, with us and by us, in time and in eternity ! » CHAPTER VI. SECTION V. CONTAI5INO SOME ACCOUN* OF MR. CHARLES WE8LET>8 LABORS Af AW ITHCERANT PREACHER. August 16th, Mr. Wesley entered on the Itinerant plan. He rode to Wickham, and being denied the tshu rch, would have Mr ^IT^S^u*^'^ " *r.ir"' ^T- f*"""" i»'*"»P» «n«y think, that neither Mr. Whitefield, nor any of them stood in need of this Admonition ; if th s. how- k2 £?y occasions they did use muth caution. Mr: Wesley s^aks m ho«Si ^« ^.™ri*'*°"*^t^.?[^°'"»'*'"'^° America, and he^nentfonrsuch intJaUcS .n several ploces ; but they never came to anything fixed^d determiaed wm,^i ^tf .(jaife--nt, «r. '^ [#-v ■ ;'<.■. Mf l^-" * Iti mR an or thi itv. oh Attn wtttif* nr««cheo<^ple and goblicrs, all as orderly ^d decent , an could be dcMired. — 1 now hoard, that the mavoV had come down on Sunday, to take a view of ub. Soon after, an officer struck a countryman in the face, without any provocation. "A serious woman besought the poor man, not to rcHist evil, as the other only wantpd to make a riov He took patiently several repeated blows, telling the officer, he mi^iit beat him as long as he pleased." «• To-day Mr. Seward's cousm told us of a young lady, who was here on a visit, and had l)een deeply nfiected on Sunday night under the word, seeing and feelitig her need of a t)hysician,and earnestly desired me to pray for her. — Afker dinner I snoke with her. She - burst into tears, and told us, she had come hither thoughtless, dead in pleasures and sin, and fully jesolved against ever being a Meth- «>di»t. That she was first alarmed obout her own state, by seeing us so happy aqd full of love: had gone to the society, butVas not thoroughly awakened to a knowledge of herself, tdl the word came home to her soul. That all the following night she had been in an agony and distress; could not pray; could not bear our sing- ing, nor have any rest in her spirit. We Ijetook ourselves to Eraycr for her; she received forgiveness, and triumphed in the ,ord her God." . August 23d. " By ten last night we reached Gloucester, through many dangers and difficulties. In mounting my horse I fell over him, and sprained niy hand: ridine in the dark 1 bruised my foot: — w e test our way a s often a s we could; there were only two horse s between three of us: when we had got to Gloucester, we were turned back from a friend's house, on account of his wife's sick- pes«* and my voice and strength were quite gone. To-day they mm v^w nm m? . fjf- I •rt in Mme tn«uur«i ^atornd. At night I with difficulty got In^ th« •rowdiHi iticlfltyi i(«rh«r« I prflnchM. Thr«o clergymen w«ra |ir«>N«)iit. boim withuut, atteiuutod tu iimko a diaturbaiic«. but io viln.»» AugUdt Q5th. 'rorfl I went Into the MtreetM and highway*, I Mini, murijrding to niy cuntoni, to Uirrow thu uno of ihu church The miniNlnr, lieing one of the tietter dia|MMed, aent bock a civil m«Hiinge, that ho would Im glad to drink a glaaa of win« with mo, but durat not l<>n«l iirtrfH* i»ulj»it for fifty guineaa. Mr. Whitolkj|d» however, durat lend me hla fleld, which did juat aa well. For near an hour and a half, (J od gav« niu voice und atrcngth to exhort olxjut two thouaand aitnii^rH, to r«!|n!nt and Udiovo the goajicl,— Being invited to Fainawick, I waited u|ion the Lord, and renewed my atrength. Wq found near a thounand ihthoia gathered in the Btrect. I diatrourMed from, (iod wan in Chria||. reconciling the world unto himaclf. I bcaought them eanieatly tu bo |-econcilod, and the rebeh Mtenied inclined to lay down thwr arma. A young Protibyterian teacher cleaved to uh." » ' On returning to (ilouceater, Mr. .Wcaloy roctfived an invitation n-oni F. Drummond; he dined with h»r,and aevoral of the Friends: Cartioularly he nientiouH " Jtwiah Mattin, a aplritual man," aaya o, " aa far aa I can diacePn. My h<>art woa enlarged, and knit to them m love.»»-.Going in the of^'i^in^f, jQipJjach in the fi«dd, Mra. Kirkman, an old und iiUimatu i^qu»if^ti^cff„who«e aon had been with him and hia brother Qt Oifgrd, ma herself in hia woy; and ttddresaed him, with, " What, Mr. W^Hley, la] it you I aee I ia it nosHiblo that you, who can preach ut Chrwt-cLurch, St, Mary^ &c. ahould come hither nAer a mob!" Ho gaVe her a short an- ■wer, and went to hia mob; or to put it in tho phraao of the Phari- sees, to this people, which is accursed. Thoiisands hoard hirn gladly, while he explained the blcssinga and privitege« of the gospel, and exhorted all lofooie to Christ as lost sinner^ that they might enjoy them. I cannot but observe here, that thfe more ignorant and wicked the common people were at this time', tho greater waa the charitv and kindness of those who endeavored t^ instruct them in their duty to God and man, and by this moans reform their manners. Iho reader will easily perceive, that it required no small degree of resolution, to expose himself to the ignoront rude- ness of the lowest of the people, to the contemptuous sneers of those of resnectubilitv and influence, and to the severe censures of wu?"*?'Pi" . .*!. *"r'«n««- .Yet this, both he, his brother, and Mr. Whiteheld did, in adopting the plan of itinerant preaching. It is almost imiMwsiblo to imagine, that in their circumstances, they eould act from any other motive, than a pure desire of doing good. 1 ravelling from place to place, and every where preaching in the open air, was a plan of proceeding well adapted to diffuse knowl- edge among the common people, and to awoken a concern for religion. — But it was e xtrao i dinaiy auf^ new; and the novelty ofit would naturoUy engage the attention of the public so muph, that \ 'i suppose a brother of the Rev. Mr. Qeorge Whitefleld. .1- !"f'< l« _r f t t \ * V - I: \ lir THE MFX or THK RBT. CHARLES WESLEY. ■•fj"^ few persons would, at Ikst, form a true judgment of its inriportancei and the difficulties and hardships attending it. Had these two points been considered and rightly understood, I am persuatled that neither Mr. Charles Wesley, nor his brother, nor Mr, Whitefield, Wipuld have been blamed for adopting the plan of itinerancy, and preaching in the open air; on the contrary they would have been commended by every person of a liberal mind. At present, I^ shall only hint at one or two particulars, to show the importance of thcfir nroceedings, and the hardships they- had to encounter. The laboring poor are the most numerous class of people in every coun- try. They are not less necessary to the happinessiand prosperity of a nation, than the higher ordere of society. At the period of whichl am now speaking, their education was almost wholly neg- lected; and as they advanced in years, they had fewer opportunities of instruction and, less capacity for it, than those who had received a better education, and had more leisure. The public discourses of the regular clergy, had little or no influence upon this class of people: as many of them never went to church, and most of those who did, neither understQod, nor felt themselves interested, in what the preachers delivered from the pulpit. Darkness covered the earth/ and gross darkness the people. Nor was there any prospect of doin^ them good, except .by some extraordinary method of proceeding, as their ignorance and vicious habits, placed them beyond theYeachof any salutary influence from the ordinary means of improvement appointed by government. But it certainly is a matter of national importance, that so large a body of people as the laboring poor, should be instructed in the principles of religion, and have jthe way to happiness, both here and hereafter, pointed ' out to them, iq such a manner as to engage their attention, and inform their understandings. A true knowledge, of religion en- larges and strengthens the faculties of their minds, and prepares them for a due performance of every duly, religious and civil. It opens to their view sources of happiness unknown to them before; it teaches them to form a true estimate of their privileges and blessings, temporal and spiritual; to view affliction, not as peculiar to their situation, but as infinitely diversified, and distributed for wise purposes, through all the orders of society; thus it leads them on to contentment and liappiness in their humble situations, and disposes them to industry and peace, by which they largely contri . ~ bute to the prosperity and happiness of the nation. Viewing the effects of itinerant^ preaching in this point of light, we see its im- , portance, and must acknowledge that the authors of it deserve ^ greait praise; especially as they introduced it by their own example, under many difficulties and hardships. Their prospects in life, ^^"^from their learningj their abilities, and their rank in society, were '* all sacrificed to the plan of itinerancy. In all human appearance, they had every thing to lose by it; reputation, health, and the es- teem of their mends; and nothing in this world to gain, but great bodily fatigue, ill usage from the mob, and general contempt. As only three persons united together atficstii^n the plan of itinerancy, they could not expect to form an^eximgi^e or very permanent establishment. It was impossible 'fo[0 a liberality of sentiment, which reflects honor on the different de- nominations of Christians to which they belonged. He returned to Mr. Ellis's at Ebly. This was a most agreeable fomily; every one having received the faith, except one young man who still remained an abandoned sinner. His mother mourned and lamented over him, with parental affection and religious con- hhn thn^/;- ^akley„who travelled with Mr. Wesley, now^infohned \^ hiin that he had been able to fasten some degree of conviction ot \ wpr^Jnl ^''^"i? r"'l«r""."''- ' "•« convictions and seriousness \ were mcreased by Mr. Wesley's sermon. By persevering prayer tvT Sl?"^^' '** t^ knowledge of God, anJ received peace and a^Jf^zTw.^.L5tl»T"*!^«>J^^^^^ ^^ the inom i ng I h ad told hi s moth e r th e story of St. Austin ' s conversion- lOrd hath done it; shout ye lower parts of 'the earth! In the . ( .11' 'i^^'t ,:a t 4 '■/ ■"'^ ■ t VtiB THB UrX 0# THE ABIT. CHABLBS WBSLBT* „. nbw I carried he* the JDyful news, * This thy son was dead and to alive aguin; he was lost and iH found.* " He arrivjed in Bristol, August 28th; and his brother having set but for London, on the Slst he entered on his ministry at Weaver's Hall. " I began," says he, " by expounding Isaiah with great freedom. They were n>eltecl into tears all around ; and again when the bands met to keep the Church-fast. We were all of one heart and of one mind. I forgot the contradiction wherewith they grieved my soql in London, and could not forbear saying, * It is good for me to be here.*" The places where Mr. Wesley had now to preach in Bristol, Kingswood, and the neighborhood, were numerous; and he seldom passed a day without prcttching or expounding, two or three times. The congregations were large, and his word was with power; so that many testified daily, that the gospel is the power offGod to salvation to all who believe. September the 4th, he E reached in Kingswood to some thousands, colliers chiefly, and eid oui the promises from Isaiah xxxv; "The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice and blosi^e^ as the rose." He adds, " I triumphed in the mercy of God to these poor outcasts, (for he hath called them a people who were not a peoi)le) and in the accomplishment of that scrip- ture, * Then the eyes of tfee blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped ; then shall the lame man leap as an hart, acid the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.' How gladly do the poor receive the gospel 1 We hardly knew how to part." September 5th. " I was much discouraged by a discovery of the disoi-derly wjalking of some, who have given the adversary occasion to blaspheme. I am a poor creature upon such occasions, being soon cast down. Yet 1 went and talked to them, and God filled me with such love to their souls as I have not known before. They could not stand before jt. I joined with Oakley and Cennick in prayer for them. M. trembled exceedingly: the others gave us great cause to hope for their recovery." "September the 7th, at Weaver's Hall, I expounded the third chapter of Isaiah, where the prophet alike condemns notorious profligates, worldly-minded men, and well-dressed ladies." By well-dressed ladies, Mr. Wesley certainly meant much more than the phrase imports. He doubtless had in view, a fanciful, useless, expensive conformity to the changeable modes of dress; which is unbecoming, if not criminal, in a person professing godliness. The prophet is there speaking of ladies of the first rank mthe kingdom; he mentions paint, a variety of useless ornaments, and a mode of dress hardly consistent with modesty.* What added to their guilt was, that, while they were adormng themselves in every fanciful and wanton method they could invent, the poor of the land were i oppressed lieyond measure; and God denounces heavy judgments * against them for their oppression and wantonness.^ It had often been stfid, by persons too fond of dress, that religion does nol * See Bishop Lowih, on tbe'third chapter of Isaiah. ^' .k. Km ^^j..i€;4^5i^y^-?ik;^ '.^ ^ ^.'^fi^JtTTA^K^ /^-^ ' >f^w|^f|3^P| '* ^^ ''"" "'* m Lin or tib mir. osARLts wsiLftTi^ ii^ eonsiBt in the peculiar shape or cut of our clothes. This undoubt- edly IS true. But when the mode of dress is voluntary, and reg- ulated purely bv choice, it is a picture, which gives a visible rep- resentation of the temper and disposition of the mind. The choice of our dress, like the choice of our amusements or companions, discovers what kind of objects are most pleasing and gratifying- to us. The case is very different where the mode of dress is charac- teristic of a profession, or where a woman is under the control of her husband. • September 11th. He rode with two friends to Bradford, near Bath, and^ preached to about a thousand persons, who seemed deep- ly affected On the 1 5th he says, « Having been provoked to speak unadvisedly with my lips, I preached on the Bowling-green in great weakness, on 'Lazarus come forth!* I was surprised that any irood should be done* But God quickens others by those who are dead themselves. A man came to me and declared he had now received the spirit of life; and so did a woman at the same time. Which she openly declared at Weaver's Hall. We had great power among us while I displayed the believer's privileges from the eighth chapter of the Epistle to the Romans. On the 16th, I met between thirty and forty colliers, with their wives, at Mr. Willis's, and administered the sacrament to them; but found no comfort myselt, in that or any other ordinanci^. I always find strength for theworkof the ministry; but when my work is over, my bodily and spiritual strength both leave me. I can pray for others, not tor myself. God, by me, strengthens the weak hands, and con- trmsthe feeble knees; yet am I as a man in whom is no strength, lam weary and faint in my mind, continually longing to be dis- charged." Soon after, however, he found power to pray for him- selt, and confessed it was good for him to be in desertion. He was greatly strengthened and comforted by opening his Bible on Isaiah II V. 7, 8. for a small moment have I forsaken thee: but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face trom thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will 1 have »nercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer." Many persons now came to him for advice daily, who had been either awakened or justified under his ministry. This greatly in- creased his labor, but it strengthened his hands for the work in which he was engaged. September 25th. He preached again at Bradford, to about two thousand hearers. « I described," says he, 1 uV ^^^i\H "''*"''® ?"*^ «^«<^^ ' • / October 8th. He preached at the brick-yard." ^ Mr. Williams, from Kidderminster, who had Written to -Mr. Wesley ?ome tinrie before yto go down thither,' was present, and mucn ertifi«Hi and Btren^nened by the sermon. " I know not,"^8ay«^ Mr. W e«le /*of what denomination he is, norJB it matermK for he ha» 7? mind which was in Christ." /, H* ^x 'ii VHC Lire or the rbt. CHARLKS 181 ^ . Mr. Wesley's sermon, when lost at Bradford, dTad been misun- derstood or misrepresented. It was reported thkt he was a high Calvinist, and ffreiCt pains had beeiv token to rop/esent himadsucfa. His brother Mr. John Wesley, coming to Briiitol this eveninir.^it was the opmion of both that he ought to preach again at Bradjoi^l, and decbire his sentimenta oiienly on this p0int. The next «(%, October the 9th,» they wont to Bradford, wflere Mr. Charles Weis- l®/ P/®/'*^H^> ^® * congregation of about^ two thousanif people. •; J""" Lesley prayed first, when Mr./Charles \mgan abruptly, */ ^^ «® ^"'* ^^' ^^** can be against us? He that spared not' his own Son, butj delivered him up f>^r us all, how shall he not • with him also freely give us all things." He spake with great boldness and freedom for an hour ai^d a half, holding forth Christ a Saviour for all men. He flattered himself that ho had done so mueh injury to satan's kingdom, by beating down sin, that he says, *' I believe he will no more slaijder me with being a Predestinai*i- an" in the modern notion of tbat word, v October 1 1th. He preagjied for the fifst time in the open air by night, in a yard belonging to a widow Jones. He observes *«The yard contained about four hundred persbiis; the bouse was likewise full. Great power was in the qr^idst of us. Satan blasjihemed without, but durst not venture his cHildren too near the gospel, when I offered Chr)st Jesiis to tfiemi The enemy hurraed them away, and all we could do, was to pray for them." "pctobe|^15th/ I waited, with iiiy brother, on a minister aliout Mapfizlng some of his parishioners. He coinplaineect nor bid others expect any such consciousness, if we listen to him . What wretched' inconsistency ? 'L. Y W'hen Mr. Wesley baptized adults, professing faith in Christ, he chose to do it by trine immersion, if the persons would submit to it;jiidging this tobe the apostolic method of baptizing. October 26th, be says, "I baptized Mr. Wa^ginton in the riveri by.Bai>- tist-mills, and went on my way rejoicing to French-Hay. October ' ' 27th, I took occasi^ to show the degeneracy of our nriodem Phar- isees. Their pred^essors fasted twice a week: but they maintain .'—I I • — . — I • ■ . ^_ ■ * See th g ag reement between ti^js iiccou nt and Mr. Jofin WcsIby's pfhilrii lourual inltiH Works, vol. xxyii. page .142. } ■■ ' * *^ ^ ■sA.J-A,';^' ^''t iA f'.v T] ■ 1 ' < in . I TBS Lire or THE KBT. CHARLKS wnLBT. their character for holiness at a cheaper ratA In reverence for th« Church, Home keep their public day on Friday: none regard it though enjoined as a fast. T^eir neglect is equally notorious ir , regard to prayer and the sacrament. And yet these men ?ry outj *The Church, thb Church!' when they themselves will no* hear the Church; but despise her authority, trample upon her or ders, tea'ch contrary to her articles and hoinilies, and break her cnnohs, even every man of those, who of late pretend td- enforce their observance." , ^^ „ ♦* October 13th, I wrote to the Bishop of Bristol, as follows:' "My Lord, ^'Several persons have applied to me for'baptism.* It has E leased God to make me instrjumental in th«ic conversion. This as given them su^h a prejudice for me, that they desire to be re- ceived into the Church by my ministry. They choose likewise to be baptized by immersion, and have engaged me to giye your lord ^ ship notice, as the Church requires." '" November 2. I received a summons from Oxford, to respond in divinity disputations; which, .together with otljer coucurre»t providences, is a plain call to that place."^ On the 6th, Mr. Wesley's Journal breaks off, and does not cprti- nience again till March 1.4th, 1740. Mr. John Wesley informs us, that he and his brother left Oxford on the 15th of November, and taking Bristol in their way, they arrived at Tiverton on the 21st, a« few days after the funeral of their brother Samuel. Having preached at Bixeter during their short stay in these parts, they re- turned to Bristol on thp 28th of the same inonth. ^ March 14th, 1740, Mf. Wesley came to Gloucester, in company with Thomas Maxfield, who travelled with him most part of this year. The next, day he went to Beneeworth, in hopes of seeing his old friend^ Mr. Benjan^in Seward. . But here he met with a disappointment, which he 4id not expect. .Mr. Seward had been - ill of a fever. His relations taking advantage of his situation, had intercepted all his letters: they^ called his fever madi^essj and nuw, when he was reiRovering, placed his servants over him as spies, to prevent aiiy Methodist from coming' to him. His brother, Mr. Henry, cariie to Mr. Wesley and gave him plen|^ of abuse, calling him scoundrel, rascal, pick-pocket, &e. Mr. Wesley made little reply, but ordered notice to be given that he would preach next day, March Kith, at the usual place, which was near Mr. Seward's house. Mr.'Henry came to him to dissuade him from attempting it, telling him that four constables were ordfered to «p- Krehend him if he came near his brother's wall. Mr. Wesley owever was not t<\ be deterred' froni his purpose by siich threaten- , ings, and when the time of preaching drew near, walked forward- towards the place. In his way thither, a mayor's officer met him, and tlesired he would eo with him to the mayor. Mr* Wesley ^riswered, that h|.^would-first w;ait on his Lord, and then ort the mayor, whom he reverenced for the sake of his office. Mr, Henry ,.^ * He uientidaed 4>e names of seven persons. K c^ .-^4fna^. ikite- '~ f^^^ %:. »M1 I.ir,g or TBI IIT. ORAKLIS WCILtT. IK|W met hirn with threateninm and revilinm. Mr. Wenley bevnn singing, "Shall I tbr fear of feeble man." L. This enraue.r Mr; ?n!I'^' Zc T "^"' raving like a madman, andquickly |ot some fe Itowa fit for hia purpose. ThcHeMaid hold on Mr. WeHfey. who asked, by what authantythey did it? Where was their warrant? Let them show that, and^e would save th«n the. trouble of usinir violence. They said thfey had na.warrant, but he nhould not ' lu® u ■^'- "?'* •'•'"'^^'J •»"" awa/ltnidst the cries of the people. \ ."^"''^ L"*' w"^ "^""^^ himawny, and duck him." "1 brSko out," says Mr. Wesley, ^« into singing, with Thomas Maxfield, ond suffered them to carry irte whither they pleased. At the bridge in the lane they left me: then I stood out of the liberty of the corpo- ration, and gave out, " . wipv- V '.Angel ofGod,whatc'er betide, «k Thy Bummons I obey 1' &c. Some huhareds followed, whom they couh^ not hinder from hear- y??l"5'?"' " Y°".*^r** "s. who can be against us?» Never did J feel so much what I spoke, and the word dfd not return empty. } *»«n-^*'*^^r"" ^^' Mavor, the poor sincere ones following me trembling. He was a^ little warm> at my not coming before. 1 gave him the reason, and addie«, that I knew of no law of God or man, which i had transgressed; but if there was any such law, I desired no favor. He said, he should not have denied me leave to preach, even in his own yard: but Mr Henry Seward, and the apothecary, had assured him, it wouldquite cast his brother dowti again. J. answered, it would tend to restWe him. Here a clerirv- inan spoke much--and nothing. As far as I could pick out his meaning, he grumbled that Mr. Whitefield had spoken against the clergy in his Journal. I told him, if he were, a carnal, worldly- minded cWr^gyinan, I might do what he would call railing, I miffhl warn God's peope to beware of false prophets. . I did not say, because I ditf not know, he was one of those shepherds who fed themserves, not the flock; but if he was, I was sorry for him, and must leave that sentenfe of Chrysostom with him, « Hell is paven. These slighter conflicts must fit ) me ?or greater." The n^t day, before prelching, he receTvTd a SlT„.^?i**f minister informing him^hat if h^i did not imme- ui I .y-^'l'^ ' * '" ^T"i ^H°my Scwardxouhl easily raise a mob, and then he must look to himself. Mr. fijnning, and others uf hi. . ^'1 }- ' <" *,'' '• t < '»M. :.'*, ■•N 1S4 THE LIFE Of THB »BV. OHAKLBf WEiLBY. V •# friendi, dlB8uwled him from going to th« society, for his enemiw were deteriirmed to do iiiiii u iniHchief, wliich they thought he should avoid by going out'of the wuy for a whde. But Mr. Weu- ley was not intimidated by thnmtening^. Ho adds, " I wont, and set upon the oppoHcrs. find them to rejoice and glory, tor now they had terrified me: I was really afraiil— to leave LveHham: I durHt no more do it, than forsake my CapUiin, or deny my Master, while any one of them opened his mouth against the truth.. INo man answered a word, or offered to disturb me m my following exhortation. I received great comfort from those wokIs in the first lesson, * Then thp men of the citv said unto Joash, Bring oul thy son, that he may die, because he hath cast down the altar of Baal. And Joash said unto all that stood against him. Will ye plead for Baal? If he be a god let him nlead for himself, because . one hath cost down his altar.' In the afternoon there was none to plead foi- him, or to moledtjrie in the work of God, while I snowed God's method of saving souls; 'For he makcth sore and bindeth up; he woundeth, and his hand maketh whole.' The tears that were shed gave comfortable evidence that I had not labored in Vfun " Mr. Wesley went from hence to Wescot, Idbuiy, and Oxford, where he labored with his usual success. Ho then returned to Evesham, saw his friend Mr. Benjamin Seward, pnd nreached without molestation. April 3d, lie arrived in London, and preached at the Foundery, on, « The kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy GhosU He observes, "My heart was enlarged in prayer for the infant The society in London was at this time terribly distracted with foolish and hurtful disputations. Mr. Bray, one Bell, and several others who had influence among the people, had imbibed a notion from Molther, the Moiiavian, that there al^e no degrees, of faith, . that he who has any doubt has no faith at all; that there are no means of grace, but Cl^rist; that a believer is under no obligation to use thn them, and that would hinder him from receiving faith, &c. Mr, Wesley opposed these teacher^ with great firmness and perseverance. His jimrnal, during his stay in London, is filled with disputations on these subjecU, which I shall not transcribe. The fo lowing par- ticulars, as they throve some light on the state of things at this time, and on the suc^ss of Mr. Wesley's ministry, seem worthy of being preserved. ^ • . / «,. , . April 16th, he received the following letter. "I beg leave ^to ask your opinion pbout my state. I do not doubt myself; for through the grace given me, I am confident, Gipd for Christ's sake has forgiven my sins, and made me free. But it has been ques- tiohed whether I have faith or no£. x^ r» a a " I w as brought u p an heathen in the house of a D. u. Alter that I went to tlie Lord's table, and then thought myself a good Cbristian. But blessed be God 1 now see that I was an abomina- Llo PhftriMJe. For my pride God cast me out of hit bouM, atid I jell into the^OouleHt criineH I could conuiiit. After some thiM I had a Biffht of ;nv ilamnablo oHtatc, and thut I was nothing but sin: I dady dceaded ^od'a vonffeanco: I durat not offnr to pray, know- ing iny prayer wa« an ul)ouiination'to that God who is of purer eve» than to behold iniquity. I pould not think it poatiible there should be fofgivenesa forme : >..- • I had my punishment ^t view, I felt a thousand hells my due.' r Iwent twice to hear Mr. Whitefiold; but thought it did not signifV. My misery Htdl uicrcaHcd. Hut it pleased God, that the last tiliie you preached at Kennington, my blessed Saviour was revealed in me, in so gUn-ious a maimer, the^t 1 rather thoughtjny«0lf in heaven than on earth. I thought 1 could meet death with bijldness. I was ready to cry out to every one, O ! taste and see hoW good the Lord IS. I would not for ;i thousand worlds be in my former state again. May God prolong your life and health, in his kingdom and .- Hitherto the government of the society had been vested wholly in the people. At their different meetings, thfcy made such rules and orders as they thought necessary and proper, without payinir • any particular deteience to the ministers. In one or two instances, mentioned in these murnals, they threatened to expel Mr. Wesley hujjjsell, when he did not conform to the rules theylbad made. But on the 20th of Aprd this year, it was-agreed, 1. That no order should be valid unless the minister be present at the making of it. ,. *, ^hosoever denies the ordinances to be Commands, shall be ' expelled the society. ,«>«ajiivc^ ^ One or two of the leaders in this new doctrine concemitiff Ordi- nances and means of grace, thinking Mr. John Wesley more favor- able to their opinions than Mr. Charles, wrote to him at Bristol, desiring him to come immediately to London. He arrived on the 22d,»andonthe 24th, Mr. Charles Wesley wrote to a friend at Bristol as fo lows. « My brother came most critically. The snare we trust will now be broken, and many simple souls be delivered. Many here insist, that a part of their christian calling is liberty from obeving, not liberty to obey. The unjustified, say they, arj to be still; that is, not to search the Scri4)tures, not to pray, not to communicate, not to do good, not to endeavor, not to desire; for it 18 impossible to use means without trusting in them. Their nrac- tice is agreeable to their principles. Lazy and proud themselves, bitter and censorious towards others, they trample upon the ordi- nances and despise the commands of Christ. I see ffo middle point wherein we can meet." , ' , May 2d, Mr. Wesley received the following letter. "Mt Revekbnd Father in Christ, / .j«l' ^? received the gift of faith after I had seen myself a loet wnner, bound with a thousand chains, and dropping into hell. ^See also Mr. John Wesley's printed Journal in his Woiks, vol. xxtu. p. s li n A*y E^lssteA-^^'-'^ %-;41^ ■•/L TRB LIFE Of THB BBT. OHARLBl WMBLlT. Then I heard his voice, *Bo of g<»o«l che«r, thy sins «ro forgiven thee.* I Mttw the Sun of G(m1 luvud iiiej and irave htiiiH<;lf for me. I thought I saw him at the ri^^ht hand ot the V athcr, iiiuking inter' ceMsion for me. I went on in great joy for four monthit. Then Eride crept in, and I thought the work waH fininhod, whon it wnn ut juMt iMsgun. There I rcitted, and in a litth) time 1 foil into doubtfl and f«ar«, whtjther my hiuh were really forgiven me, till I plunged myHcIf into the depth of iniHery. 1 could not pray, neilhisr ^ nad I any desire to do it, or to read the word. Thon did t Hue my \ own evil heart, and feel my heloloHHueitM, ho that I could not hO much as think a good thought. My love was turned into hatred, . passion, envy, &,c. I felt u thousand iiells my duo, and cried out in bitter anguish of spirit, 'Save Lord or I perish.' \ In my laiit extremity I saw my Saviour full of grjice and truth for me, and heard his voice again, whispering, Peace, be still. My peace re- turned, and greater sweetness ot love than I ever Jinew before. Now my joy is calm and solid, my heort drawn ou^to the Lord continually. I know that my Redeemer liveth for m^. He.ls my strength and my rock, and wdl carry on his work in my soul to the day of redemption. Dear sir, I have spoken the state of my heart as before the Lord. 1 beg your prayers, that I inay go on from strength to strength, from conquering to conquer, till death is swal- lowed up in victory.' . G.Murray." May 8, H. Harris being in town, Mr. Wesley observes, «• He declared his experience before the society. ^ O ! what a flame was kindled. No man speaks in my hearing as this man kpcaketh. . What a nursing father God has sent usl He has indeed learned of the good Shepherd to carry the lambs in his bosom. Such love, such power, such simplicity, was irresistible." At this meeting H. Harris invited all lost Ifinners, justified or not justified, to the Lord's table. " I would not," said te, "for ten thousand worlds, be the man who should keep any from it. There I first found him myself: that is the place of meeting." " He went on," adds. Mr. Wesley, *»fm the power of the Most High. Goil called forth his witnesses; VseviBral declared they had found Christ in the ordi- nances." May 29th. " I dined," says Mr. Wesley, « at friend Keen's, a Quaker and a Christian} and read over George Whitefield's. ac- count of "God's dealings with him. The love and esteem he ex- {iressed for ine, filled me with confusion, and brought back my ear, lest afker having preached to pthers, I myself should be a cast-away." ^June 11th. To put an end to vain disputings, and to stop the further progress of the hurtful opinions which then prevailed, Mr. John Wesley proposed to new-model the^^bands, ahd to put those by themselves, \^o were still for the ordinances. This nroposal raised a great clamor: "The noisy »titt ones," adds Mr. Wesley, «» well knew, that hitherto they had carried their point, by wcaryintf out the sincere ones scattered among them, one or two in a band of disputers, who bad harrassed antt sawn them asunder so that a r«mnant scarcely was l^ft. Mr. ingham seconded us, and we obtained that the namea V^ould be called over, and as many as .„' 1kf:jf\&'^Plim£i*i'^'S.: * "-%.. tU% LIFE or irui KIT. OBAILII WBtLBf#^' m were ng^rneved, nhould tie put into new Imndii. We gathoreil up our wreck, tart nantet in gurguite vatto, floating hn e and thvre on the Vaat ahyuM; for ninn out of t«n wer« swallowed up in the dead ae^ of BtdlneHM. why was not thia done aix niontha ago! IIow fotui wiia «\ur delay and Hdao nuuleration. I told thtun plaiiily. iHhould continue with them ao longn^hey continued in the Church June 17th. «« We had an extraonliftary meeting of the aocietv, incrcaaed from twelve, to three hundr«d. I tcM.k my leave of thcni with hearty prayer."— The next day he act out for Hriatol, where h"ning waa at the malt^iom, and addressed rnyaftlf to those in the wilderneaa. O what Himpliolty it in tbfa childlike |MM>pIc ! A anirit of contrition and love ran throuirh them. Here the leirMl has fallen upon go«Ml ground." • " Sunday, June^la'id, I went to learn Christ otnong our collien. , and drauk into their spirit. We rejoiced for the conaolation. O^ that our London brethren, would but come to achool to Kingawood I 1 heae are, what they of London pretend to be. God knowa their poverty: but they are rich, and doily entering rnto hia rcHt. TJhey do not hold it neceasary to denv weak faith in order to get aironff Their soula truly wait upon- God Jn hia onlinancca. Ye many muaters, come learn Christ of there ^outcasts; for know, that except ye be converted, and become like these Kttle children, ye cannot enter into the kingtiom of heaven.— I met aeveKal of those whom I had baptized and found them growing in grace." ^« June SOth, I now spent a week at Oxford, to littl? purpose, but that of obedience to man, for the Lord>8 sake. In t^e hull I read my two lectures on the cxxxth Psalm, preaching repentance towards Ood, and fuith in Christ Jesus. But learned Gullio cared for none of these things." ' "July 16th. Being returned to Bristol, he observes, "While/I was meeting the bands, my mouth was opened to reprove, rebukb, and exhort, in words not my own; All trembled before the p/e- sence of God. I waa forced to cut off a rotten^ member: but felt such love and pity at the time, as humbled me into the dust. It was, as if one eriminal was executing another. We betook our- selves to fervent prayer for him, and the society. The spirit of prayer was poured out upon us, and we returnetl to the Lori with weeping and mourning."— See here, the true Apostolical spirit of church discipline. , - *^ Many of the colliers, who had been abandoned to every kind of wickedness, even to a proverb, were now become plouy and zealoui for the things of God. A great nuinber of these, at this time, came ' to the churches in Bristol on a Lord?#-day, fty the benefit of the sacrainent. But most of the BristoTministers repelled them from the table, because they did not belong to their parishes. Settinir religion aaide.jpommon humanity would have taught them to rejoice m BO remarkable a reformation among these wretched people. Hut these waA6bmen of Israel did not choose to have any increase of trouble. Can we wonder, that the Methodists had such grent V- ^' ,4' #. ,1 '. ^^".^ ^^Cd, TRB Lira or rni Mv. onaklm wmlit. ■ucceM in pi^nnching tho fffwfiml to the mi«l«IUn)r nnd lower onlen of the people, when MUch Inxy droiieM na thi^ius hail lli<> care of nioet of thf) piiriHlMM in F.ni(laiHi? The <'iimi>, i iM'lirvf, is now f^rcutly ahert'd. At preHfMit^ there in more reli;;iouM knowledge, more nin- dor, and greater attention to jiropriety ot'eondnrt, both among the tUitfiy and the people, than tliere wai* at that time*, and the Methu* diHtri have heitn the principal IneanM ofprodueing tlie change. July 35. He In'gnn to M|>eak to every mendier of the xoeiety in • pnrtienhir. A woman came to hini« eryinv out, that nhe wan iNirii of(>«iU; thiit nhe had u new heart, &e. Hut on examination, hIiu could give nb neeonnt of her faith; no natinfactory proof of her pretennionM. Mr. Wenley olwerveH on thii* (M'casion, "How ex ceedingly'cnutiouH ought we to Ixi, in re<'eiving peopje'H testimony of tbenwelvciii." Another came to him, who fteeniH to have JK'er puffed up with her religiouM eomfortM and enjoymentd. " I plainly •cc,'* BuyH he, " why many lone their firnt condort; it" in expedient for them that it Hhould go away." In this eone, ai« ho oliHervem, nature will fv.vd on the gift, inxtead of the giver. Wu wee Honie, who look at their iov, and eompare their Htato with othertt, till they become high-ndnileu, Ioho night of Christ, and then fiink into grcnl darkncHti and dintreHH, without perceiving the reason of it. One part of thoMO, generally recover their former experience, after much ■ufleririg: another part, content theniHelveH with the externals of religion, and much religiouM talk, while their pnitHionH have thtt aame dominion ov«r them, they formerly had: and a third, look upon all experience uh mere imagination, ridicule it in the tertns they had Iwen accuHtonted to uho, and cast oif religion altogether. ThcHO caseB therefore, require the inoHt Herious and early attention of every experienced miniHter of the gvmpel. July 27. " I heard a nkiserahle 8erm«n," sayii Mr. Wesley, "at Temple church, rcconmiending religion an the mo8t likely woy to raiiM) tt fortune. After Kcrmon, jn'oclaniation was niade, that all should depart who were itot of the puritth. While the Hhenhcrd was driving away the lambs, I staid, sutnecting nothing, till they clerk came to nie and said, * Mr. tieacher bids you go away, for he ' will not give you "the sacrament.* I went to the vestry door, and i| mildlv desired Mr. Beacher to admit Jne. He ufked, 'Are you of thiH parish? ' I answered, ' gir, you see that I am a clergyman.' Then (Iropping his first pretence, he char^red me with rebellion hi expounding the Scripture without authority; aiftl said in expren^ words, • I repel you from the sacrament.' 1 replied, • I cite you to answer tMs, before Jesus Christ at the duy of judgment.' ThiH I enragecl hiih above measure: he called out, < Here, take away thiif/ man.' The constables wfre ordered to attend, 1 supiiose, lent th^' furious colliers should tdke tfa« sacrament by force; but I save«l t!»ra the trouble of taking^^way 'this inan,' ittid quietly retired."-jt. These things are but poor evidence!), tliat the Bristol ministflrf i ■were the true successors of the Apostles! / ! , In August Mr. Wesley had a very dangerous fever. It/wat > reported, and published in the papers, that he was dead, llpoit jT fiijs recovery, he observes,' " I found n^yself after this gruci^iis visi ^ tatioii} more desirous and able to pray; more afraid tu sin; inon l\ A 1^^-' '^j^iri*3^i.»- ,-y--j^. -■ tll» UFl •» tm MT. miAICVf Wllilf 11 r gleaning «„„,c from oviirv U'.mi v w„ i. A„ """' ""' ""^ Then news wm brori»Ki ■,. tl.,.. .i '■," ""' '"'" "•'•"1« . the least violence. A few of the etter Lrt nf Z„^ ''*'*^'*'* "■* ipayor, and told th.ir grievance, then theia^f r«?' "^T' '".'*«' came, without noise or tLturhanc; AH whL«L-^ "'*'*' '"" '^^7 Nothing could more clearirhnvr«h..wt. i t ""^ '* ^^»-« «"»n2«'l. then; tgan thi« c.:;:u!a:!^ !::::^ :!;z:^::^^^^ "••""«*»^ -•-'^ 8ick-lH„l, and^hrew him" int^ Th^S-h ^ •"I"**"*" *''-«ffg«d out of his un( exu„.ple, would re«traij theVavage VuJy oHhe^rSr!.'" " Tk" Undoubtetfly was the true cause, why tVy a J retirned h„»* su* out making any disturbance. ^ ^ returned home with- November 6th, he set out for Walpu H«« »„:« j- • . * He n.ean« a collier, who *aUft the Methodists' .ociety^ 'I .tit J ■n *-. .f T^f '.' If- ^.^j^!? <-' *0f^^''W^: 140 THB LlfK or THE BBV. 0HABL«» WBSLtT. I- * feet BO coritrarv to the general end, and manifeit tendency of the S^.Sffi doctrinlwhich produceH it^hould be viewed wM* fS on and approached with caution. That the d.m.nut.on of XWian love was on the part of H. Harris, w evident from the foEngtetter, which Mr. Wesley sent him from Cardiff, on the 10th of November. ' '^ «rother Harris, because when I begin, I know not where to leave off, and should sav so much good of him as some of you could not bear. Before Mr. Wesley left Wales, a violent opposition was raised against him, which threatened danger. During the sermon on Sunday, while Mr. Wesley was describing the state of the Fhari- see. a physician of the place found himself hurt, and got up and walked out of the church. On the Tuesday following, being upu- sually heated with wine, and urged on by a company of players, determined on mischief became to the hbuse where the people were assembled to demand satisfaction for the injury he supposed that he had received. He struck Mr. Wesley and seyeralof the i women with his cane, and raged like fit madnian, tiU the men forced him out of the room, and shut the door. Soon after, it was broke open by a justice of the peace, and the bailift, or head inaais- trate " The latter began expostulating with me," says Mr. wes- lev , " upon the affront offered the doctor. He said as it was a pub- ' lie injury, I ought to make him a public satisfaction. I answered. « Mr. Bailiff, I honor you for your office' sake; but were you, or his Majesty King George among my hearers, I should tell you both, that you are by nature sinners, or children of wrath, even as others. lit the church while preaching, I have no superior but God, and shall not ask man's leave to teU hiii^^k-bw sms. As u ruler, it is your duty to be a te r ror to evil doewi?hut a prai s e to V Ihem that do well.' Upon thus speaking to him, he became «x- ag»jr'z^S^itL i itiTO..^ .^to^ f -^ Iter ^4v,#l %'■ %^'p. MIWI^I^P^ tii^i5fe-^:fi;i^'^ "*' '"^^mHB^W THl Lire or THE EKV. CHAKLKl WEILST* HI oeedingly civil, amtired me of his irood will, and that hn hii<1 <.An» if ?rhe"ad"» "•"" "^'"^ i-uhedfand no"jratuIdtu'clfa hS "While we were talking, the doctor made another attemnt to break m and get at me, but the |wo justices and others, with much trouble got hun away; and we continued our triumph n the ZSe of the Cord our God. The shout of a king was amoiff uV We sung unconcerned, though the players had geset the hSuse. were armed, and threatened to burn it. The grrun.l of their aurnS with me was, that the preaching of the gJspel had started^S We prayed and sang with great tranquiufty fill one in the morain": hen I lay down till three. I rose apin. and was scarcely g™nto he room whe,i they discovered a pFayer just by me, who ffi Lto! len in unobserved. They seized Aim, anJ F. FarleV wrested th^ sword from hun. There was no need of drawing uffw^heooint • and blade were strict of the scabbard, about aKnd's b3 h Great was our rejo.c.ng within, and the uproar of the player^wX out. My female advisers were by ho means for my venturin^iut but wished me to defer ipv journev. I preferred MrWeffiad- vice, of going with him through the miSst of our enemies We called on the poor creature they had secured. On ZhT^'rJhl harm ""'viafu** Mf. Wesle/, I did not intenS t?do yoran^ harm. That,' I answeredi * was best known to God and his own heart:' but told h.m that my principle was to return good fo? eWI and therefore desired he might be released. I assureTCm 6f mv good wishes, and with Mr. Wells walked down to the water sidT a^^ri^^SsI'^^rBK-'^ ''''^"^^* day, November th^Ke ter^Tfvlo'r^dvin^T^^^^^^^^'y S'^^^ *»»^ sacrament to our sis- lrnthn?thif^ ^1 " *"""»!?• J«ere is another witness to the ih- k V ^ ^""^P®' '""^ P''^'*^**- Commend mp to a reliirion, unon which I can trust my soul, while entering inte eternity."*^ ' ^ « December 2d, r preached on the three-fold office of Christ at SeTenaratil"Vr;r r^*? ^^^^^ P°"«^- ^' constrained ev"n ♦rittif^? T K^^® Calvinists) to own that God was with us of a r«in^ Jr ''''K^^''}'. '» '^ glrous storm of thunder, ligh ning and fn! ' "»y «P"-' rejoicing in hope of the glory of God. He oSeSSd my mouth again m the society, and I spoke in much in-ief ToSJ desofttte mother, the Church of Enilaiid. Mv hS* JLrnI Kril^>^'^ ' *'^"^"P«" '^' --^ andifp^tie'ri^tn "December 5th, I wasLuch refreshed in spirit amonir some of my friends the Quakers, by a writer of theifs, who stronX in- whtr '^^ ^f^^^i' ^^^**» ""^« ""' «"d life unrrigSsneS which every Christian experiences. Death must precSe life «S rtTreari^"^^"- ™« ^« ascleari;tra^£:2litror jeven hundred of us met from eleven o'clock till oT'to nraisl ?h^J"f '^^ 7'"V^ ty °"^ tha nksgiving. H e hardone^^at things for us already; but we sJSl s^e g^^^^^ STtES ^ ■M^ ' il r\ '■*• \] ^ilM lE^'m^Se^e^tX. .m--^-' la. fej-p jfc^ir- 'n!^~^SJ.u^' ; ^- ^"^'» " -..'—V r^-$^m.t rv h. j^'. M' „ -I?.:.,: ^ ■■'■■■■ .,-.. -.. 'i4$'--- THS hlWt or THE HKV. CHAELB8 WB8LBT. j dined at the house of a Dissenter, who was armed cap-a-pie wito her faith of adherence, brimfull of the five iioints, and going on to the perfection described in Romans the seventh. On the 28th, I earnestly warned the bands not to fancy they had new hearts be- fore they had seen the deceitfulness of the old; not to thnjk they would ever be above the necessity of prayer; not to yield for one moment to the spirit of judging. Mr. Aspernel told nie strange things, and I fear true, of some new creatures of their own makmg, who have been caught in gross lies." '' , s • . April 4th, 1741. Mr. Wesley set out for Bristol, and arrived there in safety the next day. . April 7th, he says, ♦» I prayed by one supposed to be at the point of death. He rejoiced to meet the king of terrors; and appeared so sweetly resigned, so ready for the bridegroon^, that I longed to change places with him. April 11th, found a dying sinner rejoicing in God her Saviour. At sight of me, she cried out ' O how loving is God to nje ! But he is loving tp every man: he loves every feoul as well as he loves mine.» Many like words she uttered in ti'iumphant faith, and witnessed in death the universal love of Jesus Christ." April lajh. To-day he called forth another of his dying witnesses, " The young woman whom at my last visit, I left in utter despair, this morning broke out into the following expressions; *I see, I see it now^ that Jesus Christ died for me; and for all the world.' Some of her words to me were * death stares me in the face, but I fear him not, he cannot hurt jne; » and again, 'death may shake his dart in vain; God is love, pure love, love to every man! » The next I saw, was our brother S-^,* v » With joyful eyes, and looks divine, Smiling and pleased in death.'" Am-il 13th. " I gave the sacrament to the bands of Kingswood, not of Bristol: iry obedience, as I told them, to the Church of Eng- land, which requires a weekly sacrament at every cathedral. But as they had it not there, and as on this particular Sunday, they were refused it, at Temple church, (I myself, with many of them, having been repelled,) I therefore administered it to them in our school; and had we wanted a house, would justify doing it in the. midst of the wood. I strongly urged the- duty of receiving it, as 6ften as they could be admitted to the churches. Such a sacrament, I never was present at before. We received the sure pledges of our Saviour's dying love; and* were most of us, filled with all\joy and peace in believing." This it seems, was the beginning of the practice of administering the sacrament at Kingswood. April 20th.' " Returning from Baptist Mills, I heard that our, sister Richardson had finished her course. My soul was filled with strong consolation, and struggled as it were, to go -after her, * as heavenward endeavoring.' Jesus, my time is in thy hand : only let me follow her, as she has followed thee I The voice of. joy and thanksgiving was in the coneregation, while I spake of her death. April 22d, I hastened ttf^he joyful funeral. The new room w& crowded within and without. I spake largely of her whose faith they might safely fo(|oiw. Great was ^ny glorying auU L '-^JS^p^CjESai? J fe.fa^^5^?'J TH« Mrs pr THB HIT CHAIUM WKfLt '^■■ rejoicing over her. She being dead, yet Hoake in wn«i« «r ft.-.i. and love, which ought to 1^ hSd in r^renSnce We were ha rhe whole society f«ll<>we«l her t(» the irrHve ihrmii/h ..ii IL^ -7'' atT 'firXT'"^'/ •" '"? ^^-'^'^-f -hr/tL'r 1 L'd'^^^^^^^^ at us. After the burial we joined in the following hynm, ^ •Come let us who in Christ bcJiove, With saints and ansrels join,? &c.>' May 1st, " I visited a sister dyinir in the I ord Tl.o« *i others, one mourning after, the other reioii-inSIn r ^I'l. ^J®". V^o I was now informed^that a.'.SLr of our J^^2^ *'"^T''- home in triumph. -She witnessed a goodTon&L^fSe u„K,? sal Saviour, and irnve un her Ruirif with ♦!,!! i \ i "»"y«r- heavenly Fathe..' &c Viv Sh I r^ • ^ *'*' ''''"'''''' ' «^ »'/ "'V The outward nSiSecave^r bi^tinTn'^*"* "^f ?'"'' «'«»«>-^4p«/. one wholP niiryMK r ' .,"S*"*^ l""®'" "'""^ '8 renewed. /For coHif. f nr.i ToT.. '"V^ "■'' »«""r lo enter into that rest tl^em that May 8th, « We solemnized the funeral* nf oiii- «:o»«. t» and rejoced over her with «!n.r n„ a • our sister Hooper, her to the grave Thrr« ,^1 ^ ^' f«at multitude attemled ~ ~~Z. ^"^ another h ^mn^of trjumph. nes «l»Si;r°""^'"'''°"'™™" """"PI*" •ll.XM.ofUHlHrfyn.^i; ' k -* 1^1 ^l' >ai J ?*"i / ' i^S^Vif^^SiSmtSat fci/ fe.^- ft^i. '.»» 144 lii LivK or or THE ftiV. CHARLCS WK8LST. foTInd myself prepsca in^rit to »p«ak to those who contnidictM ind-^bhJSiemJd. Mobile 1 trammed pn death and judgment to coine.rniuy treinbW; one woman cried out m horrible agony. We returned to the room and continued our solemn rejoicmga, al^ desirijg to be dissolved and to be with Christ.'' ^ ^ . • ^14th. He now visited Mrs. LelHngtori, draiVing near the end/of her journey through WFe. She had received peace and joy fnTbevini; a™d all tear of hell, death find sin, were fled away.^ M adds..* I saw two more of our sick sisters; then two of the ^thren in Kingswood, who were all rejoicing '»^,hopeof a gneedV' dissolution. Preached at Kendal«hire, and visited one ot the bands /there, who walked through the valley of the shafdow of death, and feared no evil. I prayed by a seventh in Bristol, who triurnphed overVe S of t4rro%.^^^ be nbt with, us, who hath begot- . Mav 20th, " I v«ft8 called to a dying, woirian, who confessed she " had often railed at me in her health, but was now „Constramed to sendfo^me, and ask my pardon, or she could not die- in peace. We prayed our Lord to si)eak^«ce and pardo^i to hSf soid. &ev- erldJuch instances we have had of scoffers; when their feet stum- m bn the dark mountains. MaV 22d, 1 preached a ^<^"eral ser- nfon for our sister Lellington, and attended the (Jorpse to the grave, where we Voiced ih hol,e of quickly fdriowmg her. gave »« exhortation to repentance, though satah greatly withstood me. thereby teaching ^ne, never tdi^let go unwarned, the poor sinners tM com{ on such occasions^Pa^sed the night with my brother at Kingswopd, iii watching unto prayer. I wish this Pj^itive cus- , torn were revived among all our brethren. The ^ord of God en- courages us, to be in watchings often. By two o'clock I retui^ed to Bristol, and at five found strenctb to expound in the newroom.^ May 80th, he observes,-"! passed, ah houc Wth a spiritual Quaker, and rejoiced to find, we were bo^h of the same religion."-! appre- hend that all men, who have true christian experience, are ot the •ome re%ton; however they may differ in Opinion Prjn«^e8of worship. They are the one fold, under the one tnie Shepherd. If all true Christians would consider this point aa they o"ght, there would soon be an end of disputation among them, and brotherly love would take place. » y' - , ' . . Mav 31st. "Throughout this day, I found my strength increase^ with my labor. ! read in the society, my accdjuit of Hannah^Rich- ardson.f She being dead, ^et spake so powerfully to ourhejits, that my voice was lost in the sorrowful sighing of such as ^ m StptivUy: To several, Gqd showed himself the God of consola- Snarticularty to tw6 young Welchmen, whom his providence ShffirfonYcaerma^^^^^^^^ They had heard most dreadlu! SiesVif us, Arminians, Freewillers, Perfectionists, P«jP«t«. which , in vanished like ^iiioke, when they came to hear witJi their owa • earg God applied to their hearts the word. of his power. 1 took S"i to my Imlgings, and stocked them withbooks; thep sent them - V ST T ► This-account was primed; See Mr. John Wesley:. Work., vol. xiu. p Hi. vjJii'.-»'i«5ftf' flW^gP k.^ tM Utm4tW turn MT. ORABLli WltLST. i iTJSf^^'"^"**^ '« "^"VP^^ or Gpa. which bringeth salv^iion •^.ir?^ A^*V "il P;;^«ched VjKingHivftod^ on the dreocVuI wordi. « tULL ALL.' Howhatjthe aevin)affled those teacher! who f«r fettr of ^ti.,i«r nfi^ri upon >vork«, forbear urging hin ^'u^iverMal . MuivJ If enforciLg Chrisj's wordrf l,e to' pTeach workl IhS I m""JS'^T** T:^^' '""» U8 1 live." It £ certairhoM^ve^"?hal . Mr. Wesley did not understand c^ur^LordV wordrii?erX bul * teaching us to put away, eVejy tiirtg we know to be ainful. ho^ advantageous 8;peirer it may be to our teihiioral interest or rfJr^J! ^ able to our inclinatioririind^tbut w^ shoui JS rrjirtuntro? doing aH the ffood in our power. «" "pponumiy ot tJ!^lV'U-' ^'' ^^'^^ preached five twnes this day: at Bristol, twice at Kingswood, at a place called Sawford, and ki Bath He observes, « Satan took it Jll lo be attacked hi. hb Aead n JartpA'^ my Ir o'utTnd"?' '''^ ."'^ ''^'^^ horrili^lSiShXr - iney went out, and came back aga n, and mocked and firl*tt» roared, asjf each man's name ha!t b^^en LegS ^1^' ^tje^^ ■ «. were^nelted mto tears, and st^on^ desirc^s o? sdvaS"- It il pleasniff to reflect pn t|ie change which hap taken^ place in Bat£ since the time of which Mr. Wesley is here R.^tV«„ }? 1?^ M^fY'VTX faithful -witnesSrofhri;rut&^^^ : Methodists, und among Lady-Huntingdoh^s beoiie, ^holiave beS^ ornan^nts to the christian pVof^ionfxand^at pSriT^he X^^ ' preached there withi>ut molestation. ^ '"T*'**"* ™o,^'S»peI is.^ ' JVff ^X^5?^±L^^"1;^ "^"i"^ »'•« J5th, rode WwUh • IZT '^."•e'nf'^rf the Established Church 6f^ESnd?Tm^I^ July 17th, he met Mr. and Mrs. Jotiex nr Mi- n:»i.„.j i l •' hej«au, niched, .ndm-,he e^entafw" „ 'i"it ^^1' "'jS" , «nd Hodge», stoqd in the midst of the people?Snd SS \^lk* pround in prayer, and cried after the ^n Sf !)??& niS^reibiS .into our souls stromr ilvtalr^a n t fk..> u^ — ,."M^ ^ MJHreattoed \ \ •• r • ■ • % \ » ..•;*,..bSIv-',?.1i.I fel* (=>»' -*§: ■' C i" I" ■'^--l' ' ' t" ■TW^a^TP^paWpMf'^ft;" "■' ' ■'i:'rK*''-. .*4ft THl il»B or TH« MV. qHARLlll WMLSy %^ 'J ' '* , m. ':'#' ^ *SA if n-^-i^v* brother from W«nw„Hcm?2luf;''^" ^ OuP Clare lK.fc.ro "U what G^^l'hTUe for h?"" *"^ ^'^{1"'""^. '"d de' prepare for the «t«rm wh ch wo" LurHvV'iV''' **" ^"••"«** "» «<» went on. Hin artleHs w«r7i; rereTre„^rI^M ^^r&t tii^l^i^;^^^ of h. threatened seizure of 6urVS I Z *" " '^"«V««""'', nlwut the an arm of floHh: our Hatt/t ?o Js^^^^^^ ['"."^^"'^ »« tunity I went with him a fit le wnv rh„„ H«wever, at his impor- a^reed to go with hi.^to Julrice?:!^" Ik'"^*' '"^Tk. "nd at'hwi adversaries. Hh receivpd .^^ ^^.. .^f' ^''V""^* ^''fward of otir upoii him in reCcUo hfs „ffic.r h'^^^^^^^^ T^* ' '^"'"^ »" ^"it among some, who ^yerB Zl^dJfh. *^^^ colliere: that I should besrrv to f iJe tt^'*''^^ we' «J id to the poor and was willing to knowTfLjK ?^J"«* <;«^««/»<^c^^^^ , reports were spread. a8jfh««J^,»?^ '"'''- """'e: that- ninny idle those who hnd TeiS t4 house of Mr'^cSt'^^l '^'^ ^'^'^Hce of to take away the colliers' school hI ^77nPn<^ n«w threatened workhnnB«» I ^-. ._".."*;""?'•. He said <^itw' ' ' ..'k\ m^g^i the men wlios^ntflnth^;'^^-**'*'-^ *"««"' "», are fiot never go there at all, butE. tL^r n "^l^^^ " *^« Alehou.se, now lies, and have to give to Se X^T^^^ liave now only the nrai«P« ]Tr }^.^\^^"^' Notorious swenrem lunong themfstcCtX^c^rW^^^^ TWgoo^ToS- No one who hears us onhtL^^ ^2"' Enemies cannot deny it thought so,' he hSiy ^eXni!"^ BWear or drink.' "^7" come and hpar you myself' V^r*??"'' htentans)-! w6uld grace of God was as sufficL for Jf "^^ ^ '^°"^''' «"^ ^^^^^ the inew but he mighti, Sme^"!^^ ^"' colliers, and/who Sln^ra^l^lS^^^^^^^ what you do yoi do trl' "^ ^ concern himseuf « For i? sake of God?^ wiS^rSn/"'"' ^**" *"'^« y**"'- "-eward i if fi^the if this cpunsel or wo k K^tr ^r'n ' ^"* ^fGamaHePs inipd! I' .J"^, v be of dSd— • Inrii^eZr.T"'" "'"<:<"»'* lo nought, but if ^J ■ ' »%htlSiGil^Kr°:r".*™*"'« haply ye ',f*:~w^^'y,T'r'i* tMy^i ■n .!» ., -t' *./-' fv.. ^. ''TP^r,"' r'*"^ Aere i. none like unto the GodofJe^huru^ refreshment. Just when I ^^'^^^ '*""^' iteTtowther with ub.» iur mouth i-raiM.! «?-'j'"U"'' ''H'ui„„ f„r ,ha«enr 1748. In I find no uco,.mm of Mr. W«-'«> "J^.'^^XeJ Jith h'.> brother preachera and |)eoiilo. " One """'^■"'f ,•„•'„„„,;. and he let K,y brother, that ,» '»• ••»'' YToJ^iS tnbS-lZ tien the ju»- •swr J.p';^r»K;£b^^^^^ , ^he^t^rrt" hurtful. He elearly ^ i,7a„Je7rf fSnr Every .satotant i. M m?ny frS tSlBinself a» possible among ">« Ppoigi^ ">» tS^u «e-P»«"%tr wKTs^rTe're^dr^St^s^i^ '•'^r^t.e;'''eS''oTFete«ary, Mr. W«.ley went down to Bath *Stir«nrhi™, and in tfie neighboring places, perham oJso !l«i^£^«lfehSy^rsr^fte^ ^'^\l%hf<^h he oS^rveT « I got once more to our dear -.uers S^rhelSl^^e^^'orgirir^'S: 'MT^ff^nt^the morning in • This exactly accords with Mr. Jbhn Wesley's prinicd Works, yol. xxxtiii. p. 6. tSee agaia,.vol. xxxvia. p. 1?3. Jou r nal. S e e hi * l:\. »"■ WW Of THI Mr. PHAILM WliLlT.^ I49 u,K,n, given um l.y „ li j J^trr I K f *^ -7"^ *" ''"'''* • «*»"!••» ' complaint, « iJfihoW, err ua turn rir'" rneived with theolcl con.e hither nlMc..'. XvT^J^cd ihZ^h^Z"/^*^ "''"''^^ ''"^"' "-^ An fact of men camo JaipHt ul » t VlC i '*'*' """'ket.hou.e'^ mfred howibly. I preiJ^If "''." h! ""''^ ''?'"' "l' t^Hr voice and . th.'H«movome;heRrr^ 'V miffft ^nish mycourj; wXj^y 'Te ^te^^^ »"y««|f, m> that I . - and ahouted, ami thiew" toK U^J^l^^ '^!^' ^^ *^ »»" '•""^««' •tream of ruffians wag «uffeS to Ik' T »-i^w ^' I^ «^''«»'^'« «««P«; ' "^ third time. wSen we h?d retumllT *?"* ^T"."«'""' ^'''^ «« * ^ vation. I then fromX «teD8 C^t^^^^^ *• '^"^ ^•'** "** •"^ ««'-" through the thickest of X Stirr- te '" V^^ T^ walke.!^ commlsaion'to touch a hair of om^h„ 1 ^li^*''''*'' "*» ''"» »•«'' "« between one and two thoiLnd nJL TI' ^"^ ^^^ * peuch'ed to ' and again at W^nerbur^^^rh J* " '** ^""^^^ at Birmingham, leave*in thesHrds, « C "nfim.inlTh"^' ?" J^f 2*'' ' »»"k uiy exhorting them td con inue in he"Sith' 7:^\u^ '*"" ^'^'''»''«^' "'"» * much tribulatibn enr^r Jnt!: VL 1 • '1 ' ""t* that we niUMt throuirh tears, and bKn^KL^?^^^ With many ' of. Gil.« "*^* -^ *^"' ^"; '^w°y» recommended to the grace ^^^^^^stl^ P-ched at • t)'clock, he went to the MaTket^crSl! ^T Wednesburv. At two ' of all men;jand in tlH^=S^3lM"!"!Si!^.^^ ■ • folow this calm. Se%era,%Sn« forj^^^'**""' ^^^^^^ ""^ and thanksgiving. One Lvo me Vtinl ""^ •"* ^**? '""» '» P"»y«f • cerely thanfed him. 'MrfKL'lj-i^^^^^^ truth, as you do here- hnrwS.* ■."" ^® "»*»'?** P»'«aci'eti the TakecareyuXSaveZ.h*"f?.^^^^ has he made. of it] I came to tfie CkTn Sheffield ^ril« ''^ ^'iT'' '" *»»« *»«''"*>«» the minister having sSed uD^h« Lf ' f^^^^ "T''^ ^«^^««; to teftr the Methodists in n?J? a P®?P'®' ^'^^^ they are read J society house, ,!exrdoor o oKLh'^J T "''^''^'^' ' ^«"» «o the neath was, moved to oppose Za^^^^ Bennetts. Hell from be- Pavid T,^l„r, the nSV^'^f^^^^^^l^ y^^^ n the desk, with, •n the army, contradicted Shjlnh'^*'^''*.'''''*'^- An officer him, but Wmg on. S sZp« &!u^^^ ' *""'^ "« n«t«ce of , tfie people, ^'o s^ve the^f Stht Im. '*"*?' ^'F^'^S the desk rtn'd I gave out, that I should preach nth^f from I«iflg pulled down, face. The whole army o^^uJe aHen rh'!"!^'' "!!.^./"'^'^ ^^^^^^^^ »«« -captain laid hojd on me VndLJl P?«'*^«an8 |pl owed me. The 'A word in s e ason, ond^gfeto^rsogf 'i^^ '^ '"^ ^"■- ""»^ "^ ularlv forhis M^;;5^ K^ni Uo^irf S ' ' ?*." prayed, Dartii-' -uc^ contention^ ^^^In^^'Sk^^'j^i^^^ ^^^ %T-=^ V«B tlfl or »1l» »*▼• CHAlLli Wltl.1T, rr 4 liC •Druyi-d for iltiiwrii, ai Hervantii of their mtiitrr, ilw ifevll; upon UX.h the ca,.tni.. ru., nt .no with |{r«m fury, threaten.ng revenge J,r HhiHing, I.K he cIUmI it. * The king hii. .nnMter.' "" J"!;"''^ » tay through the iMtthren, dr.«w hiH i.wonl, and prcHented it to m> breit. I Inunodiutely ,>,.en.M| n.yJ.reuHt una fixing '"y.^" ♦;"»;;■» and Hiniling in hi* ,faie eahiily Maid, « I fVar (-"d and honor tin. ki V Hi« countenftnce fi'll in a .n«.n.-nt, he fi'tched a decf. nigh, a „r putting up hi. Hword, quietly IHI tluj place. HehtttUanl t«. me u'f the Lnoany who allerwanU •'"*•>""««^«^,^•J"" ^.l^" ' ''5^, if I do but hold niy^word to hin l.reuHt, he wdl «"'"» a^^!'/- ,.^; nerhnim I -hoUhl. hml I only hin principlea totruntto; but ifntth t S,ne / wa8 not afraid, no tUnk« to n.y natural courage We re- turned to our brother Hennet'M.and gave oumclvej. up to piayer. The rioters followed, aii.l exceeded in outrage, all I have |we.i be- , fi/re Tho»e at Moorfieldn, Cardiff, and Wabal, were Ian dm to theKe. A« there in no king in iKracl, I njean no "M'g'^'trutc in Shef- field, every man • doeth aH 8e«rewith our (Jod^ and at noon, to thiH ch hUl k7,!^^ '^"''^'''' "<^'"." '? »*•" '"«''"'"« i!::enf;is;iiri:it^'j,S^ H"n.l8,.'Hof ovorneTh uhiL^^^^^^^^^^ cried to thou- word took place ^ Thov ^. v« 1 ' "T ^1' *" ***« ^«»«"-' Th«. people prep&fo/t'LYL^H iS'rh'" '*' T^r^r'* * wm, showed to the ministers' new Pvi. ^•"""^ church, and Who a little confounded, no bv^mlin^ ^'^'gy'"*'" ^«''« «*»«'••. and betters. Thev obIiirXm« ^hT*^'"® ?'*.*' ^''"''«' ^'^"'y elderi^ inent. I awisteS'^ith S »»•/ sacra- - much drawn-out in Driver T.? i !? ^' ■ ■■• .v^ TBI iW OAlLIt WMLBf. thfl (^r«nt mippflr. He ohm«rveii, " My f iOrd H'wpourd innny h«airf% I duuht not, to accept th« iiivitatiun* H« Hhowed iiiu Bcvrrni wit- neme* of the truth, which th«y have now received in the love of It. I had n bleniied parting with the mjciety. Mity 90, my hor«« threw nic. and fell upon me. My companion thought I hud hroli«Mi my neck; but my le^ only wa« brained, my hand Mprained, and mjr head Mtunned, which npoiled me fmm niiikiiig hymoN, or thinkingf at all till the next day, when the Lord brought uh safe to Newcas- tle. At JMven o'clock I went to the room, which w|ll contain aboitt two thousand persona. We rejoiced for the consolation of out mutual faith." iMany persona at Newcastle, had l)e«n /i^reatly^ agitated duringi iHe iireuching, fslling into convulsive niotionM with strong cries. At their first preaching of the goM|M5l, many, us he juntly obsw-rves, were un- man at Kingswood was greatly agitated under his preaching, and cried much: he turned to her and said, " I do not think any better of you, for cryinj^," &.c., and she presently liecame quite calm. A young girl at Bristol fell into fits, and seemed like one in a trance. She continued this practice for some time; but at length acknowl- edged she had done it, that Mr. Wesley might take notice of her. No man ever had a more tender sympathy with those in distress, than Mr.-Gharles Wesley; but no man abhorred hypocrisy, or a mere assumed appearance of religious concern, more than he did. Yet he did not judge persons who appeared to lie so affected, till he had the proper evidence on which ne could form a true judg- ment; but he thought it prudent to give them no encouragement, until some evidence of their sincerity appeared. June 4, " To- day," soys he, ♦' one cume who was pleased to fall into a fit for my entertainment. He beot himself heartily : I thought it a pity to hinder him; so, instead of singing over 'him, as had often been d(me, we^ left him to recover at his leisure. A girl, as she begun her cry, I ordered to be carrie y«y- -5^. TUB Ufl^fV Tte * tsa Juno 5. " My noiiI WttM ri^viviNl by tht* tioor iM^onln .» *^». • h«l.l iho Lamb ,.f M ;. J^ ! '% nI^ .'. ^T**' """:''"."'' ' "«' fcarn to lM/r.,.o.:..i|,H| tf.io « ilv D.-^^T' '""•""«'»* ""'^ iht,M, „« h« bM.k«.i up«up!t r ^jILvi h r*;;''"'"'" -"'"«'**■ Irnwii iMick. I ir^^t ^„ "Im» 8th, I npaka to the ,« <'«rtaiiily hfive tN>«>it H'lwvcnt on thuir own _^ mto a CnUv opinion of IMS 'necfMHiiry to eneouruge; i ¥ ,^ ;Sfl r«rovennK homh* of thoMi, »vh iihMl rocov«r thuni iiguin funjv- Imnd,! nj-parnti^ly, antl tried th«if(?y|W »o.. rwh anii cany in allowinir |m4 tj«tiniony: nay, and ovon iMjrHu.Jre the gospel, . H« . ory,Z,r Hu i.»t ' '"*' ' '^''"*" ^H"" *" »» ""'« »" fruiu. vo Hhall k ow thenr Vou w l"'""^ "ro justified. „ Hy their lii..re cfdilHsrato Um i,ne ^^^ """ "'"'"" "' '^^ 'i"»'^« «nd Ihoir conver^at < I, \/m u r./^ • ""^u "" l*"^"'"' ^«'t for puu..ce at the ti; o\ha any ,.e rL"^^^^^^ r """.'"'•""•••'y I-o. . in that Mtate, who, I an now mli,i"S ' "I"'" *.'"'"«''* ''"^«»'«» - the Father. Try the SiiM h ^ • ' "^T ""*'*"* *'"« '••'"WingB of iturnblinir-blork if ,?rLl?w »K^ "*^^^ '?U"" '♦»'«""'« >'»y the have faitf. ^ L 2;tav" it vout.^' Z^ ^^ -"'''V--^ ^''^'n to- ..We may perceive b^ 7:::'oSJ:^:;,^Z:'mw 'T''' " diligent atte,.tive watchman over Z^ua' H.^te.r" * pbred the unfrer,uente.l roa.l through wh^^t* h".lBPJf. '*" wlTo most wSthi!:^ X T:«ut'HTe"\^'^^:t"",^ ^^"^ 't^^ receive them. Few ner^...,- »..„■' " *"® '**•* dwiMised to for a.lvice which UmKTZ.ti^'^T''''^ enou^^h to be thankful iinagiuury comfortV 1' •" '^^^^^^ to8tr]pthem of Ho»,e than theT < S n? P t.or^^ ^"'■'*" "*' ^henmelveJ most i.np'ationt of hS. adv' co " I? M^cSin "thaT th "•""'"''^- *»»« • require irreat nroih^po u«j .i: certain, tHat these cautioiM >i.^il«r |.erSlrs7trru"tX™;rf llel^uir'^^ """" "' '»" nuinl>er of oreacheN th««. r ^^ ^ people, and among a great viduaU "rt a fahe'cfmSl ^nn 1"^^ '*""«f''''' "^ """^nnglndi. encouragement. £ c^hSrir,r;heir\^SrT^ »iving%hem upon a close and severe TISminf/L^^'^''^^^ »'""'"^ tread a Hiipperv oath in fhi „^ ^*"*"- ,'" the one ca^e we thi« early pE^ If the nJesent 1' ''*' f^f "!'• ''''•" f'-""'"^- At saw the ■neces! V y nak'^nt /^^^^^ '"^l'?'""' Mr. Wesley •} , ,'*■ r^ 3^ ^i ,,,■■% I «.,. *«^-'' 154 TM* Lir* Of THB ftBV. oaARLKS WB8I,»». hinder them, r"'^ravianized Mr. ffnll, met me 2 the chapel. I did him honor before the jieonle. I expounded the fo tEe ChUr of vtrT'l •"*^"' '"^ •"^"'-"••'e attachment to tne Cliurch ot Knghmd. Mr. Meriton and Graves asrtiHte.i nt the s«cr:i»,ent. July G, I showed from Ron.ans th^riJlhTmarki of jU8t.ficat.on, ami overturned the vain ccmfidence of scvcrnl I Sr;Sp7e""jilv'ri"^r"^ -ducers, and foun y iSknU to in.s people. Juy8, I. Bray came to pei-suade me not to nrearh t.ll the b.«hops shonid bi.l n.e. They have not yet H rW< me- but by the grace <,f God I sh.dl preach the.wonl, ini^as ,Zl Tjt of «eu8on. hough they and all n.en forbid me." July 11 he/tftL on- don. and the day following arrived in Brist.rt. Ve ^tl^^^^^ caine sate to bt. Ives. July 17, he savfl, « | rose »nd forgot that I ^castle. I Rniikn \kfith u«.Ua -.<• ^Ci.. I. -_• ^^ sheep in tM midM «»f wiitves. The *', nnd makn thnip n-iin#lu ««:i ..<^....>^J .^ simple people, who are 'as _ __ 5^?rti^!;biith;:rTlj\if"'^'^'*?^ waros tneir brethren. Yet the sons of vio enC6 are iniich checked bv Mv"^' T ^"""^'^ Presbyterian, Whom th^ Lord t^th SedV* Mr. Wesley contmued ni'eachirtg the gospel M St Le« and fh- Phicesljdjucent till the i^mr^AfJ^^^ti^^^'l^^ S^^nr^JT^*^" P"""'*^ Ar^upfi rt?«ny clirticulties Sid dangS Sheffield. The mayor informed Mr. Wesley ^hat the miSeJa were the prmcmal authors of^l th^ rriischil KtjS/s "S they continually represented Mr. Wesley and the reacheroa Popish emissaries, a«d urged the cnfageS muitiSeT^J?^ manner of means to stop tl^em. While he was Dreachh.ir «t St rves onthe 2Gth h^^bierves, « All Avas q^i^f^iS^ ™? h^^ tol'fu ^'- r*'HP »^«>rear twenty iiire coiJiS^^T^ , press the rioters by foree. of arms, i'heir drum he had^eizer ' H^P^ ^'^\^ preaching he stood at a ftttle distan J| a^ £« Tt^^f^'^^'k^^'^ town against him, by IfgivTngu! up to their fury.- Rut he plainly told Mr. Hobliri that fir« «„5 fiigotmrn^er, thatlie would nibe perjur^dio^mti^l.i^m^ malice. He mformfcd us that he ha/^en heMr. H^n ^v KSth^ ^rive.us away by bl6ws,^not by argumen"" "^^' kJ^TJu^ **** nota he one day observes, « I went to church and fi^ ^atierriblC0haj,ter^ J^emiah the 7th, eZigh,'^^ think, to make ev^n this hardened people tremble Wver wpr« hnut ™T ?PP%^We ^han those, ' §ta?d in th^ Se oHhe lS ' house, and procluiin there this word, and say, Larihewortf of the Lord, afl ye of Judah, that enter 'in at these gat^s to woShin thfe Lord. Thus saith the Lo^d of hosts, the God of Israel a3 ff/'^T «"^/««»- d«i"g«. «nJ I will cause you to dwell in S tord 2TJ H ""5. 'U W%^«rd8, saying, 'he Tenqde of the R^h«li Tew'P'e of the Lord, the TeYnpie of the Lord'are these BehoW ye ^ust in yingjwords ^hat cannSi profit. Wil Te S* ^1 1 < •, ) l-t" it*-" ■&'S^''-,..tta^ i^b^ il^iif. ■ '"V. '"i^^^^ti^ts^^^^k^m^^ 06 .'■- ' V ■ ,- '^■" "■■■■ ■■:'!''■ ■;-■-■',■•■-'># ^ ;• THE LI»« or THE EET. CMAftI? S jV,*i^ if^i^^Plf^W '■if' |^'.'".w;''' mwWwnll^^ turn htwM ot tnm m«T. ohaklis wisliI. lit praaching^ and coniinnedhia word. Octobers?, preached atilva in the mornini?, then read prayers and preached twice at Quin- ton, and the fiiurth time at Evesham, with great HbertV »» *u u *!f^^^**I' *•** *''""® ^'^^ "'»''« »o Bristol, where, he cibaervea. that lie had only spent one day for six months. On thi SUt he set «%[«•• ^a'««» tt»/l reached Cardiff on the firstof >oveinber. The gentlemen," says he, « had threatened great thiiigs if I ever came there agam. I called in the midst of them, ^ la itfiothinir to you, al ye that pass by,' Sec. l^e love of God constrained me to speak and them to hear. The word waa, irresistible] After it on^^of the most violent opposers took me by l;|je hand, ahd pressed me to come and see him. The rest wiire equaliy%ivil all the time I staid J only one drunkard imide some disturbance, and When sober 8ent_ to ask my pardon. The voice of praise and thanksgiving was m the society. Many are grj^^n in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.- I passed an hour Iwith the wife and (laughter of the chief bailiff, who are waiting as little children for the kingdom of God,f,» ' *l ^T/* 1?^ . ^!®y retunitjd to Bristol. On the lieth he preached at Bath, m his way to Cirencester^ and the Lofd irave testimony to his word. He travelled on, and preached lit jfves- ' ham, Gulherton, Quinton, and Oxford; and onthe23dlat the *oundery. He staid in London, lidjoring in public and i>ri%te. for the goqd of the people, till January SO, 1744, when hJ again set out for the North, recommended to th#grace of God by^alfthe brethren. On the first of February he cami to Birminghaii. He observes, A great door is ojiened in the country, but theVe are EL"hJ*'■^''T>'I,^^* P'T55" ""^ Dudley fiad been iruelly «tfc hi %?'"^m.??P'^ V^'* ^•''««»»«''«i »»>« DissenterslbJMii mI Wo^ ^ « ;J^'*I.*'"« their minister. ^ « It is probable,* Vayf Mr Wesley, "that he would have been mnrd^rea; but for ai hofi- h'nt ?n"?^^'■v'^^'* ^''T'^^ his escape by disguising him in his broad «? wTr M^ w*" n^' TJ: Staffordsbrre, at present seems thi seat of war. Mr. Wesley hfre useS the word Dissenters in the common B»S T'/*K**l"°i'".« ^''i^*' PresbytdWans, Independent or Baptists; but which of these denominations is here intended 1 do not know. No men have cried out with more vehemence ag jinst persecution,^ when under the rod, than the Dissenters; and yl3 we * told that their principle* and practices have sometimes been at va- nance. I am inclined to think, that the Friends, or QuakeraJ as in K!;??""?'*"*^ .''''"**'' "f- the only denomination of Christilins in JLngland, of any long standing, who huVe never been guiltylof persecution, m some form or qthcr. Candor must ackSowU ^ that this IS greatly to their praise. ' i"*"wi. thftTJu^i " ' w ""' ^'»^ brother Webb, for Wednesbui. the field of battle. We met with variety of greetings on the roaS I cried m the street, « Behold the Lamb Jf God, whilhukethiwly the sins of the world.' Several of our persecutors stood at a dhl tance, but none offered to make the least disturbance. I wi^oi through the blessings and curses of the people fbut the bless exceeded) to visit fir Kgerfon' s widow. V e W hav e I %hS ■ucli bitterness as in these opposers. February 8, 1 preadied ' 14- ■■ \/ v, *l '.m /; 't^. I- /" J %>' .1 ;.r r i* *B1 LIVB or THB »«?. CHABLJi* Uriil-Bt. prayed with the society, and beat doWn the fiery self-avenginff spirit of resistance, which was rising in some totlisgrncc, if hot t<» destroy the word of God." Mr. Westey preached within sight of Dudley, - and then waited on the friendly Cnptuin Dmiley, who hrfd stood in the gap, and Itept off persecution at Tipoeir-Green while it raged " all around. He then returned in peace through the enemy's couii- trv. The xioters now gave notice that they woOld come on thq Tues- ^ day following, and pull down the houses and destroy the goour brother Ward begged hig Kroteetion, delivered him up to the mercy of the mob, who had alf murdered him before, and throwing his hat round his head cried, * huzza boys, well done, stand tin for the church.' " Such magistrates, 8i»(|rn to maintain the public peace ^^nd such defend- ers of a national'chiirch, area lasting disgrace to any government. Mr. Wesfeyadd^i "No wonder that the mob so encouraged, should say thefe is m law for the Methodists/^ Accerdingly, like outlaws they tr^^tthettij breaking their houses, lttt»d taking away their goods at ptBasurja? extorting money from those who have it, and cruelly beatihg-lhose yyho have it not. February ^ , I spoke with those of our brethreir who have this world's goods, and found them entirely resigned lo the will of^God : all thoughts Of resistance, blessed be God, are over. The chief of fheihskfil tome, ' Naked came I into the world, and I can biit go naked out of it.' They are resolved, by the grace of God, to fbllow my a. r - .^^fc W./f^ : . ' --v- ■■■"■ / ^'\ m k!T^ }t:- *"* ,»«^'n««.'»gonce of vb«<.ml»ebief hiKl been done in 8taflordj,hire,by the notors in thrir |hrV,,tr„rd inHurmtion He returned onf the Lonl address to-mor^w^^a^^ being at Bifstal, a twerspn ndbrin..! him there was a ionS wIhI had a warrant In^ which his nan.e was inentioned. Ir? We^le? «;^(or hm,, and found it was, « To summon witnessed SS treasonably words sitidito be spoken by one Westlev » > W.. *BK just leaving. Birstal ||ien thi4Bl&r„.j:tioi;^^|veJ-hi.n?^ now^.deterrnined notf go for#rd for Lomlon^s h" TnteS next^a? anTfnnllVP^'^' ^-^e the justices atVakeS the r« w^^'fi 1 .u **'^ enemies in the #ce. Accordinirly, he rode - nn ^fif ^*^ '^^JL^""^ niorning, aiJd wait|j»„ justice Burton affi mti, withjwo oth6r justice^, Sir RowOT ik^ynn muh^^ev Mr Zouch. He informed Mr. Burton, that he h^uj ^eeiWarraht -ij ' ^T"*""^^ w"ne8|B8 of «ome tneusonableTvords, sSw [« to ?C h" ^- T r^^*»«yi***"**»«»»"'^P"««ff»»'« journey oU^^^^ that he might artswei-whatever shou/d be laid to his charge Mr' -»lepart.» Mr. Wepley answered, « That is not suffiricnrwithout denrWig my character, and that of many innocent >SerS Ihvvr enemies are pleasedtocall Met|icMliis.'» " ' Vi id^cate them^ ni^^. brother clergyman; ' that you will find a veJy h^rd taJk'' thn» nT^f-'il "' *"'*"'^ "^ y«" '""y '^'^^ '^ ' ^i» engage to prove that all of them, to a man, are true memberi of the Church of K° •land, and loyal subjects of his Majesty Kinir Georire" I rhnrf desired they would administer to me. the oaths"gnd aS, «I wthf luiKiSirti"." ^*'''^'" Works, vol. xxviii-. page 209, where the addr^M ^. \ t, / ..•^ • "fcij-i%r*jf^*'.j. ''^I^\V ^ THB MMV. OB ifi gentlemen* tnat VQtt i.'itiipuld, aend'iTOr evu, ftnd give the|Ti nfi tt^ei mme o|ftKirtunityj their lQJro4|^;,upoii Oji^fa. Justlcu Ihnui that we cdi)^^t>tly pfal'cd for the Pretenc' '1:- iM'; M I W • ■ f. t' .■ ■■)■ ■■:i^ .«'>^, nocturnttl Very rovertii treor||[e, " sing III Ql ; the. univ are hi8 . oidr p^inei "^Was botd ei land its Ityal itbat waf o» I coul >ut furtbie^' oiiiiyiy j^W^^e^^aiUK^ who|g^ heWt brpi^en. caKledl "^^^^MW^ ill WBSLBT. M^thodist^i El ou do ijHiR, tuid, h(^ " oHoV ™„, ...■ *' jj^ftf^'i^r hiH kmi8'|«|uiWiiig whi,^r preucf there ^Cfhy brother. ' coi«|y||ing ai^ ^b«ot j^iinein our lx)oks,^ai ^ Plirdi of England niaj^ liiti^gdom. , They' all criejf fy-b|LiHine8s to dispute, ^^ !p[ieari>di I withdrew y/'m i-ftrahi )r'«i hoiine, the nonstable frbin Bi^ .j^„ „ tb^h€d,wa^ brought' to me byoi|| »ld ntt^mi ho had summoned the prin^ipinll ^on who«^^ infoaTiatiou the warria^t' iwj^ l^ was setipg oiit c^n hdrsieba^k when the news dkifnci [i|| .^ ljL, .T^lifth, Mr. Woods,, jpln alcri^ouse keeper, is forthcom" • ''M.^^^l^-'"''^^^'^^'^^ «""""* ^iM»vv pl&inly see the cot^seauencd ' |bt%t |||pela|p^^^^^ to laok my 6fiemii|s in. tire face.. vHad I gone^ '> on ii^ jdlli^e|[, ^ere w^ liave been witneWs enough, and oath«> ^ Stough, to J sttr;: up d. persecution ^against the MethotTists.^ I touilr ; v-^ e^M^rtHe«Musyi!'n"'*"'' ••«"'?'»^ and sari, * ! jee nohe of mJ n«J/^„ Iwi .** if be did not thank me fbr^aiininir him S*r ^* • ? »'V*''^^®"= f»«" two -years ago I exnelled hi n_from our 8 »6« turned KX^XlweUtoS liadwitnesseiandoutlw. enough? but I jsuoiiS^ mv Il^i«- II* . . prevented tl Jth.' One i» V jis^es aOTM%7nn?st2to^ ' • J^Th^ya^seelned fully satisfid, ami SoMid have ffiS^K " ^ p^ft^u desire he may be called as an ev^enTfcXf* mJ^' ■ :LtTi!S!I»«?.»^.'^.«_«"l"*„- evid^ce a\ain¥me.if hel^ ". what h„ U,i „> ..., , v(?h„, „,^ ,1,^ ^„„,^ ,^j K ^r. w^ to I'.'H ^ •«» 'M %\ what he hud to^say? was as backward compelled to say^ only^heard him p ones.* Zwath, < „„» pointwJ to these trQublt™„,.« „,„«»^. wv oock*. 'JNo-none at n I* V«fey. *ltwa«on|eI^arythei2th,*^oreth^earJi^^^^^^^ , as they to hearWin:^ w^d^tTst *. Lothing to say against aie^t%Ln: l ^ ^hJLord wc»bld call h^n^ lin bSnished liXT^ -^ "r. ^?lfr befortf> after, which fpetime8?» W^oo4». « Nor none at a.l.» i«5a' ^^' "u^^ 108 mi ura or TBI miv, oirAKm wbilxt* J' '■I 5-* . 'A --«S*- ^.:C S/ — the Invasion. But If folly and molice mny be interpreters, any woniH, which ony of you gentlemen, niny H|»eHk, iimy ho coiWtrjiied Into tren8on.» ZottrA. * It is very true.' iyealey. • Now, gentlf* nien, give ino leave to explain n»y own wordn. 1 had no thoughts of [iruyliigfor the Pretender; hut for those who eo.nfesH iheniMeUeH Htrangers and pilgrims upon earth; who seek a ^ountry, knowing this is not their homo. The Scriptures, yes sir (Jo thft clergyman) know that the Scriptures speak of us as captive exiles, who are nhsent from the Lord, while present in the boily. . We nrejjotot home till we are in heaven.' Zoueh. • 1 thought you would so ex- ])luin the wonls, and it is a fair interpretativered, the Archbitjhop, and Bishop of London-, in the- same week. Ho sAid, with the rest, it was quite unnecessary,, Bfnce I was a clergyhum, and student of Cfiirist Church, and had preached before the university, and taken the paths before. Yet I mentioned it'again,tlll they acknowledged in.^xplicit termi^,* That my loyalty was uiU|uestionable.' - I ' then presented Sir Rowland and Mr. Zoueh With the appeal, and took my leav«r.*' . '■ Mr. Wesley now return«fd to Birstal, where he preached, and then left Yorkshire. He came to Derby and Nottingham; at the last of which places, the mob was become outrageous, under the patronage of the mayor. The Methodists presentcdptt petition tb the judge, as he passed through the town, and he gave the mayor ^ severe reprimand, and encouraged them to apply for relief if they were further molested. But the mayor paid no regard to tho^ 'judge, any longer thon. while he wos present. On the 22d of ? March Mr. Wesley arrived safe in'Londoii. Here he continued his labors till the beginning of May, when he went dowfi to Bristol, and returned in about eight days. There was at this time a Thom- as Williams, who had been admitted to preach in the Foundery/ and who had acquired considerable influence amonjj the people. Ho applied for ordination, was disap])ointed, and laid the blame chiefly on Mr. Wesley, who had Ijeen as a father to him, tind fen*- dered him every friendly office in his power. He now. showcjl himself unworthy of such friendship. Mr. Wesley olwerves, " He answers the character one of his inmates gave me of him. • I never thought him more than'a sjicuker: I can sec no grace he has. His r>onversation is quite contrary to the gospel, light and vain.' He ia haughty, revengeful, hejwlstrong, and unmanageable.' June 15, 1 >Vas grieved to hear nfore and more of W^-^'d ingrotitude. A ly- ing spirit seems to have taken full possession of him. There is i^otningso gross or improbable which he does not saj^." By lies and insinuating urtS)' he was too successiful in prejudicmg some of Mr. Wesley's friends agailist him. Ala^ bow little tise do the people make of their ynderstanding! how easily do they sufler their eyes to be blinded, and their hearts to lie embittered by artful men* agaih^t those who are honestly laboring to do them good! . It Is truly wonderful to observe, bow soon they |jive themselves up-to believe liie most iniprobahle . 8turic» which malice caa invent^ jrv ■''i^l ■ 't.'^ M:, ;":i¥ T;-rr tm IM» IIP fMM fttr. oharlkI wbiliv. in " !fr?^f ia J^^^^ qulckk they drink deep fnto the little befi.re th«y oved as tboir own mouIh. Thin wuH*in «„',,„ hiooHuro th« rH«« at pregent, nnd I winh it wn« X S nnt, r o amonif t^e Methd.l.iHtH, in which th« pr<,p|., ^ve U red X .1 ' fwiye« tor[K,co»,e they!?^ "- ' i"-'^«""«» ^»<^ ^'««ip'ine, with ^rea/lovo ffl^^* Mr. Wesley spent the tpmaining jmrt of this year in trovcinn«r and preachmg the gospel, will, great zeal, .niige,.ce. a^^^ iirhfe ^^Tr ^""''*'"'''^*''''" Bristol the next dayT On the J,J^\j!,^''^.r^f"r Co"7 «U. where he had the pleasure of see .g vhJch^hn J^T greutjy .mwper under Lis n/iiiintry. The h>y which the soc.ety expressed, at his arrival in St. Ives, is I evo ,d tf».,ff '««.£h .u *"^ I""n>lo, as the messenger of God, for fh t i.. - V *»»« «"5'i««? "* the ff"''l'«l i'l Cornwall, ilvis ye-.r that in 8o..,e niaces the inhabitants of a whole parish seemed r?n' t.relychangehn their amusements and morals. ^IVrLuti m^^^^ in o her Haces with great bitterness; but this did n, [mud L^^ 1 : % progress o^the work. It quickened the zeal of t l.oso who I d cxpe,^,ceatho pow^of; ' Uruth, and unit,5d S u^th^ * I- i'*' '"eiflMpgrace, lest they should give the encM v «^^f"?l^'- *»»«'^»«' "ny ««"«« of triumph.*^ When pnZ! S^fh S'"" '^'''' T"'^ '" ''""««'•' »»y Pe'«ecu ion, of Iosh,«eyery Ihinf^they have in this world, and peihans their iiveTtmrS Mmro s^isibly ftel^ importance of tlT^ir^i, ^ o/'^^ inneritance. Mr. Wesley, as usual, went through evil reDoit and |ood report,^w(i8 u^edand cares^d, by U^i^t ciS 'of ^he |oonrfe; but beinj? intent on his Wor?he wW Ii^«eSe.^- — « SH^ygJ!**^';^'^ '" C».'^wall, as afaithful n.inisi " ^ HHii^w^g, durmg^hichjime he had preacK* * This was the ih'sl cwifcrcuce. ,* "•'^ , ^%»- ^ . US tho ijursl i#**»»;- > ■ \ ¥-/■' ^ L^i .V.I-:-- La • ■ \( '/i^t. ■^ ra*! m THE Mf B or :tiiihft>n; tne uni- vernity, nt St. Mi^y'ii, on the a4th. Ho Muyii, ** My hroth«?r Iniro hif* t«Htiinony Imfittfif a erowJnd Hudi(>n<*o, much incrnoMvd hy tho rac«H. Never h\ig I »«vn a nioru utt(>ntivocongr(!||riition: thfv did not Huffer n "UtSrarto »lip tlnnn. Sonne of tho hcadii of collej^eH ftto(Nl ui) tho y\(hoHf!time, and fixed their eves upon kirn. If they ran entlure Mofuvl doctriiuR, like hiH, he will Murfdy leave a lileHNiuff behind him. iThe Vire Onimcellor Hont uAer him, and denired hia nutoH, which htf nonled up and Kent innnediately."* He now returned to M^tol, and on the 2t)th of Septeml»er came up to Lond(Mf. ThomuirWilliamH had invented »o many Htorien, to injure him in thooniilion of^the pether inenHlihIe; and nothing but the confidence with w|iich thiry were asserted, could iM»s8ib|y have made an impredtiion Oh any jneml)er of the Rociety. ThoHO who wish to propagate slanopr pj|tn^ucce»w, are unUHUnlly confident in their asHertioits, and zeaimiH in tqieir endeavor^. They invent a number of plausible urctencw\((i)r thew zeal; and by this q^nd the l>oldncsH of their asneiW|fs, liiipose on%08fLVvho are unac- quainted With the arts of desigimi^ men to deceive. Mr.^ Wesley, conscious of his innocence,- and thinking the cir- eumstrthces oUthis case so (dear^^BlN|| he Wanted^o pu|>lic jdAfence, anpointed a dly, when those wmXy|iad been trowed with Imy re-v }1ortR concerning him, or his brother, niigbt meet him. In th|ii# conference, one, who had beeh le«l j^way by t^MjW^ of Thomas Williams, a§ked pardon of God, and o^lr. Presley. Ho^ol»- « sei^Ves, " O f %ow ensyand delightful iMB|o J^fgive one who say's, I repentk ^ord grant me power as^pPtcflorgivothetiii^who persist to injul^ mc^l* I apprclrbnd, thati^ has^fcrcnce here to * WiHiam|^nd perhaps to a few others, t^ much prejudiced to «ome tofwn. October 10, he net ou%for the North, travelling through the so- cieties tofcNewcastle, and eirery where strengthening the brethren, and Convincing gainsayers with great success. He lat>orcd some- times in Newcastle and the neighboring places; and having siis* tnihed great bodily fatigue, andescn[>ed many danKprs in, travelling throng deep snow, attnis unfavorable season of the year, he again reach^-Ll>ndon in ^fety, on the 20th of Decemlier. 4rln 174&, Mr. Wesley confined his labors chiefly to Lo>idon, BriB<* . tol, (including the neighlmring places) and Waters. August 1', he observes, " We liey'j" our conference, with Mr. Hodges^ foiir of - I ' ' ' ' — ; * See Mr. John Wesley's Works, vol. xxviii. page 233, where the agreemeut telween the two Bccouiilb it( striking and pleasing. 4 M' -V'j»- : his "i .HHJF^ IIMI- iMirn tho 'H\i\ \ vffen thoy IHIIIg 1 hiH aiiie - rios, with thn v«!ro # rM ill ivel- and oulil iety. ♦1 - inlly ■« 'hey this **: iiac- cir- nce, re*" th\0l^ *^ >wnh o\f' «" *... who/ V who e to • (1 to ! »0- iren, urie- r«US*'~ Iling gain » Jris^ , ..■' .- . . r, he ^ irof imeut ?•, - ^ f ^Bl^' Vm MM OF fMI ■■T. eiTiiirH WtSI.lt 'mil Jtr SMl^itiinN, Hirh Jenkins, nnd Mr. Gwynn«. l''jte"wl.!:r.':'.i«'T,«» hnrmoiw niMf love." On rhr «ih. tM We continual it ..,,.,.,„, ,.„j iinnnoirv nnil love." On thi> ^i^lth wnv to (.nrth; hut hrivioK nonm time Iwfopi, uprnined hin leir mul hnving taken too n.iirh exerei.e „fter the n^ri. e™ " he w«- nnr/n Tl»rni|y. The following inn reinnrkiihle inntniiee of hiM zo« in frn hv lirrln 'rr",'"."'"- "^i'-'J "nt left it through oflinee. n ml iimeiin a wieked hoiine, m Avon-Mtreet: ronfeM^wd it wan hell ta her. to see our peopl., p„„H hy to the |.reaohinir; but knew luuwhi? to do, nor how to ewniie. Wo hid her flv f/.r i-.^ iT i^ , mu-e h>ok lH.hind her. ^Mr^.^nytli t'^t Kr'with he^Hf"! Ihe nteiVeTe: tr'mZT' '7 -'•^- '" the iTto Lol:^: ^IfpIuXd ift^ntfire 7*. "' °"' "'"^''' ^'*^*"^- '- ""» »»■- • ft-iend, e.xpr«mf hi« aporehenHions that God wn« iihoutTm?..; out heavy judi^nts^n tte nation. He Hny« to^^ S d "C Jorcan^oT i^ r"'' '" ^^^ 'T '^' meuHure :.f our llouT^ apprehensive of divine judgment., at such Jn.Z7nno^hlrt sons. Those fearful anprehension« have Ik-cu falsely a tr 1,5^ ai)ie princijile. Rdijfious persons have a more clear knowK^..' than others of the enormity ami guilt ..f nationa Tnn- »^v -S. filtl nn Z' ^^"F""'^*' °f God against sin, when once "i n„ii„ J has . t: To ^a "nartl^ "'• ^^^" '" "T^'''^ « ^ener^^^rrc^,".: 'n S * c"?:; z^^ar^Beir^ /ii's-sraT^th^: All iheir strength o'ertum, oVrthrow, I -.1?'' I •' ■!*■"'»"'' hreak their swords ; the Lord's. -» # • % J. «:■ ^ ty. :v-"' . -■■■■•V I -V - ' fi^aSi^&iS^kA,^ *■■ iin Of vm uv. eiiAiLM wtfilt. Oh! that in thin iripriwve, liororA the tWo ii turnwd, wo may know the tiiiiu of our VMitiitiun.** Miiy 40. , He olMarvot, «• In conference, I foiin«l many of our ohiltlren in n thriving condition; not one of thoM« who itro juntifietl, f1reun\N thiit he in HunCtiHod nt once, nml wantM nothing mori*." Mr. ChiirltH Wenh5y wiw an uniform ami Hleaily o|n»o»«r of tbo opinion of hin hrothur, that a |MM«on in minctifii'tl ut onco, hv a •nn|itu act of ftiilh, in tho mainior he in juHtifHHi or imnU>n«!(t. And there are many among the MethiMtiMtM who think the Scripture* ^ ve no cjiuntenance to thin opinion. Such a fnctho«l of pnicccdinjr, N certainly not anulogoUM to the operationtt of Divine Power, in the prod uctionii of nature: nor doea it accord with the common order in whudi the. mind ncnuiron knowl«!dg« and experience, and which appears to lie founileil on the nature of our faculties. Hut — thii4 Huliject will bo more fully diRCuaaod, in explaining the religious opininni* of Mr. John Wesley. What haa already lieen itaid of Mr. Charlea Woaley, aufflciontly demonKtrutcrt that he was* animated with a tlinintereateil and lauda- lile zeal for the promotUm of chrintian knowledge, among the mid- dling and lower claMHen of the people. Both his dmtrineM and practice, tended to diticourage a party »pirit, and to pnnnote broth- erly love among all denonnnatiouH of ChrintianH in the kingdom. ThoMO who difler from him in judgment, and are di^poHcd to cen- ■uro what hos been called his irregularity, nmut notwithrttandinj^, acknowledge the goodnew of hiM motives*, and admire hiH in«h!fati- gable diligctice. He Hehhirn Htaid U»ng in one place, but preachml the Guh|>c1 in almost every corner of the kingdom. In fatigues, in tlangiTH, and in ministerial laOorn, ho wan, f<»r many ycara, not inferior to hi« brother; ami his aermoiuj were genendly more awakening and UHcful. Neither ho nor his brother travelled ahmrt; some person alwavH accompanying them, whom they treated rather as a compani«m, than as a servant. This plan was not adopted merely for the sake of convenience; but that they might constantly have persons about them who might l)e witnesses of their conduct and behavior. This was pruehaving almost like wild lieasts: thcv were restrained however, from doing any mischief. Here, soine of Mr. Whitefield's society at Plymouth, met hiui, and importuned him to come and preach among them, and he complied with their request. Mr. Whiteficld was his par- ticular friend: and no man, perhaps, ever felt the attachment of friendship, in a stronger degree than Mr. Charles Wesley: yet on account of some ditFerence in opinion he determined to preach, not in their house, but in the streets, or fichls only. He might [lerhapa lie afraid, lest heshoidd say something in the warmth ol an extem- pore discourse, which would give offence, or promote disputings %iiiuiig them. At Itiugth, buwuver, tb^ymiHtituuity uvcrcaiiie bti Vi tip Ufl OV fill iiv. CMAltM WMLITf- ^ ^i||l' Christ orudfi,Mf,. a « .'S mXtSorh«i^« **'''i'k""*' T"^^*** ft fir*., molting .h,w„ Ju U SK H« rw-^« w^* *"""* ""^ "1 jH.rHOD. by c«mpm«tion. S«,„e tevivdt^l^t but Mr vi?T** mh«d hiH diwjourno they fi.lloiVPd hiin with i . * ""*' *•"' "e now prepiiml to leave tliem. " Our own ^'hlldrfn " -.v. i.» 10 t.ke U: bwhe w»'ll,~l i„ Ih. "'*' '■"''" l'"'-»''>«lur«i and atirriug then, r ^K Tr 4 , *' « ,. ,. t J%r.,.j.. iMjif^rt^. v;*; Jkv fWUpiPjyiWii! ir*^^- 0" ■' •'^' m tUMMAW* or THB MlT. OHAELBI WIILlt. firomiM, tiiev may be tweful in the church: and 1- would to God, that all the Lord's people were prophets like these.'* "Julys At Liyere struck, and confessed their sins, and declared they would never more be found fighting against God. — July 6. At Gwennup, near two thousand- persons listened to those gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth, 'Come unto me all ye that travail and are heavy laden,' &c. Half of them were fron: Redruth, which seems on the jioint of surrendering to the PriuMi of Peace. The whole country finds the benefit of the gospel Hundreds, who follow not with us, have broken off their sins, Itnd arfe outwardly reformed; and the persecutors in time past, will no» now suffer a word to be spoken against this way. Some of those who fell off in the late persecution, desired to be pi^nt at the ■society ." . .*♦ 1 ** At St, Ives no.one ofTekted to make the least disturbance: mdeed the whole plac*e is outwardly changed in this respect. I walk the Btreeti with aston.ishment, scarcely believing it is St. Ives. All opposition falls before us, or rather is fallen, and not yet suffered to M up its head again. This also bath the Lord wrought.'* .^ " July 1ft. Rode to Sithpey , virhere the word begins to take root. The rebels of Helstone threatened hard-Ahey say all manner of evil of us. ♦'Papists we are, that is certain: and are for bringmg hi the Pretender.' Nay the vulgar are persuaded that I have brought him with mej ami James Waller is the man. But law is to come from London to-night taput us aU down, and set aprtee Upon my head." It is hnrdly possible to conceive the dangelh of Mr, Wesley's situation, when such an opinion as this prevailed among the fierce tinners of Cornwall. But he trusted in God and was protected.^]Ke observes, « We had notwithstanding, a numer-^ ous congregatidi, and setertil of fihe persecutors. I declared iny^ Commission to open their eyes, to lUTn them from darkness to light, , ■^ %'r Many appeared convinced, and caught In the gospel net." • ?Fhe next d^t being Sunday, Mt. Wesley preached again, aftd yiear one hundred of; the fiercest rioters were present. A short tlmtf belbre these men had cruelly l>eat the siiicore hearer*, not sihlling the women and children; Jt was Said, the niinister of the parish hail Uire«l. I b^lifive.the hiost attent server «oUld' ne**ir dti^dbyer any.exlenial circumstance, ^u produce,, the change. .If We- lubpit n patticular prov ft. iittd a ditine supernatural ir^ueiice op tl^ mipti of man, thd . ^ ter beeomeft plwn and ea^^f ; but without taking these into account A tS^l- ! •" ipw-^ /' .* ". •"■ *'*'■ O' »#« •■I'. CHA«LEi WWLIT. <■' ; * if', |>oints. have oHginnted in aX noritZ^rh«l '"""•^'?.**^*^* »*^<» - dence, and a «upernaturil h.ffuS ,^^^^ by Rxld laws, a„«Iogc.u8 to ",^0 or^ „« o^n I's "'^ neaV- ' ^ rect6d in their C our„„nionH * TL'^'r'"^ 'i'*'''**'' ""^ ^i" providence, and of divine'iX f^, in hin v^of 1" ^'""''"'•*; agents, possessed of active powers- whlnh i^^ ^J"'?' """^ '"**"»' i tially diferent from the re-fS^ nr th« r T'"'*';'"' "''« «*««•»- ^ with as^much rguSty and^^^^^^^^ * aWaiaKirtertttes w th rh^.,.. i* „:'.,„„ ..:_„"" under any cinrumstance" bfouJ m«li^ ' ^ •'"V'''^*" »« »«^'««*» when I (insidcMhe Serw '^ Sf '^ ""*"'"f I*"^"™/ Indeed, trutlLs usefu to inan^CT ' ^^^ ^^^^m God of deeming hi"„ ^0^! and dei^h S'? *^"'""'^ «PI«""ted.i,f re- hiin tQ Tmn.o.iaU.1 aSS gbrl^' wtn ^^^ •"^"'"'•^f I^cW^ancf S DuVoo^^^^ made.,uate to ^^fehVwYvSSftf f 1**"*" 7aso«ings. Mr. Wesley thought ^ wiu ip the Wttji^f his duty, and under the protwrtion if u pS- - "ii H. r .if "£ %' i!j m* 1 ^3 ■;MltMH ..iA. iJl. , I I'WKW"'- ' 1. ■ 170 THI >int or THB BKT. JHAlLKf Wll|.EY^ .V Ik fn *- ' '\ • .'; l^- ticuiar pirbvidence; nnd pursued his Inltnfh With great (tirigeiH<«, soiifiilenue, iiiiil hucccim. He was infonned that the iieople of* St. JUat, lieing acattei'ed by ]icrMecuti»ii, hud wandered into by-patha oferror uiid him, and had lioon eonfirnied thiTcin by their cxhorter. He viHJted thi'ni, and spake with each nteniber ot'the Horiety; and adds, « I WEH amazed to And them just tito reverse of what they . had lieen represented. Most of thcni had kept their first h>ve, eveii '^ while men were riding over their heads, and wliile they were I Hissing through fire and water. Their exhortcr appears a solid, mmbie Christian, rai^ted up to stand in the gap, and keei) the trembliiig slieep together." The next day he again tofkiul with some orthe society, and says, " 1 adoretl the miraele of grace, which has kept these sheen in ihe midst of wolves. Well may the despisers Itehold and wonucr. Here is a bush, burning in the fire, . yet not consumed! What have they not done to crush thitT rising sect; but lo! they prevairnothing! For one preacher they cut otf, twenty spring up. Neither (iersecutions nor thrcatenings, flattery nor violence, dungeons, or suficriug of various kinds, can conquer them. Many waters cannot nuench this little spark which the Lord hath kindled, neither shall the ^oods 6f iiersccution drown It." . ■'■■■ ■ . , ^• " Monday, July 28. I liegan my week's experiment of leaving oflftea: but my flesh protested against it. I was but half awake ami half alive, iiU day: and my head-ache so increased towards noon, that 1 couhr neither speak nor think. So it was for the two fVdlowiiig days. With, the aildition of a violejit diarrhaia, occasionely confident,that we shal. .■tand together among the' multitude which no man/can number.* The next day, August II, being filled with thankfulness to God, . for the mercies shown to himself and the people, he wro(e a thanks giving hymn, vvbicb begins thij^ X • "Allllianksbetaqod,* ^ \^ . Who Matteni ahrqad , V ' ■':: y -^r'-. ;■-'■■. ■^^;r'-^ Thniughqut every place, . " ,, By thaleastpf bisiierTBnts, luHMvorof^racet/ .. *.l / -A, J '>'KV»S "•j-^.' Lira or Ttes mmr, crarlbi wbilmt« . |1 Who the victory gave • The pn^infs let iiim have ; ... . ''"••jne work he hath done, ■ All Honor and glory to Jesus oloHelJ' &c.' ^ Ho now travelled forward to St. I^tulys, and nreflched on ««R«-1 pent and hehcve the go«pel.» His fricfd.; the K^v? MesHr^ Ben «ct and Thomson, were present. «A^ I 'wW cm, .l^dinr'^ Havs SdW? 'WeXh '"'^ "'^ /" "" very?fiercely. and l^d "^^ cSe arllV iiT^he h1.u^^^^^^^ words, and tailed together more largely in tiie house. • I he poor drunken lawyer went awav in bm good^a humor as jie was then capable of. I had mor?d"Kltv ?o SThV r^vnl thnm^'h'S.n'^lf ^"'"^ ""^ ^'T'^ «" o^SiuIst" wno travels through tJiq land, m overseer of a 1 thertifniHtcrs ■" Having received ^nany , letters from Mr. K%Zn's faniilv Mr. Jenkins, and otheVs at Plyrnouth. in.portunu| W . to S them with another visit on his return, ho JompK^f wj"h their re^ .quent, oi, the 14th ^f AugUnt; and on the 18thf ho tooUHmt at the ~S^±: «cfO'"Pttn.ed^l^.sever«l friends, to meet a i.Sgat on at some distance, He observes, « The rough, stormy seaiL^ mir faith. None «t«rred^^or we must have Leii ovifrset: „ two hoi^rs, our invisible Pilot brought us safe to land, th.mkful for m? deliverance, humbled for litrler.ess of faith, and morrend'.Aml ^ lor tne woni net, V icar of fehoreham, in KeBt:;a man of a moiu art ^«8,chil.Uike spirit, and ?ealous for the dm^trines of the G^ne But his preaching and godly conversation, had, as yetlbut fitK fluence;^n he n.mds of the people, who. through ignormiee o? posed, the truth with great violence. It is protiblf notice h«, been given, that Mr. Lesley would preach in he church "A- roniVnl'T ^•' ff * be«?« l?r.encl.ing. the wild^ibiaits bega, onhT^hJn ^«'-i5^"'en.^ I spoke on for half an h<,ur. thoug onl^ the nearest could hear. th«. rioters followed W to Mr p£ rpnet^ house, raging, thrcatenjig, and ' f^SUn^s? Xhi^s PerroW hung over mo, to incept the blows! They co23 their uproar, after we got tnt^ thVll6u.«,^;» Mr. #Sv ?Sn2d to Londoh. With Air. E. PeirLet, ftml October iTSSalH ^^Z^^^IrAl'^l^l^' thanksgivinij fbr na^ioS^ii; n;erS ^ 1- ouudcry wuh filled at four m the inQniing. , Mj-. .Wesley preach t< n % % ■t1 t I'M ■^^i^^ JtS^-^^i^ WP' ■^^■■ lltt TRB LJirS^Of THt ■■▼. OHAKLII WKILtt. *' ftoRi thoHe wordH, ** How Rhftll I %{ve tllee iin Kphralrii?" H« addH, " Our hearts were inelu-d by tne loiig-Hufrcriiig love of Goil; "whoHe power Sve found diH|H>tiing uh to the true tkunkr«givinff. was n dnv of MoliMiin rejoicing. O that fron»^tw iilonient, ull It our rebellioiiK al^ninnt (iod might cenne !'* Though the winter whh now oppronrhing, and travelling fnr north, it^tioth difficult and dungeroUH at thir* (neuHon, yet Mr. Wes- ley, in, II |N)or titate of health, determined to take Mh Northern Journey aH far an Newcastle-njwn-Tyne. Octolwr 10, he telicome lambs; and yerv kind we were at parting, nt-nr midnight the house was clear and quiet. We gave thanks to OMlfor imr salvation and slejit ^i fieace." Octolier 21, Mr. Wesley preached at DeWisbury, where John Nelson had gatherth prei^<.hing and the meeting very corfimon among rmriwterK of thr gospel jb«y doHcrve the irreater' commendation, who have r^Holution to iet¥o gowl an eVamnlT 2ervL .M 3v;^r u^*' a »,«««„ iJng mi„iHt..r, and otbern. hI 2.TU ; I walk"ed directly to the mark«t-pla«e,,-and called ..smners to repentance. A multittt«(« of thim bKmS KtarW a| nie;j,ut all quiet. The Lord opened my in(Hith ami therirew il iT-P*' **i^""^ unfortunate ^ri^ljrc, who couW getm one tt second hm, Hw Hcrvants anilthe,con«tableH. hid ^hemselve?^ on» hofouml and bid hi... go andt^ike me down. W Sr c^^taWe "imply an»wered,«Sir,4>j«„y*t have the f*tc« toK fiT^what harm «^e^ador pi^p^,,i«j,.,rt,n.d6d. and^^h^ifeS S wter who had .^Ibsed iWbis pulpft ii/Mh iiiliintalioM; Ho««l2^ h^came to hj^at^i^m^^'J,,^ I^h Si ?ff tltig^te" would, like hfm,tr^,iil,ufterwnr(fA.» .' * , ,/*^"^ edffed'^Mf il' ttlll^''^ Pi*^*'' t'^rc.ughlfie^opto, whpiicknowl. iA^^\, ^ 'l*'^* *'^"*'' #!id?nonH"can w&ak. .MrAui»t it * A cnn«trt ble foUt.w,>d, HtiiLtm H,e, «Sir Ed^vml. Btoet nlew vou to its tu^"*^/! I'^r^^^ *'^^'»'«''« feiw) 'nd tS;r ri^ «eTdii! lurbanciB nere.>r«K»ipnt my reHjXJrts to Sir HUwardr and i4aid. if h« would gjj-e nie h.«v6 l.w»utf?i«'eaki..g any A of ^/S „r .Z^ bu^^^V^^ wfi^read^ to nutter the pe.mUy : th,it, an I had .m tfiven notice 3^ f '**« nor tl»Tft»e a d.«turlM»M.c any where/ J chargeil iWe coiuitabir one's h'Kr'Sr'';;*^ -Ui, to' assure hi. ^ornglj,, \7a,Trevt: eneeu.ftUM. tpn 6i8 othce' sake. Theonlv place I could irpt t<. fig^ me on h.s own ground. Squirt ftol>ert«. the jUHtice'g Kon a f.^2 TK> . J^^ »n>m iMi.i, wh^^n the jtoor aquire iwrsuadiid them - l^1?attedl^^'^i^:Ji^*»'T rV*^* f^»nverted;thatym.r«)n«Sj .« J iJi ^ ^ ^M struck Oie hard rock^and tVe waters ^uabed wSiMr miMH^^IJvf-.ii'"*"'^ '*'*' «^*'"'^? '" con«e?^,^ci, WHU mr. WaWrtrtH; f) ^haHill our D .swni nir mi.»»ter« were iibto» ipWi.ter,«t H«^w. - He V« aTterwaitta, howem, fixed at Btu!ffiT 4 . .-'" ^ .'■•:& 1- I ' f , ~ 4* 'W- \ W^f^ 'HjK .'^"! m Xnc Lira or thi rbt; OHAiittt wstLtT. t six, we Msbmbled again in our chapef, the cock'*pit. I ihiaglned myself in the Pantheon, or some heathen t«!iiVple» andi.alrnoBt scru- pled preaching there at first; but we found th« earth ia the Lord** and the fulhess thereof. Hih prcMuiu^ conMcci^itedihe , place. Never have I found a greater Hentte of God, thatt whUe w^virere re- nnntinir hiH own nrnvnr. I aat itoPixfa *lu>ii- <>um^ tfl*..;^* »«.....:»:... f peatin The how to recei ^8 own praver. I set before their cye«, Christ erucifivd.. jrwei'e nrielted, and graciouHjtears^fluwed^ "We knew not it, I distributed sonie bookW among themi whicHtthry iWith the utmost eafferneHs; beggingine to oontelifl^ni, a5 o^r preachers to tbcin." ,' 1l)cr 6. He says, " I visited one of^pur sick chit(j|r^fi, and ^^^^^her blessings and prayers. Dpc^enil^er 18, I waked 'be- mplphc^e and foijr, in a; temper of minil/I have rarely felt on my "'""W-?^ JSly joy and tlianktulnei** continiicd^thq wjiofe jday, to .^- my o^lRjI^filitonishment.— 19th, Called on Mr. v. . ' ■ : . (onepf the giendhr clergymen) ai Wickhatn, who«e coumeiiaiico was changedf He had l>eeq with the' bishop, who forbid hi;* conversing with mo. I marvel the prohibition did not conie Moneir;** • ". » * ' ' Towards ^he end o f the monfH Mt,^ ^*^^y quitted these cold ' ^ Scotland, where he labored as a faiUifui ifhlniit^r of Ohriist tJH hi« dcaih. He wb» , a man of great piety, and of (upre liiterality of mind ttukn was coinmottly found amone the Scotch ministers tti that time. He cultivated nn ida)uaintance with V the Methodists, and on the 22d rtf Mtty, 1755, preachc^d in their Iwust^. nt >.-— *-ffBW(Mwlle, to the no small ahittz«|nent' and displeasure of some of his zenlous couB|ry«Uen. He died on th^ nh of May, I76«i and Mr. Adnnis, minister al Falkifk. gfres the folldwiog ac^iiut of his d«^nth, in a leiier to Mr. Gillips. **On Friday iwrht. aliout iah. I wiin«»4u*A IMr WnwinkKA^u i>njirniw.L " *"""' **^ li ve!li08t cxprjessipns of triHmphhiH' faith, zea{ for the glory of Christ and the salvation oftiniilAyiiitixeljijiiriththeviioi^t iHHJalile hUuiility and " tnodestvt 'Yet a little while^^ iiaid he, 8 and this mortal sliolJ put on imuiortal- ' ity. Mortality shall he swtiHiJwed ujpt of life : this vile lw)dy fashioned likcto his glorious body! O forvictary I I shall gpt the victory ! I know in whnin I have believed.' Then with a rertiarl^nlilf rfutiihle voiw. lifiing up his band« he tried out, 'O for a draught of the^irL^l of IM water of life^ihatUniiy bel?in the song before I go off to the ^Imrch triumphant ! '1 gb fofih in thy 'name, making mention of thy righteouirtiess, ^vcjhl of lltHie «nly. I cii(9 nt llie fr^t jr)f mercy .^ Then stretching out his afins, he Iput his hand'H|>on his head, and wi>h the nSpst serene and steady majestic e^Ci t^^fer saw, hwking upward, he siiiif, Crowns of grace, crowns of graceiisnd palmarin their hands I - O Lord {ht^ of , truth, into thy^hands I commend my spirit!' He siiys to itie, ' Vou thRtBrp ministers, bear a proper testimony againi^tt the pmfesssors o(tthis nijo, wjio,h*v« - o form of godliness without the power.' Observing some' of his peppte Jifioiit his bed, he said, ' May 1 have some seals ani4|g you !■ '0 where will the uiimHl- 'y *"?»5'l'"^'"? of Bathgate appear? Labor all to be iil Ohiasi.' Thtn he Stretched out his hand to several, and said, 'farewell, far«?wel(,'tarewell t And now, O Lord, what wait I for ? My hope is in thee I ' (hce or twice he aaiil, ^tine be laid across the bed to expire, where I hato Mmelimes prayed, and s^^times meditated withpltjasur^.' He expressed his "grjileful seh4 of tlie iwwdi^us care which Mr. VVahlrolie, of Cuh, had taken of him ; and on hit rcplyiiitr, "••'• ii«it» >.mti.i --• i^ j — »- — ^ i .i «./.«. .. . ; -^ so, or you |iatd me fc your prayers A-. 1^. til ur^ Of tiis iiy. orailii wi^it, V m wjtonj of thfe Noith, aqd begnn to movfe Southwni:d. . Jnmmry «. mob. In the evenmff he aueiiipted to preurh m the room I ut hj mob wag «> violnnt Ke co,,lcI not ortHoed At \Zgir,mo^^ noten, u,m^ u H,,vere blow nt jv/n Wenley, UiTa Sd ^x^o .tocKl near hiin, received. Another «f the>, cHrd out " Wh^t M sheep enciimpqined with wiJveg. The i iinitt.^ of Thl .T , had rer^HeU thin IV«,n the nJrnLn aui\"^SZ nf stfr „ ', Z C!? Ik I ,' ^**i ^'"^ ^*'® ^'"♦'^ "•"" "* the place, a protcHMi^r SJ^ki'"!;'^* ""^'^ "' I-«»mlon.» He coSfnued h"re t I the 2*^ trouljles and drffit nities to enertilnter, even irreater tlian anv h • h ml through ,„„,.K irlb»lntion K, mtit >h«U«S, Ti.,!^lS Nt Sll'f.',.?'::^-. f-n'-f"!' &e gentry r„r ^^i^J^} ^IZZTl^S- i 1^- A*' ^¥. ;i' r •j: * . r% .> m VK« UV* 09 Vlf» lll%.^Alt»| mtjgif*; . thefr eiMt, jMBneeiitoni gfirc^ fhTI ticnpe to InTentlon nnd MttRpteio^rv ami promijj^te, witti 49Qn1$i}«nce, Htt^,h th^Ks m they imagine wtl) ftnsW«r inefir fiurtNiiiD, witjkimt WMtiii^K t«* \vt\n$, th«tu »!» ilwi tent iif reAson wikI Ihith. In'tli«? irnMCtit iiiMtuiirtf, Mn InnyH well knew, that what ho Ami^rteiliof Mr*,* Wesley,, >v«»t fulne. 1 fe^r, we nmy Ak U «i a geiKQjrttI rule; #tjEh « very n«W 4h««trtl(m9, thitt. any tn - who huA lieen a little iirnctW(t in the wnyn of periteiciution, will not icruple to uttyisr d r(iI«ehov of ftaim to ourwn li) hi»« (tarty, ami prevailed with theni to encourage the niobt' While Jheyb^ the houne where Mr. We!*h*y, ai*t| the comi>any with theni, were iiHt»enil>led,„ he of^en beard ht»oyk^n name HteiitiorMH], with, ^Mfring .hint <»ui/ .^ brine bim oUt.'^ He plwcrves, "The fittle flock were 1(^h afraid . thlin 1 ex,pectedf ofiiy ijne of ourctiMterA fainted away.*' h lieinr „ hoiiv i»F,, a l*aptJi«,to uSo urt fhrougb a pale forgtitten. At iteveh o*cloek, ■ I walked quietty to Mrs. P%»)i|^S and la^an fM-encblnk a little before the ttnie af>|M>int'' thoi ^ bfe. ^ ..WW ;":r'^the. ; "; waH .'■> J" IT") rc 1 J ■ — ' — ■*»-{ ^^jaiojih ,., . , ..ji If* -^\ '^:'-, i(^"fi wbifh up >f'H -ii' fm tlVf ^ Vtti ilT. «HA||«j|t WMLIT. / Iff Mjyor WM gpne but of towfi, In the «ight of the people, wfa j.iv« ffr««t e,.mH.r«^«m,,nt t.> th<«e who wore Alreii fir^wniaght up maproiMir i.m|i4»y th« Thpr*. cu ml 1 ho trutTi Hociii* trf l.r, Aat imwt .f<^iMi,niiwti«i,H of thri*. • AIM a»«.nvow, .UH cou.hM^l^p,,rMo^utilM, i/tluM»ry,n«i|yct f«IUnto ' Er«w^iS*:?*^r:r"' "r *r'"?^«^fe th/rbrm.>r p^H^Hrf- iri AoHi, king.fom)|) ilfi,e «t,|y cii,M|i.,Mfe ..|«.M« a ^r«,a ih.«l of ,ni,Mhicf, o^lnuriovinjf t H'ir^Erter^^^ tim «.,port, hy M.ttinff nn exaHipId q? ..wHlerutiJn to trthoV S* " tho wuHlo^VH, AoM the ni»ia?^«p»Ucfthl^L^Wr^^ " ^ w.th.lrnwn to n «Mi.,ll uppHr ro^M th^ tn^i^^i^^ tup powrr of tifo^Vihl HtUFtlmr. *tltf^V'A^ti^iA:^i:^nL.^ji.^ ^ who kf.^ u^%S Wh -r m^ our han.K«othat w« woro fliH?a^,;|t„,»^t,i.V«^^^ , ' 1, :J «;•<• <>.; '^t* ■'is. n ou ^ 1-hitlu.H and try to maV my ew-.iiM^. Her hwirt had Jjeoii • "fni.n. W IttHj h.s hmid on the po»r»ifti.K^a1, itf^lMWt.. J of • MCtt, he mmn^d it» «w^»., ^-eW.. .{^^^^ without, cw-' Fi for a»iiiie<^iii:rtf>; - lid tlw» gnntleiM<*«' ■ thf-y woulil drinks II Mr. liorouglt^ hazard of bir^ ^beaHtM, iioiie Mr. ikretit, fotpift tlj^t^. .. >rd| and w« Vs ruiiiHiix to MCtt, he eut««*tf the society. ^1?^,. filmed pNjHiK tbrri: imjriiw*; whicb «ivor| -Imt tb«»w nutriljrr and rierrHiioitH 41IIII ipi;i^ JMiWJfcfipd U|»^irt with pit.h.>rfi of Ale, m ti7i_ I boy were U0«r on the (Hunt «f »iroak«^ ftH(l of *urnintf inv out, iin th«'y exiMTtctl, took part with us, iukI Mienunod •he title for mune tiino. '1 liry liow not n notiou, that I had made *tiv eacapo; and rau doWn to the inn, and played the engine there. I'hey forced the inn-keeoer to turn out our horHei*, whhh he ini- nieduitely neut to Mr. Clark'i*: which «lrOMuro of apirit, by a pivino' converacd aHi^eely, aaj and had great con from the danger, wo were fallini^intir Mr. Minttni waa ao lit? r renting upon iis. We prayed and had lieen in the midat of our brethren} lat the Lord, wiudd, either deliver u» In the height of the Htorm, just when la of the drunken, enraged multitudet _ turlM'd that he fell fant asleep. "They were now. close to us oh every aide, and over our heads untiling the roof. A ruHian cried out, 'Here they are, behind iho curtain.* At this time we fully expected their ai)i»»arance, and retired to the furthermost corner of the room: anif I said, this ib THE CRISIS, ill that moment J Enua rebuked the winds and the sea, und there Was a great calm. We heani not a breath withiuit, and wojudored what waa liecome of them. 'V^e Kilenre lasted for three cjuarters of an hour, liefore any one came near uk: and we continued in mutual exhortatioii.and prayer, jooking^%r deliverance. I often told my companions, Now God is at work fiir us; he is contriving our escape: he can turn these leopards into laiiilis; can commniid the heathen to bring his chihiren on their shoulders, and make nur fiercest enemiQH the instruments of our deliverance. About three o'clock Mr. Chtrk knocked at the ngage to bring you ipfe out of town.' My answer was, • I shall promise no su«'h thing — setting aside my office, 1 will not give up my birth-right as an Knglishinan, of visiting what pli|i.'e 1 please of" his Majesty's do- )IUj.*C able, minions.' < Sir,' said the Constable, « we Expect no such profnise, that you will never come here again: only tell me, that it is not ybur ;>re«enf intention, that I may tell the gentlemen, who will then B€^cure your quiet departure '; 1 answered, ' I cannot come again at this time, because I must rWturn to London a week hence. iJut, e6«erv«, I make no promise' of not preaching here, when the door is opened; and do not say tfiat I do.' "Me went uwayl with this answer, and we lietook ourselves to j>rayer and thaukt^ving. AVe jierceived it was the Lord'^s doing, and it was marv e lfous in our eyes. The hearts of our adversarica were turned. Whether pity for us, or fear for themselves, wrought V '^i^-i^JLi-V*^ ^fliiBP^-.. _ *, J-_^»- "^HB ^jfajafc. "'m r-vv tn LttI Of ffli tif. OMA«I.t atrmiffMt, God knownth; nrnlmhly thn «'h « pitrh of fury, thai oiultituiUi f^,.-'- ■ inultUu(79. ntl tthoul. wrought up to nut coii««(|uoncn, iinil thiTiVon; wfiit ttiHJuiTi from Mr. ClarkX "ml pn-pnretl to go forth j The man MrM. Navhir ha.l hir«.l to ri.h- IR-Jonrh^^^, «^ w« rio# perco vod one of t^riotrrn. Thin ho,M.ful «uld« w.m to n ,u Ucl rh/;ii; of . »:;'"*' "'^*'''' ''r"'r'*- Mr. Min,if„ «ti^ i rook h^S I u lace of our «>n«nu,e« „m if they would .widtow'^irbi^S not know wliMh was Wi-MJey. Wo felt gr*Mit poaie ahd m^i^ ot our inureh. When out of Hight, we >nenc|^| our>ii»e, Wid iil#.»ut jeyen « chn^k ca.ne to Wrexall. The i.ewtW oiir En«i w^^^^^ li^hjlul^ J""""** '" ^'"''y '"'"^*'' to our 4oliffl4 l|wi4 • Worthip, and thankt, and blessing/ &c|'^.- t^ \.h\K^l'^?^ ^^*\ preached nt Bath, and we rejoiced:&e infen, who take the spod. We continued our triumph at BrMol- S reaped the fruit of our laborn an.l suflVringn » * -*■ In the l»eginning of March, Mr. Wenley retume' ., ■ ■ / 1 s ,- .^ * 1 ■ .\ • ^.'^ 1 - ^ ■ . %■ ■ -■ -- * . » '~t'' > - ^, ■ ;• ■ '#.;■■ ' -TP ■i . ', i. . V • ' ^ ' - 1 - * ,' >i*' '-'' .iJ'^.* - ^ j 1 '% '■ ,. v-: . ■ ■ -^ - — ■ .- — ■ V ■ , -■ - -,- ■■ 9 ' ' . —■: — rr i "v ^ . ." - .. " ■; V ' \ " ' n • • * ■ « • ■> ' - '. ■ :3 « * "1 _...,■ ■ ..' • ■.-,■' .; % '^ ■ ■■ . ..' , * -' * V ' ■.;■■ 1.0 I.I 1.25 ■^■^ 1^ lu 14.0 1.4 Ml ±2 2.0 1.8 1.6 MICROCOPY RESOLUTION TEST CHART NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS STANDARD REFERENCE MATERIAL 1010a (ANSI and ISO TEST CHART No. 2) -ry^'' 180 THK Lire OP THE RET. CHARLES WBSLET. '> |k» H L« ?»• ^ .>•'. On the 27th, they reached Mr. Phillips's, in Wales, and his brother not l»eing come from Ireland, according to appointment, they con- cluded he was detained by contrary winds, ana had an opportunity of refreshing themselves and their weary beasts. On the 28fh, he observes, "Mr. Gwynne came to see me, with two of his family My soul 8eemepr "^'^ "'f. ^'^'^f'^ "'"' l»'«yirti with 'vent forth to the .f' ""♦''^^r^''''«'"''ns their cause lo'Go«l he r^-i .yZainZ i^ki:'^;;:'^::'! •— ^s. i.eiievh:j''t;;i Mastcrls name and mmU « r " '''^'^•^"ce. He called in his &c. The numberof hearers Z'v"'"" """"" ^^''*'"» "••« ^^^'-^--y." ke^.'f down all opn^'ition h1 J^ ^'T' "'"' " "-elijrious awe poor Papists, a Kke St ^L^^.r'^ ^'''''' fieeiTom to th^ thors to convince them Lr!^ " ^i^''*""'' '!""'««' 'heir own aij- None lifted up Sis vo^e^'^r ha ri'^*^"'"'"^ "'"' »»'«'•• ^^^»^f^- strdnge attentionrnnd irLv were fnt^'P''"'^ ««Mistened wTu. gototheir^espec'tive .SoTwol"/- "'V ^"^ '"'^'^*''' *^'«'" to sntisfactionref^Ually e Pu^^^tl wh'**' ^^^^ '^M»''«'^-^««« general was a good Catholic ^ ^"'*^' '^''" """^ maintained that he kin!i';£';li;:T^:;drs KhJ 7'*^ ^^^^^'^ -^ -'-'•- tember ^5r rst threveniZ"' "'' ^'^^ *^" Methodists. .Tg,; woman of sense and n1etvT,fn ^^'•^/^^V'^^'y «^ «» ""Ptist's; 'a of Christ. SepJemJer & hlw^ serious QuakersTwhohoid%K ^•l.'"" ««"f«'e'>ce with two foundation." ^ '*^ the^head with us, and build on the one inconveniences at t^^rlwe K'T'^'^ '""^'m'^^ towns; and we may sunoose th^Srh .k^- "*'^''*'' «^«'<#^arge provisions were Irs^Tcoun ry iSc etilV"^^^^^^^^ where they assembled when thev/nuuL! V"^ '*.*'^"'«' «*««» began to be much too smaH fi,- tL i""* 5'"®^^** "' **>« "Pen air, This being the preseTsat 'J'/r'"^V«<>ople whoat'tended Wesley pu^'rchLdThoLse near fhoH^' '" n^^'i^' ^'- Charles" The wWle ground SoorTas Zft^.. ""^ called Dolphin's Barn, to be turned^uo a pSn^1f..u'e anl'S' ^' ^T*'' '^'^'^ ^'^^ accommodated in tie roSoveiTf' »?„r ^•^^"•^"^hers were to be purchase, he wrote to CChe^forL^•'' • ^' ^^^'^^^^^ His letter is dated Octobel ^mZJl t "^'"""" *"" **»« '"'^"er. the house was, that thevXnhl 1 1^ •.*•- ^ ^^^'' ""« advantage of "I must go th^re, irtCme „tie V here I can stay no L ^er A fi. i ^"''f "^'^' .?'' t^^^e my flight; fo^ lady just ready to SeTn a maid J.h^h'^"""'"^ ^'*^''«"' « «^"d- thing for us, are some of ourrnvedenct'-'''n''"V" ^'" '^' '^"«' mjIdSio^r r' '" "'"'' '^^'^ "^^ ^"-"^ °f the best ihin g^^:^^::^^^;^^^^;;^^. --^ I«-~ ^ .^ItV.— \ •i» V. *' V '*^Yi''ME n' . IM THE LIPE or THE REV. CHARLES WESLET^ ^m opportunity for reth-eincnt. . Churlfig nnd I groan for elbow-room '^'" ^ in our preMv-liiMt: our Athlone, where, it is probable, notice had been given of th,eir coming. On the road some persons overtook them, runt great haste, and one horseman riding full speed. ' "It soon that the Papists had laid a plan to do them some violent rai^ni^f, if not to murder them, at the instigation of their priest^ father Terril, who had sounded the alarm the Sunday before. They ^K 8j)oke of their designs with so much freedom, that' a report of them reached- Athlone, and a party of dragoons bein(|^^iq,uartered there, were ordered out to meet Mr. Wesley and his friCijids on the road, and conduct them safe to the town. But of this they were ignorant; and l)eing earlier than was expected, the Papists were not assem- bled in full forx^, nor did the dragoons meet them at that distance from the town which was intended. They rode on, suspecting nothing, till within about half a mile of Athlone, when "Vising up a hill, several persons appeared at the top of it, and bid them turn back. "We thought them in jest," says Mr. Wesley, " till the stones flew," one of which knocked J. Healy off his horse, &nd laid . him^tenselesson the ground; and it was with great difficulty the Papists were hindered from murdering him. The number of f these barbarians were soon greatly increased, and though the j^ / .Protestants began to rise upon them, they kei)t their ground till the j< . dragoons appeared, when they imnf\ediately fled. Mr. WiBsTey alrf ' , his little company, their wounded friend having recovered his ^ / senses, were now conducted in safety to Athlone, where the soldiers *? flocked about them with great aflection, and the whole town ex- pressed the greatest indignation at the treatment they had met with. -M4iiJ4t>4 ■| a'-ip*fc- r* "iiM^l '-rl-'f-'' .^X ^i!-!^^)^!4r;a^i.* ^t s^ j W^-r TBI tire OF IB, ii,,. CBiBUl wktlEf. / ftt ie^rfcoK"'" ''''"" "^' ""<^»' «»-»•' '™«^ re^^^^ la&^iX grea^.-uSThrSl" !" ■°'""'"> «"" -"«--" O" «alvili„n I,/ Ac re i,L ..'f E^ "•'' "•<"=«'«'' «« knowledge of g..ve him a release frori,l!vS,'St?„„%.^3? ""•■•, T"'"'' Hothead, from w(.err^?ri^te;t°rfi°^.r '■''' . " Tene6U Italiatn! \, here we are after all (?nH ll^ ^^"^f ^ '•^'*''*''»'* dolorem.^t grayer. Than^ r„"'tife l^oK^ ^'^^ thathearethX 'rhej^ord return UiiifS^LTr^^^^^^ brethren, and we for the.n. And Yl nra^ tl?; P^th ''^ • ^'^T P''^^ ^« ^«' "«» Lord Jesus Christ, to sen^ cfown h: Z^^^""' '" J**® "«™« of our you who are now^alrbfc^^^^^ ^^^' ^n ^11 be unto you, even tho n«^X»k^ V v ^. "^^"^ ^"'« read. Peace for it e^ver^ro^^^trrX'ct^rth^^^^ ^-k heavenly country, whither^I «rl. h ^"** ^® *? P®'**^^ to that Intending trV^^i^ Mr GwvnnJ.^ r "?^ *''^*«^ y°" '" took horse the- n^xtimTrni^^^ni^? famdy at Garth in Wales, he to Baldoh-^Ferrv Hpr« hi%.?^ ^^ ^^'^,^r »« *^e afternoon came boat, so ihur6lmuft"::b^p^^^^ %f'^}^^ thesinallSd in the r^iddle^'the channerhfatn^ T""^* *"? ?« ^"^^^^ bifh, had a very narro:~ S^'^'^'Z^^^^^^ Providence attended him- ho no A. J-*..?*' ""* * graciouu the evening reSedG^Ub-Arftr}^'''^^ continued pain/had so wPak^nL^^^ fatigue, bad weather, and Owy^nXtSl3!;lj'^uSrriS-^'r ^^ «>' M- kind of embiyo-intention of m«Knr ^'*'^ i^*^^** Gwynne. A* dwelt in his mind rTlLl tZeV^^^ *»f. '"^f^^g^* bad brother in Dublin, who neithprnn;^^ had mentioned it to his •natter. During hrpresen^stafat fc «"?»''r^f d him in the ripened into mo?e fixed resolutS JutXl L^'^ «'»bm>-intention to take the advice of his friS Afwtl i,^ thoughtll necessary London, he went tn ^hr.Zh ^'^'^"f "adbeen a^hort time in PerroneUhra"dVsed^hrtoTiir'K^ "" '^^ »*«"' '^^^^ everv prudential step was taken which hS^ffS' ^«« ™«de, and and iiere the businei rested,for t^e p^^^^^^ ''^"^^ «"««««J ^' j; "X 1. ■ ivr, ^ 184 m r ^ ■\ THE Lire or the rev. ohaeleb weslet. ' he set out on horacback for Cork, which ho reached on the 40th notwithstiindiug the incessant ruins, the Imdnesa of the nmds, ana wretched HccuinniodutiouH at the irinb. The next day, lieiniir Sun- day, he went out to the Marsh ot five in the morning, and found a conijregution of some thousand persons. He preached from, I'lhusit is written, and thus it behoved Christ to sutt'er, &.c." They devoured every word with an eagerness Iwyond description. " Much good,'* he suys, "has already been done in this place; out- Ward wickedness has /lisappeured, and outv^rd religion succeeded it. Sweating is sehloin heard in the streets, and churches and altars are crowded, to the astonishment of our adversaries. Yet Mme of our clergy, and all the Catholic priests take wretched pains to hinder their people from hearing us. " At five in the evening, I took the field again, ond such a sight I have rarely seen. Thousands and thousands had been waiting some hours; Protestants and Papists, high and low. The Lord endued my soul,,and body also, with much strength to enforce the faithful saying, * That Jesus Christ dame into the world to save sinneos.' I cried after them for an hour, to" the utmost extent of iny vcflce, yet without hoarseness or weariness. The Lord, I be- lieve, hath much people in this city. Two hundred are already joined in a society. At present we pass through honor and good report. The chief persons of the town favor us: no wonder, then, that the common people are quieft* We pass and repass the streets, pursued onlv by their blessings. The same favorable in- clination is all round the country: wherever we go, they receive us as angels of God. Were this to last, I would escape for mv life ,to America." " ' . « I designed to have met about two hundred persons who have given me their names for the society; but such multitudes thronged into the house, as occasioned greal confusion. I perceived it was impracticable, as yet, to have a regular society. Here is, indeed, an open door; such as was never set befor?, me till now; even at Newcastle the awakening was not so general. The congre«'ation last Sunday was computed to be ten thousand. As yet there^is no open opposition. The people have had the word two months, and It IS not impossible but their love may last two months longer, be- fore any number of them rise to tear us in g^eces. " I met-a neighboring justice of the peace, and had much serious conversation with him. He seems to have a great kindness for re- ligion, and determined to use all his interest to promote it. For an hour and a half I continued to c^U the poor blind beggars to Jesus. 