Wesley Corpus

He didn't baby them or coddle them, but he started where they were. The one characteristic that distinguished them was that since all their thinking was immersed in scripture, biblical phrases and concepts are sprinkled throughout. What are Christian teachers and preachers doing today to speak in a way that ordinary people can understand? What could they do better? 3. Nor do we desire to be distinguished by actions, customs, or usages, of an indifferent nature. Our religion does not lie in doing what God has not enjoined, or abstaining from what he hath not forbidden. It does not lie in the form of our apparel, in the posture of our body, or the covering of our heads; nor yet in abstaining from marriage, or from meats and drinks, which are all good if received with thanksgiving. Therefore, neither will any man, who knows whereof he affirms, fix the mark of a Methodist here,--in any actions or customs purely indifferent, undetermined by the word of God. Wesley adds this section because of the number of Christian groups throughout the ages who have defined themselves this way. Methodists are not people who wear a particular kind of clothing, make particular hand motions, or practice strict dietary customs. American Methodists have moved from Wesley's position and officially taught that abstinence from alcohol is the best choice. While Wesley preached against drunkenness (both because of the scriptural teaching to that effect and because he'd seen the ruin in brought to many individuals and families), complete abstinence was not an issue in 18th century England. Questions: Can you pick out any outward customs that distinguish Methodists from other groups? Are there any practice that you think ought to differentiate us? 4. Nor, lastly, is he distinguished by laying the whole stress of religion on any single part of it. If you say, "Yes, he is; for he thinks 'we are saved by faith alone:'" I answer, You do not understand the terms. By salvation he means holiness of heart and life. And this he affirms to spring from true faith alone. Can even a nominal Christian deny it? Is this placing a part of religion for the whole? "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid!

His heart is full of love to all mankind, to every child of "the Father of the spirits of all flesh." That a man is not personally known to him, is no bar to his love; no, nor that he is known to be such as he approves not, that he repays hatred for his goodwill. For he "loves his enemies;" yea, and the enemies of God, "the evil and the unthankful." And if it be not in his power to "do good to them that hate him," yet he ceases not to pray for them, though they continue to spurn his love, and still "despitefully use him and persecute him." Methodists are defined not merely by what goes on inside them, but by how they relate to the people around them. Methodists love not only their fellow Christians, not only people who are nice to them, but also people who act as their enemies. Question: How's your love life? Are you able to love the people around you? What does it look like when you love each other in a Christian way? What impact do loving relationships within a church have on the ministry of the church? 10. For he is "pure in heart." The love of God has purified his heart from all revengeful passions, from envy, malice, and wrath, from every unkind temper or malign affection. It hath cleansed him from pride and haughtiness of spirit, whereof alone cometh contention. And he hath now "put on bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering:" so that he "forbears and forgives, if he had a quarrel against any; even as God in Christ bath forgiven him." And indeed all possible ground for contention, on his part, is utterly cut off. For none can take from him what he desires; seeing he "loves not the world, nor" any of "the things of the world ;" being now "crucified to the world, and the world crucified to him;" being dead to all that is in the world, both to "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life." For "all his desire is unto God, and to the remembrance of his name." Real Christianity, according to Wesley, affects our character. Question: Considering the character qualities in this paragraph, how are you doing? Why is character important in ministry?

Why is character important in ministry? What other character qualities would you include? 11. Agreeable to this his one desire, is the one design of his life, namely, "not to do his own will, but the will of Him that sent him." His one intention at all times and in all things is, not to please himself, but Him whom his soul loveth. He has a single eye. And because "his eye is single, his whole body is full of light." Indeed, where the loving eye of the soul is continually fixed upon God, there can be no darkness at all, "but the whole is light; as when the bright shining of a candle doth enlighten the house." God then reigns alone. All that is in the soul is holiness to the Lord. There is not a motion in his heart, but is according to his will. Every thought that arises points to Him, and is in obedience to the law of Christ. At one point in our communion liturgy, we talk about God freeing us for “joyful obedience.” Convinced of God's love for us and returning that love to him, Methodists trust God enough to take his agenda - God's ideas of what we ought to be doing - as our own. Question: How does your agenda compare with Gods? Do you want to take up God's agenda? If you're going to take up God's agenda (in trusting, joyful obedience), what is your next step in that direction? What can you do to lead others in taking up God's agenda? 12. And the tree is known by its fruits. For as he loves God, so he keeps his commandments; not only some, or most of them, but all, from the least to the greatest. He is not content to "keep the whole law, and offend in one point;" but has, in all points, "a conscience void of offense towards God and towards man." Whatever God has forbidden, he avoids; whatever God hath enjoined, he doeth; and that whether it be little or great, hard or easy, joyous or grievous to the flesh. He "runs the way of God's commandments," now he hath set his heart at liberty.

He cannot utter an unkind word of any one; for love keeps the door of his lips. He cannot speak "idle words;" "no corrupt communication" ever "comes out of his mouth," as is all that "which is" not "good to the use of edifying," not "fit to minister grace to the hearers." But "whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things areas justly "of good report," he thinks, and speaks, and acts, "adorning the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ in all things." If Wesley's account is accurate, there seems to have been some perceptible difference between the Methodist lifestyle and the lifestyle dominant in 18th century English culture. Because of a different value system, Methodists lived their lives in a different way than their neighbors. Question: Is there any difference today between the way United Methodists live their lives and the ways dominant in our culture? In what areas do we need to learn to be different? What Gospel values will most impact our way of living? How will we lead in churches that have often succumbed to modern pictures of success? 16. Lastly. As he has time, he "does good unto all men;" unto neighbours and strangers, friends and enemies: And that in every possible kind; not only to their bodies, by "feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting those that are sick or in prison;" but much more does he labour to do good to their souls, as of the ability which God giveth; to awaken those that sleep in death; to bring those who are awakened to the atoning blood, that, "being justified by faith, they may have peace with God;" and to provoke those who have peace with God to abound more in love and in good works. And he is willing to "spend and be spent herein," even "to be offered up on the sacrifice and service of their faith," so they may "all come unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." Supposedly there was a poll done several years ago, indicating that 90% of pastors thought the purpose of the church was to be outward focused, impacting the world for Christ, while 90% of laity thought the purpose was to be inward focused, taking care of members. Question: Do you think this poll picture fits your experience of congregational life to any degree?

Question: Do you think this poll picture fits your experience of congregational life to any degree? If so, what might we do about it? What would Wesley have to say about it? What kinds of arguments might he use? 17. These are the principles and practices of our sect; these are the marks of a true Methodist. By these alone do those who are in derision so called, desire to be distinguished from other men. If any man say, "Why, these are only the common fundamental principles of Christianity!" thou hast said; so I mean; this is the very truth; I know they are no other; and I would to God both thou and all men knew, that I, and all who follow my judgment, do vehemently refuse to be distinguished from other men, by any but the common principles of Christianity,--the plain, old Christianity that I teach, renouncing and detesting all other marks of distinction. And whosoever is what I preach, (let him be called what he will, for names change not the nature of things,) he is a Christian, not in name only, but in heart and in life. He is inwardly and outwardly conformed to the will of God, as revealed in the written word. He thinks, speaks, and lives, according to the method laid down in the revelation of Jesus Christ. His soul is renewed after the image of God, in righteousness and ion all true holiness. And having the mind that was in Christ, he so walks as Christ also walked. Wesley’s objective was not to begin a new denomination. He remained a priest in the Church of England until his death. He took the Methodist movement to be a “back to basics” movement, getting back to simple, original Christianity. For him, it was being a follower of Jesus, seeking to live like Jesus, that mattered. From the time of Wesley until the present, Methodism has rejected the idea that there is One True Church. We recognize that what we believe and practice is mostly the same as what other Christian churches believe and practice. What are some present-day consequences of believing there isn’t “One True Church?” How is our life as a church affected by the belief that we and other churches are on the “same team?” 18.

I believe He is the propel natural Son of God, God of God, very God of very God; and that He is the Lord of all, having absolute supreme universal dominion over all things; but more peculiarly our Lord, who believe in Him, both by conquest, purchase, and voluntary obligation. I believe that He was made man, joining the human nature with the divine in one person; being conceived by the singular operation of the Holy Ghost, and born of the blessed Virgin Mary, who, as well after as before she brought Him forth, continued a pure and unspotted virgin. I believe He suffered inexpressible pains both of body and soul, and at last death, even the death of the cross, at the time that Pontius Pilate governed Judaea under the Roman Emperor; that His body was then laid in the grave, and His soul went to the place of separate spirits; that the third day He rose again from the dead; that He ascended into heaven; where He remains in the midst of the throne of God, in the highest power and glory, as Mediator till the end of the world, as God to all eternity; that in the end He will come down from heaven to judge every man according to his works, both those who shall be then alive and all who have died before that day. 8. I believe the infinite and eternal Spirit of God, equal with the Father and the Son, to be not only perfectly holy in Himself, but the immediate cause of all holiness in us; enlightening our understandings, rectifying our wills and affections, renewing our natures, uniting our persons to Christ, assuring us of the adoption of sons, leading us in our actions, purifying and sanctifying our souls and bodies, to a full and eternal enjoyment of God. 9. I believe that Christ by His Apostles gathered unto Himself a Church, to which He has continually added such as shall be saved; that this catholic (that is, universal) Church, extending to all nations and all ages, is holy in all its members, who have fellowship with God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; that they have fellowship with the holy angels, who constantly minister to these heirs of salvation; and with all the living members of Christ on earth, as well as all who are departed in His faith and fear.

3. Thirdly. The faith through which we are saved, in that sense of the word which will hereafter be explained, is not barely that which the Apostles themselves had while Christ was yet upon earth; though they so believed on him as to "leave all and follow him;" although they had then power to work miracles, to "heal all manner of sickness, and all manner of disease;" yea, they had then "power and authority over all devils;" and, which is beyond all this, were sent by their Master to "preach the kingdom of God." 4. What faith is it then through which we are saved It may be answered, first, in general, it is a faith in Christ: Christ, and God through Christ, are the proper objects of it. herein, therefore, it is sufficiently, absolutely distinguished from the faith either of ancient or modern heathens. And from the faith of a devil it is fully distinguished by this: it is not barely a speculative, rational thing, a cold, lifeless assent, a train of ideas in the head; but also a disposition of the heart. For thus saith the Scripture, "With the heart man believeth unto righteousness;" and, "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." 5. And herein does it differ from that faith which the Apostles themselves had while our Lord was on earth, that it acknowledges the necessity and merit of his death, and the power of his resurrection. It acknowledges his death as the only sufficient means of redeeming man from death eternal, and his resurrection as the restoration of us all to life and immortality; inasmuch as he "was delivered for our sins, and rose again for our justification." Christian faith is then, not only an assent to the whole gospel of Christ, but also a full reliance on the blood of Christ; a trust in the merits of his life, death, and resurrection; a recumbency upon him as our atonement and our life, as given for us, and living in us; and, in consequence hereof, a closing with him, and cleaving to him, as our "wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption," or, in one word, our salvation. II. What salvation it is, which is through this faith, is the Second thing to be considered.

6. he that is, by faith, born of God sinneth not (1.) by any habitual sin; for all habitual sin is sin reigning: But sin cannot reign in any that believeth. Nor (2.) by any wilful sin: for his will, while he abideth in the faith, is utterly set against all sin, and abhorreth it as deadly poison. Nor (3.) By any sinful desire; for he continually desireth the holy and perfect will of God. and any tendency to an unholy desire, he by the grace of God, stifleth in the birth. Nor (4.) Doth he sin by infirmities, whether in act, word, or thought; for his infirmities have no concurrence of his will; and without this they are not properly sins. Thus, "he that is born of God doth not commit sin": and though he cannot say he hath not sinned, yet now "he sinneth not." 7. This then is the salvation which is through faith, even in the present world: a salvation from sin, and the consequences of sin, both often expressed in the word justification; which, taken in the largest sense, implies a deliverance from guilt and punishment, by the atonement of Christ actually applied to the soul of the sinner now believing on him, and a deliverance from the power of sin, through Christ formed in his heart. So that he who is thus justified, or saved by faith, is indeed born again. he is born again of the Spirit unto a new life, which "is hid with Christ in God." And as a new-born babe he gladly receives the adolon, "sincere milk of the word, and grows thereby;" going on in the might of the Lord his God, from faith to faith, from grace to grace, until at length, he come unto "a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." III. The first usual objection to this is, 1. That to preach salvation or justification, by faith only, is to preach against holiness and good works. To which a short answer might be given: "It would be so, if we spake, as some do, of a faith which was separate from these; but we speak of a faith which is not so, but productive of all good works, and all holiness."

The Almost Christian Preached at St. Mary's, Oxford, before the university, on July 25, 1741. "Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian." Acts 26.28. AND many there are who go thus far: ever since the Christian religion was in the world, there have been many in every age and nation who were almost persuaded to be Christians. But seeing it avails nothing before God to go only thus far, it highly imports us to consider, First. What is implied in being almost, Secondly. What in being altogether, a Christian. I. (I.) 1. Now, in the being almost a Christian is implied, First, heathen honesty. No one, I suppose, will make any question of this; especially, since by heathen honesty here, I mean, not that which is recommended in the writings of their philosophers only, but such as the common heathens expected one of another, and many of them actually practised. By the rules of this they were taught that they ought not to be unjust; not to take away their neighbour's goods, either by robbery or theft; not to oppress the poor, neither to use extortion toward any; not to cheat or overreach either the poor or rich, in whatsoever commerce they had with them; to defraud no man of his right; and, if it were possible, to owe no man anything. 2. Again: the common heathens allowed, that some regard was to be paid to truth, as well as to justice. And, accordingly, they not only held him in abomination who was forsworn, who called God to witness to a lie; but him also who was known to be a slanderer of his neighbour, who falsely accused any man. And indeed, little better did they esteem wilful liars of any sort, accounting them the disgrace of human kind, and the pests of society.

(II.) 2. The Second thing implied in the being altogether a Christian is, the love of our neighbour. For thus said our Lord in the following words, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself" If any man ask, "Who is my neighbour" we reply, Every man in the world; every child of his who is the Father of the spirits of all flesh. Nor may we in any wise except our enemies or the enemies of God and their own souls. But every Christian loveth these also as himself, yea, "as Christ loved us." he that would more fully understand what manner of love this is, may consider St. Paul's description of it. It is "long-suffering and kind." It "envieth not." It is not rash or hasty in judging. It "is not puffed up;" but maketh him that loves, the least, the servant of all. Love "doth not behave itself unseemly," but becometh "all things to all men." She "seeketh not her own;" but only the good of others, that they may be saved. "Love is not provoked." It casteth out wrath, which he who hath is wanting in love. "It thinketh no evil. It rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth. It covereth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." (III.) 3. There is yet one thing more that may be separately considered, though it cannot actually be separate from the preceding, which is implied in the being altogether a Christian; and that is the ground of all, even faith. Very excellent things are spoken of this throughout the oracles of God. "Every one, saith the beloved disciple, "that believeth is born of God." "To as many as received him, gave he power to become the sons of God. even to them that believe on his name." And "this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." Yea, our Lord himself declares, "He that believeth in the Son hath everlasting life; and cometh not into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life."

Sermon 3: Awake, Thou That Sleepest Preached on Sunday April 4, 1742, before the University of Oxford, by the Rev. Charles Wesley, M.A. student of Christ-Church Text: "Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light." Eph. 5:14. In discoursing on these words, I shall, with the help of God, -- First. Describe the sleepers, to whom they are spoken: Secondly. Enforce the exhortation, "Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead:" And, Thirdly. Explain the promise made to such as do awake and arise: "Christ shall give thee light." 1. And first, as to the sleepers here spoken to. By sleep is signified the natural state of man; that deep sleep of the soul, into which the sin of Adam hath cast all who spring from his loins: That supineness, indolence, and stupidity, that insensibility of his real condition, wherein every man comes Into the world, and continues till the voice of God awakes him. 2. Now, "they that sleep, sleep in the night." The state of nature is a state of utter darkness; a state wherein "darkness covers the earth, and gross darkness the people." The poor unawakened sinner, how much knowledge soever he may have as to other things, has no knowledge of himself: in this respect "he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know." he knows not that he is a fallen spirit, whose only business in the present world, is to recover from his fall, to regain that image of God wherein he was created. he sees no necessity for the one thing needful, even that inward universal change, that "birth from above," figured out by baptism, which is the beginning of that total renovation. that sanctification of spirit, soul, and body, "without which no man shall see the Lord."

6. In what state is thy soul Was God, while I am yet speaking, to require it of thee, art thou ready to meet death and judgement Canst thou stand in his sight, who is of "purer eyes than to behold iniquity" Art thou "meet to be partaker of the inheritance of the saints in light" Hast thou "fought a good fight, and kept the faith" Hast thou secured the one thing needful Hast thou recovered the image of God, even righteousness and true holiness Hast thou put off the old man, and put on the new Art thou clothed upon with Christ 7. Hast thou oil in thy lamp grace in thy heart Dost thou "love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy mind and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength" Is that mind in thee, which was also in Christ Jesus Art thou a Christian indeed, that is, a new creature Are old things passed away, and all things become new 8. Art thou a "partaker of the divine nature" Knowest thou not, that "Christ is in thee, except thou be reprobate" Knowest thou, that God "dwelleth in thee, and thou in God, by his Spirit, which he hath given thee" Knowest thou not that "thy body is a temple of the Holy Ghost, which thou hast of God" Hast thou the witness in thyself the earnest of thine inheritance Hast thou "received the Holy Ghost" Or dost thou start at the question, not knowing "whether there be any Holy Ghost" 9. If it offends thee, be thou assured, that thou neither art a Christian, nor desirest to be one. Nay, thy very prayer is turned into sin; and thou hast solemnly mocked God this very day, by praying for the inspiration of his Holy Spirit, when thou didst not believe there was any such thing to be received.

10. Yet, on the authority of God's Word, and our own Church, I must repeat the question, "Hast thou received the Holy Ghost" If thou hast not, thou art not yet a Christian. For a Christian is a man that is "anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power." Thou art not yet made a partaker of pure religion and undefiled. Dost thou know what religion is --that it is a participation of the divine nature; the life of God in the soul of man; Christ formed in the heart; "Christ in thee, the hope of glory;" happiness and holiness; heaven begun upon earth; "a kingdom of God within thee; not meat and drink," no outward thing; "but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost;" an everlasting kingdom brought into thy soul; a "peace of God that passeth all understanding;" a "joy unspeakable, and full of glory" 11. Knowest thou, that "in Jesus Christ, neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith that worketh by love;" but a new creation Seest thou the necessity of that inward change, that spiritual birth, that life from the dead, that holiness And art thou throughly convinced, that without it no man shall see the Lord Art thou labouring after it --"giving all diligence to make thy calling and election sure," "working out thy salvation with fear and trembling," "agonizing to enter in at the strait gate" Art thou in earnest about thy soul And canst thou tell the Searcher of hearts, "Thou, O God, art the thing that I long for! Lord, Thou knowest all things; Thou knowest that I would love Thee!"

3. His soul, therefore, magnified the Lord, and his spirit rejoiced in God his Saviour. "He rejoiced in him with joy unspeakable," who had reconciled him to God, even the Father; "in whom he had redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins." He rejoiced in that witness of God's Spirit with his spirit, that he was a child of God; and more abundantly, "in hope of the glory of God;" in hope of the glorious image of God, and full renewal of his soul in righteousness and true holiness, and in hope of that crown of glory, that "inheritance, incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away." 4. "The love of God was also shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost which was given unto him" (Rom. 5:5). "Because he was a son God had sent forth the Spirit of his Son into his heart, crying Abba, Father!" (Gal. 4:6). And that filial love of God was continually increased by the witness he had in himself (1 John 5:10) of God's pardoning love to him; by "beholding what manner of love it was which the Father had bestowed upon him, that he should be called a child of God" (1 John 3:1). So that God was the. desire of his eyes, and the joy of his heart; his portion in time and in eternity. 5. He that thus loved God could not but love his brother also; and "not in word only, but in deed and in truth." "If God," said he, "so loved us, we ought also to love one another" (1 John 4:11); yea, every soul of man, as "the mercy of God is over all his works" (Ps. 145:9). Agreeably hereto, the affection of this lover of God embraced all mankind for his sake; not excepting those whom he had never seen in the flesh, or those of whom he knew nothing more than that they were "the offspring of God," for whose souls his Son had died; not excepting the "evil" and "unthankful," and least of all his enemies, those who hated, or persecuted, or despitefully used him for his Master's sake. These had a peculiar place, both in his heart and in his prayers. He loved them "even as Christ loved us."