1 hey begin tp cry after him on' every side; and we must expect to be rebuked fQr;it. Waited on the bishop at Rivers Town, and' was received ^th great affability by himself and family. After dinner rode hack to Cork, and drank tea with some weH-disposed Quakers, and borrowed a volume of their dying sayings. A stand- inir^testimony that the life and poWer of God was with them at the begiftning; as it might be again, were they humble enough to con- tfess their want of it.» How amiable is the candor bf Mr. Wesley, when conft^sted with the bigotry of others, who in their great zeal for ceremoni^have contended that the Friends ought not to li^ ac- ' ^■fe^ti^^t;^'^'.?'..X:;^?T^ fl ti ,.- rnn ttwt of inB ht. cbami. ■;V'|^» '9 WBSMr. iigi these ordinanc«.H, hi. thcv -produce another in oj; " August 27, I had much conversntinn x«:tu aj r> Me, pious clergyn.an- one afW .n^ " u *^ ^^' ^ > « sensi- desolate mother He rdea^^^^^^ >ove to our delightful account of the bishon 5: ''"*'• ""^ "^ ^«*'**'' ^"^^ ff^ve a miZ/do good or pretent evd "^ijut^ZTi;;;'' ^n\t\u^on greiltn.en how apt to weak'en our hands and Zni T'**"' ^^'''^-'P^''''^^ ence, and respect of persZ' The f n^.^ ^ ',"'" ""1 ""^^"^^ ^^^^e^" - others to do the same Hp Inf ' ^^^ "''*'.'' ^^^ '"^ authority with if he forbid his P;"e from hS„:us £ ^" ^T"^ P"^'^' '*'"' house Several of^he poor RomL raZr"''^ "*?"' "C *»'« ^°««- nfter the justice had assured th«mT ^«**'V'*'?.''^"*"''«d «o come, curse thefr priest KdlaTul nXm' Zvh ^'T'/i '"."^ ««* »'•« pentance towards God, and Ch in il ' ^^'»o«ed all alike to rc- to the Marsh, nn .o""i.f !?u. "'*^'." •^.e«us Christ. 1 hastened back Now they a receivpd Z T'" *** ^"^^ ^^^^n t^e strc casionrvaiSiS? S^trlr^^^^^^^ 7'^ook- they rail against the clergy. I enlar4d on thf "'^''^ slanders: that prayed particularly for the bishon S TJ^f ''^^^l''^ "*"« *" ^^em : to nmke mention of them r the Hpr^\^'** n ''I! ^^^'^ consciences guy29,Inas«edanuSlttv^^^ji;"c *H P'^^^^'"^- u^"" had prea^ched in his parish last Sundav ir ** ••^J«'c«d that I clergy) were like-minJed, how miJh?th^; u '^*'"^ '^^'^^^^''cn (the by us! But we must have natipnl „ k ^""^8.be strengthened «peak for itself J and tSrrst of ' pf. r "^^rv*'^' t^" the thing «ee clearly that\ll our d^lire if S;*^'""^ ^''•'"^ removed, they the establishment of th^^ChtrofE^^^^^ «^ -»'^» -^ Sept. 1. Iinettheinfant soc^ty-fi>r4efin.ttm , eiu.a„old pl.^huu^/Oa;L;rdV---r^^:^ '6* . ted the place. 1 ex "^JfT ' *'*' . Jf*" ^^; A{ ..t *k. Ul ^*«Nvy^«^'"«-. wv^^ffW^^r-'^ , /■ ' <'* % I,'** 'hi A.'- ut' A. Y he goes constantly to church,* iM^haves lovingly to hii» wife, abhora the thing that is evil, especially his old sinR. ThiH is one iuHtuncc out of many." Sept. 5. He observes that the work now increased rapidly: one and another being frecjuently justified under the word. " Two," B^ys he, "at the sacrament yesterday : two at the society. One overtook me going to the cathedral, and said, « I hjive found someA thing in the preiiching, and cannot but think it is forgiveness, -All the burden of my sins sunk away from off me, in a nioment. lean do nothing but pray and cry Gloiy be to God. I have such a con- fidence in his love, as I never knew; I trample all sin and sorrow under my feet.' I bid him watch and pray, and expect greater things than these. Our old fnaster the world, begins to take it ill, that so many desert anake well of the truth. A sudden change was visible in their behavior aflerwards, for God had touched their hearts. Kven the Rdman Catholics owned, « None could find fault with what the mart gaid,» A lady of the Romish Church would have me to her house. She assured me the governor of the town, as soon as he heard of my coming, had issued orders that none should disturb me: ttiat a gentleman who offered to insult me, would have been ?P'' ? \" Jfei^ !y *^" Roma" Catholics, had he not fled for it: and lliul the Catholics in gpneral are my firm friends." . It is worth ob- \ •r.^; fe^V*-- ■ Pred.vteriu..; th.;p« the practice of everj itii.o- B^ u,iS^;rti:^ x^z J^"r ;^"'''^'^'! "'^^-'^ -•-'«'' effect. On hi« reTurn' ati\Z f r '" '«« !'I'"h" '""' ^-onHideruble hi« wife fron. B. n h^" n e h n mul ;;1*^".'T'"' " '"'"'• '""» "'"^ jrivo theiri another visit li,.rh«'.i'*^^'^'''''' ''"" ''" <'""'PHtly to In the evenin,?. I li^^v^it^d ahout^S,rrt?..r '''*'• '^"■'''''' '" '' T''"^'"-'^- supper. Gotfhath ffivon r .. ♦k '"*"r»"'' «'""cr« to the great JoVes'H, a whiow 3^^^ / went to W. work of God toThnilr TC'Zve^^^^^^^^^^^ ''T""*« '"^^ . like-minded, except the clerirv "n i. i u . . ^ "'® '''"*'« »««"> bring home 'theirTingI ffieved me^„ hi" '' h*"'^ ^ '^^ '"^» »« !J:drKcf ^^'^^ «"— railed at::;^':!risJfe nJu^aTfc^^^^^ -any tear!, and Mr. P., insteaS of rejo^rto see BTmanv mi'l^lV."''"'- '^^ '"'"'''?'• entertained them with a nil i.t!. „n? ♦"^ Pul)Iican8 in the temple, postor.nn inSirrv and .«? accusation against me, as an U- t'hat mV. p. shoulS'voLd a fr?eXf l''r"\ ^*T.»« J"^^'««' who send hundreds in-trtho A „r!L r i,- ''^T^*'' »"*^ ' «" en«'ny» September iS, thf poweJ of the f orS w^"' '^ '''■'"^- **^l'" ""^ ««"'"• Cork; I marve not ihT^ntnn h..t "» "^ ^""^^^"^ '" ^^^ 8«c'«ty at othe/is plucl^Jd out ; f h s ?ee?r' aZ."''"'' ?''' '••"V^""'^ «"« "^ rose to confer with those who d;^:^!^* " '^'"'^'''''^ n'ght of pain, I the Lord had spXHeLe to hp^^^^^^^^^ ^ woman insistid that Thomas Warburlon CertS th„ t?K'"^ '""' \* ***« sacrament, and that now he hates aUshiwithn ^''f ^.T^ 'V **''» ^^ »>««'-'"l?; his whole life in prayer SteSn Uu.^'* ^'''?'^^' """J «""*^ «P«'"1 i found my heart CeneJf^n^ '**'"'"'' "^V"^^^^^ you till my speech was "walL^e7„r^'^^^ ""«•• were,faintW,fallinffbLk nnrt- P-- ^^en I felt myself, as it a sudden, I waHftfd un Z u'^^V^ '•'"*'' destruction; when, on and I saw airmv sins at'^^i^i ^^''k. ''F*»*«»«'1» -y burden gone; away. I am n"w7fra?d ^?nJu ^'T^'u'" ™«ny-^bui all taken happier than Fcl tell vou f l ^ n^' "^n ^^V'^^^'l' ""' ''*^"' ' am a real work vf grace -fc'lrt -r-. ■i ,■ ■> * '^ ^!t?:ffr#"'.;$iS| s^_ r *^ lit.* ■• ■ U ) ♦•>. 'J ■.*f. "4, ,-.«%T-f'; 188 TRB |.irB or THB HBt. OHARLBI WENI.BV. tw^uii, worr PnjiiMtH, till tlu'y honnl tho {roMp^l, hut nro not rpron- cilr^l to thtt rimnli, vwu to tlm invihililr rhiinlj, or roimnmiioii of •niiitH. A tow oI'iIh'h" hwt h\u'v\} w«!vera[ towuH in hi* way hack, ho canio nafo to Duhlih on tho -STth of Sopirtnilicr. '^' OctolK^r 8, He took his paHHa^o for Finglanil, an«I th(! next night laniled at Ilolyhearl. Ho wrote to u fcJenil the followiiiK account of the dangers he hiul escaped. * ' On Saturday evening at half ptiHt ei^it, I entered that Huiall iMiat, and were two hours in getting to the veHr(el. There wan not then water to croH« tho bar; ho we took our rest till eleven on Sunday morning. Then (Jod sent us a fair .wind, and we 'sailed HUioothly before it five hours and a half. Towards evening tho wind Tre|)hened upon us, and wo had full enough 4»f it. I was called to ifccount for a hit of cako I had eat in the morning, aiid thrown into violent exercise. Up or down, in the cabin or on deck, made no difference: yet in the midst of it, I perceived a distinct heavy concern, for I knew not what. It was now pitch dark, and no small tempest lav upon us. Tho caittain had ordered in all the sails. I kept mostlv upon dcbk till halt past eight, when, upon inquiry, he told me, he expected to bo in tin harbor by nine: 1 answered, wo would compound for ten.* Whil< we were talking, the mainsail, as I take it, got loone; at the samt time the smafl boat^ for want of fastening, fell out of its*))Juce. The master culled oil hands on deck, and thrust nie down iiito'the cabin; when, in a minute, we heard a ci;y above, * Wo have lost the mast ! ' A passenger ran up, and bvought us worse news, that it was not the mast, but the poor master himself, whom I had scarcely left, when the boat, as they supposed, struck him and IcDocked him overboard. From ' that moment he was seen and heard no more. My soul wos bowed before the Lord. I kneeled down, and commended the departing spirit to his mercy in Christ Jesus. I adored his distinguishing goodness. TAe one shall be takeUi and the other left, ithought of those lines of Young: • No warning ^iven! unceremonious death! a sudden rush from lifefd meridian joys; a plunge opaque beyond conjecture.' The sailors were so confounded they knew not what they did. The decks were strewed with sails; the wiqd shifting aliout tho compass; we just on the shore, and the vessel driving, where or how they knew not. One of our cabin passengers ran to the helm, and gave orders as captain, till they had righted the ship. But I ascribe it taour invisible Pilot, that tVe got safe to shoro soon afler ten. The storm was so high, that we doubted whether any boat would venture to fetch us. At last one answered and came. I thought it safer to lie in the vessel; but one calling, * Mr. Wesley, you mUst come,* 1 followed, and bv eleven o'clock found out my old lodgings at Rob V-- Ct%MKtr,s3»Lii^ ^. THl Liri or mi ■IV.'oRAILM WJfLIT. ISO art Oriffith«. October J Q, I blr-iiod O/xI that I «o prnvidotirfl hiiuU, Or reUmioii llu) wiiidn, And lN tht-rii ntrnin Al hiM berk to put on th« iiivJHihlo chain. f '^^ >- Even now ho hnlh h.-nrd Our cry, and npiwarM On tho fiico of tho (loop, Aiul conimiinrlod tho ion>|)CHt its distance to keep: lIiH pilotini( hnnd Hnth lirouifht m to land, V And no longer di»trp«M'd, e*are joyful again in tho haven to reat. V O that all men would raiae' His tribute of nrniso, His coodncsK neclnre, And Ihankfuiry sing of \m fatherly care I With rapture aniirove '- HiH doulinffs or love, And tho wonders proclaim Perform'd hy tho virtue of Jeuus'a rtame. Through Jesus alone Ho delivers his own, And a token doth send That His love shall »lirect us, and aare to the end: With jov^o oniliratc Tho pl, than ten ininutCHr'but I nxle on, thank- ful that I waft not at sea. Near five in the afternoon, I entered the boat at Bahlon-ferry, with a clergyman and others, who crowded our small crazy vessel The water was exceedingly rough, our horses frightened, and we looking to 1h) overset every moment 1 he inimster aekrtowledged ho never was in the like danger. We were half drowned m the boat. I sat at the bottom, wiilf him and a woman, who stuck very clqse to i^e, so that my being able to swim would not have helped me. But the Lord was my support^ LT-p """'*? nror brother clergyman, 'Fear not, Christiaii-the hairs ot our head are all numl)ered.' -Our trial lasted near half an hour, when we landed wet and weary in the dark rtiirht The mi" wfth'T^ n.y guide to Carnarvon; and by the way entekained t^lk.^ lu^ K'"'*'' ?f "" lay-preacher, he had lately heard and talKert with He could say nothing against his preaching, but ^if^^fy^'^^^f^'^^ordalmil His name, he told me, was gow e l Harris. He took me to his own inn, ond at last found out who I ?• ri -was, which mcreosed our intimacy." Mr. Wesley pursued hid W' fB?J3 I.^Jk J^S-^r 100 ■■"> i . ■ «.,-,, , . ■ * . :■ I-' .p-/ ':■- _ .- ,'i^ ■•.■•'»■* —V w.' f.wei, TNI hlWm dV THE KIT. OHARLRI WIILIV. * ~,#»y«fr Jountev to Qnrth, whij'h iilni-o hn rrn<'h(*i, (or mohio nionthM, to Lomioii, Hrifitol, nml tho ncighlMirin^ |/lar«-t innkiiii( an oiTiMiomil ^cxfiirMion to (Jiirth, in Wal«, lit! wiih married hy M» Hroiluir, ut (iurtli, Jo MiMi* Harah (iwynnr, a yoiinj( luily of tfood ^nii0, piety, and ngruiMihIo ucxonrpliMhoiintM. Mr. John VVtMloy o>Mflrvt!N, •« h wan a Holemn y that short sickness. Till Wednesday evening at Weaver's Hall, my strength and understanding did not return; but from that time the LonI has been with us of a truth. More zeal, more life, more power, I have not felt for some years (I wish my mentioning this may not lessen It:) so that hitherto marriage has been no hindrance. You will hardly believe it sits so light upon me. Some farther proof I had of my heurt,on Saturday last, when the fever^threatenehim «»f anoth«T cnrtlinuake. Y«Ht«nlav thoiisaniis flcH out of tcHVii, it IjaviiiK '»♦'«" tHinfith-ntly aHM«rteand tho lalH'hiacle, where Mr. VVhitefield preached. Several of — the cmurn came t«> their loaders, and desired, that they would i^ spend the night with them in prayer; which was done, and (i«)d gave them tt blessing. Indeed all 4»round was awful ! Heing not . ^ at all convinced of tho prophet's mission, and having no call from any of niy brethren, I went to bed at my usual time, believing I was BJife in the hands of Christ: and likewise, that by doing so, I slvould be thovmoro ready to rise to the preaching in the morning— which we both did: [naised Iw our kind Protector." In a post- Bcript he adds, " Though crowils left the town on Wednesday nnfht, yet crowds were left lK;hind; multitudes of whom, for fear of l^ing 8ud« enly overwhelmed, left their h.nises, and repaired to the fields, and open nlaces in the city. Tower Hill, Moorfiolds, but alwve all, Hyde Park, were filled best part of the night with men, women, and children, lamenting. Some, with stronger im- aginations than others, mostly women, ran crying in the streets. An earthouoke! an earthquake! Such a distress, perhaps, Is not re- coffled to hove happened Iwfore in this careless city. Mr. White- ,: field i>reached at midnight in Hyde Park. Surely God will visit this City; It wdl be a time of mercy to some. Q may I be found watching!" -» j Mr. Wesley proceeds with his Journal. April 15. " I met with •Mr. Jsalmon's Joreigners' Gompanion through the universities of l/ambridge and Oxford, printed in 1748, and made the following extract froirr page 25. « The times of the daiy the university go to thischurch, are ten in the morning, and two in the afternoon, on ^umIays ind holidays; the sermon usually lasting about half an ri?"''^ T^^ ^"®" ' happened to be at Oxford, in 1742, Mr. W, — the Methodist, at Christ Church, entertained his audience two ?**"irA:?^'^^'"^'"^"'*®'^""'^ abused all degrees, from the highest tothe jow^, was in a manner hissed out of thepuliiitby the lads.» And high time for them to do so, if the historian saitl true; but, un- lortunateJy for him, I measured the time by my watch, and it was Within the hour. I abused neither high nor low, as my sermon, in print,. will prove: neither was I hissed out of the pulpit, or tj^Bated#»^h the least incivility, either by young or old. What yfr t»^n shall I say to my old high-church friend whom I once so much admired •• I must rank him among the apocryiihal writers: such as ?V"?M'*"r»^*'-.^'*^**^'"' **»« wary Bisliop Burnet, and the most modest Mr. Oldmixton." ^ ' ; The censure here passed on Oldmixton I think is just. He ap . pears to me to be a bold, dashing, impertinent writer. His preju ' y^i^^-x^-^ ,_t,a^'vi.v- 4if 1 'J * ''V:Ti ' ;^ ^S" "n -/'' fffrfSl^.l" THE Lire or the rev. oharlki wbslbt. 108 cmlit*' nni ?''''"^' **"** "." ""^^rtion-, a. an hintorian, deserve no n- h t hi- ""* "'^3' "t hiH own Time, i« written with ureal cau- of «iHh«p IJurnet t *^ "*""■' ''"""""' both of Dr. Mather* and lif" in the dischurKC onu"mioZ\ i^ ' '."'^ Boston in 1«H4, and sm-nl his the p„|,lic Ro«d,?irUcuS V onc^ft^^^^ compose diflerenoes, umi prJvent hrsuTsO^U J. ^ r *"'' ''"'""^*"' *'.*"» '« his own country; for in l7io7hp .Sill?^ r.r'''""""" *"» ""• confined to degree "f dcJtoV in cii^h. ly • a .d jj um L ^0?^^^ '""V? *'*'.''"""» f«' •»>• one of their Fellows. H?di" Ih ?72fl ' HU^?^ "/ ^'"''.'"^ "^ ^J'''^"" «=»•«"« »'•"' Americana, or an EccleSas, Jil HirtoJy ofNew E„^:::h T^' ^^ag^alia Christi in 1620, to 1698, in folio. '"'" """°'y «' ^e* England, from its first planting studies at Al.crdee„ at ,rjef?,'W:;c!Ld wtii;t°ed ^'' fourteen. H s own inclination led him in L .^? r u • .r- ^*''"'« *>« ^as and he used to say^tha t wSS from this s.uSvh^hllH"'" "•'^•'/'"' ^""''■«' '«*> tions of civil society and ffovcrnmen fu^^^ '"''' received more just no^ About a year after, he^ hepinTS h ms'ff ,o Z ,TnA^^ cY'"^'^ "'"'"'"•"• adiniiled preacher .efore he was eiVhtecn sf/^l^* f}^^y of d'vinity, and was offered hifn a benefice, hut hrreSdTo accfm of h ' l"nS-f'hr"''"f 'S^'""' land, and spent a short time at Oxford nnfl'^rnUi; a ^^' "® "^"'."^ *» ^ng- tour througV Holland and FrZc* At a^ p'^^^ndse. In 1664, he made a Raia.i, he perlected himself in^h^Hn^ Amsterdam, by the help of a Jewish quainted wTihX ft ,'g L^o"'he^ and. likewis*; became ac. country: as Calvinists ALh.in,.« t ...I '*«* PffS"?s»ons tolerated in that and Ui^itariansTamongsteS SrwS'he'^^^^^^^ Brownisis, Papist, with men of such unfefijLd iety and vir^L th„. h^^Tr'^^ to declare, he met principle of universal clfari v anlf an invfl^fi'i • i ^""^""f ^^^ "' » strong account bf religious dissenS'n;"'' "'^"'"t.le abhorrence of all severities oS morial, in which he toJk no "ce of X nrh.^n'' "^ """'""u ."« ^'^^ "P « "ne- «ent a copy of it to several of 1hemX.hP^' *""Tu^ ^^^ ^>»« Bishops, and BeineenSg^d^^dSgup &^ '"/^tf'"^ resent'ments. deed, renouncing all pre eSns to ^er fnM.T""'"f ' J"^ '^^''^'^''"^ *''« '«dy a whicK must havefa leiS rs hnnH« «L I •*'' '"'^'^h was considerable, and Burnet's intimacy with ^hei.ArH "° intention to secure it him to be freqrntiv Mnt for Iv fh r"'''"''L°"u°"lL«'^'^^^^ conversaUons l"th Un iS pri Ja& Bufl'L^.rif K'^"''" ^^ 1°''^' ^ho had dom with which Buraet sX to him ti'rnl^'*^^' t>e'.n5.offended althe free- him. In 1675. Sir HarhE PrS *°°'* P«*ns toprejudice the king against preacher offfichapd"hetno?Ssa orihe^.IteUs. appoiftel him Ier9and8l,hepub'ilshedirisffi^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ v.f-^f'' f i / ii ^1 *', 2^Sa.^,i:-^.'>l. .^«»., M M THB Lire or TMt atv. OMAKLIS WlBtLir. '* ^^^ 22. I met," wiy8 ho,«* a daughter of my worthy old friend Mr. ErHkinc^ nt the Foiiiiderv: Hhe wim deeply wounded by the sword of the Spirit: confeHsed she had turnetl many to Deirtin, and feared there couhl Ik) no mercy ft)r her. July 18, I had the Hatis- faction of brlni« charge put Mh Irrothar »«.! hirn .1 Z u Stion ,,f ^rfe eocn,n.m„g into tlw, lift, and ,„oral l»«h«v or of eTery preacher hth J connexim, with them; " and the office." nay. he, 'J^ffn upon mo » --It certainly couhl not have fallen into^fitter ham i. ?Sr John WeHloy'H great weakneS« wa«. « ,,roncne«H to iXv^ ever'v one sincere in his profess onH of reliirion till ho h.wl tul . ^ • ® their te.tii,,onic8 of thing,, n. true, without makiiii nroner alS ^"id^i:^:' 'K°".» J^'? "''T'' '"■" •" f^e'-Sn'p^ on aiiu inisiaKe. 1 ne case was far othorwino with m « r%'.: .Ha*S '•( ' (*4 -^tl * '',.3 ^m ■>t^"" .*, »«e ^» «'■ •'"h- W«fe,'. „i„,.d J.u™ j u. hi, W«l^ ,.1. :„ix. p. 2«ir f: 5^^:#i-tlP6 V' »''^ *; r ' ■I'M % * I So, i^ 5 yJi %■ u- IM Tin LtfB OP f HB' RB?. OlfiRLBB WtlLlT. *r iV »• -' h^ ■.:•* s^^. my b^tlirnn niul rompnnion'ii »iake will I now nay, pcure he. within thee. l)erauM«( of th«' h ^ji%Lt.gifj *■,<• ' 'IH |h 8 ' '" ' 'Ih ^N- ■■■- ^-:iM h'- VIWU Of ffHm ■■▼. OBAKLSt WBtUTf* 1% iho hymn, a imir, tmmhiing oppoHcr InlNirad to kUerrupC the Wock ufUod, and draw off the iHsoplti'M atttHitioa: but on amm aa 1 b«jgan to rnad the hiatory of the pnHliffiil aon, hia coininiiuiion ended, ana he InA me to a quiet nuditMicn. Now the door waa oftened indeed For an hour and a half 1 Nhowml their aina and wanderinga from God, and invited them back to their Father'a houMe^ Aii^ Hurely he had coininiMaion on thtfm, incliniiif^ many hoarta to rJ^tUrtl. Ood, I plainly fomid, bud delivered them uito m^ hand. He filled my mouth with perauanive worda, and my heart with atrong deairca for their salvation. I concluded, and lM>gun again, teatifying my gootl will towurda them, which waa the aole end of my coming. BiSt if K henceforth aeo them no more, yet ia mv lalwr with my Uod. Th?y have heard worda whereby they may fwaaved; and many of them, I cannot doubt, will bo our crown of rejoicing in the great day. Several aeriouM peraona followed me to ftlr. Edwarda'a^S^iring to be admitted int<) our aociety. I told them, aa othera liefiTre, to come among ua firet for aome time, and ace how they liked it. We apcnt aome time together in conference, praiae, aiid pi^ayer. I am in no haate for a Ho-K I.-"'"'' "f ... ^! V J %<- ^toi'i^^^^r"*;^.,' ftr/j. „. y., it, f. i&ll'ifl!^! fl!;- ■;«i- vm uffB w vn ■•?. mtABut* #■»■▼. t:t * ;< of niMitntnm hitherto known !n thn kfnfrfnm, liml tirrnmfl a hcnly, (IwiiiMi iiimI inniniM>ntPn», ami in«inl»rn of thn Church, in the inton'NtK of oxiM'rirni'iitiij n-lii^ion, nnd in rhrlMtinn lov« nmi charity to on« luiothcr. A H«>|Mirntiou thon-forc, wiil innkc th«i hrrnrh wiil«r thnii flvwr: it will overturn the originiil ronittitution of Meth- imIimhi, nml toinjly itulivert the very npirit of it. Thin in my oiiin- ion will »K!of HenouM roiiMeout^ncr, not only to the Methodist* theiiH lelveM, but, to the nntion at inrfe.* The con'tnxion, however, had j^one forth: the plnj(ue wn« begun: a divirtion in the wx-iety of LeetU, hiid alrendy taken (dnee, and tho uiindM of many different RocietieN were greatly unnettled, by a few of the prencherM. Mr. Charlen Wesley waM niurh nfferted jvith thene priM'eedingH. llecouHidered the prenent atteni|itM to Meparato th«>Me of the |»eoplo from the Clhurch, who had Indongnd to bor.and the DiKAontdrH umouff them from their former eonnexionii, nn a imrtial evil only: but he looked forward to the eonHequeneeii, which would probably fidlow, when none were left to oppose them. While under thiSne painful exercinen of mind, the wordn of the Lord by the pronhct, often gave him comfort: •«! will liring tho third port through the ftre:'» He often preached from thcne worda in the journey we ore going to deitcrilm; and would often mention them to hiM friends in eonverHution, even to the cbwe of hia life, lie Hiiemed to expect, that when ho ond hiii brother were removed nence, trouhjeli^Quld ari?«e in the Hoeieties; but that, after vari6ua BtrugglcK, a thifll^fftirt would lie found to adhere to their original ealltng, and to the original simplicity of the Methodiata. SeptoinlKjr 17. He left HriHtol.and visited the wKMeties in Oloii- cesterHhire omi StaffordHhirc, every where confirming the breth^H in the truths of the gonpcl, and in thejr peculiar calling aa Meth<^ diHt«. On the 22d, he came to Nottingham, and spent the aftei<^ noon in taking down th6 names of those in the society, and con^ versing with them. He adds, " We rejoiced to meet once more, lifter so long a seiiarutiqn. My aubject both at night and in the morniny, was, * I will brih|j the third part througli the fire.* It wasa time of solemn rejoicing. There had been, twelve nnonths ago, ajgreat revival and increase of the society; but satan was beginning again to sow bis tares. My cominjf at this peason, I trust, will be the means of preventing a division." The bext day he came to Sheffield. " Here also," ho says, «• I delivered my own soul, and the people seemed awakened and alamied. I apakiO plainly and lovingly to the aociety, of continuing in the* Church: and though many of them vfrere Dissenters and predcHtinftrians, none were offended." It is probable thev understowl his moaning, and then there was no just cause of o^ence. By advising those who belonged to th<||p,Church, ta^ntinue in it, he advised the Dis- sentera to continue in their resnMbre meetings, Q& churches. His object was to cjissuade the menMKof the Methdilkaocietieafrom leaving their form er connexions, and uniting into a separate body, • Tliis 8uf)jeet ia here incidenUillY mentioned, as it gave rise to Mr Charles Wesley'h joarney through many of the soiucties thiai year. It will be considerea tnore at length, in the latter pan of the life of Mr. John Wesley. 'j 't- ifi* •*4, fe-i^r-^f' tm LWi w fin nnw, eMAiutf w€fi.lrf» In fining thin hit iiomi*tim< pliic«ii thinie ftirindd ih«« iiiilk ortn«« Mi'tliiHliMt MHrirtifM. PnMinK throiiKh lltintMlnt, thn U«>v. Mr. CriMik, ininiiit(*r of th« t linen, itioii|M'(l him hmiI took him to hiit hoiiMf. Uvr« h« inrt with }r. (/ockliurn, hiii tilil M'hiNil-rrlhiw ami fVienfl, who hint wnili>fl fi*r him nrnr ii w«t'k, to tiik» him to Vork. Mr. Wi'^lry nfM'ht n dulijfhiAil hour in ronvflmiition with thnm, fiill oflitV and zciil, iiimI .■inii|ilicitv, and thini wont on to Lifpdii. Suniliiy, S«)|it(MnlMHt'\uHl at Mtvi'n in th»» nMiriiinfr, th««n wnlkcil to ITuniRli't, ntu{ prcacht'ii fwiro for Mr. Crook; in th« uvtuiintf htt r»turnml to limMU, •nil pruached n fourth tinin to a vnry crowdiHl nudiencn. In thn iMwii'iy, hfl oliMitrvrM, '• I could H|M»iik of nothing hut h»vc?, for Tfrlt nothing dii«). (jrniit wan our rejoicing ovc>r «>iich othitr. Sntiin, 1 beliovff, hnii dono hiii wontt and will gut no further ndvnntngi> hy DxnNpcruting their MpiritM ngiiinKt th«Mr departed hrcthrt'U. They were unnnimouM to Htii^ in the Church, iMiciiUHe the Lord HtnyN in il, and multiplicR hin witnflHNOM therein. Monday the 37th, I hreuk- fiiMted with MiMn N., who wn» not ho evil-iiflected towiirdM lier lorMiiken hrethnni m I expected. Nothing cnn cyer bring nuch im Iter back, but the charitv which ho(M;th nil thingR, lienrcth all thingM, nndureth nil thingH.— I went to the Church-prnyerM, with neveral who have lieen hmg dealt with to fiuHake them utterly. They will ■tand the firmer, I hoiie, for tht^r nhnking." SepteitdMtr 28. " I Bet Out with Dr. C.ickbum, for York, nn) in conferring with idlSjomers. The doc- tor'8 house wan open to all, and hiir heart dtto: his whole detiiro being to spread the gOHpel." Octolwr 1. He met with a MiBs T;,;»nrne8tly seeking salvation; who had been awakened by readintf^heron and Aspasio, written by Mr. Hervey.—While at York, Mr. We«ley'H time wa^^fully occupied; not merely with preaching night and morning, and con- venting with the member^of the sociotv: but in attending persons of learning and choracter, who were deHirousof his company, to state their objections to the doctrines and economy of the Metho- dists, and to hear his answers. This day he spent an hour with Mr. D. and answered hi^ candid objectifmn. He had also an oji- portunity ofdefending his old friend Mr. Ingham. " It is hard," says he, "tinita man should be handed for his looks; for the aij- pearunce of M nism. Their spirit and practices, he nas as •utterly renounced as we have: their manner nnd phrase cannot m soon be shaken off."— Simplicity and goodness constantly met with his approbation: under whatever dress or form he saw them, they »'.^ WV 4 ^ « TNI UVI Of Tut UV. eilAILIt WMLlf, «lA ttlmrtcd hU nntirA nnil rnMiirrd hiM fVi»ti(iHhip. Hrll burn, iiiitl tbran mninhtn iiiinlitirii Hhoii« mi liriKht throiiich the llttlff •inKularitirM of hnr prtirfHuUm, thm hn hml Mw««t iVllowiiht|i with hffr. Ill' niliU, •« I it'mrvfl not thil ilm Kri(riill«Mi iV.im th«»ir flr.«i niinpliniy, (•niiiiiit nii'«lv« h«!r l(fMtiiiioiiy."~-'rhH« ii|Mfuk« Mr. WHMl«Mr of n woiiimi, who w«« n pulilin Utnchitr aiiiuritf thn Kri«Mi tiny warn M|H!iit in i»inffin|i;, coiifurviice, nml iirnycr. "I nttomlwl," Myn ho, "lb« «niir«-«»ervi«». The fHfopIo thoro wi»r« oinrvi'lloMNJy rivil, iiimI ohli^iMl nio with thi' nn- tboMi I lioMirtid, lliili. iii., n foiiNt for n kinj^, im Qucmm Anno cnllud it. The R«v. Mr. Williarnton wnlkoil with mo Co his bouso, In tbn fiico of tbo nun. I would hiivo Mparcil him, hut ho wni« <|uito oiiovo fonr. A pioux, NonMiblo Diiwontor clouvod to um nil iliiy, nnd acnompanimi uir to tbo preaching. I (liMoumod on my fnvorito HUhjflct, « I will hrinjf tbo thini imrt throui^h the flro.' Wo gloriHod iuh\ «4n tbo flro, and rojoicoil in ho|MJ id" coming forth iw gold. Sunday, Ontohor 8. From 6vo till nnur oight in tbo morning I talkod cloNoly with ouch of tbo Noeckonod mo. I Hteppod up into the pulpit, when no one expcctetl it, and cried to a full audience, 'The kingdom of Go t^SfiM»." JjLia^iiA ,*■ ■?^ "4"' ?pm tm tf tm ti^, AVAWMt WMLtf . W« pnaacd an ^,m wml « hnlf pn»flmt»lv, ihm^ mn •i«lV liarh Ift S. J roiiiiiiuiMi lilt our oVUn'k, in eonrt;rviK*e with iiijr worthy iVii'iiil BMlMUtyvAnhtntirt Mr. Cjriiii- •baw| II miiii itAt^r my iirhti(l to n inullitudii of MrriouN mohIh, who iniK«*rly rrcitivml our .ord'M Hiiyiiif, ' Look up, nntl liA up ypur hiuuiM,' Sitn Thfy •nooMMl hronirnwnkti, whrn I calb'il nKnin in thu morninfft Oaoliei, 9, • Watch y« ih«'ii'f«ir«>, iiimI prwy iilwiiyi*,' t*.v. Thinmnirit <|uii*k- «n«fil iiiiiid. W« linil NWciit iVIIowMhip toKfihrr. 1 hitvo no doubt. Iiut th«y will Iw countml worthy to «Mca|N>, niiil to NtniKl l>«- fori* the Sou of Mull. Ilciuriiiiii; to Ii(>«»(||i, | inrt my broih«r Whitf'tirjii, iiiitl wiiN iiiurh nflwer, both to awaken and to rii ia .flir the dim^iiiieH, that thcii «^ki I'tifi^.the raina deacend. I heal - ,, .,t4>f the wiPlf but I hearken after it, lew than formerly, and^&kc'nttlo notice of those, who wiy they receive comfort, or faith, or forgivqneaa. Let their fruita ahow lt.»» October 17. Ho came to Mr. GHinahaw'M, at Haworth, and waa greatly rcfroahed with the Mimplicity and zeal of the people. Here a young preacher in Mr. Ingham'a connexion came to apeod the evening with him. " I frund g-ent love for him," aaya Nlr. Wea- ley, " and winheil nil our aona -p the gospel, were equally modeat and diacroBt." He waa now inor». f|.||v informed of the atate of the people iu aeveral aocieiie. ■^t» r> .Hkk: &%^^nw''<^<$^ !«%,•. A-.j'iiA.f: Wi^ Hbc riiurrh of I'lnvUmi, by atmm of ikft f if p ig^f i ^ iMir mtnJl had Itrrti un»riil«' every mtiurrf cltmn walking with (JtMl, lii all thit lUHnHianilnio mii an4 ordtwn- cM} «a|N>riall^ rnidinK lh« woni, aiul prayer, privalt, Amilly, aiMl l^uhlic. 4. 'I hat th« |irln('ir rnlliiitf, anil prnaervq thtitn agaiiiat a«t(lurr*ra; and Ini loilgvd in ov«'ry rttniily." H« i|iiw ael out for Lnnraahirr*, arconipaniiHl by %[» «eaU)iif fVl«'nd Mr. (•riniHlmw. 'I'fti'y rfiirh«d Miinrh«'*H'r «n th« 'iOtb. Tlicv fouiUl tho a(H!i«ty in a low, divided Mtuti>, and reduced nwarly one half. "I make nNire allowance,** aaya Mr.' Wealey, •« IW thia fionr Nhiihcrcd wK-ioty, lie<*«ui«' th««v have In'en iM^glcrted, If not anuMod, by our im'ucliera. I'ho lendcra (ktairt'd nie not to let 3, T. convn aiiion|( them aKnin, for he did them aiore harm than food, by talking ill biM witiy wny ntfn'nNt theX^hurrh mid clergy. Aa for |N»or J. If. he could not ndv iM' tiicm to go to church, lMu-au<««> he never wiint hiniineir. Hutaomo informed me, that he advined them not to go. K I talked with the IciulcrH, and cnrncMtly prcHMcd tfioni to aet an isx» ^ nijuth to the flock, by walking in all the coniniandmcnta and orSf^ nalloaa. 4-wroto my thougbu to m^ brother, aa Tollowa. * A#; Waiker'a letter* deMcrven to lie Merionaly coiiiddered. One onHr thjng occura to me now, which might prevent in a great ni#B«ur# th^ miachiefa which will prolmbly etiau« aAer our death: and thi^ la, greater, mufb greiitcr- dclilieratioii ntid care in adniattin# 4M'encherN. Conaidcr avrioualy, if we have not lit^en too eaay antf oo haaty in ihia matter. Let u« pray God to show ua, if thia haa not lnM-n the priiicip^J cnuMC, why «o many of our preachera have Innicntubly niiwMtrriud* Ought uny new preacher to lye received before we know that he ia grounded, not only in the doctrinea we tench, but in the diK/-iplinealHo, and particularly in the communion of the Church of Knglund? If wo do not intiiat on that «:«vy»it for our dcMdate motlier, aa a prorequibito, yet ahouUl we not be well aKMured that ahe cundidat«* iH no'cncm'y to the Church.' I met the HiH'icty in cidifi love, and exhorted them to stand faat in one mind and one gmrit;,fn iHe old patha, or wova of Gml'a appointing. Henceforth th^y will not beiiteae every iplrit. The Lord atabliali their hearta with grace." October 98. He bre«kfa8terk. He saw, however, that under various pretences, the preachers would finally prevail, ^d obtain their purpose, though not during the life of his brother. ' Ho was still comforted with the hope, that whenever such an event should take place,, there would be found, perhaps, a third part of the people in thef societies who would have judgment and virtue enmigh left to withstand it, and continue a connexion on the origi- nal^lan. How far his expectations will be realized, time must discover. November 1, Mr.- Wesley left Manchester, and on the 6th came safe to his friends at Bristol. This, I believe, was the last journey he ever tpok through any considerable part of the kingdom. _ He afterwards divided nis labors chiefly between London and Bristol, and continued to preach till within a short time of his death. Many conjectures have been made concerning the reasuus which induced CM *. ^ A-t^ jit ir**" m '4 »■«■."»■ fs. ^1 ■08 TBI LtfB 69 Tlfk fcMV. OHAELBB WBtLKT. Kim to deflist from travelling, and from taking the sameactive pan in the government ofthe societies which l^fore he had done. ¥^ot JmfTr./ ''•/i"'" r"-'''' »'i« conduct, in thin ,i,«,M;ct, to u Iosh of zeal, and true vital rel.g.on; and I confess that I wai once of that opinion «J « 11* Tu *'"''® ^^". n"*"^ perfectly informed, and better acquaint- will throw some light on this mattej^ 1. His determined opposi- tion against all attempts to unite tm members of the Methodist societies into an independent body, made the leading preachers, who wished It, his enemies. 2. tfis avowed opinion' t^hat maS preachers were admitted into the connexion, Ja itinerants, who wft^ thoV^"*'^^ ^^u'^l*' station, united all of this description npnnll tL?ir^'/.K*"? Hi^ '?f^^^^^ endeavored to persuade the people that Mr. Charles Wesley was an enemy to all lav-nreacherft and no friend to Methodism itself: nor were persons waEi who whispered these things Jnto the ears of Mr. Ijohn wIXy, fo p,;! judice his mind against his brother. Mr. Charles being fully aware of all thjs, and wishing to avoid a low and illiberal opposition, and ft K ^r^?"*"?"' "^'^^^^^nt difference with his brother, thoCht winf n^fnir ^'''"' ^ ""T"'!! '" .^*»'«*» *" »»'« ^""^^ anil actiSn^ were artfully misconstrued and misrepresented, and from having ^ f"y«hfein the government of the societies, Which he saw, 2? cv""ttt fnT* ""^ «PPff aching towards a system o? human pot icy, that m the end could not be carried on without sometiinea tehfZ'" *^*»»^r« «f ^'-^presentation Td de^p^^^^ mask of^I?^on"fh '" f P^""""-'' ^""^ ^'^^^ P™«?««1 «nder the «n?1 Si continued, however, firmly attached to Je Methodists and labored by every means which his situation Would wrmit to avert the evils he feared, and to promote the goodTthe'Sties He never lost sight of any attempts to detach the pfeop e f^'S former connexions, and unite tllem into an indeSem KSdJ and n.ln'rt^JP'*'^^- '**"'" ""^^ «"**>« influenceX'^aT ras he published his testimony on this subject in the following word^^^^^ H LLT^^*^ *^""^ '".^"'>'» *° add'my testimonyhto myrith;r'8 His twelve reasons against our ever separating fr^Ci the Chureh of Endand, are mine also. I subscribe to then? with all mv heart expeaient nor lawful for me to separate. And I never had th^ leas inclination or temptation so to do. My affection for Sp church IS as strong as ever: and I clearly see m^r cfLL no- wh Jh termii:Sto"l*';£'^^"J!:?'*'"'^^^^ f^*oi° «' "® ^^"^ heing my helper. »» «» uc- In 1786, after Mr. John Wesley had been nrevailed unon t« antes:!;, ""^ *»»« P;«a«hf rs, he republished "hSetesCny bJotK^'cSnduT fe^^%™««l™yi^«ddisapprobatirra Vruiner s conduct. Yet he still continued to preach in the ftnoiAtiPo ^Cnik^u"^ correspnd with his brotherrn^only on m^tlSS BUDjecis. m a letter to his brother, dated Anril ft I7ft7 hL^u yi^ $ I'i'f' m 1 ' \ I -•; ^..'.^'J..--.- '■- ■: ^^^ ' ■'*"* /;.i^S^ ^^^..WiW^^k^^ 'A mMik^ Pif THE LIVB OV THE BBT. ORAmLSB WK8I.BT. 900 Next Saturday I propose to sleep in your bed. S. B. and I shall not disagree. ,.«. , 1 1 «* Stand to your own proposal : * Let us agree to difler.' 1 leave America and Scotland to your latest thoujjhts and recognitions: only observing now that you are exactly right :' He did nothmg before he asked nie.' 'True, he asked your leave to ordain two more preachers, before he ordained them: but while your answer was coining to prohibit him, he took care to ordain them both. Therefore, his asking you was a mei% compliment. This 1 should not mention, but out of concern for your authority. Keep it while you live; and, after your death, detur digniort—or rather, rftgnt- orifttM.*— You cannot settle the^ccession : you cannot divine how God will settle it. Have the people of given you leave to die E A. P. J.? " t ■ In this letter, speaking of genius, he observes, "1 never knew a genius that came to good. What can be the reason ? Are they as premature in evil as in good; or do their superior talents overset themf Must every man of a superior understanding lean to, and trust and pride himself in itP—I never envied a man of great parts: I never wished a friend of mine possessed of them. "Poor J. H.! What has genius done for him? ruined his for- tune, and ruined his body. Last night I heard he was dying of a putrid fever. We prayed for him at the table: but I know not whether he is alive or dead. His sickness was sent to prepare him either for Paradise, or fot orders. Such a messenger may perhaps take Samuel or Charles, from the evil. I never sought great things for them; or greater for myself, than that 1 may escape to land— on a broken piece of the ship. It is my daily and hourly prayer, that I may escape safe to land— and that an entrance may be min- istered to you abundantly, into the everlasting kingdom of Jesus Christ." . , , /.u i.u Mr. Charles Wesley had a weak body, and a poor state of health, durin" the greatest part of his life. I believe he laid the foundation of botli, at Oxford J by too close application to study, and abstinence from food. He rode much on horseback, which probably contri- buted to lengthen out life to a good old age. I visited hini several times in his last sickness, and his body was indeed reduced to the most extreme state of weakness. He possessed that state of mind which he had been always pleased to see in others— unaffected humility, and holy resignation to the will of God, He had no transports of joy, but solid hope and unshaken confidence in Christ, which kept his mind in perfect peace. A few days before his death he composed the following lines. Having been Silent and quiet for some time, he called Mrs. Wesley to him, and bid her write as he dictated; • Let it be given to one more worthy ; or rather, in the plural, to those who are more worthy of it. He speaks ironically of these worthies, who aimed at the supreme power in the societies, o*er the head of his brother. t BeeUiiai AngUearue Preabyter Johannes. John, Presbyter of the Chnrcb of England. Thi s s ignature, I believe, Mr . John We sl ey a ometimea uacd la ID* England. — Thi s s ilgnature, I believe, Mr . Joni •axvi part of life, when writing to his brother. ..^^ •>s'd y H Wt. : F'' h tb'- ■ '^. "*■' l|vSf Wj^i •10 THK X.IVK or TBI HEV. CHARLCB WESLEY. ♦ ^In Qge and feebleness extreme, • Who shall B sinAil worm redeem 7 Jesus, my onJy hoim thou art, Strength of my failiiitf flesh and heart} O ! could I catch a smile from thee, And drop into eternity ! " He died March 29, 1788, aged seventy-nine years and three months; and was buried, April 5, in Mary bone chGrch-yard, at his CWhT VnT^/^'n'^T «"WT'"^ ^^ ^'«*»' clersr/men'of the Chtjrch of Englan"^"-,f ^'- ^'^^If^ WesleraTdlline^ted we «e^artJ1ndi^^^^^ ""r" «?!>«*•• evident, that the Methodists fulnS^ Rt th« w r *** ^*™ ^^^'J*'? unwearied labors and great use- ^^IfT the first formation of the societies, when every steo was attended with ditfculty and danger.* And beinldSd he l^e? %%-4 irza^E" 'TT' X^^ *s f >- - fl" p. ^'A ^ E« r ^ fc' m^ 3^ f S' ^v:»"r^r^. THV Wr* or THE lUSy. CI|A«L»»,WJWI.«f til bv«- Bponketh, by bh numerous and excellent bymfP. written, for th* U8e of the 8<.cieties, whicb still contlnao to be/he nieons x)f daily edification and comfort to thousand^ It has been pro^wsed to publish a volume of seruHins, Helected from his inanus^ripts, lor the benefit of his widow: if this should be done, U is hoped the Methodists will snow their gratitude to his iriemory, anrt that tney are not unworthy of the benefits they have received froibbmi. His lively turn of thought did not leave him m his oia age, as the following laies will testify. ^ / | THE MAN OF FASHION. . irri■ Custom pursues, his only* jftile, , And lives an ape, and die^ a fod I Had Mr. Charles Wesley engaged in the higjief walKs of verse there is no doubt but he would have b^en estoetned a considerable poet, even by those who now despise his hymns. He chose the iost excellent way-the writing oflhymns for the instruction and edification of the many, rather th^n devote all his life mat- tempts to please the fancy of the few. ^^ome of his hynms are cer- tainly among the best pieces in that species of composition. 1 he following hymn has, through mistake, beei^ attributed to bifl brother. | . \ ' ♦ , Vrittenq/ler a Ktot | y^ « Ye simple souls that stray , Far firbm the path of peace, i « (That unfrequented way To life and happijiess ;) How long will ye your folly love And throng tne downward ror And hate the wisdom from above — And mock the sbns of God? - i • vl • iSfl ^Bf ' \\ tit / / c^ "(v tpni Lirit or THB lBT.OHAKLItWlMI.linr* Madness and misnrT Yd count our life beneath t And nothing great can see. Or glorious in our death i As born to suffer and lo grieve, ^ Beneatli your feet we lie, And utterly contemn 'd we live, And unlainentcd die. Poor pensive sojournei^, O'crwhelrri'il with griefs and Perplex'd with needless fears, .And pleasure's mortal foes { More irksome, ihon a gaping tomb Our sight Ye cannot bear, Wrapt in the melancholy gloom or fanciful despair. So wretched atld obscure, The men whom you despise, So foolish, weak, and poor, Above your scorn we rise : Our conscience in the Holy Ghost, Can witness better things; For he whose blood is all our boast, • Hath made us priests and kings. Riches unsearchable - In Jesus' love we know, And oleasures from the well Of life, our souls o'erflow; From him the spirit we receive. Of wisdom, grace, and power ; And alway sorrowful we live, Rejoicing evermore. ^ Angels our servants are, , And keep in all our ways. And in their hands they beiv The sacred sons of grace : Our guardians to that heavenly bliss, They all our steps attend. And God himself our Father i^ And Jesus is obr Fnehd. ■ , s . ' J With him we walk in white, . We in his image shine, Our robes are robes of light. Our righteousness divine r , On all the grov'ling kings of ( With pity we look down. And claim, in virtue ef' our i A never-fading c|!x(wn." •A th, Mr. Charles Wesley wrote shoi-t h?>6n8 on the most impomni ^ages .n the Old and New tes&em; In these hrhTex- en^^ and Ely"; «° .^^^r^^^'^^o^trines of the gospel, with I " IV kingdom qf heaven is Hke adrmn, qfmuik^ud." Matt. xiiL 31. " A grain of grace/inay we not see \, Thisnioment, andtheneita tree? Or mtuf we pat' ' ' r-;^£ntly attend, To find the pi^ecious seed ascend 7 'MAy hi! VMS uvs or turn b»t* QK^aiai wifUirt tit Oar Lofd decltras it «MHl b« M I And strikinK deep our root, we grow, And lower «ink, and higher riae, Till Christ transplant ut to the skies." The following comment on a much disputed panage showa humanity and benevolence* " To marrow ihait thou ond thy torn b* with me." 1 Sam. zzTiii. It. *' What do these solemn words portend 7 Agleam of hope when life shall end : * Thou an^ thy sons, though slain, shall be s To-morrow in repose with me I ' Not in a state ot hellish pain, If Saul with Samuel doth remain, Not in a state of damn'd despaii, If loving Jonathan be there.'* \ ' V ... ffc- ..' t^ u ,■ ^^rpi^^^f-j^s^ ^ / •*S^' / .**^ ^^^ph^:':f ■. \ BOOK SECOND. CHAPTER I. / GIVING BOMB ACOOVMT Or MR. JOHIT WB8LBT, FBOM BIS BIBTH , TO THB TBAB 1739. Whbn we view Mr. Wesley rising into pu^ic notice, from the bosom of a family which had long been venerable for christian knowledge and piety, the mind feels a degree of prepossession in his favor, and our expectation is raised of something great and good from him^ As we proceed to examine his education, and the principles kstilled into his mind, at an early period of life, we shall see a solid foundation laid of sound knowledge and gen- uine piety. But that every one may judge for himself m this mat- ter, 1 shall endeavor to trace, step by step, the circumstances of his early life, during the period mentioned in this chapter. He was a second son of Samuel and Susannah Wesley, and bom at Epworth in Lincolnshire, on the 17th of June, 1708, O. S. There has indeed been some variation in the accounts given of his a^e by (Mprent persons of the fayiilyj but the certificate of it, sent him by ffils father a little before he was ordained priest, to satisfy the bishop of his ag^, puts the mitter beyond a doubt.' The origi- i/hl lies before me, and the following is a faithful copy. ,^ ,„ , „ "Epworthy August ^9, 1798. "John Wesley, M. A., Fellow of Lincofh College, was twenty- five years old the 17th of June last, having been baptized a few hours after his birth, by me, ~ . " Samuel Weslby, Rector of Epworth.»» When he was nearlv six years old, a calamity happened which threatened the whole family with destruction, and him in particu- lar; his parents for a short time believing, that he was actually consuming in the flames of their house. But his mother's letter to the Rev. Mr. Hoole, will be the best account of this matter. It is dated August 34, 1709, and is as follows. " Rev. Sir, — My master is much concerned that he was so un- happy as to miss of seeing you at Epworth; and he is not a little troubled that the great hurry of busmess about building his house will not afford him leisure to write. He has therefore ordered mo to satisfy your desire as well as 1 can, which I shall do by a simple relation of matters of fact, though I cannot at this distance of time recollect every calamitous circumstance that attended our strange reverse of fortune. On Wednesday night, February the 9th, be- v-1 -^^^^tda^cii^ ^alr^t^ 'V •16 .1 'fe-' * I ^■'^ISi. ; ^. ::i- i!^i TBI Lira or THli BIT. JOHM WBtLBT. Atween the houni ofelnven and twelvo, our hoiiM took firo, liy wlm\ accident Got! only knowi. It wh« diacovorod by Moirie M|mrkH full' ing from tlio roof U|H)n ii l»ed where one of the*chil and bid me and my two eld- „ *. est daughtera rine quickly and ahift for our Uvea, the house being' ii all on fire. Then he run ond burst open the nurMcry door, and y,;!>.- culled|^he maid to bring out the children. The two little onea.t ' "^^ lay in the bed .with her; the three othera in another bed. She >. anatched up the youngest, and bid the rest follow, which they did, except Jackey. When we were got into the hall, and saw our- selves surrounded with flames, and that the roof was on the iMiint of falling, wo considered ourselves inevitably lost, as IVfr. Wes- ley in his fright hud forgot the keys of the doors above stairs. But he ventured up stairs once more, and recovered them^ ainiliute be- fore the stair-case took fire. When wo opened the stre'eploor, the strong north-east wind drove the flames in with such^ violence, that none could stand against them: Mr. Wesley, only, had such Cresjence of tnlnd as to tnink of the garden-door, out of which he elpedsome of the children; the rest got through the windows. I was not in a condition to climb up to the windows » nor could I/g6t to the garden door. I endeavored three times to* force my passage the street door, but was as often beat back by the fury of the flames. In this distress I besought our blessed Saviour to pre- serve me, if it were'his will, from that death, and then waded through the fire, naked as I wa^,, which did me h6 farther harm than a little scorching my hands ohd face. " WhHe Mr. Wesley was carrykg the children ii\to^|be garden he heajn the child in the nursery cty out miserably fo#'h'elp, which extremely affected him; but Itis affliction was much increased, when he had several times attempted the stairs then on fire, and found they would not bear his weight. Finding.it was impossible to get near him, he gave him up for lost, and kneeling down he conimended his soul to God, and left him, as he thought, perish- ing in the flames. But the boy seeing none come to his help, and bemg frightened, the chamber and bed being on fire, he climbed up to the casement, where he was soon perceived by the men in the yard, who immediately §ot up and pulled him out, just in the article of time .that the roof fell m, and beat the chamber to the ground. Thus, by the infinite mercy of Almighty God, our lives were allbreserved by little less than a miracle, for there passed but a few minutes be- tween the first alarnf of fire, and the falling of the house;*' Mr. John Wesley's account of what happened to himself, varies ' a little front! this relation given by his mother. " I believe." ^ o imii^ luio rciauuii j^iveii uy nis moiner. •• i peneve,'* says ^ - it was iust at that time (when they thought they heard him ^erv) I waked: for I did not cry, as they irfiagined, unless it was afterwards. I remember all the circumstances as distinctly as S-i- f^i f -V ■■ yf" 'hMi'i ' THB Liri Of THI ■■?. jrOHM WltLlft fl7 though it were but yeittnrfiny. Seeing the room wu very light, I culled to the ninid to tuko me up. Hut none nniiwering, I put my houd out of thp rurtaiiiH, and muw Mtn-akit of rtrw on the top of the room. I got up and run to thi- door, but couhl g«t no (\irth«r, nil ihft floor iM'Vond it ticin^ in a blaze. I then climlMjd upon a choHt which stood iioar the? window: one in the yard Naw me, and pro- poned running to frtch a hulder. Another answered, ♦ there will not lie time: but I have thought of another expedient. Here I will fix myHolf againnt the wall: lif\ a light man, and Het him on my Hhoulders.' They did ho, and he took me out of the window. JuhI tiMMi the roof f««||; but it fell inward, or we had all lieen cruithcd at once. When they brought me into the houHe where my father WaH, he cried out, • Come, neighbors ! let ua kneel down Net uh give thanks to God! Ho has given me all my eight children: let the house go, I am rich enough !* " " The next dov, om \w was walking in the garden, and surveying the ruins of the houMe, he picked up part of a leaf of his Polyglot Bible, on which just those words were legible. « Fade; vende omnia qua habea, et attoUe erucem^ et aemtere me. Go: sell all that thou hast; and take up thy cross and follow me.' ♦'• The peculiar danger anil wonderful^ eHca|>e of this child, ex- cited a good deal of attentiecially among the friends and relations of the family. His brother Sam- uel, lieing then at Westminster, writes to his mother on this occa- sion in the following words, complaining that they o nil di^votml to thy ii<>rvioR. And I do intend to \m moro partirularly ciiritful of th» houI of thifl child, that thou hant BO mercifully providml for, than ^vor I hav» lienn; that I may do my endeavor to inittil into hin mind the principlnn of thy true rii to giv« a iMiiituituI ami I'logiiiU «lr«"v, to vrrmm iiit(>iiend on any befor« it comes. However, I shall be obliWt ^o you if you will tell me, as near as you can, how soon my ffhcio is ex|)ected in Knglaml,* and my mother in London." "Since you have a mind to see some of my verses, I have sent you some, which employed me above an hour yesterday in the. af- ternoon. There is one, and I am afraid but ono good thing in them, that is, they are short. | Fromtht Latin. • '^Aa o'er fair Clioe't rosy cheek, -'' - Careless a linle vagrunt pass'd, ,With artful hand around his neck " ■ • ' A slender chain the virgin cast. As Juno near her throne above, ^ Her spangled bird delights to see I ,' As Venus has her fav'rite dove. , Clo< ' I Itr ■&.., .. TRi LirS or THE BBV. JOHK WCBLBT. ^ /^ Cloe, your artful bands undo, \ Nor for your captive's safety fear J - No artful bands are needful now To lieep the willing vagrant here. Whil'Rt on that heav'n 't is giv'n to stay, (Who would not wish to be so blest,) No force can draw him once away. Till death shall seizp. his desin'd breast." •Towards the close of this year, Mr. Wesley began to^hink of entering into deacon's orders; and this lead him to reflect on the importance of the ministerial^office, the motives of entering into it, and the necessary qualifications for it. On examining the step he intended to take, through all its consequences to himself and others, it appeared of the greatest magnitude, and made so deep an im- pression on his mind, that he became more serious than usual, and applied himself with more attention to subjects of divinity. Some doubts arising in his mind on the motives which ought to influence a man in taking holy orders, he proposed them to his father, with a frankness that does great credit to the integrity of his Heart. His father's answer is dated the 26th of January, 1725. "As to what you mention of entering into holy orders^ h is indeed a great work, and I am pleased to find you think it so. As to the motives you take noticeof, my thoughts are; if it is no harm to desire get- ting into that ofliee, even as Eli's sons, to eat apiece of bread; yet certainly a desire and intention to lead a stricter life, and a belief tliat one should do so, is a better reason; though this should, by all means, be begun before, or ten to one it will deceive us afterwards. But if a man DC unwilling and Undesirous to enter into orders, it is easy to guess whether he can say so much as, with common hon- esty, that he trusts he is ' moved to it by the Holy Ghost.' But the principal spring and motive, to which all the ^former should be only seconaary, must certainly be the glory of God, and the service of his Church in the edification of our neighbor. And woe to hiin who, with any meaner leading view, attempts so sacred a work." He then mentions the qualifications necessary for holy orders, and answers a question which his son asked. "Vou ask me (vhich is the best commentary on the Bible .^ I answer the Bible itself. For the several paraphrases and translations of it in the Polyglot j^ com- pared with the original, and with one another, are, in my opinion, to an honest, devout, industrious, and humble man, infinitely pre- ferable to any comment I ever saw. But Grotius is the best, for the most part^ especially on the Old Testament." He then hints to his son, that he thought it too soon for him to take orders; and encourages him to work and write while he could. "You see," says he, " time has shaken me by the hand; and death is but a little behind him. My eyes and heart are now almost all I have left; and I bless God for them." <^ His mother wrote to him in February on the same subject, and seemed desirous that he should enter into orders as soon as pos- sible. " I think," says she, ** the sooner you' are a deacon the better, because it may be an inducement to greater application in the study of practical divinity, which of all' oth e r stUdi e a I humbly ^m,;^?^mws^^^ V.' Ir^l .-i&rt4 jtBB Lira or THB MT. JOHH WULBT, "^i r> ^ conceive to be t)ie best for candidates for orders." His mother waa remarkable for taking every opportunity to impress a serious sense of religion on the minds of her children; and she was too watcbral to let the present occasion slip without improvement. *' The al- teration of your temper," says she, in the same letter, " has occa- sioned me mjch speculation. I, who am apt to be sanguine, hope it may proceed from the operations of God's Holy .Spirit, that, oy taking off your relish for earthly enjoyments, he may prepare and dispose your mind for a more serious and close application to things of a more sublime and spiritual nature. If it be so, happy are you if you cherish those dispositions; and now, in good earnest, resolve to make religion the business of your life; tor, afler all, that is the one thing that, strictly speaking, is necessary : all things beside are comparatively little to the purpose of life. I heartily wish you would now enter upon a strict examination of yourself, ' that you may kpow whether you have a reasonable hope of salva- tion by Jesus Christ. If you have, the satisfaction of knowing it will abundantly reward your pains: if vou have not)>you will find a more reasonable occasion for tears, tnan can be met with in a tragedy. This matter deserves great consideration by all« but es- pecially by those designed for the ministry; who ought above all things to make their own calling and election sure, lest after they have preached to others, they themselves should lie cast away." These advices and exhortations of his parents ha^ a proper in- fluence on his mind. He began to apply himself with diligence t6 the study of divinity in his leisure hours, and became jtnore de- sirous of entering into orders. He wrote twice to his father on this -subject. His father answered him in March, and informed him that he had changed his mind, and wasthen inclined that he should take Orders that summer: " But in the first place," says he, «*if you love yourself or me, pray heartily." .Thie books which, in the course of his reading this sumVner, bie- fore his ordination, had the greatest influence both on his iqdgment and affections, were Thomas a Kempis and ' Bishop ^Taylor's Rules of Holy Living and E^ing. Not that he implicitly received every thing they taught; but they roused his attention to the spirit and tendency of the Christian religion, and thoroughly convinced him that its influence over the heart and life is much more exten- sive than he had before ilniiigined. " He began to see that true re- ligion is seated in the heart, and that God's Taw extends to all our thoughts as well as words and actions."* He was however, very angry at Kempis for being too strict^ though he then read him only in Dean Stanhope's translation, t We cannot but remark here a singular feature in Mr. Wesley's character; that contrary to the disposition of most young men of twenty-two, who have been edu- cated in the habits of study, be was diffident of his own judgment till he had heard the opinion of others; and this disposition is more or less visible through the whole of his life. On this occasion he consulted his parents, stated his objections to some things in Kempis, and asked their opinion. His letter is dated May S9. «I wat ^ * Wesley^ Works, toI. ixvi. p. 274. tibid. Ej iSt 19« '^n m ■t^- kf^'-'- . iff J*- ..I ife "\ I m tiTB or THi jiB>r. yoitf wbblbt. /: lately advised," says be, "to read Thomag a Kempis over, which I had frequently seen, but never much looked into before. I think he must havf been-a person of ffreat piety and devotion; but it is my misfortune to differ from him in some of his main points. 1 cannot think that when God sent us into the world, he had irrever- sibly decreed that we should be perpetually miserable in it. If oui ' taking up the cross imply our bidding adieu to all joy and satisfac- tion, how is it reconcilable with what Solomon expressly affirms of religion, «That her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all hei paths are peace'? Another of his tenets is, that all mirth or pleas- ure is useless, if not sinful — and that nothing is an affliction to a good man; that he ought ito thank God even for sending him misery. This, in nriy opinion, is contrary to God's design in afflibting us: for though he chasteneth those whom he loveth, yet it is in order to humble them. I hope when you have time, you will give me your thoughts on these subjects, and set me right if I am mis- taken." His mother's letter in answer to this is dated June the 8th, in which she makes many judicious observations on the points he had mentioned. Among other things, she says, « I take Kempis to have been an honest, weak man, that had more zeal than knowledge, by his condemning all mirth or pleasure, as sinful or useless, in oppo- sition to so many direct and plain texts of Scripture. Would you judge of the lawfulness or unlawfulness of pleasure? of the inno- cence or malignity of actions? take this rule;— Whatever weakens your reason, iinpairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures yoijr sense of God, or takes off the relish of spiritual things; in . short, whatever increases the strength and authori^ of your body over your mind; that thing is sin to you, however innocent it may be in itself." ^ His father's letter is dated July 14. "As for Thomas a Kempis," says he, « all the world are apt to strain either on one side or the other: but, for all that, mortification is still an indispen- sable christian dutv. The world is a Syren, and we must have a Jare of her: and if the young man will rejoice in his youth, yet let him take care that Bis joys be innocent; and, in order to this, re- member, that for all these Mtng** God will bring him into judg- ment. I have only this to add of my friend and old companion, that, making some ^ains of allowance, he may be read to great ad- vantage; na]^ that It is almost impossible to peruse him seriously without admiring, and I think in some measure imitating his heroic strains ofhumility, piety, and devotion.. But I reckon you have, before this, received your mother's letter, who has leisure to bolt the matter to the bran."* / Perceiving the ffood effects of consulting his parents, and that his mother in particular took a pleasure in discussing at large the sub- jects he proposed to her, he consulted her in a letter dated June the 18th, on some things he haltenet with in Bishop Taylor. "You have so well sat isfied me," says he, "as to the tenets of Thomas a 8 0, sat bat th e ongiaal o f hwfaUie f 's aud a cop y of hia tnother'siare before roe. ^ J _ __: 1 f^ ,f • nn LIFl OP TVS KBT. JOmi WBSLiT» 931 Kempis^ that I have ventured to trouble you once more on a more dubiouii subject. I have henrd one I take to be a perron of good judgment Hay, that »he would advise no one very joung, to read Dr. Taylor on Living and Dying. She added, that he al- most put her out of her senses when she was fifteen or sixteen years old^ because he seemed to exclude all from being in a way of salvation who did not come up to his rules, some of which are altogether impracticable. A fear of being tedious will nrake me con- fine myself to one or two instances, in which I am doubtful; though several others might be produced of almost equal consequenc^." He then states several particulars ivhich fiishop Taylor makes necessary parts of humility and repentance; one of which, in re- ference to humility, is, that, ^ We must be sure, in some sense or other, to think ourselves the worst in every company where we come.' And in treating of repentance he says, 'Whether God ' has forgiven us or no, we know not, therefore be sorrowful for ever having sinned.' "-^«« I take the more notice of this last sentence," aays Mr. Wesley, " because it seemd to contradict his own words in the next section, where he says, that by the Lord's Supper all the members are united to one another, and to Christ the Head. The Holy Ghost confers on us the graces necessary for^ and our souls receive the seedsT of, an immortal nature. Now surely these graces are not of so little force as that we cannot perceive whether^ we have them or not; if we^well in Christ and Cnrist in us, which 'he will not do unless we are regenerate, certainly we must be sensi- ble of it. If we can never have any certainty of our being in si state of salvation, good reason it i8,Nthat every mom'ent should be spent, not in joy, but in fear and trembling; and then undoubtedly, in this life, we are of all men most miserable. God deliver us from such a fearful expectation as this. Humility is undoubtedly necee sary to salvation; and if all these things are essential to humility, who can be humble ? who can be saved ?" His mother's answer is dated July 21 . She observes, that though she had a great deal of business, was infirm, and but slow of un- derstanding, ^et it was a ^eat pleasure to corriespond with him on religious subjects, and if it might be of the least advantage to him^ she should greatly rejoice. She then tells him, that what Dr. Taylor calls humility is not the virtue itself, but the accidental ef- fects of it, which may in some instances, and must in others, be separated from it. She then proceeds to state her own idea of bu- mili^. " Humility is the mean between pride, or an overvaluing our- selves on one side, and a base abject temper on the other, ft cori- iists in an habitual disposition to think meanly of ourselves; which •disposition is wrought in us by a true knowledge of God; his su- preme essential glory, his absolute immense perfection of being; and a just sense of our dependence upon him, and past offences against him; together with a consciousness of our present infir- nities and frailties," fiic«, &c. This correspondence would undoubtedly tend very much to im- yrove«> young a man as Mr! Wesley then waa. It cng ngftd hin^ m ayose and eritical examina^on of the authors he was reading. 't'A Si ■•^eat ■ .i^". *^(* A^s^fii*,. w- »1 . ~* ' a' • . I v;!!. ':' ' m fHB Xirs or THK BIT. lOHM WISLET. mnd fixed the subjects on his mind. It is indeed eyidMt, that Dr. laylor»s work hot only affected his heart, but engaged him in the Oursuit offurthei' knowledge of subjects so interesting to his hap- Siness. He therefore answered his mother's letter on the aOth of uly; and both this letter and the answer to it are worthy of being preserved; the one as a specimen of his manner of reasoning at this early period of life; and the other, as it affords some excellent practical observations. But a^ they are too long to be inserted here, I shall only present the reader with an «xtract from each, which I hope he will not think tedious. ^"You have much obliged me," says Mr. Wesley, ♦«by your thought? on-Dr. Taylor, especially with respect to humidity, which is^p point he does not seem to me sufficiently to clear. As to abso- lute humility, consisting in a mean opinion of Ourselves, considered with respectjo God alone, I can readily join withliis opinion. But I am more uncertain as tQ comparative, if I may so term it; and think some plausible reasons may be alleged to show, it is not in our power, and consequently not a virtue, to think ourselves the - worst in every company. ' « We have so invincible ancflttachiiient to truih already perceived, that It IS impossible for us to disbelieve it. A distinct perce'ptioh commands our assent, and the will is under a moral necessity of yielding to It. It Is not therefore in every cat* a matter of choice, whether we will believe ourselves worse than our neighbor, or no- since we-way distinctly perceive the truth of this proposition, He M wbrse than I; and then the judgment is nut free. One, for ih- stance, who Is m company with a free-thinker, or other person si^gnally debauched in faith and practice, cannot avoid knowing himself to be the better of the two; these propositions extorting our assent; an atheist is worse than a believer; a man who endeavors to please God is better than he who defies him. " If a true knowledge of God be necessary to absolute humility, a true knowledge of our neighbor should be nectssary to compara- tive. But to judge one's self the worst.of all men, implies a want of. such knowledge. No knowledge can be, where there is not -certain evidence; which we haye not, whether we compare our- selves with our^ acquaintance, or strangers. : In the orie case we have only imperfect evidence, unless we can see through the heart* in the other, we have none at all. ^ ** Again, this kind of humility can never be well-pl6asing to God, since It does not flow from faith, without which it is impossible to please him. Faith is a species of belief, and belief is defined an assent to a proposition upon reasonable grounds. Without rational grounds there is.therefore no belief, and consequently no faith. > « Thaj we can never be so certain of the pardon of our sins, as to be assured they will never rise up against us, I firmly believe. We know that they will infallibly do so If ever we apostatize; and I am not satisfied what evidence there can be of our final persever* ance, till we have finished our course, But I am persuaded w« may know if we are now in a state of salvation, since that is ex- presy^ promised i n t h e Holy Seriptorea to our s inc e r e e nd o avora. and #6 are surely able to judge of dur own siHcerity. Am -fv;*^*''.C,! »BS LIFi OV TBip BIT. lORir WSILBT^ ■ -3 **Ab I understand faith to m an assent to anytrutn upbn ratiofial • ffinunds, I do not think it ptj^sible, without perjury, t#j|Wear I be- ive anvthiiig, unleMs 1 have rution'ull grounds lor luv /^rsuasion. Now that which contradicts reason cannot be said t6 stand on rational grounds; and such"^ undoubtedly is every propositiqn which is incompatible w'ith the Divine justice or mercy. I can therefore never say | believe such u proposition; since^^t, is impossible to assent upon reasonable evidence where it is not in being. " What then shall I suy of predestination? A^. everlasting pur- pose of God to deliver some from damnatlonil does, I suppose, exclude ^11 from that deliverance who are n6t chosen. And if it was inevitablv decreed from eternity, that such a determinate part of mankind should be saved, and none beside them, a vast majority of the world were only born to eternal death, without so much as a possibility of avoiding it. How is this consistent with either the Divine justice or merc;^? • Is it merciful to ordain a creature to everlastmg misery I Is it just to punish man foi- crimes which he could not but comjnit? /That Got! should be the author of sin and injustice, 'which must, I think, be the consequence of maintaining this opinion, is a Contradiction to the clearest ideas we have of the Divine nature and perfections. "I call faith an assent upon rational grounds; because I hold Divine testimony to be the most reasonabte of all euidence what- ever. Faith must necessarily, at length, be resolved into reason, God is true, therefore what he says is true : he hath said this, there- fore this is true. When any one can bring me more reasonable propositions than these, I am ready to assent to them; till then^ it will biin oui'selyes; as. when we have said or dppe anything' which liess e ns that e st ee m of m e n we earnestly cove t . — As to what wnicn less e ns mat e st ee m oi m e n we earnestly cove t . — As to wnat YOU call absolute humility with respect to God, whal^arcat matter is ■•■■'>. . V? • -it It' !,=.m-^ 1 fe ^A ■fr'iajfec^a. .3*^" ^'^^h : *;■ ;»" a !ti W .' ;^" ti) . tHB Liri tfr.TRB lay. johw wiitpti rtere m it? Had we only a mere speculative knowledge of that awf\u Being, and only considered him as the iDreotor and Sovereiirn Lord Ofthe universe; yet since that first notion of him implies thiit he is - a trod of absolute and infinite |j^rfection and glory,- we cannot con- template, that glory, or conceive him present, without the tiiost exquisite diminution of ourselves before him. ' * '' k"i « u***'''" P"" of your definition I cannot approve,- becduse I think all those comparisons are rather the effects of pride than of humility. *. " Though truth is the object of the understanding; and plL truths as such, agree in one comrtion excellence, yet there are soiiie truths which • to reject them with abhorrence. , * « Supposing that in some cases the truth of that proposition, mv . neighl^or is worse than I, be ever so evjdent, yet what does it avail"? bince two persoris in different respects may be better and .worse than each other. There is nothing plainer than that a free-thinker as a tree-thinker; and an atheist as an atheist, is worse in that respect than a believer as a believ^er. But if that believer's practice does not correspond to his faith— he is worse than an infidel " If we ^are not obliged to think ourselves the worst in every compahy, I am perfectly surtj that a man sincerely humble, will be afraid to th,nk himSelf the best in any. And though it should be his lot (font can never be his choice) to fall into the comnany of— notonous sinners; who makes thee to differ? Or, what hast thou « that thou hast not received? is sufficient, if well considered, to humble us; and silence all aspiring thoughts and Belf-applause: and may instruct us to ascribe our preservation from enormous offences to the sovereign .grace of God, pnd not to our own natural ouritv or strength. r "j - « You are somewhat mistakeii in your motions of faith. All faith IB an assent, but all assent is not faith. Some truths are self- evident, and we assent to them because they are so. Others, hfter a regular and formal process of reason by way of deduction from r^Jl^f T"*''."*^"* principle, gain our assent. This is not properly taith but science. Some again we assent to, not because they are self-evident, or because we have attained the knowledire of them in a regular method by a train of arguments; but because they have n^LTTp^l*"* "^V^"-'*^'' by God w man, and these are the Jroper objecte of faith. The true measure of faith is the authority of the rtvealer, the weight of which always holds proportion to bur con- viction of^his ability and integrity. Divine faith is an assent to f. ** t^ revea led to us, b ecause he has revealed it." • .i^'MJ[,^l"'H^f " "*" *^!? '^Mefo^Preaestination is inserted to't^^Ai^ ' •lanMagaiuw, vol. I, page 36, though with an error in the date. " "" - Ci^ ^j^r.^^ fi jM"' 'TBB 14 V« or T0B »■▼. JOHW WBtlJBY. It MTU impomible for Mr. Wesley to correspond with siiob parent, and on such subjects, %vithout beinff improved. And it 10 certain that he never forgot some of the rules and maxims which he had learned from her. The effect of ^is present inquiries wat deep and lasting. In readifig Kempis, he tells us that he had fVe- quently much sensible comfort, such as he was an utter stranger to before. And the^hapter in Dr. Taylor on purity of intention, convinced bim of the necessity of beint^' holy in heart, as well aa .regular in> his outward depo'raln'ent. Meeting likewise with a reli^ gtous friend about this time, ^][iirh he nevef had before he began to alter the whole form of his conversation, and to set in earnest upon a new life. He communicated every week. He watched against all sin, whether in word or deed; and began to aim at, and prAy for, inward holiness.* ' .Having now determined to devote himself whoUv to God, hia letters to his parents carried a savor of religion, which before tney hq,d wanted: this made his father say to him in a letter of Au{^st the 2d, " If you be what you \yj-4te,=,you and I shall be happy, and you will much alleviate my misfortune." He soon founa that his son was not double minded. The dme of his ordination now drew^ near. His father wrote to him on this subject, in a letter dated September the 7tb, in which he says, "Ood fit vou for your great worlf. Fast, Watch, atod pray; believe, love, endure, and be happy; towards which you shall never want the most ardent prayers of your affectionate father." In preparing for his ordination he founc^^ some scruples on his mind respecting the damnatory clause in the Athanasian creed; which he proposed to his father, who afterwards gave him his opinion upon it. leaving prepared himself with the most conscientious care for the ministerial office, he was ordained Deacon on Sunday* the nineteenth of this month, by Dr. Potter, then Bishop of Oxford. 5, Mr. Wesley's ordination supplied him with an additional mo- tive to prosecute the study of Divinity; which he did, by directing his inquiries into the evidences and reasonableness of the christian religion. He wrote to his mother on this subject November the 3d, who in h^ answer dated thie 10th, encourages him to persevere in such "investigations without any f6ar of being injured by them. <♦ I highly approve,'^ says she, "of your.ci^re to search into the grounds and reasons of your most holy religion; which you may do, if your intention be pure, and yet retain the integrity, of your faith. Nay, the more you study on that subject, the more reason you will find to depend on the veracity of God; inasmuch as your perception of him will be clearer, and you will more plainly discover the con- gruit;]^ there is between the ordinances and precepts of the gospel, and right reason. ^ Nor is it an hard matter to prove that the whole system of Christianity is founded thereon." It was however, but a small portion of his time that Mr. Wesley employed in these studies. His private diary shows how diligent he was in the study ^of the classics, and other books in different branches of science, and in the performance of his academical < ,'. V Wesley's Works, vol. xxvi. page 274. 'ff . w ' WW' THE LIFE or THB EKV. JOHM WEILBT. H f #'■■•■'■■ \ I k exorcises. The time also drew near when it was expected that the election of a Fellow of Lincoln College would take placej with a view to which hiM friends had l)CRn exerting themselves in his fa- vor all the summer.*' When Dr. Morley, the Rector, was spoken to "n the subject, he said, " I will inquire into Mr. Wesley's char- acter." Ho did so, and gave him leave to stand a candidate. Ho aftorvtrards became bis friend in that business, and liscd all the in- fluence he had in his favor. His father in a letter of July says, '* 1 wjiited on Dr. Morlev, and fouml him more civil than ever. I will write the Bishon of Lincoln again, and to your brother Samuel the next post. Stuily hard lest your opponents beat you." In another letter, speaking of Dr. MoHcy, he says; " You are infinitely oblig)pd to that generous "man." In e'ection Ibusiness, the passions of men generally run -hrgh, and every circumstance is laid hold of, which cnn by ai)y means be. so managed \\^ to influence the public opinion against an oppoilent. Ahd mj. Wesley's late seriousness did not escape the banter and ridihulexof his adverisuries at Lincoln, on this occasion. In refer- ence to tnis his father observes in a letter of August; *• As for the Sentlemen candidates you write of — Does any l)ody think that the evil has no agents left.' It is a very call<»w virtue, sure, that can- not bear bcingMaughed at. I think our Captain and Master en- dured somethmg more for us, before he entered info glory : and unless we follow his steps, in vain do we hope to share that glory with him. Nor shall any who sincerely endeavor to serve him, either by turning others to righteousness, or keeping them steadfast in it, lose their reward." And in his letter of Ofctober the 19th, he ex- horts him to bear patiently what was said of him at Lincoln: "but be sure," says he, " i^'ver to return the like treatment to your ene- niy. You and I have hitherto done the best we could in that affair; do you continue to do the same, and rest the whole with Providence.*' His mother Writes to him on this occasion more in the way of encouragement and caution. " If it be," says she, *' a weak vir- tue, that cannot l)ear being laughed at, I am sure it is a strong and well conflrmed viitue that can stand the test of a brisk buflbonery. I doubt too^ many i)eople, though well inclined, have yet made • shipwreck of faith and a good conscience merely because they, could not bear raillery. Some young persons have a natural ex- cess of Imshfulness; others are so tender of what they call honor, that they cannot endure to be made a jest of. I would therefore advise those who are iiv the beginning of a christian course, to shun " the com|)any of profane wits, as they would the plague or poverty: and never to contract an intimacy with any, but such as have a good sense of religion," But notwithstanding the warm opposition which his opponents nfiad^ against him, Mr. Wesley's general good character ror learn- ing and diligence, gave such firmness aiuf^eal to his friends, that on Thursday, March the I7th, 1726, he was elected Fellow of Lincoln College. f — Hi s fath e r emphatically expresses hi s sati s faction or> * His father mentions it in his letter of the 26th of January of this yev. t Private Dutry. ; I '4^ (.,^«|. K!J''/"- '%i -¥^ri '*> THI Liri or THI miT. JOHM WMLIT. I tliii occasion, in a letter of the flrat of April. **l have both of youra since your election: in both, you oxprcHHyourHelf as beconieth you What fi^ll be my own fate before the aunmier be over, God knows} $ed pa4H gtaviora. Wherever 1 orti, my Jack is Fellow of Lin- coln*" ^His mother, in a letter of March 30, tvllH hiin^ in her U8ual strain of piety, *' I think myHcIf obliged to return great thanks to Ahni|Hi,ty^God, for givinjy^ you gomi 8ucceM at Lincoln. Let who- ever n§ pleased be the lUHtruuiunt, to him and to him alone the glory appertains." ** The Monday Aillowin^ his election, being March 91, he wrote to hiH brother Sarnuel,* c.\i>rc88itiK<^ hiu gratitude for the usHiHtance he hud given him' in that afmir. With this letter he Hent two or three copies of verses, which seem, by what he says of them,' to have been written at an early period. " I have not yifit," says he, " been able to meet with one or ^wo gentlemen, from w^om 1 am in hopes of getting two or three copies of verses. The mOst tolerable of my own, if any such there were, you probably received from Leyburn. Some of those I had •besides, I have sent here; and shall be very glad if they are capable of being so corrected, as to be of auy-ner- vice to you." He sent three specimens of his poetry with this let- terwthe two following I shall insert; which considered as hasty prdductions, the mere amusement of an hour or two, and sent in their rough state, 1 am confident every good judge will pronounce excellent, notwithstanding the modesty with which he speaks of them. HoBACK, Lib. J. Ode XXII. Integrity needs no defence ; The man who trustis to innocence, Nor wants the darts Numidians throw, ^ N'or arrows of the Parthian bow. •Secure o'er Libya's sandy seatf, Or hoary Caucasus he strays, O'er regions scarcely known to fame, Wash'd by Hydaspes' fabled stream. While void of cnrcs, of nought afraid, Late in the Sabine woods I stray'd ; On Sylvia's lips, while pleas'd I sung, How love and soft persuasion hungl . ^^ A rav'nous wolf intent on food, - - Rush'd from the covert of the wood; Yet dar'd not violate the grove / Secur'd by innocence and love. .' Nor Mauritania's sultry plain, - So large a savage does contain ; Nor e^r so huge a monster treads Warlike Apulia's beechen shades. ' /'/ * This letter, and the verses which accompanied it, were iiiserled some years ago, by Mr. Badcock, in the Westmmster Magazine. The letter is there with- ou t a date, which I have taken from Mr. John Wesley's Diary. Mr. Badcock Jells the publfc, that he had a variety of runous papers by him/which show Mr. Wesley in a light which perhaps he had forgot, oc. I shall have ocaasion to tDuuUon this curcumstaBce in another place. Ux I -- v/'' ^it^^^'A%:i^i^im^4^^':^i^m^i TUS UVB or TUB BBV. JOiiJI WIIMT. PlcM me wbfira no nvoUing tua Doei o'or his radiant circle run i Wh«9re clouds vid damps alone appMV, And poison the unwholesome year : Place me in that effulgent day Beneath the sun's director ray ; No change Trom its flx*d place shall move The basis of my lasting love. \- 'V'v' l.w- ■' %■ h^ ;■■■>■ i. !^f In iirluUon cf, QmU iMdtrio tit Pudor.Sui. Sent to a ^ntlflauui oa tb« death of his Father. What shame nhnll stop our flowing tears 7 What end shall our just sorrows know 1 Since fate, relcnlh'ss tb our prayers, , Has giv'n the long destructive blow t ^ Ye muses, strike the sounding string, . . In plaintive strains his loRs deplore) And teach an artless voice to sing The great, the bounteous, now no more I For him the wise and good shall mourn, While late records his fame declare : And oft as rolling years return, Shall pay his tomb a grateful tear. Ah I what avail their plaittts to thee 7 Ah ! what avails his fame declar'd 7 Thou blam'st, alas ! the just decree Whence virtue meets its just reward. « Though sweeter sounds adorn 'd thy toftgue \ Than Thracian Orpheus whilom played ; When list'ning to the morning song Each tree bow'd down its leafy head : Never I al^ never from the gloom '- Of unrelenting Plj^to's sway, ^ 1 Could the thin snodc again resume Its ancient tenement of clay. Indulgent patience, heav'n-hom guest I Thy healing wings around display; Thou gently calm'st the stormy breast - And driv'st the tyrant grief away. Corroding care and eating pain, - By just degrees thy influence own ; And lovely lasting peace again B«sumes her long deserted throne. , \ ;: His parents now invited him to spend some time with them in the country. Accordioffly he left Oxford in April, and staid the whole summer at Epworth and Wroo^. During this time he usutllly read prayers and preached twice on the Lord's-day, and othei^ays assisted his father as occasion required. His time here was by no ineani^ wasted; he still pursued Hir< studies, had frequent opportu- nities of conversing w itti his par e nt^ on subjects highly i n terestin — BTlT'^r'T — a*-a — ■,■■>■■■ ■!«■■■■■ *Wfc ■ » ■ WiM^ — mm ■»■< — m- -j- --■■--— - — - » >■ — -• ri-inri-Tr f^~~~ ^ ■ x wt9ti m x fcjjt^^JJfc — and instructive, and kept a regular diary of what passed. He of- ten takes notice of the particular subjects discussed in their varioiis conversations, and iiieutions the practical observations his parenis Mn un «r tHi u*. (oM wiuAfc' m ma lo, and sometlmefl adds hb own. A mong othtn, wjere tlM follow- Inff; how to lncr««an« our fnith, our ho|>e, and our love of God: prudence, ■irnplirity, Miricority, priile, vanity; wit, humor, fancyi courtluHy, and jj«iieral UM«'fuln«HH. U\n tmrcntit inndc Much ohaerva- tionii aa reflection and long cx|)erience hud nuggeHted to them, and ho carefully minuted down such ruleii and nioxima aa apiteared to him iniiM)rtant. Mr. Wesley returned to OxfortLon the 3lMt of Soptemlwr, and rcHumen nin UHual courno of Htudiea. His literary character waa noW cstablinhed in the UnivorHity: he waa acknowledged by all nartiei to l)o a man of tal()nt8, and an excellent critic in the learned langungeM. Hi« componitiona wore dintinguifihed by an elegant Biniplicitv of Btyle, and juHtneaii of thought, that strongly marked the excellence of his claHMical taste. His skill in logic, or the art of rcawjriing, was universally ktiown and admired. The high opmion that was entertained of him in these resjiecta, was soon publicly exprewcd by choosing him Greek lecturer and moderator of the cInsHes, oiHtho 7th of Noveiiiber; though he had only been elected Fellow of the college in Morch, was little more than twenU- three years of age, and had not yet proceeded Master of Arto. I have l)een more exact in bringing forward alt the particulars concerning him, from the latter end of the vear 1724, to iheiiresent tune, because they have been very imiierfectly known, arid aome of them very erroneouHly stated by all his biographers, who have hitherto attempted to give any account of him. It is also evident, that an accurate knowled||je of these particulors, does him credit: the correspondence relative to his ordination . gives the reader a view of the simnlicity and integrity of his heart, m the most artless and undisguised manner, and does infinite honor to the rational af- fection and pious care of his parents: It likewise points out to us the kind of advice which had the chief influence m forming his re- ligious character; and the circumstances of his preferment at Lln- c"l» 9"j'®Se, give the most unequivocal proof of iiis merit, and of the high reputation he had acquired in the university for leaniinff, diligence, and attention to discipline, at this early period of life. It appears from what has already been said, that Mr. Weslfey did not devote all his time to the severer studies, but occasionally paid his court to the muses with good success. , His paraphrase on the first eighteen verses of the 104th Psalm, is a more finished piece than any thing he had written before. He began to write it on the 19th of August this year, wheij at E^pworth; and for its beauty and excellence, it deserves to be J>rinted with more accuracyfthan has yet been done. 1 shall therefore transcribe it from the original manuscript. ; . \ YEBai I. lh>l)orne aloft ojn V6nt'r0us wing, While, sparning earthly (hemes, I soar, Through paths m«trnd heron. What Qod, what#eraph shdin Jiing? Whom hut thee'should I proclaim, Authoi^ of this wond'rous frame 'I hi ?J >,.' ,^J t Eternal, uncreated Lord, Enshrin'd in gloryls radiant Maze ! At whose prolific voice, \thoae potent word, unanded, nothing swift retir'd, and worlds b^an thoir raoa. turn Liri or TH bit. JoMir wituiv. *«# ^ t. Thou, bmnding o'er th« rvalnit or nighl, Th' uiUMiiKinrci iiiHiiiti^ ■liy*>i Bad'at the derit h«tr rnK« kunoaM, And ■niti'at lei there be light t /Ethereal liuht thy call oUy'd, aiwl ahe li^ll her native aliatte, Through the wide void Iter living waters mat| IhirkiifMM turn'd hie niuriiiurin({ lifad. lU'niKo'd the reint, and trniililiiiK (ift) | Th« crystal wuvum roll'd un, and ItlliHt the uiiibient WMti. 8. In light, cffblgenl robe, array'd Thou leri'sl the beauteous realms of dtyl The golilon lowers inclin'd their head, As their ^k)v'reign took his way. S, 4, The ulbciicircliog bounds (a shining train, « Minisl'rinK tiniiien around him flvw) Through the vast profound he drt>w. When lo I siMiuucious to his rruiiful hand, Hfaven o'er the uucolur d void, her azure curtain thraw. Lo ! marrhiiig o'er the empty space, The fluid stores in onler risa With adamantine chains of liquid glasa, ' To bind the new-born fabric of trie akies. TSMB 3. ., Downward the Almighty Builder rode, , Old Chaos groan'd beneath the God, Sable clouds his pompous car, Hamest winds Itefore him ran, Proud to wear their Maker's chain. And told with hoarae>resounding voice, his coiniog Irom V ■r..( r. 8. KMI-i v| 10. 11. 11. II. -14. Embryon earth the signal knew, And rear'd from night's dark womb her mfant head, Though yet prevaifing waves her hills o'ers|ra«ad Ana stain'd their sickly face with tmllid hme. But when loud thWMlcrs the pursuit began, Back the affrighted spoilers ran ; In vain aspiring hiU« op)H)i)cd their race, O'er hills and vales with equal haste, • The flyinqr squadrons pant, Till safe within the walh* of their appoint^ placet There firmly fix'd, their sure enclosurea stand, Unconquerable bounds of ever-during sand I He spflRe f From the tall mountain's wounded side, ii;. Fresh springs roll'd down their silver tide : '^ O'er tlie glad valen the shining wanderers stray, Son murmuring as tb^y flow, While in their cooling wnvc inclining low, * The untaught natives of the fi^ld their parching thirst High sent«l on the dancing sprnvs, Chequering with varied light their parent atreami, The feather'd quires attune their artless laya Safe from the dreaded heat of solar beama. Bnial show'rs at his command, Pour pl«*n(y o'er the barren land I Laboring with parent throes. See ! the teeming hills disclose *-iqr A new birth : see cheerful green. Transitory, pleasing scene, O'er the smiiing landskip glow. And gladden nil the Tole below,^ ■-'5^■ rf'-r- «■■ Livt or Tm tit. iONir wMLif* Vi^i IT. II. Akmc th« moaniaia's cnggj brov, Amialily rou«l hill Slow m«o Ih" mindly (-i>(l, Than when the loriily cedar reiirna, A heaulenua, hut a barren ahade. While in hia arms the pninted train, Warhlinir to the vocal ffTo^e, fiweptly tril thpir picnkinir nnin, Willinit Mlnv(*s to K<*iiini love. While ihe wild-i(oatM nn iictivo thronff, From rock to rock lii(ht-liouninion, that there are man^ truths it is not worth while to know Curiosity indeed might be » suflicient plea for our luyihg out some time upon th^im, if we had- half a dozen centuries of life to come, but methinks it is great ill-husbandry to spend a considerable part -^ of the small pittance now allowed iig^ in what inakes, U0 neither .a quick nor a sure return. " Two days ago I was readitig a dispute between those celebrated masters of contrj)Versy, Bishop Atterbury and Bishop Hoodly; but tnust own I was so injudicious as to break off in the middle, 1 could not conceive, that the dignity of the end was at all proportionate to the difficulty of attaining it. And I thought the labtir of twenty or thirty hours^ if I wins sure of succeeding, which I was not, would A M l^'ifesU' ~~N .-^i<; fcj*. W" fc*^ r:i6- 984 -^ Wl» UfB 0» THE »1V. JOHW W»ll.«»« be but ill rewarded by that important pieqe of knowledge, whethe. Bishop Hoadly had misunderstood Bishop Atterhury or no?" The following paragraph, in the same letter, will show the read- eivhow diligent he had long been in improving the occasions which occurred, of impressing a sense of reli^i<»n on the minds of his comnuuioiis, and of his soft and obligmff manner of doing it. «* About a year and a half ago," says he, "I stole out of comimny at eight o'clock in the evening, with ^ young gentleman with whom I was intimate. As weltook a turn in an aisle of St. Mary's Church, in expectation of a young lady's funeral, with whom we were both acquainted, Tasked him if he really thought himself my friend? and if he did, why he would not do me all the good he could? He began to protest,— in which I cut him short, by desiring him to oblige me m ah instance, which he could not deny to be m his own power: to let me have the pleasure of making him a whole Chris^ tian, to which I knew he was at least half persuaded already. That he could not do me ft greater kindness, as both of us would be fully convinced when we canjje to follow that young woman." «' He turned exceedingly serious, and kept something of that dis- position ever since. Yesterday was a fortnight he died of a con- sumption. 1 saw him three days before he died; and on the Sunday following did him the last ^od office I could here, by preaching his funeral semaon; which was his desire ^hen living." _ Mr. Wesley proceeded Master of Arts on the 14th of February ,•• and acquired cbnsiderable reputation in his disputation for his degree; on which account his mother congratulates him in a letter of the fourteenth of March. On the 19th he writes thus to her. ««One advantage at least, my degree has given me; I am now at liberty, and shall be in a great measure for some time, to choose my own employment. And as 1 believe I know my own deficien- cies best, and which of them are most necessary to be supplied; I hope my time will turn to somewhat better account, than when it was not so much in my own disposal." He had already fixed the plan of his studies; but how to attain a more practical knowledge of God, and a more entire conformity to his will, in the temper of his mind and in all his actions, was a point not so easily determined. He saw what the law of Go The moon that shines with borrbw'd light, The stars that gild the gloomy night, All oi° these, and all I see, Should be sung, and ittng by me : These praise their Maker as thev can, But want, and ask the tongue or maa." __, ^_ " I am full of business: but have found a way to vvrite, without taking any time from that. It is but rising anhour sooner in the mornmg, and going into company an hour later in the evening; both which may be done without any inconvenience." The school how- ever was otherways disposed of; at which his mother was well pleased. " I am not sorry," says she, «*that you bave missed the school; that way of life would not agree with your constitution; and I hope God nas better work for you to do." Mr. Wesley saw, that a loose and desultory way of reading and studying, was not the way to accurate knowledge; and to avoid falling mto this err6r, he had, some time before lie took his mas- ter's degree, laid down a plan of study which he now elosely pur- sued. Certain hours, in the morning and afternoon, of each day in the week, were appropriated to the study of certain branches of knowledge: and he never suffered himself to deviate from the rule he had laid down. Thus, his hours of study on Mondays and '■im 'tr »> i\ 1.^. ro^ ,>^.ite. !hh it: ;#■ •...--■ r-*'". ■■■*:- rfw^- tS6 TRS LirX or THB J|iRV: *• «.• . ^l|»;|^ Ot.THB 9Bt. JOHN WftLBV. lip society, chiody to 'assist each other in their studies, and to coiv* .guU op the best tiii||faod of employing ,thoir time to aUvantHKe'. Duringhis stay help, ho- was almost constantly With* thum in tlie evenings ; but ab<>ut the middle of Augii^, ho rctnrntHl to his charge *nt Wroote, vi^hcre ho continued till, he received the following letter from Dr. Morlcy, the Rector of his college,' dated the 21sto|Octo- ber. — "At a meeting of the society, just before 4 left college, to consider of the proper method to preserve discipline and good gov- ernment ; among several things agreed on, it was in the opinion of all that were present,' judged* necessary that the junior Fellows ' who should oe chosen Mmierators, shall in pei'son attend (he du- ties of their ofii6e, if they do not prevail with some of the Fellows to officiate for them. We all thought it would be a great hard|)hi]> - on Mr. Fenton, to t^ll hiih from a perpetual' Curacy or Donative ; vet this we must have donc^ had not Mr. Hutchins been so kind to niiii and u^, as to free 'i|s from the uneasiness of doing a hard things by enga^ng to, supbly his place in the' hall for, the present year. Mr. Robmsofi would as wiHiughr supply yours, but the serving of two cures alxtut' fourteen niiles from Oxford, and ten at least asbotl 'as the worst of your roads in the isle, make^ itrhe ^ys, impossible for him to discharge the 4lfiy constantly i W^liop^ it may be as much for your advantage tp reside at college as where you are if you take pupils, or can get a curacy in the neighborhood of Oxon. Your father may' certainfy have another cfurate, though pot so much to his^satisfactiQn : yet we are persuliided that this will not moVe him to 'hinder- yoiir return to college, since the interest of college^ and obli^tion to statue ^quires it." — In consequence of this letter, he quitted his father's curacy at Wroote, and November 23, came to reside at Oxford. -^ ■ ^V;\;. "■■■-:„ ;: ^' .__■'■■">• ■:':■■/ v' : ^ . CHAPTER II. V or MB. WESLEY'S BESIDBNCE AT OXFORD 'FROM NOVEMBER, 1739, TO OCTOBER, 1735; WITH .AN ACCOUNT ,F serves, "in d|sceriung fthd pointing out well covered and plousible fullacies," which afterwards gave hitn a groat sutJeribriiy over most ofhis numerous adversaries. But his endeavors to Ceconie ■ ; rehgi6us, will form the chief 8ui>iect of this chapter. J call all th«f Jie did mere endeavor^, because he did not attain the en^ which he aimed at, peac^of mind, comftjrt in God, and a command over all ' his passions. He was a longtime before he was fiilly c was in Chrfat.^ He clearly saw, in 1725, what the gospel was in- tended to do fonhitti, and foi* all mankind: to be the means of reconciling him to God,;and giving him a title to the heavenly in- heriiabce; of cleansing him from sin; and preparing him for the enjoyment of heaven: and heretained this view of the geneaalde* sign of the gospel, from that neriod to the end §f his life, without - ' the least variation. But he did not yet understand thb m«(lo<* pW,i ^ posed m the gospel, of putting a sinner, iii po^e^sion of theHfl blessings, nor tlie order ^n which the mind is capaMe of ncquiriiiff them. It IS tru,e, he read the ScriptuW!sdaily,/at this timC^nd iil hiff-rejigious rdseai-ches was homo unm libri, aman of one book But his preoondeived opinions wer^ as a WM before his iniii# - and completely hid from his view, the-, gosp^lmwhod of attoinintf . present |alvation.^ This is no rm,roa«h to Mr. Lesley, W" any ' objectipn against rhedoctriiieshe^fterwards embraced; ' It is the -' ,-C9mmpn lotof air.men^o ihibibe in theJr yout^, Motions which af! ^ terwards hinder them from perceivmg t|ie most obvious truths. ' It IS weU known tljat the^ystems of ifttui-al philosophy, \4ich inire-^ ' ' S2"1?JSk**Y® ^^''"'^ 2"** ^''Hg**' ^<> young 8tuaont8,Mve been ' . the chief hinderances to the progr^^ssof knowljedge.*?* Wh jt liept * The twoYolIowinginstiiiijes are remarkal^le.prodft of this.^ . Galen, was well aoquain ed with the difference bptvecp arterie* and Tein^ij he wTe*3i &„?VT"'*'*2^t**''*™u''°S°,CM««ding,and had all the principal dSJ foZ ; rtiTiar to his mind, ftom which Hirv^j cohcluded.'that tfie bJcireulates through the licrfir. Yet Galen though accustomed to the ptocc8nfrcS»S,l ' fhf'^^r^rtl^ .K'T" ''T ihem-.ttieliotioa that the l-looSmovldtoiKo^^^^^^ v Ibe vessels, like the flux and reflux of the^sea, so possessed and blinded his Wnt ■ hat he could not perceive a conseouence which nVturally and obviousKlJowS Iron, the thin^ wKichJie knew \his veil: remained on the minds 5 phZst ' phers and physicians for about fourteen hundred year*, so that Hwvey cfeservM as much praise for breaking through die shackles of anciertt eSoJ'Md IS^r "'©L'^"^*'"«5**'*.''S''» oftfuth, as forthe-^i^overy itself ®f~'' '^'^ *"'P"'- ^.)-^'^k ii*^"l''^'}^'**'?I*'"F'®"*»o° ""'.we^^ in Prance thev ' «U8pd the French chymists from a kind of lethar^r (*P«urdw*!.JK lUoSJ'' T Sntrl^r.^i'^'l?' it,)yeiMacquer oneof the fimcVSs^J^f^wSSce but Perharis m Europe, speaking of the discovery of the nitrous cas or airh^ fran^hr acknowledged, thatte Eardly thought it^possiTiIe inxSrieaci cfc -mist >*ould ever have made it. That his principlW^ would have'lSndeSi hiS ftcHn attempting the experiment, which wis necLary to Lk^^^^^ ST 1?ir" is,thatthough.in general, knowledge aJiuiJedTads tC .?J"JJf ?--f^^^^y. ^"g^^^' y«t, ? f we place tpomuch confiSnce m i^^j;^ Z .» ftU^°^" ^''^ y °"t'^"«"*^ * '« we draw from them, thex may sometimes SS ' £ ciir '^^T^ ^^'^ "'n^l'^^^us truths. , S«'e M£»ib'4 dSu^^ , « c^furte. Tom. 2, page 323, ISdit^ 1778. rr^mj '^^mmwm .%*£ \ A '■ ■ -*-Vi>1 Mm > :=;■- tc / i^af, pM^\.^Ai!it^ 'iitfAlif,- ^^ ''^ ' nAi r^i^fC 140 THB Lin or THB RKV, JOHN WISLBT. /.•V J" his mind in a itate of perplexity, wiw a cpnfliRedrliotlOA of Juitifloa^ tion; wbich he either coufoumM with sanctifidiition, or thought a man must be ttanctifiefl liefore he can be ju8tiried. This notion hin- dered hirn from [lerceivinff, that to juHti^ in ^he language of Paul, 18 to purdon a repenting lielieving sinner, a« an act of graces not for the salce of any previous 'holincm in him, but through Jesus Christ al(4be. As soon^ he was convinced o'f this, he was no lon- ger embarrassed and per|)l«>xed; he saw immediately the plan which this gospel proposes of reconciling sinners to God, of makinff them holy in heart and life, and of giving them a sure hope, full yf ■ immortality. — But let us attend iiim throughthe jperiod appropri-> ated to this chapter, and we shall see the efforts of a ^afe mind to do the will of Godj and every step we take^ wiU convinee us of the uprightness of his mtcntion. It appears from the account 1 have given of Mr. Charles Wesley, that for more than two years before this tim^ he had studied very hard, and through his brother's advice and influence was becqme deeply serious; that during the last summer he had received the sacrament weekly, and had prevailed on two or three young men to do the same; and these gentlemen.had occasionally met together .fbrthe purpose of assisting and encouraging each other in their duty, and of regulating their employments by certain rules. T|ie regular method of arranging their studies and other ero^doyme^ts procured them the distinguishing epithet of Methoduts^ which ac- cording to Mr. Charles, was given them before his brother Came to X)xfora in November. This is probably the most accurate account ^^ for when Mr. Wesley speaks of this appellation, he mentions it only in very general terms, without atteinpting to state at what period of the society it was first given. " The exact regularity of ! ' their lives as well as studies," says he, " occasioned a young gen- tleman Of Christ Church to say, * here is a new set of Metho0i$t» sprung up:' alluding to some ancient physicians who were so called.* The name was new and quaint; so it took immediately, and the Methodists were known all over the university. It does not appear, however, that these gentlemen met together at any fixed or stated times, or that they had made any regulations * Themison was the founder of this sect, about thirty or forty years before the Christian era ; and it flourished according to Alpinus, about three hundred years. Le Clerc informs us, that the physicians of this sect were called Meth- odists, because they took it into their head, to find out a more easy method of \teachingand practising the art of physic. However this may be, it is certain thqtsomeof the greatest physicians of the time in which the sect flourished, were Methodists. That Themison was a man of the most extensive practice, is evidemly implied in the words of Juvenal, if he speaks of the same person, which is genenuly supposed.. He is describingvthe uplurmitiMpf an old man, and observes, ^ - / -CireumJUit agmme faeUy Morborum ornne nmui,quorum ri nornina quaraa ^ Promptiua expediam Xluot Themiton agros autunmo aedderU uno. "A whole troop of all kinds of diseases rushuponhimqn all s»de<; at ITOI edii natk iheir nam^s, I coiild as soon reckon up how many patients Themison killed in 'Unm autumn." — Had his practice, however, been very unsuccessful, i% is not probabli It would have been 80 extensive as to become almost proverbial. ' J tS.s » ..^ .. 'f^- ^' ■-J,- VR| Lire Of TItl MV. JORR WBfLBT. t4t for this purpose before Mr- John Wesley joined theni. When h« eame amongst them, they gladly Gommitted the direction of the whole to him; and from this time the society l)egan to assume a riiore regular form; it is from this period therefore, that he com- mences his history of it, in the following words: "In Noyeinber, 1729, four youn^ gentlemen of Oxford, Mr. John Wesley, Fellow o^ Lincoln College; Mr. Charles Wesley, student of Christ Church; Mr. Morgan, commoner of Christ Church; alfid Mr. Kirkman, of Mfer^on College; began to spend some evenm|Min,a week together, in readings c|M^ the Greek Testament. The next year, two' or three of MrTjohn Wesley's' pupils desired the liberty of rtieeting with them; and afterwards one of Mr. Charles Wesley's punils. It was in 1782, that Mr. Ingham of Queen's College, and Mr. Broughton of Exeter, were added to their number.— To these in April, was joined Mr. Clay- ton of Brazen-Nose, with two onlthrce of his pupils. About the same time Mr; James Harvev wai permitted to meet with them, and afterwards Mr. Whitefiefd.»*t These four ^oung gentlemen continited their meetings for some time, without any other views than their own benefit.. But in the summer of 1730, Mr. Morgan called at the gaol to see a man who was condemned forkilling his wife, and teld them, that, from the conversation he had with one of the debtd^s, he verily believed it would do much jjood if any one yould be at the pains of now and M iT*. L'*^TS'?®-: Having mentioned this several times, Mr. WesleV and his brother Charles, went with him on the 24th of August to the-Rastle, and ^vere so well satisfied with their visit that ihey_determined to go thiiher once or twice a week. They had not done this long, before Mr. Morgan, who seems to have led the pay m acts of chanty and benevolence to others, desired Mr Wes- «?u*" *? . "'"' '** ^®S * poor woman in the tawn who was sick. When they began to reflect on the benefit thi^ might be of to the poQf, they thought it would be well worth while to spend two dr three- hours in the w0ek in this specie? of charity, especially if th^ minister of the parish in which such person w&s, did not object to it. But as this practice was quite new, and had an appearance of irregulanty, on which account it might give oflTence, Mrl Wesley did not choose to proceed any further without advice. He wrote to hisfuher, who was remarkably attached to regularity and church-o.der, stating what they had hithertd done, anffwha* their design v^Ftw; bcffgmg to h^ye his opinion whether they had aireadV gone too fai^.> Aether they should stand still where they were^ or go forward r His father's answer is d^ted September 21, in which he^ayl. h^m?J^"' ?7" ^^f^"^ Md employments, lyhat can I say Wof them than «aWc;,ro6p; and that f haVe the highest reason to bless l»W, that he has given me two sons together at Oxford, to whom «nH fif «7^" g'"^^.^ Jind courage to turn the war against the worS and the devil, w hich is the best way to conquer them. Thev have but one enemy more to combat with, the fl^sh; which if they takl 'J" ', ' UJ A', - hi 4'. ■T', '.| \ \ WwUy's Works, vol. xv. pagt a*« 1 „ *' ^ _- h-' 1^3 TBB hlWZ or THS BET. JOHIT WBILlt. Vf'.i ft. /-. rK- eare tn subduo by fnHtiiiff -and prayer, there will be no more ror them to do, hut to pioccod steodily in the same course, and ejij^ct the crown which fndcth not away. You nave reason to hIeHs God, 08 I do, that you have ho fuwt n iVicnd um Mr. Morgan, who 1 see in the nioHt difficult service, is ready to break the ice for you. " I am afraid lest the main objection you make agamst your jroing on in the business of the prisoners, may secretly proceed from flesh and blood. For who con harm you if you orb followers of that which is so good? And which will he one of the rfiorks by which the Shepherd of Israel wilt know his^eep at the lost day; Though, if it were possible for you to suffer ajittle in the couse, you would have o confessor's reward. Yall^Wn that none but such OS are out of their senses would be prejudiced against you for acting in this manner. Go on then in Gml's nome Jn the path to which your S.aviour has direc|ed you, and that track wherem your father has gone before you ! i'^'or when I was on undergraduate, I, vptbd those in the castle there, and reflect on it with great satisfac- tion Jto thig day. Walk as prudently as you cori, though not fear- fully, and toy heart and prayers are with you. " Your ifirst^regular step is to consult with him, if any such there be, who h^^ a jurisdiction over the prisoners; and the pext is tc obtain the (direction and approbation of your bishop. This is Mon- day thorning, at which time I shall never forget you. Accordingly, to Him who is every where, I now heartily commit you.|* „ This advice, from a person on whose judgment, experience, and orthodoxy, they could depend, gave them courake: it conflrmed them in their benevoleni purposes, and animated them with zeol in the execution of thgm. They corefuUy attended, however, to the Erudential directidns; and Mr. Wesley immediately consulted Mr, rerardy the 3,ishop of Oxford's chaplain, who likewise attended the prisoners whep any were condemned to diej-lbr at other times' they were left to their own care. He proposed to him their design of serving the prisoners as for as they could, and his own intention of preaching there once a month, if the bishop should approve of it. Mr. Gerard commended the design, and said he would answer for the bishop's approbation, to whom' he would take the first op- portunity of mentioni*>( vntQ vftmrr ntTtitiQwfiat Til na(taxk*i>Wha.t WOUldi you be.' Would you be angels? I question whether a mortal can HTt rive to a greater degree of perfection than stemlily to do go6d, and for that very reason patiently and meekly to suffer evil. For my , part, on the present view of your actions and designs,, my daily ,^ prayers are that God would keep you Jiumble: and.then 1 am sure ' that if you continue to suffer fbr righteousness' sake, though it be ., but in a lower degree, the spirit of God and of ghiry shall in som^ pood measure rest upon you.. And you cannot but feel such a sat- ' isfaction in your own minds as you would not part ivith for all the world.' Be never weary of wellndoing: never look back, for you know the prize and the crown are before you : though I can scarce ;. think SQ meanly ofypu, as that you should be (flscouragcd with theV crackling of thorn.4 undei- a pot. Be not high-minded, but fear. Preserve an equal temper erf mind und6r whatever treatment you meet with, from a not very just or well-natured world.- .B6ar nq ,n 7- * Cor. vii. '4. Great is my glorying of you. exceeding joyful. Lam filled with comfort. 1 tm 'i^j X" flirt ■ 3k V'^^^'^ ^ ^mm^'^^ "^ ■, ic* '^¥ "-*: u%* TMi Lira or thb umr. jokm wiWLin f 4 more mil than in necCHnary, but «toer iiteady. The lend you value yuunrtslveti for thciie unfutihinnahto dutieii (aa there is no auuh thiniT aa wnrkn of BUper«n>inuti»ii) th« mor« nil j^oimI nnil wUo mon will .value you, if tli«y h«mj your workH nry all of a piece; or which ia in- finitely rinWe, He, by whom actiona Jind intentions uro weighed, will ■^^ both acr«pt, CHl«eni, and rewnnl you. " I h«ar my hou John hiiH tho hcmor of being atyled the fHthcr of the Holy Club: if it Im; ho, I am aure f must lie grandfather of it; and I need not'siiy, thiit I had rather any of my aona should be ao dignified and distinguirthed, than to have the title of' His Holi- Hisaa." "... . f. In the same letter he advises them to uae great mildneaa towards their iHirsecutorH, but at the aatno time to avoi it; so that the more^rsons they proposed their designs to, the more they were confirmed in the belief that they were acting right, and more determined to pursue their plan, notwithstanding the ridicule which increased fa«yipon them during the winter. It appears from the questions here proposed, which relate to the students, that Mr, Wesley was not inattentive to their progress in IearDing,^hough he endeavored to make them religious. His reg- ular metRod of studv, his diligence, and great care to make his pupils thoroughly understand evcJry thing they read, were admirably i^apted to make them scholars. It is indeed universally allowed,^ that he was an excellent tutor, and his pupils have in general acknowledged themselves under infinite obligations to him on this account. "^ >'.: . \ -*& .«- •V- t.4* f,- k-1 ■ m ■•A- i' -.r. '^ p' "i^Pfci %& .w-fe ■^Bfr VMB Lirv or THI Btf. JORR WIILiT. Tfcit ywiTi Hf. Wenlov ami hu broth«r CharlflN, beffiin the pm* tlce of coiveniing tojci^thnr in Lntin, whenev«r t\wy wrre alone, chrrflv with a viflw of nc«niirln^ n fncilitv in flX|>rcHNiiig th«niH«lv«)A in thiN Innf UAK«i «" «•• oocnmom, with pwrupicuiiy, *mr.rgy, ami el- serve, the different modoH of attack Hometinies mode use of, both ogainnt persons and doctrines. When the opnowrs con derive no Advantage, either from Scripture or reason, tnoy give bad names to the l)est things; in onler to prejudice the minds of thoae, who never think for themselves. As new difficulties arose, Mr. Wesley lost no opportunity of consulting his friends. He now wrote to his brother Samuel, at Westminster; whose answer is dated April — ♦' I designed," soya he, "to have written to Mr. Bateman, to whom I read part of your last letter, concerning the execrable consultation in order to stop the progress of religion, by giving it a false name. He lifted up bis eyes and hands, and protested ne could not have believed such a thing. He gave Mr. Morgan a very good charocter, and said he should always think himself obliged to him, for the pains he took in reclaiming a young pupil 6f his, who was just got into ill com- pany, and upon the brink o^ destruction. — I do not like your being called a club, that name is really calculated to do mischief. But the other charge of enthiu^iasm can weigh with hone, but such as drink away their senses/ or never had any: for surely activity in ■ocial duties, and a stinct attendance on the ordained means of frace, are the strongest guards imaginable against it. I called on >r. Terry, to desire aim to subscribe to Job, but did not meet with him at home; in two or t|iree days, O'retn ridieulam et joeoiam! he did me the favor to call upon me. I said I hope mv two broth- ers have still good characters at Oxford, — he answereil«> Eflf^l T.^^tmj3ljUkk^RB .J ^: TMi Lira or tum m? . joim wMLlt . and aetlnjr; and wh© eonmiltM with th« <>«iiimn how to »u#p th« progrniM nrrrlifrion onioiig th«- tnin further ndvlce, he wrote in May, to th** R«v. Mr. Hoole,* aji mro«l clerjr^mnn in hiw fnther'n noighlMirhocMl, of known wlndo^i nnd Integrity. Hurt of hii« anifwer ruiiH thimtf ** Am to my own wime of the matter, I confer I cnnH^i^t heartily approve of that mtIouii and rcligiouR turn of n^1|M^|u;()mfitM you and your an- KorintaN to thotie niouN nnd <^h|M|pM^ SfficeM; nnd enn have no notion of thnt mnnV religion, or^^ljx^rlf m the honor of the unl- vernity, that opiKwen you, nn fnraiT yJIiif d h^ n-npectn the roljegen. hihould he loth to mtiid n tion ect more uHeful. " For it let ua aoe," anyn ho, "that four or five nnd twenty miles i« an easy and safe dny'» journey in hot weather as well as cold. We have made another diHCovery too, which may he of some «or%|M| that it ia eoMV to rend as wo walk ten ponents seemea tor think my brother and I in some danger of bemg too strict in this last sense ; of laying burdens on ourselves too heavy to be borne, and consequently too neavy to be of any use to us. " It i* easy to observe, that aimost every one thinks that rule to tally needless, which he does not need himself; and as to the chris -tian spirit itself, almost every one calls that degree of it which he * does not himself aim at enthusiasm. If therefore we plead fot either (notes if we thouirht the former alisolutely needful, neither as if we had attaineil the latter^ it is no i^reat wonder that they who E*> ' ■ are not for lu in practice should be ugunist us. — If you who are a 1' i» ^i^^i. J*- rif. •Av^'l.-tJt?-'^:!:*. VHI Lire Of TUB KBV. JOkW WSILBV. Mg __ prejudiced judge, have perceived ug faulty m this matter, loo ■uper«titiou8 or enthusiastic, or whatever it is to be called ; we earnestly desire to be speedily informed of our error, that we may no longer spend our streuffth on thafw^ich profiteth not. Or whatever there may be on the other hand, in which you have ob- served us to be too remiss, that likewise we desire to know as soon as possible. 1 his IS a subiect which we would understand with as much accuracy as poMible, it being hard to say which \f^ of the worst consequence : the being too strict, the really carrying tlungstoo far, the wearying ourselves and spending our strength in f urdens that arc unnecessary j or the being frightened by those terrible words, from what, if not directly necessary, would at least be useful." 1 he reader will easily observe that this letter, written to a parent, to whom he often aid open all his heart without the least restraint or disguise, speaks a mind ardently bent on a total devotion to ff '^J*™* *"*'«y» t^^'scover the most excellent way of attaininir It. The following letter written in November to his brother Sam- uel, treats on the same subject he had mentioned to his mother.'and discovers his sentiments more at hir^e. It seems Mr. Samuel Wesley had suggested to him, that in his general seriousness, and in one or two other jiomts of behavior, he carried masters too far ; that these little things might give a prejudice agains other parti a^i?hTh*^""''tfT'^*^^^^^^^^^^ utmost importaScej fn^rt^ U' ""'^^^ relax a little in these smaller matteiTwithou nju^ng his generol design. In answer to these remarks of his brother, he says j « Considering the other changes that I remember .n myself, I shall not at all wonSer if the time coTnes when wTd^^J OS little in our conclusions as we do now in our premises. In most we seem to agree already : especially as to rising not keeping much company, aniT sitting by a fire, which I always do if any onc^in"be room does, whether at home or abroad. But these ari the very things about which others will never agree with me. Had I giveh LV^SVTh^"' one of them, rising early, which implies goiK bed early (though I never am sleepy now) and keeping lo little company, not one man in ten of those who are offended at^nie, as t ars F^tr' "J'*'^*?^"' T"*** "^'^''^^^ «"y of thej|herp?rticu. lars Forthe sake of these, those are mentioned; the « of t^e mat- ter hes here. Would I but employ a thinlof m'y m.5ey, and aKt e.M will never have any goinl Mate of health, while you keen voiirhijr'K: his expenses, which he could not afford, without givinif Jess to the noor H?- \ •:.3 HfR" S^ fW THs Lirit or tn* bbK tou are biding defiance tit all ift^kind. He that wouM live a christian priest, ought to knaw^ that whether his hand lie against every man^orno, he must eJipeet every man's hand should be against him.' It is not strange that eveiy man's hand, who is not a Christian, should be again!t, alt men afec not re- quiroil to use all means j but every man is rtquivcd to ut*e those which he finds most useful to himself. And who can tell better than himself, whether he finds them so or no ? \V h^i knoweth the things of a man better than the spirit of a man that i.s iv^ him. "This being a point of no common concern, I deti.t to ei myself^ upon it once for all; and to tell you freely and cl^ijilyl general positions on which I ground" all those pnictises, for wiMcI , as you would have seen had you read that paper throujg^b, i ftrr gen- erally accused of singularity . 1st. As to the end of my hting j I lay it down for a rule, that I cannot be too happy, or thcrefoie too holy; tmd thence infer that the more steadily I keep my eye "upon the prize of our high calling, and the more of my thoughts *>n \ words and actions are directly jwinted at the attfrinment of it, ■rh'* lietter. 2. As to the instituted means of attaining it, 1 likewise la> it dtiwn for a rule, that I am to use them every time 1 may. Jf As to prudential iricans, 1 b<'ltcve this rule holds of things iiidifTeir ent in tliemsolves.; whatever! know to do me hurt that to me i« not indifferent, but resolutely to Ije alwtaincd fronr: whatever I ' know to do me good, that to me is not indifferent, but resolutely tc' be embraced. «, ^ , » , " But it will be said, I am whimsical. True, and what then . If by iohimsieal be meant simply mj^tt/ar, I own its if singular without any reason, I deny it with Iwjth my hands, am am ready to give a reason to any that asks me, of every custom wherein I differ from the world. I grant in many single' actions I differ unreasona- \ biy from oth . • fi • ' ^'^^t T"^ ^ Tpx Liri or TBS BBT. jonir wbiliit. •51 . ftanees ? If you are to rejoice evermore^ because you have put" your Enemies to flifj^ht, am I to So the same while they continually assaults me ? Yo^ are very j?lnd, becauHO you are paMsed from death to life } well, but let him be afraid who knows not whether he IS to live or die,— Whether thit, he my condition or no, who can tell better than myself ? Him who can, whoever he bf^, I allow to be a proper judge whether I do well to be generally as serious as I can," (Ti December 11. Mr. Samtiel Wesley answered this letter, and felt himself ft Uttle hurt at some expressions in it; the force of which ho enaf^avored to ward' off. Some time afterwards the sub- ject of senousneijs was again renewed^^ and several letters passed between them. At first thev seemed to differ in opinion : but when each had ^xphuned himself, they were more ITgreed. Mr. Samuel Wesley closes the debate in the following words: "To the best ofiny,me«M»ry your character was but little in my thoughts, .and my own not at all, in my>lc letters. I never designed to justify myself J perhaiw my laughter Is particularly blameable, as my tem- per is serious, severe^ and melancholy.— Thus ends our notable ^ippute, or rather we hamibad none at all. For you are only 8j$ainst excessive laiighle^ which I was never for: and only for s^ i-ldusnesd which I was n^ver agtfinst. There is a time to weep and time to lough. And now methinks each of us may say to the other, as Diok does to Matt — > " V » ><> ' "That people litied and died I knew, An hour ago, as well i{^ yoa.