4. They endeavoured herein to speak to every man severally as he had need. To the careless, to those who lay unconcerned in darkness and in the shadow of death, they thundered, "Awake thou that sleepest; arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light." But to those who were already awakened out of sleep, and groaning under a sense of the wrath of God, their language was, "We have an Advocate with the Father; he is the propitiation for our sins." Meantime, those who had believed, they provoked to love and to good works; to patient continuance in well-doing; and to abound more and more in that holiness without which no man can see the Lord. (Heb 12:14)

8. Many of us are more immediately consecrated to God, called to minister in holy things. Are we then patterns to the rest, "in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity" (1 Tim. 4:12)? Is there written on our forehead and on our heart, "Holiness to the Lord?" From what motives did we enter upon this office? Was it indeed with a single eye "to serve God, trusting that we were inwardly moved by the Holy Ghost to take upon us this ministration, for the promoting of his glory, and the edifying of his people?" And have we "clearly determined, by God's grace, to give ourselves wholly to this office?" Do we forsake and set aside, as much as in us lies, all worldly cares and studies? Do we apply ourselves wholly to this one thing, and draw all our cares and studies this way? Are we apt to teach? Are we taught of God, that we may be able to teach others also? Do we know God? Do we know Jesus Christ? Hath "God revealed his Son in us?" And hath he "made us able ministers of the new covenant?" Where then are the "seals of our apostleship?" Who, that were dead in trespasses and sins, have been quickened by our word? Have we a burning zeal to save souls from death, so that for their sake we often forget even to eat our bread? Do we speak plain, "by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God" (2 Cor. 4:2)? Are we dead to the world, and the things of the world, "laying up all our treasure in heaven?" Do we lord over God's heritage? Or are we the least, the servants of all? When we bear the reproach of Christ, does it sit heavy upon us? Or do we rejoice therein? When we are smitten on the one cheek, do we resent it? Are we impatient of affronts? Or do we turn the other also; not resisting the evil, but overcoming evil with good? Have we a bitter zeal, inciting us to strive sharply and passionately with them that are out of the way? Or is our zeal the flame of love, so as to direct all our words with sweetness, lowliness, and meekness of wisdom?

9. Once more: what shall we say concerning the youth of this place? Have you either the form or the power of Christian godliness? Are you humble, teachable, advisable; or stubborn, self-willed, heady, and highminded? Are you obedient to your superiors as to parents? Or do you despise those to whom you owe the tenderest reverence? Are you diligent in your easy business, pursuing your studies with all your strength? Do you redeem the time, crowding as much work into every day as it can contain? Rather, are ye not conscious to yourselves, that you waste away day after day, either in reading what has no tendency to Christianity, or in gaming, or in--you know not what? Are you better managers of your fortune than of your time? Do you, out of principle, take care to owe no man anything? Do you "remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy;" to spend it in the more immediate worship of God? When you are in his house, do you consider that God is there? Do you behave "as seeing him that is invisible?" Do you know how to possess your bodies in sanctification and honour?" Are not drunkenness and uncleanness found among you? Yea, are there not of you who "glory in their shame?" Do not many of you "take the name of God in vain," perhaps habitually, without either remorse or fear? Yea, are there not a multitude of you that are forsworn? I fear, a swiftly-increasing multitude. Be not surprised, brethren. Before God and this congregation, I own myself to have been of the number, solemnly swearing to observe all those customs, which I then knew nothing of; and those statutes, which I did not so much as read over, either then, or for some years after. What is perjury, if this is not? But if it be, O what a weight of sin, yea, sin of no common dye, lieth upon us! And doth not the Most High regard it?

8. In consideration of this, that the Son of God hath "tasted death for every man," God hath now "reconciled the world to himself, not imputing to them their" former "trespasses." And thus, "as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation, even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification." So that, for the sake of his well-beloved Son, of what he hath done and suffered for us, God now vouchsafes, on one only condition, (which himself also enables us to perform,) both to remit the punishment due to our sins, to reinstate us in his favour, and to restore our dead souls to spiritual life, as the earnest of life eternal. 9. This, therefore, is the general ground of the whole doctrine of justification. By the sin of the first Adam, who was not only the father, but likewise the representative, of us all, we all fell short of the favour of God; we all became children of wrath; or, as the Apostle expresses it, "judgment came upon all men to condemnation." Even so, by the sacrifice for sin made by the Second Adam, as the Representative of us all, God is so far reconciled to all the world, that he hath given them a new covenant; the plain condition whereof being once fulfilled, "there is no more condemnation" for us, but "we are justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ." II. What Justification Is 1. But what is it to be "justified" What is "justification" This was the Second thing which I proposed to show. And it is evident, from what has been already observed, that it is not the being made actually just and righteous. This is "sanctification;" which is, indeed, in some degree, the immediate fruit of justification, but, nevertheless, is a distinct gift of God, and of a totally different nature. The one implies what God does for us through his Son; the other, what he works in us by his Spirit. So that, although some rare instances may be found, wherein the term "justified" or "justification" is used in so wide a sense as to include "sanctification" also; yet, in general use, they are sufficiently distinguished from each other, both by St. Paul and the other inspired writers.

III. Who Are They That Are Justified 1. But this is the third thing which was to be considered, namely, Who are they that are justified And the Apostle tells us expressly, the ungodly: "He (that is, God) justifieth the ungodly;" the ungodly of every kind and degree; and none but the ungodly. As "they that are righteous need no repentance," so they need no forgiveness. It is only sinners that have any occasion for pardon: It is sin alone which admits of being forgiven. Forgiveness, therefore, has an immediate reference to sin, and, in this respect, to nothing else. It is our "unrighteousness" to which the pardoning God is "merciful:" It is our "iniquity" which he "remembereth no more." 2. This seems not to be at all considered by those who so vehemently contend that a man must be sanctified, that is, holy, before he can be justified; especially by such of them as affirm, that universal holiness or obedience must precede justification. (Unless they mean that justification at the last day, which is wholly out of the present question.) So far from it, that the very supposition is not only flatly impossible, (for where there is no love of God, there is no holiness, and there is no love of God but from a sense of his loving us,) but also grossly, intrinsically absurd, contradictory to itself. For it is not a saint but a sinner that is forgiven, and under the notion of a sinner. God justifieth not the godly, but the ungodly; not those that are holy already, but the unholy. Upon what condition he doeth this, will be considered quickly: but whatever it is, it cannot be holiness. To assert this, is to say the Lamb of God takes away only those sins which were taken away before.

The Righteousness of Faith "Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) Or, Who shall descend into the deep (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: That is, the word of faith, which we preach." Rom. 10:5-8. 1. The Apostle does not here oppose the covenant given by Moses, to the covenant given by Christ. If we ever imagined this, it was for want of observing, that the latter as well as the former part of these words were spoken by Moses himself to the people of Israel, and that concerning the covenant which then was. (Deut. 30:11, 12, 14.) But it is the covenant of grace, which God, through Christ, hath established with men in all ages, (as well before and under the Jewish dispensation, as since God was manifest in the flesh,) which St. Paul here opposes to the covenant of works, made with Adam while in Paradise, hut commonly supposed to be the only covenant which God had made with man, particularly by those Jews of whom the Apostle writes. 2. Of these it was that he so affectionately speaks in the begin-fling of this chapter: "My heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they may be saved. For I bear them record, that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness," (of the justification that flows from his mere grace and mercy, freely forgiving our sins through the Son of his love, through the redemption which is in Jesus,) "and seeking to establish their own righteousness," (their own holiness, antecedent to faith in "him that justifieth the ungodly," as the ground of their pardon and acceptance,) "have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God," and consequently seek death in the error of their life.

3. They were ignorant that "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth;" -- that, by the oblation of himself once offered, he had put an end to the first law or covenant, (which, indeed, was not given by God to Moses, but to Adam in his state of innocence,) the strict tenor whereof, without any abatement, was, "Do this, and live;" and, at the same time, purchased for us that better covenant," Believe, and live;" believe, and thou shalt be saved; now saved, both from the guilt and power of sin, and, of consequence, from the wages of it. 4. And how many are equally ignorant now, even among those who are called by the name of Christ! How many who have now a "zeal for God," yet have it not "according to knowledge;" but are still seeking "to establish their own righteousness," as the ground of their pardon and acceptance; and therefore, vehemently refuse to "submit themselves unto the righteousness of God!" Surely my heart's desire, and prayer to God for you, brethren, is, that ye may be saved. And, in order to remove this grand stumbling-block out of your way, I will endeavour to show, First, what the righteousness is, which is of the law; and what "the righteousness which is of faith;" Secondly, the folly of trusting in the righteousness of the law, and the wisdom of submitting to that which is of faith. I. 1. And, First, "the righteousness which is of the law saith, The man which doeth these things shall live by them." Constantly and perfectly observe all these things to do them, and then thou shalt live for ever. This law, or covenant, (usually called the Covenant of Works,) given by God to man in Paradise, required an obedience perfect in all its parts, entire and wanting nothing, as the condition of his eternal continuance in the holiness and happiness wherein he was created.

2. It required that man should fulfil all righteousness, inward and outward, negative and positive: That he should not only abstain from every idle word, and avoid every evil work, but should keep every affection, every desire, every thought, in obedience to the will of God: That he should continue holy, as he which had created him was holy, both in heart, and in all manner of conversation: That he should be pure in heart, even as God is pure; perfect as his Father in heaven was perfect: That he should love the Lord his God with all his heart, with all his soul, with all his mind, and with all his strength; that he should love every soul which God had made, even as God had loved him: That by this universal benevolence, he should dwell in God, (who is love,) and God in him: That he should serve the Lord his God with all his strength, and in all things singly aim at his glory. 3. These were the things which the righteousness of the law required, that he who did them might live thereby. But it farther required, that this entire obedience to God, this inward and outward holiness, this conformity both of heart and life to his will, should be perfect in degree. No abatement, no allowance could possibly be made, for falling short in any degree, as to any jot or tittle, either of the outward or the inward law. If every commandment, relating to outward things, was obeyed, yet that was not sufficient unless every one was obeyed with all the strength, in the highest measure, and most perfect manner. Nor did it answer the demand of this covenant, to love God with every power and faculty, unless he were loved with the full capacity of each, with the whole possibility of the soul. 4. One thing more was indispensably required by the righteousness of the law, namely, that this universal obedience, this perfect holiness both of heart and life, should be perfectly uninterrupted also, should continue without any intermission, from the moment wherein God created man, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, until the days of his trial should be ended, and he should be confirmed in life everlasting.