*' About this time his father can^ up to London and from thence , took a« excursion to Oxford, -ta see what his sons were doinir, and in whatspirit and temper of mind they 4lid it. On his return to Lon- /lon hevrotf to Mrs. Wesley, Jatiuarythe 5th, in which he^ys;"! had yours on A^pw-y ear's day, on #hich I returned in one day from Ox- ford not very w(ell; but well paid both for iny expense and labor, by the shining wety oC our two sons, of whom I shall write soon more at Iff^u /. V^* J.T •**'!*^'' ^i" ob^rve, gives the fullest evidence that the father did nfft think bis sons were carrying matters too far. .J. hough Mr. Wesley continued with"^ such persevering industry »n every mejinsofgrace, in acts of self-denial, and in doihg good to others to th* utmost of his power ; yet it waSs* a bare conviction of his duty, and Plot U gale of passion, that jjupported him in these latiorious exercises; which makes his resolution appear the more extraordinary. When he first set out in this religious course of life, he was fully .convinced that he did not possess that state of ' »n'ni* which .the gospel siieaks of as the privilege of true believers ' *^R""*^» *»* expefeted that the practice of every duty to the utmost of bis power wbkild lead him into this state of mind, and give him* peace and joy in God ; but he did not find that this effect followed : he waa often dull, ;flat, and unaffected in. the use of the most solemn ordinances. This both distressed and , perplexed, him, so that he «eemed at « lo^ which way to proceed, to olitaih the happiness — and a e enntv h t k i r rwntorl. — t n t hi n B »n» n ..g«,t»^i.,4.>i... u- .'fl-l- i.t_ and a e onrity fae wanted. — h i this s t a t e of mother on "tl)[e 38th. of February, and >fperplexiiy he wrSte to hia aftcJlr mentioning l|fr. M!br« .tJ f»-" i^. * .w^' 95t TMi u#B Of tut «BT. iolrir wkilbt ''i. fan's Mtuation, he obBcrves; " One conaWeration in enough to make me assent to h'lH anci yonr judgment concerning the holy sacra ment; which is, that wv paiiiiot allow Christ's human nature to be ' present in it, without alUiwing either con— or transubstnntiation. But, that his divinity is so united to us then, os he npver is hut to worthy receivers, I firmly l)elieve, though the mariner of, that, union is utterly a mystery to me. " Thnt none but worthy r^^eivcrs should find this efibct is not strange to me, when I olwerve, how smallv eflcct many means of imprdvement have upon an unprepared mind. Mr. Morgan and my brother were aflTeqted as they ought, by the. observations you made on that glorious subject : but: though* my understanding ap- proved what was cxcellei^, yet my heart did not feel it. Why vyns this, but l)ccouse it Was^)rc-epgaged by tho?e aflections with whirh wisdom will not dwell f Because the^ aniAial mind^annot relish those truths which are spiritually discerned. Yet i have those writings which the good spirit gave to that end ! I have many of those which he .hat&*since assisted his servants to give us: 1 have retirement to apply these to my own soul daily ; I have means . both of public and priv|ite proyer ; and idmve all, of partaking i» that sacrament once a week. What shall I do to make all these blessings effectual ? To gain from them that mind which was also in Christ Jesus ? "To all who give Signs of their not being strangers to it, I pro- Fose this quei#on — and why not to you rather than any ?— Shall quite bi-eak Jnmy pursuit of all learning, but what immediately tends to practice f I once desired to make a fair show in languages land pliilosophy : but it is past ; there is a more excellent way, and if I cannot attain to any progres* in the one, without throwing up. idl thoughts of thft other, why fare it well ! yet a littleT while and we sh^'all be equal in knowledge if we are in virtue. ** You say, 'you have renounced the worhl.* And what have I been doing all this time? What have 1 done ever since I was bom? Why, I have been plunging myself into it inore and more. It is enough: Awake thou that sleepest. Is there not one Lord, tene Spirit, one hope of our calling? One way of attaining that hope? Then I am to renounce the world as well as you. That is the very thing I want to do: to draw off my affections from this world aiid fix tnem on a better. But how? What is the surest and the short- est way? Is it not to be humble? Surely this is a large step in the way., But the question recurs, how am I to do this? To o^n the necessity of it is not to be humble. In many things you htive in-: terceded for me and prevailed. Who knows but m this too you may be successful? If you can spare me only that little part of ^Thursday evening, which you formerly bestowed upon me in anoth- er manner, I doubt not but it would be as usefulnow for correcting my heart, as it was then for. forming my judgment. . "**When I observe how fast life flies away, and how slow im- provem^ent comes,! think one can never be too much afraid of dy- n ig hefora one has learneil to live. I me an even in the course of nature. Fur were I sure that * the silver cord should not be vio- lentty loosed}' that * the wheel should not be broken at the cisteni»* i>. -^^-v ■i\ 'i • \ .0 .( |(. ) ■ *Bi| ^Wte OW TBI &■▼. JOR« ;irMLBT. M •W K^ *l"^^ *'^***^ *^*7 **y »*■ o^^ motion; yet what a time would this give nne for such a lyork j a moment to trahMict the busi- ness of eternity I What are forty y^ars iq^ cotniteriso^n of this? So that, were 1 sure of what never mao yet was sure of, how little would It aliUr the case ! How justly still might I 017 out, •>-*- - fi-r» I* 'Downward I hasten to my desHnM place: ■ ' There none obtain thy aid, none siiig thy oraiMi I " » : ooon shall I lie in death's deep ocean dro^n^t / bmercythere, is sweet forgiveness found 7 ' ' 2 f^T® T y*^' *•••'* ®" *"« brink I stind: Hebuke these stomu^'and set me safe 00 land. k, O make my longings and thy mercy sure I i Th»u.arttheGkKiofpowerV»i ' ^^ This letter needs no comment; It shpWs an ardent mind, wholly occupied m pursuit of a saving knowledge of God; but embarrassed and ^rploxed, not kndwin^ which way jto turn, and yet willinff to sacrifice the dearest object in life to obtain the end in view. Mr. Morgan ha4 now- been ill more than tvyelve months, and was so greatly reduced, that he became a burden to himself, and *"*?"M*®'«»* *o others. In this stage of bis disease, his under- ui" • "J!^ 80"»e|imes appeared deranged: he became more changea- We in his temper thai) usu(|l, and inconsistent in his conversation. But this was pureljhthe effect of his disease, not the least symptom of the kind having ewr appeared, till long after his health had de- clined. His father being fully informed of tlie state of his health, wrote to him in March, and told him that he should no longer be limited in his expenses to anv fixed allowance; that such sums as were necessary Tor bis health should, be immediately remitted to him: but stronriy insisted that no part of it should be given^away; that he should lay it out in recreation, medicine, and such othertnatters as might be necessary for the recovery and support of .his Uffih. He then says, *« Yoiy5annot coMceive what a noise that ridiifflbus society which you aFe engag^ fti, has made here. Besides the particulars of the great follies of it at Oxford, which to my great concern 1 have often heard repeated^'^it gave me sensible trouble to hear» f hat you were noted \for golM^nto the vijlages about" Holt; calling thteir children together,'^* teaching jlhem their prayers and catechiiim, antf-giving them a shilling at yW depart- ure. I could not but advise with a wise, piousT and leaded cler- gyrnanr he told me that he has known the worst oC consequences •tollow from such blind zeal; and plainly satisfied me that it was tbrough mistake .of true piety and religion /I proposed writinir to some prudent and jjood man at Oxford to reason with you on these points, and to convince vou that you were in a wrong way; He said, in a generous mirtd, as he t«ok yours to be, the admonition and advice of j^ father would make a deeper impression than all the exhortations of others. He concluded, that you was young as yet, and that your JQdginent was not come to its maturity; but as soon as )rour judgment improved, and on the advice of n tnia fri«^ ■ #■ '/" you would see the error Of your way; and think, as he doM, t^ you may walk uprightly and safely, without endeavorlmc to outrdo 22 . . ~» ^'^f^ •11 pa ^W,"- «|||||l' U#B Q| THK BBV^Hlt WMLBT. u.: all the good Bialiffi*^ clergy j and otM|! piouf and good m^n of 7 present a^d pasJJt^||Ke8: whickX'od i||iijghty give you grace ', aense tQtidder8t^d;uriKht.^'. P . W' '' ^ (f ^' III tbfi hoonth qj|t ApriV Mi|. Snmuel iVcaley dl^RiM^l Olprd^ '^ epenr a lllfT days w>re: no\loubt wira n view.^^fly fi|^ati|( himseiroin t)ie spw^» of the tniih ojc ll^||^o<)C fFffi^ vtirii fdre given |im uf his t#^|ptheri^*^i|rhen idoh mi wrote a ha^ty iki>|n^ ^P'*^"}- )ich^ he has d|ei|riy exprei^itMld'M^ opinii [iovifs liovhacPi^nu^ of |hcirl»iM)n«iit td4lmiiilha)liiFl|uatiOn/of JMr. Morgan sS*. llpUh precious time, poso let not say, Id short my stay, ' , ,,, iffirst asid,e be thrown, en niw ra|lty tO} or that none : As wlli)^ I>octo# d«>but the !>-<• will die t Or.F-'^^^ili' reuins bis courttsf ? . yri ^i^es ddilyin coiic^it. Dies with'>^ *' Sarv, does jour chriftian pttrpalch still i>h)C^, • 'V as8»t in;etery shape 0ie icr^ches' need 1 .'ToNb wonder widced men blaspheme thftur care, ' < Th#devil always dreadsofienSiTe warV Whwe heavenly' ztal tjMJwis of night pnrwies, Likely to gain, and ee'^j^MoFto lose ; The sieepmff consdeiaMjHes by dangers near, And pours the light idT^ey-so greatly fear. , :&i " ^'Sk^^'^? perhaps this dry religion^ toil "lols ngl Shine in the class, and sparkle in the schools t Tonf arts excel, your eloquence onti dry Slay^bp the genius, and Hie scholar spoif. '^ Peraaps facetious foes, to meddling fools And s oar like Virgil ;l, your eloquence ontso, Virgil or hk e TuHy floi lowr ' Have brightest turns and deepest learning shoi«a)' jUd pcoT'd yoar wit nMstdEOB by<^fauBir own. \ ° ■:'4% 1 :SM|M<> 1 '^'i rfSti^Aal^rM- ■■ -A..^ ^ ^_^- .-^■■.ili^^glirS^tj.^.i-MiLt.y* ' '"i tiafcim wv ^^^ "W ^w JMB Ltn or vmHi^. j«ifjr wBiibBT. Ifnot—th* Wight! •hottid moHoratdy mi), Whoso total merit aumiu'd from far ^"' ^- ^}^yy"^ J**'"«^ their Ihtle society,^ nbout the same tifne Mr. Ingham, Mr. Broughton, Mr. Hkrvey, an4 one or two <^iM^ ^^^^^^ Wesfey'g^pupi s. Th5 were all ^'^^^^^^gS^^ not only S^ bSr3Sl?Wil^r'"!;^W?'^^^^^ yet UndirstoodaLS; X '*'?ll^^'?'**^P*'"?' ^ thelliinutest drcumatance. By the ad- ro!!l'*^^i•l*y'**"»i''?y 2?»^ ^^'^^^ to tlfir%rmer'plS4 a ' regular obsehrance of the fests of the cliuJii the^ geniiilile«lect Se|2^!l;r''"«^*^^^ ^^"^"^ "^r -^ -^^^u^^^ BV sqme years before this, Mr. Wesley hid ^riouentlv read ^ made '"%B extracts from 'them* thor froin his ^ i p gin London^ pay Mr. Law a acquaintance with e had con^ceived^ a lugh opinion igving 6ften been ihi&udi§lbi:<1 ^h uf Jyly, he went down "ito Ink ^"». »•-_ ?_^»„. 1 • r 5 . ^.iey, ti> iqh waA the mtroducti^ii to a personal ^r. Mr., Wesley occasionally repeutiMl ^ ^' ^r ^ \* T^" ■■ij r. li. *7^ ••1 ^^ M -*' •'<» 4 v*,; ^45** ItMn^j^t^i. fm' fHB LIVB or THE REV. jrORir WltLBT. bli Tisitfl, and a friendly correniioridonce followed, which lasted MTQral years. From this time, he began to read the Theologia Oermanieaj and other niyntic writiiPM, (if which, we shall aAor- wards have occasion to take some notice. But, though ho WU8 pleuHed, uiid perhaps too mucli captivated with the views which Mome of the my.stic writers gave him of reli« gion, as consisting chiefly in contoniplation, and inward attention to . our own mind; it docs not appear, that he was less diligent in the instituted nieans of grucc, nor less active in doing goo swearers, drunkards, profaners of the Lord's day, and of lewd houses; and tnfey ■' threw in that ^rt of the fine, given by the law to informers, into a stock of chnr- \. ity. From this they were called Societies of Reformation. Some go6d magis- - \ trates encouraged them ; others treated them roughly. As soon as Queen Maryi»: heard of this, she encouraged these good designs by her letters and proclamn- ^' ' Uons; and King William afterwards did the same. Other societies set them- . selves to raise charity-schools fbr te&ching poor children, for clothing theni, and ^'^^ binding theni out to trades ; and many books were printed, and sent over the nation, to he freely distributed. These were called Societies for Propagating Christian Knowledge. At last, a corporation was created by King William, for propagating the gospel among infidels, for settins schools in our ptantations, for furnishing the clergj'that were sent thither, and for sending missionaries among such of our plantations, as were not able to provide pastors for themselvo«k U was a glorious conclusion of a reign, that began with preserving our religion, and e nded with cr e ating a corporation for promoting it, among infid e ls, to the remoter parts of the .earth; The bishops, and clergy^ iMntributed lilMsraliy to it. Upon Q,ueen Anne's accession to the crown, she continued to them the same &• Tor aad protecticm. See Burnet's History of his own Time, tqI. t. p. 90, 4w. M- \i:. TV fef '••4 af •. -^IPI ,*-^« -«■% .' .r'--.?**.. -I.- „. ': THl Liri or THE IBT. JOHlt WBSLIT. 167 death, «s 1 have the greatent In writing It. His distemper threw him mto a fover, of which ho died tho 96th pant, about four in the morning. Thjais the MooiHHt that I copld uttoinpt writlnir any thing about him, since my uljlictu»ii was con'Hummat«d. Vou Hce 1 malce very freo with you, but tho candor and generosity which I have heard you coiMinotid«ul for, embolden mo to it: and I shatl I hope, find some opportunitioH to muko amends, ond beg you wi'ij * upon ai. occasions, let mo know, whoii I can be serviceable to vou in thw kmgdum." -, • '' During the course of this summer, Mr. Wesley made two jour- nies to Kpworth. In tln-H« excursicms he often went consideralily out of liw way, to itpend a night, and sometimes two or three, with a friend: most frequently with the parents or relations of some of biH pupils. In the firHt journey, while he was standing on tho irar- den wall at a friend's house, it/feli flat under him: but ho escaped unhurt. His second journey was in order to meet his brother hainuel, &c., at l!.pworth, and that the whole family miirht once more assemble together, before their final somiration by death. 1 his meeting must have been very aftocting: as their fathpr waii growing mtirm, and his son Samuel was imw going to reside wholly at Tiverton, in Devon, it was not probable they Would ever see ^cach other agam.—Mr. Wesley returue«l to Oxford on the a3«l of Scptemljer; and as soon as it was known there that Mr^Morfttln was dead, a report was propagated, that th^ rigorous fasting hei.' had imposed on himself, by the advice of Mr. John and Chaflea Wesley, had hastened his death. As this report was highly pre- judicial to their character, and might hinder their usefuhiW: and as It was probable it would reach the father, and might afflict him, and prejudice him more deeply against his son's conduct, and the '■ -.»•, 1^ ' . " ""'^^r. ■""• "\ "^"-""c", lilts jruur." " 1 no occasion," sayshe,.«of,giving you this trouble, is of a very extraordinary nature. On Sunday last 1 was informed, as no doubt you will be «io hmg, that my brother an.l I had killed your son: that the rigo- rous fasting which he had imijosed upon himself by our advice, had increased his illness, and hastened his death. Now, thouirh considering it m itself, •/ is a very tmall thing with me to bejudired ofman[$juflgment: yet as the being thought guilty of so mischiev- pus an "nprudencejruijht ihake me less able to do the >vork I came a v^«l'«„H „ Hr^^T^ "*t^'^ that your son left off fasting about LSit ^"l?***^''*'*^®>*"** '***»' "•»"»' y«t iialf ayearsincel begairto practise It. ' . , "I must not let this opportunity felip' of doing my part towai-ds' giving you a juste^Agtion of some other particulars, "el atin7£>th iaV" •*! «he printed, cdjma of this letter which I ha#««en. the date is 1730 ttu'^te true date maybe ctollected rrom the leUcr^^^^ ' ' #*%° 'mfs- .',7i^k»l4 f ^T^- ttiy2Sih4&i1fS.4t' »6 f«i' Ufl ♦ ■ r ■ Holt, Called duty to GoU, ■J- to him and myielf, whiji|ii'aVo bcQii induiitrioutly miirvpreMiitao H * to you. ;Z^ *< In March last he received a letter from you, which not being able to read, he dcHired me to rend to hint; HovernI of the (or |ii^ople*H liouiteH ulMiut chi dren together ond instructed them In their ^ _^'neighl»oroiid theniMrlveM. Ho likewiMrnxplainrd to them the fiiwmity of private an wtdl an public prayer, and pn>- vidod theinMynli such fornMaM were bent Muited to their Heveral capacities: fwl beinjgr well ap|Sri7od how the HUccesH of his endeav- ors dependeit on their goott will towards him, he sometimes distri-i buted umqiiif them a little of that money which he had saved from gaming ofHl other fa|hionable expenseii of the place.'— —This is the first charge against him, and 1 will refer it to your own judg- ment, whether itl>e titter to have a place i« the catalogue of his^ i faults or of those virtues for which he is now numbered among the^(|f sons of Goil. - ^^ ' "If all j^ per8on%poncernQd in that ridiculous society, whose > follies yptt^avo so often heard repeated, could but give sqch a proof of their dcsei^ing tWo glorious title which was once liestowed upon them, they would lie contented that their lives too should lie counted madness, and their end Jcnoughtito be without honor, but the truth is, their title to holin)^s iHinuli upon muph less stable foundations: as you will easily pcKeive \^eii vou knW the ground of this wonderful outcry, y^jjjuh it^Msins Eogfand itself is not wide • enough to contain.'* ^sjy ""^ He then i^ives Mr. Morgon a short history of their little society, ihfQ|pning him what their pract^ea were, and of their car^ t6 consult wise, learn|^, and pious clerlpHhi, in every^ftep they||^d taHtsn, <^, ^.in the manner described alioVe.°vt He subjointr» *«' As ibr the names ■^ of Metbodists, Supererogation menj and so onyudlfh which t0K\e of ouir ^ri^hbors are pictured to comfilimqnt uHJp^'do not conceiv9# purselves |o be under aiiy obligation t^flj|ar(rtbem, much' less to " ^ke thenf for argumei/ts. 'Fo the 14^Bp(|^ th, I hrliovo liy contniry windM, or it had not Ixrcn no long uniuiMwcrcd. I give entire cmdit to every thing and every fact you relate. It wait ill-judged of my poor flon to take to fuHtmg with regani to hin iM^alth, which I kriew not|iing of, or I hIiouM have advised him againnt it. Ho was in^ rliin^ to piety ami virtue from his infancy. I must own 1 was much concerned at the strange acc^ounts which were spread here, of some extraonlinary practicosof a religious M|iety which ho had engaged in at Oxford, which you may tie surdPst nothing in the carriage, IcHt through his youth and immaturity of judgment, h« might l)o hurrieitiiito zeal ami enthusiastic notions that would prove perni- cious. But now indeed, that niety and holiness of life which ho practised, affonls me some comrort in the midst of my affliction for tho loss of him; having full ossuranco of his iM^ing fon-ver happy. The good account you are pleased to j?ive of your own and your frlohik conduct in point of dutv ond religious offices, and the zeal- o"» ^fctfohtttion of thifhn by the giuxl old gentleman your father, ""J5;>>i<^in a manner and ntyle liecoming the l»esl of men, reconciles and recnfimiends that methml of life to ine, and makes mo almost wish thatwere one amongst you. I am very ntuch oltliged to you, for the |in^|mins you have l)cen at in transcribing so long and so particular erusal, and shall l»e always ready to vindicate you fW»any calumny or aHporsion that I shall hear cost upon you. I am lluch oliligcd for your and your brother's greipt civilities and apsietanccs to my dearest son: I thank — the author of those lines you sent me, for the regard he has shown to hin memory. If ever I can be serviceable to any of you in this kingdom. I bcir you will let me kiiow." , «* ' ^<> A correspondence took place between Mr. Wesley and Morgan, and tho vear following Mr. M^irgan sent tho »)nly soi now had, to Oxf<>rd, and placed him under Mr. Wesley's e.,(B«» which was the strongest proof he could possibly give, that ho ap- proved of his conduct. „ During the tvyiQ^kst years, Mr. Wesley made friMiuent excurslolw to London, and diflbrent parts of the country, liesides his journics to KjMVorth, and thl^ places he visited in his way thither and back, nil of which h« performed on foot. He observes in his Diary, that ho had walked about J050 miles; I suppose he means within iho year he is sneaking of. [n these excursions he constantly preacht'd jMi the Lord's day, if he had an opportunity; so that he might niSv be called, in some sort, on itinerant preacher, though on a plan very different from that which he afterwards adopted, and of which ho could not at this time have the most distant conception. By reading Mr. Law's Christian Perfection, and his Serious e u i. *'y ^'^®' **® ^°" confirmed in the views he before hud of the effect s the gospel i s intend e d to produce on the niiiulB of those who sincerely embrace it; rind was fully convinced of the obsurdity and danger of being an half christian. On the Istof January, 1733, he prcuciied ut St. Mury's, Oxford, before the uni- N il Alt- "ia 1* ^ i5^12L^S^t.Jf' A^jti.j^. .^P- ^r*! >*» 1 V A V \ I ^ V*- *) THB Ll^B or THI KBV. JOMII WMktf. •f ▼emity, on thn circimnciiilnD of the hoart. In this diMourac, whirh in |iriiit»«l in thfl NiMMHid voluiiio of hiH mirmoiiii, ho haii (fX|ilninr4l with gr«nt clflarnoM, and mwruy of laii|(uag«, hia view* of th« christian aalvntion to \m MttiiiiKxI in thia lifu^ in which he never vnriuil, in uny rnateriiil point, to the day of hia death. He waa in- doQd, nt thiN time, ahnont wholly ignorant of the g(M|Md nM*thfNl of attaining thia aalvation, but he aought it with hia whole hnart, ao- ooriling to the knowledge he then had, and wua willing to Nacrifleo the deareHl thing he had in thu world, for the attainment of it. Mill father woa auw in a biul atato of heidth, an«l aeeined de- clining apace. On thia account ho act out on horNelmck for F.ih wikrtli, in the beginning of January. An he wom paaxin^ over the bridge beyond Duintry, hia horae foil over it with hnn; but ho ttgnin eMca|Mnl unhurt. When the eventa of life gli^le anuMithly Ojii nnd follow certain previous circutnatnucea in regular Nucreaaion, , we Mue nothing wonderful in theiu, tM!CuuMe there aeenia to bo aoniu common principle on which the aucceaaion de|M9nda. Hut in extra- ordinary deliveranrea from danger, and in many other inatancea of human atfaira, we plainly |H;rceive, there ia no auch principle, which connects the previoua circumatancea with the following event: the interpoNition of Providence, alnioat atunda viaible before our eyea, and a atrong conviction of it takea place in the mind,' which nothing but inattention or falae rcaHoning can oblite- rate. On these occanionM Mr. Wealey did not fail to return (iod the tribute of praise and thiuikagivingi and renewed hia diligence in aerving him. The Htate of his fathcr'a health occaaloned hia pnrenta to turn their ihoughta to the means of obtaining the living of Kpworth for him,'in ciiae of hia father'a demiae. 'I^e thing wna mentioned to him when he wn.s now with them, l)ut he seem.i to have given them little auHwer. After hia return to Oxford, in February, ho wrote to hia mother on the aubject. " You obaerve," aaya he, " when I wuh with you, that I waa very indifferent aa to' the having or not having the living of Fpworth. I wua indeed utterly unable to det(>rmine either way; and that for thia reaaon: I know, if I^eould atand niV ground here, and approve my^4elf u faithful rniniater of our bleMtntil Jesua, by honor and diahonor, through evil report nnd goial report; then there would not bo h place under the heaven like thia, for im- provement in every good work. But whether I can atom the tor- rent which I aaw then, but aee now much more, rolling down from ull Hides iipon me, that I know not. It ia true, there ia One who can yet, either command the great water-flood that it shall not Come nigh me, or make a way tor hia redeemed to imaa through. But then something must be done on my part: and should he give me, even that most equitable condition, • according to thy faith bo it unto thee,' yet how shall 1 fulfil itf Why he will look to that too. T My father and you helping together with your prayers, that our faith fail us not." — The difli gul tiea whi c h Mr . We s ley fore s aw , did not a rt a e from — any new persecution which threatened him, but from the danger of « , unsteadiness in the vouiig gentlemen, who had for aome time met '%«ith him. He easily perceived, that unleas he ctiuld overcame this / '. " . § ^." .,xfi*t- 4lllteutiy, tll«r« WMbiit Htt!« j»fmf»«rt of «loinfr nny ianUng ffood ill hifl preMtit nitumlcm. Ami it iiiuMt Iw riM, niitl ninrrnMl«'nir« to wirv« (iml, y»'t, ih«?rfl wnre f«w young iiiMii *vljo iittd nulHoivnt rtmolutiuii to mnmyen therein. His fjr«quent utrnmf t4io» eaabl hav« no giKNl inflii(«n4!« iifHin tli«m, aa hid own flxnmnUi, ri>gulariiy , HtttndiiieMM, and mU'wf^i w«ro tho nriii- ciitnl immiw of prmi^rvlng rh«Mii in the autue aiaiMMiition with hiin. gfin »Mllt aeflinn that h« UW nol attend to itikl eirvumatam^e «t RrcMmtj fbf in May, hn mU out agiiin for Rfiworth, and took. Inii<'h«Ht«r in hin way to h»i« hia fri^'ud Mr. Clayton, who had noW^ ' brt Oxford. Fnim thmce he nrocf^eded to Rpworth, ttftd returnml to Manohi'HtolP oti^ Hatnrday the ft! of .rune. The next day he prnHchen hia puplU, and The inninlwra of their littto aociety. He n^>w found biniHelf nurroundttd with enemiea tri- uinphing over h«m, and friends tlewrting him; he aaw the IVuJia of hia laJxira in danger of being blaated la^fore tboy ^d attained ma- tnnry. But ho atood firm an a rock, ami lieing conacioua of his own Integrity, that he bad nothing In ?|ew Imt to terve Ood in right* ' eounneaa, and trne holineaa, and to benefit hia neighbor, he viewed hia riitiiation without an^ groat etnotittn: no giiata of fMtaaion r<>a« to cloud his undorHtaiiding, no foar to damp hia steal; he WM enabled - to aay, the^Kternal (i(wl ia my refuge, I will not fear. He wrote td hw father in the aimiHicity ami fulneaaof hia heart; arid thia letter Hhowa the mart, and hia manner of viewing difficultiea, infinitely " lietter than an^ deacri|ition whiteh another can give of him. I'hia letter 18 dated the 18th of June, and runs thiia: "The ff- f«cN of my laat journey I liclieve will make me more cautioua of staying any time from Oxfi.nl for the future; at leant till I have no ' pupila to take care of, which probably will be within a year or two. One of my young gentlemen told me at my return, thut he WM more and more afraid of aingularity^ another, that he bad read an excellent piecq of Mr. Locke'a, which hud convincc from the case of Mr. Smith, one of our FelloWs; who no sooner began to husband his time, to retrench unnecessary expenses, and to avoid bis irreligious acquaintance, but he was set uiion, Gy^ not only all these acquaintance, but many others too, as if he had "entered into a cs^piracy to cut all their throats: though to this day he has not advised any single person, unless in a word or two and by accident, to act as he did in anV of those instances. " Il^1eHme indeed,^ that * the devil hates offensive war most, and thai whoever tries to rescue more than his own soul from his hands, will have more enemies, and meet with greater opposition,r than ifhe >vas content with, having his own life for a prey.' That 1 try^ do thif, is' likewise certain: but I cannot say whether I * rig- oroitsly impose any observances on others, till I know what that\ means. What I do is (his. When I am intrusted with a ^4,. \\- persoii who is first to understand and practise, and jthen to teach the law of OfMrist, I endeavor by an intermixture of reading ana i^^ conversatiohjlo show him what that law is; tlllat is, to renoun^^ .^^ yi|'^ all unsuboi^dinate love of the world, and to love and obey God wJ f|ti hia strength. When he dppears seriously sensible of th I propose to him the nieanS'-God hath commanded him to use onlcr to thift end^ and a week, or a month, or a yeurafler, as t\ ■tate of his soul sQcrns to require it, flio several pfudential mpani 'reci^nniendml bv wirto' and good men. As to the times, urdei* '"5';^. Ji. TWT ^ £ ■jjeSJMjS^*'''^**** ??=S1^ I(t '"< ;. THB Lir» or THE ««▼• iOlW ^JTBiLlfi" ' HP measure, Khd manner, wher«rtn these »Te to be propoeeil, I depend upon the Holy Spirit to direct me, in and by my ^"^^^SaIjUZ rJmI reflection, joined to the advices of my reh«iou$ friertda *er« and eUewhere. Only two rules it is my principle to observe In all cases: flmt to begin, contimw, and end all my advices in the .spirit of meekness: as knowing that the ^vrath M w»v«rity of man Worketh jiof the righteoiwiicMs of «'»d: and secoiMllv, to jjddjp meekness long-suffering: in pursuance o» » '"l® /jj'*** * ?*^^^^ since, • never to ffivrt ui> any oiin till 4 have tried him,alMea»t ten yeiirs; how long hath God had pity on thee? » ".<*.. " If the wine and good will ,l)clievo thosa fiUaehoods which th* bad invent, because 1 emleavor to save myself and my fri^ds fr^ them, then 1 shall hise my reputation, even among Hiem, fOr (though not perhaps good, yet) the best actions I ever did m my lifo. This is the very case, I try to act as my hord coinmiJKto. ill men say all manner of ^vil of mfe, and good men beBeve thein. There is a way, and there is Init one,,vt making my peace: Uod ^ forbitl 1 sh.mid ever take it. I have as inany pniitfo a« I need, ana »^ niany friends: whpn more aro bettor for me, I shall bove more. If I have no more papils after these are gone from n^yl f n«« tPwn \^. triad of a curacy near you; if I have, I shall theft tnlje it a« a sig>- jiul that I am to remain here. Whether h^l* or there,^yd<»tr6 is to know and feel that I am nothing, that I have- nothing, andthal ^ 1 ciMi do nothing. For whenever 1 armempty of mys, and come when thou wdt.»»* flfa friends be- gan to be alartned fm his safety, and hi^ "»other wrote tWtt or three letters blaming hinr for the general negle^^ of his health, m now took the advice of n physician or two, and by prop^f «f™ *«? a prudent management of his daily exercise* he grpdll^lty lost fill coiiuilainis, and recovered his strength. . ^*v °. ^ * ,.A-»kL Towards the end of this year, he turned his though^ to>»Ut»- BCtot'vast importance in Christian exiierience; tlie |)tre8ence of E^bf^Wh*-' ------ D..* U<. ■ A>>>...l '& *<:krk orfant fiikr hutl tO-Odm* a ft 1- prehend. his people. But he found k too great fbr hiiu to o^m* ■He talked with Mr. Liiw.and wjote to his niptber upon •'Private Diary. ■I ■;..#. ,\7 > . '-'t'M A -^t^-'i;^ \ i^j^M -W' ,1 MH im% %twt or thi mt. johv wbilbt. '■/. V vi ' Itf jt/but he received little or no Inforrfiition from either of them. 1 ne^ all ijfeem to have inquired into tlTe nature and manner of the iJivme Prenence, rather than into the evidences of it His mother'8 answer is dated January i, 1734: she confesses that nhe did not understand the «u Inert, and that, in thifl respect, she Htill Wo^»hl^^ped an unknown GcmI. Nothing indeed is mor^ certain ^ Us f^'f;**^"* * •« T'*'**'* "^ ^^^ ^"^'"^ PreHchce and operations, ,, b^.th in the works of nature and grace, is incoinprehensihle to u«,at g»e ««me time^tbat the effects produced, demonstrate his presence M power. Through the want of this distinction, many have run Into great errors in explaining the inAtience of Divine gnice on the human mind, and some have even denied it: thouirh to Wm who rightly understands the Scriptures, and has any degree of chri><7ia^ experience, the effects of it aa clearly demonstrate^a Divine infl",? ence, as the^worksof nature show the existence of God, thouirh the mannerof his presence and operation in both is inexplicable: I he whole force of^Mr. Wesley's mind was now bent on' reli, gipus subjects. In reftecting on the progress of the soul to an en- tire sconfi.rmity to the willof Go«l,amr a fitness for heaven, he thought that^different degrees of virftie are differeht states of m nd; that IS, of the understanding, will, and affection.^; and that we mus pass thnuigh the lowe/ states before we can arrive at the higher' «o thatchristian experience is a progressive work; in which the first «tep prenares the mind for the second, and so on through the rA r,. '"'f-P'^^rSl- ?* ^^^^'^^^ however, that there a*e ce"! Shi«TL"","? ■''"''' are more strongly marked than others; and that these states ascertain onr progress with some deirree of^ certainty He wrote to his mother U tlis subject. She answered him ma le ter of January, "You are entirely in Uie right in wha greeaof virtue and mety are differentstates of soul, which must Iw passed through gra.^uaUy-fi,r. in all matters of religion, if there be not ay internal sense in the hearer corresponding to the sense in the mind of the speaker, what is said will Have 4 effectf^hTs " have often experienced: yet sometimes it falls out, that while a Malous Christian 18 discoursing on sniritual subjects, the blessed SjiiritofGcKl will give l;uch light to tiie minds of thoLe wh h?a. him, m dispels their mXxve darkness, and enables them to appro hend those spiritual thrtts of which before thev hnd no disSern ment." In this letter she addresses a pupil of J^r. WeslevTwho appears to have despised reti^oni «^ell him from m^" Tnvs jhe, « I am as good a*, my word, I daily pray for him, and beg of him ifhe have the least regard for hisVml, or hnve'yTan7re- ^wffi 'X"TV*^''^'''^r •"*^? '"'"^' **» «»'"»'« off alI;aJqaninJ«iH.e With the^ profane and irretfirlar; for it is the freethUer and aensualisl, not the despised Methor.us to be Very wrioii* in improving «»»• P'^"; «.^ tmramuninLg ouraelvea with (fod wiiile it is called to-.^^^^ being diicjur^ilTed for hii* bliHsful jiresencc, our luture exi.tcnce b« '" M?:^'!^ " and li:;^ aH««ci«ted with him. We -t only ..^ ousofgoodworkH before men, hut thrv wpre Severe. mid Btnct in exfin. nlng then.Hclvok in the-olo.et. fcnrh h«d n H?nng of que*- Sr, by which ho examined Imth bin actions , and his motives in Srming them, and also the teH.per of hin ii.inI'P?[»"n'»y"*^ ""'"/? «"^! and of preventing, removing, or lessening evil ? 2. Have I thougbt any thing too dearto pari with, to serve iiiy neighbor? . 8. Have « spent an hour at least, *very day, in speaking Ui «"";^ «'^«^«f.;f *»^^ er ? * 4. Have I, in speaking to a stranger, exi.lained what relig on fs not (not negaive/not external) and what it is,'^he recoverv of the - S^of GoSj searched at whai step in U he st«n»«. «»?^ mkeshim stop? 5. HAve I persuaded all T could to attend public rayersT sermL, and sacraments? and in general, to ol.ey the fnwfoJthe Church universal, the Church of Knglaujl, the state, the university, and their respective colleges ? 6. "a^el, alter every visit, asked him who went w th. me, di4 I say arty tlwg wroffg? 7 Have I, when any one asked advice, directed and-^- horteS him, w th all my. power? 8. Have 1 rejoiced with and for my neighb^, in virtue, or pleasure? Grieved, w^th him m pa n, aifdforhiminsin? 9.'Has go.,d will been, a^fj^PR^^^^^^^ , the spring of all my actions towards others? %c. &c/ for their scheme of self-examination extended to a very conside^ble length. * His father's health had been on the decline fo^jiM«|l yejrs, and . he now seemed approaching towards t|ie cl«%^«jre. * n^ oia irentleman, conscious of his situation, and deBit;#\Js that the living of Epworth shduld remain in th^ ta|r»ily, wrote to his wy John. requeVing him to apply for the n^^#r^entation. We ^hav# Jh ready seen, that, when the subject v»^i» nientioited to hini last year, he hesitated, and could not determine fine wajr'^pr tne other.sw But now he was determined not to accept of the living, if he could ob- tain it, and stated to his father, some reasons for refusing to^com- / ply with his request. His father and brother Sanviel were disap- pointed, and both attacked him, with every argument they could kosijibly bring |o bear upon him. He acted on the defensive only^ !md ihkintainld his ground. . But the mode of attack, and^of his dd- ■ fence, will give us tlie best view of his principles^ and dispo8iti«n^ . offflintf at this time. , '. ■ \. ' , /, t ^ » Your state of the question:, and only argument 1st f 1 he questio^. ifthot whether I could do ^ore g<)od.i*o othors, there or Am; but whether I could do inore.Jaodto Jinyself; seeing wherever I can be most holy to myself, thew lean most promote hohne88^otn«ri«i But I 6art improvemyselfinqro at Oxford. giatt.tttW mo thw I answer, 1.; h is iMrt dcarijelf; bwt^ the glpry 4»t God, >•-:,; :'i-. as-- i':v>^--- ■■^■v/.^ -:■■■■;:., /ri::u. •^ •• Xi ■TT '\- .. •'! ,»,»!;,!»,■ V;"/- i!>!f»,^.« Mi' t»« Urn or turn kiv. sohm witLsr. V m ISiSIfJ ^•""' i"^!^ ?^ promoting It, which Hhould lie our nwln pJli .IJ M ' *"*^ Uir^tum in any coumo of life. Wiine», St. mtnJ^ Mo8e«. 2 SupimHiMK you could be more holy youwelf •t Oxforrf how Hoc* It fo low that you couM more prou.pte holinoM tn others, there than ehewhere? Have you foun./ ,nany ingtlmce^ ot U, after ho mi^ny years' hard pauM and labor? Further. I dare Z« C"iJ.;".S*'nT'?' "'".' J""'.'^"" '" •^"y- ^'""-^ «"•*• "« holler nn^n than you at Oxford, and yet it \h poHHible they may not have promoted hohneH. n.ore that, you have done: an I doJbn,o?bu^ methotl. For there ih a |Nirt.cular turn of mind for theno matterH- great prudence nii well bh great fervor. "miierH. > •♦U. I cannot allow austerity, oV faHting, considered by themselves tol* prooer acts of holiness, nor ^nfl for « solitary lifr S maile us f<,r a soc.al .fe; we are not to bury our talonti we are to let our light shine before men, and that not barely throuirh the chinks of . bushe , for fear the wiiul nhouhl blow itout*^ The design of lighting it was, that it might give light to « that w*Mrt ™S ^'^"'- A„dtotl5s,4de.4al^t.aie^eo^^ " 4. You are sensible what figures those make, wlio stov in the uniyerjrity 1. 11 they are su,M3rannuated. I cannot 'thTnld own" ,o.s promo es holiness. How commonly ou or^nm^^^^^^^^ fnTK all^wivSf'f ^'"■•"'^^V -"""^ hither sh^riny ou" ana IS in a fair way of bringing down mv irrey hairs with «oi.r«J to the grave: if you havcALre for ..Jr^Si^Xh nmsX dismaHy shattered as soori osl am dront: if you reflect on tZdV,^ wlH C^ertelol:; G ldl7""^ r>eop/eLvc^fory,m:U:reLy y^ will be enirt»l«l to do God the more service, and the plenteousnesH of the harve«. consisting of near two thousand souls, XreTwrn have not many nn^r. scholars in the university; you may TrhS alter your mind, and bend your will to his, who ^has pro^.K ? milT "Tri/ ^^"^ no one can niiveyour mi.;i5u^ Him who made It. I »b«irnot drAw tfre saw of controversy anrl thpr-ftTrl Swng Usured, yet I Klult .Uow e»wy w„rf, and h«,e ii8vertli«le»i \ V .\\ n^^^^^^^ ^- ■:-t. r J^ !. M^'i^i^ '^•"vi%. tnm LiFi ©r THi «■▼. *«>*■ w»iLi¥. » 1 - 1 « ' '-'''■ I.. ■"':'■'' ' . --m It-;.' L _ J ;'. ' > thtii to nay nirniwt your cbncluBioM, 1. I •«> yow';^oX« <" ^"^r"; but yo^/lo?* Vq your, neighbor I .lo not .ce. a. You are^. «t Zrtv to resolve ianimt undertaking a rure of iw^nU ^»\Y^ .ofe^nlv enS to do it, »,efore Go«r and his nign pn«.i «»d h.« cS^ Ar^e^^^^ onJniniHl? Did you not defiberately n„d ?,tonly*I»romiito iuntruct, in teach, to a.hnoninh, to exhort thc^o e nlllled to yi>ur charge? Did y9U «iuivcicate the" w..^. .o v. le A reservation, as to purjiose in your heart that you never wouio L^e^.Trcomn.itted/ It ii^-not a college, U in not a ""'versUy, it i7the^ord«- oltL CAurcV^cording JO wh.ch you ^ej«;\'»»^: , I ^t rharh^ if Hfe is Hilly eiMrfi>ow never to leave Oxford, and ther2«^oW .^ctert ^Y iH already plighted «> thexjn- trarv! vou hav/ put^Wha^d torthe plough, to that l»t"j;gh. '- Ku'iH^trotVLr laniuiiie, andlhe argument, if good, was like play- jigUavTc nnon'^^^^^ Mr. John Wesley. Uever. 1ufp?hin.self within'his fortress, and •^n^^^f^l^. »»'? '•"'**'^;j ^C"n« with caution. His letter is dated January 15th, 1785, and n"Ving ^x Sa?ne"d himself at som. length to his '"fe ]•« ^-^a cop^^^^ rhnt lottpr to his brother. He observes, "Had not my oroint-r ChLe desired it might be otherwi^, I.should W sem you.m^y an extract of the following letter. But if you wdl bo at the pains, Jou wm sobn reduce ti,e%rgument of it, to tw* or three po.Hts. which if to lie answered at all, will, be o^as.ly jBiswered. By i, vou may oLerve, my present purpoSe ii foun.lea on my present ?veaS. Bur.[ la not Indee'd probable, that my father should live till that weakness is removed. .^ „ . «r«« "Your second argument I had no occasion to mentmn before. To it I answer, thati do not, nor ever did. res6lve agjiinst under- takinir a cure of souls. There are four cures lielonging to our collele and consistent with a fellowship: I do not know but I mav UkeKf them ^t Michaelmas. Not that I am cleatly^a«^rerf, ha? Sould be fale to my engagement were I «n'y J^Tst uld exhort the pupib, committed to my charge. But of that 1 sliouia. 3n,Zgh\he letter to 4s fotheris long; yet ii contains such^i dijn tinctviewof his manner of thinking and reasoning, and of the eneri of iSs language, at this period, that it cannot with propriety beomitted. ■•./y ■- ; ■:■''..:.';''""■ -' ;■■( '■'• :''\ . ., ,■ " «"^ tS; authorUy ^''^Pr^^^^"'^ ?^ ^^^^ tHings of so sacred a nature, that a question in whijM^^^^ wavs concerned, deserves the most serious consideration, i am tlereforeffreathr obliged to you for the pains you have faken to set t^Jr^S^gi^ihichW^ ^^rss'^ST Chains with the utmost attention of Which 1 am capable. Ahd »»«»"«« rore?heerfuHy do it. as being assured of Xf ^ J« S^^J^j,^ earnestly implorkig his guidance, who w 11 not sufter Ijose toai K ffir wL to L, to V'^Vth in the^eiToyt^t^^^^^^^ "ad I entirelv agree, that ' the j^l9ry of God, and the mne'^e'|« deitrees of nromotitfg it are to t»e oSr sole consideration and direc- tiXirtbe SS o}^^^ «f«i* *»**» consequently, that it w-t^'- f. "r'.. P5'-,'' V ':*1A,» TM nwr or, Tm «■». jqhm whlct. %i^_ ,;is.,v Tmy eye Hin^le. „r„, .t.adily fix«| „„ the ^I ory of t^f jMpourse of mb t?nd8 most to the glory ,yfGod wherein be out ttHurt r Fo'/h '^i"« f""y P«^'^"««led that thene canlve we caii -■-^!«^siS=SS of the worl.J „, „,t.,rwnaiever the«e accounts, is so on the other likewise ir i» i- 1- » V- I" " ^^^'*j9m for us; if fi.r u.. then for Them. ^^''^^■'' *"■• «^»'«'-''. I rational groynlto M evKiH^ of these have to tietti himself first l...r iL«^f ^f ^ ^'^^^''^ physician's concern of God. I mean a coninloi hi,l.l^ ;.f ?• ""' '"".' '" ""> '■""«<' that, n the state whpri.in I «Z i "v**** -^'" * therefore believe myself, became I ;u;;2vTeVerT^^^^^^^ **"!'"«- '•' peculiar to it. T^^^J*'^ «®''*^'^"' advantage., which are ahnost know'io^L^lilfeA^'^^y'^'T^^^ my friends. I bandhalfadozUA^o"^^^^ have always at . In the ^ame studi^ PcS 7i"h ^ "'^" ju«lg".ent, and enffageT lively ^pnviction;S tJ^vXe^v l"'^^?^ i"*° '^ ^" "»J ^hoMfi biiome measu"rLSnn.7 "'^ ?'"*'' *" •''""P"" earth, ;«HtH.a«d nure XcS';;;iX\ t^Tn'^Sl^'"^ "'^ ro b.ve «u,^Mun?uI:&^^ -^ ¥■ S H> "if \ 'V 1 ^' A U." T«B HW 0» ?«■ »»▼. *«■» WBiLllii •.^,' «H#Mu1 and Bcuordlng to the variety of ocoasiona^ admjnirtning '^JlS'Xi^orexhortatioh, with all plainneM, and all gentle- ;f«rt a bleS'ifi I ha^^^^^^ y«t found arty Ghriatian. to eiyoy in "trnLrianftLkinirdoin. And Huch u bW^in^ it ii, ao oon- n,,y other part ottn^^^^^^ incrca«e of all holinew, a. I delV i:;'::S;'!;^!5t;;M »»» *»« receive. Hl. m meaaure °' .^flth"* Another inValuable blessing which 1 enjoy here in ^K*^ dcKrctthaH could anywhere el-eji- retirement. » hav^'l"\?»'i 1 much; but aa little company aa I pleaHO. I have "owch Aftlg „»rifllna visitant, except ulwut an hour in a month, when 1 ui- vUe ontSfO^^S^^^^^^^^ one ever taken it into bin hcud to set foot withito my dopt. *!?C^ be haiJome business of importam.c to communicate to me, «r I W llhn S even then, lis im^i uj^ho (itm deapatched hi. bus.ne«i^ »'Vfft:^^i:::^blei:^he continual pre«.n^, <^ uaefW^ nnintei'rupted free«lom from trifling aciiuaintance, are e«ceedm«lj endeSto ine, whenever 1 have »i>ent but one week out of *»■ n?il« The far grcuteiit part of the converaatlon I meet with rLmad evLVamong those wbofl. I believrfto be real Chri.tiana, aonerme toVuUow with all possible care nmd vigilanee, that e«- cellent advice of Mr. Herberfl . ' -. * S« ill let my mind bo hwt, stiH plotting ^hW, And wbw, f ad >ow^ the tnnineM may U *»•. And this, 1 bleai God, tcap »n ■0'«V"^T'^i*'*?^lS.iHS that bane of piety, the eompany of good »*« * «f^**' ^??''*'R for Cnoi^nsfof religion. *Xt the.^ i*»^t?Si" fcth^^^^^^^ n.y:resolutiona, and JiUte ^^^l^-.r.^SS.^^lS'^Srtd JI^jI sfallmyitreiSgth, « lOtli. Freedom IVotrttsare I take IQ be the pwt f«»*«^»«^ t««e to f^edom from useleaa, and thei-efere hurtftd ««nipeny. And iKtooleiSoy in greater t«ifecti«n here than I can ever expact to do air whlrnis" I heark such a thingaathe«areaofth..WQrid, and Kd of them, but J know them not. My income i« re^dy for me* L^ miSPated days, and all I have ^jj^ «,^*^<^„»i ^1 earrvithome. The gf^ad artiele of my exnenwj i. food, and tbw S provMed without any care of mine, f have nogjtjj /*»g»» Xut at such an hour to take and eat what is prepared fortne. My laundress, barber, 8tc. are always ready \V^';^y,^Zl^o^ no trouble on account of those expenses. And t»jr wnat i occ^^n- Juy need? I can befupplied fronittme to ti'^^^^i hout any ex^n^ Sf thought. Now to convince n^ V|r.h<^t a help to fc»»»Jf»^»* ^ fwerenSrinr experience abumlantly aafficientll •fe«»W *««1»^ K autffi^ San St. Paul's, '1 wquld haVe you be Without A ■■0. ■>«■ i V ■' w •■■ Ltrv Of THi ftiV. JONir WilLli^ be holy both in InmIv nnJ «..irj» ' ,. J^, (•"'••••« 'ne i^onl. Ho hinv I 'hint ,h« hi h.7L"~J.irTnf <"";■ "'" '*''«""'•• J"''«'"-«>,««il experience anerreiiolution iniaht 5« i "* whatever one of •and hard.hip which iS^i 1 n^"^ o,mo»rte to that JiHcTpline , lecqon, but to the vety essence mwi lioin^ «r :; " ''"^K'^*'*^'' "• lH?r-. my harbor; I m».. on hZ^^ZH^XmI^V '^\'"''K he hM Ion, u., not to b^ Zm h^ ,r™"', "'^ """^ '•'«"' "'•i'-h evervfellowernrrKmo* 1 • u- "**"•*" •"• ' cannot deny that but^hX^T/sL^cl^nA^^^^^ «f ^he ^orli Of Vry chH..ir^'rp.'r,t^i.'^ijv-'^-'%r.;^^^^^^^ Sg'urj>^'' A^.. ^J to'.iidifcl.JriakLj*.. ^y;^i»i^f!Sf •It TNI Uri 0f tttli^n earth, M ono that ilroncf away lilV, without ev«r InlH.niiK t^ |.ro- motn lh« glory oftio.!, uiul thi^ giMxl of iihmi; iiml timt \vhoi*ny-^ ho Iw young or ol«l, loftruwl or uiilrurnwl, iu ii colluge or 6ut ,ol it. Vf t grauting the miiwrliitive ilogrtjo of uoiitoiiipt to l»e on/ ull ac- counts duo to II collogo under, awd yet workn not at all; allowing all/ thm, and " whaterer eUo can hfi said (for I own it whniMnwihle to uriy enough) ngainrtt the dr^wAy. ingratitude, the laaS)|>nrrjury of tluh4«j Wht» are commonly culled harinlesH or gooes it himself. If so, if Owl Iw the sole agent mheahng S4>u s, and man only the instrument in his hand, there^o«l of nurity; because he will pray more, and more eoniestly that he may be em- ployed, and that hia service may tend to his Master's glory; l)e- cause all his prayers both for employment and stqccss therein will the more surely pierce the clouds; liecause the more his b*rort is enlargem withoutdeitroyir^him by pride of vanity.^ jl^^ * "'15th. But for the pr(M»fi>f every one of these \fl?l|?my truths, ex- perience iiJ worth a thousand reasops. I see, I fwl them every day. Sometimes I cannot do go«Ml to others^ becnuse I am un- willing to do it; shame or pain is in the way; and I «bv pot desire to serve God at so tiear u rote. Solnetiiwies 1 cannot do the good I deaire to do, becauwe I am in oth«r resna||yoo nqholy. 1 know withtin mvself, were I fit to be so employ|^n would employ mo in tkis work. But my heart is too u«clei»«Bli»uch mighty works to be WToag^t bv m/ handtJ. Sometimes TliAi|t accomplish the good 1 am employed in,-becau>*e I do no| jm^idore and m^ fer^^entW; and sometimes even when I do pn»y^p ttwt msiiiiitly, ^ because lam not worthy that nrij;i)rttfer ^^m^^^Km^: oo^V^- times I dare nut attempt to assist iny neighl)or, TteMpJ 1 knoi>»r the narrowneas of my heart, that it cannot attend to itim^ things, with- .ij ", ' 1 ' '. %, . -^ - ^ \ ■•, \ ( ( ff| i, ^, ' ■* J *i,- ;ia±i^.«- -^..Ja. . - fL'jm A^. tm Liri 09 TMi ftiv. tpun wt»tiT, '^f :;f: J'. JsV mi. ■ Uf thwHo in pnrticwfurwa does thereby an much Her ish in hiM whole life, foKj oil those who *\\w\\ be coi.,, of the dew ofheuven; but ' a" out utuir conAislon, and diiuiipation of thouirht. And a ihmi..n„«i..!. '■ ' , babo. in chri.. ^, h, in..r„o.«,.«„,;.x:L?'!;! .iisfe;;,:''! ^ervc, that he who galriH otd y one, 10 world a. ho could do in a par- iH /tr^ion; in him are contained >y him. Ho Is not a .in^lc drop .^r rj^XL^r^ &tr„^^^^ iitrre^s ' T: imponnePetio ', ' _ -- OMom SeUUet, aUpu 0,u A^ndonm inv^er, Olympum own .oul, ancTao make me utterly usoIohh to orherl ^ ''""'""^ bishop and vice-chancefior, are at h7nd 3nn|v /„»"" '^h •'*? ^i?"*^ want ofexperjence; because we havrthe eveTof m.mn. l"^ '*'*'"" U8, wh6, even wlthgut deaiirninir it nerfSrmJhn .''.'''' '*I'?1 office of friendship, apprizi. K" wLe w«TJi i*""? «"?''""*"*' guarding us from fkllEZn- irsti J^^ already fallen, and .tantfufd (which iheLT^iJ;i^?'^ir:z:^^^^^ "T- pounds^to supply the bodily warns If the ^mnr »ni .? *^*'^*'*y 19th. If It be said that the love of the neonle »t F„«,«..»». k i «.ak.. particular •'p^iiSy'-r^^^^ \ Tm Mt. MM WBILir a«ch, * ThottArt th« man !' Alan, «ir, An iIm7 IioJ foryou atfimt? iinil how havo th jiiKt aa evury oii« will Imj UMml, whtwe ItUMiii tlioiii that l«ivo t<> nit ill «liirkiH»HM. •• aotl'i. N«»twithntamliiiK. th«rffor«', th«ir my favor, I cannot quit my firnt c<»nrlui«lon^ (io that tfoml any whiTo, not evi-n at h.\m ^ do at Oxmnl; anil yrt om torril»l« olynetUiii li<'>* . you found it Hoin iact?.Whftt hav« you don« ii. -..^ — , ^ . 'Nay, hav« not th« vt-ry ntti-inptM toih» k«»«"'. <«»•' want of u imrticu- liir turn of mind for tho InMiiirmH you oiiKugrd in, or of prud«iici> to- dirortyou in the right mothml of doing it, not only Imsph uiwucwjuh- fiil,lmt hfous^ht Huch (fbntompt upon yon, aa haa in great meaa- . ure diH«|ualifu'«l you for aiiy fiitiiro huccohh? And aro there not men in Oxford who are not only better anil holier than you, liut who have preacrved their reputation, who lieing univeraally ea- tecinod^jire every way ^ttor to promote the glory of God in thai pHice? ' , . . ■ . • " 21hL I am not car^l tn nnawer In thw matter* It la not my • rirt to aay whether (iod Iiuh done any goojl l»y my handn; wl>ethor have a particular turn of mind foi* thin or not; or whether the want of HUCcasH in mv |»»Mt attemptM, waa owing t«» want of pru- dence, to ignorance of the right inethtMl of acting, or to aome other cause. But the latter part of the objection, that ne who ia de- Hpixed can do no good, that without reputati»'. • . ' •• , » / ■ ■■-.pi ' ' . > . . ' • ■• -*^' \/ ^ , ■■ ■ ♦■•■ - • % ■ 1 . ■• ' « ' » ■\ ' >■■ . ' ■» ' I ' » * ■' '.'"I >f ■■ ■ , ■ . k ' - ' '.', ■■■'* « .'■■■• ■ . ■ ' . "'V ,. ... ■ .^" ■ .' *■ ... «..■■.■■ i" -.- . . .... ...v.-;;...; ^ .i., . ; ■ ■..: ;,'■■.■' *' ' ' ■ .. .■ * t V t ■■'■'■ 9 • - ' . , J- -i ' >.;„ ,, •;. . . - .-.j^^uiLj^L— -I*" T ih. ^^^^^^ A ' »■ ' ■^■■^■■HIHIIHHIHHH Ml 4^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^! ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^1 ■ ^^^^ ■■■'■■ ' ■ ' ■■! ■ .- • ^^H ^^H ^^^^H ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^M ^^1 ^^^^^1 ^^^^^H ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ "■ ■ ^^M ■ ^^^1 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^H ^^^H ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ '•'' J r t ■ .■ ,'■..-■ 1 1 I HHHI ■ ■ ^^^^^^^Br^ ' ' - ' 1 "^ ,-' , \ • ' > • .' 1 \T\\ r '""^:v*' ■ . * * \ •' ■ • \ ! \ * ■* ' . 1 ^^ ; ■'. *- ■■ 1 - i ■ . ■ ■ 'i w ■^ ' " . m- *. ■' t :■'■'■' ■'^•V- '■'■'■ ' ■ * - •'.,. ^ y ' ■ f V . * ^ ■ '■ ',' ,^ w - ■ ■ . t ,■ ■ • .•'*■'' ^-^' * • ■ ■ ^ 4 \ T * * Wf.. /'■■' * J «- ■ '^■"' ' "■ ■ V .■*■■ 'at ■ - .' '■;♦"■ 1. ■M 3' ^ ^ " ■'■ ■- ■ '■ ■ • ' ■': * •' - * , \" ■ - ■1 M i •'■ >. ^ ' . ' ' ■ ^ # • .■ . * ' :.'*.' '■■■''■■■■m-':^:^ ' -'/■ ■ ■"■ . ../! ■ .■ '■''■■ ■>'■■- '. '\ ■ ■ ..«J 1.0 I.I ■i6 lU I ■Ubu U.0 L25 ii.4 I 2.5 2.2 2.0 1.8 1.6 MICROCOPY RESOLUTION TESTiJtHART . NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS STANDARD REFERENCE MATERIAL 1010a (ANSI and ISO TEST CHART No. 2) I^'\ • "^ . 1*4 tj^''J'J-''' •'*^a"Vr' ^- 1. /' , « 5? THB LIFK or THE REV. JOHN WBRLBT. you.» John XVI. 20. Botli the iJfersonH who are hated, and the persons who hate them, and the cause of their hating them, are here clearly determined. The hated are all that are not of this World, that are liorn again in the knowledge and love of God: the haters are all that are of this world, that know not God, so as to love hira with all their sti'ength; the cause of their hatred is, the entire irreconcilable difFercnces between their desires, judgments, and atFections; because these know ppt.God, and those are deter- mmed to know and pursue nothing besides him; li^huse these es- teem and love the worhl, and those count it dung and dross, and suigly desire that love of Christ. " 23tl. My next position is this, « Until he be thus contemned, no^man is in a state of salvation.* And this is no more than a plain inference from the former; for if all that are not of the world are therefore contemned by those that are, then till a man is so con- . temned, he is of the world, i. e., out of a state of salvation. Nor •8 «t possible for all the trimmers between God and th^ world, for all the dodgers in religion, to elude this consequencd, which God has established, and not man, unless they could prove that a man may be of the world, i. e., void both of the knowled^-e and love of God, and yet be^in a state of srUvation. I must therefore, with or without leave of these, keej^ close to my Saviour's judgment, antT ^mamfam that contempt is a part of that cross which every fnan hfitJgt bear if he will foUlow him; that it is the badge of his disci- pleship, the stamp of his profession, the constant seal of his calling; insomuch that; though a man may be despised without being saved, yet he cannot be saved without being despised. « 24th. I should not spepd any more words about this great truth, but that it seems at present quite voted out of the world; the masters in Israel, learned men, men of renown, seem absolutely to have forgotten it; nay, censure those who have not forgotten the words of their Lord, as setters forth of strange doctrines. And hence it is commonly asked, * How can these things be?' How can contempt be necessary to salvation .? I answer, as it is a neces- sary means of purifying souls for heaven, as it is a blessed instru- ment of cleansing them from pride, which else would turn their very graces into poison; as it is a glorious antidote against vanity, which would otherwise pollute and destroy all their labors; as it is an excellent medicine to heal the anger and impatience of spirit apt to insinuate into their best employments; and in a word, as it IS one of the choicest remedies in the whole magazine of God against iove of the world, in which whosoever liveth is counted dead before him. "25th. And hence (as a full answer to the preceding objection) 1 infer one position more. That our being contemned is absolutely necpssary to our doing good m the world.. If not to our doing some good (for God may work by Judas) yet to our doing so much as we otherwise should. For since God will employ those instruments most, who are fittest to beeinployed; since the holier a man is, the httep-instrument he is for the God of holiness; and since contempt 18 so glorious a means of advancing holiness in him that is exerciseo t hereby, yay, sinc e no man can l i e holy a t all wi t hout it. who cap '^. , ? But what saith the Scripture ? WhyTthat God hath hiughed a I the heathen wisdom to scorn? It saith, that twelve despised ti.l- bwers of a (Jespised Miister, all of whom were of no reputation, who were esteemed as the filth and otf-scouring of ^he world, did inoi-e good in it than all the tribes of Israel. It saith, that the des- pised Master of these despised fidlowers left a standing directioa>v to us, and to our children, « Blessed are ye' (not accursed with the heavy curse of doing no good, of being useless in the world) * when men shall revile you ajid persecute you, and say all manner of evd of you falsely for my name's sa.Vse.~L Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaveii.' . " 26th. These are part of my reasons for choosing to abide (till l am better imformed) in the station whecein God has placed me. As for the flock committed to your care, whom for many vearsyou have diligently fed with the sincere milk of the word, I trust in God your labor shall not be in vain, either to yourself or them, many of them the Great Shepherd has by your hand delivered from the hand of the destroyer, some of whom are already entered into peace, and some remain unto this day. For yourself, I doubt not, but when your warfarei is accomplished, when you are made perr feet through sufferings, you shall come to vour grave, not vvith sorrow, but as a ripe shock oTcorn, full of years and victories. And he that took care of the poor sheep before you was born, wdl not fijrget them when you are dead." /^/. i=^S Mr. Samuel Wesley wrote to his brother John at Oxtor^flpl>- ruary 8, 1735, and made some observations on the letter ^ "»« written to his father. He tells him, " Charles was in the right to desire I might have your whole letter. Though you have_ stated the point, so as to take away the question, at- least all possibility of differing about it, if it be only this, whether you are to serve Christ, or Belial? I see no end of writing^ now, but merely complying with your desire of having my thoughte upon it ; which I here give, in short, and I think almost in full, though I pass over strictures on 1gs*4 iii£itt6rs ^ «1. Your friends, retirement, frequent ordinances, and freedom from eare, are great blessings ; all, except the last, you may expect, in a lower degree, elsewhere. Sure all your labors are not come to this, that more is absolutely necessary for you, for the very being of your christian life, than for the salvation of all tjie parish priests in England. It is very strange ! , rv /• j i « 2. To the question, 'What good have you done at Oxtord .' You are.not careful to answet: how comes it then you. are so very careful about the good you might do at Epworth ? The help that is done on the earth, he doeth himself, is a full aolution of that t^rible dimcuUy. v . .-t,: ,. ^^«'-*' 5 /"^ 1 add, 1. I this to be toa^litde for m^? ;„Ai! *''*r^''^*y« ^""n«<^^^^ than do, I could no throw up anv nai n^^^^^^^^ 3. Whatever others my salvation. ^ ^ P^"^' *'^"> ^"*»«"t manifest hazard to M "S: Anoth";r"7;;^'^"X'm^nU^'^***i'"'''^ ''* withoutsln: Oxford ; and the goodTne S^l/\7^fl\^^'''''''^J-^^^'^^ *»»«" «« It is a more extensive benefit to ^w.f ^11 "^'"^ *^'^"«^^« "^ture. the same to particular sJrTams '"'"" '^^^ ^"""*'^''?' '^^" *« 2 , .f /yj i-m H^ ^y a. m. 'iV '""- *:*' yf*3. r V » m SiJ^jl THIB Lire or TH« mET. JOHJr WB8I.BT. ^riih or «„"''"» r.'n™*'^'' '"^?«V» "»'le"ake the eari .? J imiisnorno. His answer runs in tliese words." « It /i«»i, «^» better ..rvro^'. 3 hK'uK'^A"" »"■•■• « «'"«>"'■'". Ti.« ^ »• • — ^. ''*•*""•«» * nave nil reasonable evidenm »» ed to worldly^mded men, and will therefore to demSTd aometirnea persecuted by them. ™ oeapisea, and .J' y"? " """".'* *."» transformed fythe renewinirof his mind SflhT^tlnird'n^ rf Ct''-" .ndV.eti.oes rfll wh"'.^ q Th ♦ ' ^ u "^ . ^**"» **® *« "<** aChristiau. whAnro f /y^"f"*" *^'."? contemned and persecuted by those • '?. JE^ k" ® '"®*"* "^ improvement in the Christian life and furtW h.8 profirress to a true conformity to Christ. ' .rrlfii • * Christian's being contemned, wi«,not hinder but I will not assert that Mr. Wesley would have siimed these 'nrn- F?3k Z' «ri**i;!? "'"«;**« ^*»°»« «^ ^^ opinion offi suK S^ • 1735, though I believe they vary but little Vrom it ; and! am ner '^^::^t::r^'^--'^ "^^ subscribeS\£i^r/.i:; • The bishop's letter lies before me, and runs in the words mentioned. ll.. Vni LI>1 Of turn KIT. JOBH WKMJPT. 970 In the midst of this debate he wrote to his mothfer, without taking the least notice of it: nor do I find that she wrote to hinn on-that eubiect: which anpears extraordinary, if she was of the same opin- ion'with her husband and her son Samuel. Mr. Weslqy's letter is on the sub'ect of christian lil)erty, concerning which, he wished to have his mother's opinion. He says, " I have had a great deal of conversation lately on the subject of christian liberty, and should bo glad, of your thoughts, as to the several notions of it which good nien entertain. I perccfve different persons takb it, in at least six different senses. 1. For liberty from wilftil sin, in opposition to the bondage of natural corruption. 2. For liberty as to rites and points of discipline. So Mr. Whiston says, ' Though the $tatiotu were instituted by the Apostles, yet the liberty of the christian law disiienses with them on extraordinary occasions.' 8. For liberty from denying ourselves in little things: for trifles, it is commonly thought, we may indulge 'in safety, because Christ hw made us free. This notion, I a little doubt, is not soMnd. 4. For liberty from fear, or a filial freedom from fear on account of his past sins; foir he believes in Christ, and hope frees him from fear of losing his pt-esent labor, or of being a cast-away hereafter 6. Christian liberty is taken by some, for a freedom from restraint, as to sleep or foojl. So they would say, your drinkhig but one glare of wine, or my rising at a fixed hour, was contrary to chrlstr«h liberty. Lastly, it is taken for freedom from rules: if by this be nneant, making our rules yield to extraordinary occasions, well; if the hav- ing no rules at all, this liberty, is as yet too high for me; 1 cannot attain unto it.'* Mr. Wesley's father died in April, and the living of Epworth was giveii away -in May; so that he now considered himself as settled at Oxford, without any risk of being further molested in his quiet retreat. But a new scene of action was soon proposed to him, of which he had not before, the least conception. The trustees of the new Colony of .Georgia were greatly in want of proper persons to send thither, to preach the gospel, not only to the Colony, but to the Indians. They* fixed their eyes on Mr. John Wesley, and some of his friends, as the most proper persons, on account of the regularity of their behavior, their abstemious way of living, and their readiness to endure haidships. On the 28th of August, being in London, he met with his friend Dr. Burton,* for whom he had * John Barton, D. D. was born in 1 696, at Wembworth in Devonshire, fais father being Rector of that parish; and was educated at Corpus-Chnsti College, Ox. ford. In 1725, being then Pro-prd^tor and Master of the Schools, he »poke a Latin oration before the determining Bachelor, which is entitled, " Heh } or an instance of a Magistrate's erring through unseasonable lenity.'' It was written and published with a view to encourage the salutary exercise of academical dis- cipline. He also introduced into the schools, Locke, and otIyBr eminent Inodem philosophers, as suitable companions to Aristotle. He printed a double senea of philosophical questions, for the use of the younger students j from which Mr. Johnson of Magdalene-College, Cambridge, took the hint of his larger work ol the same kind. . i ./■ v When the settling of Geoi^a was in agitotion. Dr. Bray, justly revered for his institution of parochial l i brarie s . Dr . Stephen Ha l y, Dr . bemman, and oth^r learned Divines, entreated Dr. Burton's pious assntance in that undertaking. This he readily gave, by preaching before the society in 1732, and pul^lishing -.v.f.' V? k. ! ^;, '- ■• i ■ . > ■ THE Lirs or^flili Kiv.*Jt>iiN wssLir. a ffrent esteem; and the next day virns introduced to Mr. Og)ethorp», where the mutter vvum iin»poNed to him, und strongly urged upon him by such arguments as they thought most likely to disiwse hii» " w" 1 *" *^<^<'«Pt of the proposal. It does not onpeur that Mr Weslev gave them any positive answer. He thought it best to take the opinion of his friends. Accordingly, ho wrote to his brother Samuel, visited Mr. Law,, and in three or four* dttys.^Mt out for Manchester, to consult. Mr. Clayton, Mr. Byrom, aiHl sev- eral others whose judgment he respected. From thence he Vent to U^pworth, and luid the matter before his motlier, and nhlcst ^- ter, who consented to his accentance of the projioHrtl. ^sHiBbrothIr bamuel did the same. Mr. Wesley still hesitated, and oh the Stii ot bepteinber. Dr. Burton wrote to him, pressing him to a compli- ance. His letter is directed to Manchester, and franked bv Mr Oglethorpe. ^ „n Ha «''7W8, 1735. - "DearISir, C. C. C. Oxon "I had it in commission to wait upon you at Oxford, whether by this time I imagined you might be arrived. Your short confer- ence with Mr. Oglethorpe, has raised the hopes of manyirood persons, that you and yours would join in on undertaking, which cannot be better executed than by such instruments. I have thought again of the matter, and upon the result of the whole, cannot help again recommending the undertaking to your choice: and the more so, since in our inquiries, there appears such an unfitness in the generality of people. That state of ease, luxury, levity, and inad- vertency, observable in most of the plausible and popular Doctors are disqualifications in a christian teacher, and would lead us to look for a difTerent set of people. The more men are inured to contempt of ornaments and conveniences of life, to serious thoughts and bodily austerities, the fitter they are for a state which more properly represents our christian prlgrimage. And if upon consid- eration of the matter, you think yourselves (as you must do, at least amidst such a scarcity of proper persons) the fit instruments torso good a work, you will be ready to embrace this opportunity of doing good J which is not in vain oflTered to you.— Be pleased to write a line signifying your thoughts to me, or Mr. Oglethorpe; and if by advice I can be assisting to you, you may command my best, best services. a* « Yours, aflfectionately, ^ ^ . , ' , " John Burton. ^ "P. S. Mr. Horn telling me, he heard you were at Manchester, 1 presume y o u are with Mr. Cla yt on, deliberating about this aflfair.** hw Mrmon^ with an appeodiz on the state of that Colony. On the death of Dr. Edward Littleton, fie was presented by Eton-CollegJ to the Vicaraw o£ Maple-Derham in Oxfordshire. . When he went to take po^ession. a meSok scenepresenterfitselfto his view; a widow, with three infant danXeS to fi tumerfouv without a home, and without a hirtune. From his comiSsiS an»! S!!'5'. *• ^"fcr ^ handsome, elegnni^ngenuous, aid hTd?S?";S^ ness of temper. The conseguence was marriage. In 1760. he exchanired hi. Vicarage of Maple-Derham, ?or tha iJBo.tnry nf^ ^-i-' ' "^»^*''"*°^ P^* w^«,.agp», iwapie-yernam, lor toe iMctnry nf Worplesdon in Surrv In hi« advanced a«, he'cpUected and published in onfvoui^^^^^^^ ^^ wd^r the Utle of Opuscula Miwelhinea. He ^ in Febni^, mV ^ ^ i ■■ THI MFB Of THE BBV. iOUM WMLgY. Mr. Won1ey now flonsenteil to go to Grorgln. He mu\ to liig brother iSaiiiuel, thut IiIh ohjectioiiH to Kpwoith wuro louiulud ou bis own wcakneDM. He thouuht ho ^«hould have ho niuny tenijtta- tioHH to what he then (leoiiKMl irrcguhtrity in uatiiig und drinking, at the viHitM hu Hhoulil Iw olili}((Mi to niuke, thiu he cuuld not Htiuut againHt them; l)CHideH the difficulty ho wouhl huve of spcndinj^ his titne to the inoHt advantnge. But in gointf to (ieorgia, he Haw a prospect of.tfreat uttetuhiCHS, without any ot thcHO dungerH to hint- Bclf. Nay, 1 have no doulK, but the very difficulty ot the under- taking, and the prospect of the hardrthips he muHt undergo, had gonio influence in diH|>OHing him to accept of it. Dr. Burton wrote to him again on the 18th of the same month, aa %Uow8: ** It was with no Hmall pleasure, that I heard your resolution on the point ' und<;r couHideration. I am persuaded, that an o|>portunity is offered of doing much^good in an affair, fok^tho conducting of which wo can find but few proper instruments. Your utlu(;rtaking adds grc^ater credit to our proceedings, and the propagation of religion will bo the distinguished honor of oiir colony. This has ever, in like cases, been the deaideratum : a defect seemingly lamented, bu| scarce ever retnedied,^ With greater satisfaction, therefore, we enjoy your readiness to undertake the work. When it is known, that good men are thus employed, the pious und charitable will be the n)ore encouraged to promote the work. You have too much steadiness of mind, to be disturbed by the light scoffs of the idle and profane. Let me put a matter to be considered by your brother Charles. Would it not be more advisable that he were in orders?" On the 28th of the same month, a few days before Mr. Oi thorpe intended to sail. Dr. Burton wrote a^ain to Mr. Wesl giving him advice on several points respecting his future situatioiif Amongst other things he observes, — " Uryi^ the influence of Mr. Oglethorpe, giving weight to your endeavors, much may be effected under the present circumstances. The a[)ostolical manner of preaching, from house to house, will, through God's grace, be effectual to turn many to righteousness. The people are bat)es in the progress of their chris'tian life, to be fed with milk instead of strong meat; and the wise householder will bring out of his stores, food proportioned to the necessities of Jiis fanPily. The circum- stances of your present christian pilgrimage will furnish the most afl^ecting subjects of discourse; and what arises prorenata, will have greater influence than a labored discourse on a subject, in which men think themselves not so immediately concerned. With regard to your behavior and manner of address, that must be determined according to the different circumstances of persons, he But you will always, in, the use of means, consider the great ehd, and therefore your applications will of course vary. .You will keep in view the pattern of that gospel preacher St. Paul, who became aft things to all men, that he might gain some. Here is a nice trial of christian prudence: accordingly, in every case, you would distin- gu ish between what is essential, and what is merely circumstantial to Christianity; between what is indespcnsabie, and what is variable* between what is of divine, and what is of human authority. I 24* -s^i M »«■•'■■ rs^ .''^f»,s-'i^. i/fci','*' Sir* «..,» TMB Liri or THI ■■?. JOHN WBlLVr. ). ?«■■ E mention this bocauM mnn are apt to ilncnive thnmaolvniiirt itich cnMOin, and we nvo the traditiiiiiH hihI ordiiiiiiicoM of iiioii t'lvauimtly jiiHistod on, with morn rif(or than the conirndiidtiientH of uiMi, to which thuy lirn Huhordiniitu. Siii^uloritifiM of Ichm iinportnncc, (ir« oftun enptusod with irioro zoal, thnn thi') weighty iimttt)rt« of (Jod'M law. As in all pointrt wo love ourHclvnn, hq enpcciully in our hy- othefles. Whore a nmn huM,■^JlH it wore, a proporty in a notion, o in nioHt iittluHtrioiiM to inipn/vo it, and that in proportion to the labor of thought ho haH lioHtownd upon it; uihI an itH valuu riiiON in imagination, wo are in proportion inoro unwilling to fi^ivo it u|), and dwoll u^)on it more nertinuciously, than upon coiiHidoj-ationH of gonoral nocosHitv ana uho. Thitt in a fluttering miHtake, aguinnt which wo Hhouhl j^uard ourHolvns. I hopo to see you at (irravoHotid ifpoMHihlo. I write in haste what occurH to my thoughtH — diaee docendua adhue, qufB eeruet amiculus. May God prosper yt»ur endeavors for the propagation of his gos|H!l! " I shair now leave Mr. WohIcv, i>rfiparing for his voyage to America. While .he was ahroati, Mr. GamlMtId, who hud Ixjcn intimately ac(iuaintod with him at Oxford, wrote some account of his proceedings there, and endouvoroil to delineate his character. He sent this to one of Mr. Wesley's relations; and I shall close this chapter with the following short abstract from it: "Alwut the middle of March, 1730, I l)ocame acquainted with Mr. Charles Woslev, of Christ-Church. I had been for two years before in deep melancholy; so it pleased God to disappoint and break a proud spirit, and to embitter the world to me us I was in- clining to relish its vunities. During this time, I hud no friend to whom I could open my mind; no mandid cure for my soul, or none at least understood her paths. Tliff! learned endenvored to give me ri^ht notions, and the friendly to divert me. On«r day an old acr|unintance entertained me with some rcflectioifb on th« whimsical Mr. Charles Wesley; his prccisei^ess, and pious extrav- agancies. Upon hearing this, I suspectfed he mignt be a good christian. I therefore went to his room, and without ceremony desired the l)enefit of his conversation. I hud so large a share of it afterwards, that hardly a day passed while I was at college, but we were together once, if not oftener. ** After some time, he introduced me to his brother John, of Lin- coln College: 'For he is somewhat older,' said he, •than I am, and can resolve your doubts better.' J never observed any person have a more real deference for another than he had for his brother; which is the more remurknble, because such near relations, being equals by birth, and conscious to each other of all the little familiar passages of their lives, .commonly siand too close, to see the ground there may be for such submission. Indeed he followed his brother entirely; could I describe one of them I should describe both. I shall therefore sav no ^iiore of Charles, but that he was a man formed for friendship; who by his cheerfulness and vivacity would refresh his friend's heart: with attentive consideration, would enter mto, and s ettl e all his conc e rns as far as he was able; h e would do any thing for him, great or small, and Inr a habit of mutual open- uess and freedom, would leave no room for misunderstanding. M .^. ' . _ 3, -i^L. .^ ±1 »^ ^^'S ''I^gi&M I '4-tifarj t^^^" TNB Liri or Til I MT. JOHII WBILir «« Tho WoMlnyi wore alroody tnlkwl of foj- nnmo irligiouN nrncti- m, which wern firot occaMioiinH by Mr. Morgnii, oft'hriiit-'Church Ilfl wan a youug man of an t)xr(>lli>nt (liH^Mirtition. Hi* took all op|»or- tunitioH to muko \m conipani«>nH in lovu with a gmxl lifir, to create in thern a reverence for the pnhlic wornhip : to tell them of their fnultH with n HWentncMH and Mimplinity that diMarnu'd thn wornt tf>m- |M!r8. He delightcHi much inworkM of chnritv; he kept miveral children at i^chool ; and, when he found hcf^f^arH m the Htreet, would lirinff thetn into hiH chan.ilM>rH and talk to them. From the^e coni- hined friendw Iw^gan a little Hociety. Mr. .John WcMley wan the chief manaf^er, for which he was veVy fit: for he had not only more learning and «'X|H!rii'iice than the rent, hut he wan hU'Mt with Huch activity aH to Imj always gaining ground, and nuch HteadineHH that he loHt none. What propoHaU he madi^'to any, were Hure to alarm timti ; lM>cauHo he wan «<» mu«'h in carneHt ; nor could they a(\er- wards Mlight them, hecaune thi'y saw him always the same. Whot supported this uniform vigor, won, tho care he tm»k to consider well every affair before' he engaged in it ; nmking all htA.decisions " in the fear of God, without passion, humor, of self-<;onfidence. For though he had naturally a very clear apprehension, yet hiit exact prudence depended more* on his humility and singleness of heart. He had, I think, something of authority in his counte- nance, yet ho nevl^r assumed anything to himself above his com- panions ; any of them might speak their mind, and their word* were as strictly regarded by him as his words wore by them. " Their undertaking included these several particulars: to con- verse with young students ; to visit tho prisons j to instruct some p()or families ; to take care of a school and a parish work-house. They took great pains with the younger .members of the univer- sity, to rescue them from bod co||||^)yy and encourage them in a . sober, studjous life. They woult^pt them to breakfast, and over a dJ8hi«fi£a>ndeavor to fasten some good hint upon them. Tbey would bring them acquainted with other wc1l- % - ^jP^T«*^^w TUB ttFI or TNI mv. JOHK WBILIT. *«: r» * if*,. ^^> «-^ of thf (r viCDN, rnnd to thnm, niMl (^xaminml thnir rhilclrrn. Th« kchool WM, I think, of Mr. Woiil«y'« own nfttinff up ; howrtv«ri ho fiiiiil t\ui MiiNir<>MM, nnd ciothtMl Noinc, if not all tno <*hililr<*n. Wlu>ii tht'y went tliitlMT, th(*y inquirt'd how narh rhiliJ h«^havrtl, MW th«fir work, h«mni ttjiinn rend luid nay thoiV prnyf m, or cntn« rhimn, and ('X|ilain(>d |mrt of it. In tho Mnino manner they tnu^rht the rhildreii in itio work-houDO, und riiud to the ohi people aii'they did to the primmem. " They Hehloni tiMik any noticn of the nrciinntinnN hrnnght nf^ninut theni for their charitahje eniidoytiient/4 ; hut if they di*$ hap|>y in another life, if wc do the for- mer of thcfle thingN, and try to do the latter ; or if we du not the one, nor try to do th(f other? " I could Bay a JJrea't deal of his private piety ; how it wall nour- ished by a continual recourHe to God ; and preserved hy a strict watchfulness in l)cating down pride, and rcducmg the craAutess and impetuosity of nature, to a child-like simplicity ; and in a good degree crowned with divine love, and victory over the whole set of earthly passions. He thought prayer to be more his business than anythmg else ; and I have seen hifn come out of his closet with a ■erenity of countenance that was next to shining ; it discovered what he had been doing, and gave me double hojie of receiving wise directions, in the matter about which I came to consult him. In all his motions he attended to the will of God. He had. neither ^^he presumption, nor the leisure to anticipate things whose season was not now ; and would show some uneasiness whenever any of us, by impertinent speculations, were shifling off the appomlcd iiAprovement of the present minute. By being always cheerful, but never triumphing, he so husbanded the secret consolations which God gave nim, that they seldom lef\ him, and never but in a Btate of strong and long-suffering faith. Thus the'tepose and sat- isfaction of the mind bein^ otherwise secured, there were in him ' ^ idle cravings, no chagrm or fickleness or »pirit, nothing but the gdViuine wants of the Ijody to be relieved by outward accommoda- tions and refreshments. When he was jUst come home from a long journey^ and had been in different companies, he resumed his ipe tfat usual employme n ts, as if he had n eve r left t hem; nq dissipation of thought appeared, no alteration of taste: much less was-he diB^om* posea by any slanders or afironts; he was only afraid lest he shoukl '•: i SS'iT.-sftfeft * ,§fi{n_ vm Lin or *«■ »■▼. johii wstLif . iW flow proud of thb conOirttm/to hi* MiMtiur, In ihort, hfl u««d mimy imdonvom to \w mligiouM, hut non« to n hin own olwer- vatioHM on the phraMo, dertign, and difficult placoH ; and one or two wrote theuo down from hin mouth. «« If any one could have provoked him, I iihould ; for 1 wan very ■low in coming into their moaiiureM, and very remiiiM in doing my partV I frequently Ci»ntradicted JuA^AUHertiortH ; or, which in nnich . the same, di«tingui«hed upon thoni. I hardly ever Mulunittod to hiM advice at the time ho irwvo it, though I relented ofterwawte. One time ho was in fear I hiu* taken up potioni) that were not aafe, and pursued my spiritual improvement in an erroneous, liocause inactive, way ; io he came over and staid with me near a week. He condcJkMl with me the incumbrances of my constitution, heard all I had to say, and endeavored to pick out my meaninff, arid viehled to me us far as he could. I never saw more hunulity in • him than at this time. , , . .^. .. " Mr. WoHley had not only friends at Oxford to assist him, but a great many corrcHpondcnts. Ho sot apart one day ot least in the .week, to write letters, and he was no slow componer ; in which, without levity or offcctation, but with plainness and fervor, he gave his advice in [>articular cases, and vindicated the strict origi- nal sense of the gospel precepts. ^ ^" He is now gone to Georgia as a missionary, where thijre la ignorance that aspires after divine wisdom, but no false learning that is got obove it. He is, I confess, still living ; and I know that an advantageous character is niore decently bestowed on the de- ceased. But, besides that his condition is Very like that of the dead, being unconcerned in all we say, I am not makinji^ any attempt on the opinion of the public, but only, studying a private edifica- tion. A family picture of him, his relations may be allowed to keep by them. And this is the idea of Mr. Wesley, which I cher- ish for the service of my own soul, and which I take the liber^ likewise to deposite with you." ' , • • • . J g^'S'iy tJ X, -4.^ ji Ml. i(X.ijl.i.'' ,i-rU^i«y$.^^8!i^!i.- ?^r^**5^?*!'-:C H^'S*'"^''^^ ** H K. V » ,». •^rF**-" j« .V i»« /i W*!!.** ^Ti- ►,!*« i. » tSt^.f,- V •.■ t^^: ^".v. yj,^,-. ■M- w^.\^^'V^*-^'*v^s^y^^ CHAPTER III. 'M Mi- ait'" OF MB. WMLtT»f VOTAOB tO AMERICA, OF HIi LABORS THER«, AND RKTURIf TO ENGLAND IN 1788, It has been already observed, that Mr. ^sley, at this time, had very imperfect lu^ions of the method pApbsed in the gospel of attaining true chimglp experience. He did indeed diflfer, in some things, from the gertbrality of the clergy in the Church of England: he carried his notions of gospel holiness much further than they thought, either necessary or attainable in this life ; and believing, that, an exact attendance on the instituted means of grace, with acts of charity^ self-denial, and mortification, were the chief helps to attain it, he carried these particulars to an extent which made him appear singular. His ardor to attain the end was exceeded by nothing but the exactness and rigor with which he practised, what bethought the means of attaining it; His extreme attention to every thing that might bp helpful in subduing the evil propen- sities of his nature, and that might further his progress towards a conformity with Christ, led him to consider and speak of the ob- servance of little things, as of the utmost importance to his salva- tion. Not that he thouffht the things of so much importance in themselves, detached from others; but as filling up the more minute parts of a system of duties, which without them, would be incomplete and less beneficial to him. Like as a nian straitened in his circumstances, and struggling to get forward in the world; if he only attend to the more important branches of his business, and wholly neglect the numerous little expenses of his family, will soon find that they greatly retard his progress. Mr. Wesley rea- M>ned in Ae same way, concerning the external helps and hinder- inces in a religious course of life, and therefore thought it his duty •o abstain from the minutest thing that might be hurtful, and to tractise every thing that might in any respect be useful to him. And as little things are too commonly overlooked, though great >nes are made up of them, he might perhaps on this account speak nore strongly ofthem than otherwise he would have done. How- jver this be, his scrupulous exactness in things which seemed to tthers of little importance, or wholly indifferent in religion, chiefly attracted notice, and made him appear whimsical and superstitious, to persons who did not prceive the principle which governed bis conduct. This lessened the dignity of his character in their opin- ion, and weakeiued his influence over those under hb caro. To >' .% 1:^' >!:- "i;' .vt^ ■ ' ■ *^i« r^.. I*- '^v, r%^ tm Mfi or TBI «By. johit wiiLiT^ !«« ^o^^'^pH' V*;«r«'*«">. w»>5ch governed him in the Bmallest mat- in^*!! r"??u^"^"^^''"* '?'■*''** nneaBUre, his want of Buccesa, urn most of the mconveniencoH which he suffered in Georiria. We may blame his want of prudence, because the principle on ^'hich he reasoned was Sometimes carried too fur: but his inteir- rity, ami upright mtention will remain unsullied. nrd«"r fT"''' I'^^L^r*' ^ r'** «f October, he ^et out for Gravesend, in rhnrllw I" S*" f'T'^'".* ««c«'"P«nied by his brother Mr. Charles Wesley, Mr. Ingham of Queen's College, Oxford, and Mr. IJelanriotte, the son of a merchant in London. « Our end.»' shvs he, « in leaving oiwr native country, was not to avoid want, (iod having given us plentv of temporal blessings ; nor to gnin the dung or dross of riches or honor: but singly this, to save our souls: to Shnmnn'' '^ 'S- «' ^'""^ f ^^^•" '" '^^ '^"«'-"««« ^^ey found-'the bimmonds off Gravesend, and immediately went onboard. The next dy he wrote to his brother, Mr. Samuel Wesley, of Tiver- ton, informing him that he had presente d his father's commentary „J!n'fl?5'*""'""'*^*'®**''«? Carolina and Florida. It extends 120 miles ppon the sea-coast and 300 miles frftm thence to the Apalncluan mountoJns and ThesSfc'n/nr * "r"* r'l«""tf.«r« «»'« rivers SavKmah aX latSa - ^«^j?!!l™®ta**^"5*'.'°"y''^^*««'»^*he rivers Savannah and Alatamaha waa meditated in tengland in 1732, for the accoinmodalion of ixwr iSpK QreS Britain and Ireland, and for the further security of Carolina^Huinane iJd oSI ™rt JlSr Vt''." PJ"" °^ ^-^""J^rting a number of indigent familieMo^L ^nrlri™ "S*?f^- «f «P«nse. For tliis purpose they applied to the k ni S!2iRf "• *"•* °btamed from him letters patent.^earing date June 9 1732 (& egairy carrying into execution what they h^ generously projected Aev called the new province Georgia, in honor of liie king, who encoSed the oiS A corporation, consisting of 21 persons, was constituted by the name Vf"Th« Tnistees for settling and estabhVhing the Colony of GeorgiV" ^ ^"^ In November, 1732, Uti settlers embarked for Georgia, to be conveyed thither SfeToir^'^ifrifrlr'* '"''' thin^ requisite RuildfhrirdSt va i^ ]u 2;\^ ^'- Ja'nes Oglethorpe, one of the trustees, and an active Dromoter of irr%!r«tTh".S*T^"''^."«- *\« '•^'"^ and director of SeseseureTfhei William nun, shortly after his arrival, visited Georg a ; and after survevinp tha country, marked the spot on which Savannah now iftwds, as the fiS HeSn their settlement. Here they accordingly began and bail a smjll forJ- a num" SfirT'lSi"*" t"** f°' *»'«'f #"«« anlaccommodation. Such of the setUers w were able to bear arms wen«robodied, and well appointedwith officers arms and ammuniuon. A. treaty of friendsiiip was coSffided between the ieffi and their neighbors the Creek Indians, and everything wore tKpect of neac^ and future prospenty. But the fundamental reflations esteblishStv tKs! ie!fle.^*iKf •J™'?*" •^*P'"^ !** '^' "'c-nisWes and SSn of thePr settlere and of wmicious conseqdence to the prosperity of the proviiice tike other distant lepslators, who framed their regulatiWon princiE of specula! tion, they were liable to^many^ errors and mistakes, anrfhowEvereoS^hS; - design, their rules were found improper and impract cable. These iffiicioiS reguWnsand restrictions, the wa^re in whiclT they were involUST Spaniards and Indians, and the frequent insurrections among themslhres threw the colony wto a state of confusion and wretchedness too greSt forhuman nS «^-\l?"'*""'i Their oppressed situation was represented W the TVustees bT repeated complaints, til at length finding that the province Ian raishwi under their ojre, anS weary with the complaints of the people, they, inX vSrl762 S^JSnJ .n^rf*/°"rL'''"'^ I*"** •• 7t»^ are called the upper counti^ are pretty ? JS^L; i^lof 7hi^ P7'«9hers of the Baptist and MetMst persaasba j bit 8 greater part of the state ^without ministers of any dennmiaatioQ. ' it I'^&i '"^-ifH^ TBI iiif B Of TJlii miv. joair waiLi^ on Job, to the Queen, aiirt had recoWed many good worda and smileB In this letter he !k T- -^J^. t»«'ng twentv-six Oermatu on fward,' Z t^llrn h* ;^^'^«''»«? C»»"'-«h, Mr. i«hop, and two others In^gan thm.thTL.r I^T'T*? **»"' *^« "«^ ^«t preached ex/moore, W«*»h„t^**^''^ *'^*'^ ^°"^ "** ""'^^ '^^^o*-^ '» I^on'ion- 't was rl^ whir£'''''^u"'"**T^'''*'""'^"^*'** ^'t*» the JtforaMon breth- ren, which he cultivated for several years,, with irreat assiduJtv and success ; and we must allow that ihe kno^yfedgrhe acgug oplimom reip. Statum qutereret. At vcro nos, docti teiHcet a Gracia hmc ot son Greek laeralure." The primitive fathers of the church w«eSed in their opinions on this subject. Som« forbade Christians to read any of the heL then writers on account of Iheir bad tendency, both, as to priSes ^d mornlJ The Aposlohca IconsUtutions. as they are called, speak in ?hKfra?n"ACni' tte.M'""" '*''"? "*•••»•»«••" "abstain from all'bSoks of the Silet" And' Jte?K *•'*"* ''°""**"Vo'»"en»t. Apostolical, yet it is allowed on aU hands that they are very ancient. Cotelcrius in a note on this passflw hw Sown the nffc*w"*""r"'.''-^'"*l!y°/ the Fathers, and it is pDJ'tC a mSiritJ «L«r«w*" °^'*P'"""'' the heathen writer might be read withXwffi/ ,Z '^.n^"'**"''*'*?"'''"'* "S^lations- Basil tlie greathw anoraSnTo^^ in'^J?"*"""'^" ■*'"Pti? Rentflium utilitatem capere debeamus .™ « how w« JSf'l'S/rP^JTWJ^™ Gentiles." The'most le7™r Jjad. ore-hrisUiir^e"^^^^ „ f- he, "juvenes aliquot, quos nobis remiltit Italia, prascftue Roma nonnSil adSi Sm^ilSf.^- • L' observe.some youths, retunied from iSJ es3l lyTm Rome, mfected with this poison." Buddei bairoire oar i n id7 nLU^Hl ^kobsenres, aftergivin? the opinions oflSl'o^heri; ^S JJulari^^^^^^ hicopus esse circumsiiectione, negari nequit ; cum facile cont nrat ul aui etffi ^ri-H-J^r^*'!! toti/efuti immerguntur. ethnicum, plane, XSquS a^Sfeiiue Christiana, inde referant animum." " It cannot be denied that there is hSinP^^ of singular circumspection, as it easily happens, that they who are as ilwere XS.l'^™T^.'" the writings of the heathens, retuni from them wfth a h/r* tZ^.!^'r^lJ'^u'*^H fron* the christian religion." He then SvTs sSvera examples of the bad influence of this practice on the minds of SeS ofTJ«I abilities and learning .10 which we mfghl add'the name of a late^f/hS ..^, ,^^.^., 9' -n tut Lira Of tm *mv. ^ohiv wislst. M' Wf their means, laid the foundation of the great things which fol'* luwed in the sulMequenf part of his life. ^; It was a maxim with Mr. Wesley in the conduct of life, that every part of the day ought to be filled up with some useful em- ployment; a man unemployed, l)elng in constant danger of fulling into foolish temptations and hurtflil habitH, the best preservative from which is industry. He therefore so arranfjed his business that he had a stated employment for every part ot the day. This love of regularity in the improvement of nis time, immediately showed itself in his new situation. October 21, they sailed from Orave$endj and got into the Downs. " Now," says he, " we began to be a little regular. Our common way of living was this: froni four in the morning till five, each of us used private prayer. Fronii five till seven we read the Bible together, carefully comparing it o (that we might not lean to our own understandings) with the writings of the earliest ages. At seven we breakfasted. At eight were the public prayers. From nine to twelve I usually learned Oerman, and Mr. Delamotte, Greek. My brother writ sermons, and Mr. Ingham instructed the children. At twelve we met, to give an account to one another what we had done since our last meeting, and what we designed to do before our next. About one we dined. The time from dinner to four, we spent in reading to those of whom each of us had taken charge, or in speaking to them severally, as need required. At four were the evening prayers; when either the second lesson was explained ^as it always was in the morning) or the children catechised, ana instructed before the congregation. From five to six we again used private prayer. From six to seven I read in our cabin to two or three of the passengers (of whom there were about eighty English on board) and each of my brethren to a few more in theirs. At seven I joined with the Oermaru in their public service; while Mr. Ing- ham was reading between t^e decks, to as many as desired to hear. At eight we met again, to exhort and instruct one another, be- tween nine and ten we went to bed, where neither the roaring of the sea, nor the motion of the ship, could take away the refreshing sleep which God gave us." «, ' 'rhis, no doubt, was prodigious labor; and yet it may be safejy affirmed, that, during the fifty-five years and upwards, which fol- lowed, few days passed, in which, by one employment or other, the time was not filled up with equal exactness and diligence. ^T has indeed been doubted whether the human mind be capable of such unremitted attention through a multiplicity of business", with- out injury. The words of Horace, " Neque semper arcum tendit iSpollOy** have been quoted to show, that the mind ought not always to be on the stretch. But these words were not spoken with any allusion to this subject. We may observe also that varying our «mpIoyment gives a considerable degree of relaxatidn to the mind. Every subject does not require the same stretch of thought; nor every kindf of exercise the same degree of exiertion. : The wind being contrary they did not sail from Cowes till the 0th of December.— On Thursday the 15th of January, 1736, com- plaint being made to Mr. Oglethorpe of the unetiual distribution 4i rt . i ■ / , ^f^A K< In: I'" 4 H h V lief. V fpt TM Lirg Of THE »ev. MHN WKILIT, of water to tho passengers, new oflicers were appointed, and 'the old onea were highly exasptjrutod agahist Mr. Wesley, who, hs tiiey supposed, hud made the complaint.— From the 17th to the 25th, thev had violent storms, the sea going fre(iu«ntly over the ship, and hreaking tho cahin windows. On these occasions he lound the fear of death brought him into some degree of l»ohdago, and being a severe judge of himself he concluded, that he was unfit, because ho was unwilling to die: at the same time he could iml but observe the lively victorious faith which appeared in tho Uermatu,md kent their minds in a state of tranquillity and ease, in the. midst of danger, to which ho and the Kiiglish on board were strangers; speaking of these humble followers of Christ, ho says, I had long before observed the great seriousness of their behavior. Of their humility they had given a continual proof, by pertorming those servile offices for the other passengers which none of the English would undertake; for which they Jiisired, and would receive no pay ; saying, " It was good for their proud hearts, anrt their loving Saviour had done more for them." And every doy had given them occasion of showing a meekness, which no injury could move. If they were pushed, struck, Hr thrown down, they rose ago in and went aWay; but no complaint was found in their mouth. There was now an^opportunity of trying, whethci they were delivered from the spirit of fear, as well as from that of pride, an^er, and revenge. In the midst of the psalm wherewith their service liegan, the sea broke over, splifthe main-sail in pieces, covered the ship, and poured in between the decks, as if the great deep had already swallowed us up. A terrible screaming l^gati among the English. The Germans calmly sung on. I asked one ofthem afterwards, "Was yoH not afraid.' » He answered, "I thank y<>d, No." I asked, " But were not your women ond chil- dren afraid ? » He replied ihildly, « No; our women and childrea are not afraid to die." , On the 29th, they fell in with the skirts of a hurricane, which however did no damage; on the 4th of February, they saw land; and on the 6th, after a stormy passage first set foot on American ground, on a small uninhabited island over against Tybee, where Mr. Oglethorpe led them to a rising ground, and they returned l»od thanks, and then he took boat for Savaftnah. During^ this passage Mr. Wesley's leading principle, that self- denial and mortification, were to him the chief means of holiness, showed Itself powerfully in his conduct. Judging, as he observes that It might be helpful to him, he discontinued the use of flesh and wine^and CM^ned himself to vegetables, chiefly rice and biscuit. He also left off* eating suppers, and his bed having been vvet by the sea, he lay upon the floor, and slept sound till morning. He speaks with an air of triumph on this unexpected victory over the common indulgence of using a bed to sleep in; and ad^s, " I believe, I shall not find it needful to go to bed, as it is called, any more." ■ ■- . ■ ' ^ February 7, Mr. Oglethorpe returned from Savannah, with Mr. &pangenberg, one of the pastors of the Germans. "I soon found,»» ■ays Mr. Wesley, « what spirit he was of; and asked his advice (J T'jtM.'ni:. ^-.JMi'^i ',%.■ '^"i i'rf """^ 'i* ■^■' < Vflft tIFI\OV TRB BIT. MtV WMLIT. With regard to my own conduct. H« mid, " My brother, I mum flnt aflk you one or two qunritionH. Hnye you the witneiM within younielff Doon the Spirit of (iod bear witiiesn with your ■pirit, that you are the child of God? " I was surfiriaed and knew not what to anHwer. Ho observed it, andf*ifcpd, " Do you know JeHus ChriHt? " I pauHod and rt'aid, " I kiiow he is the Sf»viour of the world." **Trife," replied hoj '•but do you know he has saved yt)U? *' I answered, " 1 hope he has died to save mo." He only added, "Do you know yours«5lf?" I said " I do." But I foar they were vain words, — On the 14th, Home Indians came to thoin, and shook them by the hand, one of them saying, " I am glad you are come. When I was in England, I desired that some would speak the great word to me, and my nation then desired to hear it; out now we are all in confusion. Vet I am glad ^ou aro come. I will go up and speak to the wise men pf our nation: and I hope they wUl hear. But we would not l>o made Christians, as the Spaniards make Christians: we would be taught, before Vve are baptized." The house at Savannah, where they were to reside, not being ready, Mr. Wesley with Mr. Dclamotte, took up their lodgings with the Germans. Here they had an opportunity of iKsing better acquainted with them, and of closely observing the whole of their behavior, from morning till night. Mr. Wesley gives them an excellent character. He tells us, " They were alwayi* employed, always cheerful themselves, and in good humor with one another. They had put away all anger, and strife, and wrath, and bitter- ness, and clampr, and evil-speaking. They walked worthy of the vocation wherewith they were called, and adorned the gospel of our Lord in all things." He adds, " Feb. 28. They met to consult concerning the anairs of their church. After several hours spent in conference and prayer, they proceeded to the election and ordination of a bishop. The great simplicity, as well as solemnity of the whole, a'ltnost made me forget the seventeen hundred years between, and imagine myself in one of those asseihblics where form and state were not; but PUul the tent-maker, or Peter the fisherman presided; yet with the demonstration of the spirit and of power." --k^ Sunday, March 7. He entered on his ministry at SavAnnah, by E reaching on the epistle for the day, being the 13th of the first of lorinthians. In the second lesson, Luke yviii. was our Lord»8 prediction of the treatment which he himself, and consequently his followers, was to meet with from the world. He adds, " Yet hot- withstanding these plain declarations of our Lord: notwithstanding my own repeated experience; notwithstanding the experience of all the sincere followers of Christ, whom 1 have ever talked with, read, or heard of: nay and the reason of the thing, evincing to a demonstriition, that all who love not the light must hate him who is continually laboring to pour it in upon them: I do here bear witness against myself,.that when I saw the number of people crowding into the church, the deep attention with which they re^ ceived the word, and the seriousness that afterwtor^s sat on all their. faces; I could scarce refrain from giving the lie to experience •«■- ,1 J M r ■> i}-i '*:-^ ''^J^^ 104 Till Lirt or THI IB?. JOHN WBtLBf* 1^ 5 I? »■■ K^'^ and roMQp and Scripturn all togothor. I could hardly ImsIIovo that (ho ffreator, the far grnntor part of this attentive, mHouh people, would hnriniAer triirnpir uuiuir foot that word, and any all manner of evil fnlnely of him that H|iul(e it." On the 18th, Mr. Wesley wrote to his mother as follows: cetMling healthful,-— even in Mummer, tor thone who are not intem- perate. It has nleaHod God, that I have not had a moment's ill- ness of any kin^my neveii hundred puririhioners, who is sick at this time. Many of them indeed, are, I lielieve, very ungry already: for a gentleman, no longer ago than last night, made a ball; but the public prayerH htipiiening to begin about tho same time, the church was uill, and the ball-room so empty, that the entertainment could not go forward. " I should be heartily glad, if any poor and religious men or women of f^worth or vVro«>te, would come over to me. And so would Mr. Oglethorpe too: he would give them land enough, and firovisions gratis, till they could live on the produce of it. I waa ully determined to have wrote to my ilear Emmy* to-day: but time will not perfnit. O Jjippe ye still in God ! for ye shall yet give him thanks, who is the nelp of your countenance, and your God! Renounce the world: deny yourselves: Itear your cross with Christ, and reign with him! Aly brother Hooper too, has a constant place in our prayers. May the good Gou give him tho same zeal for holiness which he has given to a young gentleman of Rotterdam, who was with me last night. Pray for us, and es- pecially for dear mother, your dutiful and aflectionute son, John Wesley." Mr. Wesley being now informed of the opposition which his brother Charles met with at Frederica; on the the 22d of March, wrote to him the following letter—" How different ore the ways wherein we are led, yet 1 none toward the same end. I have hitherto no opposition at all: all is^mooth and fair and promising. Many seem to be awakened : all are full of respect and commenda- tion. We cannot see any cloud gathering, liut this calm cannot last: storms must come hithortoo: and let them come when we are ready to meet them. " 'Tis strange so many of our friends should trust in God ! I hope indeed, whoever turns to the world, Mr. Tackner and Betty, with Mr. Hird's faifnily, and Mr. Burk, will zealously aim at the prize of their High calling. These especially I exhort by the mer- cies of God, that they be not weary of well-doing, but that they labor more and more to be meek and lowly, and daily to advance '* His eldest sister Emelia. / ■'T rrfcvi ,jf' rni Liri or thi air. iohn witLir. tn tb« knowlfldffo and loro of OcxI. I hope too Mr. Woiiton, Mr Moom, Mr. All«n, and Mr. Whit«, oa well on Mr. Ward and hit wife, continue in the iinnio wine n^Holutiona. I niuat not forgqt Mr. Ro«mI, and Mr. Dauhry, (Nith of whom I left fUlly determined to HhakH off every weight, and with all their might nureue the one thing needful. " Voneionet omne§ meat jatnnunc habea, prater utaa quaa miai Mqun inphyxide tvnt {de tfuA ne verbum aeribin) nnii cum bibUis in ijuarto. Liber de diacipUnd quam eelerrime potea, remittendua eat, (Quanta eat eoneordua fratrum: Tui volo et fratria B. ?" Vou have now all my Hermonn, except thoHe which I have iient. Some are in the box (of which you my not a word) together with the Bible in quarto. The book of discipline muHt bo sent back aa Hoori m poiwible. How groat is the concord of brethren: I mean ot thee and brother D. " You are not, I think, at liliorty ^iiftn9at tit tu tsv^ V«f of mittifviirai an, Ano,3Hai at," to tUm to the Gentiles till your own countryinen shall cast you out. " If that i>ericMl come soon, so muc*; the better: only in the mean while, reprove and exhort with all authority, even though all men shotdd dnHpine thee. M/io/ii/oiTal flui lis fiiiuri'xuov." It shall turn to thee for a testimony.* I conjure you spare no time, no address or pains to loam thotruo cause rijAnaXai 6Siiy^( t.Jc ^piltK ^»,"f of the former distress oC my |fVi«nd.\ '* I much doubt you are in the right. At^ y/t-oito Vra HTm nuXiv utoQtuvti. /Tpijyojtii.ywiunoB.Af ^lilnradrVr/. Pdaif ptui, ni'>( fit Hi; n>uv..v iQos oi't.>." God forbid, that she should again in like manner mi is the mark. W^tch over her; keep her, as much as possible.. Write to me, how I ought to write to her. " If Mr. fngham were here, I would try to see you. But omit no opportunity of writing. Ktydvviva natav wfiay.» I stand in jeopordy eirery hour. — "Let us be strong and very courageous: for the Loild our God is with us: and there is no counsel or might against himi^*« ^ Mr. Gharl^ook the hint his brother gave him^and on the 28th, sent Mr. Inghiim^ to Savannah.^ April 4th, Mr. Wesley set out for Frederica, in a Pettiawga, a sort of flat-bottomed barge, and the following evening they anchored near Skidoway islandf where the water at flood, was twelve or fourteen feet deep, Mr. Wes- ley wrapt himself up in a large cloak, and l«y dowh on the quai^ ter-deck: but in the course of the night ho rolled Out of his cloak, and fell'into the sea, so fast asleep that he knew not where he was, till his mouth was full of water. He s^am round to a boat, and ^ot out without any injury, more than wetting his clothes. This mstance gives us a lively view of his fortitude and presence of mind in the midst of surprise oAd danger. Mr. Wesley left Frederica, ahd arrived j^jbivannah on theJlOth. The next day he wrote to his brother; ancNPong other thiiip>Q)». serves, « I still extremely pity poor Mrs. Hawkins: but what can Trdo more, till God show m e who it is that confmually exasperntea * See the same phrase, Luke xxi. 13. ^ "^^e a similar construction of /itiiat 2 Pet i.fl. t Vol. 1. pogo S5. V- ^^■^\ r *" " 1^1 r' - •« -^ r* - ""^ ,' t f»-t l»lf ^■•• t,'J ir- t "'1«- i: «^s -^ t-t" r *^. .yTl'-VIJF"^ •M vu ufi Of fm »iv, Joan wtitiT. _ _ her ftffaiiMt nw? Thun I rnny p«rhiip* b« of noino iwirvica to h«r There in iiurely nomw ciiie who doen nol piny u« fiiir: but I miirve, not nt thn niiitl«r. II«' th»it U hiy thoao I harf r#)at Ul)ore«l to ■erve. But when I reflect on her condition, my heart bleeda for her— Yet with Thee nothing ia impoHHihIe ! " With regard to one who ought to lie dearer to me than her. I cannot but aay, that the mor«f I think of it the more cemvincod I am, that no one, without a virtual renouncing of the foith, can abatain from the public aa well aa the private worship of Gwl. All the.«prayer8 usually reod morning and evening at Fr«dcrica and here, put together, do not liwt seven minutes. Ihcso cannot be termed long prayers: no christian assembly ever used shorten neither hol^e they ony repetitions in them nt all— If I Tw-ti '^&, JTs.. h, i ■ «iim upt OP Turn m*. jomk wMt^gv. I ' r"7jr "r" r-% ■' imnwHlintfllv mlntnd to hi« offio« aa n minlBler, and not to Inter- ni<*(l«ll» v> ith any thing thnf M«uine«l ftmugn to it. iiut having cow nitUirwi th« iiiMtt»r in diflmtts hikI. thn conanqucnrrii of it to tlu. provincr, h« nltinr«Non. Ho» olM4!rv«M, " Uy whnt I hav« m'en during my Mhort winy h«n«, I iini convinced that I huvn long tM>«n undor u groat niiNtnl«>, in thinking no cin-uniMtiim-OM could nnikn it th« duty of a ehriatinn pri«at, to do any thing oImu but preach the 'pMpel. On the contrary, I am now MiUiM%); that there la a poHMihla caae wherein a part of hie time ought to lie emyloyed m what le$$ directly cunducea to tho glory of (»od, and peace and gow aulmiNtin^ t>etwccn Carolina and Georgia; and in f xamininfi^ and weighing the lettera wrote, and the argument urged, on lM)th Hidea <»f the qucMtion. And I cannot but tliink that tho whole affair might l>e clearly stated in few worda. A charter waa ' past a few ycnra aince, eatabliahing the bounda of thia province, aod empowering tho truHteea therein named to prepare lawa, which when ratified by the king in council, ahould be of force within those bounda. Thoae 1 ruateea have prepared a law, which hat been ao ratified, for the regulation of the Indian trade, requiring that none Nhould trade with the Indiana who are within (hia pro- vince, till he ia ao licenaed oa therein apecified. Notwithatanding thia law, the governing part of Coronna, have aaaerted both in converaation, in writing, and in the public newapanera, that it ia lawAil for any one not ao licenaed, to trade with the Creek, Chero- kee, or Chickanaw Indiana: they have paat an ordiance, not only aaaerting the aome, but enacting that men and money ahall be roised to aunport auch tradera; and in fact they have themaelvea licensed and sent up auch tradera both to the Creek and Chickasaw Indiana. " Thia is the plain matter of fact: now as to the matter of right, when twentv more reama of paper have been apent upon it, I can- not but think it must/come to thia short issue at last: 1. Are the Creeks, Cherokees,/Chickaaaw8, within the boumla of Georgia or no? 9. Ia an act of the king in council in purauanco of an act of parliainent, of any force within these bounda, or not? That all other inquiriea are absolutely foreign to the queation a very little consideration will show. As to the former of these, the Georgian charter compared with any map of these parts which I have ever Been, determines it: the latter I never heard made a question of, but in the neighborhood of Carolina. " Mr. Johnson's brother has been with us some daya. I have been twice in company with him at Mr. Oglethorpe'a: and I hope there are in Carolma, though the present proceedmg would almost make one doubt it, many auch gentlemen as he seems to be; men of good nature, good manners, and understandrng. I hope God "41 %H ■>%. i,M .^,- ^u,M d^tW&£a "i^r'=^-^:i-^^'Tiss^^^*?^e^^4y^ii7ismsw^:i^^rs ;~^.^^" " ,t ■ •V^ "■"IB^^- ^^ '^W ■ ■ . i ■ pt If p uf» 99 tm vaw* mm» •••tar. will wpiy fou ••veis-foW f«r lh« lilnaii«« you h^fl •hown to my jKnlr nIoUi/r. mmI in htr to» iif . your iiMMt «Wlg«l. •.«.-« olH,di#n. •'^ Arih«'l«m«^".flM; wnrt« to Mr. V«n.«n on th« wn..^ .uM««t. M C« -hurt « th..«," -y- ha. ••«. I bay. for writiMR. I f«uU rw.l „unl«n my«af if ^lul ..»» M-'"'! -<»m« pnrt ..f It in '"•»"!'7»[; f "K 'h« ronlinuiiico «f your go,Hl.H.«« lo ...y molhrr: which UuUm\ leither iihe, ii«r I. c«n ever low th« *««•« or. ..Th« Iwhttvior of th« |MM,,»I« «f (Jarolirm. flii.l- much convrr««. ion tVtmi thin i»loc«. I .Urt. mi *ny wh.it h.-r liniy wbiiI honwty or loiln mcUti It If pUln • rery little of th« Ult«r. u^.h-U to tho Znu^T, woul.r«how how uttnrly ft.r«i«n to th« l*^'"'* J" WuTlu •11 th«r voluMiinouH iMmam arv. n«r« i« un net of th« king lu e uncil. piwt in pur.uanc« of on .ct of p«rri.iim;nt, lorbMl.ln.K uii- fio"«"i Lr«<.nAo tr.Ml« with th« I.Hlinri* in i«org.H Nothing thorelbre con juHiify ih«i|i in dnily H«»iaing uhlicenMoa triwlwrt to SaC^ISk. Ch«ryk««, ana ChickMjiw Inainw., uu th« proving "'hor that thi- •i«t iM of ho forro. or that th«H^ iiauww nn. not iii JLgi* Why thm, an, th«M, qu.«tio.i|ikIittl« coiwHlerejl hy thmnfand oth/rt so Inrgdy ai«cuM*«a? ,^ar for « v«ry pliiln. thouifh not n v«ry hon««t rcmnon; thftt if, to puzxio the cuuw?. I •inccrely winh ^ou all happinciui in tini« and otoniity, and am, ■''^".Jj^'l-V. f l« Man mading ov«r. with Mr. Deliunott«, IJiirhop Boveriano'i* FaiuhHtm (Junonuin Concilit.rmn. " Nothing, anya he. "could ao effectually have convinc«a m«, thnt l«»th i.iirtMMilur ami ifn.i«rHl o.MincilH may orr, oihI have «rr«a: and ol th« mhinto di4r«ronce Owr" 'h lKHw««n th« .. .ZIjjlj .',:». _»,i «....»*i.r ..ornoitiir With ihn triuiitiouH they upon, >^f*»;' ,and partly ogroeing with the triulitioni* they e AiMwtlea. He ibrther olwierveH, that aa '•'^ -ent Synods, so they were collected by *' ""(bo year 600, John, BiHhop of Coin le head of the canona which he col- then iMga^aa (C(mI. Canon, p. 159,) iiSie whicfpSma used hi the church when „,t,T »»«.« -- . — « when the council of Nice met, for then many parte of them were uaeleaa and olwolete." ^ _ , . . After~Mr. Charlea hud left Frederica, and gone for England m the latter end of July, Mr. Wesley often vinited that place i where he met with the moat violent opposition, and the most illiberal abuse. He still howevef persevered in his endeavors to do them gmMl,and on the ISt- of October set out from Savahnah, once more to Visit them. He arrived «t Frederica on the momin« of the 16th, and met Mr. Hini on the Bluff, who gave hun a miaan*. Eartly grou ad received thev were eniftR] difl(erent V«ni^ stantinople, p! lected into one they contain th they were colledt< *. -i ,^.-,^^ ^.^^ppp- ■'t m0k LiffA ft» nm uv» uu^ pt nri ti to ' 'mt ^ rhnlv •ornunt of iImi atatii of tlilnfp tlMTt.* hn«l iMt«'n ilUM^intinural : ami fVom thm liiiMi «vnry ihiiiK w«a ^rttwn wiirM •ml|,y»««iw»— " FiVwii p* br, " v*n« ■rnrrr dtu^Mb<%w fif whnt ulin wa« wlivii 1 |«tl h«r. I fliu|«itv«»r«U to ''UMmMNkw* '(« '>ut in vniii: nnil t4> put U «trt?(!tuallv nut r«, vinr«t Impfltus I Kt rapulo contr«rlus f v«har orbf.** Thfl fhrrfl ahall not ovtrconit rm, thai ovtrcomM all ihinn alaa | But I abalt itiouot ia a dirvction contrary to th« ropiii world. I , " f li«»gnn with fl^Vnniitly crying 19 (»'mI U» maintain hia o#li eauMj; and th«n r«itUting to a fbw who canio to itiy.houan in th« •voninga, ono of Kiihratn Hyrua'a' t^khortationav M^ I did avnry night nftitr, and liy thn lili'^MMtng of (J.- 800 • TH» Ll»i »» TH«„ «iyi WHW WBiLBT. I Insert the following slory , becm/pO, it seems well authcnticatod, and because it may be the means of putting young persons ujion their guard against the arts, and persuasive words of designing and unprincipled men. Noveiidier 13, says Mr. Wesley, <* l^j a careful inquiry of several persons, I came to the full knowledge of a strange piece of history. Mr. T. a surgeon of Edinburgh debauched the daughter of one Mr. Ure, a lawyer, an only chdd and distant relation. He then persuaded her to sign a writing which she had never read, and to go over with him to America. When she came hither, he treated her as a common servant ; and not only so, but l)eat her frequently to such a degree that the scnrs mad^ by the whip were plainly to be seen a year after. The fault commonly was, that the child she had by him pried. After he had kept her thus for about two years, and she had brought him anoth- er child, he married another woman, and sold her to one of the Indian traders! The facts he allowed and defended before Mr, ' Qglethorpe (only he said he had given, not sold her) who, after a full hearing, determined that she should be set at liberty to work *or herself and the child." This was a poor recompense for such accumulated injuries. If Mr. Oglethorpe had the^^owpr, he cer- tainly ought to have laid a fine upon the man, sufficieilt to have maintained the woman and the child. Mr. Wesley proceedfi. *' Nov. 23. Mr. Oglethorpe sailed for England.— In the beginning of December, I advised Miss Sophy to sup earlier, and not immedi- ately before she went to bed. She did so ; and on this little cir* cumstance, what an inconceivable train of consequences depend! Not only, * All the color of remaining life,' for her j but perhaps all niy happiness too ! " " . Fob. 5, 1737. " One of the most remarkable dispensations of Providence towards me, which I have yet known, be^an to show itself this day. For many days after I could not at all ludge which waythescale would turn: nor was it fully determined till March 4th, on which God commanded me to pull out my right eye ; and Hl?y his grace I determined so to do: but being slack m the execu- tion, on SaturdaV} March 12, God being very merciful to me, my friend performed^what I could not.* " I have often thought, one of the most difficult commands that ever was given, was that given to Ezekiel concerning his wife But the difficulty of obeying such a direction, appeared to me now more than ever before: when, considerinff the cnaracter I bore, 1 could not but perceive that the word of the Lord was come to me likewise, saying, «* Son of man, behold I take away from thee the diesire of thine eyes with a stroke: yet neither shalt thou moiim, nor weep, neither shall thy tears run dowq." ^ Feb. 24. It was agreed that Mr. Ingham should go for England, ' and endeavor, if it should please God, to bring over some of their friends to strengthen their hands in his work. By him, Mr. Wesley wrote to Mr. Oglethorpe ; and this letter shows both his zeal and entire openness of heart, in pursuing and inculcating without fear, what he deemed most excellent. It is as follows ', * Od March the 12tb Miss Sophy married Mr. Williamson. '^m^ -r ** sir, Tou apprehended strong opposition before you went hence; "^tfiid unless we are misinformed, you have founa it. Yesterdav morning, I read a letter from London, wherein it was assertedf, that Sir Robert had turned against you ; that the parliament was resolved to malce a severe scrutiny mto all that has been transact- ed here ; that the cry of the nation ran the same way ; and that even the trueitees were so far from acknowledging the sctrvice you have done, that they had protested your bills, and charge you with misapplying the moneys you had received, and with gross mis- management of the power wherewith you was intrustec^Wheth- er the^e things aje so, or no, I know notj for it is ill depending on a single evidence. But this I know, that if your scheme was drawn (which^.I shall not easily believe) from the first-horn of hell, Nieholat Machiavel,* aa sure as there is a God that governs the earth, he will confound both it and you. If on the contrary (as I shall hope, till strong proof appear) your heart was right l)efore God ; tiiat it was your real design to promote the glory of God, by promoting peace and love among men ; let not your heart be troubled: the God whom you serve is able to deliver you. j'erhaps in some things you have shoWn you are but a man: per- haps i myself may have a little to complain of: but O what a tram of benefits have I received to lay in the balance against it! I bless |6od that you was born. I acknowledge his exceeding mercy, in casting niiil into your hands. I own youi' generous kincf ness all the time we were at sei: I am indebted to you for a thou- sand favors here: why then, the least I can say is, though all men should revile you, yet, if God shall strengthen me, will not I. Yea, were it not for the poor creatures, whom you have as yet but half redeemed from their complicated misery, I could almost wish that you were forsaken of all ; that you might clearly see the dif- ference between men of honor, and those who are in the very lowest rank, the followers of Christ Jesus. "0! where is the God of Elijah? Stir up thy strength and come and help him! If the desire of his heart he to thy name, let all his enemies flee before him ! Art Thou not He who hast made him a father to the fatherless, a mighty deliverer to the oppressed! Hast Thou not given him to be, feet to the lame, hands to the helpless, eyes to the blind! Hatn he ever withheld * Nicholas Macbiavel, was born of a distinguished family at Florence. Of all his writings, a political treatise entitled the Prince, has made the greatest noise in the world. Mr. Wesley, speaks thus of it ; "If all the other doctrines of devils which have been cotamitted to writing since letters were in the world, were collected together in one volume, it would fall short of this: and that should a pnn4)|ft form himself by this book, so calmly recommending hypocrisy, treachery, lying, robbery, oppression, adultery, whoredom, and murder of all kinds ; Vondiian or Nero would be an angel of light compared with that man.'^ The world is not agreed as to the motive of this work ; some thinking he meant to recommend tyrannical maxims; others^ that he only delineated them to excite abhorrence. Harrington considers Machiavel, as a superior genius, and as the most excellent writer on politics and government that ever appeared. Some have said, his greatest fault was, that he told the world what had princes did, not what they ought to do ; and that his principles, though daily condemned, are daily put iuto practice. It has also been said, that he took bis political mn^tmf », • "i^^l •**>" ts- from : government of the Popes. He died in 1630. 26 "=#*&¥ ':^^^' .'v.. 909 Ttm Lin or rni ftBV4 jobn wcsL^Tr' his bread from the hungry, or hid his soul from his own flesh f Theni whatever Thou withholdetit from him, O Thou lover of men, satisfy his soul with thy likeness : renew hid heart in the whole image of thy Christ: purge his spirit from self-will, pride, vanity, and fill it with fuith and love, gentleness and long-.sutfering. I^t no guile ever be found in his mouth j no injustice in his hands !-^ And among all your labors of lov4|it becomes me earnestly to entreat him, that He will not forget those you have gone through for, sir, your obliged and obedient servant, John Wesley." By Mr. Ingham, he also wrote to Dr. Bray's associates, who had sent a parochial library to Savannah.* It was expected of (he ministers who received these libraries that they should send an account to their benefactors, of the method they used in catechi- sing the children, and instructing the youth of their respective parishes. That part of his letter was as follows — " Our general method of catechising, is this; a voung gentleman who came with me, teaches between thirty and u)rty children, to read, write and last accounts. Before scnool in the morning, and afler school in the aflernoon, he catechises the lowest class, and endeavors to fut something of what was said in their understandings, as well as in their memories. In the evening he instructs the larger children. On Saturdav in the aflernoon I catechise them all. The same 4 do on Sunday before the evening service: and in the church im* mediately after the second lesson, a select number of them having repeated the catechism, and been examined in some part of it, l endeavor to explain at large, and enforce thai part, both on them and the congregation. " Some time after the evening-service, as many of my parishion- ers as desire it, meet at my house (as they do also on Wednes- day evening) and spend about an hour in prayer, singing, and mu- tual exhortation. A smaller number, mostly those who design to communicate the next day, meet here on Saturday evening: and a few of these come to me on the other evenings, and pass half an hour in the same employment." * Dr. Thomas Bray, was born at Marion, in Shropshire, in the year 1656, and educated at Oxford. He was at length presented to the vicarage of Over- Whit- acre, in Warwickshire^; and in 1690, to the rectory of Sheldon, where he composed ,his Catechetical Lectores, which procured him such reputation, that Dr. Conip- ton. Bishop of London, pitched upon him as a proper person to model the infant Church of Maryland ; and for that purpose he was invested with the office of Commissary. He now engaged in several noble undertakings. He procured sums to be raised foip purchasmg small libraries, for the use of the poor minis- ters in the several parts of our plantations : and the better to promote this de-' sign, hti published two books ; one, entitled Bibliotheca Parochialis, or a scheme Dfsuch.tneological and other heads, as seem requisite to be perused or occasion- ally consultedliy the clerey. together with a catalogue of books which may be profitably read on each of ttiose points; the of her, Apostolical Charity, its na- ture and excellency considered. He endeavored to get a fund established foi the propagation of the Grospel, especially among the uncultivated Indians ;'~ and by nis means a patent was obtained for erecting the corporation called, The So. eiety for the Propagation of the Gospel. He, by his industry, procured relief lor prisoners ; and formed the plan ofthe society for the reformation of manners, charity-schools, &c. He wrote 1. his Martyrology, or Papal usurpation, in one Tolume folio. 9. Djrectorjum Misgionariuro ; a n d ot her w o rks . He died ip 173q. Ti -aa-^^^^tf.A ^.^KK^^^^tiiijiip r'JIfi'.tr-Ma^-TSta iWfjfJrg- m3ir*~u^uKU.iti *>• , i- )^i TIIB ttfl Of -tkz HEY. JOITH WBILIT. hy, was construed In embezzlement of the society's money Mr Wesley did not doubt, but men capable of 'Such baseness, would represent the matter in this light to the trustees. He therefore wrote to them on the subject, and received the following answer from Dr. Burton; which, us it shows the confidence the trustees had in his uprightness and integrity, and their approbation of his conduct, I shall insert. :«' ^ „ " Georgia Office, June \hlh: "Dear Sir,' ' " I communicated your letter'ItT the Board this morning. We or^ surprised at your apprehensions of being charged with the-Very Imputation of having embezzled any public or private monies. I cannot learn any ground for even suspicion or anything of this kind. . We neyer heard of any accusation; but on the contrary, are per- suaded both of your frugality and honesty. Wa beg you not to give weight to reports or private insinuations. The trustees have a high esteem of your good services, and on all occasions will give further encburagement: and would not have the express mention of the fifty pounds, in lieu of the same sum formerly advanced by the society for propagation so understood, as not to admit of en- largement upon pi^pef occasions. I am ordered by all the membeits present to acquaint you of this, and to give you assurance of thei^ approbation of your conduct, and readiness to assist you. The Vj Prov. of Eton has given vou ten pounds, for your pnvate use and doing works of charity: I have desired Mr. Oglethorpe to convey this to you in a private way, , Mr. Whitefield will shortly, anyl by ■ thejiext corpcenieht opportunity, go over to Georgia. THiere are three hundred acres granted to the church in Frederica. Be not discouraged by many hastv insinuations; but hdpe the best while many labor for the best. In good time matters will bear a better face. God strengthen your hands, and give efficacy to your honest endea)K>rs. In a former letter I spoke my mind at large to you concerning many particulars. I am in^ch haste at present. "Your affectionate friend, ' .J i "J. Burton." P. S. "My. Lord Egmont gives his respects and kind wishes and'begs you not to be discouraged." Mr. Causton, the chief magistrate of Savannah, seems to have been of a warm and rather violent temper, impatient of contradic- ' ti6n, over-bearing, and fickle in his att^hments. He had hitherto, not only shown a decent civility towards Mr.. Wesley, but even a friendly r,egard for him. This, regard seemed increased during a fever he had in the end of June, m which Mr. Wesley attended him every day.— On the third of July, Mr. Wesley reproved Mrs. WUliamson for some things he thought wrong in her conduct. Th| reproof was resented by the lady, who said, she did not expect $iu:h usage from him. This was the beginning of strife, which as tl^e wise nian tells us, "is qs whfen one Yetteth out water." The next day, Mrs. Causton called, jind apologizing for the beh^yior of aer niece, desired Mr. Wesley to inform Mrs. Williamson in wril- ^ .^m.,^ v%' X^M *. frntUW* W THB mST. JOHII WltLITt 101 ing what bo had to object against her conduct He accordindy wrote to her on the dth, and here tho matter rested for a few week« ^ In the meantime, however, Mrs. Williamson miscarried, and Mrs. Causton reported that the mincarriaffo was occasioned by Mr. Wesley's reproof, and the letter he hut! sent : -but Mrs. Williamson frankly acknowledged that, her husband having t)een sick, it waa occaNtoned by the hurry and anxiotj^ his Hi(!knoHH hud prcMlucod. During this time Mr. Causton showed tho same fricMidly attention to Mr. Wesley, as if nothing had happened. On this occasion Mr. Wesiley writes in his private journal; "July 33. The strange es- teem which Mr. Causton seemed to show for us, by which means we had nothing without but ease and plenty, occasioned my ex- f trussing myself thus in a letter to a friend; 'How to attain the )eing crucified with Christ, I find not; bcin^ in a condition which I neither desired nor expected in America: m ease and honor, and abundance. A strange school for him who has but one bdsineas, JTi/jUfutiif oiavrov nqos «W/*»«ui'.* >» • In the beginning of August, he joined with the Germans in one of their love-feasts. This, I believe, was the first time he ever saw a love-feast. He speaks thus of it: "It was begiiii and ended with thanksgiving and prayer, and celebrated in so decent and sol- emn a manner, as a Christian of the apostolic age would have allowed to be worthy of Christ." He afterwards adopted love- feasts into the economy of Methodism. August 7. Mr. Wesley repelled Mrs, Williamson from the holy communion, for the reasons specified in his letter of the 5th of July, as wel^l as, for not giving him notice of her desigq to communicate, afler having discontinued it for some time. On the 9th, a warrant havingibeen issued and served upon him, he was carried before the Recorder and magistrates. Mr. Williamson's charge was, 1. That Mr. Wesley had defamed his wife : 2. That he had cause- lessly repelled her from the holy communion. The first charffe Mr. Wesley denied; ancT the second, being purely ecclesiastical, he would not acknowledge the magistrate's power to interrogate him concerning it. He was told, that he must, however, appear at the next court holdeii for Savannah. In the mean time Mr. Causton, having become Mr. Wesley's bitter enemy, reouired him to assign his reasons in writing for repellinff his niece. This he accordingly did, in this following letter to Mrs. Williamson. " At Mr. Causton's request I write once more. The rules whereby I proceed are these : So many as intend to partake of the holy communion, shall signify their names to the curate, at least sonie time the day before. This you did not do. "And if any of these — ^have done any wrong to his neighbor by word or deed,' so that the congregation be thereby xjffended, the Curate shall advertise him, that in any wiste he presume not to come to the Lord's table, until he hath openly declared himself to haVe truly repented. ' "If you offer yourself at the Lord's table on .Sunday, I will a dverti sf ^ you, a s l have done more th a n o n ce, w h erejp you ha ve * Tto exercise himself uato godlioeM. -i-l: fiji*tfci,. px-**'ai»<._ '* "A^ai* '■%' ."' ' ^^ ■i o fe- 806 t)|B LIFB 07 TJHB KKT. iORN WRILIT. ' * dnnn wrong: and when vou ha^ve openly declared youmelf to havo truly repented, 1 will lulrniniBter to you the mystericHof Goginning of their acquaintance: not indeed throughout, hut selecting certain passages, which rhight, beinjo^ detached from the rest, and aided by a comment which he sunpliod, make an impression to Mr. WeiH ley's disadvantage. Such methods as these, of oppressing an indi vidual, are detestable: and yet they have too oAen been practised, even by persons professing religion; but they always afford sure evidence of a bad cause. While Mr. Causton was thus employed, the rest of the family were assiduous in their endeavors to convince all to whom they spake, that Mr. Wesley had repelled Mrs. Williamson from the communion out of revenge, because she had refused to marry him. " I sat still at home," says Mi*. Wesley, " and I thank God, easy, havingcommitted my cause to him: and, remembering his word, * Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.' I was at first afraid, that those wno were weak in the faith would be turned out of the way, at least so far as to neglect the public worship, by attending which they w^e likely to suffer in their temporal concerns. But I feared where no fear was: God took care of this likewise; insomuch that on Sun- day the 14th, more were present at the morning prayers, than had been for some months before. Many of them observed those words in the first lesson, * Set Naboth on high among the people: and^et two men, sons of Belial before him, to bear witness against him.' No less remarkable were those in the evening lesson, *I hate him, for he doth not prophesy good concernjing me, but evil.' O may I ever be able to say with Micaiah, < What the Lord saith- unto me, that will I speak: and that, though I too should be put into prison, and fed there, with bread of affliction, and with water of^afilic- tion.»» August 16. At the request of several of the communicants, ho drew up a short relation of the case, and read it after the evenings {irayers in the open congregation. And this evening, as Mr. Wes- ey supposed, Mrs. Williamson was prevailed upon to swear to, and sign A paper, containing many assertions, ana insinuations in- jurious to his charificter. — ^During the whol6 of this week, Mr. Causton was employed in preparing those who were to form the grand-jurv at the next court-day. He was talking jwith some or/ other of them day and night: his4able was free to all: old misun- deirstandings were ^rgot, and nothing was too much to be done for them, or promised to them. Monday, the twentv-second, the coart was formed, and forty-four jurors were sworn m, instead of fifteen, to be a grand jury to find the bills. This was done by Mr. Causton, who hereb^^ showed his skill in the management of a con- troversy like this. He knew well, that numbers would add weight to every thing they tjransacted, and induce them to take bolder steps , Chan a few would venture upon.. To this grand-jury, he gave a ' X t - . .. .1 A#:V-'' ■-■' ' •"■ "'^ **' *"■ *"'^* '""" '^•«'W» ;:; • ' riii:': """",■ ' s ■ ' " long iin^ earnest charffe, "to beware of apiritual tyranny, and to oppofie the new illegal authority, which was usurned over their consciences." Mrs. \Villiamsoii'« affidavit wa«renr Snvnniuih, this doy of AuguMt, 1787. In the afternoon Mrs. Williunmon was examined, who arknowl- e ■ ,^:./ » • i* la^f t.'» M / ■: till^Lin Of THl ■■▼/jtRlf WIILIT. ^ firooeedingfl of the minority, to bo iminediatolT fent to the truiiteet n Englanti. In thin pniM^r th«y gave such clear and iiatiMfnctOry rensonrf, under every bill, for their diMent fVom the minority, ua effbctually did awuv all jumt ground of coMiplainf*^ ogainat Mr.^ , W«!«ley, on tho Huf>j<>ctH of th« proHPiMition. — Ah Mr. and Mr«.* Williuniiion iuu-ndcd to go for Kaigliiiid in tin; llmtHhii) that Mhoi^Jd aail ; auine- of Mr. Wealev'a frieniia thoU(^ht, he ought to go like- %vlHe ; chiefly to. remove; tho bad iinprcMMionM whinn mJMrnproitnM- tation and ill-natured report, might niako on the truntecH and oth- era, intereated in the welfare of the colony. But Beptendier 10, he obaervea, " I laid attide the thoughts of going to England ; thinking it mffo suitable to my calling, HtitI to conunit my cauau to God, ancTnoi to b^ in hoate to juatity myself: onk to be always ready to give to any that should ask me, a reiison of the hope that is in me." Immoderate zeal is always to be suspected ; especially when it appears in pursuing such measures as tend to injure or ruin an * iiulividual. A bad cause, which originated from hatred or tnatice, wi I almost always be carried on with 'more intemperate zeoj fikiid bo der measures, than a consciousness of acting .right will^er produce. The pursuit of any end in view, when govenied 1^ the. pasriions, is always more violent than when directed by reason and truth. On this principle we may account for the proceedings of the magistrates of Savannah. They sent the affinavit they had procured, and the two presentments of th^ grand-jury, to be in- serted in the newspapers in different parts of America. The only {>urpose this could answer was, to injure Mr. Wesley in the opin'-N^ on of a large body of people, who could not easily come at a tru<^ . knowledge of the case. That these advertisements might make a deeper impression on the minds of the multitude, the pomp of legal form was preserved ; the following words being added at the end of each bill, <\CfoirTRAAT to the peace or our Sovereign Lord the Kino,' His Grown and Dignity." Persons of dis- cernment saw through the artifice, and in the end of September, Mr. Wesley received a letter from a gentleman of considerable abilities and learning in Charlestown, in which, are the following observations. " I am much concerned at some reports and papers concerning you from Georgia. The papers contain some affidavits made against you, by one mrs. Williamson ; and a parcel of stuff called presentments of you by the grand-jury, for matters chiefly of your mere office as a clergyman. Has our sovereign lord the king, given the temporal courts in Georgia, ecclesiastical jurisdic- tion^ If he has not, then sure I am, that whatever yo^r failing:! in your office may be, a grand jury's presentments of them, being repu^ant to the fundamental laws and constitution of flngland, is a plain 'breach of his peace,' and an open insult on *his crown and dignity; ' for which they themselves ought to be presented, if they have not incurred li premmire.* The presentments, a sad of nonsense, I have seen ; but not the affidavits. They were Dli^ bofll designed to have been published in our Gazette, but our * To iacar a (Nremunire, is to be liable to ixniprisooment aod loss ef goods. iim^'^i^^^t^^n ■^'^^M' : < .-, . THB Liri or THR Mllr. JOaH WMLBV. 811 . (Viendit herv have hithorto pravnntnd It. I ahnll \m glnd to hava 'tutim light from yount^lf into th«no innttRni, niui whorowlih to ' op|MM<) tho re|>ortM iiMlimtriuunly M|irtm(l h«rn to y«»ur rit«(l hid Hituation. A letter of thii kin '. from Dr. Cutler, n clergyman of Bowton, contains aomo tImiightH HO iu«t, and not very commonly to l>e mot with, that I think it worthy of a place here. It is dated tho twenty-decoiid of October. " I am sorry, sir," aayH he, " for the clouds hanging over your mind, reiipocting your undertaking and nituation: but hope God will give a happy increase to that gowl seed you havo planted and watered, according to hia will. The bokt of men in * all agcfl, have failed in tho Huccem of their lalwn and there will -ever Iks found too many enemieu to tho crow* of Christ : for earth jyill not be heaven.„ This reminds us of that hajipy place, where wo Hhallnot see and bo grieved for tranHgreHMora ; and where, for our well meant laliors, our jutlgrnifnt \h with the Lord, and our reward with our God. And you well kj»ow, sir, that under tho Hiuldost apnearnnces, we may have some share in tho ctinsolations which G(mI gave Elijah ; aud may trust in him, that there is somo wickein h«!f nn hour pniit t«rh till about hnlf an hour pnut twciv* Thfl Fr«n«h mirviro Iw^nii iit on«. At two I cattn-hliMMl the chil- dren. \>Hiul lhi«« Imkuii tho KoKlirth H«rvi««. At\or ihiM wna «n«lr«l, I jdined with nn iimny iw my largo room wouhl hol b« prouont, not aa a tuachor, • but nn a lunrnor." NovumtMtr 1. H« nMSolvml a tomiiofary rellof from hia prcaaing wants. " Col. Ht«ph«nM," Miiyi* hr, «* nrrivrd, l.y whom I rcroivcd a iNMinfaction of.lon poumU atorling;* alW having been for novoral monthH without one nhilling in the hou»o, but not without iieaco, health and contontnjjmt." Novonilier S. Ho attended the court holdon on that day; and • again at the court held on the twenty-third; urging an immediate henring of his ciwe, that ho might have an n|>puM be left to Hh ei7e- mior, nmi h« l««v,ii^ th« provinro pending « pn«,.n,tion «irnin«I him, and In «p,Kmition to « pruhil.ition orth«,nnKi«tnui«. would hniiK a r«iMur« uimm, him ami make hi. conduct and character the caw. Finding him now drt«nnln«d to go for Kiiglimd. thev hud « fine op»«rtunit5c.^f giving ,heir „lan If Aill eC ' M^ W„«U,y mtciMfed to .et out «lK,Ut n.HU., tU tide thm, .crvina : hu a MMi ten o'clock the magMtratc. «ent for him. and toM h"m ho MlHiuld not iro nut nf fhn i>rnii:..»« .:ii l. ■._ • . .. ••••■i ••« I II » -"---■■"«•"•■••"■. r,«.in lur nini, ami told niin ahould not go out of the province, till ho had entered into recog- •rirh^"''Ki;'"w T '""?' «"«' '"-wer the nllcgatlona laSl H«msthim. Mr. Wesley replied, that he had apiK-arcd at mx II. I hev said thai he inuMt however give security to Bhm,ar airain He nakeJ. what .eJuritW After a long con^ultatL. togeiher.'Sei •greeil upon a kind of Ud. that he «Uild appear atVavanS added, you must likewiHO give bail to aiinwer Mr. Williainiion». action o? one thousand p<,undi, damages. "I then began "mvI Mr. Wenley. « to yeo into their design! of spinning Tt^t me"^d doing nothing; and so told him plaiiiTy, Sir, will Ln neither one bonjr„or the other: you know y'our busine.^, and I know mine." The magistrates fimlmg him quite resolved to go for England* saw their plan was secure, and tfiat they might ca?ry on the faiJe to keep up ap,>ear«nc,^ in their own favor, without daiger of d^Jl Srinr-I -offl" ^h^/ft^rnoon therefore, they mibli^he/'n orde^ remiir ng all officers to prevent his going out of the province; and forhidilmg any pernon to aHsint him so to do. The day was now for spent: after evening nrayers, therefore, the tide again serving. Mr. Wesley left Savannah, incompany with three othe? persons no one attempting to hinder him. llideJd I hi^ve no doutt but th«. ZK^ornr*^ heartily-glad to get rid of^a man, Se whole manner of life wa» a constant reproof of their licentiousnewi "and whose words were as arrows Htiiking fast In them, "'*"''^**' «»9 It we candidly review all the circumstances of thi^ftffolr, we shall perhaps be led to conclude, thai Mr. Wesley miftht have acted han he did, when he first saw the storm gathermg and likelv to hurst with violence upon him. But his constant rule was to ai^ rS^t wScVY'f "•^*'""- "*'.^^? °"" "•'"^'' '^'^^ particular i'n7o7 Stern? h«i"'^?'*"'ri*'''" »«.r ••«"«««" Christian and a mwister of the gospel, and then steadily to walk in it reirardlesa of WM ;..„^„ if^f*^ '" **"^ conscientious manner towards M«. , will. rT T' I *^T "»^"PPcar that any one ever c harged him vv. I, repelling her fror^he holy communiorout of evenge be- hZlhk ''''"'^ ""* rTrry him, exccpt^er relations, who* no^ toS h'^^T^'V" '"j"''^ his reputation OS much «; pos^il.l^ to cover themselves from reproach. But this charge not uiAy waiiul '4,1 ■fee :r/- .- ,1- ■- - 'V,' lyM ^aEcS2::at!s»^;. ''•<' "■^•i 6V • h< '.If it , .. - H '' ' - " • ' ' . ' . ' if4 : THE Liri ar the ret. johk weslet. ■ ooBitiveproof, it is even destitute of probability. It was about fire months aftef her marriage when thiw circumstance hapncmtl, durinir the former part of which time he had frequently adminis- tered the sacrament to her, without showing any symptoms ot re- venge: andaliout three months tifter her marriage, he saw such things in her conduct, as, in his pHvate Journal which was never printed, induced him to bless God for his deliverance in not marry- ing her. Now let me ask anvxandid man, if it is probable^ that Mr. Wesley could l»e actuated by a spirit of revenge for a disap- pointment at the end of five rtionths, which had no influence on his conduct at the end of three months; and even after he had been convinced that the disnnjointment itself was a mercy ,for which he secretly thanked God? 1 think no man will say it is probable, 1 apprehend it is impossible, this should l)e the case. ^ In his pastoral character, Mr. Wesley acted by one rule towards all the communi- cants. If any one had discontinued his attendance at the Lorjl s table, he required him to signify his name some time the day l)e- fore he intended to communicate again: and if any one had Uonie wrong to his iieighlwr, so that the congregation was thereby oflend- e J ittijt K^.^ — e -* 'W ^1^^^'^' 816 THE Lin OF THl EBT. JOHH WltLET. gr v^ ?* •Reived- but adds, he thought it most prudent not to repeat grior . '^eB•Wh^nh^^yfis at ^bharlestoWn, Mr. Garden acd^ainted h"m with the ill-treuttnent Mr. Wesley had met with, and assured Km that were the same arbitrary proceedings to commence agan.st hiS, he would defend him with life and fortune t These tes .mo- n es Of persons so respectable, and capable of knowmg all the ? ircumstLces of the affair, coincide wit\ the general tendency of ?he 8 atement above given; and with candid persons must do away iKerish ( Save me, 1. By such a faith as implies peace in life an\l death. 2. But such humility, as may fill my Eeart from this hour forever, with a piercing, uninterrupted sense, Nihil est QUod haetenus feci, that hitherto I have done nothmg. TBy sucra re«>llection'^as may enable me to cry to thee every momedt: 4. By steadiness, seriousness, «^"ot.,t. sobriety of spirit, TvoTding as fire, every word that tendeth not to edifying, and never sSiil^f any whd" oppose me, or sin agamst God, without all mv own sins set in array before my face. . January 13. They hail a thorough storm. On the 24th, being abourieo leagues from the land's end, he observes, his mind was fKf thought, and he wrote as follows: « 1 went to Amer.ca to conVert the Indians; but oh! who shall convert me^? Who is he th?t will deliver me' from this evil heart of unbelief? I have a fair Bummer rXion; I can talk well,nay, and believe myself while no diS is nef r; but let death look me in the face, and my spirit is troubled. Nor can I say, to die is gam! •Ihaviasinoffear, that when I've spun ^ Jtty last thread, I shall perish on the shore I ' « I think verily if the gospel be true, I am 8afe--I now believe the gospKtrul I show my faith by my works, by staking my all upon it. I would do so again and again a thousand times, it fhe cWee were still to make. Whoever sees me, sees I would be a OhSn Therefore are my ways not like other men's ways. Therefore I have been, I am, I am content to be, a by-word, a prov- erb of reproach. But in a storll think, what if the gospel be not •true- then thou art of all men most foolish-O who will deliver mr/roShisf"a?ofde«th? What shall I do? Where shall I fly from ij?''&c. These reflections on his own sta^, evince the * Robertas Narrative of the Life of Mr. George Whiletleld, page ai. t Ibid, page 58. ♦ ;., «-i^a.' ~i>^^'^ ^..&tf^4 •*■ , i^-,. m&<'''^:^:^^- W-'-'%i^.-STf.'e~J. t*«^TW TH« Lire or THB KSr. JOHH WBtLIT. 817 deepest consciousness that he had not attained the privileges of a true believer in Christ : though he diligently sought them in the prac- tice of every moral and religious duty, according to the best of his knowledge. This would naturally suffgewt some defect in the prin- ciple on which he performed these ckities. The next day, there- fore, Jan. ^, he took a review of his religious principles on a few important points; and in a private paper wrote as follows: . 1. "For many vears I have been tossed uI)out by various winds of doctrine. I asked lonjr ago, *What must I do to be saved?* The Scripture answered, keep the commandments,^believe, hope, love: follow after these tempers till thou hast fully attained, that is, till death: by all those outward works and means ivhich God hath appointed, by walking as Christ walked. 2. "1 was early warned against laying, as the Papists do, too much stress on outward works, or on a faith with works; which, as it does not include, so it will never lead to true hope or charity. , Nor am I sensible, that to this hour I have laid too much stress on either; having from the very beginning valued both faith and the means of grace, and good works, not on their own account, but as believing God, who hath appointed them, would by them bring hie m due time to the mind that was in Christ. 3. " But before God's time was come, I fell among some Luther- an and Calvinist authors, whose confused and indigested accounts, magnified faith to such an amazinj^ size, that it quite hid all the rest of the commandments. I did not then see, that this was the natural efiect of their overgrown fear of Popery: being so terrified with the cry of merit and good works, that they plunged at once mto the other extreme. In this labyrinth I was utterly lost; not being able to find out what the error was; nor yet to reconcile this uncouth hypothesis, either with Scripture or common sense. 4. "The English writers, such as Bishop Beveridge, Bishop Taylor, and Mr. Nelson, a little relieved me from these welt meaning, wrong-headed Ofermans. Their accounts of Christianity, I could easily see to be, in the main consistent both with reason and Scripture. Only when they interpreted Scripture in different ways, I was often much at a loss. And again, there was one thing much insisted on in Scripture, the unity of the cnurch, which none of them, I thought, clearly explained, or strongly inculcated. 5. " But it was not long before Providence brought me to those, who showed me a sure rule of interpreting Scripture; viz. Con- aetuiu Vetenm: « Quod ab omnibus, quod ubique, quod semper eredttum.* At the same time they sufficiently insisted upon a due reffard to the one church, at all times, and in all places. Nor was It long before I bent the bow too far the other way: j. By ntaking Antiquity a corordinate, rather than sub-ordinate, rule with Scrii>- ture. 2. By admitting several doubtful writings, as undoubted evidences of Antiquity. 3. By extending Antiquity too far, even to the middle or end of the fourth century. 4. Bv believing more practices to have been universal in the ancient church, than ever were so. 5. By not considering that the decrees of one provincial synod, could bind only th a t province; and that th e decre e s of a 'dV»- h'r ■t » •i' ',>. % jr- ■^ general synod, only those proxinces whose representatives nwt 27* "* ;»m :^,- 'U i>. .818 tBK LIVE OT THB SBT lOHlf WBSLCT. therein. 6. By not considering, that the most of thoW> diBcrfeei were adapt6d to particular timea and occasions; and consequently when those occasions ceased, must cease to bind even .those prov^ inces. y * ■ . _ 6. "These considerations insensibly stole upon pie, as I grew ac- quainted with the mystic writers: whose noble descriptions of union with God, arid internal religion,- naade every thing, eke apiwjar mean, flat and insipid. But m truth they ma ..■■i* PP^v'T^'''' " -^^^^^Pf'ji' ■■>' ■'^-^'rl^"^ VHB Lirt of TRB kBT. JOHN WBSLIT S19 k CHAPTER IV. eiVINd tout ACCOUNT or MR.. Mnsaj^ET, FROM rEBRUART, 1738» TILL APRIL)^39, WHEN HE BECAME AN ITINERANT AND riEL0- PREACHBR. » ■ ■ ■' ■ ■ r -v ■ , ; % , . Oifhis arrival in. England, he made some reflections on his own state of mind, and on the effects of his visit to America. " It is now," says ho, '^two years and almost four months, since I left my native coijntry, in order to tcuch the Georgian Indians the nature of Christianity : but what have I learned mysfplf in the mean time? Why, what I the least of all suspected, that I who went to Amei;- ica to convert others, was iKJvcr niyself converted to God. / am npt'mady though 1. thus speak; but j speak the words of truth and soberness; if haply some of those who still dreamy may awake and' see, that as I am, so are they, &,c.'* — He observes however, " Many reasons I have to i)le8S God — for my having been carried into that strange land, contrary to all ray preceding resolutions. Hereby I trust he hath in some measure humbled me and proved me, and ahown me what toaa in my heart. Hereby I have been taught to b&ware of men, hereby God has given me to know many of his servants, particularly those of the church of Hernhuth. Hereby n^ passage is open to thtf writings of holy men, in the. German, Spanish, and Italian tongues. All in Georgia have heard the word ouGod: sflTme have believed and began to run well. A few steps 'have been taken towards. publishing the ^lad-tidings both to the ' Africaiyind. AnAerican heathens. Many chddren have learned how thiyVi^hiio serve God, and to be useful to their neighbor. And those whom it most concerns, have an opportunity of» Knowing the state of their infant colony, and laying anrmer foundation of peace and happiness to many generations.^' Mr. Wesley here supposes, that lie was not converted to God, because he had not that mith which delivered him from the fear of (ieath, and gave him victory over all sin, jnward or outward. He does not* seem, to have^ any immediate referende to that notion of faith which he afterwards espoused and taught; for as yet he did not understand it. When the firs| Journal, infyk^hich this is said, was printed in his Works, in 1774, he doubted/whether the severe 8enten(^ahe here pronounced upon himself, wqis just. This ought npt to be charged on Mr. Wesley, as a contradiction, but as e change in his, opiij^ion. This is certainly con^iiiiendable, when an increase of knowledge gives ilHnan sufficient reason for so doing. In 1774, he believed, that when he went ta/America, he had the faith of a servant, though not of a son.* Though he was far from being singular in .making this distinction, yet the propriety of it has been doubted, or rather denied. It is of some importance in chri^ tian experience ^at the subject should be understood, and therefore it deserves to be^xamined. The distinctipn is foundeid on what the Apostle has said, Rom. *See the Errata to the 26tb volume of his V^orks. > ^^ • 4". *', ^ ..Ht bfr'^frf^siSa; -iisS^;?^ z ^' * S. a^- V ^I'C' tf^^Wy =.a1 ;i.-* 4 > ^ !»•**■ li-. m: i:-^^i. r mo \r]fr'^vr^ 'm^; ■aw^mwi,^ THE LIFK or THI RET. JOHH WEftLKY 1—7. Mr. t.. vlll. 15, and Airther illustrated and coufimicd, Gal. iv. .— .. iwr. Wesley observes in a note on Rom. viii. 16, that, "The JSpiriiof bondage^ here seoinn directly to niewi, those operutions.of the Holy Spirit, by which the soul on its firHt'coiivictioii, feels itself in bond- age to sin, to the world, to satan, and obnoxious to the wrath erf". God.'* He has printed a .sermon on the Hame text, in whjeh he explains.it in the same way. Ho was not singular in this internre- tatiop, as might easily be shown from respectable authority. But, though it be most true, that a person under conviction for sin, is in a state of bondage and fear, it does not follow that this in the direct meaning; of. the Apostle, or that the distinction between a servant and a son of God, ought to be immediately fixed oh this foundation. Many among the most learned and nious persons in the ehristinn church, have understood the Spirit of bondaff«4o fearj as referring to that servile spirji:, or spirit of servitude, which the whole Mosaic economy tended to produce.* And this seems most agreeable to the tenOr of the Apostle's discourse, and most comformable to his'^ grand design of establishing and illustrating the truth and excellency of, the gospel, as a more perfect dispensation of mercy and favor from God. ' We must not however suppose,'that, because thefaithful undef the Old Testament, had a spirit of bondage to fear, they were not therefore children of God; or that they had not the spirit of God. In evei"y age of the world, since the first promise of a Redeemer, those wno have placed their confidencerin the mercy of God, man-, ifested through a promised Saviour, liave beconie children of God,* heirs of the heavenly inheritance, and experienced some degree of divine grace. But under the Mosaic dispensation, the faithful themselves, were children held in a state of servitude, which produc- ed fear, rather than filial confidence, or the spirit of adoption, crying Abba, Father. The reason of this was, the natui'e of that economy under which they lived, which was wonderfullv adapted to the state of the Israelites in that age of the world, and only preparatory to the introduction of a more perfect dispensation of the Divine favor. , ^ ' The Mosaic economy, taking it in a loose and general sense, may be-considered in three points of view, cori-esponding to the ends it was intended to answer. The first view of it, regards those laws it contained, which reliatedora/y to external thi^igs, and were merely literal or carnal, as the Apostle calls them.* The intention of these was, to separate the whole body of the people from idolatry, )and all mixture with other nations: to preserve the worship of tlie true God in the world: to make the Israelites the dept^itaries of the promises^rophecies, and the whole word of God: and to keep their oWn trn>S»>tmd families distinct: that as the Messiah was to descend, according to the flesh, frofn the seed of Abraham, the . tribe of Judah, and the family of^David, bis introduction into the world»might be more sirongly marked, the prophecies concerning him be" distinctly fulfilled, and his character be clearly ascertained. These laws reqiiirlfl no more thati a mere external obedience, the 1 ■■41-^ |v ' See Doddridge ; and Pole's Synopsis. t Heb. vii. 16 j ix. 10^ TUB I.I?B or TRB BIT. JORR WBfLBI^* nw^rd of which wfui, tho land of Canaan, with protection* pros- perity, arid long life. The second view of it, i« typical. The promise made to Abra» ^am;; being continued through thid t^ponomy, the laws and insfitu- tions ea^tublished for tho purposos ubAve mentioned, were so ordered as' to become tyiiical 'reprv^entutiona of Christ iunl the benefits of his Icingdom.'* They .gave a new modification to the promulgation of the promise of a Redeemer, tho ohUpt of faith iuid hope in true believers, by which they olituined a^ foretaste of the grace and blessings of the gospel. All these laws ^nd institutions were pecu- liar to Moses, purely external and temporary: being preparatory to the coming of Christ, when they wore to be abolished. The third view of this economy, regards those moral precepts introduced into it, to regulate the moral principles, as well as con- duct of the people towards each other, for the well-being of the stated and also such other commands as tended to giye them a higher attd'more spiritual notion of their^duty to God, and of the nature of sin, than the Mosaic code'sirggested. These were in- tended to raise the minds of the people to something higher than, the mere external economy of Moses: to awaken in them a sense of their depravity; to show them the spiritual -nature of sin; its power, dominion, and guilt$-4hat conscious of their wants, they might more ardently desire their great Deliverer, and be better prepared to receive him. These precepts and commands, being of a general and permanent nature, were not peculiar to Moses, nor to be done away with his institution; but additions to his econ- omy, they were highly necessary and useful. That the promise before made, was continued through this dis- Eensation, is matnifest. Fdr as circumcision was not of Moses, ut of the fathers, so the promise of grace and life by Christ, was not ^en by Jiim, but found by him already existing. It is not said, I'hat the promise was added to the law; but. That the law was added to the promise.* The law of Moses, therefore, did not dis- annul, 6r do away the promise of salvation by a Redeemer, or any way after the metho(^ of a sinner's justification before God, and acceptance to etd'rnal life, as exemplified in the case of Abraham: nor yet change, or lessen the obligation to those duties men owe to God, and to one another, founded on the permanieii^ relations (if things. It follows, that these, and the law of Mosesy though dif^ ferent in their natmre, and designed for very different purposes, were associated together in this economy^ until,' " In the fulness of time," God shoula send forth, his Son. But though the promise still existed under the law^which was intended to bring men ultimately to Christ; „yet the Mosaic econ- omy exhibited the Messiah, and the nature and benefits tff his king' dom, through a kind of Veil. These appeared in it, like objects placed in the back-ground of A picture, aistant, obscure, and di-^ minished from their natural size. This representation best suited that age of the world, the state and circumstances of the Israelites.' and the future^designs of Providence,. The prophets, indeed, as the '■' ♦ Gal. iii. 19. ^ A I ■ Ml . ■ ife i.y^ 1 .akiSti^^ti^x^^ ^^ •* .V, . /■■ A? n; fiJ^t Tan LIFE or thi »▼. johh wbsliv. . "* /bineas of time when Chriflt should appear, drew nearer ond nearer often brought forward tbfiae iinportuiit ohjertM into a stronger light and g^vo thum u more Ixdd und full uppouranne, directing the niiiid!i of the people to look through their external and temporary economy to blessings more general, permanent ond satinfactory. Under this economy, God assumed the character; and had the tUle of Kmg of Israel, jealous pf his prerogatives and glorv Tho people were prone to idolutrjr, which was rebellion ^igaiiiHt their King; and^ll the laws tended to produce u "spirit of TkmmI- age to fear," for their subjugation, that the external purposes of this dispensation might Imj obtained. So terrible Was the oppcar- nnce of the Divine majesty at the giving of the law, that the peo- ple said, " Let not G(m1 speak to us, lest we die."* And Mo.mh himself said, " I exceedingly fear and quake.»t The puryishmentd under this government were exceetlingly severe; so that an error ' through inadvertency was sometimes pwiished with immediate death, which made the^most pious among them afraid. | The body of the ceremoniol law, was minute, expensive, and labo- rious, and required the most servile obedience. Peter calls it n yoke, which neither they nor their fathers could bear:§ and Paul, a yoke of bondage. || The yearly sacrifices brought their sins tc '"©•J" J'ctnembrance, the repetition showing they were not expia- ted. IT The people were kept at a distance from God in their wor- ship; even from the symbol of his presence in the holiest of all, to whi.ch the high priest alone was admitted, and that but onfce a year.** And even at the burning of incense morning and evenintr, the people stood praying without.ft In their approaches to God in prayer, they addressed him as a Sovereign; under the title of God, or Lord; Jesus Christ being the first who taught us to say, " Our father who art in heaven;" himself procuring for utfithis na(>o,tnlu, or freedom and ,opetme98 of access to the presence of God. It was given In charge of Moses, that he Phould not let the priests, and the people, fiiat»a»aHtay,^ break through the descrilied limits in * their approaches to God, nor invade a place deemed too holy for them to enter. This was never allowed under the ceremonial law. How different is our liberty! « From the days of John the Bap- tist," says our Lord,§§ the « kinffdom of heaven, /JiaCra., suffereth violence," or rather, is invaded by violence; that is, in «tWa/«ort of the commands and prohibitions of the ceremonial law: and the fences being broken down, which had shut out the Gentiles, from It; and the formalities done away, which kept the Jews at a certain distance in bondage and fear, the /Jiocoi, invaders, regardless of the solemnities a^d restrictions prescribed by the/ law, uqnatHaiy avxfiv, seize Upon it with eagerness and confidence, having boldness to enter into the holiest by a new and livin«» way.ljll— The very word which the Seventy had used with a n^ative particle expressing prohibition, ,«th\Lord u^es in the atfarmative, thereby showing the prohibition Vas taken off.— •Exod. XX. 19. tHeb . xii^21. — t2 Sa m . vi.7.9. jActsxv. 10 ^ IIGahv.i. irHeb.x.3,i8: H Matt. XI. 12. |||jHeb.x. 19,20, : ,f ^rlt?*TlT.*^^^'T«i-^:, tHB Lira or THE RBT. JOHV WBItBT. irohiltitions, jiiouf It toiidud Indeed, the whole of the old economy #|ib ftjil of jprohih ■evcriticfl, and -Aurdahiiw; to whicrh the t^iont fuithful n»d were sulijccti as well hh the iiiont wicked und firofli^ato. It I to produce l|on«|uge, ami fear, particularly^ the tear of death, to which the Jews Mw«6 then, and are even n4)W, remarkably vuhject. The ajwHtlo oon^arcH thoHO und an causcMj things that were oidy placed ai4 the fruits of faith in the Sjo^pel economy; and therefore, that ho neither poaaeHHed aavinu aim, nor had a right notion of it: Having olmerved, Imth at Hea, and in America, that the Moravian hretliren enjoyed a Htate of peace and comfort in their minda, to which he was almost wholly a iTtranger, ho was well prepared to hear what these messengers of God had to sav of faith as the meann of olitaining it. He Was dt;- termined that his conviction should be the result of knowledge; and therefore ^made continual objections to what Bohler said on the subject. This occasione*! Hohler to say more than once, ' ji/i frater. Mi /rater, exeoquendaeatiatatuaphiloaophia:* My brother, my brother, that philosophy of yours must he purged away. We , may observe however, that objections in such cases, are seldom the result of just reasoning, but the mere effects, of prejudice, which a previous system had produced in iiis miad. Feb. 27. He took coach fi»r Salisbury, to see his mother; intend- ing also to visit his brother ^amuel, at Tiverton. But March 'ij ho received a message that Ms jiirother Charles was dying at Ox- ford, and immediately set out for that place. He now renewed and set «iown his former rfMolutions respecting hjs own behavior. 1. To use absolute openness and 'unreserve, with all he should converse with. 2. T«> labor after continual seriousness, not wil- lingly inrbilging himself in any the least levity of liehavior, or in laughter,^o, hot for a moment. 8. To speak no word which did not tend t^ the glory of Qod; in particular, not to talk of worldly things. «« Others may, nay must," said lie; " but what is that to me?" 4. To take no pleasure which did not tend to the glory of Ciod, thanking God every moment for what he -'^.«it or iipouking on mutters of religion to those they met with, either on the road, or at tho inns. The practice was new, and the huccTtnh various: some Mtjir- ing with sih rt astoniNhnieiit, and othtTeT appeared thankful and rei)dy to receive instruction. On the 9^1 they returned to Oxfoi^t, nnd next o- ing confluent that God would hereby show me whether thU doctrine wan of G^' -^Me^ 3tf, m- ?*.■'■ TNI UWM Of TMt MV. JOM* WMLBf. ^ hnve tlUtlnnulnlwd from thfllr ftillow U»M)rcni, by blonninR ihi^m with M hnp|>i«»r tuUint, niiil by giving thriii not only goiwl MnnM, but n powerful ntti'riinro loo; thin hnn iMiiibl«^il iUvut t«» gUMh out u|Min ^ tlid attoniivo auditory with a nughiy utr^nui of drvtiut nml unnf- - fiKUod cloqut^ncc. Whiin a nmn wo (|ualifi(sd, fln, und aliovn nil adorned with n g«MMl lift', linMikn out into a wurui and w«ll d«liv«nMl prayer Uiforu hut wrnion, it huti th«' apiKUirHUcu of a divine rapture: he raliea and Icndi the hearts of the auBciti- biy in another manner than the moMt roni|MiH*fd or \n'nt ntudled form «if not word* can over do; and the Pray tre'i, wim Merve up all their aeruionM with the same gumiMhing, would look like no many Htatuen, or men of Htraw in the pulpit, compared with thoiflj who iip9ak with Much a iMiwerfu) ical; that men are tempted at the moment to believe that honvcn itiiclf has dtctotcti tlteli^ wonb to thiMo."— We may ol»«rve that no man will pray with the energy and force hero deMcrilicd, unleiw hiM own heart li«) animated and powerful^ quicknned, with the nuwt lively »enlitneutii of true do- voti«»n: a>id if thin |>e the caMC, a nuin will attain to it by constant habitit of prayer and reading the Scripturen, although he have but little learning, and his undemtanding nut improved altovo inedi- ocritv* . April 21. He njet Peter Bohler, once more. " I had now," says he, " no objection to what ho aaid of the nature of faith; that it w, to UHC the wordH of our chutch, a sure trust and confidence which a man haa in God, that through the merit of Chrint his hium are forgiven, and he ircconciled to the favor of G«d. Neither could I deny, either the- happineitR or holineas which he dcHcrilicd bh fruits of this living faith. • The Hpirit itself iMsareth witnesM with our spirit, that we &re the children of God; and he that beli^veth hath the witness in himself,' fully convinced me of the fwmcr: as, * whatsmjver is born of God, doth niH conmiit sin; and whosoever bclieveth is born of Goil,' did of the latter. But I could not com- prehend what ho spoke of an irutantaneoui work. I couhl not understand how this faith should be given in a moipcntj how a man could at once, l)e thus turned from darkness to light; from siu and misery to righteousness jand joy in the Holy Ghost. 1 search- ed the Scriptures again touching this very thing, parti., uwm or TNI uv. MB« WttLir. ^ riencp of Mr. Ifutchiiw, of Pombroko CoUnffti, umI Mm. Poxi " Two iiviiiK witiii>iiMM," wiy« hn, «• that (Jotl ««• at leaat, If h« doei not alwnya, ^jivo thnt fuith whemof coiiivth aalvatioo, in a iiiotiKUit, nM ii|(htniiif( faWiuff (\roni heaven.** May I. Thiiv iNigun to fortii thniiiiMr*A It'- <■: ri'v-. ? S^*' dXi . TRB LIFE OF ^THB «KV. MHK WXtUCT. be asked, What are your reasons for desiring this? Will you he entirely open, using no kind of reserve? Have you any objection to anyof our orders? (which may then be read.) 9. That when any new member was- proposed, every one pres- ent should speak clearly and freely whatever objection he had against him. 10. Ti^at those against whom no reasonable objection appeared, should ti^, in order for theifctrial, formed into one or more distinct bands, and some person agreed on to assist them. 11. That after two months' trial, if no objection then appeared, they niiglit be admitted into the society. r. 12. 'niat every fourth Saturday should be observed is a day <>f ffeneral intercession, which might continue from twelve to two, from three to jfive, and from six to eight. 1 18. That on the Sunday seven-night following, there should be a general love-feast, from seven till ten in the evening. ' . _— 14. That no particular person should be allowed to act in any thing, contrary to any order of this society; but that every one without distinction should submit to the determination of Jiis brethren; and that if any person or persons did not, after being ' thrice admonished, conform to the society, they should no longer be esteemed as members. 15. That any person whom the whole society should approve 'might be accounted a corresponding member, and as such be ad- mitted to the general meetings, provided he corresponded with the society, at least once a month. The fourteenth rule, to which the ministers were subject as well as the common members, was an excellent preservative against the abuse of power; mid some of the others are good guards against the admission of improper members. It would have been happy for the Methodist societies if these rules had been preserved among them, and rigorously kept: the work would in that case have been more pure than it has been, and much confusion would have been prevented. Wherever Mr. Wesley Mcas now invited to preach in the Cihurches, he boldly offered to all, a free salvation through fa:itb in the blood of Christ. At most of these, he was soon told, " Sir, you must preach here no more.'* To illustrate the reason of the offence which this doctrine gave, he has inserted in his own Jour- nal, part of a letter written by Mr. Gambold to Mr. Charles Wes- ley, a little after this time. This letter abounds with fine thoughts on the subject, and contains some excellent advice. Mr. Wesley has inserted but a smSU part; I shall transcribe a little more of it. " I have seen upon this occasion, more than ever I could have imagined, how intolerable the doctrine of faith is to the mind of man: how peculiarly intolerable to the most religious men. One may say the most unchristian things, even down to deism; the most enthusiastic things, so they proceed but upon mental raptures, lights and unions; the most severe things, even' the whole ngor of ascetic mortification; and all this will be forgiven. But if you speak of faith, in such a manner as makes Christ a Sav i our to the utmost, a most universal help and refuge; in such a manner as ■^ -v 'Vs' nl /iff IT -# %^t '^ ' • ' •• ^ *)if THE Lire or rut isv. johit wbslbt. •S99 takes away gloi^ing, but adds happiness to .wretched man: ^as dis- covers n greater pollution in the best of us, than we could before acknowledge, but brings a greater deliverance from it, than' we could before expect: if any one offers to talk at this rate, he shall bvj heard with the same abhorrence as if he was going to rob man- kind of their su vution, their mediator, or their highest happiness. I am persuaded, that a Montanist^ or a Novation, who from the height of his purity should look with contempt upon poor sinners, and exclude them from all mercy, would not be thought such an overthrower of the gospel, as he who should learn from the author of it to be a friend to publicans and sinners, and to sit down upon the level with them as soon os they begin to repent. But this, is not to be wondered at. For all religious people have such a quantity of righteousness, acquired by much painful exercise, anjl formed at last into current habits, which is their wealth both for this world and the next. Now all other schemes of religion are cither so complaisant as to tell them they are very rich, and have enough to triumph in; or else only a little rou^h, but friendly in the main, by telling them their riches are not suffacient, but by such arts of selj- dcnial and mental refinement they may enlarge the stock. But the doctrine of faith is a downright robber; it takes away all this wealth, and only tells us, it is deposited for us with somebody else, upon whose bounty we must liVe like mere beggars. Indeed they who ore truly beggars, vile and filthy sinners till very lately, may stoop to live in this dependent condition; it suits thei]n well enough: but they who have long distinguished themselves from the herd of vi- cious wretches, or have even gone beyond moral men; for them to be told that they are eithOrnot so well; or but the same needy, impotent, insignificant vesMels of mercy with others, this is more shocking to reason than transubstantiation. For reason had rather resign its pretensions to judge whot is bread or flesh, than have this honor wrested from it, to be the architecti^f virtue and right- eousness. But where am I running.' My design was only to give you warning, that wherever you go, this foolishness of preaching will alienate hearts from you, and open mouths against you. What are you then to do, my dear friend.? I will not exhort you to courage; we need not talk of that, for nothing that is approach- ing is eviU I will only mention the prejudice we shall be under, if we seem in the least to lay aside universal charity, and modesty of expression. Though we love some persons more than we did, let us love none less: and the rather, because we cannot say any one is bad, or destitute of divine grace, for not thinking as we do. In- dignation at mankind, is a temper unsuitable to this cause. If we are at peace with God in Chrtst, let it soflen our demeanor still more, even towards gainsayers. What has given most offence hi:herto, is what perhaps may best be spared : as some people's confident and hasty triumphs in the grace of God; not by way 'of humble thankfulness to him for looking upon them, or acknowl- edgment of some peace and strength unknown before, which they hope will be increased to them; but insisting on the completenesd of their d e liv e rance ak e ady from all sin, and taking to iliem every apostoliaU boast in the strongest terius.-T-Let us speak of every '#' ' ■••a ■ ^i ^M M •1'^ "™?s«F»»sg?ffi@« •'* » 8S0 THE LIFE OF THE REV. ^OHN IVBSLBT. thing^ in such a manner as may convey glory to Christ, without lot ting It glance on ourselves bv the wa^. Let us profess when we can with truth, how really the christian salvation is fulfilled in u&. rather than how svhlimely." This is c ..gwr^ly then these men had some degree of faith, though it is plain tl^eir faith, was but w^alc." - , ^ * June~7.*« I, determined if God should permit, to retire for a short time into Germany. I had fully proposed before I left Geor- gia, so to do, if it should ple^ God to bring me brfck to Europe. Afid I now clearly saw the tijjfe was come. My weak mind could not^bear to be thus sawri asunder And I hoped the-conyersiiig with those holy men, who were themselves living^itnesses of the full power of faith; and yet able to bear with those that are weak, would be a mean». under God of so establishing my soul, that I might yo on from faith to faith, and from i^tcength to strength." Having taken leave of his motlier,- he embarked on Tuesday'the 13th, accompanied by Mr. Ingham and three others, English, and thr^e Germans^ In passing throiigh Holland,'he met with- great hospitality and frieudsliip, particularly from Dr. Koker, a physi- cian of Rotterdam. The German formalities in admitting strangers into their towns, even in times of .peace, gave him and his friends a greiit deal of trouble, and were peculiarly disagreeable; as they always are to Englishmen, ii«thtng of the kind being Known with us. July 4. He arrived at Marienborn, where he found .^Count Zinzendqrf, and others of th% brethren, whose Christian conversa- tion greatly refreshed his mind. '■He was present at their confer- ences for strangers; at one of which the Count was asked, "Can a man be justified aYid not know it. ^ " He answered to the following effect. 1. -Justification is the forgiveness of sins. 2. The moment a man flies to Christ, he is justified: 3. And 'ha^ peace with God but not always joyr 4. Nor perhaps may he know he is justified .till long after: 5. For the assurance of it is distinct from justifica- tion . 6 . B ut others may know he i s justififid by his poWer over ■in, by his seriousness, his Ipve of the brethren, and his hunger, ■ . ■■■'«■■ ^.:-.-v/i__^l_._,:„.:^^.^ ^ '' J . ^ ^■i^J.- ^ s VAS tiWM or THB RBT. JOHH WltliBT. '. and thlrsfafler righte'ousitess, which alone prove' the spiHtualHfti to be begun. ' • • In giving this' statom^nt,* Mr; Wesley has not made any, remark on the fourth proposition, w^ch seems to imply that he did not disafipirove of it. But certainly it .ought not to st^nd in 90 un- . guartfed a manner. We kpow, I. That if a man be reallj^ justi- ned. a very great change has, taken place in th§ state of his mindt :whictrviriH show itself in his jyife and conversation. 3. That a man must necessarily- be conscious of what has passed within himself^ whether the change was instantaneous or gradual. 3. If, therefor^ ' a man do not khow that he, is justified, when he really is so, it a ( because he *does not understand, the true scriptural evidence of .a ' state of justification. Thisjias somet^es been the case; when a man truly ^nvinced of sin, and trusting in Christ for salvation, has not hatt the happiness to sit under a gospel minister: or, when he has sat under a minister, who, though' he preiiched the doc- trines of the gospel, did' not rightly divide the word ^ trut^h,/nor>>< point out to his hearers, the ort^r to be observed in the gradations of christian experience, evidently founded on Scrfpture ^nd tila -- ^' '^ nature of the human faculties. Such a preacher, will never give , his hear6,rs blear ijtnd distinct vievv^ of the eyi^ences of their state, .•• whatever , that state mfty be. ' .'^ / , . From Marienborn, Mr. Wesley wrote tqhis brother Samuel) oa follows, •• God. has given me at length th^' desire jbf my heart. , 1 are^ with a church whose conversation is in' h^^ven) in ^tiotn i^ th«r . . mind that was in Christy and wli^ so WjalkeH'aa^he. w&lked.^ As they |uive all one Lor$l and one faith, iso they ^re all pq,rC[ikers of / One'spirit, the spirit of meekqiegs and love,' which uniformly, .and continually, animates all their conversAtio0> how high antjl holy . a thing Christianity is! AM hoW widely distant from that— 1> know not what-— wnich i^'so called, though it' neither purifies^e , heart; nor ren^v^f* ^^^ ^^^'^> ajfker the imiige of ou^ plessed Re^ deemer, i • » ' ""' ' ,'",'-->^''' ' -.sj.- ' " t grieveto think hov^ that holy, name, t^^which We'are called, must he -blasphemed among the tiei^thon, .while they see dis(;on- tented Christians^ passionate Christians, resentful Christians^ earthly-niinded Cflristians. iTiea, to- come to. vvha^ we are apt to count sihallihings, while ,|hev see Christians judging one another,/ ridiculing one another, speakihg evil of pne another, increasinvj instead of bearing one another's burdehi.. How bitterly would Julian have applied to these, * See how" these Christians loVe. onip - another.' I know, I niyself, X doubt you sometimes, and lAy sister , <^<9n, .have been under, this condemnation. .0 may G^ grant, ' M% may never, mpre think to do him service, by breaking those commands whicn are the very life of his religion ! But may w6 v utterly piit away all angec, and wrath, and malice,- ahd^bitterness^ and evil-speaking." — Q that Mr. Wesley could rise from the dedfl} to .enforce these reproofs on those who have succeeded turn in the government of jhe Methodist societiies! ^ . July 19. Mr. Wesley left Marienborn, and -August 1, arrived "'fl at Hurnhuth. Here he staid a fortjaight; during wHio^tiihehe had frequent opportunities of conversing withthe^most erprieuced #1 '^■'-'v'' ,i' 9Si Tm uri or TRK hbv. johm WBSLBT. ^*#' of the brnthron in that place, of hearing several of /them nreach, and of acquainting hiiiiself with their- whole economy, "i would gladly,*' Hoys he, " have spent my life here; hut mv Master calling me to labor in another part of bin vincyanK on ^ cover tlio sea." He addtlhn anothei: ^lace, "I was exceedingly icomfor^'d and strengthened bv the conversation of this lovely people: ttiiii returned to Englana more fully determined to spenu my life in testifying the gospel of the grace of God." to was. , — , — „.j . — .„.„,., ^j _.«.»,„ j.„ „.», tF..,»,», i.iiiuuKii , faith.' This doctrine, branched into all its parts, was opposed by most of the clergy; and in most places, the genteel part of the con- gregation was offended at the crowds that followedJiiim, so that ho was freouently told after preaching, that he must preach there no mbre. This at length became so general, that it amounted to an exclusion from almost all the churches in London. October 9. He met with the Narrative of the revival of the work of God about the town of Northampton, in New England. He sent an extrac'-t of this to a friend, whose answer threw him into some jperplexity, and occasioned him to enter into a very close examination of him- self; which he describes as follows. ' ".* Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith.* Now the suresrtest whereby we con examine ourselves, whether we be in- deed in the faith, is that given by St. Paul, * If any man be in Christ he is a new creature. , Old things are past away: behold all things are become new.' "First, IJis judgments are new: his judgment of himself, of bappines«l, of holiness. "He judges himself to be altogether fallen short of the glorious image of God. To have no good thing abiding in him; but "H that is corrupt and abominable, &c. — Thus by the grace of God in Christy 1 judge of myself. Therefore I am, in this respect, a new creature. "Again. His judgment concerning happiness is new. He would as soon expect to dig it Out of the earth, as to find it in riches, hon- or, plea]Bure, so called, or indeed, in the enjoyment of any creature: he knows there can be no happiness on earth, but in the enjoyment of God, and in the foretaste oi those rivers of pleki^ure which flow at his right hand for evermore. -Thus, by the grace of God in Christ, I judge of happiness. Therefore I am, in this respect, a new creature. ~- " Yet again. His judgment concerning holiness is new. He no longer judges it to be an outward thing: to comsist either, in doing no harm, ir doing good, or in using the ordinances of God. He sees it is the life of God in the soul; the image of God fresh stamped on the heart; an entire renewal of the mind in every temp e r and thought, aft e r th e lik e n e ss of him that created i t.-— Thus by the grace of God in Christ, I judge of holiness. Therefore ! am, in tois respect, a now creatpre. Ik ["•%■ ■/:* THK Lire jot TRB RBT. JORH WEILBT .' .V arc new. It 18 the dcnign of hio lifo, earth, not to gnin the prniHC of men, or the life of «;.Secon«Uy, His ileHij^s riottohenp treuHures upon not to, indulge the dewin^H of the tlesh, the ileKJre of the eve, pride ohife; but to rejjain the image of (iod; to have the God again planted in hi^^ k<)uI: and to he renewed aller his lik«;nesa in right^ousnesH and all true liolineHit. — This, by the grace of Cod in Christ, is the design of my life. Therefore 1 am, in this respect, a new creature. "Thirdly, His desires are new, and indeed all the whole train of his passions and inclinations. Thev are no loggq|y£xc-■,■".'■* Master sendeth more laborers Intft his harvest, all my time is much too little for them. "May our hIciMed Lord repay scven-fohl into your tkttoms, the kindness showed to usfor hin nume'rt Haliel that, you may l)e found in him, not having vour own ritfhteouMuesM which \a of the law, buTihat which ix thnjugh the faith of Christ, the rightcousneHs which is of God by faith, iu the earnest prayer of, dear sir. vour unworthy brother in Christ." • "to MR. INGHAM, AT HERlfHUTtlT " O my dear brother, God hath lieon wonderfully ornciojjs to us, . ever since our return to Knghiiid. Though there Vre many adver- saries, yet a great his name: and these are Of one heart and one soul. They all love one anoth-. er, and are knit together in one body, and one spirit, tis in one faith, and one hope of their calling. The love ^nd zeal. of our brethrep in JlpHant^nd Germany, particularly at Henihuth, have stirred up many amfflvg us, who will not lie oomfdtted till they also partake of the g^eat artd precious promises. I hofie, if G6d per- mit, to see then* at least once more, were it only to give them the fruit of my love, the speaking freely on a few things which I did not approve, perhaps beeiause I did not understand them. May our merciful Lord give you a right judenaent in aim^ings, and make you to abound more and more in all lowliness ancTineekness, in all simplicity and godly sincerity, in all watchfulness and seri'^ ousness: in a word", in allfiiith and love, particularly to those that are vvithout: till you are merciful as your Fathei^ which is in hea- ven is merciful! I desire your constant and earnest prayers,, that He would vouchsiife me a portion of the same spirit,"" ' " To the Church of God which is in Hernhuth, Jfohn Wesley, an unworthy presbyter of the Qhurchof God in England, wishetb all gracQ and peace in our Lpjrd Jesus Christ. October 14. " Glory be to God, even the. Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for his unspeakable gift! for giving me to be, an. eye-witness of vbur faith; and love, and holy, conversation in Christ Jesus, I have - borne testimony thereof withu all plainness of speech, in many parts of Germany, and thanks have been given to God Igr many ■ on your behalf. . , . , •• ' , "We are endeavoring here also, by the grace which is given' us, to be followers of you, as ye are of Christ. . Fourteen were added to us since our return^ so that we have now eight bands oC in«t^ '■a 3^*^ •t ^'': 'm: - ftHl.Lir* Of -Wl tlT. JOH» W«SI-1T,^ 7^^ eonflipting of fifl:y-Hix pcrRoiiH, nil of whom neck fur Hnlvation only in tho lilood of (/hriMt. An ynt we hnvo only two iinnll ImiulA of women, the oiio of thre»i, the o^h('r of five |)eraoni4. Hut here nro timny'otherH who only wiiit till we have W;irtiire to iiitttrurt thcoi, h4*w they limy moMt enectuall^ hiiild up one another in the Aiith and love of Him who f^iive hinmelf for them, •' Though my brother and I, nre h«>t permittei] to nreach inmost of the churchoii in fiOndon, yet thnnkH he to God, tnere nre others left, wherein we have liberty to npeak the truth nf4 it in in Jertiw. Likewise every evening, nnd op 'Het evenings in tho week at two several filarefl, we publish the word of reconciliation, ttoiuetiincH to twenty or thirty, Homottmes to fifty (if «ixty, Hometimeri to thrtie or four hundred pernonH, met toi^ether to hear it. Wo begin and end nil our meetings with singing and prayer: and we know that our Lord heareth our prayer, having more than onco or twice, and tluM %vas not done in .a corner, received our petititms in that very hour. " Nor hoth he left himself without other witncHHes of hiti grace mid truth. Ten mini.stcrs 1 know now in F'ngland, who lay the rij^lit foundation, ♦ The blood of Chrint cleantteth us from all sin,' Over and above whom, I have found one AnabaptiMt, and one, if not two of the teachers among the Presbyterinns here, who, I hope, love the Lord Jegus Christ in sincerity, and teach the way of God in truth. #'0 cease not,^ye that are highly favored, to beseefeh our LMi his own personal knowledge; though no doubt many others taught the way of God in truth. , Mr. Wesley pursued his labors with unremitting diligence, spending his time from an early hour in the morning, till night, in preaching, exhorting, praying, or conversing with the people, on' subjects that related to christian experience. November 22. He again wrote to three or four of his religious friends, and spake mor e fr ee ly than before, of the stat e of his own mind. it I C( TO DR. KOKER, AT ROTTERDAM. My desire and prayer to God is, that the glorious gospel of his Son, may run and b«. glorified, among you, as it doth among us; £'*^i •,v -*■■ "it: ^ TV! Liri Of THB «»T. iOHW WIILIY. . •§ •nd mueb riiom aliuriduptlyl I ahould rejoice to honr, whht out Lonl huth donw for you alno. Im th«5 tiundK)r of lK?li«vePM inulli- nlicd? Uo tlify love one another? Are tlioy ull of one heart and onRMUulf Do thev huild up one anolher, in the knowledge and love of our liord .\mun (Jfirint? May he multiply your little flock u tliouijnnd fold, h«»w uianj['ijeve> you lie! May h(» fill you with all peace and toy in Injlieving! May he preserve you in all lowli- nesM of Ki»iritf And may he enable you to uwe Kreat plainncNM of Hneech, both t«»ward each other, aiul tovVard all men; and by niaii- itbrttation of the truth, to eornniund yourselveH to every nion'u con- ticieiice in the Hight of (iwl ! * " FiVen to this hour, I have not had one day'n leisure, to tran- Bcrilie for you the pupcrM I brought from Hernhuth: the harvest hero also, is m plenteous, and the laborers ho few; and it increartes upon us daily. Verily the npirit of the Lord hath lift up hi« standard against the iniquity which had oversprciul our land as a doiiiUn^O pray ye for us, that ho would sen«l more laborers into his harvest! Aiid that ho would enoble us whom he hath already sent, to approve ourselves faithful ministers of the New Covenant, by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report! In par-i ticulur let ull the brethren and sisters who are with you, pray that God would warm with his love, the cold heart of, dear n\r, your much obliged and very affectionate brother in Christ, J. Wesley." «*T0 MR. VINEY, AT T88EL8TEIN. « After a long sleep, there stains now to lie a great awakening in this place also. The spirit of the Lord hath alrcody shaken the dry bones, and 86me of thcin stand up and live. But I am still dead and cold; having peace indeed, but na love or joy in the Holy Ghost. O pray for me, that I inay see and feel myself u sinner, and have a full interest in the Lamb of GoiS that tuketh away the sins of the world !" 8te. >J "to ISAAC LE-LONO', AT AMSTERDAM. 4 . *« Do iiot think, my dear brother, that I have forgotten you. I cannot forget you, because I love you: thpugh I cannot love any one yet, as I ought, because 1 cannot love our blessed Lord, as I ought. My heart is cold and senseless: it is indeed a heart of^ 8t()ne. Pray for me, and let all your household pray for me, yeftw^ and till the brethren also, thaljslTF God would give me a broken heart; a loving heart; a heart wherein his Sinrit may delight to dwell. " May our good Lord repay you all a thousand fold for the love fou showed to us. How does his gospel prosper at Amsterdam ? re believers multiplied ? and is nhr grace mighty among you ? Is their name yet cast out as evil (for that must be the next) and do men despitefullv use you, and persecute you ? 1 want you to say a great deal to m?of it. But above oil, I want you to pray a grciit deal, for your pdor, weak brother, John Wesley." We high aa „— _ o , ^ —„ ^ ., . common feelinga of human nature: he wolked in the valley, hum- ble and low, bemoaning his condition, and struggling against the lulness and sluggishness of his own heart. Had he been actuatei- j:' I see by these Irtters, that Mr. Wesley was not carrie*! up on 8 on eagles* wings, by any extatic joy which obliterated the L'.y.^Mitl::^^!^^^, u^ t* Av ^ in hi* IkImm, only by n rnliginu« fervor of mind, hi* rfHt draw nnothei' way. Mr. VVoMJiy actod on a ditfcn^nt priii('i|il(«. H« had a Mtronx convirtion, foundiid on cool rnfl(«ction, that )m wan ev«ry day doing what (nwl r«H|uirf'd him to do: ho cotiHidnreil hirt MUCCOM in turning Hinnora from dari(ii<>io« to light, and tVoin the power of Mutan to God, an u toritimony of tho divine approhation of hiH conduct; and therefore liclieved, that ho wn« hilioriiig for ^ the boat interests of hiri fellow mortulM. Thin conviction wan ho •trong that no persecution or oppoHito interest could ever divwrt him from hiit pursuit*. Docembcr 11. Hearing Mr. Whitoflold, was returned from Georgia, ho went to London to meet him, and they again took awoet counsel together. January 1, 1739. He wan nrcMent at a love-feast in Fetter-Lane, together with Mr. Hall, Kinchin, Ing- ham, Whitefield, Hutchins, and his brother Charlea; and aliout aixty of the brethren. " Alnrnt three in the morning," says he, " aa we were continuing instant in prayer, the power of Ooil came mightily upon um, iiiMomuch that many crieers of pe«»- ple. Mr. Wesley continued his labors in London and Oxford alternately, and occasionally in the neighlwring places without any intention of altering his usual manner of proceeding. Hut in tho Wlatter end of March, he received a letter from Mr. Whitcficid, who entreated him in the most iiressing manner to come to Bristol, evi- dently with intention that he might step inta this new path which^ :^now lay open before him. At first he was not at all forward to comply with tho request; and his brother Charles, and some others wArmly opposed his going; from an unaccountable upprehcn.d to take a jour- • ney, should first, if it were possible, haVe the approbation of thd bunds:" so entirely were the ininisters, nt this tiiiic, under the di- lyction^of the people ! Accordingly on rhc^28th, the matter was laid before them, and after some debute they determined that he •bould Comply with Mr. Whitefield's request. He left London the uexi day, and on the 31 st cume to Bristol. * See v»l. i. page 1 18. X'-^_ 'X. ' 1 .% '%\ BOOK THIRD. / CHAPTER OOffffAIIVIirO A TICW or MR. WSILBT'I Ca MTM' J Tl All ITIUBRAWT FRBACHBR, AND OF THR rORNATIOIl »r f^DlXtlRR) &C. TILL TVft yiRIT MRTHODIIT-CONrBRRNOI, If 1744. _^ llfPH^ I HAVR now traced the Htepa of Mr. Wesley, fVom hit infancy to the preiient perifNl, which formn an important era in hin life. He now commenced a Field-prenchcr, aH he wan culled, and itiner§ncy naturally followed, which laid the foundation of the prcMcnt iiyittcm of MethiMliam. It has oAcn lN>en MUf^KCNted by hin onponentM, that the plan of Methotliam wan the rcHult of a long premefiitnted denign : bu| on a careful examination into the very minutia of hin life till this time, no such design appears. He piMitively aHuerts the con-> trarv; and every circumstance co|lecte••. >" S4t THK.LIFE OP THI RKV. JORXf WB8I.BT. 3/ were chwreke* at that tiqio also. Monday the second, I submitteo to lie more vile, and proclaimed in the highways the glad-tidings of sal vation^ speaking from a little eminence in>^a ^ound adjoining, to the city, to about three thou8and people." — His preaching was attended with surnrising success, so that in a very short time, a Jfew, and afterwarus a greiiter numlier, agreed w meet together, to %dify and strengtnen one another, as the people already did in London. Mr. Wesley continued in Bristol and the neighboring places till June, He thus describes lys public labors through tne week. *' My ordinary employment in piibljc, was now as follows: every morning I reod prayers and preached at Newgate. Every evening ' I expounded a portion of Spripture, at one or more of the societies. On IVkmday in the aAernoon I preached abroad near Bristol: no Tuesday at Bnth and ^Two-mile Hill, alternately. On Wednesaay, »» Baptist-Mills. Every other Thursday, near Pensford. Evcrjj^ jther Friday, in ai^ottii^r part of Kinp vood. Oh Satjitirdav, in the ailej'noon, and Sunday morninff, in tne Bowliiig-ngreciti. On Sun- day at eleven, near Hannam-Mount; at two, at Clifton;^ at five, at Rose-Green. And hitherlo, a« my day i$, so js my strength.** — He tells us, he could scarcely reconcde himself at first, to this strange way of preaching in the fields, of which Mr. Whitefield had set him the example; "Having beeq," says he, "till very lately so tenacious of every point r^falting, to decency and order, that I should have thought the saving of soula'almost a sin, if it had not been done tna cAtircA.** During this summer, his preadhlhg a^ Bristol was attended with some extraordinary circumstances, which made much noise, and gave great offence. Under the, Sibrmoj]|i,j^ome persons trembled from head to foot: others, fell down and cried witii a loud and bit- ter cry: whilst others beicame speechless, and seemed convulsed as if in the agonies of death. Afler prtiyer for them, many rose up rejoicing in God, iand testifying, they ha^jredemptioh through the blodH orChrist,^ven the forgiveness of 8ins,accordihgto the riches of his grace. — Some afterwards said, ||iey had so strong a repre'« sentation of Christ to their mind at thut lime, that u^seemed like a vision of him, evidently set forth cruci^d^tnion^ them; and in Uiat moment they were enabl«rd to believe on him. Others pretended they had a similar representatipn of hiiti in a dreami and through faith receivied the remission of sinS; No regard ought to be had to these declarations as evidences of conversion^ beicause tKe jOdg- nient of these persons iniist he greatly confu$ed,'Wbile their passions were so much Q^^itated.' Mr. Wesley himself, at first knew not how he ought to jud^Q: of these extraordinary things^ but when he found that most of tj^epersonsiio affected, held fast their cotifidenc^; and walked worthy of the]r christian calling, adorning the doctrine of Giod our Saviour in all .things, he couldxiiot den^ tnai ther^ was a' real, genuiiil^ work of g^ace upon their ihiiids: ne d'ldfl not how- aver consider agitations/ visions, or dreams, as any evidence of a true convei^ion to <6od^ but as 4dyentitidu|f 6r accidisni^ circum- Btanc es , which f r om var i ous causes m i gbt> o r m ight n ot, attend i t : md this vtjByir of them, ho thoii|pht perfei:tly consistent with Scrip- It ■' jy^^'WW^ 'r- '.'f? y ' vndB Lira or thk ebv. johii wieiLBY. m ture. The gentle manner in which, under thoue views, he spake of them was generally misunderstood, raised up several adversaries, anJ made the good that was really done, be evil spoken of. He gave a particular account from time to time of the thingH that hai>- pened, to such ministers as he thought sincerely desired.the increase of God's kingdom, and had some experience of it. Mr. Ralph Krskine was very favorable in his judgment of these adventitious circumstances; and says, " I desire to bless my Lord, for the great and good news your letter bears, about the Lord's tumin|^many gouU ' from darkness to light, and from the jjower of satan unto GiM^\ and that such a great and effectual door is opened among you as the many adversaries cannot shut. — As to the outward manner you speak of, wherein most of them were affected who were cut to .|iie part by the sword of the Spirit, no. wonder this was at first surprising to you, since they are indeed so ven' rare, that have been thus pricked and wounded. Yet some of the instances you g. give, seem to be exemplified in the outward manner wherein Paul, and the jailor, were at first affected; as also Peter's hearers. Acts ii.__What influence sudden and sharp awakenings may have on tlie body, I pretend not to explain: but I make no question satan, so far 819 he gets power, may exert himself on such occasion^, partly to hinder the gowl work in the persons thus touched with the sharp arrows of conviction, and partly to disparage the work of Gml, as if it tended to lead people to distraction.-— However, the merciful issue of the conflicts in the conversion of the persons thus affected, is the main thing. ' « , ^ . «, . " All the outward appearances of people's being^ affected among us, may be reduced to these two sortsj^ one is, hearing with a close, silent attention-, with gravity and greediness, discovered by fixed looks, weeping eyes, and sorrowful or ioyful countenances; another sort is, when they lift up their voice aloud, some more depressedly, and others more highly; and at times the whole multitude in a flood of tears, all as i? were crying out at once, till their voices Iw ready to drown the minister's, that he can scarce be heard for the weep- ing noise that suri^ounds him.— The influence on soineof these, like a land flood, dries up; wc hear of no change wrogBt. But on others it appears in the fruits of righteousness, and tffr^ tract of a holy conversation.',' It seems from this letter that Mr. Wesley Was not the only gostiel minister, whose discourses were, at cer- tain times, attended with uncommon Effects on the minds of the hearers. " ' ' _ ,, - . Mt. Samuel Wesley judged much more unfavorably of the out- warcl circumstaricea attending his brother's preaching; and in some respects denied tl^ assurance of the pardon of sins,, which the peo- ple professed to experience. A correspondence took place on these subjects, between him and Mr, John Wesley, a part of which has ifceady been published by Dr. Priestley, in his collection of «* Ortg- iml LttterMby the Rev. John Wesley^' &c. But '^as this corres- pondence istands there in a mutilated state, it may mislead the judg- ihentofsome {persons, not mubh acquainted witb.the history of ^MethfidUm: 1 therefore think it necessary, that the r eader may do justice to Mr. Wcfsley^s character, to give a more complete view ■■ ■'«"-#P#?»"ro!6 S44 . THB LirS' or THE KKV.' JOBN WKILBT. ♦,>V I: I t k Hf *' ■fl^. m » ' of it, and occasionally to add a remark for further illustration of the subject. This correspondence commenced in the Utter end of the year 17S8; but 1 have referred the account of it to this place, that I might give the whole of it together. The first letter on this con- troversy, which has been preserved, was written by Mr. John We»> /ey, and dated the 30th of October. He observes to his brother Samuel^ ^* That you will always receive kindly, what is so intend- ' ed, I doubt not. With regar^ to my own character, and my doc- trine likewise, I shall answer you very plainly. By^a Christian, I mean one who so believes in CArtat, as that sin hath no more do- minion over him: and in this obvious sense of the word, I was not a Christian till May the 34th, last past. For till then sin had the dominion over me, 'although 1 fought with it continually; but sure- ly then, from that time to this, it mith not; such is the free grace of God in CAfMf. What sins they we're, which till then reigned over me, and from which, by the grace of God, I am now free, I am ready-to decide on the house-top, if it may be for the glory of ^ God. ■■ " If you ask by what means I am made free (though not perfect, neither infallibly sure of my perseverance) I answer, by fuith in pbrist; by such a sort or degree of faith, us I had not till that day. Some measure .of *ihis faith, which bringcth salvation or victory over sin, and which implies peace and trust in God through^pHJst, I do ROW enjoy his free mercy: though in very deed, it is4n^^ut as a grain of mustard seed; for the nXtjompoQia nisii»(, seal of the -spirit> the love of God shed abroad in my heart, and producipg joy in the Holy Ghost; joy which no man taketh away; joy unsfoeak- able and full of glory; this witness of the Spirit I have not, but I patiently wait for it, I know many who have already received it; more than one or two, in the Irery hour we wejjjp praying for it. And having seen and spoken with a cloud of witnesses abroad, as well as in my own country, I cannot doubt but that believers who wait and pray for it, will find these Scriptures fulfilled in them^ selves. My hope is that thejiwUl be fulfilled in me; I build on Christ the rock of ages: on his sure mercies described in hiil^avord; and on his promises, all which I know are yea, and amen.' ^hose who have not yet received joy in the Holy Ghost, the love of God, and the pleropkoty of faith (any, or all of which I take to be the witness of the Spirit with our spirit, that we are the sons of God) ( believe to be Christians in that imperfect sense wherein I call myself such; and I exhort them to pray, that God would give Ihem also, * to rejoice in hope of the gl^fy of God,* and to feel his ^ ' love shed ab|^ad in their hearts, by the Holy Ghost which is giv^* • en unto them.* ^ "On men I build not, neither o%7 Matilda Chipman's wordt, whom I have not talked with five mintites in niy life; nor anything peculiar in the weak, well-meant relation of WilliaM Hervey, who "^ yet is a serious, humble acting Christian. But nkre you built nothing on these? Yes; I find-^them more or less, in almost every letter you have written on the subject. — Y e t w e r e all that has b ee n ■aid on vinorUf dreams, and balls ofjire, to be fairly proposed in. iami^}, 7* S*lT- '!>3S«*feiffl&i^*iJ?J pwwayfijiRW'j VHi LIFE or tBB MKV. JOHM WBSLET. 84i syllogisms, I believe it would not prove a jot more on one than ori the other side of the question. « "O brother| would to Go€., calculated to turn fools into madmen, and ■Wlit them without a jest, into the conation of Oliver's porter. When I hear visions, %;., reproved, discouraged, and ceased among the new brotherhood, I shall then saj^no more of them; but till then, I will use my utmost strength whicli God shall give me, to ejcnose thesa bad bratiches of a bad root. ^ " Such doctrine as enccturages, and abets, spiritual'fire-bjfills, ap- pai^ions of the Father, &c., &,c., is delusive and dangerous: but the liensible information, ^c, is such; ergo. — I mention not this to entpi^into any dispute with you, for you seem to disapprove, ih^ugh not expressly disclaim them; but to^convince you I am not out of my way, though encounteriiiff of wind-mills." This letter appears to be full of tallacy. To give one instance. Mr, J. Wesley had' said, the witness of the Spirit was the conunon privilege of believers: that he considered joy in the Holy Ghost, the love of God, and the plerophorv of fait|^,' as the witjftess of the Spirit with our spirit, that we are tne sons of God: that the whole of what had been said on-"v{sions, dreams, and balls of %e," could nut, in his opinion, either prove or disprove the point in ■.\ question between them; that is, visions, dreams, and balls of fir « ^ii&!^feiitf\^' j^jfe .V-% t. .Ul Jt- 5^fef'^i?sii^?^#ififi^ ^.MiJ^jtl^iftjsif l**»v** I m- ■■ ST IT « - F |[ ■ ^ • 1 *: '■■■ ! . '■ [a 1* ,^- fi > > •'' ^ ^ L ^ * — — I*. f >.' f: i\ I.- 4 w f.'T* 84» THK LIVE or THB BBV. JOHN WSSLIff. ^^'>ir'"f«^diXl wore totally foreign to the witness of the Spirit, for which ho yrntt , contending. But his brother Samuel changes the term toitnestf and ^ ttubstitutes for it, sensible injormatiom by which he means, some- thing visible to the sight, or existing in the fancy, and then indeed visions, &.c., were Connected with tne question; and be reasons oa this supposition. But this was a mere sophism, of which Mr. J. Wesley would probably have taken notice had ho been writing to a stranger, or had he foreseen that any one would print the letters after his death. November 30. He replied tQ his brother Sam- uel, and tells him, " 1 believe every Christian who has riot jret rfe- » ceived it; ought to pray for, *tho witness of God's Spirit with his spirit, that he is n child of God!» In being a child of God, the pardon of hii sins is included: therefore 1 l)elieve the Spirit of God will witness this also. That this witness is-from God, the very terms imply; and this witness I believe is/ neceiis»iry foiH my salvation. How tar invincible ignorance may excuse others, I know not. " But this you say^Js delusive and dangerous, • Because it en- courages and abets, ufle visions and dreams,' It * encourages * — True; accidentally, but not essentially. And that it does this ac--^ cidentally, or that weak minds may pervert it to an ill use, is no reasonable objection against it: for so they may pervert every truth in the oracles of God:, more especially that dangerous doc- trine of Joel, cited b^ St. Peter: « It shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I wdl pour out of my spirit upon all flesh: and your sons an^your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old met\ shall dream dreams.' — Such visions indeed, as you menticrvfirsion9 of Scrip- ture; nndmuuifest contrjMlictions holh to Scripture an«l«xperion«-.o. I find more . persons, thaty froin that liour they Jbave felt no agonies at all, no anxious fears, no senile of . - derelictionXOthers have. ' ^ «^f. y -t'M " T ■-• .^•a'-p'js^ssiswiK^ 84ft * ^; Lirs o#^ THE, tKVj lltR WBILIT. r _ „ .._ ^ ... from Bristol. "!► rcjol VeJ^iyi^^W* *>*4^"* the teirtfir wii|liyhiQh you now writp, ai trust rhtsft^ m not iMHy niilHnofirtjTiUt lo^\iu y«mr hoaf t. mno, y(^ ''shnlf kno^V^ of thirf torine/%heth it|)e of Gtff^ ||||jug»^rln^ii 'rt».)[io,in^ #u hif^e pursued ftmll?»o»'<«^#||#<^*»'^ v™>t ; ,ini# are as differ]Bnt#|lif^ight t>^j|plui^n«ss. I.f|| anqe that I am no^ i|ntsli^|jite of »of*'#>'|if Si^^fe; ' " tllini ::0feorvation^-- ' # ««>«^>1^^'" nd of ^i^urttnce,^tjh|at|^ iitiiil t^^pbir aalvaiii)n%^.-^ ^.^ # ail true penitents; wWf) .^^f pnrdon than thejSiid f^a. ot sevei'al; WhejIieF^pese Ji-Hona ihut were bfa i^ ^^ .^, ..|>to 8orne> degree of madrH Ji tt|inqirienf (let it bo called «• mir^ Mftc ojpirini, lusting, peace and joy.i^? i ; 1 fle'r; tm ^»\^ question turns chitefly, il ^iy»f factJ 1(«ki detiy, that God doesnqwwi Ithar he Vorksilheih in such a maiinfSnjI 1 1 iiave hearil!,4>»se facts with my ears, fip'l V April-il^Mr* 4*»|w Wcsley^plii Weatly/' iavs heil ^^at the teniffiir wi 1st th« nifkn t by I] assuraiK niean, asrturatit the tei or bf fa]| infiln^. ~ fly;tQj»ia f fi beftjir0i||ie|^ are es^imypl' icholyainlil^ool have iktiottn^jii 1 noi^*1i ^ ((iear. riKiiil:/ WifkttP^ 4: at leil ! Iteoaiid \% ■o iU ijny eyes. | ihavieiy'sfe^n, as far as it can lie sett^ itety iiiHiypei^ons changed j^ a idmmt» frt)iri the spirit of Jijap ror,fpa^iEd, despair;, to the •apjrit^, of ^I*ope, joy, peace j aitdfVom sinful d^stt^ till then jfeignirig^eiver thei»4 to a pure desire ordoiug thiEi Will «ii'i<5oi^ These are iiiatter^iofjifact,w)iei^eof 1 have bpen. •toan^Ut ' WaVduein f llbai^ga was then wrought, appears not from their Shi^jfl- din^ tears^only^ oi^ sighing, or singing psalms, but from the whole ienor^tKei^ life, till |hen many ways wicked; from thattimp ' hoiyoSit ^^o'i g<'"*** " ■ * i . L ' u "I wil show you him that, was a lion ||ya then, and is nb^a « lamb; hjB that was 'a drunkard, but" now^dxemplarjily soberf' , \''«rhor^nibngei' that warf, who now abho^i the Very lusts ^ ' '^flesh, Thi^sf ^are my living ouniments for Vhat I Assert, *^< ^ now, as afqretihie, gives' rem jM is of sins and the gii ' Ghost: which may be calledaypns.?* April 16. , Mr. Samuel Wlsiey rejoined. '* I find i;nad6 me obscuVe. 1 argue against assurance in your, las use as part of the i^P^l covenant; because; many are save it— you Wa jrou cannot deny exempt cases, which is givin dispute. Kottr,a»ne ftirther considered in r0- viewmg MfiTW^ley's dpctrihi ! J.ohn Wesley "affirmed, thit he badlcno^i several ^eigsons, who ftad^rfeefeivecjT tljit assuiiahce of.the pardonof sins, in a kind of yisipft^ dreiwnj butjp broth* er's objections against 4he' possibility of his knovingf^thii, *re in gejiKral convincing and satisfactory. Jndee«l there \ conld be no evidenci^^of this, but their own testirapny;. which, i? cOnvinped of, their sincerity, Mr. Wesley was alwl^s too mirch disposed to be* riev*". It is'true, lie built no fundamchtar^ctrine of the gosflfel, on the tlestim'ony p)jyygons gavf of theit' own experrlnce; %it some Iters of less imporldncef'lnd 'M M>^i of his opinion a ppe a re d mo s t evidence, which receive as a sufficiei «.*»5 ere chiefly supported lijr pss of bis own mintL^t^: *"$ >;?. ■^^i. ^■■j£rt.ifc.sists, it bo pos- sible for the mind to be aflfected in so violent a degree, without ' some or other of those bodily symptoms following. ' " It is likewise easy to account for these things on principles of Scripture. For when we take a view of them in this light, we are to add to the consideration of natural causes, the< agency of those spirits who still excel in strength, and as far as they have, leave r from Go4» will not fail to torment whom they cannot destroy; to tear those that are coming to Christ. It is also remarkable, thi^tV there is plain Scripture precedent of every symptom which has lately appeared, So that we cannot allow even the conviction \ attended with these to be madness, without giving up both reason i^ and Scripture." t ^ - V After eight or nine days' absence, in which he came to London, ^\>r Mr. Wesley returned to Bristol, and continued his labors with tit^^i increasing success. He was now attacked hy friends as well 08.t^ enemies, for his irregularity, /fo a friend! who had expostulated ^ with him on this subject, he wrote his tnoughts in a letter, of ■^m^m^^^mmmmm I ■ I ■■ '■■■II ■ ■■-.■■■ ■■ ' . ■'■ "'I •»• ■ 1I.I-.* 11 111 .^■^K^i.i.a i iiii>»v_h^b*h— >* ' * I suppose he refers to his two brothers, John and Charles, as he jiflftthe vsrb ana noon in the dual number. t Wesley's Works, vol. ziv. page 323. — 1 1 believe, the late Rev. James Harvey, who had been his pupil i and was ths author of Theron and Aspasio; Meditations, &c. &c. Mil l^fS f V TRB>AST. iwm ItUlMT^^ m which the following \» an cxlrnct. " Ab to ,your iithrr liranch of vour |)ro- portal Ik) »!Xi)ce tirno enough to conHKler whon one in otHrml Htnie. Hut in the mean time, you think, I ou^ht to be Htill; hecitUHe otherwise [ should invade another's office. — You accordingly ank, ho\^ it is that I nHsemblo ChrintianH who are none oif my cImrKe, to ning oHalmD, - find pray, and hear the Scriptures expounde«l: and think ithani to jurttify iloing thiH, in* other men's parisJM's, upon eatholic jirinj^iples? " Permit me to speak ^plainly. If hy catholic jjrinciplcs, vou. mean any other thiiii spiritual, they weigh nothing with me: fallow no other rule, whether of faith or pj-actice, than the holy Scriptures . But on «criptural principjes, 1 «lo not think it hard to justify what- ovei; I do. Go«oiJ||fctara|^88ert8, wa are iiliined by faith alone. But how can IHHalieJ^^ i a '^1 't^ ' '»ll '-'-V #% r^BV^r;pi IM -Ai^- I", VflU Uf»or' WySbBT. ;^- T«r" M 1 •, ^. ' ■ "3^ ' 1^;. He:^^ ' ^%- ■^ V I M« not: it is the giA of Oi|||/^ttiul a gift thut presupiKMea nothing ^ in us, but Rin and mi*ery.»f^ ^ ' ^ \^- J9. " How, Hir ! l^en you ifiakn IhA a tyrannical B«inff , if he juHtifiori 8oin(! without any gooiinetsH in thoiii pr eceding , and docs not justify; all. If thote are not juHtiHcd "'VU|||p||ipi»ino uiorul goodueM in thcni, >Mhy ure not thono juntitJ^ifloo/** *^ *■ W. ••Uociiurtu, niylord, they renint hirt Spirit; lincause tliey will not como tU'Vin thiit they ,niny have life; IxiRause they suffer him not, tftf^ork in them both to will and to do. They cannot be riav«d,Mpi(Utie they will not believe." B, " Sir, whtt.l|[u> j'ou mean by faith ? " W, " My ifc^; Dv juHtifyinff /iiith I mean, a conviction wrouj^hf in a man, by tjd Holy Ghhftt, thut ChriHt hath loved Aim, and given himself for Atii^.and that through ChriHt, Am sins arc forgiven." B. " I beHove some good m(;n have this, but not all. Hut how 400 you provd-this to be twfe justifying fuith taught by our church?" ^ fy. " My lord, from^ her Homily on Salvitfion, where she dp icribes it thus; * A Sure Itrust and confidenco which a man h:ith in God, that through the merits of Christ his sins are forgiven, and he reconciled to the favpr of God.'" / 4 "Whjjgpif, this it^uito anbther thing." " Myford, I conceiva^t to Ih? the very same.** B. " Mr. Wesley, I will deal plainly with you. J once thought and Mr. Whitofield, wel|(-meiii0ing men; but I cannot think so For I have, heard more of Vou : rtlj^tters of fact, sir. And Mr. Whitefield says in his JounuiK •"iThele are promises still to be fulfilled in me.' Sir, the uxetcmiW to exttraordinary revela- tions and gifts of the Holy Glfit, i»||librrid ^ing/a v4ry horrid thingl" ' ^* W, " My lord, for what, Mr. Whitofield. says, Mr. Whitefield, and nof'I, is accountable. I preM|d| to no extraordinariy-evela- tions, or gifts Sf the Holy Ghdwrnono but wi|t every Oiristiaik ti^y receive, and ought to Oxp^t and pray for. gut I do noL wonder yoMrlordship has heard facts asserted, v^ifc if true^wouiu prove the contrary; nor do I wondgr,' that jpurlBrosfatp, believing ^ theild true, shOuldT alter the opinion you qi^Wiad of mp. A Quar- ter 6f an\hour I, spent with yoiH* IordHmP)ef#e, and ^bout an ,hoUr now: «n4L peiliaps you haive never ^^^ve^sW one othef hour with anyjHie whd spake in my favor. But how many with those WhospaiPIn the other side! 6o that your lordship could not but think afr^ou do»-^But »pray, my lord, what are those facts you haveheatd?" . • . . B> " I hear you administer th,e sacrament m your societies." W, ~ " My lord, I never did yet, and I believe never shall." B. "I hear tooj many people fall into fits in your 80<^ieties, and that Y«tt pray over them." • | " WT^ r do so, my lord, when any show by strdhg cries and trtirs, that their soul is in deep anguish; I frequently pfay to God, you, now. ep to deliver them fropn it, and our prayer is often heard iii that hour." , * ' , B, " yery extraordinary indeed ! Well, sir, aincf you ask my advice, I will give it you very freely. You bav© no husineMhere ^ E'* **• Hi- J l.t^,£**^K. ^^^,^-^^^ TNB tXn or THB IIY. JOHII WBILBT. You nrn not cofnniiiMionofcw» but believing they were engaged in the cause of God against igqfcrance fttid profaneness which overspread the land, they were in(1^Bgal>le, scarcely giving themselves nn^ rest day or night. The enwits of their nreaching maile much noise, which at length rouwnl some of the sleeping watchmen of Israel; not in- deed to inquire after the truth, and amend their wavs, but to crush the^e irregularfj proceedings, that they might quietly sleep again. Th68^ opponents, however, had more zeal against MethisV than knowledge of it. They attacked it with nothing but stories, misrepresentations of facts, unid gross fulsehomls. retailed these from the pulpits, and published them from thei with little regard to moderation, charity, or even decency. "Ihls. brought more disgrace upon themselves, than on the Meth(Mlistsj who finding -th«^ were assailed only with such kind of weapons, conceived a higher opinion of the cause in which they were en- gaged, and profltiBil by the attack. A pious and moderate clergy- man, perceiving that such ottacks could do no good to their cause, published a few rules to direct the assailants in their future attempts to stop the increasing innovations, in a discourse concerning ehthu- Biasm, or religious delusion. " A minister of our church,"^oy8 he, " who may look upon it as his duty to warn his parishioners, ». or ah author who may think it necessary to caution his readers, against such preachers, or their doctrine (that is, enthusiastnv Kreachers, sucn as he took the Methodist preachers to be) ought to B very careful to act with a christian spirit, and to advance noth- inrf h ut w ith temper, charity, a nd tr uth.— Perhaps the following rfiles may be proper to be observed by them. "t INiot to blame persons for doing that now, which Scripturt W», ■■y.'^w^i-*- ^i.h'^±^d^:\^^S^ 't: a ./ fM '^fl-i • tm Kin or TNI m%w. mnm wiitiir* rscordi Ao/y men nf old to hnvo iH'iictiiinfl; l««t hiiil thoy lireil in thoM) lime* thny rthoiiUl hnv« ronnriniuMt tlirni iiliu). ***i. Not to cf'iiMun) %\\e\\ u\ holy orderly {\}f t««n('hing tho notiin doctrinea which ore taught in th« Bcripturcf, ami lijr our church; lo«l thiw Mhoiild ignornntly «'«m as such, so long as they keep to her communion. " 7. Not liffhtly to take up with silly Rtorics that may be propa- gated to the JiHcrcdit of persimi) of a general good character. / " I do not lay down," sayn he, •« these negative rules so nmch for the sake of any persons whom the unobservanco of them would immediatelv injure, as for our church and her professed defenders. For churchmen, however well-meaning, would lay themselves open to censure, and might do her irretrievable dauragc, by a be- havior contrary to them." Mr. Wesley often wished that they, who either preached or wrote against him, would seriously attend to these rules: but these rules were too candid and liberal for thecpnmion herd of opposcrs. Some- attacked him with arguments, wretchedly raisanplieo; othei^s with ridicule, as the more easy method. Among the bitter were some even of his own family. His eldest sister Kinclia, had alwoys been occustomed to correspond with him, ond being some Years older than he^ and of a strong understanding, had taken great liberty in expressing approbation or disapprobation of any part of his conduct. She wrote to him about this time in vcrV ill temper, abused the Methodists as bad people, and told him she understitod he could work miracles, cii^t out devils, &,c., that she had the devil of poverty In her pocket, and should be much obliged if he would cast him out.— Mr. Wesley knew in whom he had believed, and in the midst of abuse poured out upon him by friends and enemies, — w ent on his way as if he heard not. — ^ — 7—— — — After a short visit to London he again returned to Bristol. Octo- ber IS. Upon a pressing invitation he set out for Wales. Tbn churches were here abo shut against him, us in £ngiand, and he # ,f^' THE Ltfp Of tip «f V. Mpar WBiW . m nrmu>hiH) In prlvnw houwn, or In th" «p«'n ulr to a wtllinff p«opl«. —"I hiiv« wmn,'* w»y« litn •• no part of KoKlnnil mi itleaMUt for «ixty or #«veriiy milen togwlht-r, m tho«o |mrt*» of Wul«ta I htvfl .Iwen In: ami mom of lh« iiihiilutniiu nre imlniHl tif« for th^gofpul. ' I mmn, If lh« nxproMion wjotnn «trantf«, th«y nro earm$tly deiirow i»f IwJng Inmructml In it; ami m »i^terly tgnorant of It th©^ arc, M niiy C'rwik or Chnr<»ko« lnt. I ilo not imnin, tlirv an? ivnorant of th« mini© of Chrini: nmny of them cnn miv Iwth th« LorciV iway«r, nnlt! ami wHIing no to do*** — Here we have the first niitlihes of n plan to unite the luiniNtert) together, an^ to extend their lubora to different parts of the kingdom, uncjer aueh regular ' tinriH ad might give them a nnitual dependence on one atiother. In thiri sketch, no one assuriies an authority over th^ rcitt of hin lii-cth" rtMi : all appear equal. Butjl^is plan was naver ptit intt/ exrcu tioh. when Mr. Wesley Separated fVom the Moravian brethren, Mr. GamlMxId, and some; others, gradually withdrew themselves froi;i him. Novemlier 6." Mr. Samuel Wesley died at Tiverton, and on the 15th, John and Charles Wesley sot out on a visit to their sister, in her distress. They came to Tiverton on the 21st, and the Satur- day following aqcepted an invitation to Kxeter, where a Mr. D— ' the next day desired the use of the pulpit in St. Mary's church; > which was readily granted both f(>r the morning and aft(.'rnooii. MK John Wesley |»reuchetl on, «*Tho Kingdom of God is not tneat and drink, but righteousness, and fteaco, and joy in the Holy- Glwist." After sermon. Dr. W — told hiin, ,** Sir, ywu must n(»t Jireanh in the afternoon. Not," said he, '* that you preach^- aiiy alse dcxurind.". I allow, all j||)at you have said is true. And it Is ""the doctrine of the Church"(»f Fin;;r|and. Uut it is not^tMr^er/. It is dangerous. It may lead petipte iuto en^tuiaim, or denpair."— How is this So far us t c:tn uiieo|>le. Mr. D— having requested a short a(H*ount of what had ,l)6en done in Kingswood, and of the buihting intended for a school; Mr. .Wesley, on liis return from Exeter, wrote to him.as follows: 4. *' Few Arsons have lived long in the Wj;st of England, wh«i»v haVe hot heard of the Colliers of KingsWoStI, a people fainoH from the Iwginningf hitherto, for "neither fearing God nor rega • mant. so ignorant of the things of (iod, that they seemed b remove fjcprn beasts that' perish; and therefore utterly with ifesire of instruction, as well as\vithout the mepns of it. " Manv last winter used tauntingly to say of Mr. Whitefiela, iji' f-. #■■ lin ifr THs tmw»,9omi wctLsr. 1^ ^"•1 '/*? .h 1 '1' *J1 :Ae «m2I eo^«r< A0av()od does not noWj as a year a|jo, resound witn cursmg and:l^us-> phemy. It is no more filled with drunkenness and uncloojiness, ^ arid idle diversions that naturally lead thereto. It is no longer full'- of wars and flghtttigs, of clamor and bitterness, of wrath and unyy- ingsi Peace and love are there. Great numbers of the people are mild, gentle, and easy to be entreated. They do hot cry, neither strive, and* hardly is their- voice heard in the streets, or indeed in their wood; unless when they are at their usual evening (|iver- sipn,Vmging praise unto God their Saviour. „ « That their children^to^ might know the things which make for their jieace, \t was Some ti^hib since propoHcd to build a house in JCingswoqd; and after many foreseen and unforeseen difficulties, in .fune^last, the foundation was laid. ' The ground Inade choice of was in. the middle t)f the wood, between the Lorn Ion and 15ath roads, not far from that called Twb-inilo Hill, al)out ihtee meat*- UFCil miles from Bristol. ^ '^ Here a large room wiis begun for the school, having four small rpoms at either eiid, for the siqhool-mi^tcrs (and perhaps, if it siiould please God, some poor cliihlren) It) Imlge in. Two person^ are ready to teach, as soon as the house is ready to Kccive them, ^he nhell of which is' nearly finished; so that it is hoped the whole, ^^llil^e completed in the springj'^or dkriy in the summer. ' {"^tew true, although the masters require no pay, yet this under-r^ taktdlps attende;l with great expense. But let Him ut the natioirfthat, among a .,vast majority of theiMepple, a similar change in their tempers and principles of action, was ncSt less necess^yy to make tneni Christians, though the necessity t»f it might be less apparent. And what was tlone in Kingswood shows what might have been done every where, had the ministers of the gosnel beeaHUch men as ' their office required them to lie, aiuUs applied themse'lvfjs ^o the ^ ~ ps of it with the same diligence, that nien are obliged to use in jn^their temporal affairs; which certainly is the least that is fequjreflof if minister of tjie jjospol/ Ijjow will they meet Jesuf* A'hrig, Without shainct coufu8ii>n», Und ^onscio^ ffudt, who buve _^ h "'r -^■r TW , f''?™ % ^H ^K.' ?« il ■(. <".> Thm P^'M ^^rV %'M ^^Hi^^ pv| ^^K'w re^ mains, but that I should give you up.to (iod. You that an; of tin; same judgment follow me."— "*1 then," adds Mr. Wesley, « with- out saying anything more, withdrew, lis. did eighteen or nineteen of the society." ' i July 23. " Our little coiripany met at the Foiindery, instead ot^ ll'otter-Lane. About twefity-five of our brethren; Gojl hath given us tdready, all of whom think and sjHjak the same thing; seven or eight and forty likewise, of the fifty wortien that were ip band, de- sired to cast in their lot with uij." ' . ^ We here see Mr. Wesley separating hjmself from the Moravidn; brethren, by whom he had ft«»eii instriHrted in the gospel metho blin^ you to love him who^hiith fir^t loved us; teaching you, in' wiiutsoever state you are, therewith to .be content: Causing you to "'tt'uinple under foot the lust of the j^esh, the lust ra* the e>^, and * the pride of life: and above all, giving you to lovv "Would you have me deal plainly with you, my brother? |i believe you would: then by the grace of God I will. ^' " Of innny things I find you are not -ightly informed; of other* you speak what you have not well weighed. ' p "The society-room at Bristol, you say is adorned. How. Why witll a piece of green cloth nailed, to the de^; two Iteances for ai|^ canailes each in the middle; and— tiay I know no more. t^J •lafr..; ■*'."■""■'■ ■'. ■ mi ura Of Tini b«t. *o«m wmlkt. Now which of these can M •purcd, I know not; nor would I de *' sire more nilorniug or lens. ■ : . ^> «< But lodj^iiigu are mmlo for me or my brother. IhntM, id plain English, there is a Ijttle room by the school, where J HpeaH- . to the peraona who come tome; and i\ gnrrrl, in Avhirh n lied m placed for me. And do you grudge me tbl*? . I^ jhia the voitc of ' my brother, inv BOB Whitefield » ■''■'^'\^ '^■'■, '. . . ■ "You say further, that the cb.ddreiiAtTirwtol, ore flothwl as well as taught. I am sorry foi- it| for tho clotlv h not l>aid for yet, ond was bought without my consent olr knowledge. " But those of Kiiigswood have been neglected. This ianot so, ^ notwithstanding the heavy debt which \f\y upon "it.' One master ' and one mistress have beeii in the house, ever siwce it was cAimble -, of receiving them. A second master h&S been placed there «ome months since: and, 1 have long been seeking ftir two proper imia- triwses; so that Os mUch has been ddiie, tMli mattiira standi if not niore, than I can answer to' God or mln. , * « Hitherto then, there is nogfound for the Jmnvy chnrg^e of per- verting your desia^ for thti poor colliers, ^wo ^Jaifg since your design was to build them a achoo), that their children alsb might be taught to fear tho liOtd. fo this end you collected some money, more thanomlje: ho#mUch' l^anitot sfty, till I haff( m^ pftjjers.' But this I know; it was hot near one-half of what lias bcpii ex- pended on the work. Tfcis dfesign you then recoimftended to mo# and i pursufsd it with $iV my rjiiglht, througfesuch a traiaiif difficul- ties as, I will lH3iK)ldtoBtty>y6u have not yet met with in your , life. For many months J collected m()«ey wherever I was— an4 l)egan buildihtfi thoiigh l|ad not then a quarter of tbenioney re* quisite to finish. However, taking all the debt ujpon myself, the creditors were wilfing to stay: and then it was that.1 took {KJMses- gion of it in my ownname^ that i« when the loun1b£in^iny brothel? ceed me therein, .: ■ ': •; ;' v ^ • " But it is a poq|i^ casci, that you atid I sboni4 h^ talking thiDi. Intleed these thwigs ought not be. It lay in your fiower to have ^ prevented all, and Ar6t to hav€t, Imrnfe testimony to whiit yoft call thO truth. ' If you had- dislike^i rtiy serm Wji(?hr have printed, another on the sanite text^ and hiive ati^Vverediny uroofs, without mentioning my naiifie : this had Iwen fjii^^^^ f " You rank all the iiinintaineirs of timveraal redemption'^ With So- ciniaiig themselves. Alftft^irty brother,doyoji nOtJMiowBven this, that iheSocinians allow no redeinption at all? That $»»cinus him- self speaks thus, Tota redempti6M08tra per CkH$t^^ Aiid says expressly, • Christ did not die as a ransom for any, but only as anexample for all mankind!^ How easy were it for me to h«» many other palpable plots, in that which you call an answer to my sermon? And how alnive measure conteiinptiblo would ytm tllren appeaY to all impartial men, eitlierof sensoor learning? But I spare you, mine hand shall hot be ui>on you; the Lord I )e Judge between me and thee! The general tenor' l>oth of my publjt; and private exhortations, when I touch ^roou at all, aH even uiy ene- .31 ^ / . ' ' #•4 '€.)w' -' , m A i'i'^T^TM*fri' ^.^p? •♦ S69 turn hltn pW THB BIV. JOHK WKSLKT. .:K1 fJ ■ hnar t / \ 4 A tnies know If they would leitify, l», ipare the young man, evei Abflalom, for mv riake." v PerhapM Mr. WeHlcy, In connequonce of hi§ ago ami leorninf , an- ■unied in. tliin lotlur, u greuior HupiTlority over, Mr. Whitefit-ld, thiin WHB prudi'nt or liecoininu. It whh not |iot4i»i1»l6, howevrr, that thn durtt of «'»ntrovcrny couhl lonjf Hniofh«!r tho ard«nt ntTfction which «!ach had for tho other. In tho lattrr end of tho fldhmiu^ year, Mi^Whitetiold wroto to hihi uh IoIIowm: •• I long to hoar froni y«ftf;<1lin«l wi-ite thin honing to hav« an annwrr. 1 rejoico to .ord hlvMOrt your lalMirH.— Mav you \m h\v»M'x[ in pfh}ifr ^Jb Christ, more and nioro, I iMjlirvo We nhall go on ^jit 'only preach tho iriniide go»i»el, and do not interfere Mfith r'n plHU. Our Lorcl exccedingFy hIemjoH uti at the 1>1>- -Idouht not but ho deals in the win le lM)untiful iniinnir, ^y(4,%t wai* ntyour lettcr-tlay on Mohduv.x Brother CharUn; l)«j|(^\^'ai}eil to come 'and »»««? hic twice. Behold whiit^ hap- py thing It i» for brethren, to dwell together in unity f '|'»it tlw!!^ whole christian world may alliM'conie of one heart and one mind; and that we."in particular, though ditVering in judgment, may be ex- amples of mntuai, fervent, andiHrtend»lrd affection, i» the hearty prayer of, ^ev. and deor nir, yt>ur m«»Ht ittl'ectionate, though most unworthy younger brother in the kingdom antl patience of JeHUs.'^ « ihavenot found Mr. Wo»l«yM answer to this letter | bntitappeuM from one Mr. Whitefield wrote to him Hl|»ut a fortnight after, tliht ii^hiui answered it, in the Minie spirit of peace ami brotherly loy«'. «*i tl^ank you," says Mr, Whitefield, *J for your kind answer to my IttHt. Had it coifio a foW hourswooner I should have read some part of if amongst our other letters. Dear sir, who would \h) trou- bled yvith a party spirit? May bur Ltird nmko all his children free from ift indeed!" ' (From this time, their mutual regard antl friendly interooursesut- fcnlfTiiointerruption till Mr, Whitefiehl's death; who savs, in his lastAVIU, written with his own hand about sijf months betore he died, " I leave a ni*uiriiing-riiig to my honbred and dear iViend?*, and ittainterested fellow-luliorers, the Rev. Mrs. John and Charles Wesley, in token of iny indissoluble union with them, in heart and christian affection, notwithstanding our difference in judgment about some particular points of deaking your mind freely. O let our love hn without diiMimulntion. 1 tun not clear, that brother Maxffeld should not expound nt Ureyhonnd-lane; nor can I ait yet do without him. Our clergymen hAVe increomsd full as much an the laymen; and thiit the Moravians are other than laymen, 1 know not. *' Ah yet I dure in no wine join with the Moraviann: 1. Bet^nuHe their whole scheme is myilitfo/, not aeriptural, refined in every point niMive what is written, innneuMij^ably lieyond the plain doc- triiieH of the gOH|>el. 3. Uecauiie thtn'e is darknemM and chwenena in air their behavior, and guile in qlmost all their wprdn. 9. Utn'uufie they not only, do not practice, but utterly deitpiite SI and deny Helf-el which I preach, orise and maintain thine own \cause ! " . Mr. Maxfield was a tavrnan, and hence We see liiymen were al- ready employed by Mr. Wesley in the work. He was remarkalily us(>Ail, and exciteil the astonishment of those who heard him. The Into. Countess Dowager Huntingdon, was at this time, and for many years after, exceedingly attached to Mr. Wesley, and very frequently wrote to him. She heanl Mr. Maxfletd expound, and in Ji letter to Mr, Wesley speaks thus of him. " I never men- ^ tinned to you, that I have seen Maxfield. He is one of th^i-great- est instances of Uod's peculiar fuvor, that I know. He has .raisnd from the stones, one to sit among the princes of his people. He is my astonishment. How is Uoum either talk or write fi»r uii hour uboul him. The nociety |f"«H «>i» well jjere.— Live uHKured of the moHt faithful und aniccru tnciiduhip ol your unworthy Hirttor ill Chrirti JenuK." , ' i •• . From thii* time the numlMir of laymen employrd, jfrndunlly iii- creaM'il, in proportion to the incroaito of the m»cietie8 and the want of preHcherH: the clorKy generully standing at udintunce from a plan of Hueh irregulnrity, and »o much lalnir. I ho objectioiw that have iKjen made again».t employing Iny-preacherH, and what may Ih5 lair y Httid in their tl«feiice,will \m considered in another part eaking blaaphemounty of good works, and the law of G»»d. The severity of this scnhnce perhaps arose from a misconception of the scope ami tlesign ot Lu- ther's words. That Luther sometimes spake incautiously, ami even rashly, we may readily admit, and that his words, on such oc- casions may he easily understood in a sense he did not intend; which was probably the case in the passages to .which Mr, Wesley leteM. But some allowance in to be mad e ter Luther's* situation, t he • Martin Lulher'lliccclel.riiled Gornian reformer, was \mn in Siixciny, in im. He studieil at Erford, Itcin? designed for a civiliun Hut an awful ca|a8tr<.i)lie . ninde such an impression on his mind, that he resolved to retire Irom the wmld. ^ .Ar he was walking in the fields with a fellow student, they wfcre struck l.y Uahlning, Luther to the ground, and his companion dead l»y his side. He then entered into the order of Augustine hermits at l!>ford. t rom this place he re- moved to Wirtcmluirg, being appointed hy the Elector of Saxony, professor of • Theology and Philosophy in the university just founded there hy that prince, in 1612 he was sent to Rome, to plead the cause of some convents ol his order, who- had quarrelled vfMi their vicar general : this gave him an opporlimily of observing the corruptions of the pontifical court, and the debauched lives oi the dignitaries of the church; and probably gave him the first disgust of tlio Romish ecclesiastical government ; especially as he had engaged in the monus. lie life from motives of genuine piety. Upon his return to Wirtcmbiirg, it Was remarked that he grew unusually iwnsivo, and rtlore austere in his life and coii- versatibii : he likewise read and expftunded the sacred whtmgs in lectures and aermons • and threw new lights on olmcure passages. The mmds of his audi- tors l«ing thus prcimri'd, a favorable occasion soon ofTeretl for rnrrymg lulo I'xe* cution his grand plaa of reform, bi 1517, Pope Leo X. published his'inSpires, in which several Prin«5e.'« of the Empi^ and some Imperial cities p«>/««««« against the attempts of thfe Romanist to ofh tain a decree, that no change should be made in iheir rfiliguln. The Oalvinistt have cominOnly been called the Reformed churches. \ ^ij^ T* *f' f^^w^ fm LiPB or TH« W^^ 40II1I WKlIAf . irrort be hod to oppose, and the ^Povocationa ho recrlired. lYt fiUNt be more than niiinan, who can wulk steiuiily in the middle ,111th of nHMirriitiou, whil«5 a hunt uf enomieH are'puMhing and goad- [na him <»n every Mi«h». June 18. Being ut Oxford, Mr. Wenlpy inquired concerning the RxorcjNCH proviouM to the d«>gr«e of Bachelor in Divinity. And though he certainly was , well quulified to pa^H through the various griuiotionn of academical lionorH, yet he laid a»i«l« tho thought of nr(H!t:(Mling further in them. Having vinited London, he was again at Oxford in tho begmniiig of July; and on the; sixth being in the collt'g* library, " I Untk down," Ha^n-h^" by inistake, the works of l'4)iscopiua ;* which, ouemt^l^tn ttn account of the Synod of Dort, I iKjIieved/it Mgnt Imj umjfjul to read it through. Hut what a Hcent? is here diHclosed! What a pity it is that the holy Synml of Trent, and that of I)«rt, tlid not sit at the same time ! Nearly al- lied as they were, not only as to the purity of doctrine, which each of them established, but also as to the apirit wherewith they acted! If the latter did not exceed." 3i . -July 15. Mr. WoMley reached Bristol, and tells us he cftinc just in season! "For," st^ys he, " a spirit of enthurtiasni was breaking in upon many, w^o charged their own imagination$ on the ibill of God, and that, tiot vmUen,,but imprened on their hearti. If thtae * Simon Episcopius, was born at Amstoninm, in lft03. He waa one of tha xnofX learned men of the I7th century, and chiefsupnortcror the Armioian doc- In tCli, he was chosen divinity professor at Leyden, iii the mitlat of the trnte Arminian controversy: which, thou|;h it liad lie{(un in the Urfuutaities, soon flew to the pulpits, from whenee it spread and inflamed the |>eS^ year alter Arminius died, his friends, who had espoused hiai In 1610, the rine, presented a Keinoiistronce to the States of Holland, against the violenlifrrncecdinffs of tho Calvinists to injure or mippress them. Ana from this circumstance, they have since heen called in Holland, Ilemonstrants. In 1617, the King of Great Britain exhorted the Stales General of the United Provinces to call a Synod to put an end to tiieir ditferences. This advice was seconded hy several of the States ; and acrordinely a Synod was appointed to be held the next year at Dort. The States or Holland having invited Rpiscopius to take his (Atace in it, he went thither accompanied by some Remonstrant ministers; but th^ 'Synod would not allow them to sit as judges, nor to appear in any other capasgty than as persons accused, and summoned beiorc them. The Ilemonstrants were condemned, de- posed from their functions, and banished their country ! But the times growing more favorable, Episcopius returned to Holland, and at length was chosen Rec. tor of the college ibunaeiKihy the Armioians, at Amsterdam ; jrhere he died ia 1643. •! Some of the foreign divines present at the iSyima, aft^rwardscoiaplained, that the Remonstrants hud been wronged ; that they had been imposed'upon, by the -Moderator and his cabal, who formed a Synod among themselves and concerted in jnrivaU those things ikey had a mind to bring to a good issue. It is evident that the Dutch divines were parties concernee arated on the twctrine ij" to aacertain the dat6 Quoat. 1. Whcth ^ ble, among the attiden Anaw. " The number r. Wealeyand Mr. WhitefieUl aeo- irttinatfon. However, not being aliro i have referred them t«> thia place, ilier of the Methodiata is coiiiidcru- rned men? ithodiata ia not conaiderable, among the atudenU ond learned men." ..... 2. Whether at Oxford, where the Methodiata first sprung up, there Iwatill many of them among the acholara? . . , " There are very few of them, now left, among the acholars at S. Whether they ai:p all of one mind, ami whether they have theiame principlea? Especially, 4. Whether thoaeMethoilwta that are still at Oxford, approve of the ^^timents and octions of Mr. Whitefield and Messrs. Wealeya? . ,. . «l u i- «• They ore all of the same principles with the Church ot England as loid down in her Articles and Homilies: and, 4. Do accordingly approve oAhe aentimcnta of Mr. Whitcficid, iiiid Mr. Wealey, and o^ their publishing them elsewhere, since they have been shut out of the churches." . . . _ '• /• 5. How they name to revive those do«5trine8, hitherto neglected by the clergy of the Church of England, of predestination, the new birth, and justification by faith alone? And 6. Whether they have the same from the Moravian brethren? - «* Predestination is not a doctrine taught hy the Methodists But they do teach that men must be born again, ond that we ore saved thteugh faith: ond 6. " The Utter of these they learned fronriHomo ofVhe Moravian brethren; the former by reading the New lesta- ment ** t^ ' 7. Whether they be orthodox* in other doctrinal points; and wheth er they lead i^n unblameoble Christion life; • Some persoBS harJthoughl this word tery equivocal, aad difficull^to l.e ex- plaiaed. A late cclebfated public speaker amoag the Pnends, ouce told his an- ^ieoce al Warrinston.llJjal he knew «ol how to explaia the word orthodox, ex rr-i \, gg:'- TX^'-at" ^^■s^ts^:A.MT" -m^m^p^^k^ S^^f» ; tm htfrn or TNI itf. iOHii wiimv. p- ,| Ml " ThifV openly ehnlletift) nil thnt hcnr ihflm tc» niii l1m»» * VVhid#of you convinceih mn of n\\\>* <{«M*trin« <^rilrnry t«) tho nf:ri|»turo? \ tenrhing atfiiiiiMt thiMii b, tliiit (fioy uio rightroiix uiiy lion . . 1, 8. Wl|«thrr thuy utru'tly reKUltitM iiumhh** riilif uniidi^'ipliiu^ ofthi) Mtiriivinii iiictliron, Vm\) niid ob««rvtJ thv outward worHliip nccorOii KngliuHl? •• They i« do not inhibit their field and Htreot nreaching: 1. BecauM there in no law in Engjand ngniniit it: 3. UecauiK) CiikJ does not yot NtiflTer thnin to do it without law." 11. Whcttiiur the ArchbiMhop of Canterbury is Batixfied with them: fts we nr« told ? '•The ArchbiHtion of Canterbury U not MatiHfled with thnni; «h- peolidly nince Mr, Molther, in the name of the Monivian ('hurch, lold his Grace their dimapproluition of them; and in particular of their firld preachinjy." 13. \yhother their private oMemblies or societies are orderly ftnd edifying? " Their private assemblies, rind societies are orderly, %r\A mony iny they find them edifying." 13. what opinion the Presbyterians, and particularly Dr. Watts* had of them? '* MoHt of the Presbyterians, and most all other denominations! are of opinion, much religion hath made them nuid." " Whether there are any Methodists among the episcopal clergy of the Church of Kngland ? "Mr. Whitefield, Hutchins, Robson, and the Messrs. Wewleys, and several others, are priests of the KpiMCopal Church of Kng- land." The modesty «nd openness with which Mr. Wesley answer- e »»w»rr ^ -^— J^^ -- . .. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^H ^H m ^^^^H ^^^^^^^^.', ■ ^^ IHHHBHB^I m ^^^^^r^ ^^^.■■■""' ■^^■■- ■■■ ■ ** \ ,, \ ■ i ,.' ■':" ,■.■•• ^^ :'■■':''. • * : - . ¥^ " ■ '-[■. ■ - / -. ■ ^•^ ■ - * ■*.* ;« - ' 1 v. '. <■' ^ ■ ■ ■^' .'■■'■' ■ ' V ■ '"' ' . >'■■,. ,■ '■ ■ « ■ /■•■■ ■ ..'■■.'■ - . .? '- ■' .1- - '■■ ■,' '. ■ . .•" ■ " ■ ■■; _. ' ^ ' -, ;. „■ • '■ .■ ■'<•'"■ . V- ■',■■■ ( . ■ ■ ■ ■"'■' V ■•■ ■'-;■, "'-'" ' - ■ -^ ■: * ■ *.'.'■■■ ' . i " ^ ■ "'■■ ' . ■■ . /■■■ . ■ 4 \ ^ ; \,- y ■,' m 4 .,„ . ■4 — : „;. ■■ "^ 's-fxu . , ; ■ ■■ -y : -» . --irt'; ' ■ ' . .; ' .■ •■-■■"'■- -^^ -,-^pW ;- ..•■.. ; '■■ 1 * & ' »^ ■ ■. ' ' •'/' • 1 . ' . -^ * ■ , ' % • *;' ^ ' ,' ■*'' 1WWJ.1 . ■ ' 1 f • » * ."' ' ■' » ^ ■ 'i' ■■ , •% • ' , . - ' ' * \^ ' ■ ■ . *» ■ « ■>■ . '* ^■' '. ' t * ' ' . * ; ■ ■•' ' • . ' t ■; ^ '^A ' ■' :' ' ■ ■' ■ ^ ■ "'■ . - . *■ •■. ■ f.. , •. ' . ^ . t • ' \i_ , ^/^' "' ■ -f ' ■ ■ - « ■,'.5 • \: ' /v,^ - :; ,: . 