9. What saith then the covenant of forgiveness, of unmerited love, of pardoning mercy "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." In the day thou believest, thou shalt surely live. Thou shalt be restored to the favour of God; and in his pleasure is life. Thou shalt be saved from the curse, and from the wrath of God. Thou shalt be quickened, from the death of sin into the life of righteousness. And if thou endure to the end, believing in Jesus, thou shalt never taste the second death; but, having suffered with thy Lord, shalt also live and reign with him for ever and ever. 10. Now, "this word is nigh thee." This condition of life is plain, easy, always at hand. "It is in thy mouth, and in thy heart," through the operation of the Spirit of God. The moment "thou believest in thine heart" in him whom God "hath raised from the dead," and "confessest with thy mouth the Lord Jesus," as thy Lord and thy God, "thou shalt be saved" from condemnation, from the guilt and punishment of thy former sins, and shalt have power to serve God in true holiness all the remaining days of thy life. 11. What is the difference then between the "righteousness which is of the law," and the "righteousness which is of faith -- between the first covenant, or the covenant of works, and the second, the covenant of grace The essential, unchangeable difference is this: The one supposes him to whom it is given to be already holy and happy, created in the image and enjoying the favour of God; and prescribes the condition whereon he may continue therein, in love and joy, life and immortality: The other supposes him to whom it is given to be now unholy and unhappy, fallen short of the glorious image of God, having the wrath of God abiding on him, and hastening, through sin, whereby his soul is dead, to bodily death, and death everlasting; and to man in this state it prescribes the condition whereon he may regain the pearl he has lost, may recover the favour and image of God, may retrieve the life of God in his soul, and be restored to the knowledge and the love of God, which is the beginning of life eternal.

12. Again: The covenant of works, in order to man's continuance in the favour of God, in his knowledge and love, in holiness and happiness, required of perfect man a perfect and uninterrupted obedience to every point of the law of God. Whereas, the covenant of grace, in order to man's recovery of the favour and the life of God, requires only faith; living faith in Him who, through God, justifies him that obeyed not. 13. Yet, again: The covenant of works required of Adam and all his children, to pay the price themselves, in consideration of which they were to receive all the future blessings of God. But, in the covenant of grace, seeing we have nothing to pay, God "frankly forgives us all:" Provided only, that we believe in Him who hath paid the price for us; who hath given himself a "Propitiation for our sins, for the sins of the whole world." 14. Thus the first covenant required what is now afar off from all the children of men; namely, unsinning obedience, which is far from those who are "conceived and born in sin." Whereas, the second requires what is nigh at hand; as though it should say, "Thou art sin! God is love! Thou by sin art fallen short of the glory of God; yet there is mercy with him. Bring then all thy sins to the pardoning God, and they shall vanish away as a cloud. If thou wert not ungodly, there would be no room for him to justify thee as ungodly. But now draw near, in fill assurance of faith. He speaketh, and it is done. Fear not, only believe; for even the just God justifieth all that believe in Jesus." II. 1. These things considered, it would be easy to show, as I proposed to do in the Second place, the folly of trusting in the "righteousness which is of the law," and the wisdom of submitting to "the righteousness which is of faith."

The folly of those who still trust in the "righteousness which is of the law," the terms of which are, "Do this, and live," may abundantly appear from hence: They set out wrong; their very first step is a fundamental mistake: For, before they can ever think of claiming any blessing on the terms of this covenant, they must suppose themselves to be in his state with whom this covenant was made. But how vain a supposition is this; since it was made with Adam in a state of innocence! How weak, therefore, must that whole building be, which stands on such a foundation! And how foolish are they who thus build on the sand! who seem never to have considered, that the covenant of works was not given to man when he was "dead in trespasses and sins," but when he was alive to God, when he knew no sin, but was holy as God is holy; who forget, that it was never designed for the recovery of the favour and life of God once lost, but only for the continuance and increase thereof, till it should be complete in life everlasting. 2. Neither do they consider, who are thus seeking to establish their "own righteousness, which is of the law," what manner of obedience or righteousness that is which the law indispensably requires. It must be perfect and entire in every point, or it answers not the demand of the law. But which of you is able to perform such obedience; or, consequently, to live thereby Who among you fulfils every jot and tittle even of the outward commandments of God doing nothing, great or small, which God forbids leaving nothing undone which he enjoins speaking no idle word having your conversation always "meet to minister grace to the hearers" and, "whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, doing all to the glory of God" And how much less are you able to fulfil all the inward commandments of God! those which require that every temper and motion of your soul should be holiness unto the Lord! Are you able to "love God with all your heart" to love all mankind as your own soul to "pray without ceasing in every thing to give thanks" to have God always before you and to keep every affection, desire, and thought, in obedience to his law

10. But true religion, or a heart right toward God and man, implies happiness as well as holiness. For it is not only "righteousness," but also "peace and joy in the Holy Ghost." What peace "The peace of God," which God only can give, and the world cannot take away; the peace which "passeth all under-standing," all barely rational conception; being a supernatural sensation, a divine taste, of "the powers of the world to come;" such as the natural man knoweth not, how wise soever in the things of this world; nor, indeed, can he know it, in his present state, "because it is spiritually discerned." It is a peace that banishes all doubt, all painful uncertainty; the Spirit of God bearing witness with the spirit of a Christian, that he is "a child of God." And it banishes fear, all such fear as hath torment; the fear of the wrath of God; the fear of hell; the fear of the devil; and, in particular, the fear of death: he that hath the peace of God, desiring, if it were the will of God, "to depart, and to be with Christ." 11. With this peace of God, wherever it is fixed in the soul, there is also "joy in the Holy Ghost;" joy wrought in the heart by the Holy Ghost, by the ever-blessed Spirit of God. He it is that worketh in us that calm, humble rejoicing in God, through Christ Jesus, "by whom we have now received the atonement," katallaghn, the reconciliation with God; and that enables us boldly to confirm the truth of the royal Psalmist's declaration, "Blessed is the man" (or rather, happy) "whose unrighteousness is forgiven, and whose sin is covered." He it is that inspires the Christian soul with that even, solid joy, which arises from the testimony of the Spirit that he is a child of God; and that gives him to "rejoice with joy unspeakable, in hope of the glory of God;" hope both of the glorious image of God, which is in part and shall be fully "revealed in him;" and of that crown of glory which fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for him.

12. This holiness and happiness, joined in one, are sometimes styled, in the inspired writings, "the kingdom of God," (as by our Lord in the text,) and sometimes, "the kingdom of heaven." It is termed "the kingdom of God," because it is the immediate fruit of God's reigning in the soul. So soon as ever he takes unto himself his mighty power, and sets up his throne in our hearts, they are instantly filled with this "righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." It is called "the kingdom of heaven" because it is (in a degree) heaven opened in the soul. For whosoever they are that experience this, they can aver before angels and men, Everlasting life is won, Glory is on earth begun, according to the constant tenor of Scripture, which everywhere bears record, God "hath given unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son" (reigning in his heart) "hath life," even life everlasting. (1 John 5:11, 12.) For "this is life eternal, to know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." (John 17:3.) And they, to whom this is given, may confidently address God, though they were in the midst of a fiery furnace, Thee, Lord, safe shielded by thy power, Thee, Son of God, JEHOVAH, we adore; In form of man descending to appear: To thee be ceaseless hallelujahs given, Praise, as in heaven thy throne, we offer here; For where thy presence is display'd, is heaven. 13. And this "kingdom of God," or of heaven, "is at hand." As these words were originally spoken, they implied that "the time" was then fulfilled, God being "made manifest in the flesh," when he would set up his kingdom among men, and reign in the hearts of his people. And is not the time now fulfilled For, "Lo! (saith he,) I am with you always," you who preach remission of sins in my name, "even unto the end of the world." (Matt. 28:20.) Wheresoever, therefore, the gospel of Christ is preached, this his "kingdom is nigh at hand." It is not far from every one of you. Ye may this hour enter thereinto, if so be ye hearken to his voice, "Repent ye, and believe the gospel."

6. But suppose perfect obedience, for the time to come, could atone for the sins that are past, this would profit thee nothing; for thou art not able to perform it; no, not in any one point. Begin now: Make the trial. Shake off that outward sin that so easily besetteth thee. Thou canst not. How then wilt thou change thy life from all evil to all good Indeed, it is impossible to be done, unless first thy heart be changed. For, so long as the tree remains evil, it cannot bring forth good fruit. But art thou able to change thy own heart, from all sin to all holiness to quicken a soul that is dead in sin, -- dead to God and alive only to the world No more than thou art able to quicken a dead body, to raise to life him that lieth in the grave. Yea, thou art not able to quicken thy soul in any degree, no more than to give any degree of life to the dead body. Thou canst do nothing, more or less, in this matter; thou art utterly without strength. To be deeply sensible of this, how helpless thou art, as well as how guilty and how sinful, -- this is that "repentance not to be repented of," which is the forerunner of the kingdom of God. 7. If to this lively conviction of thy inward and outward sins, of thy utter guiltiness and helplessness, there be added suitable affections, --sorrow of heart, for having despised thy own mercies, -- remorse, and self-condemnation, having thy mouth stopped, -- shame to lift up thine eyes to heaven, -- fear of the wrath of God abiding on thee, of his curse hanging over thy head, and of the fiery indignation ready to devour those who forget God, and obey not our Lord Jesus Christ, -- earnest desire to escape from that indignation, to cease from evil, and learn to do well; -- then I say unto thee, in the name of the Lord, "Thou art not far from the kingdom of God." One step more and thou shalt enter in. Thou dost "repent." Now, "believe the gospel."

3. They who are of Christ, who abide in him, "have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts." They abstain from all those works of the flesh; from "adultery and fornication"; from "uncleanness and lasciviousness"; from "idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance "; from "emulations, wrath, strife, sedition, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings"; from every design, and word, and work, to which the corruption of nature leads. Although they feel the root of bitterness in themselves, yet are they endued with power from on high to trample it continually under foot, so that it cannot "spring up to trouble them"; insomuch that every fresh assault which they undergo, only gives them fresh occasion of praise, of crying out, "Thanks be unto God, who giveth us the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord." 4. They now "walk after the Spirit," both in their hearts and lives. They are taught of him to love God and their neighbour, with a love which is as "a well of water, springing up into everlasting life." And by him they are led into every holy desire, into every divine and heavenly temper, till every thought which arises in their heart is holiness unto the Lord. 5. They who "walk after the Spirit," are also led by him into all holiness of conversation. Their "speech is always in grace, seasoned with salt"; with the love and fear of God. "No corrupt communication comes out of their mouth; but only that which is good," that which is "to the use of edifying," which is "meet to minister grace to the hearers." And herein likewise do they exercise themselves day and night, to do only the things which please God; in all their outward behaviour to follow him "who left us an example that we might tread in his steps"; in all their intercourse with their neighbour, to walk in justice, mercy, and truth; and "whatsoever they do," in every circumstances of life, to "do all to the glory of God.

6. Lastly. Since a believer need not come into condemnation, even though he be surprised into what his soul abhors; (suppose his being surprised is not owing to any carelessness or wilful neglect of his own); if thou who believest art thus overtaken in a fault, then grieve unto the Lord; it shall be a precious balm. Pour out thy heart before him, and show him of thy trouble, and pray with all thy might to him who is "touched with the feeling of thy infirmities,"that he would establish, and strengthen and settle thy soul, and suffer thee to fall no more. But still he condemneth thee not. Wherefore shouldest thou fear Thou hast no need of any "fear that hath torment." Thou shalt love him that loveth thee, and it sufficeth: more love will bring more strength. And, as soon as thou lovest him with all thy heart, thou shalt be perfect and entire, lacking nothing." Wait in peace for that hour, when the God of peace shall sanctify thee wholly, so that thy whole spirit and soul and body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ!"

Now, because it highly imports us to know what spirit we are of, I shall endeavour to point out distinctly, First, the state of a "natural man:" Secondly, that of one who is "under the law:" And Thirdly, of one who is "under grace." I. 1. And, First, the state of a natural man. This the Scripture represents as a state of sleep: The voice of God to him is, "Awake thou that sleepest." For his soul is in a deep sleep: His spiritual senses are not awake; They discern neither spiritual good nor evil. The eyes of his understanding are closed; They are sealed together, and see not. Clouds and darkness continually rest upon them; for he lies in the valley of the shadow of death. Hence having no inlets for the knowledge of spiritual things, all the avenues of his soul being shut up, he is in gross, stupid ignorance of whatever he is most concerned to know. He is utterly ignorant of God, knowing nothing concerning him as he ought to know. He is totally a stranger to the law of God, as to its true, inward, spiritual meaning. He has no conception of that evangelical holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord; nor of the happiness which they only find whose "life is hid with Christ in God."

2. And for this very reason, because he is fast asleep, he is, in some sense, at rest. Because he is blind, he is also secure; He saith, "Tush, there shall no harm happen unto me." The darkness which covers him on every side, keeps him in a kind of peace; so far as peace can consist with the works of the devil, and with an earthly, devilish mind. He sees not that he stands on the edge of the pit, therefore he fears it not. He cannot tremble at the danger he does not know. He has not understanding enough to fear. Why is it that he is in no dread of God Because he is totally ignorant of him: If not saying in his heart, "There is no God;" or, that "he sitteth on the circle of the heavens, and humbleth" not "himself to behold the things which are done on earth:" yet satisfying himself as well to all Epicurean intents and purposes, by saying, "God is merciful;" confounding and swallowing up all at once in that unwieldy idea of mercy, all his holiness and essential hatred of sin; all his justice, wisdom, and truth. He is in no dread of the vengeance denounced against those who obey not the blessed law of God, because he understands it not. He imagines the main point is to do thus, to be outwardly blameless; and sees not that it extends to every temper, desire, thought, motion of the heart. Or he fancies that the obligation hereto is ceased; that Christ came to "destroy the Law and the Prophets;" to save his people in, not from their sins; to bring them to heaven without holiness: -- Notwithstanding his own words, "Not one jot or tittle of the law shall pass away, till all things are fulfilled;" and "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord! shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."

6. It in not surprising, if one in such circumstances as these, dosed with the opiates of flattery and sin, should imagine, among his other waking dreams, that he walks in great liberty. How easily may he persuade himself, that he is at liberty from all vulgar errors, and from the prejudice of education; judging exactly right, and keeping clear of all extremes. "I am free," may he say, "from all the enthusiasm of weak and narrow souls; from superstition, the disease of fools and cowards, always righteous over much; and from bigotry, continually incident to those who have not a free and generous way of thinking." And too sure it is, that he is altogether free from the "wisdom which cometh from above," from holiness, from the religion of the heart, from the whole mind which was in Christ. 7. For all this time he is the servant of sin. He commits sin, more or less, day by day. Yet he is not troubled: He "is in no bondage," as some speak; he feels no condemnation. He contents himself (even though he should profess to believe that the Christian Revelation is of God) with, "Man is frail. We are all weak. Every man has his infirmity." Perhaps he quotes Scripture: "Why, does not Solomon say, -- The righteous man falls into sin seven times a day! -- And, doubtless, they are all hypocrites or enthusiasts who pretend to be better than their neighbours." If, at any time, a serious thought fix upon him, he stifles it as soon as possible, with, "Why should I fear, since God is merciful, and Christ died for sinners" Thus, he remains a willing servant of sin, content with the bondage of corruption; inwardly and outwardly unholy, and satisfied therewith; not only not conquering sin, but not striving to conquer, particularly that sin which doth so easily beset him. 8. Such is the state of every natural man; whether he be a gross, scandalous transgressor, or a more reputable and decent sinner, having the form, though not the power of godliness. But how can such an one be convinced of sin How is he brought to repent To be under the law To receive the spirit of bondage unto fear This is the point which in next to be considered.

5. And "where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty;" liberty, not only from guilt and fear, but from sin, from that heaviest of all yokes, that basest of all bondage. His labour is not now in vain. The snare is broken, and he is delivered. He not only strives, but likewise prevails; he not only fights, but conquers also. "Henceforth he does not serve sin." (Chap. 6:6 &c.) He is "dead unto sin, and alive unto God;" "sin doth not now reign," even "in his mortal body," nor doth he "obey it in the desires thereof." He does not "yield his members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, but as instruments of righteousness unto God." For "being now made free from sin, he is become the servant of righteousness." 6. Thus, "having peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ," "rejoicing in hope of the glory of God," and having power over all sin, over every evil desire, and temper, and word, and work, he is a living witness of the "glorious liberty of the sons of God;" all of whom, being partakers of like precious faith, bear record with one voice, "We have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father!" 7. It is this spirit which continually, "worketh in them, both to will and to do of his good pleasure." It is he that sheds the love of God abroad in their hears, and the love of all mankind; thereby purifying their hearts from the love of world, from the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life. It is by him they are delivered from anger and pride, from all vile and inordinate affections. In consequence, they are delivered from evil words and works, from all unholiness of conversation; doing no evil to any child of man, and being zealous of all good works.

5. But how does it appear, that we have these marks This is a question which still remains. How does it appear, that we do love God and our neighbour, and that we keep his commandments Observe, that the meaning of the question is, How does it appear to ourselves, not to others I would ask him, then, that proposes this question, How does it appear to you that you are alive, and that you are now in ease, and not in pain Are you not immediately conscious of it By the same immediate consciousness, you will know if your soul is alive to God; if you are saved from the pain of proud wrath, and have the ease of a meek and quiet spirit. By the same means you cannot but perceive if you love, rejoice, and delight in God. By the same you must be directly assured, if you love your neighbour as yourself; if you are kindly affectioned to all mankind, and full of gentleness and longsuffering. And with regard to the outward mark of the children of God, which is, according to St. John, the keeping his commandments, you undoubtedly know in your own breast, if, by the grace of God, it belongs to you. Your conscience informs you from day to day, if you do not take the name of God within your lips unless with seriousness and devotion, with reverence and godly fear; if you remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy; if you honour your father and mother; if you do to all as you would they should do unto you; if you possess your body in sanctification and honour; and if, whether you eat or drink, you are temperate therein, and do all to the glory of God.

8. That this testimony of the Spirit of God must needs, in the very nature of things, be antecedent to the testimony of our own spirit, may appear from this single consideration: We must be holy of heart, and holy in life before we can be conscious that we are so; before we can have the testimony of our spirit, that we are inwardly and outwardly holy. But we must love God, before we can be holy at all; this being the root of all holiness. Now we cannot love God, till we know he loves us. "We love him, because he first loved us." And we cannot know his pardoning love to us, till his Spirit witnesses it to our spirit. Since, therefore, this testimony of his Spirit must precede the love of God and all holiness, of consequence it must precede our inward consciousness thereof, or the testimony of our spirit concerning them. 9. Then, and not till then, -- when the Spirit of God beareth that witness to our spirit, "God hath loved thee, and given his own Son to be the propitiation for thy sins; the Son of God hath loved thee, and hath washed thee from thy sins in his blood," -- "we love God, because he first loved us;" and, for his sake, we love our brother also. And of this we cannot but be conscious to ourselves: We "know the things that are freely given to us of God." We know that we love God and keep his commandments; and "hereby also we know that we are of God." This is that testimony of our own spirit, which, so long as we continue to love God and keep his commandments, continues joined with the testimony of God's Spirit, "that we are the children of God."