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',! places of worahip by a riotous mob; but on the last day of this year, Sir John Ganson called upon him, and said, ** Sir, you have no need to suffer these riolouH mobs to uiolent you, as they have done Ibngl I, and all the other Middlesex magistrates have orders from above, to do you justice whenever you apply to us,»» Two or three weeks after they did apply. Justice was done, though not witlfYigbr: and from that time the Methodists had peace in Lon- don. • ' . ^ « . . , . , Feb. 16, 1742. Many met together W Bristol, to consult with Mr. Wesley concerning a proper method of payirtg the public debt, contracted by building. Nearly three years before this period, a house had been built here, called the New Room; and notwith-^ standing the subscriptions and public collections made at the^ time to defray the expense, a large debt remaint;d upon it. And it was now agreed, 1. That eveiy member of the society who .was able, should contribute a penny a week. 2. That the whdle^^iety should be divided into little companies or etiiMM, about t#elve in each class: and, 3. That one person in each class, should receive the contribution of the rest, and bring it to the stewards weekly. In March, the same thing was done in London, though for a different purpone. "I appointed," says Mr. Wesley, "several earnest and sensible men to meet me, to whom I showed the gre«t difficulty I had long found of knowing the people who desired to be under my care. After much diicourse, they all agreed, there could be no better way to come to a sure, thorough knowledge of each person, "than to divide them into classes like those at Bristol, under the in- spection of those in whom I could most confide. This was the origin of our glasses in London, for which I can never .sufficiently praise God: the unspe^ikable usefulness of the institution, having (Bver since been more and more manifest." . ~ The perso^ appointed to visit and watch bver these little com- panies^ or classes, was called the leader of that class to which he received his appointment. Mr. Wesley called the leaders together, ^nd desired that each would make aparticular inquiry into the be- havior of those he saw weekly. They did so; and many disor^ derly walkers were detected. Some were turned from the evil ojf their ways, and some put away from the society. The rest saw it with fear, and rejoiced unto God with reverence. At first the lead- ers visited each person at his own hpuse: but this was soon found inexpedient. It required niore time than the leaders had to spare; many persons lived with masters, mistresses, or relations, where they could not be so visited; and where misunderstandings i|pd arisen between persons in the same class, it was more convenient to see them face to face. On these^and some other considerations, it was agreed that each leader should meet his class all together, once a week, at a time and place most convenient for the whole. He began and ended the meeting with singing and prayer; and siient aiiout an hour in conversing with those present, one by one. -By this means, a more full inquiry was made into the be|liavior of every person; advice or reproof was given as need ret|uired; niis- tinderstandings were removed, and brotherly-love promoted. "It can scaree to conceived," says Mr. Wesley, " what advantages tte itlM or TUB B«T« JOHlt WBSLBT. Baj^e been reaped fW>m this little prndential regulation. Many HOW experienced that christian fellowship, of which they had not so much as an idea before. TEey began to bear one another's bur- deqi}, anB nalUrally to care for each other's welfare. And as they h(id daily a more intimate acquaintance with, so they had a more ei|(bared affection for each'other." Mr. Wesley further adds '♦Upon reflection, I could not but observe, this is the very thing " which was from the begii^tinf of Christianitj^. In the earliest times, those whom God had sent forth, preached the gospel to every creature. And the of a»^»axal, the body of hearers, were mostly either" Jews or lleathens. But as soon jts any of these were so < convinced of the truth, as to forsake sin, and seek the gospel of salvation, they immediately joined them together, took an account of their names, advised them to watch over each otlfer, and mel ' these >e«Tij/H^iiroi, ea(«eAum«n«, as they were then called, apart from the great congregation, that they might instruct, rebuke, ex- hort, and pray with them, and for them, according to thgiyts»everal As the people increased, and societies were multiplied, Mr. Wesley found it necessary to add some further regulations, to as- certain who belonged to the society, and to prevent impfoper per- sons from imposing upon him. To every person therefore, of whose seriousness, and good conversation h^ had no doubt, he gav« a iwket^ on which was printed a shprt portion of Scripture, and on which he wrote the date and the person'^ name. He who re- ceived a ticket was by that made a member of the society, and li Immediately appointed to meet in some one of the classes; and this method of admitting members was adopted throughout the whole Methodist connectttm. These tickets, therefore, or Te»- •«ra5j as the ancients called them, being of the same force with th« •ni;o2a( rtw?uTixo», commendatory letters, mentioned b;^,thfi Apos- tle, introduced those who bore them, into the fellowsM|i^ith one another, not only in one place, but in every place whft|f Ihy mignt happen to come. As they were common to all the nieihb^ of the societies every where, so a stranger in any place, who held one, was immediately received as a brother, and admitted to their pri- vate assemblies. But lest any improper person should be sumred to continue in the society, and bring disgrace on the whole body by bad conduct, it'was agreed that these tickets should have no force for a longer time than thre^ months. Mr. Wesley detehnin- - ed, that, where he could stay a few days, he would speak with every member of the society once a quarter, and change the tick- ets; and that the preachers appointed to act as his assutants, should evpry wher« do the same. By this means the tickets were changed four times a year ; and this was called «m(«ng' tht efaises. Mr. Wesley observes, " By these (tickets) it was easily distin^ goished, when the society were to meet apart, who were meniberi of it, and who not. These also supplied us with a ouiet and inof fensive method of removing any disorderly member, ne has no new ticket at the next quarterly visitation, and hereby it is immediately known that he is no longer of the comm^iiity^'* _- ^ ' _ ,,, 77 April 9. they had the first watch-night in lK>ndoii. **W« -W ' ?fniB Lirt Of TRB RtT. JOHll WliUBY. ';W|- '*'■ »♦-. /- y - plaiMS of worship by a riotous mob; but on the last day of thii year, Sir John Ganson called upon him, and said, «♦ Sir, you have no need to suffer these riotous mobs to molest you, as they have done long^ 1, and all the other Middlesex magistrates have orders from above, to do you justice whenever you apply to us**' Two or three weeks after they did apply. Justice was done, though not witfi>igbr: and from that |iipe the Methodists had peace in Lon- don. • ' . „ „ . . 1 . ■ Feb. 15, 1742. Many met togethefW Bristol, to consult with Mr. Wesley concerning a proper method of paying the public debt, contracted by building. Nearly three years before this period, a house had been built here, called the New Room; and notwith- standing the subscriptions and public collections made at the time to defray the expense, a large aebt remained upon it. And it was now agreed, 1. That eveiy member of the society who .was able, should contribute a penny a week. 2. That the whdle>ociety should be divided into little companies or cld$$eat about t#elve in each class: and, 3. That one person in each class, should receive the contribution of the rest, and bring it to the stewanls weekly. In March, the same thing was done in London, though for a different purpone. "I appointed," says Mr. Wesley, "several earnest and sensible men to meet me, to whom I showed the grOW difficulty I had long found of knowing the people who desired to be under my care. After much discourse, they all agreed, there could be no better way to come to a sure, thorough knowledge of each person, "than to divide them into classes like those at Bristol, under the in- spection of those in whom I could most confide. This was the origin of our plasses in London, for which 1 can never sufficiently praise God: the unspeakable usefulness of the institution, having (Bver since been more and more manifest." , ~ The perso|» appointed to visit and watch over these little com- panies, or classes, was called the leader of that class to which he received his appointment. Mr. Wesley called the leaders together, und desired that each would make aparticular inquiry into the be- havior of those he saw weekly. They did so; and many disor^ derly walkers were detected. Some were turned from the evil of their ways, and some put away from the society. The rest saw it with fear, and rejoiced unto God with rijverence. At first the lead- ers visited each person at his own hpuse: but this was soon found inexpedient. It required more time than the leaders had to spare; many persons lived with masters, mistresses, or relations, where they could not be so visited; and where misunderstandings i||,ad arisen between persons in the same class, it was more convenient to see them face to face. On these; and some other considerations, it was agreed that each leader should meet his class all together, once a week, at a time and place most convenient for the whole. He began and ended the meeting with singing and prayer; and Biient about an hour in conversing with those present, one by one. By this means, a more full inquiry was made into the beliavior of every person; advice or reproof was given as need ret|uired; inis- iinderHtandings were removed, and brotherly-love promoted. «* It can ^«ve *» conceived," says Mr. Wesley, " what advantages iekt titi Of THE unt* JoHit wbslit. nnve been reaped fW>ni this little prudential regulation. Many iiofw experienced that christian fellowrship, of which they had not go much as an idea before. TEey began to bear one another's bur< deq«, an^ na!tirally to care for each other's welfare. And as they hiia daily a more mtimate acquaintance with, so they had a mor« eiidipared affection for each other." Mr. Wesley further adds '< Upon reflection, I could not but observe, this is the very thing which was from the begii^ninf of Christ! anitj^. In the earliest times, those whom God had sent forth, preached the gospel to every creature. And the o« ixjoaTui, the body of hearers, were mostly either" Jews or iFteathens. But as soon jis any of these were so convinced of the truth, as to forsal^e sin, and seeic the gospel of salvation, they immediately joined them together, took an account of their names, advised them to watch over each otRSer, and met ' these itaTtix»f*'roi, eateehumen$i as they were then called, apart from the great congregation, that they might instruct, rebuke, ex- hort, and pray with them, and for them, according to thfiyNieveral As the people increased, and societies were multiplied, Mr. Wesley found it necessary to add some further regulations, to aa- certain Who belonged to the society, and to prevent improper per- sons from imposing upon him. To every person therefore, of whose deriouaness, and good conversation hi^ had no doubt, he gave a ticket, on which was printed a shprt portion of Scripture, and on which he wrote the date and the person's name. He who re- ceived a ticket was by that made a member of the society, and immediately appointed to meet in some one of the classes; and this method Of admitting members was adopted throughout the whole Methodist connectftTO. These tickets, therefore, or Tc«- tercBj as the ancients called them, being of the same force with the •ni?oi«i« rtwyuTixoi, commendatory letters, mentioned b^ the Apro- tle, introduced those who bore them, into the fellow8li|^ith _one another, not only in One place, but in every place wh «' Hearken to the •ofemn Toice I / The awful midnight cry, ^^ . „ Waitins eoula rejoice, rejoice^ "ft And feel the Bridegroom nigh." ^' Having received a letter pressing him to go without deloiy into Leicestershire, he set out. " The next afternoon," says Mr, Wes- ley, " I stopt a little at Newpiort^agnell, and then rode on till I overtook a serious man, ^tn- Whom I immedii^tely ten into con- versation. He presently gave we to know what his oninioiis Were: therefore I said nothing to contradict them. But that did not content him: he wt& quite uneasy to know * Whether I held the dbctrine " of the decrees, as he did.' But I told him over and ov6rj we hud better keep to practical things, lest wesholuld be angry atone another. And so we^didfof two miles,' till he caught me itna- wares, and dragged me into the dispute before I'knew wher^ I was. He then g^w warmer and >varmer: told mfilM^ rotten \a ^ heart, and supposed I was one of John Wesley's fow^^ta, I toll him» no,I am John Wesley himself. Upon whicbip|||rpeared, 'Imprtmuumatpriivd%iHmi$enUi>u$anfpum As one who had unawares trodden on a Unaljce: " and would gladljr have run away outright." But l>eing the'^tter mounted of the two, I kept close to his side, and endeavored ta show him his heart, till we came into the street of Northampton." ' ' Mr. Wesley had now a call to extend his labors further north than he had hitherto done. John, Nelson, a masoii of Birstal, in Yorkshire, had beeniaXondo^^ some time, and heard the gospel at the Fbundery. His understaliding was informed, his conscience awakened, and feeling the whole ener^ of the truths he beard de- livered, he received that peace, which the Apostle speaks of^ as the fruit of justifying faith. He received * the knowledge of salva- tion by the remission of his sins.' He had ftiU employment and large wages in London, but he found a constant inclination to re- turn to his native place. He did so; and his relations and acquain- tance soon began to inquire what he thought of this new faith, which, by means of Mr. Ingham, had occasioned much noi^ and talk in Yorkshire. John told them point blank, this, new faith, as they called it, was the old faith of the gospel: and related to Vlhem his own experience. This was soon noised abroad; and lore and more came to inquire concerning these strange thin|^. le put him upon the proof of the great truths duch inquiriM fly led him to mention. And thus he was lNt)Ught unawan . \ f||B Lin Q» YWI SBVW iomm WMUt. fl» to qaote« explain^ coimmre, and enfbrce ■everal parts of Scrip> ture. rhislie did at first, sitting in his house, till the ooiiq)any increased so that the house could not contain them. Then hestood at the door, which he was commonly obliged to do, in the evening, aa soon as he came from work. His wora was soon made a bles- sing to the people: many believed his report, and were turned fVom diirKness to lisnt, and from the ^lower of sin and satan unto the living Gjod. Mr. Ingham hearinf^ of this came to Birstal, inquired into the facts, tailked with John himself in the closest manner, both touching his knowledge and ei^perience. The result was, he en- couraged him to proceed, and ihvited him to come, as often as con- venient, to any of those places where he himself had been, and speak to the people as God should enable him. . Things being in this state, John Nelson invited Mr. Weslev to come down amongst them; ietnd May 26, he arrived at Birstal. Here be found a lav- preacher who undeniably, had done much good. Many of the Sreatest pro^igates in all the country were myv changed. Their lasphemies were turned to praise. The whobxtown wore a new face: such a chanve did God work by the artless t^timony of one plain man ! Mr. Wesley was so fully convinced or the great de- sign of a preached gospel, that if sinners were truly coiive|*ted to God, and a decent order preserved in hearing the word, hj|iore extensive scale than had hitb erto been allowed. § ** After preaching at BiJpBtal, he^ent forward to Newcastle-upon- Tyne. Having witnessed the success of the gospel among the col- liers at Kingswood, he had long had a desire to visit those about Newcastle, and now accomplished his wish; at least in part, and made way for future yisits. He was not known to any person in Newcastle; and therefore he, and John Taylor, who travelled with him, put up at an inn. On Walking through the town, after takhig some refreshment, he observes, ** I was surprised : so nauch drunk- enness, cursing and swearing, even from the mouths of little chil- dren, do I never rc^member to have seen and heard before in so short a time.** Sunday, May 80. At seven in the morning, he walked down to Sandgate, the poorest and most contemptible part of the town, and' standing at the end of.the street with John Tay- lor, began to sing the hundredth psalm. " Three or four people,** says he, "came out to see What was the matter, who soon increas- ed to four or five hundred. I suppose there might be twelve or meen hundred before I had doi^ preaching: to whom I applied those solemn words, * He was wounded for our tran8gre8aiy his stripes we ar^ healed.* ^■■»J' fit tWB fclfi or THl »■▼. iOHW WEiLlT. M "^ 2* •«Ob«emngthe people when I had done, to rtand gapinff nnd ■tarinB upon me with the most profound astonishment, I told them, If you desire to know ^ho I am, mv name is Johjti Weul^y. .At flve in the evening, with God»s help, I design tp preach here agn.n. ' At rive, the hill on which I designed to preach, was covered from ton to bottom. I never saw so large a number of people togethPi«i either in Moorfield, or at Kennington-common. I knew it was not possible for the one half to herii', although my voice was then stronir and clear: and I stood ao as to havethem all in view, us they were ranged on the side of the hill. The word of God which I set before them was, ♦ I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely.' After 4)reaching, the poor people were ready to tread me Under foot, f ut of pure love and kindnew. I was some- time before I could possibly get out of the press. I then wenttoack another way than I came. But several were got to our inn before me: by whom I was vehemently importuned to stay with them, at least a few days: or however, one day more. But I could not con- gent; having given my word to be at Birstal, with God's leave, on xTufifid&v niffht '^ \Monday, ll.* Mr. Wesley left Newcastle, and^ prqached at va rious places as he returned through Yorkshire. June 5. He rode for Epworth, in Lincolnshire, the place of his nativitv. " It being many years," sayshe, "since i had been in Epworth before, I went to an Inn, in the middle of the town, not knowing whether there were aby left in it now, who w<^ld not be ashamed of my acquain- tance. But an old servant of my father, with two or three poor women, presently found me out. I asked her, « Do you know any in Epworth who are in earnest to be saved?' She answered, 1 am, by the grace of God; and I know I am saved through faith.' I asked, ' have you then peace with God? Do vou know that he has forgiven vMr sins?' She replied, *I thank God, I know it well, and inanyliere can say the *lame thing.' " -. J i.- Sunday, 6. AN little before the service began, he offered his assistance to Mr. Romley, the curate, either by preachn^or read- ing prayers. But this was not accepted. In the afterfioon, the churth was exceedingly ftill, a report being spread, that Mr. Wes- - ley waa to preach. A^fter serthon, John Taylor stood^in the ohiirch-yard, and gave\notice, as the people came out, that Mr. Wesley, not being penhitted to preach in the church, designed to preftclt there at wxo'cldck. "Accordingly MJ"^ came, and found sudli a co^regation as, I believe, Epworth never, saw before. 1 stood hiear the east end of th^ chiirch, upon my father's tombstone, and cried. « The kingdom of heaven is not meati and drinks; but rightecKisness, and peace, and joy m the Holy Ghost.'" \ . . . On the 9th, he tells us, "I rodft over to a neighboring town, to wait upon a justice of peace, a maiiNnf candor and understanding; before whom, I was informed, their i^gry neiffhbors had carried a whole waggon-load of these new hen$tea. But when he as^ed md done? » There waa a deep gHcDce; for t h at was a point^th«ir conductg^ had foi|^t(. At le pretend to^bfittar than other people: onoaeid,* Why they idee they pray from yidence. His brother had been here, who did not encourage ^i;itation$: and he had hiUierto seen less of them under his preach- ing, than he had been accustomed to see iii other places. But however this may be, for I do not determine, he ft)rmed a different opinion some days after. " I never saw," says he, "a work of God in any other p{ace, so evenly and gradually ourried on. It continually rises step by step. Not so much seems to be done at anyone time, as hath nrequently beieh at Bristol or London: but something at every time. It is the same with particular souls. I saw none in Uie triumph of faith, which^^ifaas been so common in * other plaees. But the oelievers go on calm aiid steady. Let Gou dp ■■ iBi i iwuh him fuud. ** * * : ^""~: — --—f-~-- ^Dea aOl Ha? iii(obcaliied a piece of |rouiid, forty yards in length, ,■■■■•..- $8- ■ r • ''■^:fm vt:- '1 'X •»« >:'■■■ 'Mm* LItfe Of fllB'iBfr. JOUV WMMHT* to build a houM for 4helr mootiom and public wonhip» they laid the first atone of the building. It being computed, that auch a houae oa^Waa proposed, could not be finished under seven hundred pnundN, many were positive if would never be finished at all. " I was of another mind," says Mr. Weslev, " nothmg eforo theni, %n|ing iemsS vfs. and taking up their cross daily; ' 5£"'"!"K to 3 the reproach of Christ, to l« as the filth und ofl^scounnff of the world; and looking that men should 'say all manner of evil of them falsely for the Lord's sake.* . • .• " I tTs exj«cted of all who desire to continue in these spc.eUes, that they sllould continue to evidence their dool"" "^ «»»^«f '^ ar« 1 "By attending upon all the ordmances of Go' «J^"S«^ proaelyte;, and only sought to make ChnsUans, among people of Seant a clergyman, the lavmen ^h» assisted bein|j^««vw caHed • minifters, but simply preacWs, or helpers of the mmisters. unt 1 dW tdWm pr THB KIT. 40HII WltLBT. m ofthoM pr«ar.hflr», was aAerwnnlii cajlnd thro again dividod into vniallor conipunioH, calird iNindii: tho mon and women apart. Kafsh band had a iiemon called the leader, who met the little company onco a wook, and aUo roceivod a nmidl contribution for the |>oor. At tho quurtorly viiiitation, whon tho tirkctM wore changed, those pomona received a ticket with a B. nrinted upon it, aignifyring that thoy mot in band. ThoMO arn Cnlfod band-tirkotH, and admit thoae (up a»- who bold thorn into tho mootinga whore the banda alone ■enibled. Tho following are the DIRECTIOlf I OIVBH TO THB BAND SOCIBTIBf. '(Vou are auppoaed to have the 'faith, that overcometh the world.* To you, therefore, it is not grievous. I. "Carefully to alistfiin ^from doing evil: in particplar, U Neither to buy or sell anything at all on the Lord'ird|^.' 9. To tnsto no apirituous Iiqu6r, no dram of anv kind, unleaa proncribed by a physician. S. To be at a word l)oth in buying and Helling 4. To nawn nothing, i^b not to save life. ' 6. Not to mention the fault or an^ liehind his back. 6. To wearno needless ornaments, such as nnga, ear-rings, necklaces, lace, ruffles. 7. To use no needless self-indulgence, such^ as taking snuff, or tobacco, unlesa prescribed by a physician. II. " Zealouslv to main^|^g(]^ works: in particular, 1. To give alma of such .things asflp possess, and that to the uttermost 7aLvflii)r power. 2. To reprove allthAt sin in your sight,,and that in love, and meekness of wisdom. S: To Im) patterns of diligence and frugality, of self-denial, and taking up the cross daily. III. "*Cqnstantly to attend on all the ordinances of God: in par- ticular, I. To be at church, and at the LordM table every week; V and at every public meeting of the bonds. 2. To attend the public ^ ministry of the word every mortirng* unless distance, business, or sickness prevent 9. To use privote prayer every day : and family prayer, if you are the head of a family. 4. To read the Scriptures, and meditate therein, at every vacai^t hour. And, 5. To observe, as days of fasting and abstinence, all Fridays in the year." On his return from Newcastle, Mr. Wesley again visited Wed- nesbury, where- he found the society already increased to several hundreds. But a cloud was gathering over them which threatened a dreadful storm. The extreme folly of Mr. W — s, a preacher, I suppS^ had so exasperated Mr. Egginton the minister, that his former love was turned into hatred. But he had not yet had time to work iy the poor peo ple into the raye and madness which after- Wards appeared. — ^Toe Sunday folio wuig the scene began to open. *This was always at Ave ovaook, winter nod sonuner^ inall kiids of weatlMr ^'^ z^m J^T^PW'f'^'T*^'^^^^^ m Ura Of *■■ tBV* 'OMli s<^.» Jl f ,M^.. '^^^m^f ■ k; T^* • I think " MVi Mr. Wwlfly, 'M ncvwr hflanl wi wicked n •crmon, .„V tnUrfwlth .«ch l^t«r„««- of voice ..hI """J-'^-^ I"; E;* which Mr KirjtinUm iirottchtHt in the urteriioon. I k"«w wimi M ' , r,r^f thT/;.,;:? Ih v« J « little tin;e,..na th«refi.ro j^udgea ^ e.^«. ^ Hifint to nreuare the iMtor people lor wlmt w«m ti. loIU»w, that win ii he" , .K^iK»'t '"» »•*' "'^»"«K^- Acconlingly, I HtrouKly en- for^a .hone'wor'Iu .f «.ur Lord, • If .ny '»?»" ^P"'',!^^*',;,,'":;: , hMe not hifl father and mother— yen, niid hii» own life, lie cainioi K m^H'!!*!'*"- A"'' whoHoevcr doth uot b««r h.- cro«. and c.n.o •"juving'^!;::;/H^u.S;X Wl.^ «« returned m Lm.d«n; and m"v 3o" Wn to orticiato at the chuml in WeHt-Mtreet, «e«r the Beven-D 2- built almut .ixtv year- Left»re, by the Fronch FroteH- SSlto. By i •lrun«e chain o/provid.4nce«, a «u.« wo. obtained o| Su^ha??l,Mul the MethodiJu contiuue to hold it to the pre«,nt ** AUbi. perio«l Mr. Wc-ley Htaid but a^hort time in anyplace, he wa- Vhat the Rev. Mr. Lewin of. H.dt, ^••"«;'"'" "^^^'i; ^^ him an individuals vagum, u mere wanderer; lor purpoHeH how- ., Sver' whSh ap,>eared toliiin of tlie frt,n<.-t importance to the hup- &ofn?eri After having vinited the cIukhch and H«t in onler ?uch th iiKH aH required hin care aiul attenti..n, ho net out for ho Sirth. tXng tlu «.MMetie. in StafTord.hi re. and var.ou- other »£■ in hi- way to NewSuHtlo, and again reached Lmidon iii the Cter end of July, In Augunt.he oUve-, •;^«-.2, C'L n •nm« time o^HtrooK denire to unite with Mr. WhitefieUi aH lar n«i SbI?toc?t ft^nees^l, «s England and Scotland now, and many other. ,n past ages, that ho ha?unconditionally elected some p«.rsons to r™*^"/ ,^?^»»'f ^ jf .T taires. both with regard to temporal and spiritual things: and I do nTdiny, though I cannot prove it is so, that he has uncondition- ally elected some persona to eternal glory. „i„^t„.i « « But I cannai believe, That all those who are not thus elected to glo^, mi" ^ri.h everlastingly: or that there .s one yul on earth, who has never had a pot^mty of escapmi^ eternal darana- **°«:With regard to the Mcond, irresistible grace; I b^l|«7' That the irace wTiich brings faith, and thereby salvation mto the soul, s irS^ibTe «?rewiili. or may not. And i do not deny, that in »om^ nouIn tlin gmnn of' (jihI in mo far irn»iitibl«, ihut thvjr caunut but bclicvi}, «uil be filiiflly ii«v«d. . > <' Hut 1 rHnno|>li<*1ifi«i^ti('d of iitnl no to do. . "With rfgiird to tho third, Until |it»rNttv»nin('<>, I lun inc|in(>d to b4iii«ve, thnt thflre ia a atate attainnlilo in thia life, Ooni^ which a ninn cnnnot finiilly fidl: and thnt h<^ hiiM nttninnd thi** who ,cnn aayt Old thingN aro pniiHitd way; all thingH in nin iin* Imh-ohio now." Auguat 28. Mr.^^Wealey act out for Coi'nwull, whnro hia brother ^, and two of tho |>r«^ffrh«^rM.huH. Home time before, Cantain Tumor, of BriMtol, connected it aeema wilhi thn MflthiMliMtH, nad put in h«re, and wiim Hgrrtdnhly aurpriMi'd to find a littln HO(ri<;ty foriiMMl upon Dr. WixMlward'n plan, who roiiMtnntly mot together. — ^Thev were grontly refVeahvd and atrengthened l»y him, m ho hIho wna by tho|]au..'^'hia whfi the ocrnHion of intriNlu- cing the MethodiHtH to thia place. Mr. Weiiley i^jHiko Hcvernlly with thoae of the aociety, now increaaed to alniut a hunitred and twenty; near a hundred of whom had found peace with («od. He anent throe weeka in preaching here, and in Kennor, Morva, St." IiMt, Sennan, ^. Mary'a (one of the tslea of Scilly) Gwenap, and onWernl of the Downa throughout the woHt of Cornwall. It has pleaKeil God, to give increaae to the H^d aown by hia Hervnnta, ap that it haa aince pro* r^w„v' r* Tm LIfl •» Tui •■»• «••" witit*. luOfiiiff. that if I wm once on the fround, I should hWfJIy the any inora. But I made no atumble at all, nor the leaat slip, till I wnt entirely out of their hands. 3. That although many strove to lay hold on my collar or clothes, to pull me down, they could not fas ten at allf only one got fast hold of the flap of my waistcoat, which was soon left in his hand. 8. That a lusty man just l)ehind, struck at me several times, with a large oaken stick; with which if he had struck me once on the back part of my head, it would have saved him all further trouble. Hut every time the blow was lumed jwide, I know not how. 4. That another came rushing through the press, and raising his arm to strike, on a sudden let it drop, and only stroked my head, saying, « What softhair he has!' 6. That I stopped exactly at the mayor's door, as if I had known it. which the mob doubtless thought I did, and found him standing in the shop; which gave the first check to the madness of the peo- ple. 6. That the very first men whose hearts were turned, were the heroes of the town, the captains of the rabble on all occasionsj one of them having b^en apriKe-fighter at the bear-gardens. 7. That from first to last, I heafd none give me a reviling word, or call me by any opprOrimu name whatever. But the cry of one and all Was, « The preacher! thepreacherl the narson! ttie mm- leter! » 8. That no creature, at least within my hearing, laid any- thing to my charge, either true or false; having in the hurry quite forgotten to provide themselves with an accusation of any kind. And la8tly,they were utterly at a losr, what they should do with me; none proposing any determinate thuig; only, * Away with him, kill him at once.* ,.w , . » i - i* •« When I came back to Franchi Ward's I found many of our brethren waiting upon God. Many also whom I had never seen > before, came to rejoice with us. And the next morning as 1 rode through the town, in my way to Nottingham, every one I met ex- preased such a cordial affection, that I could icarce believe what I saw and heard. « I cannot close this head, without insertingaa great a curiosity in Its kind, as^ I believe, was ever yet seen in England; which had; ita birth i^tfiin a very few days of this remarkable occurrence at . WaiaBl* **8tt^ffbrd*hire. «To all fflith-Consuttes, Petty-ConstaMiw, and other of his MajesQr'a Peace officers within the said county, &c. « Whereas we his maje8ty»v justices of the peace, for tfie said county of Stafford, have receiyed information, that ^several disor- derly persons, styling themselves Methodist mrewhers, go about raisiniTronta and riots, to the inreat damage of his majesty's Iiege people, and against the peace of our sovereign lord the king: "TTheae are In his nuyesty's name, to connnand you, and evew one of yon, within your respective districts, to make dibgent search after the said Methodist nreaehers, and to brinf him or them be- foM some of us his said majestjr's justices of the peace, to be ciainiiiedcoaceni'mgtheir unlawful doings. _ ^^. _^ ,-^ ** Given noder our handi and aeab this day of eacei by the very men who are •wom to maintain it r » , Mr. Wesley now went forwards toward the north, and on Sun- day, OflC^^O, being , at Wensley, he preached in the church, on, " What inust I do to be saveil? " He showed in fhe plainest terms he could devise, that outward religion will -not bring us to heaven: that none can ffo thither without inward holiness, which is only to be attained by faith. As he went back through the church- ynrd, many of the parish were in high debate, what religion this preacher was of? Sonro said he must be a Quaker; others, an Anabaptist: but at length one dee^r learned than the rest, brought them all clearly over to his opinion, that he was a Presbyterian* Papist t February 15,* 1744. A report prevailed that the French threat- ened an invasion, and were expected to land every hour, in sup- port of Charles Stuart, the pretender to the crown of England. At this critical time, many addresses were sent up to the thrond expressing attachment to the principles of the revolution, and to thekinff's person and government. • The alann was general; the principles of the Methodists were^but imperfectly known, and their . itinerancv and private societies brought them under general suspi- cion. Mr. Wesley was therefore desired to write an address to the king, and March 5, he complied with the request aild wrote ae follows; "To the King's Most Excellent Majesty: " The humble Address of the Societies in England and Walea, in derision called Methodists. : "Most GRioioirt Sovbrkioit, " So inconsiderable as we are^ a people scattered and peeled and trodden iin4er foot from the beginning hitherto, we should in no wise have presumed, even on this ^eat occasion, to open our lipa to your majesty, had we not been induced, indeed constrained so to do, by two considerations: the one, that in spite of all our re- monstrances on that head, we are continually represented as a peculiar sect of men, separating ourselves from the established church; the other, that we are stul traduced as inclined to^popery, and consequently disaffected to your Majesty. I?) J << Upon these considerations, we think it incumbent upon us, if we must stand as a distinct body from our brethren, to tender for ourselves, our most dutifhl'' regards to. your sacred Majesty: and to declare in the presence of him we serve, the King of kings, and Lord of lords, that we are a part, however mean, of that Protest- ant church established in l^ie^ kingdoms: that we unite together for this and no other end, to promote as far as we be capable, ja»> Uee, mercy, and truth; the f^ry of God, and peace ancTgood will among nieo: thi^t we detent and abhor the fundamental doctriiieB of theehttteli of RonM* aiid are steadily attached to your Majesty*ii royal penHm and Uiuatriottt houie. '■ Q ■ * • j .^ X, -r, m' ■;Wi»,'Mfl"!rttl*!tt W' inat. ^i ♦:" «• Wa M«iiot Indaed, i«y or do elthtr mora or W thui we vp- prehend oonibtont with the written word of GdiL Buf ^JJ'J feadv to obey your Maje»ty to the uttermort, > «» thinm wbf/h we SJve to hi .greeable thereto. And ^ ««jne-tV Mhort all with whom we converse, as they fear God, to^lwnor thv kintr. We of the clergy in particular, put all men mjomd to "vfro the higher powew, as of God: and continually declWy* musrneed. bS wbSct, not only for wrath, but also for conmjiVe' **^'*Silver and gold, inoft of us must own, we have none. Bu such as we haverwe humbly beg your Majerty to accept: together with our hearts ind prayers: may tte who hath bought us with hi- Wood?"he Prince of all the kinp of the earth, figjt «g«"n«t all the enemesofyour Majesty, with the two-edged sword that Cometh o^t rhriirr Ani wSen he callethTour Majesty from th" Jhrone^ , full of years and victories, may it be with that voice, Come,i^ ceive the kingdom prepared for thee, from the beginmng of the ^^' These are the continual prayers of, your Majesty»s dutiful «id loyal subjects, John Wesley, .&*•"-*»»!■ •^^'^SS^Tll^u presented; it being, on further considerauon, judged best to Uy it *"« I'n April;" aays Mr. Wesley, " I took a second journey into ComwalT^aild went through many towns I had not '^.^^J^- Since my former visit, there had been hof persecution both of the preached and people. The preaching-house, •} Sj: JJJ* f^r"!! DuUed to the ground : one of the preachers pressed and sent for a Soldier, as were several of the^ people:, over and *bove the being ItonS, covered with dirt and the like, which was the treatment many if them mA with from dny to day. ^But notwittetandmj this they who had been eminent for hurling, fighting, dnnking, and aU manoer of wickedness, continued eminent for sobriety, Piety, and «U manner of goodness. In all parts, more-and mofe of the lions bec^elMnbs,continuaUypraisiSr God, Md calling their oldcom- panions in sin, to come and magnify the Lord together. About the ■ nme time John Nelson, and Thomas Beaid, were pressed and sent for soldiers, fomo other crime, either committed or pretended, than that of caUing sinh^rs to repentance. The eue <»Jotai Nelson is well known. Thomas Beard also, was noUung terrified by his adversaries. Yet the body after a while sunk under its burden. He was then lodged in the hospital of NewcasUe, where he still praised God confinually. His fever increasmg, he was let blood: £is arm festered, mortified and was cut off: two or three days after which, God signed his discharge, and caUed him up to his eternal **" All this year the alarms were uninterrupted, from the French on the on© hand, and the rebels on the other: and *g«wwal panie ran throuoh the nation, fitom the east to the west, from the north to the sooth.. I judged it the more needfiil to visit as many places ;48 possible, a nd avail myself of the preoioue opportnmty MJ •8m fid.!, page in. I .-- '"ttm wkw, Ma»' waiLit.' ' bratlMr Mid oar other preaehera were of the mum mind: they ipiokm and spared not. They ruahnd through every open door, 'And eriedi iinnen behold thb Lamb" And theNr-' word did not fall to the ground: they saw abundant fruit of their labor. | went through many paru of Walea: through nioat of the miilland counties} and then through Lincolnshire, and Iforluhire to Newcastle-upon Tyne. And multitudes who were utterly careless before, did now prepare to meet their Ood.»* The persecution at St. Ives, Mr. Weslev observM, " Was ow- ing in i^reat measure to the indefatigable labors of Mr. Hoblin, and Mr. Simmons: gentlemen worthy to be had in everlasting remem- brance, for their unwearied endeavors to destroy heresy* j ** ForhmaH umbo ! Si^uidmeapagiiutpomU, NuUadiu wiqtum mtmori vo$ tmmtt mvo.** Happy both ! Long as my writinga, shall your &iqo lemali The riots In Slaffordshire still continued in the begraning of this J rear. The mob of Walsal, Darlaston, and Wednesbury, hired br the purpqiM bj^ their biDtters, broke open their poor neighbors* houses Ht tu»ir pleasure, by day and by night, extorting money from the fe|r that had H; takin|f away, or destroying their victuab and goods; beating and Woundmg their bodies; abusing their wo- men, and openly declaring they would destroy every Methodist la the country: the christian country where his majoity*8 peaceable and loyal subjects were so treated for eight montfais, and then pub- licly branded in the Whitehall and London Evening-Post for riot- era and incendiaries f From Cornwall, Mr. Wesley passed over into Wales; on his re- turn he made a short sta^ at Bristol, and then set out for the north, visiting most of the societies in his way to Newcastle. June 30, he returned to London, where he met his brother, two or three other clergjrmen, and a few of the preachers, whom he had ap- pointed to come froiQ'' various parts, to etmf^ with them on the affaira of the societies. Mr. Wesley observes, " Monday, June 85^ and the five following days, we spent in eoitferenee with our preachers, seriously considering, by what means we might the most effectually save our own souls and them thU heard us. And the result of our eonstiltatiOns we set down, to be the Riri.n of mtr 7itfNreDrael»e<.»^This was the first Methodist Conference: and for the better regulation of their afiaira, a conference has been-held anftually ever since: Mr. Wesley having presided at forty^ven iueh oonferences. The subjects of their deliberatiomi^ were, pro- posed in the form of questions, v^lnch were amply disouaeed; nod the quettions with the answers q^reed upon were Jpritten down, and afterwards printed, under 'the title of, " MinRes of aevend GonverMtiona between the Roverend Mr. Wesley an4 others.** Mmmonly called « Minutes of Conference.** ■ ^^ ej*' ,, CHAPTER II. ■ ■'... \ ■ ■*■■;■:.. ,;..•■•■■■.■...:•< ■•:-■-■■. . ■■■■■ .■• . ,■ : f9KTAtltIlv6 A VfTRTRim ACC01TW» OF M*. WlillT»i LABOKI! A •UMMAmr or thc miicotb* or coNrEREHCE respectiho the DOCTEIITBI HI TAUOHT: AKD A VIEW Or THE •PEEAD Or METH- ODISM OHTIL THf COMFEEBIlCa |JI 17W« > . ,4^ . . . . The plan on which Mr. Wesley had hitherto governed the'soci- eties and the preachera, was imperfect; and as the number increatH ed, must aoon have become insupportably laborious. When the preachers at first went out to exhort and preach, it was by Mr. Wesley's permission and authority; some from one part of the , kingdom, some fipom another: and thdufi(h stranarers, J^et on nia credit and sanction alone, they were received and providedTor as Aiends, by the societies wherever they came. But having little or \no communication or intercourse with one another, nor any subnr- dination among themselves, they must have been under a contin- aal necessity of recurring to Mr. Wesley for direction, bow and rbere each one was to labor. By callhig thena together to a con- erenoe, he brought them into a closer union with each other, and •de them sensible of the utility of acting in concert and harmony ider his direction mA appointment. '"He soon fo^nd it necessary, wever, to bring their itinerancy under certain regulations, and luce it to some fixed order; both to prevent coolusion, and for Biri ovm ease. He therefore took fifteen or twenty societies, a^ire orllless, which lay round some principal society in those parts, and which were so situated, that the greatest distance from one to toes other was not much more than twenty miles, and united therti into what was called a eiremi. At the yearly conference, he appointed twb, three, or four preachers to one of these circuits, accorf\^ng to ita extent, which at first was often very considerable, sometimes am in part of three or four counties. Here, *nd here Qjily, thei wbre. to labor for one year, that Is, until the jiext conference, One of the preachers on every circuit, was called the Assistant, for the reason before mentioned. He took charge of all the soci- etieiwithin the limits assigned him; he enforced the rules event b; iod superintended, and directed the labonr of the preacb- ^iated with him. Having received m list of the soeieties log histsirouit, he took his own station In it, gave to theother ^ere a i^an i>f it. and pointed out the day when each should le place fixed for him, to begin a progressive motion round ch order as the plan directed. They now followed one through all the societies belonging to that circuit at stattid of time; all being governed by the same rule, and under- name labor. By this plan, every preacher's daily work minted beforehand, each knew every day where the otheit (nd each society wbeii to expect the preacher^ and how long Id stay with them. But of late years, since the great in- f Methodism, the circuits have been divided ami suIhIk rhieh has maae way fw « great increase of preaeherst and ' the fiitlgaee of itindraney triflinf, e(mi|MireA with what whei en fill pireacf beat it, •n< joins was i] were» lewoi tided. w. vliVft iv m ttv. mmthirimM9, ^^ w«r« fai the befinnlnf . Many of the preeehen too, hATO b«en luffiBred to ttiiy two yean, goinetifnet three^ on the seme oiv^ euit, aod even then have been reinoved to a circuit, only a few milea diaUnt. Nay, it ia aaid, that the aocietiea in JLondon itaelf, with the placee a4)«eent, have been divided into three oireuita, by which a fe%«f preachera'may become atationary for a great num- ber of years. ' Mr. Wealey conaidered itinerancy as of the utmost importance to Methodism: but by dividing the circuita in thia man- ner, the effects of it have already been diminished, aod may if time be totally destroyed. . '^ The conference being ended, Mr. Wesley obaerves, "The next week we endeavored to purge the society of all that did not walk worthy of the gospel. By this means we reduced th^ nnmber uf members to leas than nineteen hundred. But number ia an incon- siderable circumstance. May God increase them In faith and love!" This shows us, the aatonishiiu; increase ofTnemberain the Methodist societies. Four years before this period', Mr. Wea-f lev separated from his brethren at Fetter-Lane, and soon after fifty or sfail^ joined with him: these uten now increased, in and about London, to nineteen hundred! Had the original piety, zeal, and disinterestedness been preserved unabated amon^ the preach* ere, and theur nlan inviolably kept in every nlaoe, it u impossible to say how tar the beneficial influence oi Methodism over the morals of the people of all ranks in this nation, would have been eztandedl "August 84, St, Bartholomew's Day » says Mr. Wesley, "I preaehM for the last time before the university of Oxford. I am now clear' of the Uood of these men. I have fully delivered my own soul. And I am well pleased that it should be the very day, on which, in the last centu^, near two thousand burnin^^and shin- ing lights, were put out at one stroke.* Yet what a wide differ- ence IS there between their case and mine ! They were turned out of house and home, and all that they had: whereas I am only hin- dered firom preaching, without any other loss; and that in' a kind of honorable manner: it being determined, that when my next turn to preach came, they wouul pay another personate preach for me. And so they did twice or thrice; even to the time that I re- signed my feUowship." "*^ / All this summer the preachers and people of Cornwall, had hard aervioe, the war against the Methodiata being carried on niore vig* ^ — " ^ -— ' »T- — • ' — . . , ' . V * fiartfaQlomew't Dsy has been twios remarkable for the craehies enreised upon it. The first instance was, the massacre of seTenty thousand French Pre- lestutsthroaahootthe kingdoOi of France, by the Papists, attended with dr> cumstanees of the most horrid treachery and croehy. It began at PariSi ia the Bight of the festival of St. Bartholomew, August 94. 1B78, by secret ordtis fnan OfiariM nc. Uof irf* F^nee, at the instigation of the Qoesa Dowafer, Caiha* liaa delladicis, ais nother. The second instance was the Act of Unifonsity, ifiMA wassafiiroed on BarthohMoeWa Day, August 84, lecs, by which two sand Bdaisiafi, aiaoyaf them the most pion* and learned napi in the aatisa, isasteatftaathsjClbindiofBag^and. because they eouhi not eoBfiftv to ' niMMiniii la'dia&a wwahip, whieh the bishtma ohosa to hbpoaa aaae mmk.mnmi^ they were not only deprived of their atsttxt UnAlnm Wie thoT Miid, * However, we .hall catch him on Sunday at CamlSum^^ Mr. \Ve.tnll'. turn to be there. WhKwa. P^^™ing at Mr. Harri.'., a ull man came .n, and pulled him down. Mr, Harri. demanded hu. warrant: but > •wore. • Warrant or no warrant, he .ball go with me.* So he car- JSwm out io the mob. who took hiin away to the church-town. They Kpt him there till the Tuetwlay morn/ng. when the Rev. Dr. LrliiTrSe hi. m«<.mi«. by V««e of whic^ *;! r^a^ram 'X mittod to the hou» of correction at Bodmin, m a vagrant. So Iheylook him a. far a. Carobouni that eight, and the next day to ^hi jurttce. who met at the next quartW •««»«« ^^j^™!"' knowing a little more of the law. of God and man. or at leut SowinlmorregTii for them, than Dr. Borlaw. declared Mr. W^S*!^^^ent to be contrary to all law, and immediately "^AU Uib year'TS'od wa. carrying on the wrae work, that |«, refor- mXTfmanner.onevangeiica'l principle., in th* Engl..h anny abroad, though on a .mailer wsale: M>me account of which Mr. wZl^i iSSSfved «h>m one^f their PSr\^r^,l" '^/^Ei^^^^ he ter dated November. «We make bold.»» My. Mr. Evan..^thj writer.^ to trouble you with thi., to acquaint you with wme of JElSnl»^deSu,« with u. here. We h-ve hiftd two room.; om amalLwhereln aTew of u. meet every day: and another large, •Ae!!;in vTmiHit for public -e-^'** J^I , SA' ^uT u? *S tl5 four. And the hand of the omnipotent God la with na, to tae pulling down of the atrong-hold. of tatan. I 9!£!flite SSSUi^ffaaydMioaiiaatioa, rtrtaladeSjaioa a|Ml aathoniy «w« Ufter fiii'ltv. iMiir wMLSf. mUmi ttftnili bMtant, when w« wer« imtt tofcllMr Id iIm •▼•' Blafi M I WM at pngrvr, one that waa kneallM by ma, eriad out like a woman In trafail, ' My Radeemarl mv Redaamcrt* Wban he waa aaked, what waa the matter? he aaid, * he had found that which he had often heard of, an heaven upon earth.* And leveraJ othem had much ado to forbear eryinc out in the aame manner. ** Dear air, I am a stranger to you in the lleah. I know not, If I haTe seen you above once, when 1 taw you preaching on Kenning- ton Common. • I then hated you aa mnih as, by the grace of God, I lore you now. The Lord purauea me with conrietiona firom my infancy; and I made many go the least or my Master's servants.** February 4, 1745, Mr. Wesley observes, " I had the pleasure of receiving mm Dr. Hartley, a particular account of Dr. Cheyne'a hut hours.* During hi^laat ilfnei > 'f' leas he felt a gentle and gradual * Dr^ Osorge GhevDe, a phnkian of n«i| lesming simI abilities, was born in SooUsnd. in ten. H« psased his youtiliir dose study snd great tempenuice. Bnteonungto London, when about thirty, and finding the younger gentry md ftee-Uvere lo be the most easy of aoceef ^ he suddenly changed hk former Aip- aer of living to associate with them ; having observed that this method had aio- eeededtoiatradnessoBMOtfalfrs into practiw. The oonseqoenoe was, that ha grew daily la balk, swelling to soeh an Si^Hbus siae, that he eneeded lhiny> ' ' and was foieed to ,lMVpKi whnto sMs of -IP^Blpfkit BiMa tvostoaakivMkht, spaatorsesivshuit I to rsesivs bui t be grsw short-breathed, lethargio, nervoas aM seorhatie t as last his Ulh baeaow aa iatolerable bordea. , After tiylM all the power at iwdieias la wda^ ha raailved to try a mith sad v«ffetiMa diet i the goad cftsu MwMohsaaaaMsaisd. EHs sias reduced ahnast a Utftdj yn he rccov s wd Ma •tfwgthy aMvity, aai ahsnlUasai, with the psilwtasa afaUhia ftwdtiss tfa l^*.\ '* V ifl^- Vlil Un Of Tut Mf. *•■« WMI-if. iUmt. m mat b« ap|m»hend«cl wh»l th« ©vent wouW be. But it dill not mvtmmr to give him any vomtnu He •a«n«d quii« Uum IVorii nil lielow, till without aiiv atruvgle, either of bwly or maul, Ae calmly gave up hl« aoul to God.»» ^^ March II. Mr:We.ley obaervea, " Many pwiwna atill rrpre- •«uting the MethoiiiaU aa enemiea to the cl«rgy, I wroti| to a fruiiid the r«al atate of the caae, in aa plaiu a iiiaiuier aii I could. " 1. Alwut aoven yeara ainco, w« began preachmg iHwartl, prca- ent aalvation, aa attainable by faith alone, 2. tor preaching thw doctrine we are forbidden to preach in moat churchea. S. We then preacheil in private houae*, and when the houaea c«iuld not contain the peo,.le. in tho o,Mm air. -J. For thi« n.any of the clnr^iy preached or printed againat ua, aa Inuh heretica an5 ' J" Imrv mtMluction i. a work entil ed, " Ohwrvalion. on Man, hi. frame, hi. duly, iSfllS^ a aSSd Edition ^ puhliahed. The Aral part conUun. obMrTation. jr?LTiiTSeh!Sian iKKlyand mind, and their mutual connecuen.-and ffllSie!/ Thi. i. a riioat curfou. and ingenious .y.tem , but It i. founded on SSS^; «»d the lirt.^re held togeth^^^ ^^^•'l*^t. S^'Dr Hartley aijpoee., thai what h^ been called the nertoua fluid. « a fine fLic^'ther'Tiiib WWcii vibraUoni-re propagated to ihe brain, •"* hrougb tKhole oi' it. .ulStanc. By tha^Tbr. lions, '"f /f.^ "J"V«7hl 55^0 and asaociation.. he attempts to explain operation, of the soul. Hut he nnsiioi lroT!dSre5.ten«J of auchjwrlther, nor of the tibraiion. which he .uppwe. Kt aS fh"hil,y^oaaht't« have explained. to u. m the cfeanfrt muTner how thaae vibrationa are the machanical cauaea of the opemtion. of th. ISwirieartlohave .hown, that there i. u oon.ti(it correapondence and K^o?^hitwe?n the law. they oUrve, and the law. -f «$« P»'«'«:n"jf g •rabmuiht U> explain. But neither of ihew thingi. ha. he done. The flrsl ha hS tSaRy omi'St Md in attempting the latter, Ri. analo,^ wa«ming •« SgaJanJutHjertaii, that no man of common prudence would act "?«"•»«'• "J; )i!h1mi in the affaira of life in which he waa much interested. In reference tffl &bjittSaXr.of JhoElicyclq^ ol-^rve. "We think U 2?S?ytot5i«..tniteaga>n.tthi; .rWnly ^7.?f ^niing: J^« J°''W e^JJ '«^lditoptor*proliation7lthaabeeochieflyon thia (aithleM .»»o"«*"'">lP~ X bUayvaiSrSf roan haa built that degradibg watem of opinion, called Ma- Mai Ju.i>y which the affection, and iicultie. ot the aool of man hate bee. iMolaad into vibtation»andpulMa of ether." ... rM— o-oi. DrEaS; in hia fiiy. onthe Intallectoal and ActivaPnwera oflfw, J «Jj. 4trtoa proceeded oTa^^ ^u'^hir i«VSR£r#aa?ttbli.l»Sl, I aJted the l«t« DrJPnceJu. «P»«»»X»^ "J*"* ■K" IthiaMttTaaaawwabU, aUhar by Dr. Pnaatky, or any other paiaoo. •# ^^W' r- mu pvwM, ■• iwwuducini Pomrjr. and ralaiiM Mdition Yea, «U manner of evil waa aaid both of ua, and of thooo who iiaad to MMeinble with ua. 7. Ploding that aome of the«« did walk diaor- d«rlv, we deaired them not to pome to ua mny more. 8. And aoin« of th« otheiw we deairttd to overlook the rest, that we might know wh«ther they walkeopln did mo iHith in Staflbnlnhire, Cornwall, and many other placea. II. And thav do ao atill, wherever they ar« out reatrained by fear of the maglatratea. " Noav what cull u>e do, or what can you or our brethren d«, towartia healing thia breach? Deaire of «m any thing which w« can do with o aafe conacience, and wp will do it immen^»«'n« «• to preach in hia church. 3. "We do not deaire, that any who thinka it hia duty to preach or print againatua, ahould refrain therefrom. But we deaireithat none will do thia, till he hi|a calmly conaidered both eidea of the flueation; and that he would not condemn ua unheard, but • ^ w ^^ ••^ *" **"'' **'"" defence. , L. " T?Z f* "*** **^ "ny ^*^or« >f «*ther Popeiy, aedition, \or nmoraUj ba profed againat ua. But we deaire you would m »4it without proof, any of thoae aenaeleae talea that ppwa eui iiihaviiliHr: tbAtif jou do.not eradit tharo younalvaa, '':^,. -W«-. wlttilg|p«kt«tlMiirtii4il|Hmt fm> that you will dlMoammMmM attorn wm Mill retail thAiii slM-osil. 4 " W« do not diwim any pref«nn«nt, fnvor, or wwominrndn- tlon fVom iImmmi that «r« In iM>w«r, elllmr in church or atata Hut we dcire, I. That if iiny thuif material b« laid to our churgw. we may lie permllted to anawer /or oanwUai. 'J. I hat you would hinder your depenilanU from stirring un thfl r«W>l« agalnrt u», who •re oenaluly not the proper judgae m th«i»« niaiii^ni: niid 9. I hat you Wouki eftctualfy •up|»r«iia and diarount»'nanr« nil riotn Hiid| popular Inaurrectlonn. which nvidrntly atrike al the foundation of •11 goTernment, whether of church or atate. ^i •"Now Iheee things you o«rtainly «an do. and that with n nnTn oonaeienee. Therefore till th«a« thiiiaa \m done, thn coiitinunnre of the breacihi if Uiere be aoy, la chargeable on you, and you *"K* Jon* Mr. Weiley p»W another rlaU to Cornwall, where the preachere were continually peraocuted, only not unto death: Imth by the great yulgar and the" aiitall. They ahowed a little more ciurteey to him tfll July 4, when he went to aee a gentlewoman at Falmouth, who had been long irtdhipJIere I am: which of you has any thing to sav to me?' » contm- ^fSd speakbg »IU I came into the middle of the street, though, eould be heard by a few only. But all that could hear were atill •nd quiet. At length, one or (wo of their capt ■wore, < Not a man shall touch Mm.' A clergymr And asked, « Are you not eahaniia to use a stranl was seconded by some gentlemen of the town,) ^ ' Ifr. Weeley to a flriend's house. They then sent , i0 Penryn, and sent him thither by water: the sea runniDg ' b^k-door of the houae where he was, , " ion he makee the following obsorvationi : «• I liever even at Walsal, the hand of Ood so clearly iierv^l received blows, was covered with dirt, my ckiAes, Here, although the hands of hun- >le werdptid up to strike or throw, yet thev were um -•» — -♦opped in the midway; so that not a man touched nie with hb fingers: neither was eny thing thrown from flrst to lart, so that I had not a speck of dirt upon my clothes. Who can deny that God heareth the prayer? Or that he hath all power in heafOD and earth?'* ^, „, , . , . ,. ,^ Augttrt 1, and the following days, Mr. Weeley held the second CmSnm», with m maiw of the iii?*«cheni as oouW conveniently to pneentTTboy nwi/amA their doctrinee, and added aueh rules of SidpliM i0 tiM kaatmrn U iIm work ruqniiwl. or pnidffioe mr one|nd jf 4Hnppff (till »> «j;^i^||ioii or chriMtii Mtoit TImm will all Im kkl bsfam til rMil«r ti mm miktf loriii wimathini Ilk* a Aoin|il«tii •Vdlnin. t ^ In (Molwf • no w«« m NnwcMtU-iipon-Tynr, whvrr lh« F.ngliiih op|HMM) lh« |trogr«MHi uf th« rftiirb. Olm^rvinK wilhi |)rn, thfl (IrunkniinnM, and pniftHin Nwniuring thnt (ir*- ff ihii HoUlHtm, hn wrotn ihn rollowiiiK lalttir to AM«ro 'hi* highly chnrncinriiiiin of hi* xraj (or th« pro- lan knowlvilgr, and christian (kiety and virtufl, eoiMKJorcd aa a national blf«M«ing. t •♦Sir — Thn f«ar of (»,bed again on « little em luflioe belbft tlw tmmp^ and continaed thia practiciB occaaimiiiUjp m ')V kimt. (/ A PA rif 8S0 VRB LIFB or THB EBT. JOHB WBitOT . . '■-" pleased, and their goods spoiled or carried oway, at Wcdnesbury bnrlaston, West-Bromwicb, Stc^ pome of the owners standing by hut not during to giiiiiHuy, as it wouhl have been at the peni of their lives, Mr. Wesley thought it was his duty to visit thw har- rassed people in their distre^. and on the 17th, set forward toward, this scenfe of confuHion and outrage. On the 20th, haying preached at Birntinjcham, he rotlo over to Wednesbury, Und pr^ched at noon inu ground near the middle of the towii, on Jesus ChriHt « ehe same yoHtorday, to-day, and forever.'-" No creature offered to inolcHt us," says Mr. Wewley, "either going or commg: but the Lord fought fi»r us, and we held our peace." .,„,,. .. Mr. WeHley proteeds. " I was writing at Francis Word's in the afternoon, when the cry arque, that the mob had beset the hou^e. We prayed that God would disperse them: and so it Was; one went this way, and another that, so that in a half an hour not a man was left. 1 told our brethren now is the time to go : but they pressed^ me exceedingly to stay. So, that I might not offoml them, f sat down, thoJgh I foresaw what would follow. Before five the inob surrounded the house again, ond m greater nunribers than ever. The cry of one and all was, ' Bnng out the minister, we will have the minister.' I desired one to take the captain by the hand and bring him into the house. After a few sentences in- terchanaed between us, the lion was become a lamb. I desired him to go, and bring one or two of the most ongry of his com- panionf. He brought in two, who were ready to swallow the around with rage: but in two minutes they were as calm as he. I then bade them make way that I might go out among the people. As soon as I was in the midd^ of them, I called for a chair, and asked, « What do any of you want with me?' Some said, we want yWto go with us to the justice. I replied, that I w.l with all my heart. I then spoke a few words, which God appi applied; sO that ^'* * i>,s^ in they cried out with might and main, ' The gentlemanjs an honest gentlemon, and we wil! spill our blood m his defence ' I asked "shall we go to the Justice to-night or m the morning? ' Most of them cried, * To-night, to-night : ' on which I went before, and two OT thie hJndred followed, tlie rest returning vvhence they came. "The niirht came on before we had walked a mile, together, with^heavy rain. However, on we went to Bentley-Hall, two "-^^ilea from Vednesbury. One or two ran befdre, to tell Mr. Lane ^^hev had brouirht Mr. Wesley before his worship;* Mr. Lane tepuS, * WhS Save I to do with Mr. Wesley? Go and carry ■him hoik again.' By this time the main bodv came up, and began I WS at the door. A servant told them, Mr. Lane was in bed. ' • Ss son followed, and asked, what was the matter? One replied, lAWhy, a^^^^^^^ you, they sing psalms all day; nay. and make folkJvLie at Sve in the moriing. And what would your worsh p ^ aSviseus to do?' «To go home,' said Mr. Lane, 'and be quiet.' ' « Herl they were at a^full stop, till one adyised to «o to Justice . PersSiouse, at Walsal. All agreed to this: so we hastened on, ' anHKt aeJen came to his hoSse. But Mr. Persehouse likewise wnt worf, thit he was in bed. Now they were at a stand ^ain- Tut S they all thought it the wisest course to make the best of mn uvi ov nn •■▼. jOBii trtnomr. thdr way home. Abour fifty of thflin undertook to Gonvoy me. fiutjiipe hadnot gone a hundred yards, when the mobof 'Walsalearae puring-in like a flood, and bore down all before them. The Dar- laston mob made what defence they could; but they were weary, as well as out-niimbered : so that, in a abort time, many being knocked jjown, the rest went away, and left me in their hands. . << To attempt speaking was vain; for the noise on every side waa like the roaring of the sea. So thev dragged me along till we came to the town: where seeing the door or a large house open, I attempted to go in: but a man catching me by the hair, pulled me back into the middle of the mob. They made no more stop till they had carried me through the main street, fW>m one end of the town to the other. I continued speaking all the time to those within hearing, feeling no pain or weariness. At the west end of 4he town, seeinfra door half open, I made towards it, and would 'have gone in. But a gentleman ii^^p shop would not suffer me. ^ndymg, they woul4 pull the houseV^q the ground. However, I stood at the door and asked, * are vou willing to hear me speak? ' Manjr cried out, * No, not knock nis brains out: down with him: kill him at once.' Others said, * Nav; but we will hear him first.* I began asking, * What evil have I done? Which of you tdl have I wronged in word or deed? ' And continued speaking for above « quarter of an hour, till my voice suddenly faileo. Then the floods began to lift' iip their voices again; many crying out, * Bring him away, bring him away.' \ "In the mean time my strength aild my Voice returned, and I broke out aloud into prayer. ^ And now the man who had just he-* fore headed the itaob, turned and said, * Sir, I will spend my life for you. Follow me, and not one soul here shall touch a hair of your head:* Two or three of his fellows confirmted his words, and got close to me immediately. At the same time the gentleman in the shop cried out, * For shame, for shame, let him go.' An hon- est butcner, who was a little further off, aaid it was a shame they should do thus: and pulled back foUr or flve, one after another, who were running on the most fiercely. The people then, as if it had been by comnion consent, fell back to the nght andleft^^ while thos^ three or four men took me between them, and carried me ' throuffh them all. But on the bridge the mob rallied again; we theretore went on one side, over the mill-4am, and thence through the meadows: till a little before ten, God brought me safe t<» Wednesbiiry; having lost only one flap of my waistcoat, and a lit-. tie skin from one of my hands. " From the beginning to tli^end, I found the same presence of mind, as if I had been sitting in my own study. But I took no thought for 6ne~moment tefore another: only once it came into mv mind, thallf they should throw me into the river it would spoil the papers that were in my pocket. For myself, I did not doubt but I should swim^across, naving but a thin coat, and a light pair of boots. ** 1 he circumstances that follow, I thought were particularly r** markuble. 1. That many endeavored to throw me down while ws were going down hiU, on a slippery path to the town; as wall J^'V .Mi' Tm htn w rnA mm, mtn Wiiiiit. JiMlffinir, that if I wm onc6 on the ground, I ihould hunllj Hm any mora. But I made no stumble at all, nor the leant slip, till I was entirely out of their hands. 9. That although many strove to lay hold on my collar or clothes, to pull me down, thev could not fas ten at allf only one got fast hold of the flap of my waistcoat, which was soon lefk in his hand. 8. That a lusty man just behind, struck at me several times, with a large oaken stick; with which if he had struck me once on the back part of my head, it would have saved him all further trouble. But every time the bl6w was turned ^ide, I know not how. 4. That another came rushing throuffh^he press, and raising his arm to strike, on a sudden let n drop, and onW stroked inv head, saying, * What softhair he has!» 6. That I stopped exactly at the mayor's door, as if I had known It. which the mob doubtless thought I did, and found him standing in the shop; which gave the first check to the madness of the peo- ple. 6. That the very first men whose hearts were turned, were the heroes of the town, the captains of the rabble on all occasion^} one of them having bfen »pn«e-fighter at the bear-jjardens. 7. That from first to last, I he»p| non* give me a reviling wort, or call me by any otMorarunu name whatever. But the cry of one and all was, «The preacher I the^ preacher! the p&rson! the min- ister ! » 8. That no creature, at least within my heanng, laid any- thinff to my charge, either true or false; having in the hurry quite fonrotten to provide themselves with an accusation of any kind. And lastly,they were utterly at a losr, what they should do with me; none proposing any detennmate thmg; only, *Away w^th liim,kill him at once.r «^ , • * j -* "When I came back to Francis Ward's I found many of our pressed such a cordial aflfection, that I could acarce believe what I nw and heard. . i^_ " I cannot close this head, without inserttogan great a cunosity in its kind, as, I believe, was ever yet seen in England; which had its birth v^tfiin a very few days of this remarkable occurrence at Waiial. **att^d»h%re. «To all Hlgh-Cdnstabies, Petty-Constabliw, and other of his Majesty's Peace officers within the said county, &c. «« Whereas we his majesty'v justices of the peace, for the .said eounty of Stafford, have received information, that ^several disor- derly persons, styling themselves Methodist preachers, go about raisinifroute andf riots, to the irreat damage of his majesty's liege people, and against the peace of our sovereign lord the king : "T'hese are in his majesty's name, to conunand you, and evenr one of yon, within yonr respective districta, to make dibgent search after the aaid Methodist preachers, and to brinf him or them he- foM some of us his said majestv's justices of the peaoo, to be •lamiiied ooncern'ing their unlawful dpings. ^ ^f^\^ -,«, « Oiyen ODder our hands and sMb una day of ilctober, 1749 ^ J, Lamb, ^ ' W. PBfttBHOVtB.** / I?*"'- p5." '■ / fTpralMit Mlspced to th« sttte of the peo|)l«. Prenehen of tdueih tion, and divenified knowlrage, ■eldom dwell •uflkiently In their MrmoiM on these importiint p<»int«;''iind hence the lay-preaehera were far more succewsful in awakening ninners to a iMnae of their dangerous state, and in bringing them to a saving knowledge of Christ* than other preachers of much more cultivated minds. To enforce the necessity of repentance, and of seeking salvation by , grace alone through a Redeemer, the preacher would often draw a picture of human nature in such stronc and nattiral colors, that eveiy one who herfrd him saw his own likeness in it, and was ready to say, he hath showijf^nie all that was in my neart. The effect was surprising. The people found themselves under every dis- course, evaergmif out ofthe thickest darkness into a region of light; thel^axe of which being suddenly poured in upon them, gave ex- quisite pain at first, but soon showed them the way to peace and consolation. Mr. Wesley foresaw, tha( as knowledge was in- creased among the people,'it ought to be increased in the same, or .even in a greater proportion among the preachers; otherwise vth<)y would l^ome \e§a useful, tind in the end be despised. He therefore began to think of a collection of such bopkn in the Eng^ lish tan|;uage, as might forward their improvement in. treating of the various branches of practical divinitv. He seemed; tenacious, that the plan of his own education, and the prejudices he had early imbibed against the non-conformists of the last century,, had shut ' him out from the knowledge of mamr writings which possibly might be very useful on this occasion. This induced him to request Dr. Doddndge, with whom he had a friendly correspondence, to^ve hin}4^ list of such books as he might think proper for the improve- ment of youn^ preachers. March 15, the Doctoi' wrote to him, apoiogixing for the delay in complying with his request. *< I am quite grieved," says he, "and ashamra, that any hurry, public or private, should have prevented my answering your very obliging letter fronqt Newcastle; especially as it has a face of disrespect, where I am sure I ought ^ ewress the very reverse, if I would do justice either to you, or my own heart. But you have been used ^ fQ|wlve greater injuries. m my usual business for some days next week? on which account I must beg 'your patience for a little while lonser, as to the list of books you desire me tp send you. But if God j^rmit, you shall be sure to have ft in a Tew weeks. "liately published a Thanksgiving Sermon, for the retreat of the rebels, which if you think worth calling for, at Mr. Waugh's, >t the Turk'a-Hesid in Gracechurch-Street, t ahall desire you to I •ocepC ^ I was willing to creet the firat openinn of merejr; and po mucD tHe rather, as I think with Lord Som<|rnlle>'iKHbo wit mat « vift iift Mr nitev; • ^'ll ."■.I /*« ^ rMkwtlon hi one of his letterst that, Irad <»»• M^Vl'^^^S * oeen puraued, our whole army had been destroyed. The wiaeM and best of men, I know, agree to fi»ar: oh I that they^ukfalso acree In th^ir efforts to save . I trust 1 can call God to record on mv soul, that to bring sinners to believe in Chrbt, and universally toolMjy him from a principle of grateftil love, Is ihe reigniM desire of my heart, and has been the main business of my life. Bote as, that It is so unsuocessftil a labor I Vet, God knows, th^ couW I have foreseen only the tenth part of that little success I seenr to have had, I would have preferred the ministry, with ten times the ;& labors and sorrows 1 have gone through in it, to any other employ- ill inent or situation in life. 1 shall not forget Colonel Gardner's words, speaking of a much despised and persecuted, but very use- Ril minister, *1 had rather be that man^ than emperor of the . « But Imust conclude. May God,evenyourownGod,cotttinuj to increase all his blessings on your head, heart, and labors; and may he sometimes lead you to remember in your prayers, " Reverend and dear sir, „ 16 ** Your affeddonate brother and servant, P. 8. «« I presume the li^t y6u desire is chiefly theological. Perhaps my deiire of making it too particular, has hindered me from setting about it, till I had a leisure time, which I have. not yet found. But under the impression your book nwide upon m«» I could not delay writing one p ; Mr. Wealey now went forwards toward the north, and on Sun- day, OflC^jSlO, being , at Wensley, he preached in the church, on, " What inust I do to be saved? " He showed in the plainest terms hd could devise, that outward religion will -not bring us to heaven: that none can go thither without inward holiness, which is only to be attained by faith. As he went back through the church- yard, many of the parish were in high debate, what religion this preacher was of? Some said he must be a Quaker; others, an Anabaptist: but at length one dee^r learned than the rest, brought them all clearly over to his opinion, that he was a Presbyterian- Papistt February 16/1744. A report prevailed that the French threat- ened an invasion, and were expected to land every hour, in sup- port of Charles Stuart, the pretender to the crown of England. At this critical tiine, many addresses were sent up to the thrond expressing attachment to the principles of the revolution, and to the kinff*8 person and government. • The alarm was general; tlhe principles of the Methodists were but imperfectly known, and their . itinerancv and private societies brought them under general suspi- cion. Mr. Wesley was therefore desired to write an address to the king, and March 5, he compned with the request aAd wrote at follows: "To the King*8 Most Excellent Majesty: "The humble Address of the Societies in England and Wales, in derbion called Methodists. : "Most Gkaoiovi Sov-ekbioit, "So inconsiderable as we are^ a people scattered and peeled and trodden qndler foot from the beginning hitherto, we should in no wise have presumed, even on this great occasion, to open our lipe to your majes^, had we not been induced, indeed constrained so to do, by two considerations: the one, that in spite of all our re- monstrances on that head, we are continually represented as a peculiar sect of men, separating ourselves from the established church; the other, that we ore stOl traduced as inclined to^p<^i^ imd consequently disafiected to your Majesty. " Upon these etmaiderations, we think it incumbent upon us, if we must stand as a distinet body from our brethren, to tender for ourselves, our most dutiful^ r^^ards to. your sacred Majesty: and to declare in the presence of him we serve, the King of kings, and Lord of lords, that we are a part, however mean, of that Protest- ant church established in t^es^ kingdoms : that we unite together for this and no other end, to nromote as far as we be capable, joe. Uee, mercy, and truth; the glorv of God, and peace ancTgood wilt among men: thi^t we deteat and abhor the fbndamental doctrines of thechufoliof Romei and are steadily attached to your Majesty^s royal penmn and Ulustrioos house. a Murnw wiImt. i't 4^ &9 ,• praaohiiif haa don« coni* If**^^! common tken, drunki allowed,!. That our , t, ^ ^ . . «w«arera, Sabbath-breakfln, drunkardii, thieveti. foriiit;ator«, having been reolaimed from thono outward riina. But it \» affirmed, *i. That it haa done more harm: the iwrwona no reclHim«d, only changing one wickwlneiw for another: and their neighUirri being su provoked thereby, hs to iMMuime worne than thiiy w«'re lM«fore. !*Thoeo who fmve left their outwani Hins, you affirm,' have onlv ehanged drunKunnciM or Sabbath-breaking for backbiting or cvd- ^ apeaking. I answer, if you affirm this of them all, it is notoriously^ falae: many we can naino, who left cursing, swearing, backbitiqg ;: drunkenneM, and evil-anoaking altogether, and who are to this dny >> jui^M fearftjl of slandering, as they are of cursing or sweariiijit^ An^faome are not yet enough aware of this snare of the de/il^ we may hope they will he ere fong. Meantime bleaa Oo«l for whitf . he haa done, and pray that he would deliver them from this tleath ftlaOs "You affirm ftirther, « That their neighlwra are provoked hereby, to return evil for evil; and ao while the former are no better, the Utter are worae than they were before.' ' «;.* . n " I anawer, 1. 'These are worae than they were.<*More.» Hut why? Because they do freah despite to tlie spirit W-^race : lie- oauae they despise that long-suflering love of God whit-h would lead themaa it doea their neighbors to repentance. And in laying the Wame of this on thowj who will no longer run with them to the ■ame exceaa of riot, the^ only fulfil the Scripturea, and fillu^e ■> meaaure of their own iniquitVk - * „ .^ u " I anawer, 2. There is atiU no proportion at all between the iood on the one hand, and the harm on the other: for they who wiect the goodness of God, were servants of the devil liefore; and they are but servants of the devil still. But ^hey who accept it, •re brought from the power of aatan, to aerve the living and true God." In April, Mr. Wealey, on hla return from the North, apent an hour With the same clergyman, and pressed him to make goo«l hia ■aaertion, thut the breaching of the Methodista had done more harm than good. This he did not choose to pursue; but enlarjged on the harm it might occaaion in succeeding generations. Mr. Wealey adds, <* I cannot aee the force of this argument. I dare not neglect the doing certain present good, for fear of fomo proba- ble ill conaequencea, in the aucceedinir century .»» / N June 4. Mr. Wealey wrote down the following mstnictiona for theatewardaofthesociety in London. , , . , 1. " You^are to he men full of the Holy Ghost, and of wisdom: that you may do all things in a manner acceptable to God.— 2. You are to he present every Tuesday and Thursday morning, in order to transact the temporal affairs of the society.-— 8. You aie to begin and end every meeting with earnest prayer to God, for a bleasing on all your undertakings.— 4. You are to produce your ■cconnta thff firat Tiiemln y in every month, that they may be tran- •cHbed into the lodger.-^. You'are to take it in turn, month by month, to be chairman. The chairman ia to aee that all the rulea b* ponctiiaUy obaorved, «nd immediately to check him who breaks ■f;'i Mwiif dMm.— 6. TovnratoiloMlbbif wMKMtlbe.- Skuir, either actually had, or reuonaMy 9;^»^^T]']fj^ ftraloc<^aider whenever you meet, 'God ia here.' Therefore. hTaSloua. Utter no triaing wonl. Speak aa in ha presence, and to tte glory of hi. great nam^.-«. W\.en any thing I. debajpd. tet one%t ince standi up arnKpeak, the rest giving attent.m, AimI ^t him speak just loud enough to be heard, in love awl in th# iplrlt of iSeekni.a.-fl. You are continually to pray, and endeavor, Xt a holy harmony of soul may in all thing, subsirt «/"«"« y»«» that in every atep, you may keep the unity of the spirit. In th« ind of p2ice.-l«. In alf debates, vou are to watch «^«r your toirita. avoiding as fhre, all clamor and contention, being swift to Sl»ar. slow to si»eak; in honor every man preferring another before himilf.— 11. If you cannot relieve. do not arieve the poor. Oivo thenTaoft worda, if nothing ehwi. Abatain IVom either sour look., or harah worda. Let them he glad to come, even though they ahould go empty away. Put younwlvea in the place "f f^ry !•?«' mi. Spd dei Witt them a. you would God should deal %iritb ^ '^^^Thete Inatrtictlona, w» w!i«» mw^ are underwritten (being the pre«»ntatewardaof the .■ . fV / S*-; . ^/■'^ sijQi Mfi"ot «m MT. iofW « We'ewuiot Indaed. «iy or do either more or W thjui we a j. prehend contteteot with the written word of Gd«L But we are ready to obey your Majeuty to the utterraoat, in^ all things whi/h we con Jve to be' agreeable thereto. And ^ ««;»«•«> exhort all with whom we converse, as they fear God. t^^^no^^hv kins. We of the clergy in particular, put all men in ti^nd to SJ5« the higher poweSa* of God: and continually declWyj musrneeda bS mbject, not only for wrath, but alao for conaciW «' Silver and gold, inoet of «• must own, we have none. Bu •uch as we havefwe humbly beg your Majeaty to accept: together with our hearts and prayers: may tte who hath jwught us with hw W^?"he Prince of all the kinp of the earth, flgjt against all the enem es of your Majesty, with tEe two^ged -^ J«^/hat cometh OMt ofhisHiouil And when he calleth your Maiesty from this throne, full of years and victeries, may it be with that voice, ' Come.re^ ceive the kingdom prepared for thee, from the beginnmg of the "These are the continual prayers of, your Majesty's dutiful and loyal subjects, John Wesley, .«^-"-*»»!" '^^''S'^T^L^^J presented; itbeing, on further considerauon, judged best to Iky it *"« I'n April;" says Mr. Wesley, " I took a second journey into Cornwall^ and went through many towns I had not »wn before. Since my former visit, there had been hot persecution both of the preachei and people. The preaching-house, at St. Ives, was bulled to the ground: one of the preachers pressed and sent for a soldier, as were several of the^ people ^ over and *»»ve the being Itoned, covered with dirt and the like, which was the treatment mahy if them mA with from dny to day. ^But notwithstanding this they who had been eminent for hurling, fighting, dnnking, and aU manner of wickedness, continued eminent for sobnety, piety , and aU manner of goodness. In all parts, more;and mofe of the lions bec^ambs,continuaUy praising God, and caUing their old comv panions in sin, to come and mamify the Lord together. About the ■ same time John NeUwn, and Thomas Beard, were pressed and sent forsoldiers, for no other crime, either committed or pretended, than that of caUing sinht^rs to repentance. The case of John Nelson ta wdl know5. Thomas Bwd Ihw, was no^ng terrified by h» adversaries. Yet the body after a while sunk under ite burden. He Vras then lodged in the hospital of NewcasUe, where he still praised God confinually. His fever increasmg, he was let blood : lis arm festered, mortified and was cut off: two or three days after which, God signed his discharge, and caUed him np to his eternal « All this year the alarms were uninterrupted, from the French on the on^^hand, and the rebels on the other: and a ffeneral panic r^ through the nation, fnom the eart to the west, from the north 10 the south.. I judged it the more needfiil to visit as many places ;«fl possible, and avail myself of the preoious ppportnmty My •8Mvol.i.pageini. ImtlMr Slid oar other preaehera wer« of the iMine mind : they ipolni •nd spared not. They rushed through every open door, 'And triedi •fainera behold thh Lamb'* And theHr- word did not Ml to the ground: they saw abundant fruit of their labor. I went through many paru of Wales: through niost of the midland counties} and then through Lincolnshire, and Yorkshire to Newcastle-upon Tyne. And multitudes who were utterly careless before, did now prepare to meet their God." The persecution at St. Ives, Mr. Weslev observM, ** Was ow« inff in j^reat measure to the indefatigable labors of Mr. Hoblin, and IMLr. Simmons: gentlemen worthy to be had in everlasting remem- brance, for their unwearied endeavors to destroy heresy* j ! ^. ** ForimaH ambo ! Sitpddmapaaktapotrit, ^] Eappy both i Lcmg o my writing!, shall your fiuae remalol. The riots in Slaffordshire still continued in the beginning of thia J«ar. The mob of Walsal, Darlastoii, and Wednesbury, hired br the purpqiM bj^ their iMtters, broke open their poor neighbors* houses Ht tfawir pleasure, bjr day and by night, extorting money from the fe^ that had H; takin|f away, or destroying their victuab and goods; beatinc and Wounding their bodies; abusing their wo* men, and openly declariqg they would destroy every Methodist in the country: the christian country where his majoBty*8 peaceable and loyal subjects were so treated for eisht montfais, and then pub- licly branded in the Whitehall and Lonaon Evening-Post for riot- ers and incendiaries! From Cornwall, Mr. Wesley passed over into Wales; on his re- turn he made a short stay at Bristol, and then set out for the north, visidng most of the societies in his way to Newcastle. June 30, he returned to London, where he met his brother, two or three other clergymen, and a few of the preachers, whom he had ap- pointed to come frouo' various parts, to con/^ with them on the afikira of the societies. Mr. Wesley observes, " Monday, June Sfr, and' the five following days, we spent in eortferenee With our preachers, seriously considering, by what means we might the most effectually save our own souls and them thU heard us. And the result of our eonsaltations we set down, to be the Rvhu of our jfitfNrcoradiM.**— This was the first Methodist Conference: and for the better regulation of their afiairs, a conference has beejpkheld aniiially ever since: Mr. Wesley having presided at forty^ven inch oonferences. The subjects of their deliberationii^ were- pro- posed in the form of questions, winch were amply disouased: and the qnettiote with the answers digreed upon were Jpritten dfown, and afterwards printed, under 'the title of, " MinSfes of sevenU Goiiversadona between the Reverend Mr. Wesley and others.** eommonly called « Minutes of Conference.'* ■ ♦ '" nnrjbiiB «f *■» ut. mmiv wmi«v. *]k f.fe CHAPTER II. fdltTAIMIirO A VOftTltKR ACCO0Wt 0» Ml. WlfllT»i LAMKi: A •OMMAir or THE MINUTBt OF COWFEREHCB RESFECTIIfO THE DOOTRINBI HE TACOHT: AMD A VIEW Or THE tPEEAD 0» METH- OOItM OHTIL THf COWrEEEHdE IK 1751.,^ The plan on wWch Mr. Wesley had hitherto governed the bocI- eties and the preachers, was imperfect; and as the numberincrea». ed, must aoon have become insupportably laborious. When the preachers at first went out to exhort and preach, it was by Mr. Wesley's permission and authori^; some from one part of the , kingdom, some from another: ancl thdu|(h strangers, 3^et on hia \ credit and sanction alone, they were received and providedTor as \ friends, by the societies wherever they came. But having "t"OJ>r \no communication or intercourse with one another, nor any subor- dination among themselves, they must have been under a contin- ual necessity of recurring to Mr. Wesley for direction, bow and Where each one was to labor. By callhig them together to a con- ferenoe, he brought them into a closer union with each other, and liuule them sensible of the utility of acting in concert and harmony utader his direction aiid appointment. 'He soon fi^nd it iiecessary, hWever, to bring their itinerancy under certain regulations, and luce it to some fixed order; both to prevent cootusion, and for hik own ease. He therefore took fifteen or twenty societies, aiore orlless, which lay round some principal society in those parts, and which were so situated, that the greatest distance from one to thfr other was not much more than twenty miles, and united therti into what was called a etr«it#. At the yearly conference, he appointed tw5, three, or four preachers to one of these circuits, aoconVng to its extent, which at firat was often very considerable, sometimes taking in part of three or four counties. Here, «nd here ojily, they wiire. to labor for one year, that Is, until the jiext conference, One of the preachers on every circuit, was called the Assistant, for the roaaon before mentioned. He took charge of all the soci- etieaTwithin the limits assigned him; he enforced the rulee every wheie; and superintended, and directed the laborr of the preacb- bread beat it, di was i| were, ie wo 'a * ;iated with him. Having received a list of the societies histsirouit, he took his own station in it, gave to the other )r» a |Aan of it. and pointed out the day when each ahouid place fixed lor him, to begin a progressive motion round Ji order as the plan directed. They now followed one through all the societies belonging to that circuit at stated of time; all being governed by the same rule, and under- tame labor. By this plan, every preacher»s daily work tainted beforehand, each knew every day where the others nd each soeie^ when to expect the preacher, and how long Id stay with them. But of late yeani, aince the great in- cr«wo of Methodiam, the circuits have been divided ami subdi^ tkied, Which has made way for a great incraaae of preacbejra, and — ij — ^ the fiiiignea of itinerancy trilling, eompiued with what viim -«r 9wk isv. Hammmst, ibay were hi the beginnlnf. Many of the preeehen too, hAT« been luffiired to ttiiy two yean, •omeiimM three, on the lame olr- euit, and even then have been reinoved to a circuit, only a few milea distant. Nay, it ia said, that the societies in London itself, with the places adjacent, have been divided into three drciiits, by which a fevif preachers 'may become stationary for a great num- ber of years. ' Mr. Wealey considered itinerancy as of the utmost importance to Methodism: but by dividing the circuits in this man- ner, the effects of it have already been diminished, and may in time be totally destroyed. . , ■ -^ The conference being ended, Mr. Wesley observes, "The next week we endeavored to purge the society of all that did not walk worthy of the gospel. By this means we reduced th^ number uf members to less than nineteen hundred. But number is an incon- siderable circumstance. May God increase them in faith and love!'* This shows us, the astonishing increase of -members in the Methodist societies. Four years before this periodi, Mr. Wea-; ley separated firom his brethren at Fetter-Lane, and soon after fifty or sixtv joined with him : these were now increased, in and about London, to nineteen hundred! Had the original piety, seal, and disinterestedness been preserved unabated amon^ the preach- ers, and their plan inviolably kept in every olace, it is impossible to say- how far the beneficial influence or Methodism over the morals of the people of all ranks in this nation, would have been extended I "August «4, St, Bartholomew's Daj;," says Mr. Wesley, " I preacbM for the last time before the university of Oxford. I am now clear' of the blood of these men. I have fiiUy delivered my own soul. And I am well pleased that it should be the veir day, on which, in the last centu^, near two thousand burnin|( and shin- hig lijifhts, were put out at one stroke.* Yet what a wide differ- ence IS there between their case and mine ! They were turned out of house and home, and all that they had: whereas I am only hin- dered iirom preaching, without any other loss; and that in' a kind of honorable manner: it being determined, that when my next turn to preach came, they wouUl pay another person^to preach for me. And so they did twice or thrice} even to the time that 1 re- signed my fellowship." "*7^ / All this summer the preachers and people of Cornwall, had hard service, the war against the Methodists being carried on niore vig- * fi^rtholomew's Day has been twiot lemarkaMe for the cnieliies essreised apoD it. The first initsnce was, the maisacre of scTenty ihouMod French Pire- - lestuuthroQffbontthe kingdoifi of Francf, by the Papists, attended with e|r> cumttsnees or the roost horrid treachery and cruehy. It hegao at PariSi in the Bight of the festival of St. Bsrtholoniew, August 94. 1678, by seeret orders fram Oharks OC. fciogof France, at the instigation of the (iuesa DovsMr, Catha> rins de-H edids, lis oiother. The seoood instance was the Act of Uaifonidty, WiA «aseafiirosd ea Bsrtboloinew's iMy, August 84, IMS, hv which two thoBsaad ndaisisrs, away of them the most pioas and learned am^m the aati^a, awieeasteatftemtheOMiehof Bai^and. because they eooU not ooafiitm la «yisia nwiwiighii ia'diiiiaa wpwhiii, which the bishons choss to hbaosa ansa thsm. -fc,llUi.aness^ Ihev were not only deprived of their aMnnnanded them to be done. And yet we know nut how to say, that they are on 35 '>•'-. vl raaum ■ ■„■♦ » Ve.t«ll». turn to be there. Whil^li wTmSJS ng at Mr. Harri.»., a ull man came in, and JJ^IM wJdornr-Mf. Harri. demanded h^^^-^'r^^'cil' iwore. • Warrant or no warrant.he shall go with me.» So hecar- tW Wm out to the mob, who took him liwa;r ^o J^e «h">rch-town^^ Thev kept him there till the Tuesday morninff, when the Rev. Dr. BortLi wrote hia m««mti.. by virtue of whicli he waa to be com. mitwrfto the houae of correction at Bodmin, lu a vagrant So SeyVook him aa far a. Camboum that nighty and ihe next day te ^hi justi«H» ^^o met at the next quartef •*»"««" «°?*f!;'°J knowing a little more of the lawa of God and man, or at lewt SoiJinlmore regard for them, than Dr. Borlaae, declared Mr. w3. ^mrSt^^^^ to be contrary to all law, and immediately ■"^IhufiSS^lKl waa carrying onthe «^^ mation ofmannera on evangelical principlea, in «»>« Wfl*^ "K? abroad, though on a smaller scale: some account of which Mr. wZ^i .SSefved from one of their P~*«^hr » I" '^/"r^^^^^ t ter dated November. "We make bold," says Mr. ^5van8,^the writer, "to trouble you with this, to iMM|uaint you with. some of ICtinprdeSinga withusheri*. We have hiftd two rooms: one imauTwheroln a^ of u. meet every day: and anoUier large, XeSin we m«»t for public «,rvice ^^^^ {^^^P ^^^ Z^ four. And the hand of the omnipotent God la with us, tp toe puUing dow n of the atrong-holda of tatan. y laaadto wiihi aiil eesaaisn talaiie eortM«« aa* »ii«h»rf. m !'«. Q. 7. «« Whwwprd mmy we oonoeiTS Um tl» haw, to th« i'li ••r." sJ much?tVat in every sincere believer he fiilffl. aU the great and precious promised. „.> Q. 8. «* Whom do you term a wncere believer? X « On* that walks in the light, as God is in the light. S. 9. " lasincerity the same with a single eyef , . "Not altogether. The latter refers to our intention; the former to our win or desires. ^ • " S. 10. "Is it not all in. all? \ « •• • ■ ..k:«« . « All will follow persevering sincenty. God g^ves everything with it: nothing without it^ . - . - < , :. S U. " Are not sincerity and filith equivalent terms? ^ 3. "*y no means. It is at least as nearly related to works a| it is to faith. For example; who is sincere before he tolieW He that then has received, sincere after xealous of all good works* . « „ r. »:ii;»» ...Snilf q, 13. "Is not sincerity what St. Paul terms a willmg nundf A irac^M^a? 3 Cor. viii. 12. \ p^, ;•-.«• A " Yes: if that word be taken in a general sense. If orit is a oontfant disposition to use all the grace given. ^ - auu? * oTia. "Ktdo we not then set sincerity on alevel wlth^ftith' i « No. For we allow a man may be sincere, and not be jus- tifiBd* as he mav be penitent, and not be justified, (not as yet> SS he cMnrfiave &th, and not be justified. The very mo- \ ment he believes he is justified, ,. . . x^ 14. "Butdo wenot give up fiuth, and put wncenty In its placei as the condition ofour acceptance with God? ^ 'TF'* We believe it is onecondition of ouraecejptanccasrepent- aiiee^wise is. And we believe it a condition orourcontinuingm rSfeM" acceptance. Yet we do not put it m the place rf faith h is by^th the men^s of Christare applied to my soul. But if I nr«?^'^^ e«d^ Tcmr "*»2^? . ^ A "AU mankiod were «nd«Kf the coveiuuit ef grace firom^lhe f«y hour that th^ri«nalwmisew„We. ^^ »»;i>"X'A3SlJ ofWorks you mea|i, that of unsinmng obedience made jrith Adam tffiSiAJSl Tttaman, but Adam, wy ever unde r that cove^nt; Sr iTwS SoUshed be&re Cain Wi. borta. Yet it It noliio al»^ £J5,bSthatitwiU«aiKl,in '^m'^y^^^AiS^jiJ^ ■•/ ' If' Kcr &'.' ' Sri irw«dowdl,w6iMI lite with God In flow! -tf^ ii the seeobd deatlh^ for eveiy man shall be judaM in that day, and rawai^ according to hi»1|rorks. ..,/.,..-,,_, Q. 17. "What means then, « to him that belioveth, hb fkith if counted for righteousness? ' • ^ ,\^J . A, "That God forgives him that is unrighfeoui as soon as ho believes, icceptipg his faith instead of perfeclf|righteousness. But then observe, universal righteousness follm; though it did not precede faitiK ,/'-,. \ ' Q« 18. " But is faith thus counted to j6a for righteousness, at whatsoever time we believe? / ' .4. "Yes, In whatsoever moment w* believe, all our past alne vanish away. They are as though they had never been, and wo stand clear in the sight of God, A . ^ ^ . /,-,«. d; J9. " Are not the assurance of faith, the inspiration of the Hdfy Ghost, and the revelation ofChrist in ms, terms nearly of the same iinport? « / , „ . ,/9. "He that dehies one of Jnem, roust deny all} they are to closely connected together. /- , ,, . j Q. SO. "Are they ordinarily, where the pure gospel it preached, essential to our acceptance?/ ,. \ . . j , .u A, "Undoubtedly they u^; and as such, to be insisted on, intM strongest terms. / -II.-,.-. Q. 31. "Ivnot the Whole dispute of salvation fay faith, or pgf wonts, a mere strife of/words? ,. \. ,^. ,4. ^( In asserting syivation by faith, we mean this) 1. That pai^ don (salvation begim) is received by fkith, producing works. 1. That holiness (samtion continued) js faith working by love, S. ■>That heaven (salyktion finished) ift the reward of this faith. __ "Ifyouwho^Msert salvation by worb. Or by faith and wmrka. mean the sauMTthing (understanding 1^ faith, the revelation of Christ in us,/1^ salvation, pardon, holiness, glory,) we will not strive witii y^u at all. ' If you do not, this hi not a strife of worda: but the vi^ vitals, the essence of Christianity is the thinf In .■ **"q. ^ *« Wherein does oilr doctrine now differ firpm that ^" pi^ished while at Oxford? . ^ '- A** Chiefly iii these two points: 1. We then knew nothfaif of that righteousness of fkith, in justification; nor 3. Of the nature of faitii itself; as implying consciousness of oardon. , ^ 0.-39. ** Slav not some degree of the love of God, go heibre ft disSnot sense of justification? - dl«WebeIi«i9itmay. ^ . ^ . v „ V S. 34. "Can any degree or sanctifieation or holineaar . " Many degrees of outwaivl holiness may: yea, and scHne d^ greet of meekness, and several other, tempers which would 1^ bwhes of Christian holiness, but that they do not qiHng ftom Christian principles. For tiie abiding love of God «um^ "VH^> batj^om Aith in a pardonmg God. And no true Chriatiiil koB* n e tf^ e KJ s t, without that lov e of <3od for it s fouB da tto p. — Q. 16^ Mii|oirei7man,aa aoon aa he beliavep, a new era«l«f% ■::A\ ^'ir_\ mm urn 99 vM mv. jmiii wMunr. oflMttTtadi liwuint, whm w« were dm! togvtiMr Id tlM •▼»' iriof , M I WM at prajrer, on« that waa kiM«l)iMr by ine, eriail out like a woman Id travail, * My Radoemorl mv RedMmert* When he waa aaked, what waa the matter? he aaiu, ' he had found that whieh he had often heard of, an heaven upon earth.* And aeveral othem had much ado to forbear cryinc out in the aame manner. •' Dear air, I am a atranger to you in the (leth. 1 know not, If I have wen you abore once, when I aaw you preaching on Kenninf- ton Common. ■ I then hated you aa much aa, by the grace of Ood, I love you now. The Lord purauea me with convictiona flrom my infnncy; and I made many good reaolutiona. But fliiding I could not lieep them, I at length gave mvself over to all manner of pro- fnneneM. So I continued till the battle of Dettingen. The ballft there came very thick about me, and mv comrades fell on 9rery ■ide. Yet I waa preserved unhurt. A few dava after, the Lord waa pleased to viait me. The paina of hell got bold upon me; tb« snares of death' encompasseil me. I durst no longer commit any outward sin, and I pijiyed God to be merciftil to my soul. Now I wss at a loia for books: but Ood took care of thia also. One day I found an old Bible in one of ^he train waggona. This was now my only companion : and I believed myself a very good Christian, till we came to winterr quarters, where I met with John Haine* But I waa aoon aick of his company; for he hibbed me of my treasure, telling me, I and my works were going to hell together. This waa strange doctrine to me, and aa I waa of a stubborn tem- per, he sometimes resolved to forbid my coming to hijn any more. " When the Lord had at length opened niy eyes, ahd shown me, that hy grace we are aaved through faith, 1 be^n immediatelv to declare it to othera, though I had not yet experienced it myself.. But October 38, aa William Clements was nt prayer, I felt on a sudden, a great alteration in ^my soul. Mjr eyes overflowed with tears of love: I knewi I was through Christ, reconciled to God; which inflamed my aoul with Iqve to hin^ whom I now aaw to b9 my complete Redeemer. ,. ** the tender care of Almighty God in bringing up his ohil* dren! Dear sir, 1 beg vou willpray for him, who is not worthy to be a door-keeper to the least or my Master's servants." Februanr 4, 1745, Mr. Wesley observes, " I had the pleaaure of receiving mm Dr. Hartley, a particular account of Dr. Cheyne'a last hours.* Dttripg hia last illneaa he felt a gentle and gradual * Dr. Oeorgs GhejM, a phpidan of Soptlud, in 1671. He paassd his youti ^ leamiog and abilities, was bora ki eloM study and great temperance. Bat eonung to London, when about thirty, and finding the younger gentry and flree-Hvert to be the nMMt easy of soceef / ne loddenly changed his former ii|B- aerc^ living to aasodate with them ; having observed that this method had sao- ceeded to iatrodooe soma others into practiM. The oooseqoenoe was, that ha gnw diiy la balk, swelling to soch an ei^BMis sise. that he eieseded f UnV> l«ostoBefaiiNiight,aBd«as ibreodto baV|M whole sii|e of •jJr^l; ^«lt ■m. rMTin bolinew and righttoiwnMi tafoM him, .11 Uie |lriB »,»''^p» hcv* been Ueised hi prateiiiiif iho !>"» . X' Hi VMS l.lfl Of Tll« mmf. MM« WBttlf^ il«MY. m mat h« appr«heiMl«l what the ©vwit would be. But it dill not •np«iir to give hint .ny coiicrrti. H« •«eii.«d quit« Uum #Wifn nil l»«low, till without aiijr firugglti, eith«r of bwly or uuikI, 6« cftliiily Mv« up hi* aoul to G«id.»' March II, Mr! We.ley oba«rv«a. " Many p«raona atill rtnre. •oiitinx the M«thout aeveii year, aince, we liegan preaching inwartl, prj-a- ent aalvation, aa atiuuiahle by faith ah»n«, 'i. t or preachnig thii doctrine we are forbidden to preach in moat churches. 8. We then preached in privHte houa^^H, and when the houaea could not contain the people, in the o|Mm air. 4. For thia many of the cler^ijr preached or printed againat ua, aa both hen»tici« and w^hiMnmic^ 5 Feraona who were convinced of ain, In^gged ua to ad via*) thein more imrticularly, how to flee from the wrath to come? We deaired them, biing many, to come at one t""«, ami we would en- dST vor it! el For thia we were pw^oP'^jJ^lfa Jl^'" »•»" »'"'l'^ ii^ to • matara periad, dying at Balh in ma, •J|»«rr8. He wrota •«««! tl^ikM that wt«. well trcMvrA ; wirticularly, " An fcnay on Heallh and L«m rh« ialu if hi. owJ'KxWri.nc J* Hi. » Philo«.pl,ic.l PrincipU,. of N.lur.! KlJSn iSbuJhwl in 1706; i. a work lh«l .how. great .Imiglh of imi« , and Se^SJiCwWga. Mr;W..leywMwolla«xiuarnted wuh%.n. ...d .Iw-y. •TiLty H"rt7air?£'^^ mentioned hy Mr. We.1ey, w..lK,m .1 Ilingworth, whWhi.falh!fWa. curate, and received hi. aeadeinicai education at Je.u. C«l. KrcSibriW which h« wa. a fellow. He flr.t h«an to pn«t«» ph> ..c .1 iKwaJk in NoliinRham.hirej froni whence he remoTedlo 8l. Edmund • Bury, W sSfolk AfterSrh* •'tWd tor «>me time in London , and la«tly went to Hwat bI h. wKre h«*di«i in 1767 aged flAy-three. Hu '"?•» ™»-;J*ff ^'? ' J" Itarv nmdu^tion i. a work entit ed, " ObMnration. on Man, hi. frame, hi. duty, IS1bSSStSion\^rtwo part., London, 1749, atoU. 8»«.,Qf which a^few vi.lS'ri^ idVon Hb pJhli.htd. The ftr-t part conUun. obwrtation* rSe^iiTS htSian iKKlySlad mind. «kI »h«»i' "»»»«. ^".trd'erfol influencm. Thi. i.a mo.1 cun'ou. and ingeniou. .y.tem ; but it i. foundetf on SIS^ and he part, are held together only by u ^ague and uncertain analo- cooje«are, ano iiifi !«"• a. » i^„^\\^ tk« nervoua fluid, i. a fine CvSt And if he had. y^The ott«ht to have f «P'*'»fl>V" ' rnliJn. ofThJ manner how thewj vibrationa are the mechanical cau«a of the operation, oi IM SSdTirarieaSuihaTe .hown, that there i. n wn.(.(.t corre.ponde..ce .»d Kn^^hSti^ithelawtheyoUrre. and the law. of •J* P***!":;"'"; »''S •Jebrought to explain. But neither of thew thmgi. haa he done. The first h« hS tSffly omitSi and in attempting the Intter.Ki. nnalo,^ .""T'lfd p,? S5«?MJunberUui, that no man of common ?'»«'«"« *»«:l,'^STr^f:"*=''''i Sno. iVlhe afiaira if life in which he wa. much interewed I" "fe""" " thii^bMct the authora of the Encyclqpedia Bntanoica ol«erTe. We think « S?SSto X«.trateagain.t thia' sl&y ^T^.^f "."^"1; Jl^^^^ 'S^ '^KuitoptOI*pro^«tion^^ltha.b«eochieflyon thi. failhlea. fo-n^l^SiA uSbUaa vaaitrbf men haa buih that dearadihg^ratemof oP»»»onf «"«* JJ^ T8a?AUiii>y whksh the affediona and ftcultie. of the aool of man have beea nsoUad into Tibiratipli. and polMa of •»»*'•" . . ^. - ^^ - «,_ „ ,„!,. Dr Eeid. in bia Euays on the Intallectoal and Active Powers of Bian. ^ tow. 4triM5^ro^«V«^pl«««»nUfhmor..imptea^ ^•.'"h^i intVeSmM#aaSttbH.lied, I aiied the late Dr. Price, hia opimoo of it : be if Si'^SYSySnff^ aithar by Dr. Priaattav, er any other paiMO." mu prw, M introdueiiur Pomry. •nd n\dn§ Mdition Y«». all mannar of «vll wm Mid both of us, and of thoM who VMd to MMwmblfl with ut. 7. Finding that aoma of th«NM did walk diaor- darlv, we deflirod th«m not to pomn to ur iiny more. 8. Ami lonHi of tha otheiw we deaintd to overlooli the raat, that we might know whether they walked worthy of the goapel. 9. Several of the clorgy now atlrred up the |Mioiile, to treat ui as outlawi or mad dogn. 10. Th« |M>o|ilfl did M«> Imth in Staflbrdnhire, Cornwall, and many other planes. II. And they do so atill, wherever they are not restrained by fear of the magistratM. •• Now what cttu ute do, or what can you or our brethren d«, towai^a healmg this breach? Desire of «m any thing which wa can do with a safe conscience, and we will do it immediately. Will you meet us here? Will you do what we desire of jou, ao far an you can with a safe conscience? ••Doyoudeslreof us, I. To preach another, or to desist fVom preaching this doctrine? We cannot do tbia with a wife eoi»- science. . y " Do you desire us;, t. To desist (Vom preaching htprhote koth set, or m the open awl As thingH are now ciroumstaiUDed» thi* would be the same as desiring us not to preach at alL » \ "Do you desire us, 8. Not to advise those who meet together for that purpose? To dissolve our societies? We cannot do this with a safe conscience; for we apprehend many souls would be lost thereby. " Do you desire us, 4. To advise them oiM( bj one? TiUe ie impossible because of their numbers. \ "^ " Do you desire us, 6. To suffer those who walk dlsoAlerlT, stiU to mix with the rest? Neither can we do this with a uSt ewm science: for evil communications corrupt good manners. ' ' " Do vou desire us, 6. To discharge those leaders^ as we term Ihem, who overlook the rest? This is, in efieot, to aufier the dW- orderly walkers still to remain with the rest. -\ T " Do you desire us, lastly, to behave with tendemeea, both to tli« characters and persons of our brethren, the clergy? By the grace of God, we can and wiU d6 this: aa indeed we hare done to thla day. " If you ask what we desire of you to do? We answer, \. We do not desire any of you, to let us preach in your church, either if you believe us to preach false doctrine, or if you have the least scruple. But we desire any who believe us to preach true doc- trine, and has no scruple in the matter, not to be either publicly **'*" what we say in our own defence. , jL? Iri J? "*** **^ •^y ^^^^^» »'' *»^«'' Popery, sedition, or l^orahj be proved agatnat us. But we desire you would ^ot ^it without proof, any of those aenaeleaa tales that pass eurw •Htheyn^; ibitifjroii do.aoc eredit them yottrSvea, f . ^'j^J 1 ^k: tT^: ■N ^m wUltfiit lOMt Iktnf ttiotliwit fm, that yoo w«ll dlwoantMianM Ummw wtto atlll rtuil thmii •ImtomI. 4. " W« do not dwlre any pr«f«nn«nt, fnvor, or itwofnin^mU- tion from lh«»«» that «r« In iM»w«r, eithflr In church or •t«i«. Hiil we d«Milr«, I. Thm *f miy ihui| ni«t«riiil »m l«M to our rhnrgf.. wa may be permitted to eiuwer for oanMilv«i. U. I h«t you would binder your depeniUnU fr«»m atirrin|| ui» th« mWile «n«lii«t ui, who are oertahily not the proper juoth y the freat rulgar and the" atnaU. Thny iihc»w«Ml n littl« morn eourteay to him till July 4, when he wnnt to «e« a .cntlewonian at Falmouth, who had been long i|5J^P<»«,d. " I had icarce." imyi he. " sat down, when the hou^lWbi lie««t by an innumerable mul- titude of people. They quickly forced o|»on the outer door and fillfld the pawMge, there being now only a wainsoot-pHrtltion be- tweeh ufc Among them were the crewe of aonie nrivateem, who being angry at the alowneM of the rent, throat them away, and setting their abouldeni to the inner-door cried out, • Araat, adfl, •▼••tT* Away went all the hingea at once, and the door fell Imck into tb« room. I atepped forward into the midat of them and aaid, >4il«re I am; which of you baa any thing to aav to mef I contin. ^iSd apeakiiig »iU I came into the middle of the street, though. oould be beard by a fow only. But all that could ^ hear were ritill •nd quiet. At length, one or two of their eapta||yiirned «i»d •won, < Not a man ahall touch Mm.' A clergym^PHDHT*' ^ aod aaked, • Are you not asbanm to use a '^^'^mg^B^ .? waa seconded by aorae gentlemen of the town.^BlPIl^ witii ' Mr. Wedey to a friend'e bouae. They then aent bla honw by a to Penryn, and aent him thither by water: the aea running " I bi^ik^-^loor of the houae where he waa, , _ ion be makes the following obaorvatioDS s " I never even at Walaal, the hand of Ood so clearly r'ber^^l received blows, was covered with dirt, my elfAea, Here, although the hand« of hun- FllS>l« werdpllld up to strike or throw, yet thev wers alFitopped in the midway: so that not a man touched me wiH. O.S fingers: neither was any thing thrown from jrjt to lart, w that I had not a apeckof dirt upon my clothes. Who can deny that God heareth the prayer? Or that he hath all power in beaten and earth F*'^ ,„ . , .. . j August 1, and the following days, Mr. Wesley beW the second Coi^nwiee. with m many of the pi^Mebers as oould conveniently bs BrwentTTbey nfkm9d tbmr dootrin«i, tad added sueb rules of SiMipliM as tlM iuBMMS of tiM work rMittirwI. or pmdmiM suf one MMMl WWfct#. will tit Im kM bitfinm iIm r—Amr •§ Mon Milkier r»rm mnMthinc Uk« • rom|il«c« avatiim. t ^ In Q««al»er, n« was nt N«wr««iUi-uiK»ti-Tyni«, wh«rt» Ihr KngUch tipiHMM thfl |>rogr«M uf tlin rfttirl«. ObM^rviriK wiMb Rrn, ihfl ilniiikniinnM, ftiul prdriMin Nwnnring thnt |»r«- «fl^mM|m tlm wiklit««n pain«*d day by day, «iv«n in walking th« •trflflta of Nnwcaatle, at the ■eniielnM, Mhanielaia wirkednetw, the ignorant profunnnfiM of the popy men themselves? Forjean it lieexiMcted, that Ood should lie on their side who are daily affVonting nim to his face? And if («od be not on their side, how little will either their number or courage, or strength avail t **ls there no man that careth for these souls? Doubtless tlierv are some who ought so to do. But many of these, if I am rightly infnnneentance, once or twice a dav, while I remain In these parts, at any hour or at any place. And I desire no pay at all « known. Only t the officer* hear with their own ears; and thev may judge, whether I do not fraaok tlui plain principlea of manly, rational re- ligion. " Having myMlf no knowledge of the general, I took the lilierty to make thu off^ to you. I have no interest herein: but I should rejoice to aerve^ as I am able, my king and country. If it he judged that this will be of no real service, let the proposal die an«l be forgotten. But I bef^ you, sir, to believe, that I have the same glorious cause, for which you hav^ shown so becoming a' seal, earnestly at heart: aini that therefore I am, with worm re- apeetitir) . . ** I our moat obedient servant.** v Thia letter waa written ogthe 3that the * blood of Jesus cleans^th from all sin.' Meantime we were in most places tolerably>quiet, as to popular tumults. Where anything of the kind appeared, the Magistrates usually interposed, as mdeed it was their auty to do. And wherever the peace officers do theH^ duty, no riot can long subsist." Mr. Wesley and his brother began to be spoken of in Scotland, and a few of the most pious ministers there, though differing from the two brothers on many points of doctrine, yet rejoiced in the Sreat revival of practical religion in England, by their means. Mr ames Robe, minister of Killsyth, having received from a friend some account^ of them, wrote as follows: " I was much pleased with what vou w;rote to me of the Messrs. Wesleys. I rejoice that justincatioq. the imputed righteousness of Jehovah our ^Righteousness, received' by faith alone, and gospel holiness, are the subjects of their i^ermons: and the debated points ("various sen- timents about which are not inconsistent with saving faith and our acceptance witl^ God) are hrid aside. I embrace fellowsh?i) with them, ai^ ^rtkf that the Lord of the vineyard may give them suc- cess in preachmg the-faith of Christ, so much needed in England. As many as be perfect, let them be thus minded; and if in any other things ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless whereunto we have attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same things. How good would it be for the christian world, if this were believed, and regarded as the word of God ! When the happy days upon the wing are come, BO it will be: and in as far as any have really shared in the late re- vival, it is so with them in good measure. 1 learned something new, as to the exhorters,* from the accoi^t you gave of them. 1 look upon them as so many licensed probationers, or useful public teachers; which is the case of our j)robationers. It provides me with an answer to objections, besides that of the extraordinary circumstances of the established church. I beg you to salute f^ two brothers for me, much in the Lord. I wrote to my c6n V- ■'M '■m * He means, the lay-preachen. ^ -C — 1 . M . 1 ^ y , "^ , t,^>y ,7'»^ 1^- — '«in i$t#B ov tm sit. mb» wsuit. vtV pondent fonnerly, upon yours to me firom Newcastle, that there were hopes of tlieir joining in our concert for prnyer and praitw, for the revival of real Christianity. Now I' can write that they have acceded; and 1 hope we cihall expressly remember one anoth- er before the throne of grace." Mr. James Erskine, who frequently in the course of this year corresponded with Mr. Wesley, transmitted this part of Mr. Robe's letter Jo him; and with a liberality not common to Scotchmen at that lime, he asks, " Are the points which give the different de- nominations (to Christians) and from whence proceed separate communions, animosities, evil-speakings, surmises, and at least, coofness of affection, aptness to misconstrue, slowness to think well of others, stiffness in one*s own conceits, and overvaluing one's own opinion, &c., &.C., are these points (at least among the far greater part of Protestants) as important, as clearly revealed, and as essential, or as closely connected with the essentials of practical , Christianity, as the loving of one another with a pure heart fer- vently, and not forsaking, much less refusing, the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some was^ and now of almost all is? "—Every candid man will most certainly answer this ques- tion in the negative. And it requires no great degree of discern- ment to perceive, that the narrow party spirit which prevaite (^among most denominations of Christians with regard to commun- ion and chiuvh fellowship, even where it is acknowledged that the essential doctrines feftne gospel are held fast, is one grand hin- derance of brotherly-loVe, and of a more general diffusion of real experimental religion. - In th^4atter end of this year, Mr. Wesley had expressed a de- sire to be useful to the Scots, and to preach the gospel in Scotland. His friend Mr. James Erskine wrote to him on the subject, and set » before him some of the difficulties he would have to struggle with in the attempt. Mr. Erskine, in his letter Expresses an ardent ' wish for union and christian fellowship among all those of differ- ent debominations and opinions, who love the Lord Jesus Christ. He reprobates the animosity and bigotry, too prev^ent among them under the specious name of aseal for the truth. He then sets before hin^ some of the difficulties he would meet with in attempt- ing to preach and form societies in SSotland. " You have,»» saya he, " some sentiments and ways of speaking diflferent from the j^n- erality, and almost from all the real Christians of the Presbyterian persuasion in Scotland, among whom, from my long acouaintance with my countrymen, I cannot help thinking are about five m six of the real Christians there. And to my j^at regret, of these wor- th!^ people, I fear three out of five are wofully bigoted: a vice too natural to us Scots, from what our coun^man George Buchanan* ♦ George Buchanan, the best Latin poet of hi^ timejperhaps inferior to nous since the Augustan age, was bom in the tillage ^ofEUeanumaCTlingal^^ Scotland, in 1506. The abject poverty in which his father died, m>Snt >>•▼« con. ened him to toil at the lowest employments orlife, if the generositv of an onge had not assisted him in his educaUon, and enabled hun to pursue Ms studies M two years, at Pari*. But his uncle dying, he^returnod »».»«>»'•«•• ?Sn]«»{2 — with the honors of fadigence. In this extr ep hity, h e euhslsd for a a o l diwr ; tm ■« *4 '¥w^. nAi inte '# «y« tiV. wrote WM our temper-pa/crvMliMl Seotontm ingmium. AtWI ■ome of you English have it much of it aii any Scot; but it h not ■o national with you, aa anioiiff the Scots. — ^You wouM have the same preiudices to titruggle| with among the PreHbyterians, that Mr Whitefield had, that ia, tl^at you are of the Church of England, and use the Liturgy. And you would have more, becausi; of the difference of sentiment, and ^tff» of speaking, as to some doctrines, about which his opinions abd expressions were the same as theirs: and though this might mike you more acceptable to most of the nature had not destined bini for a hero, and he was disgusted with the first cam- inign. John Miyor, then proressor of philosophy at St. Andrews, bearina of his necessity and his merit, aflbrded him a temporary relief. He now studied the •uiitilties of logic under John Mais, whom he foAowed to Paris. There, alter encountering many difficulties, he was invited to teach grammar in the college of St. Burlie. In this occupation he was found by the Earl of Ca&sels, with whom, having staid five years at Paris, he returned to Scotland. He next acted «« P««epto' to the famous Earl of Murray, the natural son of James V. But while he was forming this nobleman for public aflairs, he found his life was lu danger. .He hadwrittea some lieauttful hut poignant satires against the Fran- v>*«u3) Monks ; who in return "branded him with the appellation of AtheiHt. Cardinal Beaton gave orders to apprehend him, and brined King James, it is aaid, with a considerable sum to permit his execution. He was seized upon ac- cordingly { and the first genius of the age was about to perish by the halter, or hj fire, to satisfy the malignant resentment of men, whose false notions of ireli- gioh have alwavs made them thirst for the blood of their opponents. He happily eluded the vigilance of his guards, and escaped to England; from thence he went to Prance, and afterwards with his friend Govea, to Portugal. His friend died within the year, and left Buchanan exposed to his inveterate enemies, the nionks. He was confined to a monastery, till he should learn what these men fancied to be religion. Here they enjoined him to translate the Psalms of David into Latin verse; a task which every man of taste knows with what admirable skill and genius he performed. Having obuined his liberty, be had the ofi*er of a speedy promotion from the King of Portugal; of which however, his aversion to tne clergy would not allow him to wait the issue. He sptnt much of his time in FVnnce, which seems to have been more agreeable to his taste, than his native country. Queen Mary, Imving determined that he should have the charge of educating her son James, Uie sixth of Scotland, and the first of England, be vvas recalled, and provided for, till the youna prince should arrive at a proper age. His success, as James's preceptor, is weLLkaown. When he was reproached with having made his maj- esty a pedant, "/It is a wonder," said he, " that I have made so mucli of him." Mackenzie relajtes, that the young king being one day at play with his fellow- popil, Buchanaa, who was then reading, desiit^ them to maae less noise. Find- ing that they disregarded his adnMmitions, be{ told his majesty, if he did not hold bis tongue, be kould certainly whip his breech. The king replied, he would lie 8 lad to see whb wpuM bett the eat, alluding td the fable. Buchanan, in apassion, >irew the book fnim him, and gave his miyesiy a sound flowing. The old Count- ess of Mar, W^ was in the next apartment, r^*sh(Bd into the room, and taking the s, toked how he dared to lay his hand on tht Lord^t mtokttidl id Biichanan, " } have whippedl|bi$ »> — ; and you may kiss it, if fortunes which befell Qbieen Marv.be went over to the party of , array; at w^ose eamesf requesji lie was prevailed upon to write hit "Detecnon," a] work which his greatest admirers have read' with regret.. After having vied irith almost all the more eminent of the Latin poetSj he con- tested with Livy and Sallust, the palm of political eloquence and sagacity. But U ia to be lamented, that, like the former of these historians, he was not alwan careful to preterve hiiteaelf from the charge of pdtrtiality. He died at Edinburgn to 1888. — His w o r ks were v arious. A n e ditfamf them collected to g ethe r , w a> lirinted at Bdiafiai^ in 1704, ia 8 volt. foHo. See Encydop. Orit , king in herai "Madam." you please. On them: the Earl of ~4' a t -greLi con- Bat ' 1 urgn • Iptoooprf iwrwMtoo. y«ty«irw«y of rawikfaf rfO^^ lioii. Mid tb«ir ragud for what they eaU cbureh onter sBd miUurl^, would make them fly from you; for which laat the Preabytenam would not be no offended with you: and your urpin«Boetitctlio- linets in practice, would recommend you to the Pre«bj(rtenan«, but I am afraid not to the Epiacopallans. And your doctrine of man*a otter ruin by the fall, and utter inability to do anything for hiaown recovery; and the necessity of regeneration, and an intereat in Christ by faith alone tha^ works by love, and produces holmesi m heart and life, «ic., would be sweet to the Presbyterians, but ttot to many of the Episcopalians. - ,. . .u -w* «« Mr. Whitefield, in fewermonths than one would have thought could have been done in as rtkny years, overcame the prejudices of the far greatest part of the Presbyterians, especially the most reli- gious, only by preaching that faith and hohness you preach; by meddling witn no debates, and by the power of the Lord, signally accompanying his administrations: awakening, converting, and building up_aTmo8t wherever he went. In places remote from one another. The same evangelical doctrine, of faith, holiness, regen- oration, and divine influence, &c., and such blessed divine power on your adminstrations, managed with christian prudence and sim- plicity, and that wisdom from above which is profitable to direet. would likewise overcome the strong prejudices against yoit and your brother. \ , . . . u « But Mr. Whitefield had otfe other advantaji^e whushyou would not have at present. The sermons and other things he hadpnnted, were earnestly read by the Presbyterians, and were to their taste; as well as the sermons, conversations, and prayers among them. And there is hardly anything printed by your brother and you, M which I fear they would not find some thought or expression that would stumble and offend them."--Mr. Wesley did not go to Scot^- land, till some years after this period. . _ It was in this year also, that Mr. Wesley bejran a pnvate if not the highest in thel<^urch. Ho concmled hn real^me, and only said, as he fived tt a ^ /o Jf5. /AiS ' InbinMolf. Now, Ihebeit #av to oiiaUe yoa to set' mo right wbererer I 'may be wrong, will be by pointing out to von, what I have to object to those works of yours which nave fallen into my hands: and for order sake, I shall reduce my objections to matter of doctrine, to matter of phraseology, and to matter of fact."— He then mentions several particulars under the different heads, which he discusses with an open, manly freedom, and a good degree of in- genuity and ability. He concludes his first letter thus," Having now freely told you what I take to be wrong in you, 1 shall readily and thankfully attehd to whatever you shall point out amiss in me. sin^larnies, i am no enemy. Ifl come not fully into vour scheme, it is not for want of good will, but for want of evidence and conviction that it is true. I pray 'Ck>d to grant me all heedful illumination: add I pray you to tell me what is lacking on my part.'