12. "But how shall I know that my spiritual senses are rightly disposed" This also is a question of vast importance; for if a man mistake in this, he may run on in endless error and delusion. "And how am I assured that this is not my case; and that I do not mistake the voice of the Spirit" Even by the testimony of your own spirit; by "the answer of a good conscience toward God." [Acts 23:1] By the fruits which he hath wrought in your spirit, you shall know the testimony of the Spirit of God. Hereby you shall know, that you are in no delusion, that you have not deceived your own soul. The immediate fruits of the Spirit ruling in the heart, are "love, joy, peace, bowels of mercies, humbleness of mind, meekness, gentleness, long-suffering." [Gal. 5:22, 23] And the outward fruits are, the doing good to all men; the doing no evil to any; and the walking in the light, [1 John 1:7] -- a zealous, uniform obedience to all the commandments of God. 13. By the same fruits shall you distinguish this voice of God, from any delusion of the devil. That proud spirit cannot humble thee before God. He neither can nor would soften thy heart, and melt it first into earnest mourning after God, and then into filial love. It is not the adversary of God and man that enables thee to love thy neighbour; or to put on meekness, gentleness, patience, temperance, and the whole armour of God. [see Col. 3:12-14; Eph. 6:11] He is not divided against himself, or a destroyer of sin, his own work. No; it is none but the Son of God who cometh to "destroy the works of the devil." [1 John 3:8] As surely therefore as holiness is of God, and as sin is the work of the devil, so surely the witness thou hast in thyself is not of Satan, but of God.

14. Well then mayst thou say, "Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift!" [2 Cor. 9:15] Thanks be unto God, who giveth me to "know in whom I have believed;" [2 Tim. 1:12] who hath "sent forth the Spirit of his Son into my heart, crying, Abba, Father," [Gal. 4:6] and even now, "bearing witness with my spirit that I am a child of God!" [Rom. 8:16] And see, that not only thy lips, but thy life show forth his praise. He hath sealed thee for his own; glorify him then in thy body and thy spirit, which are his. [1 Cor. 6:20] Beloved, if thou hast this hope in thyself, purify thyself as he is pure. While thou beholdest what manner of love the Father hath given thee, that thou shouldst be called a child of God; [1 John 3:1] cleanse thyself "from all filthiness of flesh and Spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God;" [2 Cor. 7:1] and let all thy thoughts, words, and works be a spiritual sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God through Christ Jesus! [Rom. 12:1, 2]

4. This is farther explained by the parallel text, (Gal. 4:6,) "Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying Abba, Father." Is not this something immediate and direct, not the result of reflection or argumentation Does not his Spirit cry, "Abba, Father," in our hearts the moment it is given, antecedently to any reflection upon our sincerity; yea, to any reasoning whatsoever And is not this the plain natural sense of the words, which strikes any one as soon as he hears them All these texts then, in their most obvious meaning, describe a direct testimony of the Spirit. 5. That the testimony of the Spirit of God must, in the very nature of things, be antecedent to the testimony of our own spirit, may appear from this single consideration: We must be holy in heart and life before we can be conscious that we are so. But we must love God before we can be holy at all, this being the root of holiness. Now we cannot love God, till we know he loves us: We love him, because he first loved us: And we cannot know his love to us, till his Spirit witnesses it to our spirit. Till then we cannot believe it; we cannot say, "The life which I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." Then, only then we feel Our interest in his blood, And cry, with joy unspeakable, Thou art my Lord, my God! Since, therefore, the testimony of his Spirit must precede the love of God, and all holiness, of consequence it must precede our consciousness thereof.

7. But this is confirmed, not only by experience of the children of God; -- thousands of whom can declare that they never did know themselves to be in the favour of God till it was directly witnessed to them by his Spirit; --but by all those who are convinced of sin, who feel the wrath of God abiding on them. These cannot be satisfied with any thing less than a direct testimony from his Spirit, that he is "merciful to their unrighteousness, and remembers their sins and iniquities no more." Tell any of these, "You are to know you are a child, by reflecting on what he has wrought in you, on your love, joy, and peace; and will he not immediately reply, "By all this I know I am a child of the devil I have no more love to God than the devil has; my carnal mind is enmity against God. I have no joy in the Holy Ghost; my soul is sorrowful even unto death. I have no peace; my heart is a troubled sea; I am all storm and tempest." And which way can these souls possibly be comforted, but by a divine testimony not that they are good, or sincere, or conformable to the Scripture in heart and life, but) that God justifieth the ungodly --him that, till the moment he is justified, is all ungodly, void of all true holiness; him that worketh not, that worketh nothing that is truly good, till he is conscious that he is accepted, not for any works of righteousness which he hath done, but by the mere, free mercy of God; wholly and solely for what the Son of God hath done and suffered for him. And can it be any otherwise, if "a man is justified by faith, without the works of the law" If so, what inward or outward goodness can he be conscious of, antecedent to his justification Nay, is not the having nothing to pay, that is, the being conscious that "there dwelleth in us no good thing," neither inward nor outward goodness, essentially, indispensably necessary, before we can be "justified freely, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ" Was ever any man justified since his coming into the world, or can any man ever be justified, till he is brought to that point, I give up every plea beside, --

4. The Second inference, is, let none rest in any supposed fruit of the Spirit without the witness. There may be foretastes of the Spirit without the witness. There may be foretastes of joy, of peace, of love, and those not delusive, but really from God, long before we have the witness in ourselves; before the Spirit of God witnesses with our spirits that we have "redemption in the blood of Jesus, even the forgiveness of sins." Yea, there may be a degree of long-suffering, of gentleness, of fidelity, meekness, temperance, (not a shadow thereof, but a real degree, by the preventing grace of God,) before we "are accepted in the Beloved," and, consequently, before we have a testimony of our acceptance: But it is by no means advisable to rest here; it is at the peril of our souls if we do. If we are wise, we shall be continually crying to God, until his Spirit cry in our heart, "Abba, Father!" This is the privilege of all the children of God, and without this we can never be assured that we are his children. Without this we cannot retain a steady peace, nor avoid perplexing doubts and fears. But when we have once received this Spirit of adoption, this "peace which passeth all understanding," and which expels all painful doubt and fear, will "keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." And when this has brought forth its genuine fruit, all inward and outward holiness, it is undoubtedly the will of Him that calleth us, to give us always what he has once given; so that there is no need that we should ever more be deprived of either the testimony of God's Spirit, or the testimony of our own, the consciousness of our walking in all righteousness and true holiness. Newry, April 4, 1767.

We are then simple of heart, when the eye of our mind is singly fixed on God; when in all things we aim at God alone, as our God, our portion, our strength, our happiness, our exceeding great reward, our all, in time and eternity. This is simplicity; when a steady view, a single intention of promoting his glory, of doing and suffering his blessed will, runs through our whole soul, fills all our heart, and is the constant spring of all our thoughts, desires, and purposes. 12. "We have had our conversation in the world," Secondly, "in godly sincerity." the difference between simplicity and sincerity seems to be chiefly this: Simplicity regards the intention itself, sincerity the execution of it; and this sincerity relates not barely to our words, but to our whole conversation, as described above. It is not here to be understood in that narrow sense, wherein St. Paul himself sometimes uses it, for speaking the truth, or abstaining from guile, from craft, and dissimulation; but in a more extensive meaning, as actually hitting the mark, which we aim at by simplicity. Accordingly, it implies in this place, that we do, in fact, speak and do all to the glory of God; that all our words are not only pointed at this, but actually conducive thereto; that all our actions flow on in an even stream, uniformly subservient to this great end; and that, in our whole lives, we are moving straight toward God, and that continually; walking steadily on in the highway of holiness, in the paths of justice, mercy, and truth. 13. This sincerity is termed by the Apostle, godly sincerity, or the sincerity of God; eilikrineia Qeou, to prevent our mistaking or confounding it with the sincerity of the Heathens; (for they had also a kind of sincerity among them, for which they professed no small veneration;) likewise to denote the object and end of this, as of every Christian virtue, seeing whatever does not ultimately tend to God, sinks among "the beggarly elements of the world." By styling it the sincerity of God, he also points out the Author or it, the "Father of lights, from whom every good and perfect gift descendeth;" which is still more clearly declared in the following words, "Not with fleshly wisdom , but by the grace of God."

16. This is properly the ground of a Christian's joy. We may now therefore readily conceive, how he that hath this testimony in himself rejoiceth evermore. "My soul," may he say, "doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit rejoiceth in God my Saviour." I rejoice in him, who, of his own unmerited love, of his own free and tender mercy, "hath called me into this state of salvation," wherein, through his power, I now stand. I rejoice, because his spirit beareth witness to my spirit, that I am bought with the blood of the Lamb; and that, believing in him, "I am a member of Christ, a child of God, and an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven." I rejoice, because the sense of God's love to me hath, by the same Spirit, wrought in me to love him, and to love for his sake every child of man, every soul that hath made. I rejoice, because he gives me to feel in myself "the mind that was in Christ:" -- Simplicity, a single eye to him, in every motion of my heart; power always to fix the loving eye of my soul on Him who "loved me, and gave himself for me;" to aim at him alone, at his glorious will, in all I think, or speak, or do: -- Purity, desiring nothing more but God; "crucifying the flesh with its affections and lusts;" "setting my affections on things above, not on things of the earth:" -- Holiness, a recovery of the image of God, a renewal of soul "after his likeness:" -- And Godly Sincerity, directing all my words and works, so as to conduce to his glory. In this I likewise rejoice, yea, and will rejoice, because my conscience beareth me witness in the Holy Ghost, by the light he continually pours in upon it, that "walk worthy of the vocation wherewith I am called;" that I "abstain from all appearance of evil," fleeing from sin as from the face of a serpent; that as I have opportunity I do all possible good, in every kind, to all men; that I follow my Lord in all my steps, and do what is acceptable in his sight.

5. To avoid this extreme, many well-meaning men, particularly those under the direction of the late Count Zinzendorf, ran into another; affirming, that "all true believers are not only saved from the dominion of sin, but from the being of inward as well as outward sin, so that it no longer remains in them:" And from them, about twenty years ago, many of our countrymen imbibed the same opinion, that even the corruption of nature is no more, in those who believe in Christ. 6. It is true that, when the Germans were pressed upon this head, they soon allowed, (many of them at least,) that "sin did still remain in the flesh, but not in the heart of a believer;" and, after a time, when the absurdity of this was shown, they fairly gave up the point; allowing that sin did still remain, though not reign, in him that is born of God. 7. But the English, who had received it from them, (some directly, some at second or third hand,) were not so easily prevailed upon to part with a favourite opinion: And even when the generality of them were convinced it was utterly indefensible, a few could not be persuaded to give it up, but maintain it to this day. II. 1. For the sake of these who really fear God, and desire to know "the truth as it is in Jesus," it may not be amiss to consider the point with calmness and impartiality. In doing this, I use indifferently the words, regenerate, justified, or believers; since, though they have not precisely the same meaning, (the First implying an inward, actual change, the Second a relative one, and the Third the means whereby both the one and the other are wrought,) yet they come to one and the same thing; as everyone that believes, is both justified and born of God. 2. By sin, I here understand inward sin; any sinful temper, passion, or affection; such as pride, self-will, love of the world, in any kind or degree; such as lust, anger, peevishness; any disposition contrary to the mind which was in Christ.

I have put this objection as strong as possible, that its full weight may appear. Let us now examine it, part by part. And, 1. "That which is born of the Spirit is spirit, is altogether good." I allow the text, but not the comment. For the text affirms this, and no more, -- that every man who is "born of the Spirit," is a spiritual man. He is so: But so he may be, and yet not be altogether spiritual. The Christians at Corinth were spiritual men; else they had been no Christians at all; and yet they were not altogether spiritual: they were still, in part, carnal. -- "But they were fallen from grace." St. Paul says, No. They were even then babes in Christ. 2. "But a man cannot be clean, sanctified, holy, and at the same time unclean, unsanctified, unholy." Indeed he may. So the Corinthians were. "Ye are washed," says the Apostle, "ye are sanctified;" namely, cleansed from "fornication, idolatry, drunkenness," and all other outward sin; (1 Cor. 6:9, 10, 11;) and yet at the same time, in another sense of the word, they were unsanctified; they were not washed, not inwardly cleansed from envy, evil surmising, partiality. -- "But sure, they had not a new heart and an old heart together." It is most sure they had, for at that very time, their hearts were truly, yet not entirely, renewed. Their carnal mind was nailed to the cross; yet it was not wholly destroyed. -- "But could they be unholy while they were `temples of the Holy Ghost'" Yes; that they were temples of the Holy Ghost, is certain; (1 Cor. 6:19;) and it is equally certain, they were, in some degree, carnal, that is, unholy.

2. "However, there is one Scripture more which will put the matter out of question: `If any man be' a believer `in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.' (2 Cor. 5:17.) Now certainly a man cannot be a new creature and an old creature at once." Yes, he may: He may be partly renewed, which was the very case with those at Corinth. They were doubtless "renewed in the spirit of their mind," or they could not have been so much as "babes in Christ." yet they had not the whole mind which was in Christ, for they envied one another. "But it is said expressly, `Old things are passed away: All things are become new.'" But we must not so interpret the Apostle's words, as to make him contradict himself. And if we will make him consistent with himself, the plain meaning of the words is this: His old judgment concerning justification, holiness, happiness, indeed concerning the things of God in general, is now passed away; so are his old desires, designs, affections, tempers, and conversation. All these are undeniably become new, greatly changed from what they were; and yet, though they are new, they are not wholly new. Still he feels, to his sorrow and shame, remains of the old man, too manifest taints of his former tempers and affections, though they cannot gain any advantage over him, as long as he watches unto prayer.

"But how can unbelief be in a believer" That word has two meanings. It means either no faith, or little faith; either the absence of faith or the weakness of it. In the former sense, unbelief is not in a believer; in the latter, it is in all babes. Their faith is commonly mixed with doubt or fear; that is, in the latter sense, with unbelief. "Why are ye fearful," says our Lord, "O ye of little faith" Again: "O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt" You see here was unbelief in believers; little faith and much unbelief. 13. "But this doctrine, that sin remains in a believer; that a man may be in the favour of God, while he has sin in his heart; certainly tends to encourage men in sin." Understand the proposition right, and no such consequence follows. A man may be in God's favour though he feel sin; but not if he yields to it. Having sin does not forfeit the favour of God; giving way to sin does. Though the flesh in you "lust against the Spirit," you may still be a child of God; but if you "walk after the flesh," you are a child of the devil. Now this doctrine does not encourage to obey sin, but to resist it with all our might.

V. 1. The sum of all is this: There are in every person, even after he is justified, two contrary principles, nature and grace, termed by St. Paul the flesh and the Spirit. Hence, although even babes in Christ are sanctified, yet it is only in part. In a degree, according to the measure of their faith, they are spiritual; yet, in a degree they are carnal. Accordingly, believers are continually exhorted to watch against the flesh, as well as the world and the devil. And to this agrees the constant experience of the children of God. While they feel this witness in themselves, they feel a will not wholly resigned to the will of God. They know they are in him; and yet find an heart ready to depart from him, a proneness to evil in many instances, and a backwardness to that which is good. The contrary doctrine is wholly new; never heard of in the church of Christ, from the time of his coming into the world, till the time of Count Zinzendorf; and it is attended with the most fatal consequences. It cuts off all watching against our evil nature, against the Delilah which we are told is gone, though she is still lying in our bosom. It tears away the shield of weak believers, deprives them of their faith and so leaves them exposed to all the assaults of the world, the flesh, and the devil. 2. Let us, therefore, hold fast the sound doctrine "once delivered to the saints," and delivered down by them with the written word to all succeeding generations: That although we are renewed, cleansed, purified, sanctified, the moment we truly believe in Christ, yet we are not then renewed, cleansed, purified altogether; but the flesh, the evil nature, still remains (though subdued) and wars against the Spirit. So much the more let us use all diligence in "fighting the good fight of faith." So much the more earnestly let us "watch and pray" against the enemy within. The more carefully let us take to ourselves, and "put on, the whole armor of God;" that, although "we wrestle" both "with flesh, and blood, and with the principalities, and with powers, and wicked spirits in high places," we may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand."

The Repentance of Believers "Repent ye, and believe the gospel." Mark 1:15. 1. It is generally supposed, that repentance and faith are only the gate of religion; that they are necessary only at the beginning of our Christian course, when we are setting out in the way to the kingdom. And this may seem to be confirmed by the great Apostle, where, exhorting the Hebrew Christians to "go on to perfection," he teaches them to leave these first "principles of the doctrine of Christ;" "not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith towards God;" which must at least mean, that they should comparatively leave these, that at first took up all their thoughts, in order to "press forward toward the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." 2. And this is undoubtedly true, that there is a repentance and a faith, which are, more especially, necessary at the beginning: a repentance, which is a conviction of our utter sinfulness, and guiltiness, and helplessness; and which precedes our receiving that kingdom of God, which, our Lord observes, is "within us;" and a faith, whereby we receive that kingdom, even "righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." 3. But, notwithstanding this, there is also a repentance and a faith (taking the words in another sense, a sense not quite the same, nor yet entirely different) which are requisite after we have "believed the gospel;" yea, and in every subsequent stage of our Christian course, or we cannot "run the race which is set before us." And this repentance and faith are full as necessary, in order to our continuance and growth in grace, as the former faith and repentance were, in order to our entering into the kingdom of God. But in what sense are we to repent and believe, after we are justified This is an important question, and worthy of being considered with the utmost attention. I. And, First, in what sense are we to repent 1. Repentance frequently means an inward change, a change of mind from sin to holiness. But we now speak of it in a quite different sense, as it is one kind of self-knowledge, the knowing ourselves sinners, yea, guilty, helpless sinners, even though we know we are children of God.

18. By this helplessness I mean, Secondly, an absolute inability to deliver ourselves from that guiltiness or desert of punishment whereof we are still conscious; yea, and an inability to remove, by all the grace we have (to say nothing of our natural powers,) either the pride, self-will, love of the world, anger, and general proneness to depart from God, which we experimentally know to remain in the heart, even of them that are regenerate; or the evil which, in spite of all our endeavours, cleaves to all our words and actions. Add to this, an utter inability wholly to avoid uncharitable, and, much more, unprofitable, conversation: and an inability to avoid sins of omission, or to supply the numberless defects we are convinced of; especially the want of love, and other right tempers both to God and man. 19. If any man is not satisfied of this, if any believes that whoever is justified is able to remove these sins out of his heart and life, let him make the experiment. Let him try whether, by the grace he has already received, he can expel pride, self-will, or inbred sin in general. Let him try whether he can cleanse his words and actions from all mixture of evil; whether he can avoid all uncharitable and unprofitable conversation, with all sins of omission; and, lastly, whether he can supply the numberless defects which he still finds in himself. Let him not be discouraged by one or two experiments, but repeat the trial again and again; and the longer he tries, the more deeply will he be convinced of his utter helplessness in all these respects.

I will also save you from all your uncleannesses" (Ezek. 36:25, &c.) So likewise in the New Testament, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, and hath raised up an horn of salvation for us, -- to perform the oath which he sware to our father Abraham, that he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies should serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life" (Luke 1:68, &c.) 3. You have therefore good reason to believe, he is not only able, but willing to do this; to cleanse you from all your filthiness of flesh and spirit; to "save you from all your uncleannesses." This is the thing which you now long for; this is the faith which you now particularly need, namely, that the Great Physician, the Lover of my soul, is willing to make me clean. But is he willing to do this to-morrow, or to-day Let him answer for himself: "To-day, if ye will hear" My "voice, harden not your hearts." If you put it off till to-morrow, you harden your hearts; you refuse to hear his voice. Believe, therefore, that he is willing to save you to-day. He is willing to save you now. "Behold, now is the accepted time." He now saith, "Be thou clean!" Only believe, and you also will immediately find, "all things are possible to him that believeth." 4. Continue to believe in him that loved thee, and gave himself for thee; that bore all thy sins in his own body on the tree; and he saveth thee from all condemnation, by his blood continually applied. Thus it is that we continue in a justified state. And when we go "from faith to faith, when we have faith to be cleansed from indwelling sin, to be saved from all our uncleannesses, we are likewise saved from all that guilt, that desert of punishment, which we felt before. So that then we may say, not only, Every moment, Lord, I want The merit of thy death; but, likewise, in the full assurance of faith, Every moment, Lord, I have The merit of thy death!

For, by that faith in his life, death, and intercession for us, renewed from moment to moment, we are every whit clean, and there is not only now no condemnation for us, but no such desert of punishment as was before, the Lord cleansing both our hearts and lives. 5. By the same faith we feel the power of Christ every moment resting upon us, whereby alone we are what we are; whereby we are enabled to continue in spiritual life, and without which, notwithstanding all our present holiness, we should be devils the next moment. But as long as we retain our faith in him, we "draw water out of the wells of salvation." Leaning on our Beloved, even Christ in us the hope of glory, who dwelleth in our hearts by faith, who likewise is ever interceding for us at the right hand of God, we receive help from him, to think, and speak, and act, what is acceptable in his sight. Thus does he "prevent" them that believe in all their "doings, and further them with his continual help;" so that all their designs, conversations, and actions are "begun, continued, and ended in him." Thus doth he "cleanse the thoughts of their hearts, by the inspiration of his Holy Spirit, that they may perfectly love him, and worthily magnify his holy name."