* - Mr. Wesley^ received this letter with the sainie frien^iness, and answered it with the same openness and candor, with Which it was written. "I was determined," says he, ih his reply, "from the time I revived yours, to an.4werit as soon as I should have oppor- tunity. But it was the longer delayed bemuse I could not persuade myself to write at all, till I had leisure to write fully. And this I hope to do now; tholigh I know you not, not so much as your name. But I take it for granted, you are a person that fears God, and that speaks the real sentiments of his heart. And onthis sup- position I.shall speak without any suspicion or reserve. ** I am exceedingly obliged by the pains you have taken to point out to me what you think to be mbtakes. It is a truly christian attempt, an act of brotherly love, which I pray God to repays^ven- fokl into your bosom. Methlnks I csrn scaive look upon such a penon,oo one who is, * a contender for truth, and not for victory,* whatever opinion he may entertain of me, as an adversary at all. For ilihKt is friendship, if I am to account him mine enemy who endeavors to open my eyes, or to amend my heart ?**--^And in the conclusion of his letter be isays, " Smite me triendly and reprove me. It shall be a precious balm; it shall not break my head. I am deepty ctmvinced that I know nothing yet, as I ought to know. Fou rteen years ago, I said with Mn No rris,* I want heat more. * Joha Norrii. the person here nientioned, was bom in I6S7, at CoUingborne- KiBgtton, in Wiitshira^ where his fiuher was then minister. He was a learned divine, and Platonic philqsopher. He was educated firat at Winehetter^School, and in 1670, sent to Ozford. In 1680, he was elected FeUow of All-Sonla, soon after hs had taken his d^pree of bachelor of arts. In 1684, he oommeneed niafl< ter of arts t and the same jear opened a correspondence with the learned mystic ■V More, of Chrut's Gollege in Car*---*— "- *-^ -'- - - lertoB, near Sarom. 14118 lifing, opwards m yasr, was a oonfinudile provision for his faminr, and the easiness of the'^paroehi- al doty, gave Jlim leisoni to porsoe his fiivorite stodies. He died in iri l . Mr. Noiris iMblishsd tiro octsvo vdiomes on, "The Theorvof the Ideal World.*' ^'~"* '-' — * Loeks.^and a^imed MaklMnchs's mpimoa, of seeing I advantsies of stvie and fwrsnieditv « ~ ^ (IP tiiiB|B la God, with all ths advantsges of style and perspiedlty of expiestion dMii llllitt iNit now I know not whloh I want nMMt PorlMt|w God will enlighten me by your worda. epeek end epeire not. At leMt you will have the thenkH and prayer* of, your obliMd and af- fectionate aenrant, ^ Jomii W«stav.»» John Smith, for ao we mutt call him for the sake of diatinction, preface* his aecond letter in the following manner; " I heartily thank you for. your very kind and very handsome letter. I have yielded it that attention which I think it justly deserves; and am now sat down to give you my thoughts upon it. Iiihall first moat readily take notice of those things wherein I ijtRpdniiorrected, and am gone over to you: and neixt I shall, with some reluctance, pro- ofed to those in which we seem unfortunately to differ."--But tiiough he yielded up several things to Mr. Wesley, in whole or in part, yet ne pressea him Very hai9 on one or two {Miints of doe- trine; and I think his objections had afterwards some influence on Mr. Wesley** mind.—Iam obliged to a friend for the copies of these letters, with liberty to make any use of them I might think r roper. There are six on each side, written with ability and spirit, think Mr. Wesley's opinions will admit of more illustration, and clearer evidence, than he has given them in this controversy. He himself afterwards, stated some-pdjints to much greater advantage. I should therefore be sorry to s^ these letter* published without occaaional remai(ks, by some person tirho thoroughly understand* the sulgeets therein discussed. They are too lom; to be inserted here, as they would fill, at least, one fourth part otthe volume, Mr. Wesleycontinued his labors with the same zeal and dili- gence, througb the most distant piirt* of the kin^om during the year 1746. Methodism spread rapidly on'every side: the soclette* flpuiished, and the people increased m number, and in knowMge and love of the trutn. At this period the lay-preachers were not of that das* of men who have been blessed with opportunities of iminroving their minds by an ekrly education, or mucn reading. In general uieir Imbwledge extended not beyond the first principles of religion, and the practical consequences deducible from them; •(Repentance towards God, faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ; '* andtne fruits'that follow, "Righteousness, and peace, and ioy in the Holy Ghost.** These were the subjects of their daily dis- courses, in which there waa little variety. But such was the low/ state of religious knowledge among the people that they were «^t prepared for anything hicher. It was absolutely necessuy to mAe them welt acquainted with first principles, and to pVe th^e^rin- ciple* a practical influence on the heart and life, rafore they were led (Vy rarther. In these circumstances the limited knowledge of the pneachera, was so far from being an inconvenience, ihat it waa «D ituipeakable advantage; as it necessarily confined them to those fimdamental points df experimental and practical rel q;ion, which His phikwophiesl «non may easily be {widoned on account of the general ex- eelkmos 'iK4io qrat ma« « r-,>w. tfw rrtkwtloii to oiw of hU lettorni that, Inul «>» M«*Vi'3!5 * nem puraued, our whole •rmy bad been d«rtroyed. Ibo wtM •ndhUtof men, lknow,«gr«» to fear: oh I that they could aUo Mr«e in th^lr efforta to gave . I tnirt 1 can call God to record on. mv Boul, that to bring sinners to believe in Christ, and universally toolMjy him from a principle of grate«\il love, is the reigniM desire of my heart, and has been the main business of my life. Bat 9 as. that It is 80 unsuocessftil a labor! Yet, God knows, that couW I have foreseen only the tenth part of that little success 1 seenr to have had, 1 would have preferred the ministry, with ten times the labors and sorrows I have gone through in it, to any other employ- ment or situation in life. I shall not forget Colonel Gardner'! words, speaking of a much despised and persecuted, but very use^ All minister, «1 had rather be that maiij than emperor of the. .. ^' But I must conclude. May God, even yoiir own God, eoatinutt to increase all his blessings on your head, heart, and labors; and may he sometimes lead you to remember in your prayera, «* Reverend and dear sir, . " Your affeodonate brother and servant, " P. DoDoaiDOB. P. 8. ••I presume the llM you desire Is chiefly theological. Perhapa my desire of making it too particular, has hindered mo from setting about it, till I had a leisure time, which I have, not yet found. But under the impression your book made upon ine> 1 eould not delay writing one pqst longer. Let me knowlnono word, how you do, what your success is, and what your apprehen- tlons are. 1 fear we must have some hot flame to melt us.^* The reader will recollect, that this letter was written in the time of the last rebellion, when the nation was thrown Into the jgreatort eonstemation. June 18, Dr. Doddridge sent the list of books whicli Mr. Wesley had requested,* and the next day wrote to him as fol-^ •ows: "I seld th^ by way of postscript, to thank you for the entertaining account you gave me of that very extraordinary turn which affairs took in the battle of Falkirk.—I perceive our reM enemies were as confident of victory as possible, just before the action at Culloden, which proved so fatal to them. , A friend^of mine from thence, brings word, that just as the armies joined, all officer was sent back to make proclamation at the Market-Crosa, at Inverness, that every householder should bake a bushel of bread, that It might be ready to refresh the prince»s victorious army on its return; which was required on pain of military execution. The consequence of thia was, that our army found much better proviuon^ for their rofreshment after the fatigue of that glorious day, than . they coiild otherwise have done. 1 have also reason to beliwe, that a day or two before this action. Lord KUraamock, havjpg quartered himpelf and some of his chief officerg, at a minirterti house of the Scotch established church, in those parts, obliged the nuister of the house and his eldest son, to wait upon theroattnbii^ •TlM kttsr IsJooloat to be iaserted htis: ii is priotcdia ths fiiat tohUM cT tlw Aranwhn Mstasine. *'-j"»'i kv ...fin. ...Mm. and tBftfNPoAuM onaimer omlirtMlr to m^t mee bIniMlf]; whieh WM, * May Ood d— n and confound all PrMmrterian jNurMHis, their wWm, Mid children and familieM henceforth and ror evermore. Anoen.'*— It ia not to be wondered, that auch a deliverance aAer Buch- ciroumatancea aa theae, ahould make a atrong impreaaion on the mind of miniatera and people in general, which I am aaaured It doea. I heartily pray Ood the impreitaion may be laating antl produce that reformation which b ao much needed among them aa wdl aa amongat ua. "lahall not be at all aurpriaed, if the next winter ahould open upon ua a much more afflictive acene than the laat, if we will not be reformed 1^ auch judgmenta and deliverancea aa theae. Yet I think with you, dear air, that God will not make a Aill end of ua. I look upon every ainner converted fVom the error of hia wava, by the power of God working in hia goapel, as a token for good} that we fhall not be utterly foraaken. ^ <* I am, dear air, .f / "Moat faithAilly and affectionately youra, "P. 0OPDRIDOI." In the latter end of December, Mr. Wealey received the follow- ing obeervationa in a letter fW>m a fViend. No doubt the writer thought them neceaaary at that time, and they wil) not be out of ■eaaon at preaent. "The knowledge and underataiyjing of the Scriptures of Truth," aava he, ** I take to be of the laat importance, and IS what real Chriatians need as much to Have their attention awakened unto, as the generality of those who ore called by the christian name need to be taught that they are dead while they have a name to live. « The understanding of the true meaning and intent of the Scrip- tures, is understanding the mind of God in every pla6e. And he who opens that does more, and so to speak, gives more opportunity unto the Spirit of God to operate in the heart by. his own word, than he who says abundance of serious things which are not con- tained in the subject (the text) he discourses from. In the other way, a man may preach numbers of years unto a con^gation, and never explain thd direct nieanin^ of the Holy Spirit in one Scripture: meanwhile he is not increasmg their knowledge in the word of God.— The word of God is that % which the Holy Ghost influences the heart of a believer; and I cannot think it sufficient for the carrving on of that workj that Christians be taught a fei^ gemral truths, which possibly by fluent teaching they may ac- nuire some distinct notion of, without ever seeing tnem in the Scri]iture in their genuine beauty and dress. And do not all foolish atrf iqjudicioui ciamOn^bout orthodoxy and hnresy, arilBe from , *nt notWoie be had well de- J jl^ f^ ^g^ ^liQ aerved in the kiiig> army, aAerwarda snoeeeded to *.he ' ■■^w<. ftridom of SrrdI, a title omeh more anoiaiit and naoonUe thaa that of Kilmai aaciU' ~ 1^'. ftrtoiy in natare givM m bf tlilt eraation, which hi hit work. AmI I would have all €hriMialM warch the Scriiituret, and ■tody Ood there, with as much awkluity ae the naturaliate do nature in hb material works. What infinite rewhrd of enjovment would ariea fVoin thence? It Is true Meed, a head-knowMge of these thinn is nothing. The Spirit of God must mnlte the heart sensible of all that our undemtanoings selves, but comes from without. It is God's whole glory displayed in revelation (by Christ) communicated by the Holv Ghost, ceived by faith, which ought to be tbe Christian's daily bread." These observations are certainly of importance to those who . know any thing of experimental religion: who are desirous to iiH crease in the knowledge and love of God, and, to have their expe- rien^ftjbuilt on a foundation that cannot be shaken. The gentle- man who made them, had mentioned his thoughte on the subject to Mr. Wesley in conversation, who desired him to put them down in writing more at length, which gave birth to the letter of which , the above is an fettwtract. Mr. Wesley continued his flrequent ^Isita to the most distant he came. H|i whole heart was in tfiTe work, and his fixed resolu^. tion surmoutited every difficulQr. In February, 1747, being in Yorkshire, hfb met with a cler^nran, who told him, some of (he preachers had frequently preacned in his parish; and his judgment/ was, I. Thiit their preaching had done some good; but more barr-^ Because 3. Those who had attended it, had only turned from wickedness to another; they had only exchanged Sabbath-breakihff, swearing or drunkenness, for slandering, backbiting, and/evil speaking: and 8. Those who did not attend it^ were provbkeil hereby to return evil for evil. So that the former were, pk efihet, noWleri the latter worie than before. leMTve* *'^he eaine oti|«cliOT, in substance,** tnjh Mr. Wealey, bMn made in moat other parts of England. It therej^re del a Mriotfa aiwirtr, whieh will aqjUaily hold in \.^ m iMi uvft or *!■■'••▼. '•li* wiImv. •Howfld, 1. That our praaohing baa don* ■oma |jooeniona so reclHiiiied, only changing one wickodneiw for another: and their neightMtrribeltig so provoked thereby, m to iMxrome worne than they were iNaore. <«Tho«e who huve left their outward him, you aftirni.'have onlv changed drunKcnnc«» or Sabbath-breaking for backbit^ig or evil- apaaking. I answer, if you affirm this of them all, it is notonouMly^ false: many we can name, who left cursing, swearing, Imckbitujg £. drunkenness, and evil-sneaking altogether, and who are to this day^> jus^M fearftil of slandering, as they are of cursing or swearl|M|,ti^ An^f some are not yet enough aware of this snare of the de/i|>< we may hope they will be ere fong. Meantime blesa Oo«l for white . he has done, and pray that he would deliver them from this «leath " Vou affirm further, • That their neighliors are provoked hereby, _ to return evil for evil; and so while the former are no better, the latter are worse than they were before.' ' '■■ • „ , "I answer, 1. * These are worse than they were|*Jfore.» But why? Because they do fresh despite to tlie spirit :^.grace: lie- cause they despise that long-suffering love of God which would lead them as it does their neighbors to repentance. And m laying the blame of this oh those who will no longer run with them to the aame excess of riot, the^ only fulfil the Scriptures, and fillu|}Jhe meaaure of their own iniquitv/ . ' „ , . " I anawer, 2. There is still no proportion at all between the kood on the one hand, and the harm on the other: for they who reject the goodness of God, were servants of the devil before; and they are but servants of the devil still. But ^hey who accept it, are brought from the power of satan, to serve the living and true God." In April, Mr. Wesley, on his return from the North, spent an hour with the same clergyman, and pressed him to make goo"« y««» that in every atep, you may keep the unity of the apirit. In the Iwnd of p2tce.~li In alf debaU. vou are to watch over your •pirita. avoiding aa ftre, all clamor and contention, being awift to iMar. alow to aSeak; In honor every man prelerring another befora himilf.— U. If you cannot relieve.do not arieve the poor. Oiva UieTwA word., V nothing ebe. Abatain tVom «'»»»•' •«»/»» doubt or fear, or darkneaa: and that (ordinarily at leaat) he will not, unleaa by ignorance or unfaithAilneaa. Yet it ia true, that the ftrat Joy doea aeldom laat long: that.it ia commonly foJIoWed by doubu and feara; and that Ood AtN^uently permiu great heavineaa, befor^ any large manifeatation of himaelf. , , ■ --,».« Q. II. " Are worka neceaaary to th« continuance of faith f jj. " Without doubt: for a man may forfeit the free gift of God, either by aina of omiaaion or commiaaion. b. la. «' Can faith be loat, but for want of worka? 7 J^. *' It cannot but through diaobedience. S. IS. •' How ia faith made (lerfect by worka? . " The more we exert our faith, the more it ia incr^MM. Ta him that hath ahall be given. ,^ . . _i. Q. 14. '♦ St. Paul aaya, Abraham waa not juatified by worka. 8t. Jamea, he waa juaUfled by worka. Do they not oontradtet «Mk ed other? , " . , '.^ Jt, "Nos I. BecBuae they do not apeak of the aameJuanwWK- tlon. St. Paul apeaka of that juatiffeation which waa when Abra- ham waa aeventy-five yeara old, above twenty yeara before lanae waa bom. St. Jamea of that justification which waa when he offer- ed up laaac on the altar. .obi Sdiy. " Becauae they do not apeak of the same worka. St. Paul speaking of worka that precede faith: St. Jamea of works tlUit apring irom it. ...» Q. 15. ** In what sdtise is Adam's sin imputed to all mankmdf ' jI. In Adam all die, i. e. 1. Our bodiea then became mortal. «. Our aouls died, i. e. were diaunited from Ood. And hence,„8. We are all bom with a auiful, deviliah nature: by reason whereof 4. We are children of wrath, liable to death eternal. Rain. ▼. 18 £ph. ii. 8i *«.... J Q. 16. /" In what aenae is the righteousness of Christ imputed to lUl mankind, or to believers? .. « , . ^ j J. *< We do not find it expressly affirmed m Scripture, that God I m putes the righteousnww of Chris t to any. Although we do find, that (kith is imputed to us for riahieousness. "That text;^ As by dna man>i disobedience all men were made so by the obedienoe of one, aU were ^ade rlghteoua,* .fitt 'i4v*.op'i^jia,jBwr. .jMm wmmpv^ ift'-lNNttl tATBtlAf. ■i '■»•■, l):^."i Mr. Joho W^tteyiTM jjirevftilad upon, with fooa dUBetiil^ « ^gn theae siticlM. But thoufb he aid at l«»igth tign them, tit>w pitKiuced no good eflbct. Mr. Wealey would npt aulMnitto «.. v control in admitting preachera into the oonnezion, inappointii> them to the different circuits, or iii goveminff the societies, tt appears to roe, that after the ikst difference with his Inrotheri who dlaappointed his intended marriaire; he made up his mind not to suffer either a superior or an equiu in these respects. From that time he aeemed det^mined to be, mU Cquar mii nikU, Mr. Chitfles, peiceiving bis brother*s determination, and finding thai the preachers became more and more prejudiced against him, thouffht it most prudent to withdraw tirom the active situatim the Reverend Mr. Mihier, who had been at Chester, and writes as follows, on the temper of the bishop towards the Methodists. " The bishop," •ays he, "1 was told, was exceeding angry at my late excursion into Uie north in your company. But found bis lordship in much better temfter than I was bid to expect by my brother Graves, who wps ao prudeht, that he would not go with one so ol^^ipus to the HAop*s displeasure, and all the .storm of angei;.fiHFJ^n him. When he toid me how be had been treated, for qpealuiig in your defence, I was Ailly persuaded all the bitterpess wu pMt, and afoeordingly found it.— I told his lordship that God iraa with you of A truth; and he seemed pleased with the relation of tira conver- ■^onofthebarbM' at Bolton: and with your design of answering Taylor's book on Or^nal Sin.— I have made no secret of your inammr of prooeeding, to an;^ with wbonfl have conversed, since 1 had the happiness of being m vour company. And to the tushop I was very particular in telung him, what an assonbly of worship- Kra there is at Newoattle: bow plainly the badire of Christianity. >e, is there to^be sedl. WJien nis lordship ttSked about mrder, I begged leave to observe that I had nowhere seen such a want of it, n as m bis own cathedral; the preacher so misenUy at a loss, that the ehildren took notice of it: and the choristers so rude, as to be talkbiff and thrustinc one another with their elbows. At last I told him, UMre was need of some extraordinary messengers from God, to call us back to the doctrines of the reformation; for I did not know one of my brethren in X«ancashire, that would give the eharch*s definition of fiuth, ana '^stand to it.— And alas, I bad sad ttperiinoe of the same faUing away in Cheshire; for one of his •on*s curates would not let me preach for him bedause of that defioitioB of faith.** t In the ensuing year, Mr. Wesley continued his labors and travels, with the same vigor and diligence, through 'nirious parts of Eng- Vuid and Irolaiid. Febf^nary, 173$, hejnakea the foUowia^ obser- wttow. *Hhww ''S ' H >» difbrenee is thM«,in die manner whetohi God his carried Ma work im BngiaBd and hi America! TbMo^abofO ihi Inoi* drad of thoeatabllshcd clergy* tnm of mgt and exJMrrieAce, and of >. the greatest note for eense and learning in those parts, are iceal-* 'nu8ly engaffod in the work. Here, almost the whole body of aged, experienci^, learned clergy, are zealously enraged against it: and few but a handful of raw, young men enffaged m it, without liame. learning, or eminent sense! Attd'yet by thiKt lar^^e number of honorable men, the work seldom flourished above six montha at a time, and then followed a lamentabKf and general decay, before the next revival of it: whereas that which God hath wrouriit by these despised instruments, has continttally increased for fiftieen years together: and at whatever time it has declined in any one place, it has more eminently flonrished in others.** In April, he set out again for Scotland; not indeed for Musselbo- rough,but to Glasgow, t9' which plw^ he was invited by the pious and laborious Mr. Gillies, minister at the college-kirk. He staid here five days, preaching to very larae and attentive congrentiona*. Soon after he left^lasgow, Mr. Gillies wrote to him asfollowst— '*The singing of hymns'here, meets with ipreater oppoiiition than I expected. Serious people ar|B niuch divided. Those of better understanding and ^#iucation, are silent; but many others are so . prejudiced, Ospeciallvi^t the singing puUiely, that they speak openly against it, and look upon me as left to do a very wrong or smful tmng. I beg your advice, whether to answer them only by continuing m the practi|$e of the thing, with such as have fteedom to join, looking to the Lord for a blessing upon ns own ordinance: or, if 1 should publish asheeiof arguments tirom reason, and Scrip- ture, and the example of the%odly.— Your experience of the most effectual way of aealing with pTOple*8 prejudices, makes your advice on this head of the gilsater imp;; MrjV«J- leyV temper in answering chawes that were pmately hrou«ht aminst Mm. either from Pi*J««<» <>' "'••PPTiTJ^ni J^ Jve/' says he, " fire reasons why the ^^''•r^J^*\^/^3 ^^T. So n^re imongst us: 1, * Because we despise the mimsttll of the GhnrehoflEnSand/-Thi. I flatly deny. Y^^^^^^^"^^ this Tory post, which bitterly Wame me for just *e contrary. J. « Becauie » much back-bltingc wd eviUpenian|r b suffered amouMt our people.»-^It it not n^ered: ^1 possibb means are UMdXth to pwTcnt and removTit. «. VBecause I, who have written so much against hoarding up money, haTo put out seven" huhdred pJSnds to interest.*— I never put itxpence out to interest since I was bom: nor had 1 ever one hundred pounds iPgether, «y own. since *1 came into the world. 4. • Because our lay- uraaehers have told many stories of my brother and me.»— If they did I am sorry for them: when I hear the particulars.I can f»^er, end perhipe make those ashamed who beUeVed Oiem. ».;1M>- Susiwe Ad not help a friend in distress.»-^We did help him as Ikr M we were able. But we might have made his cmo known to Mr^^, lady H— , fcc. So we did more than once, but we could not putt money from themwhether they would or no. Therefore 3iesiiI»asonsareof noweight.--You conclude with praying that God would remove pride and malice from amongst us. Of prido I have too riiuch; of malice I have none: however the prayer is ' flood and I thank you for it.'* ■rhe other letter from which I shaU give an exttact, was written nmjarently to a gentleman of some rank and influence. «»Some SKrinci** sayS Mr. Wesley, "I was considering what vou i»id, eonceming the want of a plan in our societies. There fc a good deal of troth in this remark. For though we have a plan, ly to, our spiritual economv (the several branches of which JJ* P«^cu- Urtv recited in the pbin account of the people called Methodists} yrtlt is certain, we'have bwely the first outlUies of a jj^ w^ regard to our temporal concerns. Thejeason is^ I had no desim for several years, to concern myself with temporals/at aU: and -wh5 7 ?lgiS^ do thisTlt was whoUy and «»lely with j viewto rdi^e. not employ, the poor} awsopt now and then, with napec^ iJTsmliU number; andevi this Ifound was too great a burden forme, as requiring more money, more time, and more thougllt, Smiiouldplsiblyapwe. I '•J/^J.^^IIlS^^l'fSS: fordte wholeSrSgfit la7wi me. ff I left it to c^, [t surtly MiM to nothingI7They wanted either underrtandbig, or industry or lovo, or patience, ^ Vtol «y ,:l "If vour soul IS «• much alive to God, if your thirst after par* don ana holiness is as strong, it you are as dead to the dealpf of the eye and the pride of life, a* you were - six or. seven years ago, I rejoice} if not, I pray God you may} and th^h you wiH know how to value a real friend. <^ With regard to inyselft you do.well to warn me against * popu- larity. a thirst of power, and.of apolause} against envy, producing a seemfaig contempt for Ihecbfuvediences or grandeur oirthis life; against an afl^ted humili^} against sparing fVom myself to give ttp others, 'fhmi no other motive than ostentatldn.* - fafn nM con- ■nlnus to liliyltelf that this i» my case. However, the warning if alwurs fKendIv} and it is always seasoqable, considering how deceitfhl.my heart is, and how many the enemies that sur- round me'.— What follows I do not understand. Vou behold mS" in the diteh,' wherein jou .helped, though innocentiy, to easivme, and with a Unheal pity, * passing by on the other side.*— 'He. and you, sir, hav% not any merit, though Providence should penfiiit all these sufferings to work tocether for my good.**- I do not comprehend one line of this, and tnerdbre cannot plead either guiV^, or not guilty.— I presume, they are some that are dependoit on me, * Who, you say, keep not the commandmente of God; who show a repugnance to serve and obey; who are as full of jNride and nrrogance, as of filth and naatiness} who do not «>ay lawfhl d^ito, nor comply with civil obligations: who make tiw waitiiw on the officers of. religion j a plea ^r sloth and idleness; who after I had strongly roeommended them, did Aotnerform thefar moral duty, but increased 4he number of those inciipfrances which they.forced on yowA^nst your wiU.*— To.Uiis, hSm only say, li< I kpow not whom yili'lnean} I am not certain that I can so inuch as guess at one of them. 8. Whoever* they are, had they fbllowed . . „ Uft^ 1 „ the eommand Mr.. Wesley had Required ^Ht ^ia own jMjnpaM^ Aotiiingbut Irpdness and dfvility apfiear inlr: there b n^ kMf retort for any charge brought against himself; and nothing bUr tender concern for those who had not acted worthy of the charaA"•' >» ^^ country ai r, with r es t, a ii ^ . in il k| an d In consoquence of this advice he retm t«» Xaw« not knowing how it might pbaae OM to dbpppa. ,v;v kv. ,fcbwraii'ltfoUpw«-r- ¥; ,. . 1 1 iT ■■"'" 1 ««lMrelietl of rconsuin#iad|^the WlP y«*» London, and »» ,„4 to drink the. *r . tli6 Njew TiBMame haTe atteniptcld,1ii r pi'fttoh, and ye^ k|>ril| he returned iimiiMiTHHT i-ifiiyw -f* Paddington. Here qe ol ^ Kfi^lWiJI I 1*«d !>*. Okiamy»j AbridWMin^ W&t avacene ia «^ned here! In " .A' ,. I I — ' ■ -— — ^ IKlP^flta^ at^inacript^ .hw- iwtoffl^ |Sa!?5atlbr?woy,J5^_o^^ thwiloha fer, „his U Ming Boi permittad ta pwi«h there, ■^JlSlfJSS!.'?!!! li---* ^ Sy. and foUiVKered Intoher hmbuid'a tiaiia of '^JgiS'-.fcMSr'^ '^l SSr for coSlttg within «fe mile* of a car«imt|Mj^M i» J»^»;^ " S2SlLSKSo|W«mit^^ • rilr. Baxter waa htdK^th th« ftiendship of wnn Inen talSTJiBgdoaKjari "tSSSTi W^ tl«oiw^«M^^^^«?«'^^ »wod redaDdt ^vrittea against him. Tha fonnar, ha#Bf»r, iS«Wm flMBded, hit eonti«fefdd aaldom nAted^^ y :.'■ .i^ M^»iB rf adneathm. I oirald not but ana, tint the poor Wniia» Jbrniali had. bean uaad withovt either juatioa o^ moreyt and Ouil mam of the Proteaunt biahopa of King Charlea, had neither moro religion nor humanity, than the Popbh bbhopa of Queen Mary.* —On reading Mr. Baxter*a hbtory of the eouncila, Mr. Wealey uaea.very atrong worda indeed. "It ia utterly aatoniahing," aiiya he, ''I and would be wholly incredible, but that hia Toueheraaro beyond all exception. What a company * 1^'' , ST; rf th« covenant propced, in the word, of that Hte-jdm.^ ''ja^iary 1756. The general ««ip«rtation of |MiMic calamitiw in .h. InlJL vear mrtSi a geneSi aerlouanew over the nation, the enauing y«*v„"P''"'V,'* ^Li.™ « in every part of the king- « We ende.vorejV;-2;Mr^^^^^ fr«,«entTy ^faSe latt«r end of March, he vlaited Ireland \^Pt\l»Jl^^l S^^nm: »»»»; ««ly eooT«B«l to God: md • •»V»^«^ S!SJ!i?llSo«lailodtog«li«r ill ordor to«r«ig^««li 9t0|ile irtQ a ■q»Mt pwijri but to la«y« •wiy woiwhw I*- lir if *• iMMy.tt fWI Ubwtf t» ewttatit to aMuiMtioat nay^ leaving evity one oader a «>" or - — ^—^ "m doiiic io,ibr the ocdimuiee of baptiMn and t^ Lord^a BapjMr.^ JHavinff eataMbhed their aodetiea on thia prioeiple, the Meibodlila heoainS a kind of middle link between all th^ retigioaa Mrtiea in the nation^ gently -drawing them nearer together vj uniting them all in tl|e intereata of experimental reHcioii and Msribtaral holiaeia. They formed a kind of central point, lirom which the rave of goe- pel light iMued forth, not in one direction alone, to eradifte poly ^e p6int of their circumference, but in all direcUona, •qnuV^ enlighleninr every part of their periphery. But ttro or tbrap of the preachera, who had acquired aome influence with the people, had Tor aome time been diaaatiafled with thia middle titnation: the beihg no party, but atanding in an equal relation to all, «fi««M^ *«fe5rf leTA/lrylA. We may obferve, that thia diaeattaft«lioji. originated with 4 few anabitioua preaoheri. and from them apread, like a cootagioua diaea8e,to the people. Thia waafhe mm at lint, and haa alwaya been the oaae auidb. wherever the neople have da- aired any alteration in the original conatitution of the Methodirt aocietiea. Th« method of proceeding, even to the pvc|MnUiine^ eflbct their purpoae, ia rather eurioua. and ahowa to what ^pMcbea meana men will aometimea feaort,Wiupport a bad cauae. F o r|| ioon aa theae preachera hadi by varioua arte, Influenced a ww^W. aona'in any aociety to 4«»ire to^ teoelve th* L<*d> Pupper ^^, them, they pleaded thia ohrcumatance aa a reaacm v^ the imipvar tion ahouM take place; pretending they only wiah« to aatiaiy tha deairaaofthe people, not th.- ^ " The regular dargy, who had embraced tiie leading dootrhiM oT Iha Metiiodiata, generally diaapproved of laj-preaehera, and of Ibi plan of itiqaran^; ftianng, witb tiie rart 4>f the cWHr|y, that lathi end^fiKi rant would be made from^e ertabliahed; church, bi SMHKr, Mr. Wealey leoeiTcd a letter on thia auUeot from Aa levalSrand piooa Mr. Walker of Truro, preaaing Urn to Mtjhi abtaat praaohara ordained, and to fix the raat in diffiBrant Mciatia^ liot aa preaohara but aa teadera, and thu* breakup the itloairaiit plai. m Wealey MMwered,^ "JJ*5ri???ii??l?. i^ISH^JSl 1 tiqp littia 1 Ibvai It tor ^ ibMilttMf ■TMltivltoiiGo^ had b^pm Solbto flu? aa I am able, Tital. practical faligioii;andby At ifEd, to beget, piMerve, and liicreaae, tiie life of God te^lte kiffiLiiftZ_3M|yaA!gg|iM*pta^^ mdtalMiMi|»liltii laamitiiuiaiMavf thi thai mi 41 f"- „ ^ po^ribk vuMm 10 dMtroj) I Smia Sf Ihtlr'yilbwn, #liom I btliared Obd had callad tbmto, Md quaUIWIbr the work, to Minfort, whort, •"«;.'"»'•;«* *J«« who w«r« othint for Ood, or who walked in tb« light of his coun- SiS^. Srta. the per.;,n. w quaJ^|M|(«w, -n^jhoje who wan^thMTaaaiaUn^ very maJ#iiPIWIimhafc-iort. of hem wer« oblSed to timvel continually from place to place; and tbia ooottiioniir>veral regulati^a from tltne to lime, which wore ebioflv WtUrn at our Conforencea. ...•». « ASm a bleaaing haa frx>m the beginning attended the lahom oftheMWiMranto^ that we have be«n more and more convinced •verilpa?, of the more than Uiwfiilneaa of this proceeding. And the OaiivenienkfM, moat of which we foresaw from the very flrat, hava>en both^wer and amaller than we expected.— But the quaatlon ia, 'How may theae (preachers) be settled on such a foot- rngw.aa one w:fruld wiah they might be after my death ;• itiaa we&bty point, and haa uken up many of my thoughts for several ye*«j biVTl M|ow nothln* yet. Thrf steps ' •"» now to tdw ore plain; I aee broad light ahining upon themj but the other QAof the proapeot I o«uiot aee: clouds and darkness rest upon it. ^ ^ •y^ur rciMflil advice on thia head, • To follow my own coo- , ■elci^, without atoregard to consequences or prudence, eo called, ia uiiqiiwtion«blyl%ht. And it is a rule which I have closely fol- , lowed for many yeaip, apd hope to follow to my l«fe'« ^nd. Jhe lliat of yourpirfcjtiW a^ice &».' To keep m full y»«wthj inter, •ata of OhrbWchurch in\geBer2L and of practical reUgibni iftt oonaidering the Church ofllj^ngland, or the dause of Methodiam, but aa auBrdinato a|»Bto.*^his adrtce I havf punctually observ- fd from the begimiiKaslSll aa » our late Conference. You ■dTlae. 9. «To keepin rlew also, the unlawfulness of a separa- tion frim the Chlih?h qC^gland.' To this likewise Ujrree. It ouMlpt be lawful to s«jP|^from it. jmlesa it bil^nUwftn to con- ;V preaohers aa are fit font, be oiHkdi|Ad — . to MTtuiyKwietiea, notM prM|HN, m «»• readera or mapectora.* "SStS^whict j?uW bSfcr way rthan our itiner«it lifcn)? This ahouk&iooollyaftd calmly considered. *^^If I ttiiatfcke not, mere v® noiiv in the ooiintv of Cornwall* about i fovr and thirtV of these little aocieties, part of whom now expen- ^ MMM the love of Ood; part are more or. leas earnestly sedung it. Four preadMra, Peter Jaeo, Thomaa Johnson, W. Crabb, apd WUl Atjvood, deaign for the enauing year, pvUy to ctttt other sin- nen to iSpentanoe; but ohiefly ]to feed imd guide those fewfeeble ^^!* S L^-^ repentance; but onieny lo leea pfw ,bu«uo uiu«o .t^^ ,«»».« . to%rward them, aa thelability whvh.God giveth, m vital. practical reUgion. . Now augpo ae wq can «fgct,,*hat £. j^» gj T J^« ,f n.^ nrdained and ae t tlcd inthecnraci^ftf Bttryan, and St^ JnaJlSd iuppoae W. Crabb, and W. Atwood, fix at Laun- aa% th« DoekrM'««l«»«i^ inapecton; wiU*tbb anawfr r'S # Iki todl wlkk I hmm in wkm, m wall aa travtlUaff throMk !&• country? '* It will not answer so well, even with regard to those soeietka with whom P#Jaoo, and T. Johnson, have settled. Be their talento evef so great, they will ere long, grow dead themselves, and so will most of those who hear them. I know, were 1 myself to preach one whole year in one place, I should preach both myaelf and moat of my oongrention asleep. Nor can I believe, it waa ever the will of our Lord, that any congregation should have only one teacher. We have found by long and constant experience, that a frequent change jT tewshera is iMJst. This preacher has one talent, that another. |po one whom I ever yet knew, has all the talenta which are needfol fot beginning, continuing, and per- Acting the work of grace in a i^hole congregation. *^;^ " But auppose thia would better answer the end wHh regard fo those two societies, would It qihswer in those where W. Atwood, and W. Crabb, were aettled as inspectors or readera? Flmt, who shall feed them with the mil|t of the word ? The minlstera of their pariahea? Alaa, they cannot: they themselves neither know, nor Iiv% aop^teaoh the goapel. These readers ? Can then, either they, ®'.^?^^?."»"*''*y"^*^**^"™®***'"? *® "*<* *® <>"»• congwgatlon, wl^eh will be aa exactly adanted to their wanta, and aa much blessed to them aa our preaching? and there is another dUBculty aulh what authority have I to forbid their doing what, I believe, Q|d hascaUed them to do? I apprehend, indeed, that there ^Bt, ifpoasible, to be both an outward and inward call to thia i»:. jf|t if one of the two be auppoaed wanting, I had rather wint the outward than the inward call. " But waving this, and supposing these four societies to be bet- 'JLC? will u " ****y ^""* before; what becomea of the other thlr^? WiU they prosper aa well «§ when they without a shepherd? The experiment has bee again; and alwaya with the aame event: even JPr ^*^^<* ™nt» many of the weak made left aaaheep again and Iff in faith 5k of the for a while, of aervice. lith; the awakened foil asleep; and sinners, cha returned aa a dog to his vomit. And ao, by our •.».. u* acrTice, mamr aoula periahed for whom Christ died. Now had we willing, qrwithdrawn our service from them, by voluntarily aettling in one fi5f5f£j??H ■««®""t ?^ **»•• «o"W we have given to the great , Bnephcrd of our aoula? I cannot therefore see, how any of those fourpreachert, or any others in Uke circumstances, can ever, while they hare health and atrength, ordained or nnohlained, fix In one place without a grievoua wound to their own oonipience. and dam- age to the general work of Ood.** t On the same day that he wrote the above letter, he alao wrote k™/L*!'*°"».7"**» *" a letter written about a week before, had enarged hrai with 1. «* Self-inconsistency, in tolerating lay-preacb- r, and not toleratini| laV-administering: and «. Wfth ahowing a M P *i y^">*o»>» *P d e nying his b ret h ren the liber ty ' ' JlwU aa thinking. aooiMndin* to their own RnnxtUnMi » **^!L** ^"*^*»f » according to their own conscience.*^ ■»"»§» WiA regard to the first, Mr. Wealey allowed the charge, but iHtyadthtMoaaqueBce. He d«dair«i, tSiat ha acted on tliS aam .m Mtoilpto. In totoratinc tiM MM, in*! »« proli«>MM *• o^* - "J!! CSS?.; I do «oi i^ii. tbar« I. .n .biolut; ^^^.^ mUm oonirwy to It. Coiwi^tefitly with this. I io tole«t« Uv- SwISiInf" hlciu.* I oono«ir« there i. .n at^Mte necrjiity for ,t Bot tolerate Uy-wlinlnbtering, becawe I do not conceive there it "(;Uh'r;P'io'thr.i;;^'nd. M. We.ley obeer^. « [i^tf^Z the fMt: but deny the consequence. I meen, I djow the fact tbuii flj. wme of ourVre^cherTirho are not ordained, think U qu.tij Kht to admlniatJr the Lord'a lupper. and IwUeve it would tto »ttoh ShS Ithink it ouite wrong, ^d beliere it '^^"W ^ "»»«; Eurt ^euDon I aay, 1 have no right over your conacience, nof ;Su over ST theSfore both you a^ I mu.t follow our own coo- l^Z Y^ Wiev. it i. a ditr to ^mlnbter: do «>. and ^e^m foUow your own conacience. f verily believe it la a •»n^^»»«2 mMMikMidr. I dare not tolerate: and herein I follow mine. Yrt SuffrjLWuUon. were I to .ep.rato from o«r.«^«J^ who >raoUM what 1 believe b contrary to the woid and dertnw- VD^,Z^Mr!'^^l^y wrote to a Wend " ^^o^;;! *J nnt aee that diooeaan epiaoopacy ia neceeaary. but I do, that it la Kh7e«pidi«T^u» wheSe? it were or no. the aj^rit abown la •dtoownJ«iudi;rprlde.o1rintoreat.^obe lu^ "^'J^ Jheliiari doluid muat blame every one of them, fcNr the act of MiMtPAtintf Afterwards, I leave them to uod. . . .u - ??Thr5iKMtl2;hadnitthelordahipaor the revenuw. but they h«lSe o»Hf diScLn Wahopa. rfut, let i«I^»"l-»«*P;^^ have thiwrTto think of, which •«»»«««" ,«rf»M»J^«»P.'™"» J^ly3other.; and keep your opinion til doomjd^yi tupid. £eS4ni>n2atont, Jnprlmitive. and unacnptoral «-" ^J- i . ^. ^;i t;rto^n=^^:s!fTko~r"\'*^^^^ if^'a-S wnicience. I muit follow my conacience, and tbev ttilr oi«! ThS X di-«««»« P~ple ft^jm attending the churci SS^SS^irX certainly. • dnlw^ Mr Wealev'a travela aiid labow of love, in preachmg the goapel of lJi;« Ciii^ part, of the thwe >»!5B«»«~*CiZTlS; Il«NSth«eamaunreSttinidilig«nce, while the dutiea of hia M^^TJ^J^nm9^t$,\^n^ •^•ry year upon hini. STS^euTiere fWHiu^ly' formed i-J*""-!^^;;^^^^^^^^ naturaUy citted Ibr an increa«» of prwchert. .J"^;.*^'^*^?^^ wenMmral«aUy procured, than a atranger would inM««*r "* "J . TlS aSl^dSJSling. ware a fimitfUl ^^^^i^'^'^Jt Malom and ploua young m m iooa grew up to »»»• '^""''^ 4Bd TifMr ^liftfinaWp^^ •^■■' "' TlM bo4v baMMM UIm a laift mmtHAm, w wwram a a fti ware w eeedingiy oocnplexi and It depended on Mr. Wealey, not only to give tn« neoMaary liiipulM to put the wImI« In motion, but aiao 9t9ry where to govern and direct ita m«»tioiia to the purpoeea intended. Thia required great and continued atten- tion, and a very exteoaive corre«|MHidence lioth with preaehera and people through the whole connexion. All thia. however, he per- fortnedi by allotting to every hour ing, in all aitiiationa, but th« pore love of (iod, and perftet anb* muiaion to hia wlll| and nothing but benevolence, or good-will lo men. He never called thia a atato of alnleiM perAwtion. becauaa he believed there might atill ba erron In oNiduet ariaing ttvm Ignorance, which yet were eonaiatent w\tk pure lov« to God, and |ood-will to men. Ha did not auppoae that any man m idl unrighteouaneaiA-Miijar^ted ii^iove: all which, were with iham aynpnymoua pttraaflir i« Here," aaya Mr. Wealey, " began that clorioua work of aanetMtoation, which had bean naarlv at « atand for twenqr yean. But ffom time to time it apread, fibat througli variona piMrta of Yorkshire, afterwards in London; then tlirougb moat pairts of England, next through Dublin, Limerick, and all the South and Woat of Ireland. And wherever the work of san»> t^tion increaaad, the whole vtork of Ood inereaaad in all iM l>W Peh aa. Many were oonvinc«L of sin; many juatified; abd wnv baekslldara healed.** ^^ ' Wa may ohanrve that Mr. Wesley, beliei^ihg these prolhtMW of M loilaiitanoons daliveranoe Atmi all aiii wera aincere; gave Ihll credit tn their report; and upon thia tk^ the concurrhif teattmunv of otheit whish aoon foUowad, he aeems to have buUt his doeWan nr an iMtaataaeiNMi attafauoent of christian pmrftetioB %4 - W tl / I WM ^'m z*: TMB jpira or TBB MMf, JOHIT WBILiTi k.'« . „> conceive means, by the merits of Christ, all men are cleared from the guilt of Adam'8 actual sin. ^ •» We conceive further, That through the obedience and death of Christ, 1. The bodies of all men become immortal after the resurrection. 2. Their souls receive a capacity of spiritual lite; and, 3. An actual spark or seed thereof. 4. All believers become children of grace, re S. 18. " Have we not also leaned towards Antinomianismf . " We are afraid we have. Q. 19. "Whatis Antinomianisih? .-..» X ** The doctrine which makes void the law through faith f S. 20. "What are the main pillars hereof? ^ . 1. « That Christ abolished the moral iaw. 2. That there- fore Christians arb not obliged to observe it. 3. That ^ne branch of Christian liberty, is liberty from obeying the commandments of God. 4. That T*os bondage, to do a thing, because it is com- manded, or forbearSlt because it is forbidden. 5. That a believer is not obliged to use the ordinances of God or to do good works. 6. That a preacher ought not to exhort to good works: not unbe- Uevers. because it is hurtful; not believers, because it is needless. Q. 21. " What was the occasion of St. Paul's writing his Epis- tle to the Galatians? . r^ , .• u^ dfl. "The coming of certain men amongst the Galatians, who taught. Except ye be circmncised and keep the law of Moses ye eannot be saved. ... ,. . » S. 22. " What is the main design therein f ^? "To prove, 1. That no man c^h be justified or saved by tne works of the law, either moral or ritual. 2. That every believer IS justified by faith in Christ without the works of the law. Q. 23. " What does he mean by the works of the lawf Gal. ii 16 &c ' dfl. *" aIi works which do not spring from faith in Christ. 24. "What by being under the law? Gal. iii. 23. " Under the Mosaic dispensation. . . t _ S. 25. " What law has Christ abolished/ .« The ritual law of Moses. r 3. 26. "What is meant by liberty? Gal. v. 1. . *« Liberty, 1. From the law; 2. From sin." n Q. 1. "How comes what is written on this subject* to be BO intricate and obscure? Is this obscurity from the nature of the thing itself? Or, from the fault or weakness of those who have *^.5. " We apprehend this obscurity does not arise from the na- tuta of the subject: but, partly from the extreme warmth of most writers who have treated of it. , Q 2 . " AVft affirm faith in Christ is the sole condiUott of justt- *t. e. on justification. ^ i Till Liirt or YHi »Bir. jotiv wmlst. ilraiion. But doei not repentance go before that fuith? Yea, and (mippofling there be opportunity for them) fruits or works meet fbr repentance? J. ^< Without doubt they do, Q. 3. " How then can we deny them to be conditions of justift- cation? Is not this a mere strife of words? w9. <* It seems not, though it has been grievously abused. But so the abuse ceasO) let the use remain. Q. 4. " Shall We read over together Mr. fiazter*8 aphorisma concerning justification ? ^. *< Bv at! means: which were accordingly read. And it was desired, that each person present would id the afternoon consult the Scriptures cited therein, and bring what objections might occur the ne>rt morning. >^ Q. 5. " Is an assurance of' God's pardoning^ lofre absolutely ne- cessary to our being in his favor? - Or may there jjtossibl^Sbe some exempt cases? ■x.' ^■ A. " We darejiiot positively say there are not. Q 6. << Is such an assurance absolutely necessary to inward and outward holiness? A. "To inwardV we apprehend it is: to outward hoUiiess, we incline to think it is not. S. 7. "Is it indispensably necessary to final salvation? . " Love hopeth all thinss. We know not how far any itaay fall under the case of invincible ignorance. Q. 8. " But what can we say Of one of our own society, who dies without it, as J. W. at London? A, <* It may possibly be an exempt case, (if the fact was really so.^ But we determine nothing. We leave hb soul in the hannmianded thenai to be done. And yet we know not how to say, that they are on 35 \smM w Ttti iivi 911 tini Mv; svmm^mMhwm, n I Lord io him who feareth God, and from th*! 9tt he can. •bominadon to,thi orlncipwr does the uoBi. uo *>•»«. , . u* tj _* Q. 14. "Seeing there is bo much difficulty m this sumect, can we deal too tenderly with them that oppose us? i , A. "We cannot; unless we were to give up anyp^tprtho . tmth of God. . . . ^ J » I Q. 1&. " Is a believer constrained to obey Uodf .... 3. « At first he often is. The love of Cbrist constraineth him. After this, he may obey, or he may not; no constraint being laid "'q! 16. " Can faith be lost, but through disobedience? A. « It cannot. A believer first inwardly dispbejrs, inclines to Bin with his heart: then his intercourse with God is cut off, i.e. his faith is lost. And after this, he may^ fall into outward »m, b e- ing now weak, and like another man. ^. Q. 17. "How can such an one recover faith r .. _ 3. " By repenting and doing the first works. Rev. ii. 6. ^ Q. 18. "Whence is it that so great a majority of those who believe fall more or less into doubt or fear? ^ . . . . ^ A " Chiefly from their own ignorance or unfaithfulness: often from their not watching unto prayer; perhaps sometimes from some defect or want of the power of God m the preachmg they Q* 1». ^« Is there not a defect in us? Do we preach as we did at flpst? Have we not changed our doctrines? '^ JL 1. " At first Wb preached almost wholly to unbelievers. 1 o those therefore we spake almost continually, of remission of sins throuffh the death ©rChrist, and the nature of fai^h in^hiaWood. And M we do still, amontf those who need to be taught the hrsi elements of the, Gospel of Christ: , ., u _* «. "But those in whom the foundation is already laid, we exhort to go on to perfection: which we did not see so clearly at first; although we occasionally spoke of it from 'he beginning. . 1 "Yet we.now preach, and that continually, faith m (/hristJM ^e prophet, priest, and king, at least, ail clearly, as strongly, and» flilly, as we did six years ago. «_ u * .u Q. 30. " Do not some of our assistants preach too much or the wrath, and too little of the love of .God? A. *^We fear they have leaned to that extreme; and hence aome of their hearers may have lost the joy of faith. ^/ ^•^♦i.,^ Q. 91. " Need we ever preach the terrors of the liord to those V who know they are accepted of him? JP .; _r !^ ,* A, " No; it is folly so to do; for love is to thlm the strongeatof Q. 22. *• Do we ordinarily represent a justified state so great ind *5f^**?erhaps not. |^»eliever walking in the light, b inexpres* "J. ^.* " Should we not have a care of depreciati^g justification, m order to exalt the s t a te of fiill sanetifioation? . ^ A. « Undoubtedly we should beware of this : for one may i •Ibly alide into it. 3f4. "How diill we effiMstaally •▼old It? • '^ ^ " . "When we are going to speak of entire aanetineation,' Ml u» firat dewsribe the blessingsof a justified state, as strongly as pot* Q.' 26. " Does not the truth of the gospel lie very near hoth to Calvinism and Antinomianism? . . «, i. Ji. *< Indeed it does: as it were, within a hair's breadth. So that it is altogether foolish and sinful, because we do not quite agree either with one or the other, to run from them as far as ever wo 3*. 26. " Wherein may we come to the very edge of Calvinism? . " Ih ascribing all good to the free grace of God: 2. In deny^ faig all natural free will, and all power antecedent to grace; and S. In exoludinff all merit fronfi, man; even for what he has or does by the grace of God . . ---^ — .' ": - - — ~— -r—— -— --^ ■ O. 27. "Whereinmay we come to the edge of Antinomianism f •S. 1. "In exalting the merits and love of Christ. 2. In rejoio- ing evermore, , Vv ^ W Q. 28. "Does faith supersede (set aside the necessity of )boII« ness or good works? Ji, " In no wise. So far from it that it implies both, as a caaie does its emcts.'* III. aj 1. "Can an unbeliever (whatever he be in other re- qpects) cb^Uenge anything of 6od*s justice? ; \A. " A^lutely nothing but hell. And this is a point whioh w« ' eainnot too much insist on. ' Q. 2. "Do we empty men of their own righteousness, a» we did at first? Do we sufficiently labor, when they begin to be con- vinced of sin, to take away all they lean upon? Should we i^ot then endeavor with all our might to overturn their false founda-; lions? •A. " Thisuwas at first one Qf our principal points. And It oucfat tobesostilK Fon till all other foundations are overturned, tbey cannot build upon Christ. Q. S. <^ Did we not fA«fi purposely throw them into convienontir Into strong sorrow and foar? Nay, did we not strive to malui them incimsolabfe? Revising to be comforted? Jl. " We did. \ And so we should do still. For the stronger um conviction, the sjj^eedier Is the deliverance. And none so soon rt- ceive ti^e peace df God, as those who steadily refuse all other com- fort. S. 4. "Whatiasincerity? ' .«. . " Willingness to know and do the whole will of God. Tbe lowest species thereof seema to be faithfolness in that which is lit- tie. ■■ , |\ ', : ... :'-■- ^ .-■ ■ Si. 5. " Has Goa any regard to man's sincerity? . *< So for, mat no man in any state can possibly pleaie God without it; neither indeed in any moment wherein he is not irioe«f». Q. 6. " But eatf it be conceived that God has any regard to tb« rinc e riwof an onbeliei pB r? ^ ^ .^ — — ^— JL "Tea, ao niueh, that if he perseveres therein, God will tnlil- 1ib|y giro him iliith. f«t;;Kiini'OV m mvr, 991m Q. 7. «« WliMt««ard mty we eonoeiTe him to haw, to Ui* t'li *r«S;S^Va^ in every .incere believer he fiilffl. aU the great and precious promised. . ; , Q. 8. " Whom do you term a smcere believerf , i « One that walks in the light, as God is in the Ught. S. 9. "^sincerity the same with a single eye f . "Not altoOTther. The latter refers to ourmtention; the former to our will or desires. ^ > S. 16. "Is it not all in all? \ « ^ • • ^u:— . " All will follow persevering sincerity. God giives everything with it: nothinx without it* - . , ' s O. U. " Are not sincerity and filith equivalent terms? . I "-By no means. It is at least as nearly related to works al it is to faith. For example; who is sincere before he behoves? "«!"l'i;?^.?uC'.m^W what St. Paul ttnn. • wBltag m^r A iK0«^^ia? 3 Cor. viii. 12. . . -.^^ .. - . j. " Yes: if that W4>rd be taken in a general senee. Forit u « ooq^uit disposition to use all the grace given. / • . j . ♦ ^STlS. «Kt do we not then set sincerity on a level wlth^foith' JL *' No. For we allow a man may be sincere, and not be jus- tifiedi as he may be penitent, and not be justified, (not as yet) SJf he cimnrfii ave &th, and not be justified. The very mo- ment he believes he is justified, , . . rS 14. "But do we not give up feith, and put wncenty m its oIbm; «§ the condition of our acceptance with God? ^ T «« We believe it is one condition of ouraccejptance.psrepenl- aiMe^wise is. And we believe it a condition ofour continuing in rrtatebr acceptance. Yet we do not put it m the placeof faith h iTby^th tBemettto of Christ are applied to my soul. But if I •m not smeere, they are not applied. .... ' ^0° 15?«\U not W that ^W>»HJiit to establish your own ^ richtMrasilesB, wheieof St. Paul speaks, Rom. x. 4f . .^ JL "StTKul there manifesdy speaks of unbeUevers, who TOught to be toceptorfVor the soke of theV own ri^hteousnew.' We do TOt^iS^be aecMled for the sake of out sincerity; but through 5» Srito of cSS^one. Indeed, so long as any rowitelieves, wSSotgo^aboS PauPa «en«j) /to establish hui own -^oflST^^ut do y^ ponsider, that we a« »«*»'*. J^Jf"** oTnace? And that the covenant of.worka is now »*»»tt»g;X. tho Jr"AU mankind were nndef the eovemmt of grwe firom^the of^fka you meaii, that of unsinning obedience made with Adam ii^SLwiL^^^butAdi^^ S It wwiaboUehed before Cain Wis bom. Yei it ia not »o jbjl^ K bS that it ^a» «««»«>» ^ '''^!^'^*''^'^t?Tv^.^£^ IS5S.i;o!tfw^dothis,v*ihaUUv^ tf60t,weihdldio«l««»i^ wm * In if w«'do wdl,ire ilidp ltlr« iHlll God ta rftow:^^ 7ii the •Mflted dftdh, for •▼•ly man ihaU be jiid|M in thtt d»y, and rewoi^ according td hii^lrorks. / Q. 17. " What mews tlien,* to him that beliereth, hia fkith if counted for rightcouBrieas?* u . ' / V A. "That God forgivea him that ia tmrighireona as loon at bo believes, ^ccepti^g his faith Instead of perfe^iriihteouaneae. But then observe, universal righteousness foUm^; though it did not precede faith. , /' , . Q« 18. " But is faith thus counted toyOa for righteousnesi, at whatsoever time we believe? / ,„ _^ , •fl. "Yes, In whatsoever moment wffbelieye, All our past alna vanish awa^j. They are as though thfey had never been, and wo stand clear in the sight of God. / . ^ ^ . * . - ^t Q, 19. " Are not the assurance of faith, the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, and the revelation of C/hrist in ms, terms nearly of the aameimport? - / , „ ^. _^ «S. "He that denies. one of Jlhem, roust deny all j they ir0 lo closely connected togeriier. / ,, . j Q. SO. " Afe they ordinardy, where the pure gospel Is preaebed» essential to our acceptancel/ ... . . # .. d9. " Undoubtedly they fO^y and as such, to be insisted on, In tM strongest terms. / , - , ". .^ - , . ._. Q. 31. "Ivnot the ^ole dispute of salyatipn Iqr taith»or pgr wwks, a mere strife ofwords? ,, lii. Jt,**\n asserting MAvation by faith, we mean this^ 1. That p«iw don (salvation begmi) is received by fkith, producing wpria. «. That holiness (saMtion continued) as faith working by love. 8. sThat heaven (salvation finished) is the reward of this faith. "Ifyouwho greet of roeekneos, and several other tenfpers which would l^e bre^het of Christian holiness, but that they do not qHflng from Christian principles. For tiie abiding love of; God eumot imiii|9 but ttom with in a pardoning God. And no true Chrittipil ImB* n es fcan e ri t t, without that lov e of God for it a foun da tte o. Q, tSw ** la everyman, aa toon at he believep, a new eraitttni & &: • ^ .mm Mim^ MMtMed, vora in iMartr HulHitiMHiamrfrbMCt? DoetChriM dwell therein ? Atid w he a tetnple of the Holy Ohoetf Jf. ** All these thinmij^ay be affirmed of every believer, in a true •enee. Let ut not therefore contradict tho«e..who maintain it. Why should we contend about words? * a ' IT. Q. 1. " How much is allowed b;^ our brethren who differ from tis, with regard to entire sanctifioation? . , Ji. " They grant, 1. That every one niust be entirely sanctified, in the article of death. w ** 9. That till then, a believer dally grows lii grace, comes hearer and nearer to perfection. ^ •>' ** 9. That we, ouj^ito be continually pressing after this, and to exhort all othera n<> to do. . , ., . *• Qv" What do we allow theilT? "■"■^ ■■•• ', -'■■ ,- ■' ■' - •.■■^'■"^" A, (*^e graiit, 1. That many of those who have died in the faith, yea, the greater part of those We have known, wer^ not sifnc- tified throughout, not made perfect In love till a kttle before death; *m all sin? ^M There is. Psfdmeaaac. 8. aUhis^iis.* t ** This is more large^ ezpressied in the prophecy of Ezekiel* 'Then will I sprinkM dean water upon you, and you shall be dean; froiii di your ^thiness, and from off your idols will I cleanse yon— I wul also -save you from all your uncleannesses, c. zxxvi. V. 85» S9, No promise can be more eletf. And to this the ^ <«t*kin dow, and that laid down faitlMdaiiiesi teivML So ,at* Jdn iii. 8. < For this purpose dwSaBuf God waamanllhaled, l^ 't#.'Mtft laiTi >Ant'VMfn#4 •uch 4M IM mlglit dMtragr the «i^orlB of tlM d«^t.r, Tip* works of Ito deriX without Any limltatkNi or reatriction : but an sin it tbo work of the dofiL Parallel to whiob is that aiwertioa of St Paul, Enh^ r. S5, i7. * Christ lore^ the church and gave himself for it — tliat he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having sjmC or wriultle oi;,iM^y such thing, but that it should be holy and with- 0ut bleoush.* [ • * * ** And to the same efferttM his assertion in the eighth of the Ro- - mans (v.' 8, 4.) * God sej« his Son — that the righroousnese of the law might be AilfilM in us, walking not after the flesh but aAer the spirit.* . v dQi> ^. "Does the New Testament afibrd any AirthergroQnd, for •focpeiisting to be saved from alt siu? ij^. Undoiib^adlv it doesj both in those prayers and oommanda ' wmch are equivalent to the strongest assertions. | S|. 7. "What prayers do you mean? , / ', " Prayers for entire sanctification: which, were there ito si thing, woura be mere roedi:tfrjr~bf God. Such, in particular, are 1. Deliver us ^m evil; or rather, from the evil one. Now wheo this is done, when we are delivered fromall evil, there enn be no sin remaining. S. * Neither pray t Tor these alohe, but for ,theiii ^M> which sndll^eve on me tnrough their word: that they all may be one, as thou Father art in me and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: I in them and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in .on49.* John xvii. 80, 3t, 3S. " S. * I bow my knees unto the God and father of our Lord Jesua Christ— that he Would grant you— 4hat°ye being rooted and ^romad- ed in love, mav be aMe to comprehend with all sidnts, what m the breadth and length and height; and to know the love of Christ whidh passeth kno\^edge, that ye might be filled With all the Ail- ness of God.* Eph. iii. 14, 16^19. 4. 'The very God of peace saliotiQr you whollv. And I pray God, your whole apirit, aoul and body, be preserved blameless, unto thfl^ ooming of our hatd Jesne Christ.* lThe8a.v.99. S. 8. " What oonunand is there to the same eflbot? ,. *{ ( Be ye perfect as your Fttlper which ia in heaven is perfoec.' 'Matt. vi. ult. "3. < Thou shaft love the Lord thy God wit|i all thy heiut, and with all tlqr soul, and with all thy mind.* Matt. xxii. 87. But if the love of^God fill all the heart, there can be no sin (here. ^ Q. 9. " But how does U appear that this is to be done before the article of death? «ff. "First fifCKnthe very nature oi a oommaod, whkh k not given to the dead^bttt to the living. '* " Therefore) < Thou shalt lov6 God with, all thy hearty* cannot mean. Thou Shalt do this when thou diest, but while thou liveM, " Secondly, firoia expresf texts of scripture : <* 1. *The graee of God that brihgethMdvation hath a idlmen; teaemnf^ ast that havkig renounced (^vf^iivMfot nan: teaehinj^ i iaMWOridly^ tvhig: ottlcTI redte mwil idwoimyYuala, we shottlf live soberiy,righteoudy,aad^» l^ia this flfeaeni WQild:' lodicmg fo r » .^he gkmoas af^ieani^ m mtdimm Christ; wke gave himtelf for tis, Ihat ke woi^m fcaTta holinew and righleouioeM befo« him, aU th. d life. •«'•«"«**»£"& *ta .toLS. oV^™ « «T« Perhaps lK>th. But without doubt our joy in th^ Lord wiU ,-Vv Im iwmmIW^ a* fliYor of Ood. But in July he mmbm to Imvo euunfoed tM •ubj«ct more okNM>(yi a^ wroto to hi* brotlMir ClMirttliiMfbllowit '•DiAJi;'B»oTM««, ■' ** Ye^fiday I wm thinking oi| ■ dgnderaium among Ui, a OaiM- riipimykaiiem on juattfVinff faitli. Aaiieleton of it (whicli you may 01 up* or any one that tiaa leisure) I have rouahlv aci down. «Iv justifying faith a sense of pardon f Ntgrnhtt." It is denied. 1. " Every one is deeply concerned to understand this question welLt but preachers most of a|l: 'lest they either ipake them sad whom 6oa hath not made sad^ or, encourage them to aay peace, where there is no peace. " Some years ago we heard nothing of justifying fiiith, or a sense of pardon: ao that when we did. hear of them^lho theme was quite new to us; and we mighfeasilyl especiallyin t^ heat and hurry of controversyi lean too much either to the oo^ hand or to the othen ■ -A If. "B^ justifying faith I mean, that fklth, which whosoerer .. hath not, is under the wrath and the curse of Ood. Bv a semw of pardon, I mean a distinct, explicit assurance that my sins are for- given. "I allow, 1. That there issuch an explicit assurance. S. That It is the common privilege of real Christians. S. That it is the proper christian faith, which purijfieth the heart, and oVercometh the world. « But I cannot allow, that just^^ng fkith.ia such- an assurance, or necessarily connected therewith. .<' III. " Because j if justifying futh neceaaarily implies such an «x* plicit assurance of pardon, then, every one who has it not, and every one so long ashe has it not, is under the wrath and under the curse of Qod. But thb is a supposil^on contrary to Scripture, as well as to experience. Contraiyifo scripture: to Isaiah 1. 10. * Who is among you, that feareth the Lorer, for sovrrid years, in these parta of the country. He was a man of itouiid judgment, and of considerable abilities as a preacher. From a letter which he wrote to Mr. Wesley, rametime after this periixl, we may form some notion of the labors^of the preachers. " Many doors," aays he, " are opened for preaching in theae^ parts, but cannot be supplied for want of preachers. I think mme one should be sent to assist me, otherwise we shall lose fffound. My circuit i« one hundred and fifty miles in two weeks; durinf^ which time r preach publicly thirty-four times, beaides meeting the Bocieties, visiting the sick, ana transacting the temporal businoHs. I think the above is too much for me, considering my weak donsti' tntion." - „ „, , . L. t- L w Thia WM gr«at labor; but Mr. Wealev, and hia brother Mr. Charles, labored still more. They preached as often, did all the other business, and frequently travelM ,near treble the distance, lo , the same apace of time. Hitherto they had been enabled to labor, and form societies with the assistance of the other preachers, M moat parts of Eingland, though frequently at the p<»rU of their liyds; but now their Una was stretched a little further. One of the lay- preachers had gone over to Dublin, and after preaching there for . some time, Armed a society. He wrote an^ account of hia suc- ceaa to Mr. Wesley," who determined to visit Ireland immediately. Accordingly, August 4, he set out from Bristol, and pasaing throuj^h Walee, amvecl in Dublin on Sunday the 9th, about ten o*cMk in the forenoon. Mr. Wesley observes, " Soon after we landed, hearing the beUa ringing for church, I went thither directly. About three fwnlte aline to the curate of St. Mary's, who sent me word he ahould tie glad of my aaaistanoe. So I prpached there, another gentleman reading prayera, to aa gav and aenaelesa a congregation L ever I saw. After aermon Mr. R. thmk^ me very affection- ately, and desired I would favor him with my company .in the morning. Monday 10, between eight and nine 1 went to Mr. R. the curate of St. Mary»«: he professed abundance of good will, com- mended lAy sermon in strong terms, and begged he mjght see me again the next morning.- But at the same time he expressed the moat rooted prejudice agi^st lay-preachers, or preachinff out of a church; and aaid, the Archbishop of Dublin waa resolved to^ suf- fer no auoh irregul a riti^ in hi a d i oreae . * * In the conrae of the day Mr. Wesley went to wait on the arch- P fteher af the lata Bev** Mr. Baanct, mioisier to a amgrcgatioa oa< ths .r-Ky Mn •# vn* BBv. MB* wftuiv. «• MAopt bat Im wm gooe out of town. TIm Mxt diy 1m waIimI apon Bim •t N«w-Brid«j, ten inilcw from Dublin./ He had the fii- f orof conrewinff with lh« Krohbuhop two or thr6« houw; in which tiiiM he aafwerml abundance of objection*. In the evening he re- turned to Mr Lunell'a, at whoee houae he waa hoapitaUy enter- tained. On the 14th, Mr. Weeley obaervea, " I procured a genuine ac- count of the great Irlah mniuiacr^Jn 1641. Surely never waa thers Mucb a tranaaction before, from the beginning of the world ! More than two hundred thouaand men, women, and children, butchered within a few montha ih cool blood; and with auch clrcunuitnncea of cruelty aa makea one'a blood run cold I It ia well if God has not a controveray with the nation, on thia very account to thia aay.»— May the gracioUa Providence of God auperintend our pub« / lie affaira in aucn a way aa may prevent the return of a like cBf Saturday |he It^th, he ataid at home, and spake to all who came to him. " itt,»» says he, " I found scarce any Irish among th^em. At least ninety-nin* in an hundreil of the native Irish, reii^ In the religion ot their forefathers. The Protestants, whether in Dublin or elsewhere, are almost all transplanted from Eilgland. Nor is it any wonder, that those who ure born Papists, jenerally live and die auch; when the Protestants can find no better ways to convert them, than penal laws and acta of narliament." — I never undefstood, that penal lawa Ad acts of parliament, were intended as the means of eonveitlng the Papists; but as means of preventing, or hindering them from breaking the peace, from murdering their: neighbors who think differently from them, and from making prQ»» elytes to opinions subversive of the government. The bulb of the Popes, their decretals, and the oaths of the Romish bishops, takenf ; even at present, will not allow us to doubt for n moment, that pt'tnl ciples eubversive of every Pfotestant goveminent, enter into th« essence of every eataUishment of the Roman^Catholie* religion; and will infallibly produce their natural effects, as onportunitiea offer. And therefore the creed, or public professions of individuals . ia that church to the contrary, are of no avail; they ought Ao weigh ^ nothing with the legislature in Protestant countries, unti^ the Pops of Rome annul, abrogate, wid totally disavow the bulls, ahddeere- UU, which infringe on the rights of jjiings, and of all civil govern- ors: and change tne oaths of the lushops acting under his authori^. —But perhaps, Mr. Wesley intended no more, by the aenteiica quoted above, than a reproach either on the churcli^or state, for not appointing iMroper methods of diflEuaing knowledge among the native Irish; most of whom are kept by , their priests in a state of thegroaaest ignorance. .. „ X T^ house wherein they preached at this time, was ongtnaUy/ designed fiwr aXtUtheran ohurf^j^ and <»ntained about fourhuni^retf ~Boplet but abiUMlatijly roora^^Eught ataftd in the yard. Mr. Was- peopiet but « qMimii i ig^and ^jtvcm l ag t o t nany mor e than *th e lioua < i Rqpns, atver wss-a mere indeoeat abuse of woids, disn in ths Ghtuch of ' ths title of ths Catholie ChMch. . (A 4 urn ^in •# «u Mit. !••* wMuf. •ifatil preaebad at Tullamora, TyrrelPa-Pasa, , Claro, Tainple-Maqueteer, Moat; and on Saturday April 3d, came to Athlona. Hia brother Charlea bad bejen here some time before; though it was with the eminent bazard of his life. For within about a mile of tbe town, bo waa waylaid by a ver^ numeroua Popish mob, who discharged a shower of stones, which he very narrowly aaeaped.* ** This,** aays Mr. J. Wesley, ** had an ex- ceeding happy effect, prejudicing all the Protestants in our favor. And this seemed to increase every day. The morning I went away, moat of the congregation were in tears. Indeed almost all the town aaamed to be moved; full of good-will, and desires of salvation. But the waters were too wide to be deep. I found not one under attong conviction, much leas had any one attained the knowledge of aaivation, in hearing above thirty sermons. After re-visiting the towoa I bad seen before, on Tuedday the 16th, I ro- *ato > P*I»MM. 'K ' 'iiWSw'l *HB I.I»» or Tll» mtV. WHH WltLKt. .-■'•1r,-*^"*f '■^ 'V ' t'^^^^V r -^4 £^ i* 4St .„„«. ,0 Dublin. ^^ti^^:j^;'^:^^"'A:s^'^T^ f„r„" r^lr -tlSiSf y SMVe UK,, .hip. and L n/xt day landed at H<»lyhewl-" employment in preaching, ^Notwithstandmg Mr. Lesley 8 dailveropioy travelling fiom often morning, ^oon and nijht, and J^* ^J^J^^^^^^^^^ the^desigu place to place: yet he had 8ome y«*J« ^^JJ J'^^^^^ in the Eng- Sf making coUections from the most approved wm Anting lish language, on the ««t>J«f « J^tTan Sbfiry^ ^hid mmediately executing the design "Are you, jays , pressing toirard the l"?.-;^. the pnze of your^h^h^^^^^ ^^^ ^^ Cope full of immortaluy? Do you co^^^^^ Some loss, for the excellency of the kn«^V®3**L^t" should beswal- time since I was in much concern fo^y««>^\3gjd has wrought a lowed up in the thmgB of «»Jt*»-.^^f*;7o choose him for your n'lt:: oft^n^hought of mentionmg tay^. anjl^ design I have had for some yeats^^^^^^^^ haps of fourscore, or one hundred volumes, »^J j ^^^ seen thaT fear GM.» .% purpos^ was ^^^^^ sdec^. wn^ ^.^^^ ^^ most valuable m the English language, u , • j ^ occasion the whole tracts, only a little ^^"^^'f,^^;X^^f^reothBS, Bhould require. Of these I c«"»^ P"f ,^^" ^U^^^ be cast every year, on a fine paper, «?d large letter,%^^^^^ for tie purpo8e.--.A8 soon as » "i*". ^^^^^^^^ books his design in fifty 3«odfi«imo volumes. y^^^ appointed "June 24," says Mr. Wesley, JJ«"y l"f ""^g for boarders) I for opening the school .at Kingswood ^thj^^'^^^Jhould go, and preached there, on * Train up a child in tne way b^ ^^^ j ■ "ToCT^S^' S''^h"Gid.. «»i.t«.ee. «. ».in »P chMrea « every branch of useful learning. «« The school contains eight classes: ; f,^T >, Doddridge^s totter, thai the first iatootiouwM. * It is evident enough from Dr. Uoaatia^ » m*»m , the benefit of the pceachew. ..t '•-? ktMtiou waai «< In the first dm the children re«d ImtruetioBe fgr ChiUmi, «im| Lessons for Children; und begin learning to write. "In the second class thev read The Manners of the Ancient •Christians, go on in writing, learn the Short Enfflish Grammar, the Short Latin Grammar, read PraUetionei Pveruea: translate them into Eiifflish, and the Instructions for Children into Latin: part of which they transcribe and'^repeat., '< In the third class thev read Dr. Cave's Primitive Christianity, go on in writing, perfect themselves in the English and Latin Gram- mar; read Corderii CoUo^uia 8eleeta and Hutorias Seleeta: tians-- late Hiatpria Seleeta into English, and Lessons for Children into Latin: part of which they transcribe and repeat. "In the fourth class they read the Pil^im's Progress, perfect themselves in writinji^: learn Dilworth*s Anthmetic: read Castellio'a Kempis and Cornelius Nepos: translate Castellio into Eng^uh, wad Manners of the Ancient Christians into Latin: transcribe mad repeat select portions of moral and sacred poems. " In the fifth class they read the Life of Mr. Haliburton, perfisct themselves in arithmetic; read Select Dialogues of Erasmus Phv- drus and Sallust: translate Erasmus into English, and Primitive Cbristiani^ into Latin: transcribe and repeat select portionhof mor^ and sacred poems. "la the sixth class they read the Life of Mr. De Renqr, and Kennet's Roman Antiquities: they learn Randal's Geography: read CsBsar, Select Parts of Terence and Velleius Paterculns: translate Erasmus into English, and the Life of Mr. Haliburton into Latin: transcribe and repeat select portions of sacred hymns and poems. " In the seventh class thev read Mr. Law*s Christian Perfecticw, and Archbishop Qotter's Greek Antiquities: they leani Bengelii /n"t»-*« «"«» Rnfflish and Latm alternately. :- - .;:. M 7. Read Prindtive Christianity. . ^8 RjSatEMlishimd Latin G'T^^J^HSLri- ^ -S^s£eJra CorSerius, and when that is ended, Histpna Se- ■:'■•^;• .V--'T\ leetiB. .■■.,...■ .,-'■---'■.■.'■-■/ A. 1. LearnXorderiua and Histona Select* 4. Translate. *t The Fourth Cbu9. M. 7. Read the Pajrim's Progress: t£2S'Si^rK^i.,«id when thai i.ended.Ca.. neliusNepoB. ' , 10. Write and learn Arithmetic: _^ A, L Learn Kemitts and CorneUus Nepoi. > ■:.-■■ 4.. Translate. ■ \ • " . ,^: , ** the F^VkCUut, ^ * Bf. 7. Read Mr. Haliburton's Lifb, 10. Learn Arithmetic: « « \ - - A. 1. Learn Erasmus, Ph»dms^Sallu^ ; 4. Translate. ^ ^i* The Sixth Clau. M. T. R Frin e jpia, |ioaheni*i. • Introdnetlon vsnmB jsmry, to Usher's Annals, '' Burnet's Hist, of die Reforma- tion, ' Spenser'* Fury Queen, Historical Books of the Hebre«r Bible, Greek Testanient, ^ Homer'B Odyssey, Twelve volomes of the C^fkliaa — Lib r ar y , ^ Ramsay^i /Raeine. Cirrus, j^^^'mtlMf ' "'''-, v..;f.-,» ^•j»'\';" Sf^>' «VBIftP>tBAB. «• LMk,)direr Am Orimmuii SuetoDius. TuUy de Finibttii * MiUMB AngHcaneBf '. Dr. Burtpn»s BBjemata, Xd. ForbcMi* Tfacts Httme'. Hi«ti»ry fj^'^^^^ Neal'i fliitory of tli« Puntoiui Millon'« Poetical Works* Hebrew Bible, JoV-Canticles, Greek 'riJitament, Plato's Dialoguea, Greek Epigrams, ^ Surrey of the Wisdom of God Library, in the Creation, S***'ii-»» * RoUin'p Ancient History, Comeille. : -, .:.-' .. .1 ' ■ _ ■ ■^::L_4__jM. roUBTH JZJkWk-L , -■ .. ^ J_. Vf attB*s OntologTi j!** ■i*' « Look over /the Granunait, Tacitus; ' „ . » Orotil Hlstoria Belgica, Tutty de Natura Deoruin, Prndium Rasticum, CamiilM Quadraj^imalia, philosophical Tntaaacuoiis abridged, V Waifs Astronomy, &c, , 4Cdmp0hdium Metaphysics, Marcus Antoninus* ^^ PoetiB Minores,\ ^,. End the ChriBtui& Library, N Locke's Essay, Malebranehe, ^ . NS?irH?storyofNew England, (Anto^ S^lw' Hist, of Mexico, Shakspearo,^ ■ Rest of the Hebrew Bible, ■'\ Greek Testaoient, ^ ,>• ^ EbiCtetus, ^ _ __ '. La Faussete de les Vertues hu- manes. QuesneU sur les . Evani^les. '..Whoever care^ly goes t»»«>J«>V*!ioSbS^ •cholar than nine Itt ten of tho graduates at Oxfprdor ymon^^ About the time this' short account «^w pnnted, Mn W«jey askJdiiiWc'i^ere'^e,"^^^^^ Ssts sensible of the exceUencybf King»wood ,Schooif *ne outnlvte number of Uborers into his »»»^J? T*"^" ^^[^ 2^Bg^ earth but to promote the «!»? /,,Si^'J*X^ Xy are content tbftrewith; . i;i,««:L made for the wires of 1. «« A Competent provision is likewise ™*?f 'r J^ j. weeklv AinTtSJ hSbwids need be carefiU about many things, but mav wait upon the Lord without distraction, ■ "t-^tSS consid^jblj diJJ^«Si^f\ja^^ Vh^ t w jrow too big to be under their npomers « __ 'V «W" ¥ ( fM ^iifi>iiinlfiir^li»^. eartyndT AaJ ii mayfte, if Qod prav^tt tkto liAor of tiny #111 ••»• tiwg» too thortly. 4^ ^ : ^ i> > 4 •< In urittUvvar view we look upon thii, it |« ono of tho aphlMi oharitiM'tMt om te coocaived; Ho:*i^ reaionable it tlio inatitouon f !• it At that tlie>eliildren.of tliOM wlio le^ve wife^hbme, and all |Im| iadear.to MTf aonii flrom death, should want what la noedfU either for aonl or body? Ought not we to aupplv what the parenjt oaqnot, tMcauae pf hia labors in tfie gospel f How exoeUaitl aM the effeet^of this institution ? The preaener eased 4|f this wei^ . ean the mofo easily go on in his labor. And perhaps many^ those ohUdran lAay hereafter All up the plaee of thdbo |hat shaU^ * rest lirofniheir labors. ., ' ft. w Bat the ^expense of such an undertaking is Tory laigf i .so 'that although We have at present but thirteen or iburteen 'poor , eJiUdron, wo are obntihually ruiyning behind, notwithstanding thi. yearly aubsoription made at London and Bristol. The best noeanf we oould thihk of at ou^ late Goniforenoe Jo #iip>)»ly thc^Jifle^ncy is, ones a year to deaire the assistince of all thosOi&eyei;jr pUuso who wish well to the work of Ood; all who'lon|;%>«e« sitmera eonverted to 6od, and the kingdom of Christ sift np. in all ch« earthf**' - , ■ ■ ^ :■■■.. ^ ■:,-, : ■ From this time a puUfo collection has been nn«de &il»iigh all the - sbeieties onee in every year, for.Kingswood School. The last y«ar« 17H it aniountad to twelVe ^hiindre^ and eighfy^four ; pMUKbi ei^ttnen shillings aMone peniij^l . ^ : ^ . .V o/ ■; .r J^ 18th;.BIr. Wef ley was at'Wewca$^empon-T™} and ftntp • thenoe pi^p^ed northward, pr^aehing ^ aettod pUoes inliia ^y»tiU he Voftmf to Ber#iek iipop Tlv^ed. Hve^ne preaohsd throe or foujr times, "tAm lam grmsn space, neat the govenporis house. A little i|6oiety had been formed al this place some timn belbre, which was now coqsidijnMy increased: aods^rOrAl metil* • beip.of ^ it. walked worthy of the Tooation wherewi^ they were sallMtt On th^jSd, after prOacpiig at othe^ pbcea on hift W9f back, he returned to Neiipcastle; I ^ *. ' v.. - During the summer, there waa a large inrai^ease of the wm of €kMl* tglh hi Northumberland, the county of Durham, and Yorfe- ° shire;lbalso in the most savagp part of Lancaahire; though hera «'hi particular the proachers. carried tBeir lives inthete handi: A specimen of the tMatment U^ey met with there, may^bs seen in thi , lUlovrfng brief account, ' '' • ^< Oaj[agaat Mth,*' saya Mr. Wesley, '^t whfle I waaapeakiiw to fame qidat people at Rough1ey« neiur Coin in Lancashire, a drunkM nbUe OHMS, t|M captain of whom iaid he waa a deputjr oonMabla, taidlwMlfowith him. I had acarce gonis tan f anbiy when oM of hia eoapingr. struck me in the ftce with all his mighty Aoochar threw his aliek at oqr head: all the rest wete like aa mnnjnuapNr , ' and ««wiK Me* *J^ brought mo, with Mr. G^ims^WsdM ifMroTBawortfi; Bfr. Colbeehof Klgl|loy, and B|r; ManM ^ ' (wilo ntvw veooToiM the aboae be tbeii raoaM iiuaat gaifdwford^mtfihborinf ffa ^ ii iw i t "1 y^- f!K!w MfliMl But upon .aylng, I will not p««ch heie now, he doo?: Mr. Grl^haw. and Golbedk, want out at the o*«^ Jhe mS Immediately ci«iN«l.tbem in, to^«»d them to and f"* with the SShS^ioiencel threw Mr. Grimehaw down, and >ffded them KSrtdth dirt ariSr mire of erery kind. The other quite ha^ley »Minlii who follo%ved me at a diitance, they treated lUll as ui. K?y iounSi ^F«^»»em .hbwer. of dirt ai,J ■tone, wi houtany i!S/to aw orwx. Some of them thsy trampled in the mire, STdraioeyby the hair of the head. Manythey beat with their «Si?^lKt mercy" One they foreed tt, le»p froiA a rock, ten or JI?5U foeHigM^^ the rire?. And when he crept out wet and iJSIi were tordly persuaded not to throw him in agam. Such ^ird'SSi^ng Ten? remarkable during the following year, except Mr wJjev's oerseverance in his fhsquent joumies, and inwssant Ubit^^S^thJISiirnis of theye^lTw/toTing been informed SrOiTvlolence of tSe moEs at Cori, aipainst both the^reachen and ^feland being in nothing terrifiedly i»>« •fj«3f'?;i%S^u'; £S^ to set out for the scene of riot. Aecordingly, Ajjril Ttfck he SSJk«UlHolyh««iinthe morning, and in the evemnj landed STSibUn. HerJ he received a fiiU account of *• ■locking out- SJiTwhich had been committed at Cork, for «iveral t-Jf^^ .<»- 2Ser- and which the good magistrates had encouraged rather SSSliStL AttheiinTL^^ **«r~»?T 7SS^3 SSre'tWirond jury, against the rioters: yet tfcey did not W awr Sfthese bSEl But they found abiU against a poor bakeri who, ^•nX mob were disc£arginf a shower of •5«>»« W^^^f^^*?: chaW a pistol without bifll,^ofer their heads, which puf therto SloWch Wily fear, that thijy •» ran away, without looking '^^H^jS'Siried tenor twelve day. »? Dublin, Mi. We^^^^^ his journey through the country socieoes, towards Cork, wbere fte arriV^May the I9th. The next day, undemanding the_houw 511 wnaU,Je went out about eight o'cWk, «» H"""**"^ ^^rThi , IHhaTSme a large open space, but since built over^ Here he m«^hed, to a lar» aild deeply attenave «»nreg»2f ' JSd tf afkemoonVtwo of Se preachers went to the mayor, aad askdd; it kwSiW to^ireeabVto him, that Mr. Wesley should preach Si^h! MwrtTSe answered, "Sir, I wilT have no more mobs 2d riott.™One of them replied, « Sir, Mr. Wesley has made SSe.^ He then spike phunly, « Sir, I will have no «n<»»P"»jh; SuT An«J ^ Mr. WeslJy attempt* . it, I am^repaiedjoi-hwa." vSm was a chief magistrate, who, if Mr. Wesley attempted to 2Seh^ iiSSScf^^ple in their duty to Go«f end man, was ietermined to make a riot to hinder himl^^^ .^. «r«h«» L' • »• ':\>- .-.-.•'vf^ Mfdan to kit MMMiito utd iIm town Isbdrers, and lu>w mimy ainners were saved ttomihemnT of itkt&t ways. Many of th^se had been eminent for all rospier of sipas many, had been Eoman Civtholics. ' And I suppose the aumbsr'of ' these (Roman Catholics, eonyerted) vrould h^ve been ftr greiMr, had no| the good Protestants, ^ to London, and received the foUowfiw account of^d2l5r" Enough," adds M^r* Wesley, « for any unmarrie^ preacher of the gospel, to leave to hla executors."— Mr. Wesley spent the remainder of the year in Lon- don, Bristol, and the neighboring places^ and in phtparing sevenil books for the use of the children at Kingswood School. Mr. Wesley h^d many diiSculties to encounter, not only fVom those wly» openly opposed him: but iWmi manvMnrho w«reln>eoi»- nexion with him: especially trom some of tne prea^^dMa, who already began to Wish, that the Methodists migh| become ^ dis- tinct and complete body, or church among themaelves; by which stepr^ey would have, in order to trupport theUr oWn exbtence, a separate interest to maintain^ in bpposition to the established church, and in some respects to /every denominati'mi of DisaeniAra. This was in flat opposition to Mrl Wesley's design in fbrming tho Methodiiit Societies, which was to^ promote scriptural holUMMl through ihe4and, without anv particular regard to the distinctioa Of partiey. JLt thb time, and lor some years afterwarda, he fto- quently corresponded ^ith Mr. Edward PerrOnet, whom he sin* oecely ^gteemed.and to whom he often opened his mind irith great ireedom. , I shall mak^ an extract or two, from the letters, wntten intsto _ I eoK depend, when I am an hundred miles oC 'T ii; weltif 1 do not run away soon, and leave them to cut and shu^e for themselves. Here is a gtoribua people. But O ! where are the shepherds ? " The socieQr at Cork have fairly sent me word, that they will take care of themselvfs, and* erect themselves into a Dissenting conoregntiMi | am weary of these sons of Zeruiah: th^y^are too hud for me. Dear Ted, stand fast, whether I stand or falK" In anothmr letter,^h« says, <* Charles.f and you behave as I wuit So to do. Bnt you cannot, or will not' preach where I desire, hers, can and vriH preach where I desire: but they do not be- have aa I want them to do. I hfve m flne time betweon the 600 and the othdr.** And again in the third, "J think both Charkii and yon have in th^ general, ^ right sense of what it is to aerve ao ••*'5fel!'''i* *^'*^***"* "^^^y to Mr; Perronet, eune inw lim hsMlsflC w ^^"'^^•ft^Mr. Pwraatt's death t sad I am graady obliged to hiai ftr , NiOfuMQu t Ohalias FWnast, the bivtiMr vf Bdwaid. .>i.. ■^ to ao outwRird, paw through many ^«*ff^ *»° S .ubtiUv of the tmBk,m9;nt»a^m,mfm^mfm tn WBkftakn, hfpmil Mymim^ mtnt !■ oAm b itw u d by elrQUiMCaiMM too inmmtorUI to U ti« nod of m hit labors.** Mr. yf^ley means Dr. Morley, who so generooaly assisted him with hia intereat, when he was elected Tallow or LiocolnrCollege.* . . \ A year or more, before this period, Mr. Wesley had tormed a resolution to marnr. Butthe affiiir coming to the knowledge of Mr. Gharlea Wesley before marriage took place, he found Qieana to prevent it; for reasons which appeared to him of suflkici^ in»> portance to authorize him to interfere in the business. Mr. ^ John Weffley, however, thought otherwise, and thia was the first broach of that union and harmony which hao now subeisted between the two brothers, without interruption, for more than twenty yeai^ Notwithstanding this disappointment, Mr. Wealey still continaod in the resolution to marry; and having fixed his choice of a partir ner, he proposed the mattor to the Reverend Mr. Perronet or Sboreham. February 8, he received Mr. Perronet*s Answer, who wrote as a Christian minister ought to write, in favor of mar- riage. In a few days after, he married Mrs. Yizelle, a widow lady of independent fortune. Bat before the marriage, he took care that her fortune ahould be whollv settled upon herself, refti»- ing to have the epmonand of one aUlling of her property., Mr. Wesley's conatamhabit of travelling firom place to place, through Great Britain and Ireland, the number of persons who came to nsit him wherever he waa, and hik extensive correspondence with the men^rs of the society, were circumstances unftivorable to that iocial interoourae, mutual openness and confidence, which form the basis of happinesa in the married state. These •'ircumstancea, iQ^Md, wouU Qot have been so very unfavorable, had he married a i^mui who could have entered into his views, and have aocom- inodated henelf to his situation. But thia was not the case. Had he searc h ed the whole kingdom on purpo s e, he would hardly^hav [^**i~^^^[omaQ more unsuitable in these respects, than she whom he manried. *lMYeLi.paga898. A%'. r?*'# ctSSSS. if A how ha could f.ll lute thi. tr^SJlS^wUr. . on .ccount of the Impenaing dlrtrew;' that b^riri^unr^f The pewecutioni, both fW».n Jew. end Oent.le., whSt^d^ly^reatSned the churche.; when men Uid wom«n b^MdJiSIa to^prieon, or to death, it would be miwe eeijy and ^^Jf-S^lot^ \L Mitanffled with the carei of a ftmnlly . It «««ii «y3S?«ST; hb own dtuation '» P-'Jii-^-i^'iS-i^^^ rnrmed a reiolution nerer to marry. But had even tbla oeen ine STbi^M* would only .how the truti of the word, of Sj^^tu^yTio'SJTbitrtm i.h- will Jetum upon you. Thi. u ^^.l^i^V troe oftho*. prope...itiet which are purely natural SarI?X ..me thing of riciou. habit., which form a kmd of mc ondary nature^ „... •nrntmadmorftnaturarumrU Dm ma to;fiMttmitmi Thi. might peri*pi be true, without the light of the go.pel, and ^JlZ^t^Xiw^^vS^ZZi on hi. horth#nif«™y. He S^ to NewSSli. On the «4th, he Mt out with Mr. Hopper, to SThbto^^wt t^ Scotland. He wa. invited th.ther by captom ySu^Md. colonel) Oalatin, who wa. then quartered •jMu-f ^ £% " I hadTio intention," eav. he, ^•to orejjch in S^t and j not iiSiiniM that there were any that deeired I .hould. But I wa. SISKS Turio-it^, if nothing •!.«. brought abundant, o^^ STtoiether Id the eVwng- And wherea. m *he kirk, Mni. Gala- Jin inJCSSdmO the& u!ed to be laughing and talking, and all !£ ^SXT^Mie X^iw'tention: it wa. fer otherwiw here. The^^aill M 5mom the beglnnin^of the .ermon-to the -«T I nniached acaib at .ix in the evening, on, • Seek ye the lirf whS?tomayT found.' I need «eat pUirniew of jpeech J^l3?hi«h aS fow: WVhey all received it in love: m thai the SStSU wtiJhhSTlJ^ ieveral vear. ?»»««»«.''?.!?•?"? nSe Soteto one hoAirl After preacfiing, one of flie b;«^ff« "J SL nf Jn^wiS one of the\eldl»r8 of the kirk, came to roe and beitged I iS?W wiTltoWwWle: nay, if it were but two or tlree jJI^^mTftLv wouM fit ip a larger place than the whool, and BB9. irttLMr. U ' ft fUr pmMpMt Tht Miigr«fMioiw wtra wrj nanMromi omm wtra eat to tbt heart; and Mir«ra] joinad tofether in a UtUt iocl- May 15. Mr. Waalay eama to I.«nmI8. Here ha held a eoalbr- •noe with about thirty of the prearhem. He inquired particubrly into their aualifloatlona.Xai to th<>ir vrace and gifts; and into tha (Vuiu of their laboraj aM |eib ua ha Ibund no reawin to doubt, except of ona ouly. Mr. Wealey had now and June the lat he reai| lion waa, I believe, in the eon^fe, for thht purpoae. , ley, CoUegii Lincolniennia . mihi juria eat In pradietji Tried upwanla of three months: " wwhip. Hia letter of reaicna- of the establiahed forma of the llowa. " Eao Johanuea Wea- lia Oxonteai Sociua, quicquid ,„ - r-, ^ 7^^"-^ — '» ejuideni Rector! et Socila aponte a« libera reaigno: illia univeraia et ainffulia, perpetHan; paoa|n,acQfiiiiiiiiodamlDChnato'IUiMifttamexop^ OBiPTftft tri. ^ %■ or MB. WMLKT'a MiirisTiaiAi. LABoat, AMD THB araiAD ov MBTRODliM, Tltl. THB OOVrBEBHCB IK 1770: WITH AN BXTBAOf vaoM ^HB LABOBM MiMVTBa) oiviiTo A tibW or TAMOira aMv- i^vioira BBarBOTiiia thb raBAGUBaa^ lie. kc. Thb materiale for thia lifo art M abandanl!,^th^i having r». oouna to Mr. Wealey»a printed worke; and jKireaent ToTume K*T Y\'^} **P i*" ^Vl ^^^* **»■* ' "*»»" belBlled in Aiture to take but little notice of the joumiea of thia labortoua and aucceaafl)! mmiater of Chriat. Many papera have been put into my handa MDce the firat volume of thia work waa uibliahed. I eball not therefore be able to do more in the remaining part of thia volume, than pnnt aueh extracta from the material before me, aa may exhibit to our view the moat atriklng featurea of thb rreat naa4 eharacter, and ofthe work in which he waa engaged. It haa been atated above,* that Mr. Charlea Wedey, in the ooui«a i:iha^pi«aent y^r, went into Yorkahire, with a commiaaion to inquire niore partieiriarlx into the character and moral eonduot of the preachera in their aevdralatationa. He fohnd one or two, who did not walk worthy of the>iapel; and aey^nil more whom ha thought utterly unquabfied to^ach. Itfthe execution of hia eommiMion, Mr. John Wealey wrote tohtfh very frequently. Tha foUowing are extracta iW>in aome of his letters on thia oocaaion. - Julv a « Lftar for C. S— and J. C more and more. I have heard they frequency and bitterly rail againat the church."— W.. ' C ha rlea We al e| puta the following qu e ry; "What caawe i rlea We al et put a the following qu e ry; "Wha r have, that they will not foraake it, at baai Whan ^VaLLpagalH. * i. •"^ '. '4 48»^ THB Lirv or THc «■▼. ioiair wmlvt. we ue dead? Ought we to admit any one for a preacher, till wa oan" trust his invariable attachment (o the church r" July 30. "The societies both must and shall maintain the preachers we send among them, or I will preach among them no more. The least that I cansay to any of these preachers, is, * Give yourself wholly to the work, and you shall have food to eat, and raiment to put on.' And 1 cannot see that any preacher is called to any people, who will not thus maintain him. Almost everything depends on you and me: let nothing damp or hinder us: only let us be alive, and put forth all our strength." ' July 24. "As to the Jireachers, my counsel is, not to check the young ones without strong necessity. If we lay some aside, we mustliave a supply; and of the two, I prefer ^race before gifts,"-— Mr. Charles puts a query. " Are not both indispensably necessaiy ? Has not the cause suffered, in Ireland especially, through the in- sufficiency—of the preachers ? Should we not first regulate, reform, and bring into discipline, the preachers we have, before we look for more? ShouM we not also watch i^nd labor, to prevent the mischiefs which the discarded preachers may occasion r >* July 27. "What is it, that has eaten out the heart of half our preachers, particularly those in Ireland? Absolutely idleness; their * not being constantly employed. I see it plainer and plainer. Therefore I beg you will inquire of each, * How do vou spend your time from morning to evening? » And give him his choice, < Either f<»llow your trade, or resolve before God, to spend the aame hours in reading, Sic. which you used to'spend in wotking.'" August 3. " I heartily concur with you, in dealing with all (not only With disorderly walkers, but also trifler8,)M«^«*"«i nuivnoayMorat, the effeminate and busybodies, as with M. F — -. l*^poke to one this morning, so that I was even amazed at myself. '*^ ^ August 8. " We must have forty itinerant preachere, ,or drop aome of our societies. You cannot so jvell judge of this, without aeeing the letters I receive, from all parts." ^;^ August 15. "If our preachers do not, nor will not,*spend aH their time in study and salting souls, thpy must be employed close in other work, or perish." ^ August 17. «* C. S pleads for a kind of aristocracy, and says you and I, should do nothing without the consent of all the preach- ers: otherwise we govern arbitrarily, to which they cannot submit. Whence is this?" , » . . , August 34. " that you and 1, mar arise and stand ufU'ightl I quite agree -with you: let us have^ but six, so we are all one. I have sent one more home to his work. We may trust God to send 4>rth more laborers; only be not unwilling to receive them, when there is reasonable proof that he has 9ent them." Augugt 21 i Mr. Wesley wrote thus to a friend. " I see plainly the spirit of Ham if not of Corahi has fully posi^essed several of our preachers. So much the more freely and firmly do I acquiesce in the determination of my brother, 'That it is far better for us to have ten, or six preachers w ho are aKve t o God, sound in the faith* and of one heart with us aiid with one another, tluui fifty of whom w« have no such assurance.' *' W3 'i H' '''' t. ' HI '^ ^Br " H 4 ^K' J ^H^* 'i im ^^^^^Kl^ m :% i ; ti P-. ;. ... :^: »■■«»• Of »«1^ !■▼.■ J|0«» WIWMW. .. In AngOM, Mr. Chartos Wesley wrote to Hie brother under giMt •ppreflsion of mind, and in very etrong language. Wheretrer ho ■aw some things wrong, his fhars suggested to him that there micht be many more which he did not see; and the natural warmthopyi temper, led him to use expressions abundantly more sevenrjhait the case required. But tne oreachers against whom he had no material charge, but want or qualifications for their ofRco:, had nothing more to do, than write to Mr. J^n Wesley, a letter of humiliation and entire submission, and th^hiatter was settled with him, and he would give them fresh encouragement. This conduct of Mr. John Wesley made hb brother appear as an enemy to the preachers and himself as their protector and friend; which waa anotlier means of weakening the union that had long aubsuted between them. , at, - ^ Being returned to London, the two brothers went down'to Shore- ham, in November, and talked the matter over in the presence of Mr. Perronet. They both expressed their entire satisfaction in the end which each had in view; namely, the glory of God, and the salvation of souls. They both acknowledged their sinceriQr in desiring union between themselves, as the means to that end; and after much conversation, they both agreed to act in'concert'with respect to the preachers, so that neither of them should admit or refuse any, but such as both admitted or refused.--About six weeks 'afterwards, they were at Shoreham again, and then signed the fot> lovnng articles of agreement: /* "With regard to thepreachers, we agree, . : . 1. " That none shalL'be permitted to preach in anv of our sode- ' ties, till he be examined, both as to his grace and gifts; at least bv the assistant, who sending word to us, may by our answer admit him a /oeol preacher. . , $. " That such preacher be not immediately taken nom bit trade, but be exhorted to follow it with all diligence. 9. " That no person shall be received as a tranettmg preacher, or be takon from his trade, by either of us alone, but by both of in conjointly, giving him a note under bottLPur hands. . 4. " That neither of lis will re-adni(Btravelling preacher laid aside, or without the consent of the otnli. 5. ** That if we should disagree in our judgment, we will refer the matter to Mr. Perronet. . 6. "That we will ^tiraly be patterns of all we expect firoin every preacher; particularly of zeal, diligence, and punctualiqr in the work: by constantly preaching and meeting the aoeie^; by ' visiting yearly, Ireland, Cornwall, and the north; and in general Uy supenntending the whole work, and every branch of it, with all the strength whuih God shall give us. We anree tothe abov* written, nil this day next year, in the presence <» Mr^ Perronet ^. : " JOHH WnSLST, ; ' " Ghaiii.»s W«sww^»* LssfStaLothscjct rom Mr. Ghariss ST* H ' "♦/ ■m$ .nm uv* w tjni...jitr. «Mm mimm* Mr. John Watley irai jfrevailfld uooo, whh foaie dUBeoh^ « tign these articles. But though he did at Ifangth sign them, tkw pMduced no good eflbct. Mr. Wesley would not submit to l- r control in admitting preachers into the conneidbn, in apppintiK them to the Afferent circuits, or in goveminir the societies, tt appears to me, that after the ikst difference with his brother, who diwftppointed his intended marriaire; he made up his mind not to suffer either a superior or an equiu in these respects. From that time he seemed det^mined to be, out Cquar mU mkU. Mr. Charles, peirceiving his brother's determination, and finding thai the preachers beoame more and more prejudiced against him, thouffht it most prudent to withdraw from the active situatiMi he had nitherto held amongst them; resenrinjg to himself, however, the right of speaking his mind fireely to his brother in a firiendly corresp o nd e nce, on various occasions through the remaining part of life. About this time Mr. Wesl(qr received a letter from the Referend Mr. Mihier, who had been at Chester, and writes as follows, on the temper of the bishop towards the Methodists. " The bishop,** M^s he, "I was told, was exceeding angry at my late excursion into the north in your company. But found his lordship in much better temfter than I was bid io expect by my l»t>ther Graves, who wps so prudeht, that he would not go with one so obMHpus to the Mshop*s duirieasure, and all the^atorm of angei;.ffl|p|pon him. !When he torai me how he haS3 been treated, for speaiun|^ in your defbnc<», I was fully persuaded all the bitterpess was past, and •focordii^y found it— I told his lordship that God ivas with you ' ^^y^^^^^l K, «-*^|^^^| m' 1 - ^ ^^ J - nS^^^I ■ 4 \^9^^l ^B ,i''S^^I ^^a ^Wf 1 drad of tiM efCabUihed dergx* men of «|e and •xp«rt«tic«, imd <»r the greatest note for eenae and teaming in thoee parts, are xeal- 'nu8ly engaffsd in tlie work. Here, almost the whole body of aged, experience, learned clergy, are xealbusly enva^ against it: and few but a handflil of raw, youna men eoffaged m it, without name, learning, or eminent sense 1 Atid yet by that lar^ number of honorable men, the work seldom flourished above six months at a tiinCf and tlien fqllowed a lamentabK^ and general decay, bi^fore the next revival of it: whereas that which God hath wroudit by these despised instruments, has continually increased for nftleen years together: and at whatever time it has declined in any one place, it nas more eminently flourished in others.** In April, he set out again for Scotland; not indeed for Musselbo- rough, W to Glasgow, to which pUlBb he was invited by the pious and laborious Mf. Gillies, minister at the college-kirk. He staid here Ave days, preaching to very larae and attentive congreffations.; «»v o understanding and fiducation, are silent; but many others are so prejudiced, especially at the singing publicly, that they speak openly against it, and look upon me as left to do a very wrong or sinful thing. I beg your advice, whether to answer them only by cotitinuingin the practice t)f the thing, with such as have fVeedbm to join, looking to the Lord for a blessing upon fis own ordinance: advice on this head of the gi^ater importance. "I bless the Lord for the benefit and comfort of your acquaint- ance: for your important assistance in my Histdrieal Collections, ^' and for your edifVinglson^ eraatioo and sermons in this place. May ' our gracious. God prosper you wherever you are. O my deaf sir, pray for your brother, thilt I may be- employed in doing something tbr the adpuvBement of his glory, wh0 has done so much for me, • and who w my only hope.** ^^ . ■ In July, after one of the preachers had been there for some time, Mr. Wesley crossed over from Portsmouth to the Isle of Wij|ht^ From C5owes, they went forward to* Newport, the fchief town of the Isle. Here they found a little societv in tolerable order: sev- eral of whom had found peace with God, and walked in the light of his countenance. At half an hour after six he, preached in ttie market-place to a numeroui( congrejration: but many of them were remarkably ill-behaved. The children made such noise: and many grown persons were talking aloud taoaa of the time he waa preaching. «*Theri> was,** says Mr. Wesley, <* a large eon- gregation again at five in the morning: and every penoa therein, seemed to know-tl^at this was the word wheretqr God wouki judge him in the last day. In the evening the eongregation w as more numejrous, a nd f a r miwne aerious t h |n t h e n i gfat'betprin only one dniDken man made a little disturbance^ but the major, odorod him to be taken away. ' In Ootob^, I vijiit^ dMlH HOm, ♦ V ^n'Miit^- Md ment thrae or four diya with mnoli osm^i *>|"»l •^j'f ISSfora frof«iMdtofii^ peMe> Ud walkfld MiiuOy to their 'rolmow the whole of a mMi»e oh«r»cter, It b not itfflleleiit^ Tiew him u he always appear, before **»• P^W^tL"^- hu niSrS him in hia mofo retired momenta, and parUcularijt m hia prhrate eorreapondenoe. The two following letter. wiU ■»»«;; Mr^«H So nk>re amongat ua: 1, « Becauao we deapiae »>»»«>*»*^«V,5; Ghnreh of England.*— Thia I flatly deny. I am wawermg lettera thia very poat, which bitterlyblame me for juat the contrary. J. •Beca^^O much b«5k:bitingi ud ^ "j'^'S. l.'«?«J •moniiat our people.»-^It ia not n^ered: ^^poMible^ mean, are uiUTboth to prevent and removT it. 8. • Becauae I. who have written ao much againat hoarding up money, have P« »"U!!][1T hubdred pdlnda to intereat»— I never put nxpence out to mtereat aince I waa bom; nor had 1 ever one hundred pounda fogether, my own, aince 'l came into the world. 4. •fiecauae ourlay- vreachera have told many storiea of my brother and me.»— If they Sd I am aoriy for them: when I hear the particulara.1 can ameri and perhipp make thoee aahamed who liebeved Uiem. 6. * lle- ctMmwB M not help a friend in diatreas.»-^We did help him aa far « we were able. But we might have inade hia cmo known to Blr^— ,ladyH— ,&c. 8o we did more than once, but we could not puU iioniy from them'whether they would or no* Thereforf ^•Mreaaona are of no weight.-;You^conclude with pr*!^« *•« God would remove pride and mahce fifom aroongat ua. ^ ^ W® I have too ihuch; of malice I have none: however the prayer la ' aood and I thank you for it.** .^ •rhe other letter from which I ahaU give an wcttact, waa written apparently to a gentleman of aome rank and influence. Some SSSMrinceV aayfMr. Wedey, « I waa ~«»Werintw^ jou jwd, eonceming the want of a plan m our aociettea. There * a good deal of truth in thia remark. For though we have ^a plan,jBpto oar apiritual economy (the aeveral branchea of which ■[• P^cu- larly Veeited in the pfamaccount of the people caUedMethodiatoV y^lt ia certain, we have barely the firat outlinea of a plan with recard to our temporal concema. The reaaon la^ I had no deaign fo? aeveral yeara, to concern iny««Kj?^*^««W"K J^.'^'.; "S -when I began to do tUa, it waa wholly and aplely with « viewto relieve, not employ, the poor J except now and then, witli raapfct toTSmS numberV awfevi thia Ifound waa too great a burden forme, as requiring more money, nwre time, and iMrethougW, than I could poaaiMy apare. I aay, than I could obaaibnr tpue* foJuiThole^fe Ia3r«i me. iff I left it t^jS^>}iJ^:^ MiMto notUngr^They wan^ or love,or patience, to bring any thing to p«rf«*«5fr^ . .^ "Thiw feTi thoilght H nSadfol toWpUSh niy aa ir Wit h regard to Oweeonomy of our society. I am atm to apM# of yow case, or ^ own, iBd of iowe who are depend«iiupe« B^. ^1 ^ rteoilOTt, Air 1 impc ■• eoHT otmy lui, ikat I ehMg«d SMI witk want of hui^liihr. dr.nwekneM. DoabcteMtlwM nMiy Iw ttiid In the most •plendi^.pwjm. - But di(| they ever move a OMUi to baild e iplendid 'pii^ff Upon whet motiTe you did thii^ fknow not: but ^ou are t^ eiwwer it to ^'od» not to me. * >^. "If your Mul ui M muQh alive to God^ if your thirat after par- . don and holineaa ia aa atrong, it you are aa dead to the deaUp of the eye and the pride of life, a* you were - aix or. aoTen yeara ago^ I rejoieej if not, I pray Qod you may} and th«»n you will know ' how to value a real itiend, '^ With regard to iftyaelft you dowell to warn me againat *jpopu- brity. a thirat of power, and. of applauM; againat envy, produeing a aeeming contempt for the cbnvediencea or grandeur Qr thia life; againat an aflbcted humility} againat aparing firom myaelf to ^ve (tp othera, firom no other motive than oatentatidn.* I afn ntot eon- •inidiua to ^ytM»If that thia ir my caae. However, the warning if alwMra IKendIv; and it ia al^aya aeaaoqable, conaidering how decoTtAil . my heart ia, and how many the enemiea that aur^ round me'.— What followa I do nof undenitand. You behold tm-ia the ditch,* wherein jou „ helped, though innocenUy, to caM^me, and with a leviheal pity, *paaaing by on the other aide.'—- 'He.and you, air, hav^ not any merit, though Providence ahottid penliit all these aufferinga to work together for my good.'*-' I do not comprehend one line of thia, and thmrefore cannot plead either guiH^, or not guilty.^ — ^I preaume, they are aome that ar« dependent on me, * Who, jrou aay, keep not the commandmenta of Ood; who ahow a repugnance to serve and obey; who are aa nill of prkle and arrogance, as of filth and nastinesa; who do not ^'pajr lawful debu, nor comply with civil obligationa: who make the Waitiiu^ on the^cers of^ reiigionj a plea fpr aloth and idleneaa; ' who after I had atronf^yrMoromended them, did jiotperform their moral duty, but increaaed ^e number of thoee iocvMSranoea which they.fiirc^ on yow«teinat your will.*— To.this, I^ only say, !< I kqow not whom yil'lnean; I am not. certain that I can ao i&ueh aa guess at one of them. S. Whoever'they are, ha|l they fbllowed « "^ 1 « the command Mr.. Wesley had Required jm X" ~~~ ^WtfU^ nothing but Irjpdness and cfvility apfiear in% theVe ia n^k^BP retort for any charge brought against himself ; and nothing bdir tender concern for thoae who had not acted worthy of the charao«' ter wl^ieh he hlad ipven them. /" ^ Oetober 19v,Mr. Wesley returned to Ldndon, and the next day uMind himaelr out of urder. In a short ^me hia complaint pi|t oo Ae appearance of an ague. Before he was Mrfectqr recovered, he wee or twice calched cold, and wasnreaently threatened with* a f»|Nd eonaumption. November 96, Dr. FotberglU toU him he tnuat ii«»atay m town one day longer: that iriny thing wonM do ^ '^ iwiMt ^ »»■« ^»i«>» t f iir, w ith rtati aMfa m il ki and — In conae«|uence of thia advice be retirad liii Ltir- not knowing how it night pItaM QpAto^kj^, i^< ,'(.■ M« IJrMni, M wtohiDg "hf pff« , Ml wfow'iMi foupw«- r ' % The body A^nd pluw .1 l^ondon. tod »■« Ti^to drink the. #i . ._i N^ew Tielitame have Attempt^i"^ pf^ich, and ye| "i, he- returned jn. Here 4e 0I Jamy'ft ' Abridjjineiif; (^ned beret In 'IgMikfOttf set- ir. On the ««A work^" not been 80 aato bo' ion,' and k " ui iiiy Mr. Bax- of fill (he ^tor. an wwiiertHttvine among th« ^^^^''i^!^^^;^.)^J^ rouM by m> m md wwn^ly with diTTif»wUwy ToiaM** wt«n»of King Charitt IL ^K^*«i?f»*f^, |ti oTBdiSml ; bat thm hS wfoM^aMiriBa no h«l|*r^ PSf^tf^SiiSl hil -.♦iiSBoa? W^««nPr. fc.^^^^^^ rfiJiiMi, }?ihJ2kSii^tE^pSintheo^^ awwuawqiiiMofgmt iSrooiplog witliin"ifi'mi»ei'of a eirMratiboVandTin ,U»«i»^ «*?5f n. S^^ oommUtad to.th* f^J^ff^' y ken ia the kiagdo^Hhe «ari ^.^^^^ Sxt^writtmagaiiwthim. Tha former, hotrafw, !MtaHipia«l>nEHfow,aa .•»»l^tMS^.S?' 1!««Vm meadad, hi* ooathyfafiial ealdom laftt^ lit, Qmataraay;''BfahMdBttiafW Mamaa m^mM with aaaa I aad diaaofwid tta CMrwda adl a»oalah|tad wiih Ohulaa H. aa SSbta wSleMiid whan ha'Saii eat of it. Thiiita faafoia^, thatnie . and hnl, ^. Hatea, IK fead hadabova ortotha wiidaga' hawaatMlivM* i^mM ^^^^P . > . <.^^H ^^B' > 1 - '-^^^^1 ^^B f 'J. m ^jJul tf »diiertio». I emild not but Mt. thtt tk» pMr Nnirtji flNrBabli had. bean umcI without aitlMr juiilM o^ OMrayi and ttMt Bianir of the ProtMtant bifhop of King Charle*, had neither mora religton nor humenirir, than the Popbh biahopa of Queen Manr.' —On reading Mr. Baxter's history of the councils, Mr. Wesley uses, very strong words indeed. ** It is utterly astonishilig,** saya he, <<' ahd would be wholly incredible, but that his Touchers. are beyond all exception. What a company <^ execrable wretches Jkere thfy been (one cannot give them a mildeir title) who have, almost in every ace since St^ Cyprian, taken upbn them to govern the Church! How has one council been perpetually cursing another; and delivering all over to satan, whether predecessors of eotoniporaries,who did not iin|ilicitly receive their deterniiaatioas. gained by the change." — ^^It is natural to observe here what the lUe- tory of mankind uniformly show^, that where the people haTO no bauuiee of power in the government of the church, or of reUgious eoeioties, to be used as a check against any undue influence oftheir teachers, the Ministers, or preachers of the gospel, become in thn end haughty, Qrrannical, and intolerant; ano^their councils, asaeni Uies, or conferences, degenerate into mere combinations againit (he natural rights aiMl lilwrties of those over whom they assunia ■ny authoritjr. Mur 6, 1T55, the Conference began at liCeds. ** The point,** saya Mr. Wesley, ** on which we dMired all the weachers to speak , thiBur minds at lai^, was, whether we ought toTseparate flrom 4ie . ehurehf What was advanced on one sicw or the other, was seri- ously an4»ea||Bly considered: and on the third \ day we wereaU ^ iblly agrc|Bd m that general eonclusionj; That wlietber it waa law- fill or imt, it waa tm ways expedient.** y ■. On the 18th, he rode on to New<»stle, where he did not And things in the order he expected, u Many,** says he, ** were on llw poiiU^of leaving the e^rob, which some had <(>ne idready^ and an thi^ supposed, on myautfaoriiy I O how much discord is eanaed by lim jtt^rwanntof^^ trouble by one man, who doea noJapMlilfta wKk iJMe, anchagree In the same judgniMit with Ma^|lltbren.**^lyipp||g|^ ftom tM^ that some umustifia- jiiie lirti had avoMV MHin made use oCto unset^e tile mtndii «^thai 'wopte. Hof inibetioiis is si^ ^^issfiM^ ¥et I hope it has not ^Meome. eiddeniic. : ' > ^ -JT . -'^ ' . ^^■.' ^ Mr. WfsMy proofs, f* August % IlBmmMd to onr eolM- gation in London, a meana' <^ ineresidte serious religimi^ wnlbh had been frequently prac^i^ by oor To«ifAthertr the , dintng Jn • eovaoant loaerve 6Ti. ,■• ISS tSr?nh? A^^^^^ our d.y. we mav «« the rego- SS of Sudah, «»d that Isrjel may dwell ^^^jfJ^^'S'^J^i^^ deemer may ooiie to Zkm. May it be thy wiU I And we all aay ^uSbe latter end of March, he rWted Ireland •i*| Jv.^*^' ^nTthMMei^ in Leinater and Munater, went withMr. WaUh l^^^S^t^^otC^^ i"»t'''*»*SSrfcntboi! «^»vWof Ulater. But aeveral of the preachera had h^n laboij Cte^i^Plof lt.omeyea«. anS ^J^TnT^Ir^iof Sirlaborii. Many •tonera had been convinced of th^^nwoT ^P^Mt i^v. truly converted to God: and a colMidepible Simb^lhSJ h-dttSted together in order to atreng^ each mrSS£in, who had Some iirom woua parta of «% «o«^ SloGT^Arenee, which waaopsned the «? d^^JS^gLEST eftheaoclety .t^ba^r;^^^ n Bocieor, tne aeyeraflyrea nfinvetnem^ IhrntoMoimeDeement ^J^J'^^^J^^^ri 'UK n»fi iMThig ffvvry om mulir a kUd or (rani vmjkwvmwM—m w»»»/ «»• «■>-■• — ■■ " ■ ■ ' — tT^ — *^ — m doiac tojlbr the ordiiwnM of baptlMn and tM Unl»i SapiMr.'' JB^nff MtaMtohed their MeletiMi on thie prinelplo. the Mochodlili hMMOf • kind of middle link hetweea ell thp religioiM pvtiee hi the nation^ gently^irmwing them nearer together by uniting them all in the Intereeti of exfMrimental reHvipn and Mrintoral hoUaeea. They formed a kind of oentral point, Drom which the raya of goe- pel light iaaued forth, not in one direction alone, to eradifte fmly m p^int of their eireumferenoe^ but in all direcUooa, equalbr enlirtitening-every part of their periphery. But t^. o' "'^ •■ the preaohera, who had acquired iome influence with the people, had Tor aome time been dieMitiafled with thb middle aituationj the teiiif no party, but etanding in an equal relation to all, •»J^'^ hehirttotkitnUk, We may obinre, that thia dimatlalhetioft^ originated with a few annbitioua preachera, and flrom them apread, like a oontagioua diaeaae,to the people. This waa the <»m at lint, and haa alwaye been the caae aindb/wherever the P««pnhat* ^ aired any alteration in the original oonatitution of theJJethodlM aooietiea. The method of proceeding,^ even , to ^^ Pf^f^^W^iJi eflbet their purpoee, ia rather ouripua. and ahowa to what ip>eteliea meaiM men wlU aometimea reaort,i«^^H. aona'in any aociety to deaire tp tecMive th* Lo»d> Supper ^^^ them, they pleaded thia circumatance aa a reaaon -««y the imlpfVp tion ahottld take place; pretending they only wiahM to aatiaiy the deaireaofthe people, not their own reatlepa ambition. Aa a wat majority in theae aooietiea were membera «pf the Church of Enf land, aothe forming of the Methodiata tot* a aeparato party, wa« ealled a aeparating them from the church; though it e^idenUy ImF- plied a eharae in their relative aituition to all denominathmi of Diaaentera, as much aa to the ohurch. The «l*»nw, howe?e^ for a aeparation from the church, had been raiaed ao hi ifebyai hw of the prol^era, that the aubject waa flilly diacuaaed J^gjl or three dayalbgether, at thia Conference; and Mr. WealeyW^Ptea, <( My brother and I clqaed the Cdnferenoe Hj a aolemn declarattott , ©f our purpoee nerer to aeparato from the church.^ ^^^ ■"■ The regular clergy, who had embraoed the leading dootrtaaa oT Ihe Methodiata, generally diaapproyed of laj-preaehera* and of tht plan of ltii|»ran5r; feanng, with the rert of t^^^^ end^l^ rem would be made from ^e eatabbahed; church. Uk ScHRr, Mr. Wealey receiTed a kittor on thia aubieoc from ^ leveBSTand pioua Mr. Walker of Truro, preaaing him to Mt the •bleat preachera oidahied, and to fix the reat m dilferent M^etie^ iiotaa preachera but aaceadera, and thua break-up the itinaraat plaa. W. Wealey anawered, «• I have oije point tn Tiew. to pif©- mo&ao Ihv aa I am aWe, ▼ital. practical religion: and tar^^grj; dflBd, to beget, preaerre, a^ /iioreaae,^the life of wAimm StSaTSal^lff^^^ - iraSTwiOdi God had iMf^^ .»± rgp^jT. Wmmi 5f tlwlr'yilbron, wlwm I Uliwed Obd had c.llad tbwto, and qoalilMlbr the work, to comfort, exhort, .nd iwtruct thoM X WirJwhim for Ood,'or who walk«l in ifej linht «f h« co""* teiMiMMi. AM u the perMM to fl^jj^i^mm^^Jf' •»! t^XMe who fft^ of them wanted their •aeietonoe very rowi#iifllUIUWJUI^afc«K>i were obltfed to travel continually from place to placo; and tbia oooaaioMil.fceveral regulati^toa from thne to time, which were ebieflv mtm» at our Conforeneee. . . . i w SaSit a bleeaing has from the beginnmg attended the lahom hflMVaiMranta, that we have been more and more convinced li»I?, ©r the more than lawfolneaa of this proceeding. And ofthf eve %" t It.. ^*' the uKovenieniM, moat of which we forewiw from the very flriit, havflrieen both^wer and amaller than we expected.— But the queation ia» 'How may theae (preacher.) be wttled on ■«;«»» ifoot- rntfwM «Hi ^«W wiah they might be after my death/ itiaa weighty point, and haa taken up mnnv of my thought, for aeveral yean: \ml W|k»W nothln* yet. TM atep. I am now to taJw ara pUin; I aee broad light ahinlng upon them; but the other »«^ of the proapect I pannot aee : doude and darkneaa reat upon it. ^ V 'tiWrrtnif^ advice on thia head, 'To follow my own con- . Bcleifc,wIthouta»v,regard to conaequeiKsea or prudence, BO called, ia unqiirtionablyTllht. And it i. a rule which I have clojely fo^ , lowS for many yeap, aad hope ^ follow to my life', end. The ilmtof iour|i««iaara^lce^.«Tokeepm full yw^.'^J^nt^ aita of oirbVa churoh in\gei»ria| and of practical religion; ribt oonaiderinff the Church ofli^land, ©r the dauae of Methodiam, but aa auboidinate m^U>J*Jlihu a^jfice I havf punctually obaerv- ad from the begimiKaa K^l aa 11 our late Conference. You idriae. 8. » To keepm view alao.the unlawfutneaa of a aepara- tkmfrimtheChftWlioC^gland.' To thia likewiae IiRffree. It ZliSTS lawful to ..pifcv^ *^'ie!*** •'*iB?'*'^?J'v«^ir SmSlt. You advi«., »» 'Fully to Wara mysHf »nJJ».*J«»l, Mdtoauflbrno dlapute concerning it.*jJrnB very mm thjhg I ISole to my brother from Ireland; i i nip t Wve declared o^fufelvea without ii»rve.-Your laat dfceX ' that aa "jwy^^our preaohera aa are fit for it, be o^M^|#nd that the other, be fixed C «|rta%aocietiea, n^> praaiPi, % M reader or inapectora.* -.ffiHltbat which voupropo^a bdter way (than our mnarant I^Mkai ? Thia ahouM ba coolly attd calmly conaidered. ^ *^^If ImlatiAe not, Aere are now in the corintv of Comwail* about firar and tbirtV of theae little aocietiea, part of whom now experi- •Doe the love of Ood; part are more or. Ima earnestly ae^ing it. Four preaehera, Peter Jaco, Thomaa Johnroi^, W. Crabb, apd WUl Atwood, deaign for the enauing year, parOy to caH other .m- nen to iepeiitanwj but chiefly to feed and guiHe *««.fi»Y/!u.f 4ihaep. toSbrwanJ them, aa theiability wh^h God giveth,^ m vital. -' ' relitioa. Now auppoae w« can efect that P. Jaco, and ■ V ..1.1. 1 ! ■■ .1... ft..M .. n;i a« nfHtin f ti w nn -,kl -i ■ praetieal reUirioa. Now auppoae w« can ei|eci mat r. j«co, wiu fr ,Mi«,B«,^ nHJained and ae t ded in t he curaci^ of Bnryan, and St, jCKwI euppoaa W. Crabb, and W. Atwood, to at Laun- ^-^^ DoekTMreaderaaod inapectora; wiU^anawor K -r^i Ifet toa wkiek I hw In ?iMr. w wtU m cntvdUMr tboMk «h* country? «• It will not anawtr m wall, oven with ragard to'thoM MMsietiM with whom P#Jaoo, and T. Johnaon, hare wttlcd. B« thair talenta evefao great, they will ere loipg.arow dead themaelvea, and ao will moat of thoae who hear them. I know, were I myaelf to preach one whole year in one placet I ahould preach both myaelf and moat of my oona relation asleep. Nor can I beliave, it waa ever the will of our Lord, that any congregation ahould have only one teacher. We have found by long and conaunt experience, that a firequiint change jf tawhera ia beet. Tbia preacher baa one Ulent, that another, po one whom I ever yet knew» baa all the Ulenta which are needAil fol* beginning, continuing, and per* fectittg the work of grace in a #hole congregation. <* But auppoae thia would better answer the end with regard to thoae two aocietiea, would it anawer in thoae where W. Atwood, and W. Crabb, were aettled aa inapectora or readera? Fir*t, who ahall feed them with the milfC of the word ? The miniatera of their pariaiiea? Alaa, they cannc^: they themaelvea neither know, nor |iv% Bo^^teach the goapel. Theae readers ? Can then, either they, •'..}>^^?."l"*'^*y"*™***^"******"(J *® ""»<* »o o"' congregation, which will be aa exactly adauted to their wanta, and aa much .1?"*".*® "*•"" •■ ^^' preachmg? and there ia another dUBculty atdh what authority have I to forbid their doing what, I beUeve, QM^haa caUed them to do? I apprehend, indeed, that there IMt, if poMible, to be both an outward and inward call to thia v^:. yfl if one of the two be auppoaed wanting, I had rather wmt the outward than the inward call. " ®"L7*ri?* '?*■• ■"* ■upposinff these four aocietiea to be bet- *S?J?r? ,JS.P? "^" *^^y ^*'* before; what beeomea of the other thmy? WiU they prosper aa well aa when they Are left aa aheep without aahepherd? The experiment has beeilmMl again and again; and alwava with the aame event: even JhJK>ng in ikith Sraw weak and faint; many of the weak madeipilP^k of the lith; the awakened fell asleep; and sinners, chalmd. for a while, returned aa a dog to hia vomit. And ao, by our lack of aervice, mw •oula periahed for whom Christ died. Now had we willing- V^Withdravm our aervice from them, by voluntarily aettling in one SS5S£j?*i *^^^\ ®^ fhia could we have given to the great , Boepherd of our aoula? I cannot therefore see, how any of thoae ^ur preaobert, or any others in like circumstances, can ever, while they have healtb and atrength, ordained or nno^ained, fix in one plaee without a grievous wound to their own oonipience, and dam- age to the general work of God.** i On the same day that he wrote the above letter, be also wrote k */S!""* ^"®» '" • *•«««' written about a week before, had ebarged him with 1. «« Self-inconsistency, in tiil^rating lay-preaeb* lu, and not tolerattni| laV-administerinff : and «. Wfth diowing a IMrtt of p e g ae cutlon, in d en yin g his b r ethr e n the libe rty of aetinfc ■■^!L** ""«**»f » •ooording to their own oonaci^nce.*^ iJ2?lJf«^ to the flrat, Mr. Wealey allowed the ehtrge, bat ilHiadtbtoooMqiMaee. He dedwred, tiiat be aeted on the m CSi?;; I do not oiooilU tli«r« i. tn .liolutj n«o«-ity for wtSI Jonitry to U. ComUfntly with thii^ I io tobr.ty Uy- ISilSiInf , bicLw. I oonMlTe there is an mb-ofute n60^*.i»y f«r it. CSmucf •«. w.r* It not. th«u*«nd. of .oul. ^^^ P'ri'.*;;^^^ * not tol«rito I«y-«linlnlit6ring, bocaiuo I do not conceive thert M "VSh'^^STto'hr^^^ Mr. Weeley obeer^. - Uf ^ fl: the fMtiTLt deny the con^jquence. I mean, I •»«'y. V? ^Tnt^ iK: wmt of our preach"^- '^*»« •" ««« brd»m,d, «hmk it nu.tj rliht to .dmlnUtir the Lord»i lupper. wd iMiUeve »« wouW do nSehcood I think it quite wrong, and believe It would do much W "HweuDon I «iy, 1 hare no right over your conacieiice, not 5ott Ur iSiT thWo^ both you aSd I mu«t follow our own co^ JSlie You \ieUev«, it I. a dity to adminirter: dp «», and herein wES your o^n coticience. f verily believe it U a -in : whteh eoB^uenUy. I dare not tolerate: and herein I follow mine. Yet whoVraetU what I believe la contrary to the woid and aeainu^ ^7n^:S:mrr^Mr.^W;;;.y wrote to a IHend " fe;;t do nnt Me that dioooMUi epi«Jopacy ia hwseeaary, but I do, that it ia iShTexJidieSr^ut^hethe? it were or no. the aptritahown la «d tb own pnaudice. pride, or intereat. to be hia ™«"^«;. /*•!"? Jhelia. I do and mu.t blame every one of them, for the act of MtMratins Afterwarda, I leave them to God. , ^^u !.«» bih toC? P— aS N. Norton. I went a. far ki I could JSff*ai2fe WMclence. I muit follow my conacience. and they Their oCn! tC X dl-uade peonle flwn alUilldiBg the churcli and i^Siientr^fo certainly. * draw tUn from the chureh.' »» Mr wSefa tnivaU airf Inbow of love, in preachmg the goapel of"ju^Swii»w^p.rt. of the thw w«i«»««»';^?zTE; !^li{wiSth«Mnieunremitttngdilig«iice, whde the dutiee of hia mS^^iS^JS^o^ffrnpSu^iS^uM^ eve7 year upon hira. NiTS^leuT^ frequ^ly* formed »» t:"**%±T;ii:iver*^ naturaUy ofUed for an incr«aae of preachers .J^'^^^Ji !Mrn>ornaaUv procured, than a atrwger would iniM">Jr ^ "• . SSJSuKJSlin^re a fruitful ^:^,i:^^';JtJ^^ Maloni and pJou a younf m en loon grew up to the '^""''^gy° - ■'i^-^iam TiM body btMiiM Um • kurft wimIiIw, HM w rtmw i te w«r« •M m m ti lumf «MmiplM { •nd It (l«ti«MiMl m Mr. WmI^v, not onlv to fiv« tnti WBc^mmry iiiipuU* lo out iho wImiNi la motion, but aiao «v«ry wlierv lo govern «od dir«et ita imitkMM to tli« purpoMM btondcd. ThU required gr««t and continued ntten- tion, ena « very exteoeive eorre«poiidcnre both with preeehere mmI people IfcrouMb the whole connexion. All thia, however, he per^ tonnedt by allotting lo eveqr hour of the dfy* wh«rever he wm^ ita due proportkNl of labor. I'roin the preaent yeMr, I And llitli more than a reeurrenee of circumaunoee elmiler l» tboae tlreM^ related, tilt we ootne to the year 17^; when religfotM exptrienee, or at leaat the profeealon of it, began to eaauine an apptNinuMM MMing the If ethodiate. In eoia* rtMpe<}to quite new. TM ^etriiM ofjueUflMtkHit flt»in 1788, h«d nlw«ya been well underatood anrang themi and Atm the tlnnM» Mr. Wealey preaehed hia aermon on th* * eireumelaion of the heart,* in 178$, before he undemtood th« naturt of jurtiAoation, he h«d alwayt h^ the doctrine of ehrinUui perfection; whieh he exf^ained byi k>ving God with all our heort, and our neighbor m ouraotrea; that a peraon in thia aUI« Mt noti^* ing, in ftU titunllona, but th« pfire love of (iod, and perflset aub- mtflaion to hie will} vnd nothing but benevolence, or good-will to men. He never (Mdled thia • eute of einlcM perfbettoo, becauao he believed there might atlll be erron In conduct ariitng ftom ignorance, which yet were conaiatent with pure lov« to Ood, wd «K)d-wili to men. He did not auppoee that any man could atond For one moment accented of Ood, but by fktth in Chriat Jeaua, through whom alone, hie penion and hia actiona, in the hij he«C. •Ute of oerfeetion #ttaln*ble in thia life, e«n be accepted of Ood. But, thouffh Mr. Wealey had ao long held the doctrine of chrle- tiui perfbetiao, he had not elwaya hekl that thia atate might bo attained In one moment: much leaa that a perion might attain It In hia novitiate: nor do I know that there were ony profeaaora ^ it before thia time, except when death waa approaching. In the beginnln| of thte year, however, there being a great revl- val of a religloua eoneem among the aocietiea In lorkahlre, •everal profeaeed, Jlliil at once, during prayer, their heaiti were eleaiiaedm all ain were aineere, gave Aill oredH to their roport; and upon thia and the concurrinff teatimoof of olheni whioli aooo followed, he aeema to hare buUt hie doeWao m ■• iMtaathMoni atta fame nt of ehriatian perfbetioii AgafaMi ■ 8»» p/ ^ism iifil ©» mf MM9, io«» wbiijit. '•^, '> A^ liifioootrine iteelf, as explained abpre. there *^<*«» "<»« ^»".*1'* any iutt objection t but this in«tantaneou8 manner of attaining per- fec-tion in the Christian temper, seems to have no foundation in 8eing dis- appointed in pot seeing him when in DnbUn, sent him the follow- ' ang'lAter. . ---r-^- ; - ■ --- - - ■'.:*'* ^'" .' *- "Rbverend Sir, - .^ . ^' ^ *« it would have given me a very sincere pleasure to^ "^^f "t " you during your stay in Dublin; and I a^ concerned to find, that your haviSg entertained any doubt of it, deprived me of that satis- Faction. Indeed I did n6t expect your stay would .have been so * « Whether Vour expression, of our meeting, no more on thi^ side.of eternity, refers to yp,ur design of quitting your visits to re- land, or to any increase of bodily weakness, I do not read it with- out tender regret: however, that must l>e submitted to the disposal of Providence.— I pray God to blesa you, and supply every want, -, and sanctify every suffering, _, • I flciu, Reverend Sir, . • Yanr loving brother and servant,. %> *% W. Derbt.*' Ill March, 1761. Mr. Wesley set out for the North.- In thesa joumies.he genemlly tookaverv »«^»-«« ^'-^^''^P"*?"* J^J^A^^ Drincinal societies in most of the counties. He n6w visited seve^. ffi^iS of Scotland, as far as Aberdeen: was favorably received, and. in England, especially, saw the work m which he was eiJWged Jve^ wl,e?e incniSsing./ In the beginning of July, he ciffne to U.I o %^ a;;;ftliow"VirurcMied a Declaration. The M^^^jJ^ this. Some time since, a man v«ho lived near Yaij^a^^steii others in running some brandy. His share was w«»* pounds. After h^ had wholly left off that bad wb Wng his own Sislness, that of a weaver, he v^l 'tent to York gaol. ^ And not long after comes do^ *That Jac: Wh ha'd.landed avensel laden wrtf^ geueva, at the port of London, and sold them the^e,^ iaf four rv^fol-<.u >»t^d, andf iplaration, njiy and lereby.lit n ...,.'■ ;\*- d ■■'S ■e rt"-. . r- ■ •' > 1, ■ til \ fli m . -^ ti- .,-* W" • - _ ' L. ■ ■■ W - . • -" < ■ '% en - i •'■4 int "." *- i»- ■'■'1 so i. .*>■ o »k ."■",' re- ■ ■ ". \ th- -'- '■'■': ™ sal , t- Vh at, . . ■ » i?" use . , 1 the " ie^ «'«- «, .- ed, ;ed > to """ „^ . , m^. rin no , lOW 1 vas ^ 1 itwl '1 our , -1 fol-,»^Av '■' ^ aiHi^ • ^1 ion, ' .1 and ,;Ji 4 r.1» ^„' > '. ■^ J ' " ' . ' ' ,j r«» ■« -VMS Ufl •» ml-'UBf. IMMI.' unm indabled to hk M^jtpijr Ave httndrwl mmI wewntf-m^na poundfi and upward!.* "^And to fell tbUi wortiiy itory, the law;far takia up thhrte«n or fo irteeii aheata of treble atampt paper. ««0 England, England^ Will thia reproach never be rdlled away Aroin thee I la thei^ any thing like thia to be fonnd^ either among Papiata, 'fHirka, ot Heathena? In the naiM of,jUatioe. meroy, ana eommon aenle, I ask, 1. Whv donien ^lie, |br lyinff Make f la It only to keep their handa in f WhafheMl elae of aay inf it waa the port of London? irhen every onc^knew Uie braody waa landed; above three handred li^lea firom theme. What a qionatroua contempt of truth doea thia ahoiv, or rather hatred to it f S. Where ia the juatioe of swelling four pouiids, int(> five hundred and i^vwi; ty-sevenP S. Where lathe common sense, of taking up fouriiei^ aneeta to toll a atory, that may be told in ten linea? 4. Where ia the mercy of thus grinding tne face of the poor? Thua auekinf the blood of a poor beggar^ prisoner. WouM not thia. be ekeorif ble villanyvlf the paper and writing together were onlvaixnenoii ; asheet, wb^n they have atript him already of hia little aU».aiid not left him fourteen groata. in the world?'* — It is certain that nothimrcan be fairly aaid in defence of aome of our law proceedings. Tney are oflen absurd, highly oppresaivf to the subject, and disgraceful to a civilized nation. In criminal cases, how often doe^ the indictment magnify and exaggerato both: the crime and every circumstance connected with it, beyond all the bounds of truth'mnd probability? Hence it hecomes extremely difficult for jurymen to discharge thbir duty with a gpod conaoiMieet and we aeldom aee punishments duly proportioned to the crimei committM.' Wb^t diall we say in other cases, where the tautol-* Ogy and circumlocu^oii peculiar to the language of our law, the delay of judgment in some of the courts, and the chicanery p«r mitted through the whole proceedings,*'render it almost impossible for an honest subject itt a middling^situution, to obtain his right against a viUain, without the utmost danger of being ruined? ,A man who robs oh the highway is hanged*, but a villian who roba by means of the chicanery, delay, and expense of the law, eaeapfHi with impunity. The grievances so loudly complained of at present, appear, to me, in. comparison of this, like a mole-hill eom|iar«a with a mountain.'' The doctrine of ^an instsAitaneoua attainment of christiai^ perfec- tion spread rapidly, and numerous professors ofltalnMMt instantly ~ aprung up, in varnOus parts of the ki^om. But the Imprudent tk) •!>•; yU €* zcal,knd rish exprbsaiona of some ofthe preachera oonoemin| it, aoon begii to give 'offence. July 88, Mr. Orimahaw wrote to Mr. Wesley on the subject, and after ipologizing for not attonding the Conference then held at Leeds, he observes, ** The disappoinimenc is more my own loss than youra: for there are several thiols which have for aome time*beei| nwtter of ao^qeh uneaaiheai to me, that I thought, could they nofH at thia time be aohie how aoeommodatod, I should be obliged to r^nede ftom the odnnexion; which to do. would have been oite of the moat diaagreeaMethinga in the world to me.— 1 would fiiiii live and die in thia happy reUtion 1 here ror many years home, and atiU beaAto you. e» .-,# r't- ! « Two of tho moat mttmrHl point! frwo, eonetrniiif lai|Nrtv4 riibtaouMiOM, mod christian perfeotUm. But aa to the fomiar, what Vou lissrvsd sbsvettiist Mr.rWtslsy'Uaisctf oever oMd ihs isnn pssfsetioB. '■'.'-■,/■ ■ '\ . M_ - - wHk Biy Mtfoddah «ai «ilwr itkMM: M&8y in this rovna (eiroult) utd at UiiMi unMd} I Tonr hands In tha graat wA gtorioua work of our Loan, A you MTO aridaBtly to roueh at naart, elaborataly ao moeli in n$adt and in wUaIi, Ha, bl e wd foreTer.ba hia nama, liaa ao aftp lanaiTflly ami wondarfbUy proaperad yott.^*> ' InEmiadiiataly on tha raeaipt of tbia lattilr, bafore tba oonftiranaa •iuita brdka up. Mr. Wailay took an opportunitr of jpraaohinf Awn ttioaa worda, * In many tkinfa wa oflbnd all.* On tnia oaaasion ha obtarvad, h ** Aa lonf aa wa' lira, our aoul ia connaeted with tha bodr. t. Aa long aa it ia tliua connaictadi it cannot think but bgr tbanalpofbo4i1typiVans. 8. Aa long at theiie organs ara imparfbet, wa ara ^abla to mistakas* both spaculafiva and practieal. 4. Yaa. and a miMaka may occasion my loving a good man l|Mn than I ouf^t } which is % dafectiTc, that \», a wrqiig tamper, ft. For all thesa wa naed tha atoninc Uood, as indeed for erery iM'act or omission. Tharefora, 6. All men have need to say daily, For- give ua our traspasaea.** <<. . . Dmit^ tha fiHlowing years, there was much noise throughout the fooiatiea i;oncemii^pa^ection: tiot more especially in London, where two or three pafaqns who stood at the bead of those profasa* ing to hare attained that state, fell into some extravagant n^ing|y took plw»:i6. MMdlaM with^«P;ftmn Ms conufxion^with Mh Westoy. andet^ rlaao«ttrtwo|ion«riii«(f tbaoaoplawit^ * DiullilUi «oiMM, Mr. IWWayli^^^ B« WW born in StPUinber, 1708, nt »™Shum«i»dHiskiii.in ihe ma» cotta- ty. Btm tlMn. th« ihoaghtt »{ d**"* ^^SSto Christ'* CoUeg* to Cam- ?pon him. At tiM M« Of •«^^"Jti»"!.« tStt hTottoriy loSTtll ■«»•• of ■SriowoMi. In 1731 , h« «^,^«J,*»5gL "•^S ^ inoMMd by coowmng wUh tho iinportMie* of the mwuunal «»»«• hikMmondTto^NiinonlM Mon About tho yow I7J4, ho »*|P«,Sii 5«3ru?p3rtho •b«»lot« nfow^ty voftioao, bogM to «t«ehi?« iho J^fiJ^JP^^XHSm to iook tho rfhSioh of a dotwitlifc and to viMi h» ,P*fr"2^' S SETin aSrot fonr timoa a d*yj If thair aouta. , AuWa l»rUiJ iJw, hob«j^ the anawW Md the Ood of aU flS^SiT^ tf^S^ti • mTL loyS P*«»>t by bmiing tohiaprayor. Woundoad arlwoMMt^^. «^ vpoii Kim ■ttf6o«*'»* l*ij*"j??. \f?2Sd Mt owSt bofore. that Walieaitt wa. ,57 by diaooforiaf to him w^ ho d^ «iLi STbmw affliet^ atill, th»t all his dattaa and labors could not PJ^J"'*^'^^'"?^** vmts. not aoaaaintiuy any ombraee^hrist for mf «ll »« ^i , ^'f .iSljl.!SiiU«rtJ»^cama tojSworlh. S 2Spl* <^Wltithi?diata,"datao t^ J^t lig- t;so •oMbMd Rimaine, Newton, Shireley: M'- downing. Jesse* Adam; jlr. Talbot, Ryland, Stilliiwfleet, Fletcbefi Mr. Johnson, cUeley, Andrews, Jane: Mr. Hirt, Syroes, Brown, Rw^et : r: Sellon, Venn. Riebardeon, Burnet. Furley, Crook y Wr- E«it- wood, ConVenTBentley^ Ittngt Mr. Berridge, Hi^, ^JS^-. J. W., fc. W., John Riohatdebn, Mamin Colley. No| elWuding ^^'otlMr"eler»«iin, Who agrees Is thmMt essentials. "^ ^^trOiSSSS^* II JiiSSii^tii^by faith. ^11. /oMneii of bean and BfelMwbirided h|s Ilf^ be awiwerable.^his ^tnn; «Bttt «»M ^n^woiiWtyott i^Niln mutitium IVot^n mUm m ^pW^. ,Th«gr might M««« ^ disagree, ^hinrubso- lutb dMrees on th« one hand, fe»d perfectkm onT^ho ottier. ^ Wot "n tmion in emretnoiM. ThQ«iiHminay«tUl ffieafc ^tboM^ rteJUMMiMM, and these of m m^t nf Chut Not en union with regard to mOwmri writr,- Bwno vmfM remain 0iiltr«««- hrf aome quite irrt^ukti and some ^4fHly r^gliliir, end pmrthf irregiilm. Rut these thingibein£j»s they eie.M each is persuad:. •d in hie own mhid, is U not ajlnoil deeiraWe thtagj.that wejh«»uld, "1. Remove hinderaaces out of the way? Not iiim one mother, not 4M0we one another, not «iiey one anotb«rf^ Not be 4mwImm«iI «t one ahotiher*s g^ or tueee^, eren thohgh gl?(}ter than our own f Not vmi for one another's halting^ mneh lese with for It, or reMa therein? Never ijMoft disrespeetfnlly, aliihtly, oold^, or unkindly of eaeh. other; never i^«irf each dllier** ^uhs, mietakes, or inlirniities^ muOh less Kilai^lbr and gatlur them up: never say or ifi» invthing to hinder eeeh Otber> weAilneae, either directly or Indirectly.. ^ ^ " Is It not a moat derirable thing, that we should, «. Love at iretkrtlit 3%Mii(«9«ir«f,aml ibmer oooaiiother? W*ih all good, •U grace, all giftik all sulcii. yei^ gfoet^ than oj»ro^i^ to etch othtr? £^eerOodwllla^i|teroufrwish,i'«f«wlta werya^ MOO thereof, and orojfl^iimlbr it? Bt04ihf 6«lice# |oo4 of eeeh other, ai readilv m #b Jiin6e believed evil f~^«a* reaitqciiully, honorably, kindly.'of each other: de/en^each others character: speak aU the good we can of each other: recommend one another where we have influence: each il(S^ the other on in his Work, and mOmge bis influence by alhjthe honest means we cen. " This is the tmten which I have long sought ftfter. And Is it BOl tho duty of every one of us so to dor Would it not be flur bet- ter ibroiir«efoe«? A means of promoting both our holiness and bappiiMM? Woujd it not removoniuehjiitll Orom those who hivo hiiOMriniuiyQrihlMiiiitane^ And mii«A jpojii , j # The world haa teldom seen a roan of strong powers of mind, or llrat-rate Ulents, who has not labored under some peculiar weak- neea, or mental inflrmity} which men of little minds, capable only of obeenring defects, have frequently made the object of ridicule. Vumeroua hietances might easily be produced, both among philoa- ophere and divines. Mr. Wesley's chief weakness was, a too great readiness to credit the testimony of others, when he believed them sincertf, without duly oonsiderinf whether they had sufllcient ability and caution to form a true judgment of the things ciincem- ioff which they bore testimony. In matters; therefore, which de- nended wholly on the evidence of other persons, he was often mis- teken. Mr. Charles Wesley was in the opposite extreme; Aill of oaullon and suspicion. But he was ftilly sensible both of his own and of his brother's weakness, and in th^ present year, wrote -^ him as follows; " When you fear the worst, your fears should remrded: and when I hope the best, you may almost believe i -" • - • •' '-"^ ,( The salt has/lost i*heir zeal, huinility „^ ,„^„. ^, , . them?"/ And again, some years afterwards, " Your defect of mistrust, ne^ my excess to guard it. You cannot be taken by storm, but y^u may by surprise. We seem designed for each other. If we c0uld awl would be oftener together, it might be better for both. Xe true or not) It la without all queation, a new doctrma among the Methodi*ta. We have alwaya uught, that a pyn tent mourned or waa pained on thla very account, l»BcauHe he felt, he 5!m ' not In the tvor of Ood,' but had the wrath of God ab dmg on him. nnd undone %nd4indbnei Hence we auppoMd the language of hi. heart to be, 'Loat ne for Aid I cry I » And we believed he really waa ' loat u>.«l.^ m joy, Mid rightMHisiiM* impart jjpMk biinMlr into his hMrt.* ••And fMIWrehend thla to be aorlptural doctrine: confirmed not by a fow^Phed lexta. but by the whole tenor of Scripturei and more nwtlcularly rif the Epiatle to the Romana. But if ao, the contrary to It muat be unaafe, for that general reaaon, becauae It la unacripturel. To which one may add the particular reaaon, that it nalurelly tenda to lull moumera to aleep: to make them Mv. » Piace. peace to their aoula, when there ia no peace.' It ai- teedy tend* to damp and atlfle their conviction, and to encourage theni in aitting down contented, before Chriat la revealed In them, end before hia Spirit witneaaetwith their apirit that they are chil- dren of God. But It may be aal^. Will not thla diacourage mourn- eraf * Yea, It will dlacourege them from atopping where they are. It will diaoourage them from reating before they have the w liieaa In thamaelvea, Before Chriat ia revealed in them. But It will en- courage them, to aeek him In the goapel way; to aak till they re- oelvfl^M^n and peace. And we are to encourage them, not by telling them, they are in the favor of God, though they do not know ttt (auch a word aa thiawe ahould never utter in aoo^igrega- tion, at the peril of our aoula;) but by aaauring them •eveiy ^ one thel aeeketh, findeth; every one that aaketh receiveih.' . •« lam afraiii you have not been aufficiently wary m thla: but have given ofecaaion to them thatl aought occaaion. But thia la not all. fdottbiyottdidnotaeeOod»ahandin8hlmei»aton«ie. Un- to you it waa given to auifor n little, of what you extremely wanted, obloquy, and evil report. But you did not acknowledge either the Slor tWgiVer:fouaaw only T. O., not God. .OJemmy you So not know youwelf. You cannot bear to be continually a^eepod in iiolartn in the eateem und preiae of men. Therefore, I tremble ftt yourlatay in Dublin. It ia the moat dangeroua placo.fbr ym uiid«riea/en. All I eim aay ia, Ood can preaerte you in She iief||^ Aimncfi, and I ho pe will." .■ ■ ' ■^, . ,- ' -. — i^Mi rS rMd tk« fbOowlaf p»* ofa plaafbr Um minlalan of tk« J, miflit flordially kelp oiM anocbar. irMtipni wh«r«T«r on thki hoad, and lohcafMl to gltra ma no more. Th^ ara a ^ 0« FrMVi Ah^ 4, I7it, Kr. Aar In Um Cwifcranoa, eoatai tun union iff the MethmlMt| <*ll baa lontf been my
  • On train^ of my death, let all the preachers in England and Ireland, repair to London, within aix weeks.— Let them seek Ood by solemn fast- ■ ing and prayer. — Let them draw up articles of agreement, to ba signed by those who choose to act m concert. Let thoae be dla- missed who do not choose It, in the most firiendly manner poaaible. ->Let them chooee by votes, a committee of three, five, or aeren, each of whom ia to be moderator in his turn.— Let the committee • Mr. W«sl«y, thfoaA ths whole of thi* sttwct, spssks of thj PMchfia oob- tinuinir in oonBezkm with each other, oo tb« original plan of Mothodiam. Bat If MNM amaaf tha praaehera ■houia begin to ordain one another, to Mter^tha lelatffe eiliMion of ihe eodeties to the eetabliehed chuich, and all denMnbaUona 3f DiMentsre, ami form tbemeeWee into an independent body t aad If tba other praMihera connive at thie, and do not deperate from them, m order to conUnaa ihe original plaif} thea it may aaeweV the deaigne of the ambitioua. to pnaeinrs the ooaaezioa amoag the prfacbere. thoogh they eeak earthly thtaga, aad thaiff aye be aot aingle aaat theMginning. , V ♦ That k^ apoa the arigiaal plan of Methodiam. % 'S^'l 'l*-ti . __ — ^ ; ^ ■ - ■ — — - • . - '• ■ \-'' ' • ! •! ■' . ' 1 1 M 1 ' ^ • \ ^ * ' 1.- 1 t • >' ., ...» ■■ ■*■ ■■■■• . " ■:1 \ ' 'V • ^ ^4 .,. 0, ■ . ;. •■' *.' ' f / ' 1 '■ ■ f '. :M. ' ■ ■ #. ■ ^ % 11^4^ ' . 1 i 1 ', j» w ' f MJ. ':^ ■ • ■ . ..... ■"..#■ ■••■ ' , . ■ . F ■» „ ■ * • ' V .~^Kt - ^< '' '•*,..■ ^ ^ i ) ■J JH^ ( ■ ^ , k^ mi, ■ - -r- . i . W ■ ri *; - ': '.:' -A, : \' . % * ' .■'"■*•; • '• ;:;'. ■^; <* ■fc ' ' " \ t . ' ' , \ ' ;» '* •*^ v^ ■ - . • ^ ' ■ ^ ' '"' . ■ ' .\ \ . ■ V 1 , 1 1 . ' . ' .' » . V ■ ■' • \ \ *•■ -, A n • ■ , • ■ ' -' , , ' \\} ' '-.>'• \ w . ' ■ ■ ■ V > - i V' • • H ^ ; #'.. ''d V, ■ ■ W^^'- »■■..■.■ , , ' ^^^^^^^H '"'.'■ ■'\':' ■ ■ ^^^^^ , , ■ ■• r— :--,:.-: -A A/' ^:■:^r ...■_.*. ■.'■..- ■ ■■ ■ ■' -; ■•■■'-.:• ■■■■ ■<■■""■:■'■. • ■-^,;,/.: ■■■■.:,/;■':■■■' i -;'■ ■ 'I.-;;- ■■■ ■-. -^^^ . .' ■■ ■■' . ' ' ■ f ■..-■.••.■■■ ■ ■-' . . . ■■ ■- '•■■"' ■ ■'...■■... ■ '■")''■ ■"■'■'■ ' ■. "-■ ■ -■•, . ■: '. ■'•'■■■ "^ ■ . ■' ■ ' , : „ '■■■ - '' ' ' 'd ■ , ■ , ■ - • ■-•....■ •'■ ■■ " '- ■ "■ ■'■. ' . ■ ". ■"■■-■■■ ■ . , .-■_'■'• ■ .-..- . —'-■.-■'--■:. -'^ .■'-: ■' '■ -.'■; -■■--- "■■ ■ f^ '■ " '■'. ''■■.'■■/' •.' ■:. ■ ■■ ■■ ■ '.■v^'r-. : ' ''' '■■•■■'''■■■■ ' ■'■■ '''•■■ ■ ■■:--''"^"'' V '"■" '■'•■r.' -'^ ■ "V-- ■:AA/, ■■ - . „• " ♦ . 4 ■ •.;■;■■;. •..;:,.■■;.. ■■.■.'- ',' .■■■ ■■ •:' V,' ' 1.0 I.I 11.25 ■28 |25 Itt S M^ 12.0 13.6 |Z2 «^ I Wbik 1.4 1.8 1.6 /J** MICROCOPY RESOLUTION TEST CHART NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS STANDARD REFERENCE MATERIAL 1010a (ANSI an( ISO TEST CHART No. 2) ^ sr^-^r*-- .J(r i'' *■ 'i, M ;;>♦« #1 *■■ htrit OV THE IKT. JOHN WBIIilT. V do what I do now; propose preachers to be tried, admitted, oi^ ex- cluded: fix the place of each preacher for the ensuing year, and the time of the next Conference. "Can any thins be done now, in order to lay^ a foundation for this future union r Would it not be well for an v that ore willing, tortign some articles of agreement, before God calls me hence? Suppose something like these: V^- "^®» "whose nan|98 are underwritten, being thoroughly con- vinced of th? necessity of a close union between those whom God is pleased to use as instruments in this glorious work, iii order to {ireserve this union between ourselves, are resolved, God being our lelper, I. To devote ourselves entireljr to God; denying ourselves, taking up our cross daily, steadily aiming at one thing, to save our own souls, and them that hear us. II. To preach the old Metho- dist doctrines, and no other; contained in the minutes of the Con- ferences. III. To observe and enforce, the whole Methodist dis- cipline, laid down in the said Minutes."— These articles, I believe, were then signed by many of the preachers. But some years aftbr^ wards, the niystery of innovations began to work secretly in the minds of several of the preachers, who hoped to exalt themselves above all that had been known befijire among them. Thiey knew Mr. Wesley did, and woul9 let, or hinder, till he was taken out of the way: they had influence enough, however, to prevail upon him^ to relinquish the present plan, and leave the mode of union among the^reachers after his death, to their own deliberations. Two preachers had gone over to America some time before, though, J apprehend, not by Mr. Wesley's authority At the Conference, however, this year he sent two, Mr. Board man, and Pillmoor, to preach and take charge of the societies in America, where Methodism began soon to flourish. Mr. Wesley saw the work in which he Was engaged, spread od everv side. In 1770, he was able to reckon forty-nine circuits in England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales: and one hundred and twenty-two itinerant preachers under his dir(M!tion; besides about double the dumber of local preachers, who did not quit their usual occupations. This year, the larger Minutes of Conference, were printed. The following abstract trom them, will nearly complete our view of the economy of the Methodist societies. Q.l," Have oiir Conferences been as useful as they might have been? A, " No: we have been continually straiten^ for time. Hence scarce any thing has been searched to the bottom. To remedy this, let every Conference last nine days, concluding on Wednesday in the second week. Q. 2. "What may we reasonably believe to be 6od*s desigft, n raising up the preachers called Methodists? .A. " Not to form any new sect; but to reform the nation, partio- alarly the church: and to spread scriptural holiness over die land. , Q. 3. " Is it advisable for us to preach in as many places as we ean^ without forming any societies? "By no means; w e hav e mad e th e trial in various places •H-— *Kaftt^~ - i^^r 'fA., •r r-'-% , ,.;**ii» Lire or THE ii»r. johh wiilct. ftiHl tliM fbr a coniWeraWe time. But all the twcd has fallen at by the hlghway-Bide. There is scarce any fruit remaining. S. 4. " Where should we endeavor to preach most? . 1. " Where there is the greatest number of quiet aDd>willing hearers: 2. Wfiere there is most fruit, S. 5. «• Is field-nirenq|\ing unlawful? . "iWe conceive nbt. We dp not knpw that U is contrary to any wweither of God or man. 3. 6. *• Have we not used il too sparingly? . . « It sieems we have : 1 . Because our call is, to save that which is lost. Now w«>^iannot expect them to seek us. Therefore we shtfuld go and seek them. 2. Because we are particularly called, by going into the highways and hedges (which none else will do) to compel them to come in. 3. Because that reason against it is not good, * The house will hold all that come.' The house may hold all that come to the house; but not all that would come to the field. "■■■ ^ ■ f ■■■■■'■" *' " ^ r-'' ''''■V''''''''Z'u^ "The greatest hihderance to this you aife to expect from ricn^ or cowardly, or lazj^ Methodists. But regiTd them not, neither stewards, leaders nor people. Whenever the weather will permit, "go out in God*s name into the most publie places, and call all to repent and believe the gospel: every Sunday, in particular; es- iiecially where there are old societies, lest they settle upon their ees. , . , L 1 u • «* The stewards will frequently oppose this, lest they lose their usual collection. But this is not a sufficient reason against it. Shall we barter souls for money? ' . ^ j Q. 7. ('Ought we not diligently to observe, in what places God is pleased at any time to pour out his Spirit more abundantly? A, "We ought: -and at that time to send more laborers than usual into that part of the harve8|,|;» « But whence shall we have j|^? 1. ^o far as we can afford it, we will keep a reserve of pi|achers at KingsWood: 2. Let an exact list be kept of those who are proposed for trial, but not ac- cepted. Q. 8. "How "often shall we permit strangers to be present at the meeting of the society? w*. " At every oth^r meeting of the society in every place, let no iBtranger be admitted. At other times they may; but the sanie person not above twijce or thrice. In order to this, see that all in every place show their tickets before they come in. If the stew- ards and leaders are net exact therein, employ others that have more resolution. . Q. 9. "Can anything further be done, in order to make the meetings of the classes lively and profitable? jj. 4. "Change improper leaders: / , 2. " Let the leaders frequently meet each other's classei*. 3. "Let us observe, which leaders are the most useful, and let these meet the other classes as often as possible. 4. " S^e that all the leaders be not only men of sound judgment, fmt men truly devoted to God. \J ^. 10. " How dtn w e furth e r as s i st th fts e under our c a re? >, w4^ - ^^^fflSSW^^^^^^^^i f *: "Ci/ J'^ yf» R ifi * ■ S "- tai Liri ov tm KIT. >oBif wmlbt.. ■ V r^ A. 1. *< By meeting the mnrried men and women together, thxi first Sunday after the visitation; the single men and women apartf on the two following, in ult the large societies: thi» has been much neglected. 3. "By instructing them at their own houses. What unspeaka- ble h^d is there of this? The world say, *The Methodists are no be^tter than other people.' This is not true. But it is nearer the truth, than we are willing to believe. * * N. B. F'or 1. Personal religion either toward God or man, is azingly superficial among us. ** I can but just touch on a few generals. How little faith is there among us? How little communion with God? How little living in heaven, walking In eternity, deadness to every creature? How much love of the world? Desire of pleasure, of ease, of getting money? " now little brotherly-love ? What continual judging one anoth- er? What gossipping, evil-speaking, tale-bearingr What want of moral honeecty ? To instance, only in one or two particulars. " Who does as he would be done by, in buying and selling? Partioularlv in selling horses? Write hiilti knave. that does not. And the JVfethodist knave is the worst of all knaves. ** 3. Family religion is shamefully wanting, and almost in every ')bra|ich. .. \ ■ y " And the Methodists in general .will be little the better, till we pike quite another course with them. For what avails public pri^ching alone, though we could'<|iB|tfi like angefe? **We must, yea ev^iV travelli«|j9HPacher, must instruct them from house to bouse. Till this is^SBe, and that in good earnest, the Methodists will be little better than other people, t ** Let every preaeher, having i catalogue of those in each sQcie^, go to each house. Deal gently with them, that the report of it may move ethers to desire '^ur coming. Give the children, *the in- structions for children,' {^d encourage them to get them by heart. Indeed you will find it no easy matter to teach the ignorant the principles of religion. So true is the remark of Archbishop Usher, < Great scholars may think this work beneath them. But they shmild consider, 'the laying the foundation skilfully, as it is of the irrnitest importance, so it is the master-piece of the wisest builder. And let the wisest of us all try, whenever we please, we shall find, that to lay this ground work rightly, to make the ignorant under- stand the grounds of religion, wdl put us to the trial of all our skill.' " Perhaps in doing this it may be well, after a few loving words spoken to all in the house, to take each person singly into another room, where you may deal closely with him, about his sin, and misery, and dfify. — Set these home, or you lose all your labor: do this in earnest, and you will soon find whdt a work you take m hand, in undertaking to be a travelling preacher. Q 11.** How shall we prevent improper persons from insinuat- ing themselves into the society? ^i _^ -- A. 1. " Give tickets to none till tney are recommended by a' leader, with whom they have met at least tw6 months on jtrial. ^^ Give notes to nqae but those who are recoimueudeil by one yjt^ ■■^ 4 H: ^u' TMie f.I^ Of T«e TiiV. JOHI* W«iLlY* « 46» !.-.«• *:ii thrtv have ^et thiree or four times in n class 9. Glv^ KTV^e rui?B Cfir^^^^^^ they meet. See that this be never „f ^ected. ^^ ^^^^^ ^^ .^^.^^ ^^ ^^^ band-rules ? Particularly with '*!?'■**« Bv Si means. This is no time to give any encouragement tofuperZuyo^- apparel. Therefore givp no band-tickets to any. IniXvhave left off superfluous ornaments. In orddt to this, 1. Let every assismnt reafthe thoughts upon dreis at leas once a vmr in every large society. 2. In visiting the classcH, be very in^Td' but very strS.- 8. Allow no exempt case, not even of a married woman. Better one suffer than many. 4. Give no tickets ranv th^ wear calashes, high.head«,or enormous bonnets. «¥o encourage meeting in band, 1. In every hrge «oe.ety,have nlnvp-feast auaiterly for the bands onlv. 2. Never fail to meet ?hem ^ncTa week! 8. Exhort every beiieVer to embrace the ad- vanTage 4. Give a band-ticket to none liU thfy have met a quar- ^ ^*«o£ve! You give none a band ticket, 6e/or« he^e^ttf, but ^ ''•^o' Js *!"do not Sabbath-breaking, dram-drinking, evil-speakilig, unnr'o^table conversation, lightness, expensiveness or ga' X o* Xrel. and contracting debts without due care to discharge them, sSB p^vaU in several iSaces? Ho.w may these evds lie remedied? K "Let us preich expressly on each ofjhese heads 2 Read in every society the sermon on evil-speaking. 3. i^et tn^ leaders cClvexatnifie and exhort every person to put away the aTcurS^i^S. 4. Let the preacher warn every society, that none who?8 guU ylierein can remain with us. 5. Extirtiate smuggling, buvinL or selling uncustomed goods, out of eve^y society. Let nonr^main with us, who will nSt totally abstain irpm every kind ' anSde^eeofU Speak tenderly, but^earnestly artdfrequent^4.f iUn every society Jear the coasts. And read «<[ *h*m. and dj^- gently disperse among them, • The word to a Smifggler.»^. ILX£ tirpate bribery, receiving any thmg, directly ot 'n<»™^ 'JJ voting in any^ection. Show no respect of Pe|"f ns h^B||tt»"V expel all that touch the accursed thing. Largd^y shov^fWfh in pute and private, the wickedness of.thusseflfe our. country, Cd every w^here read « The Word to a Freeholdf r,' and disperse it with both handi; | .:,..„„ „r _,,'- Q. 14. « What 8\ih\\ we do to prevent scandal, | when any ot our members become bankrupt? \ ^ f*. jtu i.„. «a* Ji. «' Let the assistant talk with him at large. And if he has not kept fair accounts, or has.been concerned in-that base practice^ot rawing money \iv coining notes (commonly callfed the bill-trade} let him be expelled immediately. y Q 15. "What is the oflice of a Christian minister f A. "To watch over souls, as he that must give account. " In what view may we and our helper^ be consMlerea f ^ . i!„__ -_<^„«.^»<.>a /; k rtiit rtT thn oral' '#'•'■. 46i TRB Lira or THE RKT. JORIT WKILIT. "^^ W^ 1*< . ■■ ■ 'if ■/ Ceriflhiticr for want of knowlttdge. But how hard is it to ab1d« ere? Who does not wish to be a little higher? Suppose, to, ordainfd! ♦ • , O. 17. "What ifl the office of an Ac/per 7 Ji, ** In the abHcnce of a ininiHtcr, to feed and^guide the flocki IR particular, 1. '" To preach morning and evening. (iBut he is-never to biegin later in th^ evening than seven o'clock, unless in particular capes.) 9. "To meet the society and the bands weekly. 3. " To meet the leaders weekly. J "Let every preacher be particularly exact in this, and in the morning-preaching. If he has twenty hearers let him preacli. If not, let nim sing and pray. "N. B. We are fully determined, never to drop the morning- preaching: and to continue preaching at five, where ven^t is practi- cable, particularly in London and Bristol. ^ O. 18. " What are the rules of an helper? \ *9. 1. "Be diligent, Never'be unei'iiployed a moment. Never be triflingl^ employed. Never while away time: neither spend any more time at any place than is strictly necessary. 3. "Be serious. Let your motto be, holiness. to the Lord. Avoid all lightness, jesting, and foolish talking. ( 3. " Converse sparingly and cautiously with women : particularly ^ith young women. ' \ 4. "Take no step toward ma,rriage, without fu^t eon^ulting; with your brethren. t " 5. " Believe evil of no one: unless you see it done, take Hee^^ bow you credit it. Put the best construction on every thing. You. know the judge is always supposed to be on the prisoner's side. 6. " Speak evil of no one: else your word especially, would eat 89 doth a'Canker :^ keep your thoughts within your own breast, till you come to the person concerned., 7. " Tell eveiy one what you think wrong in him, ai^^ that plainly as soon as may be: else it wi^ fester in your heart. \Make all haste to cast the fire out of your bosom. . 8. " Do not a0^ct the gentleman. You have no more todo w^h this character, tnalti with that of a dancing-master. A preachi^of the gospel is the servant of all. 9. "Be ashamed of nothing but sin: not of fetching wood (if time^ permit) or drawing water: not of cleaning ,youra>wiisboes^^ or ybur neighbor's. 3 10. " Be punctual. Do every thing exactly at the time. And in general do not mend our rules, but keep them: not for , wrath, but for conscieqce-sake. 11. "You have nothing to do 'but to save souls. Therefore spend and be spent in this work. And go always, not only to those that want you, but to those that want you most. ** Observe.- It is not your business, to preach so many times, and to take care of this or that society: but to save as many souls as you can; to bring as many sinners as you possibly caatorepent- anfiflr ' ^nd with • all your pow e r to build th e m up in that hohn e s s , - without which they cannot see the Lord. And remember. A -v- ''^M* ' ■ • jr^i e.ws^' "~ ... ...... ..,.>. ^ ►*... . -Hi .,^W ^, •ruiTsi^in^or yhc mkV. johh weilbt* flee from the wrath to come, and then a few ihore came \ London, and desired me to advise, and pray with them. ♦ If you will meet me on Thursday night, 1 will help ybu as I can.* More and more then desired to meet with tl Methodist preacher iMo mind everypoint, great and small, in the Methodis; discipline 1 Therefore you will need all the sense you have: and to have all your wits alwift you ! \W. "Act in all things, not according to your own will, but as a son in the gospel. As such ft ip your part to employ your time, in the manner which we direct: ^»artly in preaching a(!id Visiting from houwe to house; partly in reading, nuMlitution, and prayer, Above all, if you lal»or with us in our Lord's vineyard, it is needful that you should do that part of the work which we advise, at those Mmes and places which wo judge most for his glory. Q. 19. " What^wwer is this, which you txercise over both the preachers and societies? ... Ji. 1. "In Noveml)er, 1738, two or three persons who desired to flee from the wrath to come, and then a f6w ihore came to me in ... , . . ..... I gai^j^, as well __ _ them, till they Were increased to many hundreds. The case was afterwards the same at Bristol, Kingswood, Newcastle, and many'other parti of England, Scotland, and Ireland. It may tie observed, the desire was on itheir part, not mine. My dcgire was, to live iMtid die in retiremcoit. Bat I did not see, that rcould refuse them my help, and be guiltless before God. *« Here commenced my power: namely, a power to* appoint when, and where, and how they should meet^ and to remove those wrhose lives showed that they had not a desire to -flee from the wrath to come. And this power remained the saitie, whether the people meeting together were twelve, or twelve hundred, or twelve thou- sand. - . 2. " In a few days some of them said, * Sir, we will not sit under you for nothing: we will subscribe quarterly.' I said, * I will have nothing; for I want nothitrg. My fellowship supplies me with all J want.* One replied, • Nay, but you want an hundred and fifteen pounds to pay for the lease of the Foundery : and likewise a large sunt^^f money, to put it into repair.' On this consideration I suf- fered l^m to subscribe. And when the society met, I asked, « Who ^iU take the trouble of receiving this money, and paying it, where it is needful? * One said, * I will do it, and keep the account for you.* So^re was 4he first steward. Afterwards I desired one or two moreltohelp me as stewards, and in process of time, a greater number. X. ^ " Let it be remarkea>k was I myself, not the people, who chose tl^ese stewards, and appoiqted to each the distinct worfc^wherein he was to help me, as longNw 1 desired. And herein rlwgan to ; another sort of povv^ntimely, that of appointing and ig stewards. A, ' After a time a young man immed Thomas Maxfield, came iired to help me as a son in the\gospel. Soon after came a secbndJA Thomas Richards, and then tfxthird, Thomas Westall. These Mverally desired to serve me as s^qiis, and to labor when and whore I sh^d direct. Observe. These likewise desired me, not 1 thwn. WKi dam aot refuw their awiatance. — And her e exercifl remoVi S. «' and ded V.- M t \ %i€S I, vp-'f'-' -W'T 1 ^■*w. ^ib^lfti'S^M* S'lPpf^f^^ 469 THt LIfl 09 THE »1V. aOHK WlSLlT. comiiKmMsd my power, to appoint oBch of these, when, and where, and how to liibor: that is while be «hoHO to continue with^ me For each had a power to go awnv wh«n ho pleaHed: na 1 had uIho to.|ro away from them, or any of them, if Isaw Hufficient cuumc. Tlio case continircd the same, when the numl>er ot preachers m- creased. I had just the same power still, toappomt when, and where,' and how each should help me; and to tell any (it 1 saw cause) 'Ido not desire yoiPr help any longer.' On these terms, and no other, we joined at first: on these we continue joined, liut they do me no favor in being directed by me. It is true my reward is with the Lord. But at present 1 have nothing from it but trou- ble and care; and often a burden, I scarce know how to hear. 4. " In 1744, I wrote to several clergymen, and to all who then served me as sons in the gospel; desiring them to^meet me in Lon- don, and to give me their advice, concerning the best rncthod oi carrying on the work of God. And when their number increased, so that It was not convenient to invite them all, for several years 1 wrote to those with whom I desired to confer, and they onlv met me at London, or elsewhere: till at length I gave a general per- mission, which I afterwards saw cause to retract. «* Observe. I myself sent for these of my own free choice. And I sent for them to arfutw, not to govern me. Neither did I at any time d^yest myself of any part of the power above described, which the providence of God had cast upon me, without any desjgn or choice of mine. ,' - . ..;• • . j 5. "What is the power? It is a power of admttttng into and excluding from the societies under my care: of choosiiuj and re- moving itewards: of receiving or not receiving helnera: of appoint^ ing them whenyVihere and Aow to help me, and of desiring any of them to confer with me when I see good. And as it was naerely in obedience to the Providence of God, and for the good of the peoiSle,that.I at first accepted thi8,Jpwer, which I never sought: so it is en the same considemtion, not for profit, honor, or pleasure, that I use it at this day. « , , . • r 6* "But * several gentlemen are offended at your having $o mueli power.* I did not seek aUy part of it. But when it was come unawares, not daring to bury that talent, I used it to the best of my judgment. Yet I never was fond of it. I always did, and do now, bear it as my burden; the burden which God lays upon me, and therefore I dare not lay it down. ^ ^ "But if,you can tell me any one, or any five Ihen, to whom I may transfer this burden, who can and will do jus^v^^t I do now, I will heartily thank both them and you. > /A Q. 20. "What reasons can be assigned why so nfany of our preachers contract nervous disorders? jj. "The chief reason, on Dr. Cadogan's principles, is either indolence, or intemperance : 1 . Indolence. Several of them ^se too little exercise^ far less than when they wrought at their trade. And this wilV naturally pave the way for many, especially nervous dis- orders. 2, Intemperance, (though not in the vulgar sense.) They tak e m ore /ood tlian U> e y did when they labored liiore . And let any manLof reflection judge, how long this will consLit with health. r^ h .^'■i '»^- '•»;.. W'-'*^ 'Tfc'X*^'^ >' «n Lirs ov VHi ■■▼. jioair wiilit. ./^ Or tbey use more tleep than when they labored more. And this alone will destroy the firmnoiM of the nerves. If th«n our preach- y^|^j era would avoid nervous disorders, lot them I. Tokeas little riieat«^ drink, and sleep, as nature will bear: and a. Use full as much ox^^i^ ercise daily as they MV. JOnil WBILBT. ■, in- will read them, book* to the value of five nountli. And I do«lr« the iwMintnntH w«mld take care, that all the large aocietieiiprovide our workM, or at loant the noted, for the umo of the prtmchc'rH. 2. " In the aAcrnoon, follow Mr. Haxter'it plan. Th«n vou wil have no time to i»pare: you will have work enough for all voUrtime Then liknwiite no preacher will Mtuy with uh who ih aH Halt ihat ha« Swt it« uuvor. For to 8uch, this eniploynient would Iks nmre drudgery. And in order to it, you will have need of oil the knowl- edge you have, or can procure. " The Huin ia, go into euery Aoi«e inr courRe, and teach «t»<^ therein, young and old, if tftey belong to ua, to lie Chri^tiai wardly and outwardly. , -L ! • ** Make every particular plain to their understanding; flz it in their memory; write it in their heart. In order to this, tnere\muHt be Mine upon line, precept u|>on precept.' What patience, \what love, what knowledge Ih rcfiuirtito for this! \ S, 95. " In what particular method should we instruct theiVi? . " You may as you have time, read, explain, enforw, 1. The rules of the society: 2. Instructioim for children: 8. The foijrth volume of sermons, and 4. Philip Henry's method of family prater. We must needs do this, were it only to avoid idleness. Do we iK)t loiter away many hours in every week? Each try himself: po idleness can consist with growth in grace. Nay without exactness in redeeming time, you cannot retain the grace you received in justification^ . « tt • \ " But what shall we do for the riaing generattonl Unless wely lake care of this, the present revival will be re» uniu$ atatis: it will last only the age of a man. Who will labor herein? Let hirn that is zealous for God and the souls of men be^in now. 1. *' Where there are ten children in a society, meet them at least an hour every week: 2. Talk with them every time ypu see any at hoM: 3. Pray in earnest for theml 4. Diligently, in|triicO and vehen^ntly exhort all parents at^ their own houses: 5i Preach expressly on education, particularly at midsummer, when you ■peak, of Kingswood, ' But I have no gift for this.' Gift or no gift you are to do it; else you are not called to be a Methodist preacher. Do it as you can, till you can do it as you would. Pray earnestly for the ^ift, and use the means for it.' Particularly, study the instructions and lessons for children. Q. 26. " Why are not toe more holy? Why do not we jive in eternity? Walk with God all the day lon^? Why are we not all devoted to God) Breathing the whole spirit of mttaionariesl A. " Chiefly because we are enthusiasts; looking for the end, witHout using the means. " To touch only upon two or three instances. " Who of you rises at four in summer? Or even at five, when ^ he does not preach ?. «* Do you recommend to all our societies, the five o'clock hour for private prayer ? Do you oteerve it ? Or any other fixed time ' Do not you find by experience, that any time is notmej «< Do you know the obligation and tne benefit of fasting? often do you practise it? v ^How -v4!»i3j ^"i^i , '^-k..i:. "Jli^J*.; ' ^Wp^^'~^^':\ •; ■ "^f* .'|kK»-* tlUl Lir* Of THB BBT. JOHK WBSLBV <^ »■<. ■< /, S. 97. ** What U tho boHt general method of mreaohinff/ . «« I. To invite: 9. To convince t' 8. To offer Chifit: 4. Tc hif(T>- S. 80, 'Who is the aifrtstant.' . *' That preacher in each circuit, who is appointed from tiqie to time, to take charge of the societies and the other preachera therein. S. 8L " How should an assistant bo qualified for his charge? . " By walking closely with God, and having his work greatly at heart: bv upderstanding and loving discipline, ours in particular; and ifl^hg the Church of England, and resolving not to separate frotwfW Let this be well observed. I fear, when the Mothodiata leave the chur<:h, God wilt leave them. But if they are thrust out of it, they will he guiltless. ^ S. 89. *< What IS the business of an assistant? , "1. To see thlit the other preachers in his circuit behave well, and want nothing: 9. To visit the classes quarterly, regulate the bainds, and deliver tickets: 8. To take in, or jput out of the society or the bands: 4. To keep watch-nights and love-fe&sts: 5. To hold quarterly meetings, and therein diligently to inquire bqth into the temporal and spiritual state of each soeidty: tf. To take care that ev^ry society be duly supplied with bodks: particularly with Keiiipis, and Instructions for Children, which ought to be in every house: O why is not this regarded? 7. To send from every quarterly meeting a circumstantial account (to London) of every remarkable conversion, and remarkable deathl: 8. To take exact* lists of his societies every quarter, and send them up to London: 9. To meet the married men and womeni and the single men and women in the large societies once a quarter: 10. To overlook the accounts of all the BtewardB4 '.:.., 33. " Has the office of an assistant been; well executed ** ^ " No, not by half the assistants. 1. Who has sent m* word| whether the other preachers behave well or ill? 9. Who has. * .^^ "1 ■ Vl'f ^ ■■■'-■'^sm' - "■•'''-f|k -Jih - . ,• ' * ■ V, ' " *i V. ■?*«' ■ ■ ::**' >J, - I. ''-.i-, • 4n Vn LIfB or tm ■■?. iOIIII WMLSf. vinllwl all the oUmofi, and rfljjulnteil tho \mwU qiinrtnrlyf 8 Lovn-fimiitili for ih« Imiut* hnv« bewii ii»^lcii!t laiil thti roundiition of our work III JuiIkiuK niul coniloinniiiK tuirwlvoii. They IwgNi' cvory wliore, with Mhowinft thoir hcitriirit hiMir flilion the church nnd minlnters are. j W« lM?«in ovory whoro, with Mhowin(( our liviirom, how fallcrt thry aro thviniwdvui*. What tlii^ do iu Aiiirricu, 6t wimt tlioir iniiiutea ■nyon thin aulijotU, ia nothing to uh. Wo will kcop in tho goo^ •nd •▼eninc hoof of retirement? Do you vprnA the day In mmntierwiSeh we adyi«.? Do jrou convene ■•"ou^y- «j/^i >! and clow^ly? Do you u»e ^11 the mean, of jrrace younielf,;atod enforce the um of them, on all other perMna?' «f- *<;-^. ^ j ^„, q, 89. " What can be done, in order to a closer union of our hejen w J^^J'^^^^j^J'^g ly convinced of the want there i.ofllt at pre«jnt,'and the ab«>lute necessity of it: 9r Let tliem pr^rfor a desire of union. S. Let them •?«•> Jiredy «j^ each othw : ^^ W»^ never speak defend,, one another^s characters in every thing, so far as consists with truth; and 8. Let th«n labor in honor each to prefer the other a^^ol^'^How shall we try those who think they are move^ by;^ theHoly Ghost to preach? . ■, tt.,-*; A. "Inquire, 1. Do they know God as a pardoning God? ^Have V tMby the love of God abiding in them? Do they desire and seek I Hotiingbut God? Ani are they holy in all manner of converta- r Son? 2. Have they gifts (as well as graceS for the work? Have they (in some tolerable degree) a dear, sound understanding? HaVetheyarightiudgmeotln the things of God? Have they a juJconiption o/safvation by faith? An^ has God given them iny degree of utterance ? Do they speak justlv, readiW , cleariy ? S. Have they fruit? Are any truly convinced of sm, and converted, to God by their preaching? i u.i«„« k- « Aa kmg as these three marks cencur In any one, we bebeve Iif ia called of God to preach. These we receive as sufficient proot that he is moved thereto by the Holy Ghost. . S. 41. " What method may we use in receiving a new helperi . "A proper time, for doing this, is at a conference aftei solemn fasting and prayer. " , . i>.i ' " Every pwson proposed is then to be present; and «ach of t|iem "^^Hav^o you faith in Christ? Are you goingon to perfectidn? Do you expect to be perfected in love in this lifeT Are yo« pwm- inff after itV Are you resolved to devote voorself wholly to God^ • SSVo his work? iDo you^know the MetKodist plan? J^^^jo^ read the Plain Account? The Appeals? Do you know the rulea of the pociety ? Of the bands? Do you keep them? Do you take no anuff? tobacco? drams? Do you constantly attend the church and sacrament? Have you read the Minutes of the Con- ference? Are you willing to conform to them? Have you con- SteJS the vSli of an h&per? EspeciaUy the ftrst, tenth, mid twelfth? Will you keep them for conscience-«ke? Are you de- teS^ to employ all your time in the work of God? Will you preach eveiy momingand evening: endeavoring not to apeak too fong.or to?loud?^ill you ^igently imrtruct the «^n m evwj place? WUl you visit firtfm house to house? WUI yott recommend fasting, both by precept and eiuanple? <*^ Are yofU in debt? Are you engaged to inarry C ■■»■• ■• -pre, • V,-, k' "Wa- ««9 iirs^M^^iiB BBT. rom wBtijiT, 4ft f<>^ '■% my , ,'\i ** (N. 9. A preaoher who inarri^i while on trial. It therebjr wH ■tide.) " We may then receive him u a probationer bj firing him the minutes of the Conference inscrilMd thua; J. . :^^ ** 1. What preachers are admitted? "Who remain on trial? " * "Who are admitted on trial? " Who desist from travelling?^ " 3. Are there any objections to any of the preaehen? Wbo are named one J[>y one. ** 8. How are the preachers stationed this year? ' "4. Whftt Quml)er8 are in the society? *< 5. What is tlie Kingswood collection? ' " 6. What boys are received this year? " 7. What jjirls are assisted? " 8. What IS contributed for the contingent ezpenaea: " 9. How was this expended? " 10. What is contributed toward the Aind, for saperannuated and •upemumerary preachers? "11. What demands are there upon it? "13. How many preaehen wives are to be provided for? By what societies ? " IS. Where, and when, may our nest Conference be(pn? Q. 43. " How can we provide for superannuated Sad super- numeranr preaehen.' •tf. " Those who can preach four or five times a week, areaupeiw humerary preachei;s. As for those who cannot, " 1. Let every travelling preacher contribute half a fainea yeari^ at the Confereuce. / <^ • 'lE .t' ■■'■*„■. %. 47S wm 9r Tini bit* lonir wBtLST. '■■r^ -^ •«^ Let eVery tmii wlwn flhrt admitted us tweUlaf prewhet "^X 8 ^"tThis be lodged In the handi of the itewaidi, .4 Out of this let provision be first made for the worn-ou; prlaJhe«, aSd Sen for^the widow, and children of tho«, that are «**i* Let an exact account of aU receipta and diaburK^pentf be P'?*6"lireJeJ/lS;S^^^^^^^^ to the Conference, the contribu- ^j^^°!;r;^Arnot'^^^^^^ ^^ ^^^-^ ^^^^.KtSiudy'l^e been. To prevent ihUibr the time *^T Let every circuit provide each with'a lodging, coali. and "■S^mI'lH^ preacher read carefUHy -er th.|feof Dj. vid BrainarJ Let ui be followers of him, as lie ™/^Ch";«r '» rtaoluTe wlf-^evotion, in total deadnese to «he world, and in fer- vSSloSetoGodandman. Let us but secure this pomt, and the world and the devil must fall under our feet. . « 8 Let both assistants and preachers be conscienuously exact m ***?^f S^.'SSii'dSf^'u; at any time without probers. , TheriforJlet no preaeher, who does not attend the inference, leavrthrc rcuit, at that time, on any pretence whatever. This ij IS mSt Sip "opi? time of the whole year. 7^5 ^JJ^.^^S'S ^ to tSis, ind require each of these to remain m the cifcuit, tiU *^«^rtl'r^achers in any cireuU come to the Confer^ *^t those who do come, set out as late and return as aoon as ^i" Wherever you can, appoint prayer-meetings, and particu- ^'^'JVlSlfStboobservedln a» our societies, the last Friday St may^7e ITayVm^Jl ^- And he may beg money of the '^^ SSS^L^^ •» believer,, to go an top« fectiL^ffif ^maj all W the ?««»? ^i'!?^** ««^^ STshall we defend thfs perfeetion, orjnve it up? J^^SlJ?^ t^*dSteud it, meaniM thereby (as we did fixnn t^^^^^^XS vation from all sin, % the love of Ck»d. and n«^f>^'J|« 'heS^ ni|i Papista aay, « Thia cannot be attained, tUl we have been re- ."«•*■• &''yH pP" 1 p:'- i e * e I I H •''»f 1 *' d 1 ' • le ■ ■ ' id H^^Ih "^ ?» 1 td 1 a- in ir- 'TT -T^ lie ^ ■" m in ' rt. ' 56, ' i » lilt tiU »- , ^ Bi as 1 ^ cu- K ' lay ^^^I^S^^ t< IBP- Dce list- > i the MI ^^Hf " lOBV WMIdlf* 4l!fr- free sal lart I fe- ll lUfitr fin m ftied Vt thjM«(lre of Pur«itory^» The CaWnlfta w, ' W dLT*" be atUin«) ^ aoon as the aovt and body part.» The Old Metho- dists say, 'It maybe attained before we die: a moment after is too Ule.> Is it so, or hot ? You are all agreed, we mav be saved from aU sin before death. The iubstanoe is then settled. But, as to the circumstance, is the ch^noe gradual or instantaneous f It is both the one and the other. From the moment we are justified, there iMiy be a gradual sanct^fication, a growing in grace, a daily advane^in the knowledge and love of God. And if sm cease be- fore death, there must, m the nature of the thing, be an imitanta- neous change. There must be a last moment wherein it does exist, and a first moment wherein it does not. * But should we in preaching insist both on one, and the other? » Certainly we must Insist on the gradual change: and that earnestly and continually. And are there not reasons why we should insist on the instantane- ops also? If there be such a blessed change before death, should we not encourage all believers to expeet it? And the rather, because constant experience shows, the more earnestly they «xp«ct this, the more swiftly and steadily does the gradual work of God go on in their soul: the more watchftil they are against all sin; tto more careful to grow in grace, the more zealous of good works, and the more punctual in their attendance on all the ordinances of God. (Whereas -just the contrary effects are observed, whenever this expectation ceases.) They are saved by hope. By this hope of a total change, with a gradually increasing ealvation. DMtroy this hope and that salvation stands still, or rather decreases daily. Therefore whoever would advance the gradual change in believ- ere, should strongly insist on the instantaneous. ,-«:,, Q. 46. "What can be done to increjBse the work of God in Scotland? .« A " 1. Preich abroad as much as pssible. 9. Try every towti and village. 8. Visit every member in the socieQr at home. S. 47. **AreourpreacMng-hou8e8safe? . " Not at all: for some of them are not settled on trustees. Several of the trustees for othera are dead. S. 48. "What then is to be done? ^ ", . "1. Let those who have debts on any of the housea giTe a bond, to settle them as soon as they are indemnified. , ' ,_ " 3. Let tfie surviving trustees choose others without delay, by indoraing their deed thus: i^ . „ , .. " . . u -^ '* We the remaining trustees of the Methodist preachin^f-houM in - — , do according to the power vested in US by this deed, choose -^— to be trustees of the said house, in the piaoe ,.of — -*-, /Witnessour hands —^ ■ — •' . . " N. B. The deed roust have three new stamps, and miut m iiurolleil in Chancery within six months. . \_ ,. ^ S. 49. *« May any new preaching-houses be builtf ." Not unless, 1. They are proposed at the Conferw^: ii{ Dor 8. Unless two-thirds of the eAiense be subseribed. An4 ii un collection he made for them, it must be made between tM Confiirenoe and the fanning of February. »)<«« "«.4 'f'i M ■^ >.^^9 1 jWwJ^I ^.»^|Rjj| \M .« 1 ■ ■^M '" J f "^^S a, p/s^^ 4'"- 0/% «« n f"^ i» fe'-. ^ 471 Tiis ura ot TBS Mir. Mim mat* f-* Q. 50. " How marMre rtiae a gvneria Aind for OArryiiif /on tk*^ whole work of God? . . : ^' /, Ji. «* By a yearly •ubecriptlon to be proposed by erery o^^litai when he viaita the clasaee at.Chrietmas, and received at th^ viBitA- tion following. \^ ^^ , , ' j . Q. 51. "We said in 1744, *We have leaned too much toward Calvinism.' Wherein? " ' . ^« . ^ r j u. ./. ^. "1. With reffard to man's faithAilness. Our Lord himself taught us to use tne expression, therefore we ouarht never to be ashamed of it. We ought steadily to assert upon His authority, that if a man is not faithful in the unrighteous manunon, God will not give him the true riches. ^ . ^ ... , , , " 3. With regard to working for life, which our Lord expressly commands us to do. Labor ( \ «« 8. Is this the same' with, he that is sincere? j \ «« Nearlv, if not quite. «* 4. Is not thi# salvation by works? ... «« Not by the merii of works, but by works as a eondiHon, . . " 3. What have we then been disputing about for these thirty ^•latnrfraid, a6oiiroposition8, is drawn from matter of fact. God does in fact justify those, who by their own confession neither feared God, nor wrought righte- ousness. Is thia an exception to the general rule? _ **It is a doubt, whether God makes any exception at all. But how are we sure that the person in question never did ftar God and work righteousness? His own thinking so is no proof. Foi 1^ know, how all that are convinced of sin, undervalue themselven "8. uoes ngi talking, without the proper caution, of AJu$H/ied \ , if*' \f ms tat •m m or Mmetifieditaie, ttoA to n^tHd men? Almotrnaturally 1oad« ing them to truat in what waa done in one momenil Whereas we are every mpment /)/« current in London. I trust our Lord has more work fbr you to do in Europe, as well as in America. And who knows, but before your return to England, I may pjgr another visit to the New World? I have been strongly solicited 4y several of our friends in New York and Philadelphia. The^ urge many reasons; 8om^ of which seem to be of considerable weight. And my age is no objection at all: for I bless God, my health is not barely good, but abundantly better, in several respects, than when I was five an4 twenty. But there are so many reasons on the other side, that as Vet I can determine nothing; so I must wait till I have further light. Here I am; let the Lord do with me as seemeth him good. F?p'the present, I must beg of you to supply my lack of service: ♦ bjf encouraging the preachers as }rou judge best, who are as yet comparatively young and inexperienced: by giving them such advices as you think proper: and above all, by exhorting them not only to love one anotner, but if it be possible, as much as lieth in them, live peaceRbly with all men."— It is evident from what is here said, that he had a sti'ong inclination once more to visit America. This ihclinatiou operated on bis mind for many prears. « And when the pebple were soipetimes tai^y in complying with his directions and deisires, he would oAep mention it, as a mSans of keeping them in/order. '^ * ' ' ' ' did intend to ||o[to Amc . I must do a thing which': it Uiat, sir, said' ode present? " I must keep a secret," he replied : ineaning, that if his inclination rose to a fixed purpose, he must Gonceaiit firon^ the societies here; otherwise, such an opposition would be raisfkl, as might, in the event, efibctually prevent hiin (h>m undertamng the voyage. ijJ^i^j"-, ■1 '.« 480 iWB K^ow 9wm^*mr. m»« wsti.BTi^ 1* »-4" , r. & » t,' il. ."r Mr. WMley, $mA thoie associated with him, wore oallecl Armlnl* ana, because they maintained that Jeiius Christ died for the aalva- tion of all men: Mr. Whitefield, and thoHC in connexion With him. and most ^f the clergy in t^e Church of Enslnnd, who preached justification by faith alone^ were denominatecF CulviniHts, Imjcuuho {hey maintained that Christ died only for a determinate numl>er, who must fiiiuliv btf saved. Such oarty distinctions are always mischievous in their consequences; tney awaken suspicions whi Y^ lt« • ■ | i M l>i If, i& •\ m% •>.. .■^ ' we *»* •■. +•*. Mtk tf nm lit. iwnr wMtif . > V' ■ •Mr DiArXiDT, " When I reoeived tho former letter from your lodyihip, I did not know how to aniiwer: and I judged, not only that lifenco would oe the beat anawer. but also, that, with which your ladyahip woul<* iM» beat pleaaed. When I receivml your liulyHhip'a of the aecoiid inatant, I immediately aaw that it required an anawer; only I wait- ed till the hurry of the Conference waa over, that I might do noth- ' ing raahlv. I know your hidvHhip would not ' aervilely deny the truth.' 1 think neither would I : especially that great truth, juiti- ricATioN BT rAiTH; which Mr Law indeed flatly ■ibiy know them, a« he had fieriiona \i\ all placea who conatantly informed hint of every thing of importance that wait Haid or done. From the begintiing he had ttood at the head of the cotuiexion, and by^ the general auflrage had acted as dictator, in matters relating to the government of the Hocietio^. He had oAen found that all his authority waH barely mudicient to proHerve peac^ and the mere ex- ternal up|H5arance of unanimity, and therefore concluded, that if his authority wore to cease, or not to be trannforred to another at his deuth,'\he preachers and people would fall into confusion. In January, 1773, being at Shoreham, where no doubt he had con- sulted Mr. Perronet on the subject, he wrote the following letter to Mr. Fletcher: "Dear Sir, " What ah amazing work has Ood wrought in thoHO kingdomsi in less than forty years I And it not only continuoH,'but increases throughout England, Scotland, and Ireland: nay it has lately •prend into New York, PennHylvanio, Virginia, Maryland, and Carolina. Rut the witte inen ot the world say, * When Mr. Wes- ley drops, then all this io at on end! ' And so it surely will, un- less before God calls him hence, one is found, to Atand in his place. For * OvM aya^av noivtloifarttj. Elg Koi{iavo( f^ot.** I see more and more, unless there be one i^oigMt^^ the work can never be car- ried on. Tl)0^b6dy of the predchers are not united; por yvill any part of them submit to the rejst: so that either there must be one to preside over all, or the work will indeed come to an end. "But who is sufficient for these things? Qualified to preside both over the preachers and people? He must be a man of faith and love, anu one that has a single eye to the advancement of the kingdom of God. Ho must nave a clear understanding; a knowledge of men and things, particularly of the Methodist doc- trme and discipline; a ready utterance; diligence and activity, ^ ' It is not good, that the aupreme power should be lodged in many hands ; let there be one chief governor/ The truth of the first part ufthis sentence has been remarkably verified ani^ng the Methodists, since the death of Mr. Wesley So the no small iitjury of many societies. -., , ,t ' Who presides over the rest.'. v> 11 J' ly ' ' VI '■•v . ■» ■; P'.'''/ with a tol«ral»i« ■ham i)f h«alth. Thnra rnunt tie aildml (o th«M| fkvor with tb« p«o|ilflt with the MethtMliiiu in Rennral. For mi- loMN (itnl turn ihrir ifyiii« o|iin Como out in the name of (imll ConM to tho hflip of tho liord againat the mighty' Come while I aui alive and capable of labor— | < Ihtm mptrft Larhfi quod tortfutat, rt pfHilm$ mt \ I'orlo mtu, tnuUo lUxtram »*tlMuntt huciUit.'* Come while I am able, ihnl aaaiating, to build you up In faith, to ripen your gifta, and to intriHluco you to iho pcoplo. Nil ianti. What |M)Maiblo employment can you have,\which ia of ao great im- portance? \ " But you will naturally aay, « I am not equal to tho taak: I have neither grace nor gifb for auch an employment?' You aay true: It ia certain you have not: and who haa? Jlut do you not know Him who ia able to give them? Perhape not at once, but rather day by day: aa each ia, so ahall your strength be — • But thia im- plies,* you may say, < a thousand crosses, auch aa I feel I am not able to bear.' You are not able to liear thorn now; and they ar^^ not now come. Whenever they d '•■l«y, VIII Lirt OP TMt atV. JOHN WBtLIIU^V vailaH smtintf thAiii, iKit to be wuhr lh« ctintrul of any olHi man «ft«r th« liniiin of Ml. Wiwkiv. tliMtur ihniM fl)rcuniMUn4t«N, hn aaw liothiiiff Itoforn him hut tr«ni|>oiitutho> flimn, which have already priMluced much niiMchief and threaten ^ tnunh more in the iiMue:. nnd whttMc niNh nnd IncoiiNiNtent conduct, on aeveral occaaionN, hna lirouKlit the whole bcMlv of nreachera in- to diaf^race, nnd enilMijmiMNed tneni with uuiny difficiiltiea. * Mr. Wenley YfMfwil^ ndvnnciiiK in the Neventy-firxt year of hia age, and found hia nenlthand atrength almoat undiminiahed: he, tnerefore continued hia tnlmra nnd traveirt, with the name aMiduity and punctuality aa at the Iwginning. in June, 1774, when ho en* ~ lerwl on hia aeventy-aecond year, he apeakt* thua of himaelf, •• ThIa liein^ rny hirth-ilny, the firat of my aoventy-aecond year, I waa conaidenng how in thiN, that I find juat the aame atreiigth aa I did thirty yeara ngo? That my aight in conaiderablv better now, and my nervea firmer, than thev were then? That f have i^one of the infirmitioa of old age, and have lout aeyeral I had in my youth? The grand cauae ia, the good filenxure of God, who doth whatao- evor pleaaeth him. The chief ineana *jaiy_grl|*y ponatantly riaing at four, for about fifl^oara: 3. My geMwii&i^ching atfive i^,, ^ the morning, one of rnl moHt h^'olthv ^^HHp the nlMll^: 8. My never travelling leaa, by «ea or leMfB/So^Ur thousand five hundred milea in a year." AlK>ut thia time died Mr. John Downa; who hud lieen many yeara a; preacher among the Method iata. He waa a man of Hincere, unaflr^BCted pie;ty; of great affliction, and of uncommon gcniua. Mr. Wealey givea the following occount of hia death.' " John 08 liWed and died the death of the righteoqa. For several past i^ha a been greatly alive to God, walked closely with ana visjpl^^wn in grace. Ever since the time that he resolv- preach again, he has preached aa often aa he really could, and * with great success. On Friday morning he rose full of faith, and love, and joy. He declared it was the happiest day of his life, and that he had not been so well in body for years. He expressed hia joy in showers of tears. He was led to prav for the people, so aa never before. Going out to the chupol at West-street, he said, *l used to go to preach treinbling, and with reluctance, but now I go in triumph.' Hia text waa, < Come unto me all ye that labor and , <| .'m^'f -w^^pf» it^- * }Sm^ M& J:-'i'£hm^:±- mt* t.fHI tNl'Mr. MM* WlltUiV. / I* • \m 9 ♦ ■ft iMftvy Uaan/M, Hw wonU #«i» uniMuallv w i'lr ttii tiiiil likfi hml It in th« most enviable, the inont deMirablp t •ver heard of. Hia widow 1 viaheil yei^ardsy aAernp4e«f It would soon gd d6ttl worse: however, the next day I went on o few milea to tho Orange. The table was placed therto in sudh a manner, that all the time I was preaching, a strong and shai'p wind blew full on the let\ side of my head. '^And it was not without a goo : t \ V '.yv •^!;ilh^^^tmM inrCidiii^ w*****- •Ukoo^it t«bii k grett part of the time, which did not^wel SS^thiiiyhead. SatuKl«y 17,1 wai per-uaded to aend f«r K-^Uw.. ri»n.ible and .kil&l physician. Hejdd me, 'I war Si h1ih fever, and adviaed me to fie by.» I told him, that could not be done; ai I had appointed to preach in "^veral pUces, and muai preach aa long a. 1 could apeak. He then preacnbed a cool- ing draught, with a grain or two of camphor, aa my nerves were universally agiuted. This I took with me to Trangee: but when I came thireTl was not able to preach: my «»^«';*'i"f'"« JX"5 quite conftised, and my strength entirely gone. Yet I breath^ iteely, and had not the least thirst, nor any pam from heail to "?«I waa now at a fUll stand: whether to aim at Lisburii, or to push forwaid for Dublin? But my friends doubting whether ^uld bear so long a journey, I went straight to Derry Agby, a gen- tleman's seat on the side bf a hill, three miles beyond Lisburn. Hera nature sunk, and I took to my bed: but I could np^more turo myself therein, than a new-born child. My iiMmonr faded aa well as my strength, and well nigh mfhnderstandrng. Only tbo«e words ran in my mind, when I saw Miss Gayer on one side of the bed. looking at oer mother on the other, ; ; «fihe«atrUk«P«t»«w»onamonameBt ' : ;; SbiiHng at grief.' - " ' '^ " I can ffive no account of what followed for two or three days, being more dead than aUve. Only I remember it was difficultfor me to-apeak, my throat hejnff exceedinriy dry. But Joseph Brad- ford tellsme, I said on Wednesday, * It will be determined before this time to-morrow; » that my tongue was much swollen.^md as Mack as a coal; that I waa convulsed all over, and for some time my heart did n^t beat perceptibly, neither was any pulse dwceml- "In the bight of Thursday, the 23d, Joseph Bradford came to me with a. cup, and said, « Sir, you must take thi8.» I thought 1 wiU.if I can, to please him; for it will do me neither harm^nor tfood. Immediately it set me a vomiting; my heart began to beaj^ Sod my pulse to play again. And from that hour, the extremity of thesymptoma abated. The next day I sat up several hours, and walked four or five times across the room. On Satur^lay 1 sat up all day, and walked across the room many times, without any weariness. On Sunday I came down stoirs, and sat several hours in the parior. On Monday I walked before the house: on Tues- day I took an airing in the chaise: and on Wednwday, trusting m God. to the astonishment of my friends, I "etott'^'.^^Win.** About this time, Mr. Wesley published^his « Calm Addrew to the American Colonies," then at war with England, the mother country. This tract made a great noise, and «>»?"^ »»*« -™*;y adversaries. Being fifi»quently asked, why he published it?^ He answered, in Uoyd»s Evening Ifost, « Not to get money. Had that been my motive, I should have sweUed it mto a shiUmg panlphlet, amdhave entewi it at 8tatione«»8 HalL-Noi| to get preferment for my«etf.or my brother's children-^lOt to pleawJ ay ^ hifhorlow. Iknow mwikindtoowelU I know that they lov« ■'■.■. i ■ ; ,■ ■ .; 1 '■'.'■ .', /•' 1 i f^v ^ ,'id;-Ei(T?+ ■ '(?.' VMS ura'«MrniB •■▼.«•■« wsumt. fc/ ■J T' ■x: yov for political iieFrice» lore yoa laM iIhui cMr illMwr; §mi dMV who hnte you, hate you worse than the devil.—- LmmI of al did I write, with a view to inflame any: just the eooinivy. I eoa- tributed my mite toward putting out thie flame which vafw a|| over the land,*' &c. Many of his firiends, however, ion that he would have acted a more wise aad never meddled with political disputes. O h se r v them, that ministers of the gospcd, by intei seldom done any good, and often much hindered their own usefulness, and made a In the beginning of the year 1776, Mr. VleielMr waa reeovering from a severe illness. Mr. Wesley, having a Ugh eoNiioa of the salutary effects of easy journies through the eowMi^r, m s«eh eaM*, invited Mr. Fletcher to come out, and aMMNnpuiT him through some of the societies in the spring. Part of Mr. fmeher^ answer is as follows ; " I received last night the favor of yours, from Bristfd. My grand desire is, to be just what the Lord would have me to be. I could^ if you ^fiinted a travelling assistant, accompany you, ae my little strength would admits in some of your excursions. But your recommending me to the societies as one who might succeed you, should the Lord take you hence before me« is a irtep to which I could by no means coiMBttt. It would malce me take my horse and gallop away, B-side such a step Would at this juncture, be, I think, peculiarly imnbpc»6r. ^We ought to g^ve as little hold to tne evil surmisings^ antfriMn judgments of our opponents as may be.— What has nrnd^p me glut Our frienda with my books, is not any love to subh'-publicytions, out a desire to make an end of the controvert 3r, it 18 probable that my design has miscarried; and that I have isgusted rather than convinced the people. I agree with ^ou sir, that now is the time to pray both for ourselves and our king: for the Church of England, and that part of it which icr callMl the Methodists. I cast my might of supplication into the general treasure. The Lord guide, support, and strengthen you more and more unto the end!" An order had been madel^ the House of Lords in May this year, "That the Commissioners of his Majes^'s excise do writh circular lettenii to all such persons whom they have reason to sus- pect to have plate, as also to those who have not paid regularly the duty on the same,'* be. In consequeniee of this order, the Ac** comptant-General for Household Plate s^t Mr. Wesley, in Sep- tember, a copy of the order, with the following letter; " Rbvbkbhd SiE, ~ ' ' , :v ,-•. "As the eommissionera cannot doubt but yb^u have plate fbr r Which you have hitherto neglected to make an en^, they have di- rected me to send you the above copy of the Iords\^order, and to infonn you, they expect that you forthwith make du)B entry of all your plate, such entry to bear date from the commenc^ent of die Elate do^, or from such time as you have owned, uMt^, had, or ept any ^uantiQr of silver-plate, chargeable by the act ment, aa m default hereof, the Board will be obliged your refusal to their tordshipe.' — N. B. An immediate dftiired**- Parlia- ftigni^ Ter w Y ^'\'l SI.' i'^-- :^; 'm ' ■ run Lit i' '«^. iiw'M*!^.' **»» ■ wityWjf; : Mr Werfey aiwwered a» follow*: " « f have ItiK) mLt taani^ooiii at Lomlon. and ««« «f «J"Jj^ this is all the plate which 1 have at pre-seiit: and I shall not l>uy any more, whiie ao many around me want bread. lam. Sir, Your moat humble aeryant, John Wbslbt." The Methodia te had now got a footing in the lale of Man.* The TTheltleofMan, i. .itu.ted in the Irish «.a lying about "J^^f » W'J^i^^ {MoTaot aboTe fiTe, and contains about one hundred and sixty ^Mg~*, •this istand is mentioned »»! r 'TTinS t AnSlLv P& bat the Moot of Tacitus, can "j'y J^'P^^f .^ijffir or roor^lSfi^oa- IpyrSTt M oie oY the Menavian Island.. _*hc Bntoos „ in theit own Ian Mr. nuk, AleMBder IIL iEJk"',^'/,^. KnS, cme into the hand. Scotland. .-ti _«-»«:«.««»• lnHv named Austrica, who claimed But it wjems there wm f»? J?™"l"/ii;S mJot^^ claimant he- the tttpenor lord. He, upon *"■ ■PP"'^"*!JJ;;_' ,1.-:, -j-hi. to appear m the comminded both parties, m ^StLf-iu d^ ni appIS t we know that W^*^; A^FSS^^ her citotJsir 8C de Montacnte j and T^^^'^JISSS^^ ^^ .amIyear.t!S gran^ to Sir Joha Stauley, ^>,5SSS£^reUnS»fIt every coronation: and from t&»fam%afterwar* earl? of ^^^ ^ Channel, is very. Thi»ialand.Tromiu situation diwcUyinthj^^^^^^ would otiwrwi.* beneildal to ^ritaia,by T^°i ^J'^TdJ^it pSSJat: The inhabitaats are g,*gwwiiwSSSro*a%rta^^^ • 0*. \',7i; 119 IdNPf m^ ?■* MT. ■ ^9^W^9^^f ^ ^ ''^^^ ifMt year, a local preacher fhna Liverpool liad paid them a rleifi and Bpent some time with them. He repeated his visit this year, and societies were already formed in seven diflferent places, and they reckoned one hundred and fiAy-seven members in the island. It happened here, as in most places of Great Britain and Ireland, that the first preoching of theldethodists, produced no commotions or rtots among the common people. I am, indeed, fully convinced that the lower orders of the people, would never become riotous on any pccasion, had they food sufficient to eat, were they not ex- cited to those acts of outrage, under false pretences, by persons who have some influence over them, and who endeavor to keep .behind the scene. The preachers, however, did not long e^joy peikce. Tw^ or three ill-minded persons, of some influence Ui the islanc^formed a plan of opposition, which in such cases, is but too often successful. It is perhaps universally true, that they who. are destitute of the necessary qualifications to do good, have j|til| the power of doing much harm: so much easier is it, to do the 'pne ihi^ the other. These persons, to give greater weight to their opposition, BO far prejudiced the mina of the bishop against these new comers, that he wrote a pastoral letter, directed to all the rectors, vicars, chaplains, and curates, within the Isle and diocese of Man. In this letter he states the ground of his opposi- tion thus: "Whereas we have been informed, that several unor- dained, unauthorized, and unqualified persons from other countries* have for some time past, presumed to preach and teach publicly, and hold and maintam conventicles; and have caused several weak \|iave idoc- 9, government, rites, and ceremonies of the established church, and tne civil and ecclesiastical laws of this Isle: We do therefore, JtS''- J for the prevention of schbm and the reeatablishment of that nnifor- r^;^^ , mity in religiops worahip which so long hath subsisted among un, hereby desire and require each and every one of you, to be rigX*- jiant and use your utmost endeavors to dissuade your respectivo ^ocks from following, or being led and misguided by such ipcom- ' potent teachers," Uc. &c After exp«tyitiiig a little oh this part of his charge, he tells his clergy that iCtht^ could not prevail with the people by persuasion, that they must get a knpwledge of the namea^f such personft.as attended at these uidawfid meetings, as he calls them, and especially of such as enjoyed any c^ce or priv- ilege by Episcopal license, and present them to his Rev. Yicars- late fiord Derby ferining out his castoms to forei^ers, the JASoleiioe of those farmers drew on them the reeenttpent of the English governittent; aild the in- habitante, by a« Act of Parliament, were deprived of on open trade with this country, fliis natarallv prodneed smumlbg, which was carried on with as> tonlshing suceew; lUl the government in 1766, thought proper to put an en- tire stop to it, by purchasing the island of the duke <« Atnol, exicept his landea ' property in it: and the manorial rights and emoluments, the patronage of th bisnopnc, anid other ecclesiastical benefices, are unidienably vested in the Grown and tne island subject^ to the regulations of the Britbh excise and customs, liia&habitants of the isle are of the Church of England, and the bishop is styled the bishop of Sodor and Man. By an Act of Parliament, the 33d of HenryA IH. thJAi lilsht^ic is declared to be in the proivince of York. See Encyclop. Brit. ■ 193 tBt UVB OV TBB EST. iOHlT WMLBT. H %'■ if^ -M Oenenl, or to some of them. He then requires ereiy one of his cleriry, to repel any Methodist preacher from the Sacrament, if ne should offer himself at the table to receive it. He further directs, that this pastoral letter should be read, plena jEcc/«» good among' them, than you did among us. If God give you discernment and favor, and you are the approved mstrument of reviving his work, and their first love, I shall rejoice andibe thankful that Vou ever left us. But if, which God forbid, you should bury youir talent, do no good, and only change one form for another; alas! alas ! my brother, you wiU prove yourself mistaken, and lose mkny jewels which might have been added to your crown. ' " I should think Borrow at parting think of you witho are just ended, little longer, I sh wc jrse of our society than you do, if they felt no irith you. Some whom I know, will seldom a sorrowful tear. The days of my mourning ty hope of you is steady, that if you hold out a ,° ' Y^-find you again among the blessed in that day." This letter, and the account he has given of Mr. John Downs, are very clear pi^fs that Mr, Charles Wesley was not an enemy to all \a.y-preacheni of which indeed, many other proofs might be given. The fact however, here stated, that Mr. John Wesley never could' ktep a secret, 1 believe is stirictly true. Though lus 42 . .. #»* jm (i^'i k-rf t**r If-- ^ ;■• , fr 111- r» - m VVt IiI»».Of THE »■?. iOHK WfttliW. W->: #5\**-<'*5( *i' eotimilom and corretpoiiaence were unGommonly large, p«5« d wnrperhap., in the, world, had so few secret* aa Mr. J- We-1e> He never travelled alone, and the peraon who attended hin., h.d the oharjre of hU letters and papers, which of course lay open o hia inspSctinn. The prcachorH likewise, who were ^?7"?»X with him, had access to his letters and papers, especially; if he had Zfidenci in their 4,incerity and zeal in religion, which it was not very difficult to obtain. It was easy for these iiersons to .-ee the mpfive that influenced him, and thte erid her had in view in every action of his life, however remote from public observation : and he took no^paina to conceal them, but, seemed rather to court the dis- *^HiSerto the iociety in London had occupied th6 old Foupdery near Uppei^Moorfields, as a place of worship; but were now making nVeparationa to quit it. They had obtamed^t^ P^TlnS a leaae^ftoni the city, of a piecfe of ground in the City-Road, i^nd everything being prepared, the day was fixed for laying he founiatioS of a chapeV "The rain," says Mr. Wesley, "be- friended us much, by keeping away thousands who proposed to bJ there. But there were stHl such multitudes, that it was with great difficulty I got through them to lay the first stone. Upon this was a pfate of brass, covered with another stone, on which was engraved, * This was laid by John.\V eslev, on Apnl I, 1777. Probably this will be seen no more, by any human eye; Jiut will remain there, till the earth and the works thereof are burnt up. . By the end of October, 1778, the chapel waj built, and ready to be/pened. "November 1," says Mr. Weslfy, "was the day ap- pointed for opeliing the New Chapel in the City-Road. It is neif- fectly neat, but not fine; and contains far more than tjie F^J^ndery. I believe, together with the morning chanel, as many as the 1 ahr emacle. wSny were afraid, that the multitudes crowding from aU Darts, would have occasioAed much disturbance. But they were happUy disappointed; there was none at all: all was quietness, de- oency/and ejaer. I preached on part of Solompn»8 prayer at the dedication ofthe Temple; and both in the morning and afteraoon, God waa eminently present in the midst of the coQgregation. Uponthe openiJgW the New Chapel, it seems Mr. John and Chartes Wesley agreed, that one of them should fill the pulpit, as often as possible, till the congregation became fixed and settled. This gavroffenci to thelay-preachers, wh«^ thought themselves sliKhtid, and perhaps justly. They therefore obtained a Promise from^n^VWeSey, that during his absence, «ne of their body should preaSl in it when his brother could not; which subjected the Sthi?r clergymen to their authority. Mr. Charles who always wish. 6d the cle?Jynien to enjoy a pre-eminence over the lajr-preacher,, • was hurt 5 his brother's concession; and on Good-Friday, 1779. wrote to him as folloVra. "I have served the chapel morning and evening, and tnet the society ev^ry other week since you>ft us. I think myself bound so to dS, as long I m I can; both by my duty —ifticlfirgymaibJini^:^^ opened. We igreed to fill the pulpit there us often as %ve could, e^ially at tge hpgmning, m ?hP congregation was settled. riqil k I . #ws^ ?l,...^'•■:*?i "\*' "J»Tv.« m-if . p 1 W fBB Lin OV TUB BBT. JOHW- WB«I>9T*< Man; of the subMribers you know, were not of our looietytyet of the church, out of good-will to them and to, the church, not out of iU-will to the preachen, I wished the church aervice continued there. ■"/ _. , , " I am sorrv you yielded to the preachers. They do nC|j(^iove the Church oi* England. What must be the consequence when we are gone? A separation is inevitable. Do you not wish tp keep as many good people in the church as you can? By what means? What can be done tiow? Something might be done to save the remainder, if you had resolution, and would stand by.ine as firmly as I will by you. Consider what you are bound to as a clergyman: and what you do, do quickly.— You did not expect complaints of nie for preaching too oAen ! I cannot long stand in the way of any,'** It is easy to perceive, that Mr. Charles Wesley's mind was con- atahtly awake to everything that tended, in any degree, to introduce innovations into the original plan of Methodism; to evenr measure which had any tendency to alter the relative situation of the socie- ties to the established church, and to other bodies of religious mo- fesaors in the nation, and to rorm them into a separate party. His whole soul revolted from this, and he used all his mfluence to prevent it. , «. ,. In February this year, Mr. John Wesley observes, " Fmding manv serious persons were much discouraged by prophets of evil, coniMently foretelling very heavy calamities, which were coming upon our nation; I endeavored to lifk up t|ieir hands, by opening and applying those comfortable words, Psalm xlii. 6, 6. * Why art thou so heavy, O my soul? Why art thou so disquieted within me? O put thy trust in God; for I will yet give him thanks, who is the help of my countenance and my Gpd.'^?— The next day was the National Fast. And he observes, « So solemn a one I never saw before. From one end of the city to the other, there waa scarce any one seen in the streets. All places of public worship were crowded in an uncommon degTee;'and an unusual awe sat on most faces. I preached on the words of God to Abraham, inter- ceding for Sodom, " I will not destroy it (the city) for ten's sake.' " When we find a man constantly travelling through all narts of the nation; holding intercourse with immense mi/ltitudes of peofile, by means of the pulpit and private correspondence; and exerting all his influence on every occasion of public distress or alarj^, to soften and quiet the minds of the people, we must call him a na- tional blessing. And such was the constant practice of Mr. Wes- ley for more than half a century I ^ Let us hope, that the men whp. have succeeded hint, will follow his examole. In November, Mr. Wesley observes, " My brother and I set out for Bath, on a very extraordinary occasion. Some time since, Mr. Smyth, a clergyman whose labors God had greatlv blessed in the JNorUi of Ireland, brought his wife Over to Bath, who had been fot . some time in a declining state of health. I desired hinn to preach every Sunday evening in our chapel, while he remained there. * Taken from the short-band. 'vt"J ^\^ .XV "■i^ VHl LIPB Of TUB «ftT. JOKK WBtLlT. ,„^., f!«r \ zr v« ^ut u ROOD at I waif^fofie, Mr. M*— ~-) one of our preaehor^ vehemently onpoiied thint; affirming it was the common cause of al. the lay-preacnere: that they were appoitited by the Conferencei not by me, and he would not suflfer the clergy to ride over their heads; Mr. Smyth in particular, of whom he said all manner of evil. Hence the society was torn in pieces, and thrown into the utmost confusion." — I am sorry to confess on this occasion, that there are men among the preachers, of a most violent, ungovernable spirit. These, if they find it necessary for any particular purpose, to oppose an individual, or any number of individuals, of cnaracter and mfluence in the society, use every method in their power, both in the pulpit and out, to make him appear to the people as bad as the devil. Invention is on the rack to put the worst construction possible on everything he may say or do. Nay they attribute many things to him, the very thought of which never entered his heart, till he found himself accused of them. This line of conduct seems to have been taken from the practice of the Romish priests, who represent those whom they choose to call heretics, as guilty of every species of crime imagination can invent: and the Jesuits Senerally accused their most powerful op|M)nent8 of heresv. — ^The Lomish clergy call their heretics, enemies of the church : these preachers, call those who stand in the way of their own schemes of ambition and power, enemies of the work of God, " incarnate devils," 8tc. and from an affectatioifof charity pray for them in » way that only tends to inflame the minds of the people against them, by making them appear more guilty; and to give a greater display of their own goodness, by pretending a concern for them, ana for the interests of the people. Thus we see, these men imi- . tate their great exemplars in these Kinds of contests, with wondeiv ful exactness. Their language judeed differs, but the governing spirit in bo^h-is the same; and in the same circumstances would produce the same effects ! It is natural for the unsuspecting peoplf^ at first, to believe that none of the preachers would bring accusa- tions against an individual' (or any number of individuals associ- ated together) merely for the purpose of rt^ining his reputation with the society, that their own scnemes may the better succeed: and yet this was undoubtedly the factJn the case before us; and I wish it were the only fact of the kind that might be recorded. It is easy-for these men to bear down any individual for a long titne, as he has generally no immediate access to the people, to prove his own innocence; and they have the pulpit, whifiii they mfike use of to keep up an intfuence against him.*^ in this case innocence is no protection against universal prejudice and reproach; and the best friends to the connexion, may be sacrificed to the secret machina- tions of a combination of a few preachers. An4 what is still worsei they have no redress, since the death of Mr. Wesley, but through the medium of their enemies; and every one will easily conjecture how this must ' terminate. The reader will observe, that I speak onlv of a few of the preachers whose conduct is so very reprehen- iibfff ; y«t I cannot help blaming the rest for continuing these violent men in the connexion, and more especially for continuing them in ftoy office of government in the societies, as it brings toe whole / tai Lift or THB KIT. JOMM KHItLlli'' 4yy body of the preachers, however innocent, under a lUfiitcion of favoirinf such iinohrintian iirocofldingH; which, if not vigorouNly nnpoflcJ, niiMt ruin t^n wholu Hyutmn, and bring religion itMelf into di.-tgraco. Ho, thurofore, actj« the part of a true friend to Metho- dism, who resiHtrt practices so destructive in their tendency, and who on'"!.«?»«' J^y'T In the work, iUnm %p$o facto MiHJoiii \\nmA\ from m«. 1 hm btother M huN dono (but be/iumot «•« tbiit li« ban done amiiti*) ami ho would have it n common ciiune: thn^ in, h« would hi|VO all the nrcnch«r« do the wime. Ho tbiuU • th.y bnyo ii riffht ho to do. So thoy have. Th«y have a rinbf to-liHJoiu jh«iii*dvcM Irom nic, whenever they idcniie. But they cannot, in the nature of the thing, join with nie.'nny louffer than tb.y al-e djrrcttMl bv me. And what if the present proacherH dirtjoiniMl tbemnelvoH? „ What Hhould I lone thereby? Only a gh»at,deal of lalnjr ami Irnitf, which I do not •eek, but endure; lM?caurte no one eUe cithei' *rf«»r ^'••' "You aceni likewise to have <|uite a wron|i5,ifl3fe^ of acontercnce. For alwve nix years nfter my return to B'.nglamJf, there wai»noMuch thing. I then JONfT WMLBT. rwolution . uiilHM'you act with m vigor thut i« not in you, eoneUtmh turn «fl<, our affuint nro punt ho|M. *' I Mill not Mur« thoy will not pravnil uiton you to oriUiu them.-M Youk'olniin ttio power, tttiil only aay, ' It U not probable you •hall ev»»r eic«rciM« it,' ^Probfihility on one aiite, iniplimi prolHibility ou\ tluh^tiior; itnil I want lHUt»r iiocurity. So 1 hui to Mtiin«l^ by, H^d ■tto tlie ruin ofour cauHol You Itnow Ko# fur you iiiayd^|H*ml on me; let ni« Icnow how far I may dnimnil on you, and on t. ""^ '" »»"' ^1"! . much mischief war done: not without ""'♦P'^';;"', ^"7^"^^^^^^^^^^ outrajrcii whieh followed, jwere greatly promoted and in reunen i>y - Fip?i,a"db^>ther.W;ai«gume^ 'S'''' >'Zr\T^tTxt^ grace the An^ociation, the other, the mim«trv. ^»^«» »«;»f ^^^^^ fliinirs hapiHined, a pamphlet wiw written in defence qt the object Ke 'SSX.n 'hai in View, and an on-wer Jo .t «>«« ap,joar«d These pamphlets were put Into Mr. Wesley'- h^if-i and^^^ read them, he wrote a letter on the -ubject, dated Jantja^ ii. which he -^nt to the printer of the Public Advertiser. In th m let- ter after iJremi-ing that persecution hrfd nothing to dp with the mister, anrhThe^wishedV man to Ih3 Pe-ocutccF or his rehg.ou^ orinciules; he lays down this general jMropositioii, That no Ko- K S;.lic doL or can giv/secwity to a Pr^^^^^^^^^^ for his alleiriaDce and peaceable behavior." He rested tne prooi •f tSis pro^-Uion on tlie following arguments, any «"« of ^h.ch, ' if irood is nroof sufficient, if the others shouhl not apply, . S 1 it isTCn^an CathoV.c maxim, established not by private men 'but bl a public coun<^il, that, * No faith is to be kepr with heretic ' This has been openly avowed by the Council of Con- JtanceT'but it niVer was o>.nfy disclaimed. Whether Pnvate : persons avow or disavow it, ft is a fixed maxim of the Church ot ' «Tone branch of the,v»r»ow«r of the pope, is, and has oeen for ages, the poWer ^f^rantiiHTi'-^''""' I""^ «\^ «"'« T"'' P^.^ >^nt" and to come rBut tlc^e who ^acknowledge h.m to have th»» Stual power, can give no security for their allegiance, fee. - ♦ " My friendship for you, has now bc«ii sufficiently proved." ' a kih-l^^ \ '^^ . •> «> ** 8. Th« power of difttuing with ftnv promiM*, oath, or row^ | it ttiothflr hrniirh of tho ii|>iritunl |K>w«r oi tiin imi|>«. And hII who acktiowlmign hiM apiritunl |Niwrr, iiiuMt ncknowltHlge thi«: but who- t •Yflr nrkiiOwliMigoH thin (iiH|miiiiitig |H»wftr of thn ini|m*, rniiiiot giy •ecurity for bin Hlb'^iniico to any (|ovr>rniii«tit — Nny, iHtt only tho pofMi, DUt even • iirinitt biiii poufer to pardon iiruf ThiN in mii eiwentinl (bM:tHno or the Chiirrn of llom«>. Hut tbtty who nokiiowl- evaecurlty to that f^overnnient for their allegiutice and iieacoiible be« tiavior. But tbiH no RonianiMt can do, riot only wnilo he hoUU ' that ' No fuilb ih to l>e kept with heretiCMt* but m) long aa he ac- -, knowledgea either prieatly-alifolution, or the spiritual power of the iM)|»e." Tne letter, from which the aliove ia only an alwtract, rabcd sev- eral adveraaries. But Mr. 0'Lcar>-, a Capuchin fViar, in Dublin, having Hccn the letter in the FrermanM Journal, Moon iM^canie iho , ' most conMpicuouH of Mr. Wesley's op|>onentii» He iiutdishvtl Re- marks upon tho letter, in the sami) Journal; to which Mr. Wesley replied. Mr. O'Leary coiitinued his Remarks in five succeeding Journals; and Mr. Wesley publitthud a second reply. The Rcniurkn. were afterwards reprinted together in London, with fho following title, " Mr. O'Leary's Remarks on the Rev. Mr. Wesley's Letters in defence of the Protestant Associations in England, to which are prefixed Mr. Wesley'a Lettera;" Wo hove here a most striking sample of Mr. O'Leary'a distn- Senuitv and artifice; if A« gave this title to the pamphlet. For, L f r. Wesley had not written one line in defence of the Protestant ' Associations: and, 2. Mr. Wesley's two replies publisfaeii in tho Freeman's Journal, were supiiressed, and a spurious letter palmed on the public, as genuine, which Mr. Wesley declared be had never seen, before he saw it in Mr.' O'l^cary's pamphlet. Mr. Wesjey's second reply to Mr. O'Leary, contams the strength * of hia cauae; and with what has before been said, will give tho reader a full view of the subject: I shall therefore insert uie aub- stance of it. «*To the Editors of the Freeman's «h>urna1. ** GsHfLBMBlf, f ■ ■. " Some time ago, in a letter published at Londoti, I obsenred * Roman Catholics cannot give those whom they account heretkss, any sufficient security for their peaceable behavior I 1. Because it has been publicly avowed in one of their General Councils, and never publicly disclaimed, that faith is not to be kept with heretics.^ 3. Because thev hold the doctrine of priestly absqiution: and S; The doctrine or papal pardons and dispensations.* " Mr. O'Leary has published Remarks on this letter: nine parts in ten of which are quite wide of the mark. Not that they are ' wid e of Am mark, which is to introduc e a plausible panegyric i ipon the Homan C|itholics, inixt with keen invectives against the Pro- f\l - M"t I ^»yl WM ^^^S^Jtmi :«nC*Jbiili *»k»iiii||J r A imunM; whether true or falM it inatter. not. .^ J^^ l^dmJjWy well calculated to Inspire the reader with avereion ^ «he^hereti«. do«- «2| Steinnt. but he vapors, and skips to and fro, and rambles to aU poin J of the compaSs in a very lively and entertaining »nann«'- "^ « Mv argument was, the Council of Constance has openly avow- ed violation of faith with heretics., But it has never been openly disclaimed. Therefore those who receive this Council, cannot be STstXby tho-ie whom they account heretics-This is my imr^^ diate cinclusion. And if the premises be admitted, it will infallibly ^"^'^n this Mr. 0»Leary says, ' A Council so ««?« q«?««if ^al- len«s peculiar attention. We shaU examine it with all jMWsible nreSsioVand impartiality. At a time when the broachers of a neW 5SS?-!!S i?5 as the Vie--* were kindling the fif eof -edit jon and shaking the foundation of thrones and kingdoras»-big words, hutentirelv void of truth— 'was held the Council of Constance. To th?s wi c?^ John Huss, famous for propagating errors tend- inff to wrert the sceptre from the hands of kings '-Equally true- . 5e WW obnoxious^o the Church and State'-To the Church jjf RnrnW-^ot to the State in any degree.—* Huss stnkes at the root 5rTtempo?al ^^^ He boW»y """f^^^^JS^ Si DrinceTmaglstrates, &c; in the state of mortal sin, are deprived, t\Sf^:^^\ power' and jurisdiction. And by broachi^heje doctrines, he makw Bohemia a theatre of intestine war. See the S oHheScil of Constance jnL»Abbe's JoUectmnrf ^ou^^ dU'—l have seen them, and can find nothing of this therein. ""* '^nl'Sr^^i^ihat he would stand his trial. Butlie at. leinp^ tf «wape>-No, never, this is pure invention. * He was . ^^^ Bt OoSStonce, ind confined. His friends^plead^his safe- ; cSSuS^ The Council then declared. No '^fi'^'^^l^.^J'ihl ^Enwerw. w «r^t„l^^^ Sigi- «* The Council of Constance was caUed by the ^mporer a«g«»* mund and pSpe John the 23d, in the year 1414. Before it began, Se EmwrorSent some Bohemian gentlemen, to conduct Joha hSss reStSce, solemnly promisinV that he 'should come .|nd reth. pIpS In^utS^^^^^^ t?Ht city anddioc^e, wh<^.in^ pre^ !^ .».«rir\i4tiu»ses ffave him the following tesumonial—* We, Ni^ffl^i^AVi P^^BHts, make kno^g U^^ft^tolKd with that honorable man, Master JohiiHuM^ ^""l^b^Slyh^ldoingp* and behavior, have proved himtoU *t'.^ "•.'",/) %' \r-- ■**> ^■S'Ufi ot ««■ mnw, soBM wmi.it. V i i-.i; ft fiUthfUl ouui} finding no RUuin«r of evil, liniiMr, or enonwraa doinm in him, unto the present. Prague, August 90, 1414.* ^ '^ *< This was attested by the hand and seal of the public notary, named Michael Pruthatietz— After this. Conrade, Archbishop of Prague, declared before all the Barons of Bohemia, that * He knew not that John Huss was culpable or faultyj id any crime or oflTenoe whatever'—So neither the Inquisitor, nor the Archbishop, knew any thinff of * his making Bohemia a theatre of intestine war.* '* In the seventeenth session, the sentetioe and condemnation of John Huss, was read and published. The Emperor then com- manded the Duke of Bavaria to deliver him to the executioner^ for which j^lorioQs exploit, he was thus addressed by the Bishop of Landy, m the name of the Council: 'This most Aejy and gttpdly labor, was reserved only for thee, O most noble Prince I Upon thee only doth it lie, to whom the whole rule and ministration of justice is given. Wherefore thou hast established thy praise and renown: even by the mouths of babes and supBJIigs thy praise shall be cel- r^ebrated for evermore !»^1 l^.:. -.ij^.i:.-^ -.-... -^..i..: . "Prom the whole of this transaction we may observe, 1. That John Hubs was guilty of no crime, either in word or action; even his enemies, the An^hbishop of Prague, and the Papal Inquisi^tor being judges. 2. That his real fault, and his only one, wai 4p- posjng the Papal usurpations. S. That this mo$tnMe prince, itM a bigoted, cruel, perfidious murderer; and that the fathers of the Council deserve the same praise, seeing they urged him to embrue his hands in innocent blood, in violation of the public faith, akd extolled him to the skies for so doing: and seeing |hey have laidjit down as a maxim that the most solemA^ promise made to a here^e may be broken. { i *J* But,* says Mr. O'Leaiy, « this re^ds the pecuii|u> case df safe-conducts granted bv princes to heretW— But what theni «" the public faith with heretics may be viouted in one instance, it may be in a thousand — * But can the rule be extended farther? *- ft may; it must; we cannot tell where to stop. Away then wit your witticisms on so awful a suligept. What! .do you spoi^ wit- human blood? I taKHmming men alive to be a very serious thing! I pgky spare your jests on the occasion.— Again, • What more a^i sUffl than to insist on a general council's disclaiming a doctrine the^never taught*— They did teach it: and that not by the bye, not incidentally; but they laid itdown as a; stated rule of action, dic> tated by the Hdjr Ghost-Hmd demonstrated their sincerity therein by burning a man alive. And this Mr. 0*Leary humorously iBoni- pares to roasting a piece of beef ! With equal tenderness, I sup- pose, he would compare the 'singeing the beardsof heretics I * that IS, thrusting a burning fiirze-bush in their face, to the singeing'a fowl before it is roasted. — Now, what security can any Romanut give a Protestant till thb doctrine is publicly abjured? If Mr. 0*Leary has any thing more to plead for this council, I shall follow him step by step. But let him keep his word, and * give a serious answer to^ a serious charge.*— Drollery may come in, when w« talk of roastinff fowls, but not when we talk of * roasting men.* « Would I then wish the Roman Catholics to be pen^cuted? I M'-t^ ■u r^-^'t^. ■ ... - ';«i . vni' SIT. Mttv ' wsiLBT* •ever aitid or hint^ any euch thing. I abhor ih* thoudit: it ii foreiim to all I havVpreached and written (or these fifty y«ari But f would wish thV Romaniete in England (I had no others in riew) to be treated stm with the same lenity that they have been these six^ years: to be allowed both civil and religious lil^rty, but not permitted to undermine ours, I wish them to stand just as tbby did, before the late Act was passed: hot to be persecuted, or hurt themselves; but gently restrained from hurUng their neigb- borsk I am, gentlemen, Your obedient servant, CA«»««r,Jlfor«*51,1780. Johh W.si et.»» Notwithstanding the high praises bestowed by some persons <)n Mr. 0»Leary, at the time of this controversy, the impartial reader will easily observe, that Mr. Wesley had greatly the advantage in point of argument. Mr. 0»Leary, to all intents and purposes, allows the charge Mr. Wesley brought agoinst the Council of Con- stance; and yet afterwards affects to deny it. Mr. Bemnjjton wrote to Mr. Wesley in defence of the same Council; and in a p^ate letter* observes, "There never was a decision made at Constance tending to show, that, no faith is to be kept with here- tics. The words of the canon are not susceptible of such a com- ment, unless tortured to it. At all events no council, pope, bishop, priest, or layman of our church, ever understood them in the sense of your interpretation—But every Catholic divine has at all times, in writing on the subject, utterly reprobated the idea of breaking fhith with here^cs, as contrary to eveVy dictate of reaeon and *er ligion."--Theiie, Undoubtedly, are very extraordinary assertions, but there is no prbi^. With resard to the Council of Constanefr. if the words of the canon are indeed ambiguous, which some per- sons do not think, yet, the burning a man alive, in open violation of the public fiiith, was certainly a very plain comment upon them, which can hardly leave a doubt behind. But what shall we say to the words that follow, "Every Catholic divine has at all times utterly reprobated the idea of breaking faith v^jh heretics." I do not liow that Mr. Wesley answered this let»>, for there would be no end of answering groundless assertions. The ip^rn rulers of the Church of Rome in Catholic countries, speak oh thissubjeft in a strain very different from that of Mr. Berrington. In 1768, anoathofallegiahce waain contemplation for Roman CatholiM of Ireland, which, fof the better security of TOvernment, contained a deckiration of abkorrenee and deteitaiumof the doctrines, " That faith i» not to be kept with heretics, and that princes deprived by the pope, may be deposed or murdered by their subjects." The poptKitegate at Brussels, GhiUni, Archblshopof Rhodes, had then tteanpenntendence of the Romish Church in Ireland. He wrote on thp subject, to the Htvhr Archbishop of Dublin, and in his let-* ter,^Mits the above clauses proposed in the oath, as ^wolutely iittoUrakU, <* Because," says he, "those doctrines are defended^ waleoniended for, by most Catholic nations, and the Holy^ ha* teqaently followed them in practic e." On the whole he decidea , * I beUare it was iwTtr pablisbed. vap uvc 09 vMi mMw, mbv WMiiitt , ( ; / lot I'v ••That M the onth w in ifs whole extent unlawful, so in its netura it w invalid, nulh and of no effect, no that it can bv no nieana bind and oblige consciences." This letter was published by Thomas de Burgo (Burke,) titular Bishop of Ossory, and public historio- grapher to the Dominican order in Ireland, in his appendix- to his Hibernia Dominicana, printed in 1772; together with three siniibr ones to the other three titular metropolitans, and styled by the ptBhop^ LttercB veri aiirea eedroqtte digna* That similar decisions on the validity of oaths detrimental to the interests of the Holy See, yere uniformly made by successive popes, •whenever the affairs of the church required them, is well known! I intended to have brought forward a few of them, but it is unne- oessarv. ^Vhat has been said fully proves the charge Mr.' Wesley brought— "itis a maxim of. the Church of Rome that faith is not to he kept wittrheretws." It has been taught again and again, by the first authoriW in this church, that the Roman Catholics are not bound to any enikgements made with heretics, though confirmed by the most solemji oath that can possibly be framed, when the- good of the church>require9 they should break it. This was not only an ancient doctrine of the church in the times of great iimo- rance: but we have already seen that the modern rules of it main- tain the same doctrine and contend for it. And what wonder? when we consider, 1. That the old spirit of Popery is still kept up, by tjie prflctice of the pope, to iho present time: once every year! on Maundy-Thursday, he excommunicates all heretics in the most * r^S^A ?"^j.'«'*'"ffic manner: and thus keeps up li constant spirit of !?!,! .il" S® '"'nds of Catholics against tlie Protestants. Xnd, 2. 1 hat the Romish bishops take an oath at their consecration, totally inimical to every Protestant government, and ^hich binds ihem tS ■ use every method in thnii* nnuror *n <..ik»«.^ :*. .k. i> n....- „ > ,ifa ^., . .„„, c..},.u|j u,j uwn unier,^ assisi tnem (the pope and hia successors) to retain and defend against ev»^y man. 'the rights. Tionors, privileges, and authority o? me holy Roman Chureh,an▼. johh wbslit. ^ ^-r-. we Mr. Wealey requeuing that he would get b young man ordttiiied . tor them, by onpeak freely ? I dare not do otherwise. I am on the verge of the Wave, and know not the hour when J shall drop into it. Suppose there wpre threescore of those missionaries m the country, coMd I in conscience recommend these souls tQ their care? Do/ they take any care of their own souls? lftheydo(I/ Bpeiik it with concern) 1 feat they are almost the only missionaries , in Americk that do. My lord, I do not speak rashly : I have bem in America: and so have several with whom I have lately coft- yersed. And both I and they know, what manner of men the far greater pkrt of these are. They are men who have neither the pow^r orreligion nor the form; men that lay no claim to piety, nor even^deQency. - - - . •.«• l me leave, my lord, to speak more freely suU: perhapsit " QivO me leave, my lord, to speak more freely sUll: pernaps i is the last time I sha\l trouble your lordship. I know your lord yea, that your lonJship is generally at the pains of examining them- yourself. Examining them, in what respects?. Why whether they understand a litUe Latin and Gr^ek; and can answM a tfew trite question^ in the science of Divinity! Alas* how little doe* this aivati ! Does your lordship examine, whether they serve ChristWr Belial? Whether they love God or the world? Whether they eVer had any serious thoughts about heaven or hell? Whetii^ entheVt hfivfe any real desire to save their o^n souls, pr the souls pf others? If not, what have they to dp with holy orders? and what^ill become of the souls committed to their ciire? , «. My lord, I do by no means despise ieaming: I know the value of it to«t'^e Calvinist, who, . convinced of ihS errors of his system, becdmes an Arminlan so called, is in much E'atTth'IcS'-".? ^"*^i »»^' '"r. unscriptural notions o? i>nnst and of the christian salvAtion, than a speculative* Armininn who^becomes a Calvinist. Mr. Wesley seem?^ have bfenof tS tSI' ""£!; ^^^""^y ^2."^«»«'* his^ friend agS Se danger r^.^,ti?ny°.^ ^*?V " ^ " / "^'C ^g . t»i"e,'* sayf he, frj have h?d « d e sir e to s e e yc^u, but COUI4 «^d atf oppottomty; and kdeA ; iKl i*^B-^T^!\i f#i»f?«~ !^^-'iffi^^'^f^'Wf^tPTKW%^, ■^..i^-t^^: 'r:< \t\ *Y ids TAB Lira Ol' »»« m«T. WHH WBttfWr. I my company would not be agreeably: «• ti those who thmk they do God Mrviee by • • - ■ , ■ " I had reason to believe you were iiuiinate with "■".-.« "•— — -^ - !..„♦:' painting iniTin the most frightftil dolors. It gives mo muph sati^ faction to find, that you huve escaped out of the hands of those warm men— it is not at all. surprising thrtt th^ should /ipeak a lit- tle unkindly of you too, in their turn. It ^ave me ho «•""" ««^«- fuction to learn from your own Ims, the falsehood of their allega- tion. I believed it false before, but could not affirm it, so posi- tivels^ as I can how. ^ . ■, ^ -t- e „ «« Indeed it would not have been without precedent, if from one extreme, yoU had run into another. This was th^ case with that sreat man Dr. Taylor. For some years he was an earnest C a 1- Vinist; but afterwards, judging he could not get far enough from that melancholy system, he ran, not only into Artanism, but intri the very dregs of Socinianism. I have reason indeed to believe h^wtts convinced of his mistake, some years before he died. -But to acknowledge this publiciyi was too hard a task for one who had lived above eighty years. >. k, • »< Ym have need to be thankful on another account likewise j that is, that your prejudices against the Church of England are removing. Having had an opportunity of seeing several of the churches abroad,'and' having deeply c^sidered. the several sdrts Of Dissenters at hoi^e, I am fully convinced that our own chmrh, with all her blemishes, is neirer the scriptural plan than any otjier *^" ""siiicerely wieih you niay retain your (brmer zeal for God; only, th^ it may be i zeal according to knowledge. But there certainly will be a danger of your sinking into a oareWss, lake- warm state, without any zeal or spirit at all. As you were sur- feited with an irrational, unscriptural religioA, yod «iay ^asily slide into no religion at all: or, into & dead form, that wiU never make you happy either in this world, or in that which is tO comei Wishing every scriptural blessing, both to Lady Irelawiliiey and you, 1 am, dear Sir, :.eA. Your affectionate Bcrvdfit, ■■:'.'■ ■ 7 'J. w.»' . ■ Notwitlritanding^ Mr. Wesley's itinerancy, his daily^labor of preaching, visiting the societies, and extensive correspondence, yet he still found time to read many books. And what ^ rather singular, he often met with books that are very scaroe, which many men ot Uterature, with good libraries, have never seen; an instance ot which will be given in speaking of the etilarged edition of his Philosophy—he read, nOt Only books of divihit^, of natural histo- ry, and moral philosophy, which came more Vimmediately_ withm the province of his profession, but books yrhic^ treated of the most >emote antiquity. Here investigation is difficult, the highest de^ irree of evidence to be attained; a bore probability , and the sub- jects discussed are rather curious than useful in the conduct ot life. Yet evert these books Mr. Wesley rSad, with uncommon diligence and care, often collecting the substance of them into a s maU compass. Tho following i s an in s t a nce of this kmd--gept. 1, 1781, he says, « I made an end' of reding that curious book, Q«W im lira or im nnr. jopir ivaiuiT. Dr. Pwrtonj» Remaim of Japhet. The Twy lagenlons MHior hu ■truck much liffht into Bome of the darkest parts of ancieht his. tory. And although I cannot subscribe to every proposition which he advances, yet I apprehend, he^as sufficiently proved the main of his hypothesis: namely, -/, "1. That aftpr the flood, Shorn and his descendahts peopled the 5'*?««»tJB?rt8 of Asia: 2. That Ham and his children copied At)-ica: W. That Europe was peopled by the two jons of Japhot. Oomer and Magog: the southern and south-westfern by Gomer. ■ and his children: and the north and nortM-west6m, by thtf children - of Magog: 4. That the former were called Gomerians, /Cimmeri- ans, and Cimbrians; and afterwards, Celtao, Galat^, tfnd Gaulu: ^ the latter were called by the general name of Scythikns, Scuti„and - Scots: 5. -Ihatv the Gomerians spread swiftly throiigh the north of J«.urope, as fur as the Cimbrian Chersoiiesus, including Swe- den, Denmark, Norway, and divers other ifeuntri«8J and then into Ireland, wjeiia^they multipled very earj* into a cdnsiderable na- tion: 6. That some ages after, anothei^ part of themL who had first Milesius, and th« land: 7. settled in Spaiii) sailed to Ireland under Milea, or ^nquering the first inhabitants, took possession of ine lana: /. iil*! *i*®]!?Sf J.*?!® *™® **>« Gomerians came^to Ireland, the Ma^ ^- .^ . ^ gpake 8. That the ken by the id by the same ' a Gomerian urope, Greek That the An- ood, and then from this (the Sigians, or Sbythians, came to Britain; so early; th e same language, and well understood each other Irish spoken by the Gomerians, and the Welsh Mogogians, are one and the same language, exprei seventeen letters which were long after brought, prince. Into ^reece : ». That all the languages of and Latin in particular, are derived from this: 10. tcdiluvian language, spoken by all till after the continued in the family of Shem, was Hebrew: an^ ..„,„ „,„ .„« Hebrew) tongue, many of the eastern languages are derived. Ihe foreffQing particulars, this fine writer has maecbme, a bodV entirely separate from the chun* ?" « If not, wh^e, that is, how dften ind wh#e, I mean, upon "^ontdeaenptim of teachers of the establishjbient, are theyto •tfnwwer, I^avise them to go to churoh, 4S« receive all as genuine au- idge, and envy yearof hisage, (Jccmed of tne through a work m »* MO ma ura or t^b «bt. joiitf wmlbt. ■:,?^^i^.^ • More particularly, if the fall, the dbmiption, and natural im potence of man, his free and full rcdeniption in Christ Jeaua. , through faith worliing by love, should be taught and inculcated, and offered to the attention of all, at the church of the pariMJi where they reside, are they then in your opinion, l)ound in conscience to hear, or may they at their option, forliear?" ' ^ntioer. I do not think they are bound I in conscience, to attend any fiarfteulor church. , i "Or if they are at liberty to absent thelmselves, are they at lib- erty, that is, have they a christian privilege, to censure this doc- trine in the gross, to condemn such teachers, and boldly to pro- nounce them, * blind leaders of the blind?* '.^ » Jinsuter. No: by no means. " . " Whenever this happens, is it through prejudice, or rational piety? Is it through bigotry,' or a cathd|i6 -spirit? Is it consistent with christian charity? Is it compatible with a state of justifica- ^on? Or, is it even ' allowable in the high habit of evangelical pertTection?" ' Jimwer. I think it is a sin. About the latter end of this year, a report prevailed, and gained credit, that the Administration had an intention to bring a Bul into the House for embodying the militia, and for exercising thibm on a Sunday. On this occasion, Mr. Wesley wrote the following letter to a nobleman then high in office: "Mt Lord, ^ " If I wrong your lordship I am sorry for it; but 1 really believe your lordship fears God: and I hope ^our lordship has no unfavor- able opinion of the christian revelation. This encourages me to trouble your lordship vvith a few lines, which otherwise I should not take upon me to do. ^ • "Above thirty vears ago, a motion was made in Parliament, for raising and embodying the militia, and for exercising them, to save time, on Sunday. When the niotion was like to pass, an old g^entle- "^man stood up and said, *Mr. Speaker, 1 have one objection to this : I believe an old book, called the Bible.* The members looked ' at due another, and the motion was dropped.. "Mi^st not' all, others, who believe the Bible, have the very same dfctjection? And from what I have seen, I cannot but think, theise are still three-fourths of the nation. Now, setting religion out of the qiiestion, is it expedient to giVe such a shock to so many millious of people at oncer And certainly it would shock them extremelyKit would wound them in a very tender part. For would not th^ would not all England, would not all Europe, consider this as a virtual repeal of the Bible? And would not all serious persons say, * We have little religion in the land now; but bv this step we shall ntive less still.' Tor wherever this pretty snow is to be seenpthe peoplo will flock together; and will lounge away so much time wiore ^4 after it, that the churches vvill be emptier iJian they are alreadylx " My lord, I am concemed foKthis on a double account. First, because I have personal obligation^ to your lordship, and would fain, even for this reason, recomni^d your lordship to the love r' Tr f* *•"■■ **' *"■ •"▼^. ««» wbIi.it; fefe^ Kf.„t;r„„^ ?lr.«''?„Tr !..x.z i-ro^^. '^""•"^t believe It to be my boundn.f eandid and liberal; but whether It waa exeouterf, or not, I ctmiot aay It has already be«n ^Inierved, that a party oxlated amon^ the ,- proacherH, who wwImmI thn M«th.Mlwt« to Imj er«ct«d into an imle- pendent body, and a total Hwpnrution to be ino«lo from th« eHtul>. Iwhed church. One of thin party wan freqUentl)r about Mr. Wet- toy'« penion; and un«l«r variouit pretenceH Honictimcii leu """I"*" inflttRureH, that off.inde*! the imjoi.Io and I'liibarruHHiwI hw ""'J!'''', whde the true author lay concealed, as much m poHMible, belUua the scene. In DecemlKjr, Mr. Wenley received a ettor froirti a friend, of which only a part ha8 Iwen preMcrvcd; »"»«»'« Jmrt thrown Bome light on the preHcnt atote of thingn. " A"'» ^«. sayrt the writer, " 1 wcMild advinc you to Hpoak comf«>rtably to the people, who arc irritated to a high degree a^airwt y..u. 1 Jic Uio U not yet cast: you are not yet in an bad a nituation iw EnglanB# Tn Bl¥. JOHH WliLlT. ;; , * %|§ th«o«fiiia/ Constitution «nv|,thiHli.m: thifwoi^ hnv«hiLJSJ frent . -hock; but ,Ih, j,e« f Iim n.rruption Tn fi„„rriL^nrti m won, th,. y«„r «ol«,nnly plnnte«l, «nd h'ttve «i«ce Ten e^S J w.,t«re.l ami iiur-««l by h powerful party nmong the nr««rher. The changja to which I oll,n|«, w«n,, /. Tho l?..«7«rrWa: t.on; and ^ ^dmation. Th^ne undoubtedly hiid the fouSuiml of a No«rOrderi,fth.ng.amon.rthe MethodiMtn, hithl^u. u knowi and we may mnH .. „^,, ....„ ,..„„,, ^„„ ,„y,,^ Igernt'.'" ""*"'" "^ '•"'^*""'' "^ "^ •'"'• P"»'«"«« -"iTnl nmn- endtled^" Th"*" ?"«'«•••»»'"" j« '»«tpd the 28th of February, h in ' r«nVn7»h r ?"^-J"h» Wenley'a Declaration an.r Fitnbliih! mem of the Conference of the people called M.th.Hlistr" And In the attCKted copy i, «aid to beV " fcnrolled in hi« M. eHtV'a Hi^h tt^ W^5; toTl VT' "»'«" ^r^-*^"^ »« ««tother£nc3 in« treamble to thiN famous Deed, aH concisely m noMMible to re, tain the acnse fionmlete.-^It a«y«. that, >rA<^Mr,livrr« buil Hn^ comrnonly en led dhupeln with a McHHuage and Dwel inVHiuH^^ situate .n various parta of Gre«t-Britain,1,ave Imen Jivcn and co^Ti voyed from time to time. by the aaid JohL Wenley, t5 corta n ner- T «"'' »heir heira in each of the Jid gift/and conveJaJceH herein to preach and expound God's Holy WordT Ah/mZ fw" ther trus^ that the aaid respdctivo Trusieen. &.cl ahoulJ nermit Lte and appoint, In likrmLll'&'ht frWaV^b:;^ decease of the survivor of them, tho saijiihn and CWIe^wS^ ley, Then upon further Trust, That the bL respecti v^ TrusJler MhlnT''* P*'"?*'^ ?*'*^ persons, and for Lch ITe ^d iires .S tttXTSon! ii« t"/rrd ithTsfr^^ and enjoy the said nremises for' the XoVs alresaii -'^^^^^^^ Chi'.;irir-"r Vv« in like minner giveHr convened manJ^ Chapels, &c. situate in various oarts offcfrt^^t r-Uoj!. j many Ireland, to certain trustees. XTo?l^7^'a ?rind"convtU" ZL «nT''*"'^*^ "*'"*'^' "P«" ^^^ «ke trust8%nd for ?he same uses and purijoses as aforesaid (except only that inZme of Ih! said gifts ancf conveyances, no life estate or other iK^^^ jLi^ f^r?rj *•"'* reeved to U,e said Charles Wesley') Tndwhere^ - for rendering e^ctual thf trusts created by the said sev^nS: or conveyances, and that no doubt or litigation ma v Si Si^ respect to the interpretation and true meaning there^Firh^! ^ ^ thought exp e di e nt hy the said Jol^We^Z onThn\f »A- ^^g other Chapels, &c.^o explain the words « yearly Conference of Jr v4 a* ^f K t^ If j^ ., 4^^ - "* i ■'*'■■ f ■rf .-, *1S ''V- . if?' H °)/^ / 114 fHB Ltvi Of Tm ■■▼. nmn wiiLift tho p«oplo nnll«Ml MotMnlintn,' contnlnwl In nil tho wild tni«t AtmU iiiiil to «l«Mrlur« whiil iMirHoiw ur« iiioiiilM'rH of th« miul lyimloruiico, anil how tho HinuiOMHKm iuhI identity ttoroof in to be continued : Now therefonj thiWJ iir«i»entii witniwi*, that for uc(!oniiiliithinK the wfonwnld purpoM!n, t(i« wiid John Wi-Mlcy doth hereby «leclur«, thnt the Conft5r«n<-e of the jwiople ciill«d MethodiMtN, in Ii<»ndon, Brimul, or Leedn, ever ninety there htith Inen any vturly Confrr- onco of the |>eoplo culled Metho. jomii WBtUf. ■r., nr innll he h«d, t«k«n, or Iw the net of thn Coiiftjmnce. until forty of nuiiih«r bv flooth, ioii<:, pt^, «f .fpi,.iBf^.n or persona whom they «hall approve, to be preachers and expounders of Ood*s holy word, under the care and direction of the Conference, the name of everv such person or persons so admitted into connexion, or upon trial as aforesaid, with the time and decrees of the admission, being entered in the Journals or Minutes of the Conference. ** Tenth. No person shall be elected a member of the Confer- ence who hath not been admitted in connexion with the Conference as a preacher and expounder of ^God*s holy word, as aforesaid, for twelve months. "Eleventh. The Con^srence shall nqt nor may nominate or appoint anv person to the use and enjoyment of, or to preach and expound God's holy word in, any of the Chapels and premises so given or conveyed, or which may be given or conv^ed on the trusts aforesaid, who is not either a member of the Conference, or admitted in^ connexion with the sanie} or upon trial as afore- said;, n^ appoint any person for more than three years successive- ly to the use and enjoyment of any Chapels and premises already given, or to be given or conveyed upon the trusts aforesaid, except ordained niinisters of the Church of England. " TweUa. That the Conference shall and may appoint the place of holdinff the yearly assembly thereof at any other city» to«vn, or place than Ijondon, Bristol, or Leeds, when it shall seem expedient so to do. v^^. ** Thirteenth. An^lor the convenience of Chapels and premie ses already or whi^h inay hereafter be given or conveyed upon th« trusts aforesaid, situate in Ireland or other parts out dT the king- dom of Great Britain, the Conference shall and may when and aa often as it shall seem expedient, but not otherwise, appoint and delegate any n^ember or members of the Conference with all or any of the powers, privileges, and advantages herein before con- tained or vested in the Conference; and all and every the acts, admissions, expulsions, and appointments whatsoever of such member or meniberS of the Conterence so appointed and delegated; as aforesaid, the same being put into writing, and signed by such delemte or delegates, and entered in the Journals or Minutes of the Conference and subscribed as after mentioned, shall be deemed taken, apd be, the acts, admissions, expulsions, and appointments of the Conference, to oJl intents, constructions, and purposoi what- soever,, from'the respective times when the same shall be done by such del^pite or delegates, notwithstanding anything herein con- tained to the contrary. " Fourte^th. Au resolutions and orders touching elections, admissions, expulsions, consents, dispensations, delegatidns or ap- pointments ana acts whatsoever of the Conference, shall be entered and written in the Jdumals or Minutes of the Conference w|(ich ahaU be kept fbr that purpose, publicly read, and then subscribed hy tKeTiresident and Secretary thereof for the time being, during the ^me such Conference shall be assembled; and when so entered, and snbeeril^, shall be had, taken, received, vad be *h9 acta of th fl Confwrence, and such entry and subecriptioo "> w ■ 1 H .] ".?• ' ,;-!- nm uxB w fuBinr. mm^^m^u^* m ss ti^' ftlbreMid tbaXt be ka^, takoi, reorivwl and be efidenee of and every euoh acts of the said XoDference and of *Jieir aaid ^jlesatea without the aid of any other proof; and whatever ■hall not be no entered and subacribed as aforesaid, shall not be had, taken, received, or be the act of the Conference: and the said President and Secretary are herel^ required and obliged 10 enter and aubacribe as aforesaid every act whatever of the Coih ference*'^^ .. * "Lastly. Whenever the said Conference shall be redoced nnder the number of forty membenB, and continue ao reduced for Vthree yearly assemblies thereof successively, or whenever the uieitabers thereof shall decline or neglect to jneet together annu« aHy for the purposes aforesaid, during the s^ace of three years, that then, and in either of the said events, the Conference of the people called Methodists shall be extinguished, and all the afore- said powers, privileges, and advantages shall cease, and the -said CKhpels and premises, and all other Chapels and premises which now are, or hereafter may be settled, given or conveyed, upon th? trusts aforesaid, shall vest in the Trustees for^the time being of the said Chapels and' premises respectively, aud their successors forever: Upon Trust that they, and the survivora of them, and the Trustees for the time being, do, shall, and may appoint such person and persous to preach and expound God's m>ly word thwe- ra^ and to have the use and enjoyment thereof^ for such time and in such manner as to them shall seem proper." Before I make any observations on thisDeed, the reader should be apprized, that, neither the design of it, nor the words of the several cbuses are to be imputed to Mr. Wesley. So far wasrhe iirom forming any design of a deed of this kind, that I have gobd ^vidj»nce to assert. It was some time before he could be prevailed Uj^ tocomp^ with the proposal: and, as in most other cases where he followed the same guide, he soon found reason to re- pent. That Mr. Wesley did actually repent of signing this deed, IS pretrv evident from tob following letter which he wrote about a year afterwards, and committed to a friend to deliver to the Con- ference, at their first meeting after his d^ease. *^M.T Dbae BaBTHasH, "Some of our travellinff preachers have expressed a fear, that after my decease you would exclude them, either from preaching in connexion with you, or from some other privileges which they noweiyoy. I know ho other way to prevent any such inconve- nience, than to leavfg these my last woras with you. "I beseech you b|the mercies of God, that you never avail youjraelveaof the I}0m1 ofjog^eclaration, to assume any superiority over yourlurethren: but let all things go on, among those itinerants who choose t^ renwin tMnther, exactly in the same manner as when I was with you, so far as circumstances will permit. ^* In particular I beseech you, if yoii ever loved me, and If yoq now. love God and your iNrethren, to have no respect of persmia in ^tionhig the preachers, in choosing chiMren for Kingswood Sehool, hk disposing of the yearly contribution and the preach* ,|.-i « V . . a "■- (*»' W ftmd. or any other public monoy: but do all thinm with aalij. ^ evT^ls I have donelVora the bemnning. Go pn ihu», doing all Sin AS»o«" V^^ «' partiality, and God will be with you ^XJu'wouM to improper in a work of thia kind, to paaa over this Deed without making an obeervation or two upon it. Wow IhL fi«tThmg that strike, me. i. the tide itself. « k pwlarat|on and eSablisbment of the Conference of the Pebple called Metho di8t«.»» Thia surely is a most incongruous title. , It is well known that the people called Methodists, never held a Conference since Methodism existed. The Conference is an assembhr of itmerant preachers only;* and its members are ^ot assembled »>y any^»»- thority derived from the people. When sitting, it Exercises nowers which are neither derived from the people, nor under any iontrol by them. It elects members into its own body, or cxcludea them at pleasure: it makes regulations, or 4aw8, npt only for the itinerant preachers, but for all ranks and orders of persons in th^ societies: and -while these things are transacted, neither local preachers, trustees of chapels, stewards, leaders, or anv of thepeo- ple. have a single voice, or a single representative m the assembly. The people have no check, no balance of power, against any regu- lation orlaw the Conference may ,f hoose to decree. It is difficult therefore to conceive, why this aAembly of a few preachers, was called; « The Conferince of the people called Methodists; » unless it was to give the people a hint, that they oughi to have wme^rep. resedtatives In an assembly where law* are made, by which they» as Methodists, are to be governed. _^ . r ♦u- t>^ 8« /The second observation shall be upon the words of the Deed In wfiich it states that the one hundred preachers therein named, « Have been, now are, and do^on the day of the 4ate hereof ««. tinue the members of the said Conference, according to the true in- lent and meaning of the said gifts and conveyance wherein the words Conference, &c. are mentioned and contained^ That is, these preachers had been the Conference before the 5«*^^V";SS ration existed; and did actually continue ", on the day this Deed %va8 executed: thatthe w*d Conference, m the old Trust Dee^ of all thBL Chapels, meant neither more nor less, than th«^ hundred preacheni motioned by n^me in this Deed of Declaration ! Now, every one of these assertions is a notorious falsehood: there is not even the shadow of truth in any one of them. But it seems there was a necessity for stating the matter thus, however fidse^n order to mve some color of justice and validity to this new deed, t or had it appeared on the face of it,\hat Deeds of Trust already existed, in which the words Conference, &c. meant either nipre or less than the hundred preachers in this Deed named; it wonld have been evident at first sight, that the Deed itself was nuga- tory and void to all intents and purposes; as itisonld not poa- eibfy annuU or dtf away the legaUty of deeds already existing and duly executed, without the consent of the several parties conMrned, first had and obtained under their respe<^ive signatures. 1 hus w« T^ * R»Ct|a !"" *" ***"* ftlerynnen. ^'M K. != if e: H- oi '-.^v.' 'm •4^ -•kr.f «». «iri . r-x- i M«, thiit tlM Ikmout Deed of Dedantlmi and EetablkhnMiit of the CoafereDoe, is founded on u groM n murepreoentation of ftete, m ever dismoed vaj public inatrument. ^ This Deed affords ample aeope for many other ofaeenratioM: but h^yiufr ahown that it is altogether built on a mia-statementof fteto^ I shall stop; as nothing more seems necessary to be aaid npoii It at present: except perhaps, that Mr. Wesley, in all probaHlity did not understand the import of the several clauses of it, aa he never had patience to attend to any paper drawn up in the common forma of the law. In these cases he trusted to thoae about Urn ^ who had examined it. ^ X^e Deed of Declaration affected only the itinerant preachen: but when Mr. Wesley ordained some of the itinerants, a foundation was laid for a change in the ancient constitution of Methodism, of much more eictensive. influence; and which in the end is likely to ^bct every member/of the society. It has already appeared in this history, jhat-Mr. Wesley claimed the power or n^t of or- daining to the minintry..but said, it was not probable that he should ever exercise it. "VVe have likewise seen, how' steadily for a long (^urse of years, he resisted everv measure which tended to alter the relative situation of the societies to the established church, and to the various denominations of Dissenters to which any 4>r the iilembers might belong. It is not easy to assign a suflldent ieason ^hy Mr. Wesley, in the eighty-second year of his age, should de- part from a line of conduct he had hitherto so strictly observed| especially if he acted according to his own judgment, afhd of hii oivn free choice. However this may be, a plan was proposed in private, to a few clergymen who attended the Conference thia year at Leeds, that Mr. Wesley should^ordain one or two preachera for ue societies in America. But the clergymen opposed it. 4lf r. Fletcher was consulted by letter; who advised, that a bishop should be prevailed u^n, if possible, to ordain them, and then Mr. Wea- ley might ajppomt them to such offices in the societies as bethought proper, and give them letters testimonial of the appointmenta he had ^ven them. Mr. Wesley well knew, that no bishop would ordain them at his recommendation, and therefore seemed inclined ^ S* rt himself. In this purpose, however, h6 appeared so lan- guid, if not wavering, that Dr. Coke thought it necessary to use some further means to unre him to the performance of it. Ac- cordingly, August 9, Mr. Wesley being then, in Wales on his wa^ to Bristol, the doct(tt' sent him the following letters ** HORORBO AND PCAE Sia, ^ " The more maturely I consider the subject, the more exp^ent It appears to me, that the power -of ordaining others, shoulcTbe re- ceived by me from vou, by the imposition of your hands; and that you riiould lay hands on brother Whatcoat, and brother Vasey, for the following reasons: 1. It seems to me the most ^ripturai way, and most agreeable to the practice of the primitive churches: 8. I may want all the influence in America, wnich vou can throw into my scale. Mr. Brackenbury informed me lit Leeds, that he •aw abetter in London firom Mr. Asbury, in which he observed, t ha t h e would not r e p e ivjD any p e r s on deputed b y yuu with tny '' ■*% \ t % k--f M#of the faperinteiidttfHSjr of the work invested in him: or wjrda tiilBh evfciemly implte4 m much. I do.not And wj^ the leut do- , gePe of)»rejudice in my mind against Mr. Asbiiry. on the contrary, a very great love and»esteem; and am determined not to stir a fin- ; Kr without hii consent, unless mere sheer iie<;essity obliges me; t rather to lie at his feel in all things. But as the journey is longV and you cannot spare m« often, aiid it is wieill to provide against all eventSj arid an authori^ formally received from you will^l am conscious of it) be fiilly admitted by the people, liod .- my exercising theoffice of Ordination without that formal author ity may b« disputed, if there be any dppositlbn on any other account: I could therefore earnestly wish you would exercise that power, in tl^is instance, which I have not the shadow of a dcfbbt but God hath invested you with for the' good of our connexion. I think you have tried me too often to doiibt, whether I will in any degree use the power ytDU are pleased to invest me with, farther .than Ibelieve absolutely necessary f6r the prosperity of the work. . 9. In respect of my brethren (brother Whatcoat and Yaaey) it is Very uncertain indsNBd, whether any of the clergy mentioned by JHrother Rankin, will stir a step with me in^ the wdrk, except Mr. Jarrit; and/ it is by no maans certain thi^ eveiihe ifiXl choose to join me i^ordain- ing: ami^propriety and Universal practice make it expedient that I " diould have two presbyters with me in this work. Inshort, it ap- pears to me that every thing should \fe prepared, ahd^«v*ry. thing ^ woper be done, thit can possibly be done this side the water. You can do all this Ui Mr. C — — n'l house, in your chamber; and after* wardsX^useOrding to Mr. Fletcher's advice) give us letters testimo- nial ofjiio deferent offices with which you nave been pleased to ivk vOst vuTF^ the purpose of laying hands on brothers Whatcoat and Vasey,4^an bring Mr. C-^^— down' with nie, by which you will have two presbyters vrith you* In respect to brother Rankin|s ar- gument, that you will escape a great deal of odiqm by omitting Uiis, it is n^ytung. Either it will be known, or not known; if net . known, then no odium will arise: but if known, you will, be ' obliged to> acknowledge that I acted under jrour direction, or suffer , ■le to sink under the weight of my .enemies, with perhaps yout' brother at the head of them. I shall entreat you to ponder these things*' - ■■ •^'■■•■.. -v- •■ ..' ..^-.*.. / •■ .'■,]' ..■ . u < f Tour most dwtifW, ^ * y- ■•■'■. ' ■. ■ ■•■■■- This letter afibrds n^atter for several observations, both of the serious «nd comic kind: but I shall i|pt indulge myself on the oeca- sionit so fairly offers. The attentive reader who examines every part of it, will be at no loss to conjecture to whose influence we mntf impute Mr. Wesley's conduct in the present business. Thai Mr.- Wesley should suffer himself to be so far influenc^, in a mat- ter (^ the utmost Importance both to his own character and to the sodetiee, by a man of whose judgment in advising, and talents m GimdiM^ing any affiiir he had no very hig^ opmiaai, is truly aeton* 11 • *This lettsr is takeafiwa ao attestsd copy of the doctor's fattsr, in Um. Chalks Wtiln^'hittdwritidg.. - «ib iiKB w nni t«t. >iur Hmntrnt. ^ jHhiAgt but to it .wMl— Mr. W«ih>y eime to Briato), and 8«item=^ Iwrf, every thing being prepaf«d m propoMd kbove, be compllMi witll ttae doctor'n earneft with, by oobsecrating him one of the 5l"?P^. « . '* '^notcoat and Vasey preabytera of the new Metliodist Epuieopal Church in America. No doubt the tbiW gentlemen werevhighly anratified with.their new titles: a« we often ^^e, both young and oMcAi/ilren gratified with gilded toVi, though elUttMily made, and 9f no real worth or yaluJile ^se, except M quiet 4he cries of thoae for whom they are pre^red. The difficulties on the first .entrance into now overcome, and the opening perospecto be...s «,„^, «„««.„« ^ •the humra mind tutored under certam dircifmstances, iome further progress became natural and easy^ Aecordingly, jt waa not lon« ^b^fore three- more preachers were ordained for. Scotland: and tf- ' tw'jards atdifferent periods, several others Were ordained t but «ll . df then^ at first, we^ laid under a resiriction not t« -exercise their" mtnisterial fbucUons in England. Since the death of M». Weefey, ■till furthctr/^roffress has becf made, not *i^y ih the practice of or- daimng, but in the exercise of their new functjods, in various soci- eties in this kingdom. Btft hitherto tbft new onler of things haa produced the most lamentable . effects, having caused contentioki. and kmd|ed the flames of par^ zeal; • . ' nto this new path being I being high|y^attering ti» «• • i« ►','' V ' Hit K vs^ ■:a' CaABtERt;^' Oril^IOVa lHl>'BBliAT9fl, &,C. OK *Hft itfcw PLAK Oif ORDINAtlOlT; 8EVBBiL rAa«Ciri.AR9 or TRB I.ABT TKARS OF ICB. WB8LBY*B L^raj wiTb XK AocolirHT of hispba^h mr march, 1791. b» ' ' V -v-: ; .,.■ -5. ■^ '■ .. . ■/ ■•; . ■. ■ ■■". ■,'■'■ . Thb following i^ part of a letter from one preacher to another. •"When the report tbat Mr. Wesley had drdained some of the preachers, first began to.be circulated in the aocieties. It may serve to, show ns what opinion the uninfected itinerants entertained of this itrange busmen. *« Ordination-^mpng Methodists ! Anting indeed I I co«iId not force myself to credit the report wbi^' spread here, having not then setifn the minutesr but now I can doubt it no longer. And so, we hitv6 Methodist parsons of oiir own ! And R ifew mpde^f ordination, to be sure— on the Presby- terian plan?— In sp^ of a miUiob of declarations to the coiitriiy I J..'*™™"^ «?nf?wn^^ Now the ic^ is broke, let us conjecture a little the probable issue of this hew thing in the earth. You say. we mu4t reason and debate the matter.— Alas ! it is too late. Surely It never began m the midst of a flmltitude ojf counsellore: and I great- er tear the Son of mRn was not secretary of state, or not prasent Wlien^the ^business waa brought on and carried,! subpose, itnth ▼eij few dissentient voices. Who could imagine that'this impor- tam matter would have stole into being, and be obtruded upeo f > s, ^HB'tiri ttv VBt B»v. Jonr wiiLvr, "ir*,t ■ulud on 90 weighty a point? ^ho is the flither of tbii moniter . M long dreaded V *•»«<»**»*" ^^ *>*• people, and by mo«t of m^ Bons? Whoever he be, time will nrove hirn a felon to MethodisYn, and discover his asBaaainating knife sticking fust in the vitals of its, hody. This has been my sleadfast opinion for years past; and years to come .will speak in groans the opprobrious anniversary of our religtous madness for gowns and bands. Will it not sting a man » that h A been honored by his Lord and Matter for many years as a lay-preacher, to have a black-robed boy, ffirtlng away in the ex- -ercise of his sacred office, set over him?— If not all, but only a few '; favoritei are to be honored, will it not raise a dust, that will go ' niffh to blind thd eyes of ^e whole body ? "—Another old preacher; .^ writing to his friend, delivers h|8 qpinionito the following purpose —I wish they had been asleep when they bejfan this busmessoi or- dination: it is neither Episcopal nor Presbyterian: but a mere hodge-podge of inconsistencies— though it must be allowed, that Mr. — Wesley acted under the influence of others, yet he had some rea- sons for the step he took, which at the moment appeared to him, aufficient to justify it. Perhaps they may n^qt appear in the sanie light to others, and probably would not to himselvhad he not been biassed by persuasioh. A part of the reasons of his conduct in this affair, are detailed in the letter testimonial, whi ried over with him to the American Conference. It is addressed "To Dr. Coke* Mr. Asbury, and our brethren in Nbrth America:" and is conceived in the following terms: • \ "^ , "By a very uncommon train of providences, ihany of the prov- inces of North America, are totally disjoined from. their mother- country, and erected into independent states. The English jfov- emment has no authority over them either civil 0|r ecclesiastical, any more than over the states of Holland. A civil aluthority js «Xr ercised over them, partly bv the Congress, partly bV thp provpii|^ assemblies. But no one either claims any ecclesiastical authority at all. In this peculiai' situation, some thousands of the inhabitants of these states desire my advice; and in complian|ie with their de- ■ire, I have drawn up a little sketch. / '" Lord King's* account of the primitive c hyirch convinced me * Kias (P*ter,) Lord High Chancellor of England, wM descirt^ of a good ikmilvoT that name in Somerwtshire, and vn of an rtnment gittserand salter in the city of Exeter in Devonshire. He was born at/Exeter 11^1669, and bred UP for Home years to his father's business. But his /nclinati»n to learning was SO neat, that he laid out all the money he could stiaie in ^ooks, and deTOied vfmr moment of his leisure hburs to study; so/llwt he became an excellent scholar before the world suspected any such thing^ and mto the public a proof of his skill in church history, in his Inquiry into the Consiituuon, Pisxpline, Unitv. and Worship of the Primitive Church, that> Hounshed withm the first three Kundie4 years after Chnst. London, 1691, an/d 1713, m 8to. This was , written with a view to promote the scheme of a cimiprehension of the Dissenlers. His acquaintance with Mr. Locke, to whom ho^was reltftbd. and who left him his lihmrt it his death, was of gteat adtantagefto him. By his adwe, after he had studied some time m Holland, he applied^iimself to the study of the laws in which profession, his learning and dilie^ce made him soon taken nonce of. In the two last parliaments during the t^n of King William, and in five;paiw li&wwmf dnriBsr the jreigu of queen Anne, he served as Burgew for Beer Atotoa iiuuvui. uur„m 'v\iZ'^^ ^ Jiiijhia, witiioat bis^am^ the History of the IN^' m Devonshire, la^ w > ■^ many yesn ago, that Mihopi and preilqrtera are tlie mine order Md consequenHy have the eame righft to ordain. For many yean 1 hove been tmportuned from time t6 time, to exercise this right, by ordaming part of our travelling breachera. But I have stillro- fused: not only for peace* sake, but because I was detei^ined, an little as possible, to violate the eitablishea order of the national church to which I belonged. / ^ "But the case is widely differeht between England and North America. Herft there are bishonls who have a legal jurisdiction: In America there are none, nekUer any parish ministers. So that for spfne hundred miles togelHiF, there is none either to baptise or Jo qdminister the Lord's Suppeh Here therefore my scruples a^ at, an end: and 1 conceive myself at full liberty, as I violato no or- der, and inviide no man's right, by appointing and sending kbor- frs into the harvest. / " ^ I have accordingly appointed Dr. Coke, and Mr. Franeli At- bury, to be JJDint Superintendents over our brethren in North Anwnca: as also Richard/Whatcoat, and Thomas Vasey, to act M Elders amonff tl^fm, byybaptizing and administering the Lord's Supper. And Ihave prepared a liturgy, little differing from that of the Churefa of Enj^land (I/think, the best constituted national church • ? w world) which l advise all the travelling preachers to use on the Lord's day, in aUltHe congregations, reaiding the Litany only ^n Wednesdays and Fridays, and praying extempore on all other days. I also advise the elders to administer the Supper of the Lord on every Lord'sT day. * *j.'^*^y ®°® '^•'^ pA'"* ®"' * ""o™ rational and scriptural way of feeding knd guiding /those poor sheep in the wilderness, I will glad- ly embrace it. At /present I cannot see any better method, than that I have token^ . v ♦* It has indeed »i»ea proposed, to (lesire 4he English bishops, to ordam^port of oul' preachers fqr America. But to Uiis I object, 1. 1 desired the bishops of London to ordain only pnej but could not pr©.^ vail; 2. If they/consented, \^e know the slowness of their proceed- ings; but the niatter admi^ of no delay. 8; If they would ordain them now, they would likewise <9xpeet to govem them. And how grievously wbuld this entangle usf 4. As our American brethren ir^**!r«.T^ ****®°*'"*P*®^ ******* *^"* the State, {ind from the Eriglisji Hierarchy, we dare not entangle them again, either with the one or/the other. They are now a( full liberty simply to fql^ low the Sbriptures imd the primitivexhuroh. And w% judge it btostjf that they should stand fast in that liberty, wherewith QotT has 80 atraniMy mode ihem free. 3 ^ uW*^'.^'""^' *?*•» criticoi obMrvations on its leTeral articles: which is lughlv/iMteenied. In^i708, h6 was-bhosen Recorder of the city of Lolidoa t and o ^uT*' ^f^ **?*°' »•»« n«en>bere of the House of Commons at the inal istefs are: |r» begin every wher^, with showing dur hearers how Jallen they are themselves." D^. Coke, in laying the foundation^, of bis new church in America, adopted the principles and prae- tice, m this respect, of thA Seceders, and quitted those of the oW Methodists. He tells Mr.* Wesley, some Ume after, in a letter from Ireland, that, he would jis sovn commit adultery as preaoli railing accusations against others, I think him very guilty^ AndS if-fV?«7 probable, that the Methodist Episcopal Church now form- i^g in £.ngland, wHl haVe the same foundation aa it had in Amerfc- ^erati(.n, he tiaw it hin «luty to form his society in America into an indepondwnt church; but ho lov«uI the most excellent liturgy of the Church of Kngtend; he loved itt rites and cerernonieH, aiMl therefore adopted them in most instuuces in thd present case." It is not eaiy to malce observationa on an argument like this, ' without falling into 4evity on the one hand; or too great severity on the other. Brevity, therefore, will lie the l»e«t socurity. The doctor states the rhattei thus, " He (Mr. Wesley) has always ap- pointed the religious officers from the highest to the lowest ^among the Methodists) by himaelf or his delegate: Und we are fullv per- suaded, there is no church-office which he judges expedient for the people, but as essential to his station he has 'power to ordain." — rfow, if these words contain anything like an argument, they must mean, that the officers whom Mr. Wesley had alwayMf< pointed, were church-officers; and consequently, that his societies were churches. If this be not the meaning, then the words which So before, have no immediate connexion with the conclusion drawn rem them. The premises and the conclusion, would speak of two things totally different, atid therefore the one could not lie inferred from the other. But the minutes of Conference, and Mr. Wesley's other writings, testify in the most express manner, that, the Methodist societies were not churches: that the appointments and rules he made, were nothing more than prudential regulations, which he often changeil as circumstances altered. It cannot, there- fore, be argued, that because Mr. Wesley had always exercised the power of making prudential regulations for the government of hia societies, he had a right to ordain any church-office he might judge expedient; which is a thing quite different from what he had hiUierto attempted to do; and consequently no right to do it, could arise out of his former practice. . . . », But there is another view of this argument, which makes it appear still more absurd. Whatever power Mr. Wesley had always exercised over the Methodist societies, it was no proof of his right. Power and right arc two things. Power does not im- ply right: Otherwise, the power of speech would imply a ri^ht to •peak treason: the power of deceiving, and robbing would imply a right so to do! Whatever right, therefore, Mr. vVesley might have for making pf-udential regulations for the societips, it cannot be proved from his power. But Dr. Coke here brings forward Mr* Wesley's power, and his former practice in the exercise of it,- as a proof that he has a right to do what he may think expedient for the good of the people. Now, if a man in common life were to lAead his former practice as a proof that he had a right to do what Ije might judge expedient in future, and should «ct upon thia principle, I suppose he wouW soon be sent to Bedlam or to New- 1 shall only take notice of one article more in the doctor's ser- nKwi, " Brides," nays ^e, ff ift addition to this, w© huVe eveiy ^T" 4^' ■'-T«f ^ f >* •'■'i I 3^' - ^ •-:;> ^v.- •f? (|nn1(flcntfnn for an Rplncopnl church, which' thrtt of Alcxnndrin, n church (if no mnnli note in the priniitivD tiineri, imimmomocI for two hundred yoiirn.— tOur bishop or Mup«rintnnd«nti«, im we rnther cnll thorn, having li««ii olcctml, or ruroiv»d by the Huflru;to of the whole obouted. It is indeed evident from the Apostolical Constitutions, ib. 8, cap. 4, and other ancient testimonies, that in the first agea of the church, tie ueople gfnerallv chose their own ministers; and in every case or an election, their consent and approbation were essentiallyjiecessary. And this practice continued, even at Rome, in the election of a pope till the^be^inning of the twelfth century, when Innocent II. ohan^ the ancient custom; though 1 cannot think him quite innocent in so doing. In direct opposition to the practice of the primitive church, the ordinations among the Methodists were performed in secret. The people were not assembled: they were not consulted; nor even so iim^as acquainted that ministers were to be ordained among the Methodists as their proper pastors. The whole was performed by an arbitrair power, in the exercise of which, no regard waa had to the rights of the people, as having either judgment or choice in the nlMter. But Dr. Coke tells us, they have the same qualifi- cations for an Episcopal ChUrch, which the Church of Alexandria possessed. " Our bishops," says he, *' having been elected, or re- * The words of Cyprian are, " Ordinationes Sacerdotales, non nisi sub popuH assittentis conscienUa fieri oportere, ut plebe prnsente, vel detegaiilur malorum crimiaa, vel bonorum merits pnsdicentur, et sit ordinatioJusta e< legitima, qua omnium guflragio et judicio fuerii examinaia." Thus q toted by Lord King, p . U edit. 1713. t See the note on the passage of Clemens Rom. I of Cotelenus, toni. i. page 173. Clerc's edition above mentioned, in Lt .lr(^* C- ■"at iism S%7 ««■ LIVft Oy TMI KIV. JOmr WMLIY. 1^^.© i.^|i|v feired, lijr tlie ■uflVage of the whole tiodv of our ministoni throofk the contiiimt, aiMiettinlod in general Conferenro.** — There were mil two liiahopM, MO cuIIihI, Dr. ('ok<> hikI Mr. Anbury. The doctor ■'wa« onlniii«N| (or consucrated, if the reader chooae) secretly in England, and received ordem to ordain Mr. Aabury in Anierioa* Now theMo Hiirely were not elected, in any iiense whatever, either by the preachera or people. Hut, •• They were elected or receiv- ed.'* — When a writer inua linka worda together of different im- port, aa though the meaning amounted to the Hiinie thing, we have lUNt cauae to auapect that he inteiida to ileceive uh, and lead ua into a falae notion of the aiibjeot hs If diacuaaing. Received par- hapa they might be, under a ayatem of arbitrary government, Which leavea no alternative to the {loople, nor to many of tb« ^reachera, but tkat of paoaive obedience, of to go about thek buiik- ;;|ie«a and quit the connexion. Hut their licing received in any %ray, la nothing to the point in bund. It ia indeed manifeat, tha^ thia whole affair, fVom firat to laat, beara no roaeinblanoe to< the nimlo of electing and ordaining miniatera in the purer agoa of tht primitive church. Aa ordination among the Methodiata forms a remarkable era in their hiatory, it deaervea to be fully examined, aa to ita validity and Kopriety. But lieforo wo proceed anv further, let ug see what r. Charlea Wesley haa aaiu on the aubject. In hia letter to Dr. Chandler,* in the beginning of the year 1785, he aaya, '* I can •carcely yet believe it. that in hi«i eighty-second year, my brother, my old intimate fViend and companion, should have atiaumed the £piacopal character: onlained eldora, consecrated a bishop, and sent him over to ordain our lay-preachera in America! I was then In Bristol, at his elbow: yet he never gave me the least hint of hu intention. How was he surprized into so raah an action? He cer^ tainlv persuaded himself that it was right. ** Lord Mansfield told me last year, that ordination was separa- tion. This my brother does not, and will not see : or, that he haa renounced the principles, and practice of his whole life; that he has fu:ted contrary to all his declarations, protestations, and writings; robbed his friends of their boastings; realized the Nag's-head ordi- nation; and lefl an indelible blot on his name, as long as it shall be remembered. ' In August, Mr. Charles took courage, and wrote to his brother on the subject. "*I have been reading," says he, '* over again and again, your reasons against a separation — and entreat you in the name of God, and for Christ* s sake, to read them again yourself with previous prayer; and sto|), and proceed no Airther till vou receive an answer to your inquiiy, < Lord, what wouldest Thou have me to do? ' — Every woixl of your eleven pages, deserves th« deepest consideration: not to mention my testimony and hymiit- Only the seventh, I could wish you, to read — as a prophecy, which I pray God may never come to pass. ** Near thirty yeara since then, you have stood against the ini» portunate solicitations of your preachers, who have scarcely at last * One of the American Bishops, ordtined in England. Mh^^'\ , M' tun Mn fp fjiB Mf« i9iia wttuin Ml * ?♦ . '■ ■ ' . ' ".w \r'' ■■•■■■ #* ' |»rav«n«d. I wtt your nttttnt altjr, »ii4 yoor fklthfu! MtinA : •mi Whil« you noiitiniinil faithiVll to vourMilr Wfl two couUI cIUm a thouMAiMl. If thtty hud not (Ii«rt(l«r rent, tiiryou ordnitiml thain. You told me, « Vhoy would aenarnte by and by.' Th« dorttor telU ua th« nnm«. UW* MothmliNt KpiMcopnl Church at IHiltiiuurtS* wim intoiidttd to lM. . ^ ff ■ .■'^*, vto^J -^tflli tjnk 4v, #»■■▼• Hwm U u' pi biahopa m grmduj or in degree; but they were equ&l to them mi ordme, or, in order."* He tella us, that a bishop waa the proper pastor tir incumbent of the church orer which he presided; ana that the presl^tera in that church were only h'ls aaaistanta or curates, and therefore could do nothing in hia church without his direction or permisaion-<-but whatever auperiority a biahop had over the preatiytera of hia own church, it was solemnly and jptfblicly conferrod upon him, by the general aufihige of the preabytera and people over whom he was to prepiide. I suppose, if any presbyter nad aaaumed the Episco- pal character and authority without such choice ai^ public ordina- tion to his office, he would nave been excommunicated by the other ehurdiea. flut Mr. Wesley was never publicly elected by any presbyters and people to the office of a bishc^; nor ever oonaecratod to it: which made nia iNrother Charles say». .;-' . ■ . . ■■ ^^-~-^-,^— -^ ■, .".■ « "So easily ire Biaho|Minade^ , ;" By man's or woman's whim I Wesley hit hands on Coke hath laid, ~ Bat who laid haads Ml him 7" % The answer is, nobody. Hia Episcopal authority, waa a mere gratuitous assumption of power to him|^f, contrary to the usage of every church, ancient or modern, Irane the order of bishops haa been admitted. There is no preceflint either in the New Tee* tament, or in church-history, that can justify his proceeding in this nflhir. And aa Mr. Wesley had received no right to exerciae Epiacopal authority, lather m>m any bishops, presbyters, pr peo- ple, he certainly could not convey any right to others: his onuna- tions therefore, are spurious, and of no validity. Nor can Mr. Wesley's practice of ordaining be justified by those reasons which Presbyterians adduce in favor of their own method of ordaining to the ministry: for Mr. Wesley ordained, ootas ftoresbyteri but as a bishop! his, ordinations therefore were not Preng^rian, nor will the arguments for Presbyterian ordina- tion apply to them. Let OS review the arguments ob this subject, reduced to a few , mtmositions: 1. Mr. Wesley in ordaining or consecraUng Dr. Coie a Bishop, acted in direct eontradictimi to the principle on which he attempts to defend hb practice of ordaining at all. S. As Bfr. Wesley was never elected or chosen bv any ehureh to be a bishop, nor ever consecrated to the office, either 1^ bishops. or presbyters, he ha4^t the shadow of right to exercise Kpisooiia] ;>^ anthority in ordaining others, according to the' rules of any church, anoiejDt or modemi. 8. Had he pos aease d the proper right to or- dain, either aa opishop or proibyter (though he never cHd ordain is a presbyt^il yet his ordinations being done in secret, were ren- dered thereby invalid and of Qi effect, according to the establidied order of the primitive churchy and of aU Protestant churches. 4. The eonsfequence from the whole is, that the persons whom Mr. '* lithrs Chaidl. M\: w iifi Mf *■■ »!▼• Mttr WtftJiy* lir Wflrfey oididiMd, Imte no mora rlgiit to nttvige the mfayiitrial fbiiolimit tbsn Jie hud b«fore he Itifd h«iidi upon Uuttn. A leheine of ordination so fbll of conftwion and abaaiditf, aa diat among the Methoditts, can aureljr neter filiate itnelf on Mr; Weiley: ftmutt have proceeded from some mere «A«ofM brain, where wild concision reigna. Nor Cf9 I easily belioTe, that Mr. Wesley would eter have adopted ao misshapen a brat, had not his dear perception of thingi' been rendered feeble and dim, by flatteiy, pelmiasion, and age. Bat I wimngljr quit a subject which is Terir unpteasanf ; and roost sinoereqr wish, that both the practice of ordaining among the Methodists, and the m^ory of it were buried in oUiTion. And were the practice, whicli(,in my riew of it b pregnant with mis- ehiel^ totally to ctase, never^ be revived,! would tear the memo* ly of it Urom these pages, as soon m they are printed. The following letter written to a travelling preacher in Decem- ber, 17q0,vmav show us Mr. Wesley's fatherly car^ over tU preachers; and at the same time give us an example of hisdeli- eate manner of conveying reproof where he saw it necessary. Thia delicacy wittappear the more honorable to him when we consider, that be was In tne eighty-fourth year of his age: a period whej^ thoae who arriVli at It. commonly lose the delicate attention tb the IbeUngs of others, which they possessed in middle lift; and be- come authoritative and morose. This indeed is very natural, and arlaea, perhaps, ftom the diflbrenee^ftlftir situationa. A man of eighty-four often finds, that he la considered as a piece of old worn-out ftimiture, orown by as Useless, and feels his own per- sonal happiness very little connected with the opinioiA or aflairn of mankind: whereai, a man in the midst of life finds, thiu '*^ delicate attention hefmys to the feelings of others, is daily ref •d back upon him in a thousand ways, iM contributes kir^ an increase of his personal happiness. Mr. Wesley did not .«^ under this infirmity of old age.^** Dear S-r,*> aays he, •< yon know I love you: ever^vinee l knew you««l have neglected do way of shi^jring i|, that #as in my jpower. And jou know I ealeenl yoil for your zeal and actbrity, for your love of discipline, and for yoi|r cifts which Oodhaa given yon: particularly, qnicknesi of appl^ ■ension, and readlneaa of utterance, eepMally in preaddng and prayer. '-■*' /• Therefore I am j^ous over you, lest yon should loao any of the' dungs you have gained, and not receive a Ibll rewwd: and tho more so. because I ftar yon are wanthig in other lespoets. And who wiU fenture to fell you so? You will aeame know how to war it ftt>m me, unless you lift up your heart to Ood. If yon do thi8,Imaytenturetotell foa whift I. fear, without any flirther preface. 1 fear you think of yourself more highly than you ought to think. Do jrou not think too highly of your own undentand- thi8.In prewce. to think tag? of your gifl»2 murtieularly inpraaching, as if you weire the vonr beat preacher in the connexion r of your own iraportanoei as if tte work of Ood here or there depended wholly or mainly on Enr and of your popnlarity? whksh I Gave fbnnd to bit aurpriit rlfbtvmiiili , than I wpectod. ^ - ^.;*;V*i ,*:■ 'mi Tlli Liii* of »«P «*v. *»«» WiUAT. ^ Cr It,, "te m^ « May not thii bo muoti owing to your wont of brothorly loT«f With what roeaturo y«u mete, men will measure to you •«•»«>•* fear there la aomething unloving in your apirit: aomethmg not only ^ of rouRhneaa, but of harshnesf, yea of awmesal rAre you not likewlM extremely open to prejudice, and not eaay to »«?""««» it? So that whenever you are prejudiced, you commence biHer, im- placable, unmerciful? If so, that people are prejudiced agaimrt you, is both the natural ami judicial fcon«equence. " i.«..ia "I am afraid leat your want of love to youtaiei^hbora^ahouW , Bprinff from your want of love to Gbd : from want orthankfulneM. rha?e aomitimes heard you apeak, in a «!f«n«n ^1"^ »»•?* "?^^ tremble: indeed, in tferma that not only a weak Christian, but even a serious Deist would scruple to use. > . ^ -«^ -«# "I fear, you ftrettly want eveniiess of temper. Areypunoi irenerally too hi|h, or too loi(f? Are not all your ?"«<>«• j<2- I nvely ? your anger in particular? la it not too soon raued: and is 4 t not often too impetuous? causing you to be violent, bowteroui-^ 7 taring down all before you? ^ «^.»«,^ u ii^ow-^ift up your heart to God, or you.,will be angry at me, . But I must go a fitUe further. I fear you««re greatly wanUng m, the government of your tongue. You are not exact m relating factT I have observed it myself. You are apt to ampl^fy'^to enlarge a little beyond the truth. You cannot imagine, if otbert obseire this, how it wUl afltectyour reputation. rri..*^„ " But I fear you are more^anting in another respert. 1 nai vou h give a loose to your tongue when you are anm: *»« JOS' lan- guage then, is not only sharp, but coarse, and "l.-bred— If this b^ KrSe^eople wiU not bear it. They will not take it either from ''"Sin Wealey, notwithstanding fiia advanced age, continued hii ioumiesand labors with the same punctuality, though not perhaps {nth the same vigor as usual. ; He still rose at four m the mora- imr. and apportioned his employments to the different parts of the dS. It was a fixed practical rule vritii him, which he observed to the very end of life, Uiat s man who wishes to avoid temptation, and all foolish and hurtful habits, should be wnstwitiy employed: and generaUy, have a certain portion of wOrk to do within a lim- ited time. This, doubdess, is a good practical rule, and will nve those whose time is at their own disposal, if they ha^^ 'S^^S*^ to foUow it, from innumerable mconveniencM.--In 1787, he tisited ireUmd: and passing through the north of that kmgdoro, called upon a respectable clergyman, whope kind attentions m his sick- new at Tandragoo hadlaid him under obhffationB. After_he had quitted this agreeable family, he sent the clergyman the followii^ :letter. ■ _ .,V ]: . .^ ' ^. ■.,;:• ■ « Rsv. AHD DBAR Sib, '■^^ :^ «^« ♦!.- ♦»«»- 1 «* I have obligations to you on many aocounts, from the time I first saw you:Tarticularly for the kind concern you showed, when Twas ill at Tandragee. These have increased upon me every time that I have ^ee had the pleasure ojf waiting nponrou. Permit, me, sir, to speak witiiout reserve. Esteem was ad d«gto i^iSiivi^'^ r^^t when Isaw the uncommon pmm you wok 'S'rT vm Lfvii if #1^1 saw idnir wmli ~«I6 "^Af-. » .M with the iloek coi&qfiitt^ to yonrctre; M abo, when I oimvr^d the remarkably MricMis manner wherein ydu read prayers m yolir family. Many yeani have pkaHed sint^^at time ; many m Wishing you, and your (j|o^ely family every Itlessing, •; " ;-ram, r ; Rev. and dear Sir, Your ohMged and affectionate brother and iMfirvaDt, - ;. . • . 'm-: ^ ^'W/* . ., - In February, 1788, Mr. Wesley oibserve«,^* I took a solemn ^J^ leave of the congregation at West street, by applying pn^e more what! had enforced fifty years before, < By grace ye are saved throug^h faith.* ' The next evening^we l^ad a very numerous con- gregation at the New Chapel, to whomlgj|clared the whole coun- sel of Qo^' I seemed now to have' finilwP my work in London. ^I see itiMn, well: if not, I piray GM^to raise up othera, that will be more faithful and m6re successful in his work." On his birthnlQir this year, he makes the following observations. •« I this day filter oniny eighty-fifth year. And whai cause have I to praise God, aaWfn thousand spiritual blessings, so for bodily bleaungs also! How little have flBnif^-'^ --• •!... .u_ — u li OUflp^rous years! It is true^ I am IKs pasfi' Ido not run or walk so fast as ' serves ine to eye» as lilso i^ some jtime since) Vnl - , ^ , .^r"t« partly to a sprain, and partly to the rheumatism. I find likewise some decay in my memory^ with regard to names and Uiings lately past^ but not at all with regard to what I have read and heard, twenty, forty, or .sixty years ago. Neither do I find any decay in my hearing, smell, taste, or appetite (though I want but a third part of the food I once^id,) nor do I fbel any such thing as Wpiriness, either in trav- Pi „'or ^tih|?m»|M^ «,, riBen atTourl ti% liP^|? %5. To «iy five in the momin/r,Jor above fifty year*? ft. 1 ao Uttle pain i» my m| and «» »'.\^l«.«»«3.f ^'' Eiven ilowrthough4 fm pam daily in mfeye, ^ ;6t it ii^ver vi<3enti afceWoni last* many nuor ^^^i^S^ not this i. aent to giv»e warmng, that Iain 1 ■ Wior^toSuii thia tabernacle; I doi»0t 1^: b"t be it onrway or Ihe oiliftiv ^haveonly to say, « f .,*' ° My remnant ofdayf^ k- * ' 1, I Mjend to Hit prAiMi \*' f Who died the whdeworid to f \ h Sy days are hUJiie, •'^ ^4lMl tMy aU are devoted to tfi ijedeemi ir^ f m; Deeei^bttr 9U 17^, Itfr. ^etilw tnakea the following r^marto 4* xl^^iaX^nytot^ndeliL old year with a very solemn WatchS. SEtJ God hath helped us:, and we n«tther see JSr fM? anv^of&oae terrible judgments, .^hioh it was said, God XuW pJS?oi«^^ thS^ati Swut ^^^ f2? nw^v^nwyears I have o6perve4,!tMt before «iy wor &c^a^ty fenid*hd abounds with pr^frhets, who c^^^^ , W^UW miitoy terrible things. They gently bj^^^/Jl *;™%*^~,! but are carried away with a vain imagination. And they are sei doAiSideceived evwi bv the /ailure of their predictions, but stdl hAliflVAthev will be ftilnUed some time or other. ^ ^ ""^jZ^ySkSl JJi^javs^ « If this i^ *«JttSlf bJ ZL Uft, according to sbq*rbf tW prophe c J|feho fiB itj>riir je >hg^ v_.: I-™, ««» ».M>Aii nhnut it. but he^m^ceivo tne aavipe oi , ^^^,„ , __.^ .is Heavei^M^' NotpVanding his advanced Mr. W«iley thU year visited Irelai parte of that kingdom, preaching ai The following paper is without was written a few years before thia It, omitting an obaervation or tWffcon / «f To THE Rkvmbkd 'C'Pkv 8im ■*"' ' . ■ .■ "When br. Ikintley published his Gnwk Testamtot, on e n > - marked, ^PiSrbuThe woSd publi^the Old: then we should have [how long pemut to E ineroksing^infirmitietu ftrav^lted through variiA ' [ the societies as usuai* .though I suppose it /etlshaU here insert Shinsonian philosophy. kaS t ?«* MM «W tin AIT. >0H1I WULIT. sfo two K«wT«iUnnento.»— Tt Is done: tboM who receive Mr. Hutch. ?hSf ■ • * *'»™»*'?4: C»n we believe, that God left hi. whole Churdh so Ignorant of the Scripture till y eHterdoy ? And if he wm • &o«Id re'^eTlt'? *^A^2f "^ '^ '^' *« ^*»«'» "'-y we "uppSL h" X^K-^ flUt'P'"* whereby it was written.* And a irreater than he say*, » Them that are miek will He guide in judamJm ^ them that are trentle will He learn hi* way.' Bu wVBS!h_ eminently meek and gentle! «utwa»jnr.M— - " However, in order to learn all I could from his works after fir.* ponsultmg them, I carefully read over Mr SoeJiman Kf r innl!! bgeniojj, book, and the GlLgo^ AbtldgJ^eut^l^:i\t^^^ZHh ^iJtjPfL^'t^'^L »»>« best_ Hebrafan I ever knew I "* w J i" T ***'»»» w>e best Hebraan I ever knew I neve H??^.**;"?/*"" "If'*"'-?,"*'^ H^**"^^ word, bur he w^uld mZ diately tell me, how often ii Mciirn^ ;« X^ n:ui.-"j ..'/"?•? i*^ - : r'; di«ely tell me h^w-^Jn "S 'o;^rMTn"^hr'Birier.Xrir meant in each place! We\then both observedTthat 55r Hutch- inson's whole scfienie is built upon etymoloiries- the mcit «ni«r turn foundation in the world, a^d t|ie feast to bi depeXd uiZl we ohjwrved, secondly, that ifJlie Joints be allowed! W. SSSd! ZSoJipl ".?^'r; ""i ***'':?^^' t^t^^etting them aside, m?^ of bii ejymo ogles are forced, and unnatural. He frequently, to find tha etymologv of one word, squeezes two radices tSer- a Utei^^ n^erjOe taken, where a word may fairly be deS^ frJlJ^S 4JI ^li "^y ^ **^"'^ * ^«w words Ion the points. Mr H— af. tl^M^lZ'"'^ •"^T*'? ^y '^^ MAsorite8,Von^ thirteen ^uS iTi^".?^ ^*" "K"*^" "'^«' to Testroy the s^nse of Scrintorr JLdogbt this; who can prove it? Who can%rove they wS" £0" « ^Mr.Tlwm«sW.l.hwa.oneofthel«y.p,««her.:.pili„e«nt. t for^Tbwel. inlhrm™ ^.^IT i'll!^'*Pf!?^%*M«»t« and ^inu which serve ^4 Archbishop Usher pls^ centniy; fath^Morih, 10 the men. It i» urged thiuhe'rt.'iaZ'M-IS^il^^ "*" 1 m^^h}*^} ■ •««F»ion of ■> •■ f**" done since it lo t lUmitniaki^ any jtiora contctions, or Mi^wwikarStidMBs. '-''* "^^'' :# * * '^ " r .,d « Ezr.-. if no, coeval "'"^ '"t^^^*;' ^^^SZ . , f«r r.«ling. only ,o whai Dr. ComeliMi B«f 'JJ J" ^ f „^i^ ?. A. to U Theology, I fir» tS*" L*!,;" ^ Xch God him- ^^tr "±' ?Ef.Xt;JS^^^& tCHe^w. » much i« judge, whether It bo not the most equivocal! *■" , ample testimony, that ^e d»d not wwh the ^'^[^ ^j.^ed them Rtive Bituation to the nntipnal cnurcn, «.c. ^^Jrw^ "" „t„t«a the much reawn to doubt but this P"y'^£ J^^„^^ento in the econ- \ ' ' v^^i.'^^^ \i- b>-- tai Liri ov tm bkt. mrv wjiilit. Iti iiett could hove no relioffivm the Act of Toleration, l^ecaifie thet went to oburch; end that ao long u they did ao, the Otaventiole Act should be executed upon thetnl* ' ••Laat Sundny, when one of our preachers was beginning to ipeAk to a quiet congregation, a rfeighlirtring ju«trce sent a con- ttabie to seize him, though he wa».|icehsed; and would not release liimtill he had paid twenty pbunds— telling him, bis license wm good for nothing, 'because he wi^'sh Churchman.* " Now, sir, what can the Methodists do ? Th^y are liable to be ruiped by the Conventicle Act, and they have lio relief from the Act of Toleration I If this is not oppression what is? Where then is English liberty? The liberty of Christians, yea of every rational creature? who as such, has a right to worship God a&- eording to his own conscience. But waving the question of right and wrong, what prudence is there in oppressing such a body of loyal subjects? If these good magistrates could drive them, not only out of Somersetshire^ but out of England, who would be gain- er thereby? Not his Majesty, whom we honor and loire; not hia ' inimsters, whom we love and serve for hissake.^ Do they wish to throw away so many thousand A-iends? who are Aiv bound to them "% •peaka word to -. — ., _..„^ _w ..._..^ •••uuoaiiuain^Muai wuu are o by Stronger ties than that of interest— If you will Mr. Pitt on that head, you will oblige," ficc. , •The paper from which the above is |aken, it only iMy : and I • Have some doubt, whether Somersetshire be* not insertedTor Lin- eolnshire before mentioned in the same paper. However this may be, Mr. Wesley wrote to the bishop of ^— ^ the following letter a few months before the above w|ui written. " Mt Lord. .1 leaka m "I sorted t •np, I / than eighty before I have discharged this office of christian " I am a dying man, having already one foot in the grave, maply speakinff, I cannot long creep upon the earth, beinir now nnnrAr ninAtvtIian alalttv »<><•>«> »r««» d»a i ^ .i> • ° Hu- nearer ninety than yeare of age. 'But I cannot die in peace, . . „ thia office of christiaihjove to your lord- .,.„ -_ -J ^"^ without ceremony, as neither hciM g || fearing any tWng from your lordship, or from any man liviUfPTlnd I ask, in the name and m the presence of Hfrn, to whom both you and I are •bortly to give an account, why do you trouble those that are quiet in the land? Those that fear God and work righteousness? Doea your lordship know what the Methodists are ? That many thou- sands of them are zealous members of the Church of England? and -itrdngly attached, not only to his Majesty, but to his present min- ■tryf Why should your lordship, setting religion out of the ques- _.., throw away such a body of respectable friends? Is it for their religious^entiments? Alas, my lord, is this a time to perse- cute any man for eonscience-sake? ; Lbeseech you, my, lord, do m you would be done to. You are a man of sense: you are a man of learning: nay, I verily believe (what is of infinitely more value) you are a m$n of piety. Then think, arid let think— I pray God l<>WeasyottWththo#%lcest of Ws blessings. "^ ■ ^ rr iu uu I flfw A, Jaim.myM,»»fcc. To another bishop. IwP ' - mi^ . . ^ .<•.- .. - lot Mr. Wesley prei laconic way aa fge, had forbidden hie cler< wrote in hia own ft40 Vi THl «»▼• *OII» W»iLtf» ,, Mr ^/ft 1 1' • " .nfonnod Dr. lii»«on, then Lord Hi.hon of Lon"t hioj, h.s com- olaints seemed evidently Jncreasiiw. He dined at Islington, and SesSedTmend to read to him l?oni the fourth to the sevenA J^^yobjnciusive^^ ca3om,but quite unfit for the ^ercisea «f the day.^He was oUiired to lie down about seven o'clock in the moraing, and Sepfwveral hours. In the course of the day, two of h» own diiH •■T. nmm wialbt. Ml 1v •onnm on the 8«mion on the mount, w^re reul to hhs; tnd In the erening he came do^n to supper. Monday, the aist, he iieein- ed much hotter, and viititod a fVieml at Twickenham. Tueeday, • he went on with hiii usual work, preached at the City-Road, and •eemed better than he had been for aome days. Wedneiday he went to Leatherhead, where he delivered his last sermon, from "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found; call ye upon him whde he is near.»' Thursday he paid a visit to Mr. WoIff»a • lovely family at Balaam, from whence he returned, on Friday the 90Kh, extremel|||ll. His friends were struck with the manner of Ilia ^tting outW the carriage, and still more when he went up stairs and nat «lown in his chair. He sent evefy one out of the g room, and desired not to be interrupted for half an hour. Whea ^ that time was expired, some mulled wine was brought him, of ^ which he drank a little. In a few minutes he threw it up, and said, « I must lie down." His friends were now alarmed, and | was immediately sent for, to visit him. On entering the room, he jtaid in a cheerful voice, "Doctor, they are more afraid than hurt." **lo8t of this day he lay in l)ed, had a quick pulse, with a oonaid* er^ble degree of fever and stupor. Saturday, the 26th, he contin- ued much in the same state; taking very little, either of medicine or nourishment. Sunday morning, he seemed better, got up, and took a cup of tea. Sitting in. his chair, he looked quite cheorftil. and repeated these words of his brother Charles, ci^ Ifc "iHll glad I lay this body down,. 1|> Thy ierTanl. Lord, attend I " And 1 my life of msrcy crown With a triumphant ena I '* Soon after he enmhatically raid, " Our friend Lazarus ileepeth.** Exerting himselr to converse with som^^iends, he was soon fai* tigued and obliged to lie down. After lii|i^me time quiet, h« looked up, and said, " Speak to me, I «|flf speak." The per- sons present kneeled down to pray with^^'^and his hearty Amen •bowed he was perfectly sensible of whot wks suid. Some timo after he said, « There is no need of fuore: when at Bristol my words were, . " I the chief of sinners am, < But Jesus died for me." * Monday, the 28th, bis weakness increased. He tteiit most of the day, and spoke but little; yet that lij^e testified how much h m •At the Bristol Conference in 1783, Mr. Weslej was taken very ill: neither be, nor his friends thought he could recover. Prom ths ftsture of nis complaint, he sappMjed a spasn^ would seiss his stomach and probably occasion sadden death. Under these views of his situation, he said to Mr. Bradfoid, " I have been reflecting on my past life : I have been wandering up and down betwes* «ny and sixty years, endeavoring in my poor way, to do a Ihtle good to my fel- low creatures : and now it is probable, that thero aro but a few steps betwssn roe and destht and what have I to ^st to for salvation? I can sas nothhic which I have done or sufiered, that will bear looking at I have no other uIm tbSB this ! * I th e c hi e f of sinne r s am, but Jesus died for me.' '* T he sentimsnt "«'• "l»I«»eed. and his reference to it in his laM sickness, plainly shows how •tesdily be Iwd persevered in the nine views of the gospel, with whioh he lil 4^ 7- 'WnJHMh MM WMLST, whol« heart wm toknn up in the cure of tho ,«^J*'<''«' *Vj'**TL!!f Ood, and lh6 promotion of th« thinw pertaining to that JinfUo n. to w^ilch hti WM h.«t«niim. Once 1i« H«id. in a low but di.tin«t manner. " There ia no way into the holie«i, hut h; th« hloo.! of Jeaua.»' He anked what the wonlii were, from whiph he Uad prvached a iittle iiefore at Harnpatoad. Ueinf told they Wtrt. theMt " Brethren, ye know the graco of our Lord Jenun Uirlat, who/though he wa. rich, yet for »ur wke. iM'can.e I""''. ;»'»\y; through hfa iH.vertv might Income rieh," he replied. '1 hat I* the foundation, the only foundation, and thuro im no other • — Huh «loy I deaired he might he anked, if he would have any other V^m .called intoaltendhim? but thin he ubw>lutely rcfuaed.—lt It W* markable, that he auffered ao little pnin, never c<»mpliumng of any ^ during hhi illnena, hut once of a |min in hia breast. I hm wan a reatleaa night— Tue-day morning, he Hang two veriieB of tn hyinii. then lying atill, aa if to recover strength, he called ft»r pen an« Ink ; but when it waa brought he couki not write. A |)era«)n aoid. Let me write for you, air: tell me what you would aay." He repired. «« Nothing, bat that God ia with ua." In tho forenoon, he said , •♦ I will get up." While theyvwere preparing hie clothcH, he broke out, in tinging. manner that aatoniahed alT who were obout him, In K 1 11 praiM my Makar whik I 've br«alk, And wh«n mj toic«. it l«rt in death, Praise •h»n employ my noliler powera I My dayt of praiM ehall ne'er be past, ' While life,^and. thought, end being laet, Or immortality endure* r Having got him into bit chair, they obeerved him chonge for death. But he, regordleaa of hie dying bmly, said with a weak voice, " Lord, Thou giveat atringth to those who can apeak, and to thoee who cannot. Speak, ft,ord, to nil our hearts, and let them know that Thou loosest tongues." He then sung, «< To Father, Son. and Holy Ghoet, Who eweeUy all agree"— Here his voice failed. After gasping for breath he said, *« Now we have done all.'* He waslben laidpn the bed, from whence he rose no more. After resting a little, he called to those who were with him, " to pray and praise." Soon after he said, " Let me be buried in nothing but whot is woollen, and let my corpe be carried in my coffin, into the chopel." And again called upoa them to** pray and praise," ond taking each by the h»nd, and affectionately saluting them, biide th«m farewell. Attempting afterwards to say something which they couUVnot understandv he paused a little, aiid then with all the remaining strength he hod, •aid, «* The best of all is, God is with us," And again, lifting hii band, he repeated the same words in a holy triumph, " The best of all is, God is with us." Something being given him to moisten his lipa, he said, " It will not do; we must t n ka t h e consequence* 4- Never mind the poor carcase." Beinjj tokl that his brother'* widow was come, he said, " He giveth his servants restj" thanked lier 8» she press^ his hand, and affectionately endeavored to klM WKfLITi. fe!k^,4#JR* / -" •■' ■'■■•■■ ' ■■iv ■ ■ ' ' " ■ ' ''•■■ y ' V- „3m?fJ A", / W 4} b jHM, th« obureh and king, grnnt ui. truth an.l im.«««. hmMih^TtL ratnoM. »^h« J'""l is witl> uh; th» (iod of Jwob in our rHuw K' SlSi^liSnr* '**••" *" P'*^''^ ""^ W«ir«d lbrv«t»ti; |J*jXi« kad attended hiin fiir many yeart, now prHy«d with him- aiMlT^ laat word h« waa haan! tO^rtiourntoVnr'FaWel "^^^ of Ed^£iIT«* ".1 *''" *^^«Vl!''^y "f March, whi fc a numtt witW a ^JS^**!?""* *?"*»i *»'^ bed, dl^lWr; John W«.J«y^ im hi ^ y ** ^*"*''r " »J« '"•n'^'-yj «nd the pr««ading i»X^ Taefid^iiTn i"'^ •»ymor al of hi. uncommon .ool" dilig«„?e am" K. /S '"' ^"^^K^ Tr^^ ^"' •""'^ »»»an half a contury.-- Hh. death waa an admirald? duao of ao lahoriou. and u-effii « ar^iL^ iWl Ww lti« diiy appointee! for hia Interment. Th« fh^Iw d^lLrth A*'"'*^". */? '"^ ""*" «»IonUh,nent. h..«ted th«?I Innrolfd if .h^^^ ^"*'"!' ^»««"!5r *"** »»»« executors afterward. Approved of the appomtment. The ntention wa«, to carrv tha rulCJTduHni'Z*'"***',""^ ^i??l' •" * "^'^'^^ -«»•"•»"««» l^" - ho Cv wMU ff ** •*''I'*^' J*"l*h? «''<»'^<^- which came to «ee the c alk m the ch.ii»ol the day before the funeral, were so irreat. that Sn thrlVfi"'? I'PP'fT^X^^f • !"rnult, if Ihev sho" rim>cood hlfi™ * i h '!"V'"?'^***- 't «^M-«herefore rcHofved, the eveninij before, to bury him between five and six in the morninir Thoufffi was spoken of with great caution, yet a considerable number of L who^w^uJ'h?'"*^- **T- '^^' '"^*' R«^- Mr RiTha^^ wJ^i^in^^i£S]rf »**'"* j*^ -^^^ *"r /""'*' »^»'*'»»»e ftineral SITrL? wMS*.ft ''* "3***"'.* peculiarly affecting. The di- ST« hm.? ^/5^^'^S^iI P"**'***** ^'" delivered In the chapel Sf iLn?« "PP**'"**! »n thf %renoon, to an astonishing multitude of t'CSln'Krr* T**"*"*, T'^^»P««y ministers of the gospel, both of the establishment, and the Dissenters. The au.lience wai atiil & vSrof tr^ w' r" rr^ *" carry . away w?Orthem"i*I Thl lEKf!^J tr*^ w'*^'.°'t' '»"'* *''« »»"'ty »f Methodism. •Jfnr^rJJ J?'* ^l^^^yHtJracted the public notice beyond }fLi« •**,"'Pi«' Pe'-hap. pra clergyman however dignified. iLnn Srr?J*^ ^"^"V* **»•»**« »«•«** a» he had lived; anrevin- S^ m w!. P""'>°"''"^'"/'*^°V^*''* cU racter and of Metlji av w-my^**^"""* universah so that some persons sa d, Mr. WeS. Su L^L"*"*^ «f****** ^^>'» l*''^** '»»'^» *« d'^ m his whole life. «h», boyever, 18 certain, that a door of usefulness w»w now 'Ik,,- ;*'. A* ■#. -TT P. > fill' tat iJra'^ VM'ut. MM •pMtd to tiM Mtdiodkt pNMhcn, onkiMmB at unf ftnn^ And liad they ttrietly adhered to our old diMmuruUd plan of Methodiem, it it probahle they would in the end. have heen more eztenairely uaeAil to the whole nation. But thia opportunity ia pait, and will nerer return. . Tlie following inacripfion, though in my judgment npt^irort^ •f Mr, Wealeyi haa ainos hb interment been put oh hia tomb* ,; MTotheMeroonrof "^ .. V/5 Tbb VBiniaABi.n Johk wbilbt, A; |f. Laie Fellow of LufootM College, Ozf«i|li>. ^' Thia' OliBAT 'LioBT aroaa ■■!":- ■•■ • ,:■•• (By the aincular Providence of God)| ^^ To enlighten THBSB Natioiv8» ^ , And to ramiej^«rifore«, ap4 lie/cM) , ^ The Pure, Apoatolical DocTaiuBa and PaAOTiCBa of ThTpRIMITIVE CHURCp: Whidi he continued to 4o, by hia WaiTiiias and hia s • Llaoaa^ _. -v ■• ^■. lP , JM abo, fkr above all human Power or Bxmlution, : ; ' Lived to aee Pkoviaiov made, by the aingular Gra<^ %■ \ ■■ of Gob, ' ■ V^-^' For their CoirTiirvAMOB and EaTABLiaHMBHT, To ^RC JoT of lUTOaB GBNBBATIOHal Rbadbb, If thou art oonatrained to bleaa the I|iatiiVMB«T« " « Gii^ Goii THm GtOBTt / 4fler kmmgUmgwdkedmfn0 drnffti HalKiUngaJkmhed kia G0VB8B mnd\ Am Lifb together: gImnmMy ■■*t trm mmk m g wer I>bat4, i>om.l791,mlA«e' " p Q. >' w "a taf!$ of the kde Mr. John ^lef/^e Will. " ^ ^^' \: "Inthe'namoof God.' i^mwa!:' ■/■-f .:.|.^V::«: , ,, " l' JoBB WaaLBv, Cleric, aome time|'ellW'of Unooln-Coliege. Oxford, revoking all qth0n, appoint tbia ti^Vbe m laat Will nnd TeatanUnt. ^^ ^1 ^ a^^ f^ (* I give all my hooka now on iale,, buIq^ po a rent charge ciT £85 a jrr if my tNrother)to mr faithfhl (he. George WoUT, mi^Hanf, ahfl Wniiai»|j of tbiidoo, hi bruat for the general fluid :ti. .^^ieaOT^hetn: ^idpvrlliiM "iortba, me 'iotti atf^-teoker, lothodnf Cbiuhr*, f/. m ?^ ■*" '^^^^Sf^ noiL a of mora ftjri. »rthgr lirtm' uiNJwirir IvMuti ■mi «>v rorik of Opd, bjr MtitrairtjilMehon; „ I following committee. ThoirMif CokO) in^ fai etiryinf on the „^.» . mlition that fbey perniit tlie louowmg committee, 1 homM Cokei JujjjCraighton, Pewi .Dlckenwn. Thorn.. !l.nkWrGaofw !ri*2lSii!S «i« London A»rk.|it for th« time being. «W5 WMrintmid ^0 printing.prete, .nd to employ H.nnith pSremora; !S-?!?T P«r«more. .. nefetdfora, unkM fqnr of tjie teoini%tt«^ judn . eh.nge to be n^fiil. ^ .uIVu**^!.** ^wokliJ^roJiuw. wid-irhfieFerrtM belong, to me in SSli'S? Jl?"**^ aj.Kin|«wopd, In trpet to^Thoma. ffoke, AlexV lS«!rJl • !*■!? H«»7Moore,tobeirtin.mployedinteMWi2 •nd mplntMninff the children of poor travelling praichett. . r MlJ^I?wkTfe!!:"^°^i?'^^^»' •'^*« Wftttlieitd,.and Wry t^^^ IIL iJ******" '!}!'*'** ?^ i" "'y •*"*'y .nd bed-chambei- at , preacher, who .h.ir labor here firom time to time. ; . ^ » «^K^*^ ?**"!?• "** wh««ver elie i. found In the drai^r o^ . ngr^bnnatt at London, to my dear gi'and-^attghten Maiy and Jiint k l*/^!?u" ""y ™»^»"cnp«« to Thoma. Coke, Doctor Whit^ hMd, md Henry Moore, to be burnt or published 11 they wa good. ,.•..■• >;f x^ ^A^ whatever money renmin. in ray bureau «iid pdcketk at toy deoeaw to be emially divided between Thoma. Briw^, WU- U.m eoIlinB,^ohn E..ton, and Iraac Brown. ^ -f A-ISf iT S?^"' «««»ck8,^Kwhe., and band., miyremaiii rt thejjhapel f&r the w of the clergymen attending theri. — J^nir'i**"^®" Awlatant for the time being to divide the ^«hJ2?^i^;'*<^fP.P""* ^^^r** «»^ fo«r o/the trttemig J«iStis:a7ie:hif^"^r^ WhL£rio'"fLJ?*iriI"** M *^i '^u -''^^^ Ward and Charle. WBeeler, in tjust, to be .old, and the money to be divided, one fclj^lST***^****''' ^^ the other to the poor member. «i>the oeieQi Mciety. . ^lUofAe firrtmon*^^ ari,^ froni the mIc of book., I ^taeath to lifly dear .ister Martha Hall (if alive) X40. to Afr Creijhton afor«iaid £40, and to the Rev. Mi^. He^ti £W. J And wherea. I am empowered by a late Deed to name the ^S^Z^tL^ ^J"^^ ^? th^ew Chapel in ^ndoi! (th| ^2!SS2!;X I«SS.'"*'*"*'*»l""** ^ ■*»«'>»«' I>««d to name a eofl^^lw for a)>pointing preacher, in the New Chanel at Bath, I Si^3 Kff "*' JohnMchai«Uon, Thoma. Coke. ,fimi SSgh- too, P*arlDickenwn, clerk., Alexander Mather, WilTiam Thomp- jSJ?R2««*^ffl Wi.-^ S"\'» •'^'»" Valton/ Jo«,ph iJS Jame. Koger., ahd William Mylef, to Breach" in the if ew Chanel . J wm^'^^wff***"' ^^^ ?^^^^> painter, Arthur Keen,gent. S^m^^^ *^ ^^ Kingiwood School b| the late # 4,, W^! -4!»- ' / lit mn Mill •» «!■ «■▼• ••*« 'iwwiJw.. "I tfWtf iB6?to be divided emoiif the efat^popr »n«>i n™iS^ the ISSSint! whoihell cerry niybody to the gretej for > I^rt^f- domiexcepttheteawof them that loved "»•» •nd "J *i"f7|?; STtS Ab«C«ra». boeom. I i^lemnly abjure tny %xec«tor. in the remaWthe'counexlon uix month. ««•«■ "•Hece'^'v" • ""^^ token of my lore, the eight volumea of S""??w:iii.« M.rrlAtt •?I appSw John Horton, George WoliT. '^.^^^^^I^Z* ^d&siif ss^^s ^ rri^iJ^Sif t^irri ^^^SJtSrSyhandand-ealthe^h^o^ " ingmdi tmUa, .nd delivered l^ *• ■.id Te-wwr ««»*«» / ^■^•'■-^"■■■■' '"'■' ■' '■"' 'V ■■■■''■■ ■■ El.I«AB*TH GlOLOW. -^ « Should there be «»> pari of my personal ^'^^ ""^j'rtm / WiLLIAII ClOLOW. ^ I Eluaibth Clulow. ^■-■■;': ■:; ■:r /•■■ Vurt for the il» ^f «*»• Conference. ^^^^ WitL»T.»» \ Ii^e latter end of the wmmerpriBcediAg Mr. WejJ^^ eeruOn pen»n, who had long b«en trying ^^^'Z'^^^^JS^ qii?e*!uperiir influence overtothpreac^«r«Mind i^^^^ orU to perauade Mr. Wesley, that fr he ditpoMd of »"• Jtier^r prtjertyby hi. Will only, hianext of kin wouW cU^^ Sf £»ignnfent wa. nece»ary to prevent f eir. cIwim. JM^tW«H ley denied that thi. would be the^ca«j,and ^^^^^f^^^^i «/ makins a deed of awignment. » Being however, firenuentiy 2^lSS5tto^uHon,he at length, in company with thf. «me ^^^SS^A^nc^nMetaiBX wlicitor on the quction; who SnhZ^thar^a. hi. literary property w- Pe^ja e whlied for a deed" Sf aSSmSt that might anirer hi. purpo«» Wa. »<>« d.j«oura«jl b^ thS^DUlM. but afferward* wrote to the wme wlicitor for hw Mw3?nonthe.u6ject; and received the aame -nijerin , «S?ti«L Sinif Mr. We»ley»8 wlicitor not of an accommodating SSion whenf integritr nu^^ be «icri«ced, he applied to ano*- i^^SiS .SSwrTthe^M^^ economy, anrftberefore^mofj •'»»■ "*^ ■l\l!^:- A A.,^ nf RMimment wa. drawn Up, to a total .transer lo me iwcmwiw* «w..v—j * •""- --— -_- -^ ^ , - uoB^ anawer tne purpoae imBuuou, v«n.«j...B 7 L '' .u- ••-»_' JSp«rty to J£f eVperwti. therein named (.taiong whom the ei^n- X, »ni Ufi 0» Till Mr. MB* WMMf« nton of Mr. WMley*« Will w«» imm loeliided) ii|mii iptefail mmi, thai tlimr •hould iipplj ill the proflis of the hooka, 8u}. to the aolo tiMend beneAt or the Cooference, in eueh imuiner m tolAeei ■hould eeflm mort proper and expedient. Thinga being thve pre- pared, the old gentleman wlujearried prirately to a flriend*a house, to exeeutr thb deed/ fire mdnths bilfore be died; a tinie when hU weakneii Waa ao great, that we nunr venture to aay, he could not ait five minutea to h«ar any thiiig read.eapecially in the forma of law, without falling into a ((oie: ao that there ia not the least probabil- ity I hat Ma. Wealey knew the cdntenta of the deed he executed, or had any auapieion of ita tendency or the deaign of its author. It ia Very certain the body of the preaebera werelgftorant of thia scandalous tranaaction; in which an advantage wap taken of affe and infirmltiesi by one or two indiviibiala, to^galn the management of a large and increaaing annual revenue, to aerve ^e purpoaea of their 6wn influence and ambition. I mention one or twb Individ- uala, becauae It haa been aaid,>4hat one of the preachen naniad in this deed, was in league with him who ought to be considered as the author of it. But i sa y n o more 4iiMMWiltttot that will not beaf Co be fully examihad.^ : if Mi i^ GHAnp^ER VIv >■ Bit <:k|^0,N Jy' ^, A.BBVIBW or MR. W»mpF*S CHABilOTiK. Maky paniculara ofMr. Wfsley^li life, both of a public and private nature, have alrfBad]^ bcien detailed;, and I hope in auoh a miuiner as td ctnaMMlfib jiitl)Illgent reader, by this time, to form an opinion of his chMrlar upon apod evidence. But we must re- HMmber that sonir naSrticUlar arculftstanceat^or a few occasional acts in a roan''s life, Ity. lit never lojpt sight of the^nile wlii6b Horace g^ives, , .Erf br§^iilMt* (tpm, tU mmU < < aHsi rta , m»<'m ^i jnt|Mi^if i?f rfilt ieifw ok$rautibm nerf >. - -i 4..*- •• ^oodtfnir lUetimi 'let yinir wmi becUv. Wor witlii a weight olT words faliguc th« ear." ** HuLJJ!!''^^ *® his subject, and preeite in their ineHning. Bis sentences commonly have clearness, unity, and strenirth: yet V he sometimes closes ajMntence in a manner which destroys its har- yony, and subtract much from its beauty. But whenever he took ttme, and gave the necesiary attention to his subject, both hia *TJ;7n "*^'''?» it..and hisityle, show the hand o?rm«ter • « HI. -Sll ?7'"* 1 * JT c**'"'*^**'' ""t ¥^' W^-^^y »• * preacher. His attitude in the pulpit was gi^aceful and easy: his action calm aiid natural, yet pleasing and expreseiVe : his voice not loud, but clear and manly: his style neat, simple, and perspicuous: and ad- mirably adapted to the capacity of Th^B Searers. His d/scourses, lu point orcomposition, were extremely different on diffiirent occasions. When he gave himself sufficient time for study, he succeeded; but when he did not, he frequently failed.»'— It was indeed manifest to his friends for many years before he died, that his emploprm^nu were too many, and he preached too often, to •ppear with the same advantage at all times in the pulpit. His sermonsVere always short: he was sfeldom more than' lalf an hour in delivering a discourse, «|metimes not so long. His sub- jectowerejudiciouslv chosen; instructive and inter^ting to the audience, and well adapred to gain attention and warm thS heart. «aT« "•*r®".u^ ^^' ^®**®y »" **»« wo^'k of the ministry, for fifty years together, are, I apprehend, without precedent. Durinff thii period, he travelled about four thousand five hundred iiiles ZVJJl"' T y®"!5 '^^*.** »»?«*'*'•» ^*»'<'*' 8'^e two hundred and twenty-five thousand miles, that he travelled after he became an itinerant pre»<^her It had been impossible for him lo perfonn this almost incredible degree of lalwr, without great punctuality and care ID the maoi^ment o^ his time. He had stated hours for every purpose: and his only relaJiatipii was a change of employ- K:.* "»VJ^»«^were like the laws of the Medes and Persians, ibMlute and irrevocable. He had a i»eculiar pleasure in reading and study, and every literary (nan knows the foroe of this passiom how apt It IS to make him encroach on the time which ou At to be enaployed in other duties: he had a high relish for polite coiivei^ sauon, especially with pious, learned, aixd sensible men; but when- ever the hour came he was to set out on a journey, he instantly quitted any subject or any conipany in which he might be engair- ed, without any apparent reluctance. For fifty-iwo years? or upwards, he gonerally delivered two, frequently tVee orVour serl 2 i wriLiYf J?***,.?'!"'**'."^ *' ^sermons a day, and allowing, 1iJHl^\Z^ ^\^f has done, fifty anpuaUy for extraordinaS occasiOQs, the whole number during this period will be fortv thoj^jdfive hydij^^ 2?t^S?^^ A^ observes, an>^oiife number of ejdiortations to wSicmI? Irted P'®**'***"*' ""^ *"*''**«'* ®^^<^»onal me^ngs at fc Ji !lL^*** ^f^\ ^'\ Wesley wsm lively and convepihte.?' He Ul UHMC ^xquittte talents to make hirnielf agreeable in coinpany! >,iga.,j"4,^^^^^ th« Doctor —He was personally acquainted with Mr. wesiey, ana liJ iu&t of Mr. \Ve8iey»s nmnner of conversation is left on l^J«i Re said. ** Mr. Wesley's conversation is good: he talkt wdUn aSTaifc I could converse with him "» nighft;' »«' ' Dr rhSwo5.J certainly not have expressed himself in jhia S^nir laJittarTappro^^^^^ had Mr, Wesley been that 4^k, «S^Ji^ feature reoroseiited by Archbishop Herring. .. t.^r • ,?7^«SaWe ffire n Mr. Wesley's character, was hit '■ ^ ■ ^ iiatSa r^^^^ «-u^ !n «nd the constant hab t of c Ose thinking, had in a great religion, »°JJg® .^|,'^JT"„^^^^ c« !„ general lie nreservetl an Sr"r li^d^e^s and '^^^^^^^^ fo?med a striting contrast S^ the Ikffirconspic*^ in all bis actions." Persecution, abuj«, Sifniu^; Kre fro^ll sSrangers, not only without «nf ''.but with- otti ibTaupaTent emoliok. "^ But in contests of another kind.thw C« ngTeTse. QnoA sition from his preachers, or people, he • • See the Ar'-hbisUop's UlteiL toWilU^ Duacombe, Esq. pruiiwi r?- 1777, THI Ltfl OW run BUT. lOHir WUMT, Ml «ott.d not flo «Mily brdok; -tiid on ionMorthMe odeubdthewould •n«ak with a degree of warmth which cannot be defended. Bui this was onl^ for a moment; and he waa very aensihle of the lirn propriety of it. ^ What he aaid of himaelf waaatrictl^true: that he had a great fkcility in forgiving injuriea.— Submiaai^n on the port or the offender, presentlv disarmed his resentment, and he would ; treat him with great kiadnesH and cordiality."— N& man was ever more free from jealousy or suspicion than Mr. Wesley, or laiJ himself more open to the imnusitions of others. Though his con- fltlence was often abused, and circumstances sortietiines took place, * which would have made almost any other mai/suspect every body about Jiim, yet he suspected no one; nor wn^.it easy to convince hiin, that any one had intentionally deceived him. And w*en facta had demonstrated that this was imtually the/case, he would allow no mure, xhariTthat it was so in that single fmstance. And if the person acknowledtfed his fault, he believed Win sincere, and would trust hiin again. If we view this temper of his mind in connexion With a circvmstaiice liefore mentioned, t^j his most private con- ^M?** 1?^ ?P®'* '" *'*" i»«»pectionofthosecoiiirtantly about him, II ) wdl, an**"! as strong a proof tm can Well lie given, of the integrity of his own mind;' and that he warf at the furthest distance from any iiitehlion to deceive, o^iniHMe upon others. " The temperance # Mr. Wesley wos extraordinary." When at college he curried it so far, that his fViomls thought him blaine»f ble. But he never im|>ose(l upo.« it, ond roll two or »'»•*«*""''; ';'\Xt Even in the latter wa-Hufficiently flattened ami h^^^^ get mto *.v i;rh^eir Jct^wL" afuii'^^rHTdl^ee ^o.u «oftnes. or em,.nl. -JTwriter of Mr, We.ey. m., J;^^^^ A' writer of Mr. ^ef y'« mej^^^^ — ^ t^Hen. ha. respecting hxn general ^•^•^"f «[' "^Xiitable maninFaigland, the?7baerved. " ^fj^r J?lT?hf oo^^^^^^^^^^ no bouSd. hu VfM her oWved. " JJcrhapa the mo« e^^^^^^^^^ an Mr. Wesley." Hw lil»crulity to t*** Pf "J' J^Tcertain part oT his STnpty poclfet He «\v« .^'own UnT^^^^^ •^^-"^i income, but all that he had. n'J®^"^He entered uiwn thin good .llthere8ttothenjK;es...ejofmherj H^en^^^^^^^^^ ^^f^^^^ work at a very early wuwh We ^^^J^^^^^-^* ^^j -uve away thirty |H»undM a year, he »>;;«* ""'.^^^^-^^^^^^^^^ pounSs, he stift forty shillings. The next year, receiving »>yyPy 'f^he third HveH on twenty-eight, and gaVo «^J J„7^ ","^VJ^^^^^ The year he received ninety p>.-''^5^!5!t»';'aa5fBr.5»s^~ m j!Mi±Mii'fli^-±-^ »« LiF. or tm ii.r. ,o«w W1.WT. in / ^t hii own handfl should be hia mi,^.^^^^ *_i*ii. - gained all he could by hi. nuhW L T"'^ ^™ *^«l* fc« waatlng .o much Ma.hiJt'^f nf!!"""' f lH.** "J^?** "" "«' ''»'»", not declared in pri„Mhit. iY^'^dieS S*!;' "'X" ''•'^*'* "« »»•«« dependent orhl. booki inHrtf '^o'an more than ten pound., in- thin held, he WouW gf;e "he t Jd7«^^^ feUow.hi^, whici; he • robber." Thl. d«5u«i?«nV*?'^*^" ?■"*'»'»»"• «hlef and . and height of h U z^ UIH kL"*"**J' '" ^***' '."^^^'^y ^^ hi- heart, yird.. /fom ciS.um.tancei w^^ ""5^ Vet in thb, a. all h^l fSdr«wl5f J** "J '' .^^^ "* *h«t time forewe^ •• far a. i,uman fori^ight courre'ih''" Hr"if "J^P* »»'■ ^""^ - ^ hi- clothe., and a few "rffle. of rfiiit k^?!*^"^ ""T^ «"'* howet,' *cepted. that ho left at hi. deVtl wS " ^' ""•": i"'.*"'" hook. «: hi« lH,<,k., i. „f no con«eouenci .i^k***'''*"' '"'^'»* he the value of of the trustee. (thoug^hTS 1?;.^^ "^T. ^V** '» «he handa ari.ing from th\ -aTof theri. Jl^n"/\"'"'*i^^ *"^ the profits of the Conference: re«erviXlv . fi. ^P^-'** **•" ""*' «"<* h«ne«t [eft. and a rent-chir«Tf eVh l^fi^^**^^^^^ Mr. Wealey for their opponent, thnv »hn..ttlk "i* *hey have no regard a writer beTneg i^S arS^^^ »''« ««»^«n the words o/ n«"ing I say noXniJ to v^?^- Polemical tract.. « To your adiniiSd the tompe??; whrh Mr T""' ' ^"^ ^^^"^ follows." ^He •«n,e instance. iSn Law shoj? a i;S;i "T? controversy: onlv in ^r;.^-'f^ ^I'-^ht Z.tg^^i^TZ':^^ for h.sop,H,„e„t. w^ich - h,. - x™."«. n.s power Was ab.Tu1ir''Th''^ 'P*"'''"«» rights, or privilege.: no office, nf rw» * :> There were no were created or wnc'tione.! by him «A^*"" **■; l"^"^"'^*; hut what ttem. but during his picture 'lT;«^.*^''"'** ""^ !»««"»« hold like a great «nd ca.„pliSLachh,e i"'%''^'''^T "^ Methodism, tion.and hi. will «iISBft^„,i' •^•"* ^"'''"*''' »*''<'«'• hin direc- wnyor that, a. he tho\i3HKw" H* ^"T* °"'* *"''»«*^ 't this torrqnt, gathered HtremrtlTlPm «.„ '" '"""^"ce, like a mighty «ep betw^een bim amT?r*^rK; °* "7"^' intermediate • nm.« fi.- :„. .. »^««»«W>tty^of the people. Let um sun- P«se, for in«ance, than on^m a I the societies, or th^ natiE « wanU .'*'*'*^""*''' dispemed tK J? w"®*" ^hich concerned „, „.„™„„„ inrrt»«\k J^®*'''y^»V« his orders aronid Impr^. themTn7he Xr^oi''.l'''''^"^'''«*'"'"«= »hese »«t us suppose three hunlrwl i^r^^"'' a """'''**'' totr*-tlM.r, — ^^- ^yinureu. W i t h t he influ e nc e of Orig body. # ■CL ■.!^ p.-ti J» ' .f. .Mii^. »M ,^^ VHI Liri Of TH» MV. MMII WMI.1T. / "^ . / Ui.^ onl.r# would pa- o».i«abo«uwel^ STvMt variety "f •'^"•»'««*» ^^^^J^VlSr ou««,u^ .ww^nl. «nd rauM, wouW i.nore*. them on "»^"»2^; „„, ...jght, in a -hort , daw leaaern; a.ul these. l»y i;«";""\arJ^^Slvi,iL .ne.nber. time, enfurco them on */^"\ "^'.^^hY/ v^^a may bup|h.h«, the itinerant of the aocietie.. In •"'^^""" ,^j!^Vt«n day- ir a fortnight, pub- an.1 locnl preacherH "^Krli ^rfour huulrca thou-an-F ,»e«ple. licly aihlre*- between thrw ""* *;^' "„' „.! uiK>n them. N«>w. when the aome matter ^'l^^t 'k^,^";J,"; ^^l.i i«combinei.. dim.; whatcouiaatamlaguinHlauanifluenceaain ,„„|i„,.? If 2ve, and rapid in it. Wr*"^: .^' ^1 ZTet«. whatever miRhl directed «g«HV;ny,;"i-;;»,"^t:rr MM^ mdy»K,l^e S^bblt tf!;ra^o ri\\t"S; .town' 'the Hide of a mountain; it STou^rbe'^we^pt ^^^}^^^^ hi. authority o. «k> I do n.)t .ay, that ^r JVe^Ioy ev«r t x^ ^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^ ^^ a .calo. a. here "^fP^^J^'Scie t importance required khat, had any .locMWion "^ "^ ^.^''^"[./Vhe MethcHliMt ocon- Ihe power of domg ho; "'"l "'"^'n . t.-n in thin way, and fnuinceof the rulmK pnmch.r- opc. at,^ .n thm^^^^^^^^ ^ ,i iv |H,«n tjxcrtod Hiiice the death ot Mr. i-^e j. .JSrmic than here •"«'»»'""«;'• „,^. „^ri„,„ would, b« ofTemlcd Si. natural to .uppce, that •?""", ^»^*^nonncxionj n. thinking with Mr. Wenley'. power over the wh CM ^^^^ ^,^ • ,^^,„r.,in«ly. they had Home right^ to Hhiuo it wiin mi ^ ,^ ^ ^, ,. l^eLharge-iwiththeloyoof r-^^^^^^^^^^ ^,,,^„. Thi. ., Uh in hi. Character B t J^ "';^^„ ^^ok-cd hi. poAver, m m«e|>- howover i. certain, that Ue "'jT^y^'^^^j „;,,', rity ,f the 0.)cietie. Hrably connected ^\»^»'»°^wUhcr 2kenor.^ over which he prennW : ^V^'^e wa. .o Sacious of it. Thl- may ble, that on thi* acco««t "».'y^^«. ^f ''„^'* ,„ ' ever uned, lii. power cer'tainly be .aid to h.. P,^''*^^/^'^^? Ho never „.ou«\.t hi. with mor6 n,o< eration than Mr- y/;^'«J; ^^•,„^ie, lalmred un.ler own ea«3 «^'"'^«»"J««" 'V/^° H Ipe^^ *>'" governnienU : „« inconvenience from '»% '"\ 'I'Seme power, that if any Were They derive.! th.. »»«;".f^*. J"^" J^^^^^^^^ inhnon. of a pro^.her, injure.1 or «m>.eH«ed by »h« '»»«»[^^^^^^^^ ,,, hiln. Having known -they obtained nnmeduite red e^b^appl^^^ ^.^ hiiii f»>r twenty-hve yearn, aiiu »»*'"».. • fuUy convinced nor., I have 4io henitation in '>"«'"•••";',!. Lit of tin judgmout. on every occa.ion. »« P':^'""^^.;V^,^J"';,y he peace an.l welfare of hi. perity of th# people he K'»\«;S'i^,rtcer^^ attachment whatev- iouniry, «i'-f«K'^!:^'"8.""y '' o^hi. iencr" purpose of dt»ing go«^e preacher, and ->'■ ff m »1' "T %»A*%im^. tHi uf or , and wai m the rich, Mgaiimt any preMviit, the \trmc.ht4^ •ml «x«LUte th«m, l»y i. torini> account nZe.« ^ hL^J""?^' "' r """l^y a'^'ihilitea all tho repJoachci' h! Tav^ been caat u^on hiin: but such oa doea honor to mankind at the Si!* h/**^ ^^° ^•»*"'«^ '•«•?'*• Hia apnrohen-ion laa iJdy Zl d latinct; hw learning extenaivc. HIa juigment, though not infaHI- Si«T h'"T '"'°" «''««"«"»• HiH miSd waa steadfaat and «I aolved. His elc^ution was ready and clear, graceful and eaav I! curate and unaffected. A. a writer, hi. iyle. though una"ud?5 an ■SEl* r^ HHt' ' ^ -. /;. ' ■" . ^':^'. ■ / V \ f m ^BSK'^'"'-'*' ''■ ■■ ■ 1* ■ % \ .''■-• ;\>: •■ . ■? 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(^^IT ,,^■•1. ■-.,-.. ■:-,.'^'..:>v>^-.. ■■<...&..,-.:•'. .,;' :.;■;;■./ -it.: .\\i .... "'. ■'■ , - ,■ '^ ■■.; .'■..;'■•'■■ . -.C-;-. ■V)' .^ ■ " iM^m •■ * • m « *«?< <> it 1.0 I.I 1.25 Li|28 |Z5 3.2 3.6 la if- -^ 1.4 2.0 1.8 1.6 MICROCOPY RESOLUTION TEST CHART NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS STANDARD REFERENCE MATERIAL 1010a (ANSI and ISO TEST CHART No. 2) . rr^ i'^ ^.^MJt^LSA/Jf^. "T^ >' '\ i*';'*-' l«':. •■■:a' ' ,»P%f ![';. S«€ TUB tlFB OF TH* HEV. JOHN WB8LET a«hftme"?^a slave to any one passion or pursuit, that can fix a blemish on Ihs character. Of what use weVe the accumulation of w««»th to h^^ iTho through his whole course, never^allowed himself to tasl^ the renose of indolence, or even of the common indu ^ence m the use nfihe necessaries of life. Ftee from the partiality of any party, jLsLtSr of this excellent character, with a friendly tear, pav* it as aiSs/trSute to the memory of so great and good a man, wfco '^^E;a,:ing^o for ^'U goes, is an accurate and beautiful pic ^^fC'£^S;r I tn "i^rtunity, for some days^together^ obseSlVIn Wesley with* attention. I endeavored to consider htnot^so much with the eye of a friend, as with the impar.al.tj K Dhilosopher: and 1 must declare, eveir hour I spent in his ^mpany?X5ed me fresh reasons for esteenri and veneration %, Sne irold man I never saw. The happiness of his mind Wmed forth in his countenance. Evenr look showed how fully h^ fenioved " The gay remembrance of^a life well spent :» and wherTe^rhewenlLVusedaportionofhisownfeli^^^^^^ Eas^ Si «irnW« in his demeanor, he accommodated himself to every "W of^mT^Tny^nrshow^^^^ how happily the most finished cour- ^8^ may Klended with the most perfect piety. In his conversa- tion w/mfX be at a loss whether to admire most, his fine classi- i»l t*JtP TSf extensive knowledge of men and things, or his over- flow^rgoodnSrof h^^^^^^^ the^ grave anl serous were Jw-Hf /with his wisdom, his sportive sallies of innocent mirth de- l^Stv^n the y^^^^^ and both. saw in his unm- SerchSn^^^^ ^I'^'^rl^'^l'^^^^r^. *rI remarks on the levity of youth, embittered his discourse: n» a?mS"frettospect to past times, marked his present discontent' iHim even SnS appeared delightful, like an evening withou l " cird; andUw^^^ossible to oMer y e him without wiohmg fe,. ♦ently, « May my latter end be like his ! ' ^!^l ."^^l^'.'^fsj >*.*, • THE Lire or THE REl?. JOHW WJKSXCT. \ 667 . ^ But 1 finjj myself ulleq*ual to the task' of delincatinrr mch a character. What I have said, niflV to some appear as panegyric; but there arc nui.ihdKs, and those of tuHto and diHcernment toa, who can bear witness to tiie truth, thoujrh by ru, means to thenerfect- ness of t|^e Skettfh I have attempted. With such I have been! fre- quently i^ his (^mpuny; and every one of them, I am persuaVlod. wouid su^scrdi> to all have said. For my own part, I never Was Bo-happy as whde with him, and scarcely ever felt more noiirnant rg''«t thah at /parting from him; for well I knew, * [ ne'er should mok upon\his/like agtiin.'" . ^^'he follbWiug beautiful jportrait of Mr. Wi!6ley was drawn by a niasterly hand. It aopeared soon after his death, in a very respect- able pul)lication; and was afterwards inserted in Wood fall's Diary, June 17, 1791; from whence I have taken it: having made one or two trifling alterations. ' "=* " His indefatigable zea| in the discharge of his duty has been long witnessed by the world; but as mankind are not alwoys in- clined to put a generous construction on the exertion of singular talents, his motives were imputed to the l6ve of popularity, ambi- tion, abd lucre. It now appears that he was actuated by a disin- terested regard to the immortal interest of mankind. He labored, and studied, and preached, and wrote to propagate, what he be- lieved to be the gospel of Christ. The intervals of these engage- ments were employed in governing and regulating the concerns of his numerous societies; assisting the necessities, solving the diffi- culties, and soothing the afflictions of his hearers. He observed so rigid a temperance, and allowed himself so little repose, that fie seemed to be above the infirmities of nature, and to act independ- ent of the earthly tenement hd^ccupied. The recital of the oc- currences of every day of his life would be the greatest encomium. Had he loved wealth, he might have accumulated wi-tfeiut bounds. Had he been fond of power, his influence woul#?^e been worth courting by any party. I do not say he was feout ambition; he had that which Christianity need not blush at, and which virtue is proud to confess. I do not mean, that which w gratified by splendor and large possessions;- but that which com- mands tl^ hearts and affections, the homage and gratitude, of thou- sands. For him they felt sentiments of veneration, only inferior to those which they paid to heaven: to him they looked as their- lather, their benefactor, their guide to glory and immortality: for hira they fell prostrate before God, with prayers and tears, to spare his doom, and prolong his stay. Such a recompense.as this, IS suflicient to repay the toils of the longest life. Short of this, greatness is contemptible impotence. Before this, lofty prelates bow, and princes hide their diminished heads. " HiszeaLwas not a transient blaze, but a steady and constant flame. The ardor ofhis spirit was neither damped by difficulty,' nor subdued by age. This was ascribed by himself, to the power of Divine grace; by the world to enthusiasm. Be it what if will. It IS what philosophers must envy, and infidels respect: it is that which giv e s en e rgy to the soul, and wi t hout whitth there can be oo greatness of heroism -H.) .w* I ' K% 47<^~- 1~. irS^S?^*^^*! >^^* '"j.*"?^ •'". r T''^ Ir ■■ j-ii^:L-ik.a^-<^ ■ 4' f •^'^f "■ f-V 1» THB un or tm nzv. johh wbslby. U6 in every other l.rofe»..m.n..ur.u,fHo^^^^^^^ ftvor nnd er„°;d%T,tu7':reWU''tnjT.r%,„nh., c^^^^^^^ made .,., "T,t™°o.'"The was without faul«M.r above mWaker, but' of the Church ?f^f"K^"J^-hrwa8 treated as a fanatic and impostor, h 8 enemies. Yet for this ne was "^^^ . nprsfeclition. Even the controvefsyi were witnesses of the effecte ot "'j^ ^^^j versaries, and acquiring resnect among th^^^^^ ^^^^^^ distant fronijh.8 principles, he lived to see ^ ^^^^^^ spreading its branches f^V^l.^J'^l^^^lJisruS it« shade. No kingdoms, but the Wester^ worid^^o^t^^^^^^^^ ^ ^^^^^^^ ^^ sect since the first ages of Christianity co{y« "V ^j teen a candi- such extensive talents and endowments ^f he ha^ been^ ^^^^^ date forjiterary <^*"™«; ^j^^TSise of m^^^^^^ wishes; but he sought not the praise «» man,^ ° urpose of his mmgi «p- a^SSssrs-as^-.. ■':.^ -''■ ^:-w:::f^ TRB tl» or ¥HR REV. JOHN WB«LCT. m •oiil to Bave, ho readily repaired; to adminiRter nssiRtance or ad- vice, reproof or consolution. He thought no office too huniiliating, no condescension too Jjiw, no undorfiilting too urduou*, to recluini . the meanest of God's Tifisprintf. Tho soiHh of uJI njen were equal- ly precious in his Kiglit, and the value of an inunortal crooture be- yoml all estiniation. He penetrntcearance, till within a few years of his death, vigorous and muscu- ar. His face, for an old man, was one of the finest we have seen. A clear, smooth forehead, an aquiline nose, an eye the brightest and most piercing that can be conceived, and a freshness of com-* plexion scarcely ever to be found at his years, aiid impressive of the most perfect health, conspired to render him a venerable and interesting figure. Few have seen him without being struck with his appearance: and many, who 4iad been greatly prejudiced against him, have been known to change their opinion the moment they were introduced into his presence. ,Jn his countenance and denneanor, there was a cheerfulness mingled with gravity; a spri^htliness, which was the natural result of an ungsual flow of spirits, and yet was accompanied with every mark of the most se- rene tranquillity. His aspect, particularly in profile, had a strong, character of astuteness and penetration. — " 11 1 dress, he wa s a pattern of neatn e ss and simplicity. A haf row plaited stock, a coat with a small upright collar, no bucklcM at \ if •, til V 9 ^ ,^i-\ J ^Wjil".! % E^/,,- W E :' ^■'."^i'if* ■'- I 100 / ■ THl LIFE or THB R»V. JOHW W1«L«T. T IliB kbees, no iiilk or velvet in anv part of hm apparel, and a head alwCte 88 snow, Rave an idea of something primit|ve and apoato - te:fwilunttiro?nc.Une«Hund cleanliness was diffused over lib whole person." / • SECTIONII. /a short VIBW of MR WESLET'S WRITINGS AND CONTROVERSIES. Mr Wesley's writinirs, like his other labors, in the design and exJJliircoS^spond wfth the general -vi«w of his characte^^^^^^ fore iriven. He never wrote merely to please, or to get »»"ne>- H s o^^constantly wa., to inform the ""<\«7'^«'"''"K'rv "3^ the heart: to discourage vice, nndpromote virtue. Hfn«ver Pub- lished anvthiuK with a view to promote a pWty-sp.rit. A ^reat deg«e o73r and liberal^ all his l>"W.cat.ons: anSTn matters of mere speculation, he enifeavored to show the.ne- cewitv of christian love, and mutual forbearance an. ong those who aiffe?in opinion. In hi^ controversies, he con.batted opinions, not men. An5 this he did, in general, with great >n;^^«ra«;«"- "« inRintained that even right on nions make but a small part of re- rrpTXaV a man ma? holll the truth in unrighteousness, ^nd tH»refore nerish with the greater condemnation. J*Mt, a man whose tear^ from a living f.Tith in Christ operating as ft practical prindpl^, influenced to the love of God and man, and v^^ho^e life la ; Correspondent to it, cannot err dangerously, though he. may hold Some erroneous opinions. And ho tliought, that vve ought to con- tend for this christian temper llnd Practice, much mor^jar^^^^^ than fi>r any speculative notions, not essentially necessary o ob- tain them. TKis made him earnest to contend for practical truth, arid had a happy influence on all *»K wi:*^'"8?- ^^ Mr Weslev'a ^•I,do not mean to enter into a critical rev ew of Mr. Wesley a writings; this would far excee^l my present »'\y>t»- .^J"?^*"^. ffi ^ to point out the chief of his own works, show his de^f^n PV^ «»- ing them, and how far the execution c^responds witfi the design F^rff an author well and duly accom^khesjll he undertakes, it is the utmost that ought to be expected from hirn. , • „ The following is an abridgmemof his own words, m ^P»a'n"2 the Keneral design he had i|i publishing his Notes^n the New Tes^ tamfnt « It will be easil/ discemed-frora the Notes themselves, that thiy were not principally designed for men of learning, who are provided with many ither helps; but I write chiefly for Plam unlettered men, who understand only their mother-tongue, and yet reverence, and love the word of God, and have a desme to save ***" I have endeavored to maie the Notes as short as possible, that the Coinment may not obscure or swallow up the Textr anp «« plain as possible in pursuance of my '^^"i^^J W\}^J^'* milEarned reiders. For t'hi^reason I have studiously a^^^ onlv all curious and criticalrinquines, and all use of theleamed loo -ir riWi^&m- V I;,'*., *m tnra dv tub iirt. ionir wkslit. ' guagfM, but all such mothodi of reasoning ami ifl^<1esof exnreMioni aa people in common lit'o are unacquninted with. For tne sama reasofi, nn 1 rathvr endeavor toolivyitr tliuu to propodo and ani|wer objections, ho I purnosely decline going deep into many difficultieSi lest I should leave tnn ordinary reader behind me. . •< I onfce designed to write down, barely what occurred to my own mind — But no sooner was I acquainted with tl^at greot light of the christian world, BengelitUt than I entirely changed my tlesign, l)e- ing thoroughly convinced, it might be of more service to the causo ofreligion, were I baryly to tranflate his Onomin Nwi Testamen' tit than to write many vol'dmes upon it. Many of his excellent Notes I have therefore tranMlatit!!d; many more I have ubrid|^cd. Those various readings which he has shown to have a vast major- ity of ancient copies and translations on their side, I have without acruple incorporated with the text; which after his manner, I have divined (though not omitting the common division into the chap- ters and verses) acconjing to the matter it contains, making a larger or smaller pause, just as the sense requires. And even this, is such an help in nriany places^ ae one who has not tried it can scarcely conceive. — ^I am likewise indebted for some useful 1 obser- vations to Dr. Heylin's Theolo^al Lectures: and many more to , Dr. Guyse, and to the Family JKxpositor of the late pious and learned Dr. Doddridge. I cannot natter hiyself so far as to ima- gine ^hat I have fallen into no mistakes in a work of so great diffi- culty. But my own conscience acquits me of having designedly misrepresented any single passage of Scripture, or of navin|[ writ- ten one line with a purpose of inflaming the hearts of Christians against each other. Would to God, that till partv names, and un- scriptural phrases and forms, which have divided the christian world, were forgot: and that we might all agree to sit down to- gether;^ as humble, loving disciples, at the feet of our common Mas- ter, to hear his word, .to imbibe fiis Spirit, and to transcribe his life in our own."* After such a declaration as this in the Preface, the reader ought not to feel himself disappointed, if he find no deep and learned discussions of abstrjise subiects in Mr. Wesley's Notes on the New Testament. They are what he intended they should be, briefly explanatory and practical: but, at the same time, judicious and pertinent. I have sometimes thought, that if most of the Very short Notes were inserted ih the text by some judicious hand so as to form a paraphrase, and the rest be retained, the work would be lore useful to common readers than in its pre9ent form. — Mr. "[esley's Notes on the Old Testament, taken chiefly from Henry, and Poole, are not held in the same degree of estimation, aa thode on the New Testament. Mr. Wesley's sermons in eight volumes, were writtek in the fmme spirit, and with the same nenevolent design ^aa the N6tes just mentioned. He tells us in the Preface, " I design plain truth for plain people. Therefore, of set purpose I abstain from all nice and philosophical speculations, from all perplexed and intricate ir ir,-^^ 't' y e a s onings} and as far as possible l^rom e v e n th e show of l e arningi vnleaa^in sometime citing the original Scrig^ure. Nothing appeari A- ^'•!- )-V, 663 ♦ ■■'» ' ;"!H.r-.'1-f "3 1*'- TH« M« OT THB R*V. JOntt WVtLIT, here tn an olnlwrnto, elegant, or rhetorical dreii«. I mentron thif. that curious readerii may Hpare thetnuelvcH the hibor ofBeekinif tor what they will not fiml."— The tirnt four volumcH were wriueu in the early part of MethodiHrn : Hcveral of the RernionH bein^ preached iMfore^the University of Oxford, while he held his FellowHhip. The subjects are important, and the discourseg written with great animation' and strength of language. » . . The last four volumes wert) written chiefly for the Armmian Magazine, and oo)lected and republished in 17«8. These are geij- erafiy,nior^ practical than* the others*, and have been admired for their vcomfilHition, and for tim simpliciff, accuracy, and ease, of the stylo-iuAvhich tTiAv arelfWriien. His J^LJKP^"'^ *" ^*'" of Reason and Religion," have great merit. Cni^fp^ious and learned Dr. Doddridge intimates, that ho read thtrnwitfr groat emotion • avfA tells us, that having gone through th*rtl^e wrote on the baw^^ / f «■ Livi Of Ym fir. joini vtmibv. -tw. Hi f ho Wifldom and GondnnHH of God in tlio Creation. This wan firMt nubliMhud in two voluinori; and u gontltMiinn, then a iitud»nt at Oxford, informed mo, that taking la fow coiiicH with him, ai* preiientw to Hom') of thn principal pornonH in tho Univorrtity, thov exprertsutl n high degree of satiMfaction in tho work: and Mr. Weiiloy received letters from them to the same pur |>orte. Thix work wati afterwardu enlarged, and puhlinhtMl itt nvo volumert, in 1784. In the fourth volume iH a tranHlation of Bonnct'H " Conte1nplaiion$ de la Nature,** a work highly elegant and instructive. Mr. Wesley could not have made a better choice, as it perfectly corresponds with the general [f design of his own publication. In the fitlh volume, Mr. W«!rtley has given an extract of Mr. Deuten's ♦• t^nquiry into the Origin vf the UiaeoverieB attributed to the Moderns.** This work wan scarcely known in England, even to the learned, when Mr. Wesley rtublished this extract from it: and is but little known at present, t is certainly ingenious, and contains a great deal of curious matter. But I am astoniMhed that Mr. Wesley could think Mr. Deuten's reaionings and deductions from many passages of the ancients, are at all admissible. In what relates to my own profession, I must acknowledge, that I find some degree of resolution necessary to read some of them with patience. This (extract might have been well spared, as it is n^t very interesting to common readers; and but ill accords with the design and title of his iiublication. Mr. Wesley's Survey of the Wisdom of God in the Creation, was not'intended as a history of the present state of philosophyj nor as an introduction to the philosophical systems that have prevail- ed, or do now prevail, though he gives a little sketch of them: but as a general view of the most useful and remarkable things in^iat- ural history, and an illustration, for common use, of the ^"^W^ni and goodness of the Creator. *< Considered in this light, it iPwil entitled to public approbation: and the ^ moral reflections it cln- tains, are as much uistinguished by their justness and eh^gance, as by their utility." Upon the whole, it f^^tiie most useful christian . compendium of philosophy in the English language. He wrote a very great number of pamphlets on various subjects: among the rest was one entitled, " Thoughts on Slavery^" He was one of the earliest' writers on this sulnect, which has sirw^ undergone so complete an investigation; without, as yet, obtaining for the slaves that redress which justice and mercy demand. He has treated it, as might be expected from his general character, in a moral and religious view; but with great srnrit and impartiality^ ond the pamphlet Joes him ^reat credit. It has been supposed, , that this tract had tPjiowerful mfluence on some of the Ainericanj States, in their late rQ||Ulations concerning the trade to Africa. In controversy, Mr. Weslfiy did certainly excel. Few havel equalled him^ either in skill, freedom fi-om logomachy, or in the moderation antk^fistian temper which every where appeared onj these occasions*^ It does not seem, that he was fond of controverj sy, at least for more than thirty years before his death. He calls it in one place, if I rightly recollect, " heavy work, yet sonietinieu necessary to be done." Among hiseontrpversial pieces, his *' Pre- destination calmly considered," \i of distinguished excelleiiilH •:.*"•. ' 4 >^;V1 It',; CAs itji»'tf h.'. ^ i^i^* Tm^ t*^ .■>;? m,- ■ V- ■. - ■' 1 '■■» . ■ '■%■ ^.iL %'rr'. I ^ .^BkC . 'l^jtiSl^^fiB? THft Liri or THB *»▼• JOHW fnWLlT. 5«4 «• It \» o mcxlel of oontrovomy, clear and cogont: conci«« and ar- .umenuUvo; aiu! lh« rno.t convincing, boc.u-e the «p.ri in which ft li wrUten, if a. amiable an the nM.«<.n.ng m .umnHwerable. Per- hnps th "re i; not in the FukIIhI. lauguaK.S a trmii.H« vvh.ch con- iuiSi in no Huiall a comuniMi, ho full and .na.terly a '^f"^"*'"" "f/^" .Sinle it onooHeH. It does ffr«at credit to his judgment, that ho S?e«ierl/eB|:E^^^^^ and ,0 ably defended the mild and n.oderato "^M^ Weyj^'enu??;^ the lint of controversy againrt Dr. Lavlng- ton^HhopoT Exeter, Dr. Wa. burton, binhop of (ilouce«ter. Dr. MMdIetcm Dr. Free, Dr. Taylor, of Norwich; and aevcrul oth- Tri^t a of which he acquitted hlm«elf with hom.r and ,ju.iH,d credil to hi" cauBe. Hut tie n.OHt vir"l«nt, vulgar and ab^^^^ hlH ooDonentfl, were w»me of the defendera of Calvmwtri, at the headTwhom atood Mr. Tojda.ly: a man, not wholly deHtituto of abd tioa, but in-hia opp«.8it/on to Mr. Wesley, greatly dehcjent \n the chJ 8tian tempe!-, and the mannera of a gentleman. Not iontentwhh writing igainst him in the mo«t acurrdoua language, TeSuily collected anecdotcH and .toriea to the preju.rice of Mr We^^^^^^^ and not only mentioned them m private, but committed them to paper, and circulate, them among h a friends am informed, there are letterH now m the hands of hi^ fd^nLon"don, which contain some -^^ }}^f^^^^;r''' Zit iho scandal, and that his friendH intend to publish them. ,""» ^ Jn^ nTblic consider the bitterness with which Mr. Toplady collected & stor cs artd how eany it is for a man of hi«i temper to collect as many as ie wants, manufactured according to h.s own taste, nffnTnstanv man living (when the authors are secure agamst any felarprosJcSroV) th?y certainly will not think that any charges iomng from so s^spiciJu. a quarter and in so questionable a shaj^e, aS" t a man who V.ved and died a. Mr. We.lev dW, deserve the Cdlffrrof credit. I understand, indeed, thatWme charges in theSetters, are as improbable rtp the face of them, as they are false^n fact: and if Mr. Toplady'/ friend* have any regard for his memory they will totally suppress them; as it surely is suffi- cienTf^a man to propagate slSu'iAer with zeal and diligence while he Hves, without iis frilnds, by a mistaken zeal, making him do '"After Mn'Toldy'8 death, a woman came to Mr. Wesley, and related several things, as froin her own personal knowledge, inju- rious to h^ character; she said some unpleasant thmgs ^jc^rning [he manner of his death, which, as appear, since on good author- tv were false. Mr. Wesley, very imprudently, related in private coiversat on some things shi had' tolcT him, supposmg them to to true What he had said, was soon reported to Mr. Topladyla 'frieiids, who publicly called on Mr. Wesley for the proof' of hw assertions, fir. Wesley made no reply : and the Calvinists imme- " ■ ' c . "^ ■ ' ' ' ' V^ ■ *Pi^ persons among the CnlviniMs^seem to have anjr just w^ion of tha V r^^ Fr.~" ;„;.."• nthP Hul.reet of FrcC G r ncct and the re for e continually ''P-"*°",£..Sk M; WeSfevwiratruTA^ Brorsotliver^atL'Seml thai he heUI the doctrine of Free Grace, a. / . •!£ ilany Calviaist, though ia a more rauoaal aad sciiptuml seuse. 'ft. )■■« ffM LifB Of rat iif # loifj^v^iLiv. < <> dtataly rnnrgml him with invfntinf^ fh*i *lofyloi» well nil prnpngnt- ing it. But of thiM Mr. W«!«|«!y wdw im:u|mhn^. Mr. I'nwNori, the preiioiu AiwiMtant in Loniion, wua With Mr.' Wx-nU^y when tho w«h itiaii I'Jiiim mill told him what ho aftrrwardi* iniprij«l«ntly rnlfitt>il. Mr. FnwHoii'it public uiul privntu charujiittVr for more than thirty venm, will not admit a doubt concotlMj><^th» truth of bin trHtimony. Mr. WfiMb'y in not to l»o juNtifimI in roporting to othr>rK, th« Htory he wnu t4»ld; but be was not im) guilty aM tb« Colviniittii wished him to appear to tho world. Thig aHair ahowii um how cnitily ntor»r» mjurM»UH to nublic cbaracturn may \m pn»pagat««d; and Mhould |«h- mm our confidence in them. Let uh HuppoMC that Mr. Wewley and Mr. Toplady have both obtained mercy: and let us not Keep nlivo their diflerencen here; while we may rharitably hope, that they, now alMive, are both prai«ing and adoring their Creator untl tte- deemor together in harmony and love!'^ Mr. We«ley nn an author, hat* been blamed for hia numcroua extracts from the writings of others. The fact ia true: but the blame HUfipoaed. doca not, I apprehend, attach to It. He suppoited that the.workfl from which he nmde extracts were the property of the public; and that tho extracts he made might bo useful to the Methodists, who prolmblv would never seo the originals. And ftn-tbcr, he did not moke his qxtracts in any clandestine way, or for the sake of lucre. All the profits of his books only passed through his hands to the relief of tho poor. The Rev. Mr. Jones, m his memoirs of the late pious and excellent Dr. Home, has ch(irged Mr. Wesley with selling u work of his: I suppose he means his tract on the Trinity. Hut this is a mistake. Mr. Wes- ley recommended that tract, Iwcauw ho approved of it; but ho never reprinted, or sold it in an^ form. Mr. Charles Wesley com- posed some hymns on the Trinity, in which he made Use of some texts of Scripture quoted by Mr^j^pm iii the work above men- tioi^ed: but surely this was noflieirinting his pamphlet, in any sens^ whtt<«^vcr. I was sorry t«lee in sorespectablte a writefas' Mr. ^nes,ii sourness and disponition to find fault, every now' and then break out, in spite of all his endeavors to appear candid and lilieral. , ^ Mr. Wesley's* Works were printed together in 1774, in thirty- two volumes,* but very incorrectly. Ho was a laborious and use- ful writer; and his name will descend to posterity, with no small share of respectability and applause. I shall conclude this sec- tion m the words of a writer of his life; " If usefulness be excel- lence; if public good is the chief object 0/ attention in public char- acters; and if the greatest benefactors to mankind are most estima- ble, Mr. John Wesley will long be remembered as one of tho best of men, as he was for more than fifty yours, the most diligent and indefatigable." ** ■'"" ■■■"' ■ ' — • " '■ — ■ — '■ — • " ' -• .'r'^' *Not includt^r his Philosophy, or Notes on the Old and New TesttoienU 48 I *. T" ■hi"' ".*ftiti .'^mix-^Ms„miMSSS-^ jj^a^W^, ^i!^lf»| tm Liwi or till ••». -»•■» wMt»t. 8B0T10N III. \ V 1- .*/■■■ bv rule, which h« \uium^\t mudw fi.r thiit l»»n"»««- " ,„^i„„ wm not to for... .1 now mirty n. »'»«"«» ""5 »^« ^^ ;^;,'^ *^ho lK,ca.,.o Into l„aep«.ul«nt ''V'^-^'V^'llr ret^^urcomiS Th« only MmhodiHtM, fro.n thoir former 'f«X"'^;„Xr« of tho church in iui«„tio.. w.iH. to nm.e al P;;*7',7 "S^^ and to particular, to an holy J«" y. ""^V. J , ''""hri-tiun experience. uM«i«t them OH far M poH«ihks n P,"^^'"""*'*';?, , ,,,^-,^„ wuh dininter- tt,.d practical religion through »»'"'" **-w„*i^^,'^;''Sno.,.y exactly . oHtea and noble-, and every part •\<^,; '" ,^" ! '^wed the iincei?. corr.Hp.mded with the prote-Med denof. . ^"^^"j^f^^^,,^ itinerant, ^^ . Ity of 'Mr. WeHley'H * «<^>"'-^"«'"- .^^VCSrwiHe .m^Uf.ed, ^ which rendered then "^capable, had »h 'Y '^ «ociet^a: the ofperfor,«inK the dut.cH f «""'"^* I^g^^ weroso ordered. .• ti...e- of preach..»g, and of "^^^..^ worHhfp in the church, oi not to interfere w.fti the mneH "^ "^»;";^„^;\'^^^;"P,'„« formed, with among the Di«HenterB. The who o economy . i,„|i„,rim w.>n.l!!rful consistency '{Vl'.r.frH economy renaSyinviolute. it inalely to all parties. While »^^•;.^'""," Lh.ff to Hee rigid Church; wan of won.lerful une. It wa- »•'«'/ »"^'"^';«„'^„Sn.." aHMeinblea men, and e.iually rigid D>«H«nter- of al deno m^^^^^ ^,.^,^^ goMpel preached, and ««•'» '^^^j ara.lually to lewHcn their preju- o.i their own hearts. Ihw 'f"''f^; K^'Vu^/,,,-,^^^ ^till differ, a« to dice, against each other; am ^ovvever they m.giu « . ^^^^^ ,„ode. of worship, it brought ^h« "^^'^^A'i.t ^Swledg^^ that „b.otherlylove. And every <^«*"^"^,,"7 'S.^^e v "^ Hince the Methodiju, ^^ « g-« "»>y^ P^^^^*^^^^^^^^^^ 'r^ "Cd ' "1 iSy prayQ. that t"he VletlLrL n.ay con- dimmiwhed. I «)"cereiy pn^ « » become the means of tinue in their or^g^nal^^i»^ii^on^f This relative Hituation of the re-kindling the fla.ne of PJ^^y ?f\'-.,. {^ J ^her former religious societies, the me.nljers ot '^f/'^'l.'V" "^^^^^ " tj» ^^ItV '•ifltr r»i.' VIIB Liri or TNI Rkv. JOHli VfllLlf. MY part\«m, \ntn which nonn wera hdini to thvir ju«ii«t prqiicher, in a mi nninchfHl nt tho Conforiiiiuu, Iwforo tho n«>th thd chitrnctttr iiikI nou which ha •oinctiinoM rnarhftrit th<*ii iiMMititihhMl. Hilt trxt wuM llobntWM v. 4. "No miki tftltttth thiM h«nior unto hiiiiMilf, hut ho that in ciillod of God, a« wan Aaron." In thin diin counui ho hait climrly Nhowii, thnt tho olTltV of (i prioitt, wnx ttitiilty diMtinct and M^parato fruht tho otlico of u |irouchor or oxiiouiKhtr of Ood'i word and will, gomotiiues called ft prophot. That fVoin Adam to Noah, and from Noah to Momtm, tlt^ firHtrlioni in ovory family was tho prioAr, by virtuoof hiNprimogonituro: hutany othor of the family mivht Iw a proiihot, or oxpiiundor of Gml'a will tu , the pooplo. In the time of Moho*^ \ho prioHthood waN rc^trictod to tho tribe of Levi; while tho i^roocf^irH or oiipouHdorM of («(nI'h law might bo, and aAorwardii Worn oAdinTorent tribei. In the New ToMtamont, those oxfioundorM of tlrif Inw, are called r«^ijro(, or 'acrilies: but few, if any of thom, wore prioHtii. ^v» The Lord JeauB 0hi:i8t, the grout High Priest of our profession, * aent out Aposthia and KvangidiHts, to proclaim tho glail-tiilingH of peace to all the worhl. AAurwardn, pastors wore ap|>4Miitcd to {(reside dvjir. and to build up in the fuith, tho churches that were brmed. •♦Mut," says Mr. Wesley, ♦' 1 do not find, that over th« office of an evungoliHt was the sumo with that of u pastor, fre- Ouently called a bishop. I cannot prove from any part of the New Testament, or from any author of the thj-ee firnt centuries, that the office of an ovungoliHt, guvo any man a right to act us a pasu>r or bishop. I believe these offices wore considered as quite distinct (Voin each other, till tho time of Constantino." Mr. Wesley jtjion gqes on to observe, that uinaQg the Presbyte- rians; in the Church of Kngland, and even ainofljjjvtho Roman .Catholics, tho office of up evangeliHt or teacher, does notTThply that of a pastor, to whom neculiurly belongs the administration of the aacramonts. All Presbyterian churches, thut of Scotland in partic- ular, license men to preach throughout the whole kingdom, before they are ordained. And it is never understood that thii appoint- ment to preach, gives them any right t^ iidminister the sucruments. ^'Likewise," says he, " in our own church, persons may be author- ized to preach, yea, may be Doctoi^ in Divinity, as Dr. Atwood, at Oxford, was when I resided there, who are not ordained at all: land consequently have no right to administer the Lord's supfier,. Ifea, even in theChurch of Rome itself, if a luy-brothcr believea he is called to go a mission, us it is termed, he is sent out, though' neither priest nor deacon, to execute thai office, und not tho other." And Mr. Wesley tleclan i s that he uiid h i s brother consitlercd th e iay-preacliers in the light of evungclitits, or preachers only, whe^ . ,f. J I - — I <'»%^ tAn or THB miV. joh» w^hitf- J 4 'V ■■■*■' *# ^ .*'• [<. 669 »M» ,he^ received them a« helpers in the work, or they never .houla have admitted t*»eiii. ^ nreachers in the primitive church, who That they were itinerant Pi^^^^XiU the ffOBoel without interfer- much doubt. We "**y. ^°;"™ ".„ fhis orimitive practice, than odiBt economy tPI"*9ached nearer o th« grm «. P ^^^ .„^^ ^^e any thin« wh.ch haa ^aken P»ace m the ^^^^^^^^ noreligioua days of tlie Apofltjea. * »*^f ^^'^^r^ othe^^ ever did, or ever eataWiahmem, whether national or ^m^^^^ a„'itinerant will, Jfeep up the original aprit^^teinatu^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^ either the bidiop.. or the ^^'^^'T'fZ^^ZZ, of the &'iu.^^";::srheS7futhis^:£^lJSrhe^»^^^^^^^ he had no •"»«""«" «J,^[f„^'?;'r cL^^^ should separate from |,»»« ^*»"'',^*^8?raS8 W^ This appear^ the mort Mnp™™'/!'''5"'l^5?rh,,, oWrved Si the rubrie to the £?S^r r U^-jrwre^i^L'. In .t the peri, if Sr?n ^eTrllkin^.-"? " "^^^^^^^ '? ^""' :^iS,^'=';.7,Linr.Ti:oSp .^ting *-. who ae^r- *"rrwT.r.S:"^J;^%f«S5igether «,.^^^ tK L- P' &■■-■ _'»> IM&i ^ 1% ■ U'' ■^ ^ »H1 LIVV Of TBI RBT. JrOHH WB«I,pT. 15W> nilndliiff them, that we werc^ja part of the Church of Encland, frhom God had raised up, not only to save oar own souls, but to enliven our neighlrars, those of the Church in' particular. And -at the first meeting of all our preachers in Conference, in June, 1744, I exhorted them to keep to the Church, observing, that this was our peculiar glory, not to form any new ^ect, but abiding in our /own Church, to do to all men all the good we pdssibly could, «« 6. But as more Dissenters joined with us, many of whom were much prejudiced against the Church, these, with or without design, were continually infusing their own nrejudices into their brethren. I saw this, and gave warning of it from time to time, both in pri- , vate and in public. And in the year 1758, I resolved to bring the matter to a tair issue. So I desired the point might be considered at large whether it Was expedient for the Methodists to leave the Church? The arguments on both sides were discussed for several days; and at length we agreed, without^ dissenting voice, ' It is fay no means expedient, that the M^^jpdists should leave the Church of England.* „:^^ ,. ' "6. Nevertheless, the same leaven contfmiSd to^drk in various parts of the kingdom. The grand argument (which in some par- • titular cases must be acknowledged to have weight) was this: *The minister of the parish wherein we dwell, neither lives nor preaches the gospel. He walks in the way to hell himself, and teaches his flock to do the same. Can you advise them to attend "'his pteaching? * I cannot advise them to it. *What then can [they do, on the Lord's day, suppose no other Church be near? Do you advise them to go to a Dissenting meeting? or to meet' in their own preaching-house? * Where this is really the case, I cannot • blame them ifthey do. Although therefore I earnestly oppose the general separation of the Methodists from the Church, yet I cannot condemn such a partial separation, in this particular case. I be- lieve to separate thus far from these miserable wretches, who are the scandal of our Church and nation, would be for the honor of oiir Church, as well as to the glory of God. " 7. And this is no way contrary td the profession which I have made above these fifty years. I never had any design of sepa- rating from the Church. I have no such design now. I do not believe the Methodists in general design it, when I am no more seen. I do and will do all that is in my power to prevent such an event. Nevertheless, in spite of all I can do, many of them will separate from it: (although I am apt to think not one half, perhaps not a third of them.) These will be so bold and injudicious aji to form a separate party, which consequentljr will dwindle away into a dry, dull, separate party. In flat opposition to these, I declare onoe more, that I live and die a member of the Church of England: aiid that none who regard my judgment or advice will ever separate fumit. John Weslet." ExtraeUfrom the late Reverend John WesleyU latt Journal. l785__July 25— Page 9. « Our Conference began at Bristol; ftbout eighty preachers attended. Qn Tuesday, in the afternoon, 48* % ■■■ ?miH« tint Of THB RBV. J6HK W*«tlt. WO permmediinyoftfie society to he prcscnt^^ '^CTJf alf Ueter! ivnmmid about «enaniting Irom the Church. But we au uuwr Zed 'fo'SnuJ^ .herePn. «'*•"■' »™^'7»a''Sri ™ r.i doubt not but thi« deterimnatioD wiU stand, «t lemt tiu i ~ ■ .novodtato a totter world „,^B„„,B,rf, but had little have we gained by separating from the Church herer is noi m * f7S?-Cua^"^Tage 26. « I went over to Debtford; but, it l\v I told them. * If you are resolved, you i;nay have your services ?n^rhnS«hhS Butremember! from that time you will see my face'nTmo^7* Th^s struck deep; and from that hour 1 ha.e ^y^T^^C^mLrrpZ r'«L^^^^^^^^^^ congregation wiM^Sa.?/ atdSus. But there is no. increase m the r,S«^ So that we have profited nothing by havinff our services rS^ch hiirJ which soSie imagined /oufd haveaone wondeij Ido no^know th'at it has done more good any where m England. ^78^!!l«Jls*^*i^pig5^^^^^ "London. One of the most im- poimn^^Xcoi^Tderld at this Conference was, that of leaving the Chu?ch The sum of a long convereation was. That, in a courTorSfty years, we had, neitfier premcdiately nor w»»»ng^. v«ri^ from it in one article, either of doctrine or discipline. 3d. ThTt w^S^re ho" Tet conscious of varying from it^n^f^J^^^^ iJptrine 8d That we have, in a course of years, out ^inecem^j nSolie riowlvwid warily varied in some points of discipline, bv nrSng in L^lds, by extempore prayer, by employing lay^ ^ ^KLfnmiinir and regulating societies, and bv holdmg IZ^vCoJlen^^ntVdf^^^^ things till we were l^l^tl":^ no longer omit them but at the peril of our "** t7Rpe alive to tjod, ana earnest f^^lntin ti hS^Mnrh^ ^. I neverlaw such a number of nreach- L'KeV'oTuo:^^^^^^ the Church, Which none of them had tlie least thought of. It is no woS tijt there has been this year so large an increase of the iO^'e*v '* /. ^1 .t'..tM''«ffjaiitif3 w^^^^^^m^^ml^ THB LIFI Or.THB IlBr. JOHH WBII,CT. IW?'^'*^'^ Stl / SECTION IV. A .TIBW dr THB INC^BASB*^ OF THE METHODISTS IK ORBAT BRIT- AIM AND IRELAND, FOR THE LAST THIRTY TEARS! WITH A FEW OBSERVATIOMS ON THB INFLUENCE OF METHODISM. It has already been observed, that the minutes Of Confere^ne have been printed every year: but it was not, so far as I can find, till 1765, that the stations of the preachers were inserted in them. And jt does not appear, that any regular account of the number of I)eople in the societies through the three kingdoms, was obtained till 1767. From the Minutes of the yearly Conference since these dates, I have been enabled to draw up the following table; showing the increase of the itinerant preachers, and of the members of the Methodist societies, till the last Conference in 1795. Years. ^ No. of itinerant Preachers. People in the SocieUes. 1 #00 r , , , • • . . 93 . «• •« s ,, , >767 . . . . ... . 104 . . . . . / 26,911 1770 . . . . . ... 122 . ... . . 29,046 1775 . . . , . . . .138 . . , .. . . 88,160 1780 . . . . . . . .172 . . . . . . 43,830 1785 206 .... . . 82,433 1790 . . . .... . 293 . .... , 71,568 1795 ...... . . 857 . . ... .83,868 This increase of the Methodists, is, I apprehend, much beyond .the increase of any other denomination of Christians, which nave ever appeared in this or any. other country, since the days of the Apostles, not immediately supported by the state or civil powef. Prudence would direct, that in etery large associated body of Christians, the number of people should increase in a greater pro- portion than the preachers among them: because one man may preach to a congregation of a thousand persons, as well, or better, than if it CQueiisted only of One hundred. But we may observe among the Methodists, that the preachers have increased in a greater proportion than the people. The reason of this is evident enough, to those who have carefully attended to the governing principles of the ruling preachers 'among them They have been afraid lest the local i)reachers should acquire any great degree of in- fluence in the societies where they reside; and have increased ihe number of itinerants, that the local preachers might be thrown into the shade, and be kept as much as possible from preaching inthe principal congregations. This, in my opinion, is both unjust, and bad poli<^. The local preachers are a useful body of people : the work could never have been carried on among the Methodists to the ex- tent it has without them. Nor could the societies at present, be regularly supplied with prefaching with5>ut their assistance, not to mention, that the itinerants themselves are taken from this body. And if any of the local preachers have superior talents to vOmmand a congregation, or to acquire influence ny their useful- ness, whoreceri^s the benefit? Certainly_npt the local preachem, whose labor is gtatis; but the itinerants. Wis indeed evident, that . '»'V^ ■^"f 'm^'M- fc''^ 1*1%, THB LI« Of TH» »«T. JOHIf W«iLlT. i^thi* practice of the itinerants be pushed miichftirther, the h« I Lill hMomb too heavy for the body to carry. ^« Ko « .- ^ Cu~hM led many pehio". » ™-'%«'''f„SS?'Su^«* nu^M of the rapid increiuo of Mothodwm. No douMDut mt iSK««n»unc£, bv which .he MetH'"» f-'^ ^;„» ^^"^ dUtinguLhed from afl other denomination. "' Ch™"*?"! ""''y^,^ M"ual«.tea5dS,ndition, however ignorant »/ "Jt^i^'^ Chrirt- rwed the nece»i.v »f "^t^"™' '"Srin^r^^^^ llf^Srt, and hofcnew in all manner of «>»™'™'»,"- 7^^."™ %X .l«ko of *- *a;"e,;.'eV^^^^^ o'flSr iiW. Lim^ThistJui appear 'evident, from what has already been people. 11 "«« rri,_^ «ffi.c»g. throuith the blessing of hoa on ine r^ei'^^J^linlSrs hfveSen so conspicuous in many narts r.SkMetroK2tiJfXirS:sLrp:4£ pious Christians, stnvmg^o esc p« j^^i-j^h^ig^ be preserved rfi^;^^Sri?y: may what'is wring in the general system. ' in Its <»»Wr i^S^ShJtiB nFaiseworthybe miprov- iS^'^'^Jl^v^tebe^e&iSScfnce on the people, extend wider ^ ^Sd^lvS^Se^^th^be. ^ ^"^ 1^" "''" " the Author of^ all our mercies. M*- \ Amen. 'i^...- 4" "If. \" ■.■'** ■■ ■Ttr- '-' ■'»■:■ .. ■ t -^ \ tie [irly had ' no the leet- rity, nner :ten- 1 rund lan'B I'hey irist; ben- urity con- svery light, 3 de- jracCj 1 life, tfeth- been nelio- ), and )f the id the )n the parts nave iuence many Ily for [)di«fhi) era, oi ^ Iuence • thou / essiou i r thou ndeav bodists ) to be^ ) in the Mserved jygtemi niprov- j « wjde^.,^-{ who M ,1^ \ V ^S .^ lii ^X^'. ^d ", * f - . 'Ktr J "•*■ .■r.'t ♦ * ■n.r. -I. !' \ mr li^-^ .t- A^ iS-^ s^ -*. f J