6. Thus it is, that in the children of God, repentance and faith exactly answer each other. By repentance we feel the sin remaining in our hearts, and cleaving to our words and actions: by faith, we receive the power of God in Christ, purifying our hearts, and cleansing our hands. By repentance, we are still sensible that we deserve punishment for all our tempers, and words, and actions: by faith, we are conscious that our Advocate with the Father is continually pleading for us, and thereby continually turning aside all condemnation and punishment from us. By repentance we have an abiding conviction that there is no help in us: by faith we receive not only mercy, "but grace to help in" every "time of need. Repentance disclaims the very possibility of any other help; faith accepts all the help we stand in need of, from him that hath all power in heaven and earth. Repentance says, "Without him I can do nothing:" Faith says, "I can do all things through Christ strengthening me." Through him I can not only overcome, but expel, all the enemies of my soul. Through him I can "love the Lord my God with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength;" yea, and "walk in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of my life."

2. On the contrary, a deep conviction that we are not yet whole; that our hearts are not fully purified; that there is yet in us a "carnal mind," which is still in its nature "enmity against God;" that a whole body of sin remains in our heart, weakened indeed, but not destroyed; shows, beyond all possibility of doubt, the absolute necessity of a farther change. We allow, that at the very moment of justification, we are born again: In that instant we experience that inward change from "darkness into marvellous light;" from the image of the brute and the devil, into the image of God; from the earthly, sensual, devilish mind, to the mind which was in Christ Jesus. But are we then entirely changed Are we wholly transformed into the image of him that created us Far from it: we still retain a depth of sin; and it is the consciousness of this which constrains us to groan, for a full deliverance, to him that is mighty to save. Hence it is, that those believers who are not convinced of the deep corruption of their hearts, or but slightly, and, as it were, notionally convinced, have little concern about entire sanctification. They may possibly hold the opinion, that such a thing is to be, either at death, or some time they know not when, before it. But they have no great uneasiness for the want of it, and no great hunger or thirst after it. They cannot, until they know themselves better, until they repent in the sense above described, until God unveils the inbred monster's face, and shows them the real state of their souls. Then only, when they feel the burden, will they groan for deliverance from it. Then, and not till then, will they cry out, in the agony of their soul, Break off the yoke of inbred sin, And fully set my spirit free! I cannot rest till pure within, Till I am wholly lost in Thee.

3. You, whose office it is to execute what is given you in charge by him before whom you stand; how nearly are you concerned to resemble those that stand before the face of the Son of Man, those servants of his that do his pleasure, and hearken to the voice of his words! Does it not highly import you, to be as uncorrupt as them to approve yourselves the servants of God to do justly, and love mercy to do to all as ye would they should do to you So shall that great Judge, under whose eye you continually stand, say to you also, "Well done, good and faithful servants: enter ye into the joy of your Lord!"

5. "What manner of persons then ought we to be, in all holy conversation and godliness!" We know it cannot be long before the Lord will descend with the voice of the archangel, and the trumpet of God; when every one of us shall appear before him, and give account of his own works. "Wherefore, beloved, seeing ye look for these things," seeing ye know he will come and will not tarry, "be diligent, that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless." Why should ye not Why should one of you be found on the left hand at his appearing He willeth not that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance; by repentance, to faith in a bleeding Lord; by faith, to spotless love, to the full image of God renewed in the heart, and producing all holiness of conversation. Can you doubt of this, when you remember, the Judge of all is likewise the Savior of all Hath he not bought you with his own blood, that ye might not perish, but have everlasting life O make proof of his mercy, rather than his justice; of his love, rather than the thunder of his power! He is not far from every one of us; and he is now come, not to condemn, but to save the world he standeth in the midst! Sinner, doth he not now, even now, knock at the door of thy heart O that thou mayest know, at least in this thy day, the things that belong unto thy peace! O that ye may now give yourselves to him who gave himself for you, in humble faith, in holy, active, patient love! So shall ye rejoice with exceeding joy in his day, when he cometh in the clouds of heaven.

Sermon 16: The Means of Grace Text: "Ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them." Mal. 3:7. I. Introduction and Historical Context 1. The question of whether God ordained specific means of grace under Christian dispensation would never have been proposed in the apostolic church except by one openly avowing himself a heathen. The entire body of Christians agreed that Christ had ordained outward means for conveying grace to souls. This practice was evident in how "all that believed were together, and had all things common," continuing "steadfastly in the teaching of the Apostles, and in the breaking of bread, and in prayers." (Acts 2:44, 42.) 2. Over time, as "the love of many waxed cold," some began mistaking means for the end, placing religion in outward works rather than in hearts renewed after God's image. They forgot that "the end of every commandment is love, out of a pure heart," with "faith unfeigned." Others imagined that while religion didn't principally consist in outward means, God was pleased with them anyway--that they could neglect "the weightier matters of the law, in justice, mercy, and the love of God." 3. Those who abused these ordinances received no blessing; instead, "the things which should have been for their health, were to them an occasion of falling." They drew curses rather than blessings. Observing this, some concluded generally that these means didn't convey God's grace at all. 4. Eventually, men of great understanding and apparent love for true inward religion--"burning and shining lights"--arose to address this abuse. These venerable men initially intended only to show that outward religion means nothing without the religion of the heart; that "God is a Spirit, and they who worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth"; that external worship without a heart devoted to God is "lost labour"; that outward ordinances profit much when advancing inward holiness, but "when they advance it not, are unprofitable and void, are lighter than vanity."

5. We allow, though melancholy, that large numbers called Christians abuse means of grace to their souls' destruction. This applies to all resting content in godliness's form without its power--those who presume they're Christians because they perform certain actions, though Christ was never revealed in their hearts, or suppose they'll certainly become Christian merely by using these means, idly dreaming either that inherent power will eventually make them holy, or that merit in using them will move God to give them holiness or accept them without it. 6. Such people little understand that great Christian foundation: "By grace are ye saved." You're saved from sins' guilt and power, restored to God's favor and image, "not for any works, merits, or deservings of yours, but by the free grace, the mere mercy of God, through the merits of his well-beloved Son. Ye are thus saved, not by any power, wisdom, or strength, which is in you, or in any other creature; but merely through the grace or power of the Holy Ghost, which worketh all in all." 7. The main question remains: "We know this salvation is the gift and the work of God; but how may I attain thereto?" If told "Believe, and thou shalt be saved!" the response is "True; but how shall I believe?" and "Wait upon God." But "how am I to wait? In the means of grace, or out of them? Am I to wait for the grace of God which bringeth salvation, by using these means, or by laying them aside?" 8. God couldn't leave us undetermined on so important a matter. The Son of God, who came for our salvation, wouldn't leave this question unresolved when our salvation so nearly concerns it. He hasn't left us undetermined; He's shown us the way. We need only consult God's oracles and abide by their decision. III. The Three Principal Means of Grace 1. First: Prayer as a Means of Grace According to Scripture's decision, all desiring God's grace are to wait for it using the means He ordained, using them, not laying them aside.

Secondly. Before you use any means, let it be deeply impressed on your soul; -- there is no power in this. It is, in itself, a poor, dead, empty thing: Separate from God, it is a dry leaf, a shadow. Neither is there any merit in my using this; nothing intrinsically pleasing to God; nothing whereby I deserve any favour at his hands, no, not a drop of water to cool my tongue. But, because God bids, therefore I do; because he directs me to wait in this way, therefore here I wait for his free mercy, whereof cometh my salvation. Settle this in your heart, that the opus operatum, the mere work done, profiteth nothing; that there is no power to save, but in the Spirit of God, no merit, but in the blood of Christ; that, consequently, even what God ordains, conveys no grace to the soul, if you trust not in Him alone. On the other hand, he that does truly trust in Him, cannot fall short of the grace of God, even though he were cut off from every outward ordinance, though he were shut up in the centre of the earth. Thirdly. In using all means, seek God alone. In and through every outward thing, look singly to the power of his Spirit; and the merits of his Son. Beware you do not stick in the work itself; if you do, it is all lost labour. Nothing short of God can satisfy your soul. Therefore, eye him in all, through all, and above all. Remember also, to use all means, as means; as ordained, not for their own sake, but in order to the renewal of your soul in righteousness and true holiness. If, therefore, they actually tend to this, well; but if not, they are dung and dross.

3. That "circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter;" -- that the distinguishing mark of a true follower of Christ, of one who is in a state of acceptance with God, is not either outward circumcision, or baptism, or any other outward form, but a right state of soul, a mind and spirit renewed after the image of Him that created it; -- is one of those important truths that can only be spiritually discerned. And this the Apostle himself intimates in the next words, -- "Whose praise is not of men, but of God." As if he had said, "Expect not, whoever thou art, who thus followest thy great Master, that the world, the one who follow him not, will say, `Well done, good and faithful servant!' Know that the circumcision of the heart, the seal of thy calling, is foolishness with the world. Be content to wait for thy applause till the day of thy Lord's appearing. In that day shalt thou have praise of God, in the great assembly of men and angels." I design First, particularly to inquire, wherein this circumcision of the heart consists; and, Secondly, to mention some reflections that naturally arise from such an inquiry. I. 1. I am, First, to inquire, wherein that circumcision of the heart consists, which will receive the praise of God. In general we may observe, it is that habitual disposition of soul which, in the sacred writings, is termed holiness; and which directly implies, the being cleansed from sin, "from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit;" and, by consequence, the being endued with those virtues which were also in Christ Jesus; the being so "renewed in the spirit of our mind," as to be "perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect."

2. To be more particular: Circumcision of heart implies humility, faith, hope, and charity. Humility, a right judgment of ourselves, cleanses our minds from those high conceits of our own perfection, from that undue opinion of our own abilities and attainments, which are the genuine fruit of a corrupted nature. This entirely cuts off that vain thought, "I am rich, and wise, and have need of nothing;" and convinces us that we are by nature wretched, and poor, and miserable, and blind, and naked. "It convinces us, that in our best estate we are, of ourselves, all sin and vanity; that confusion, and ignorance, and error reign over our understanding; that unreasonable, earthly, sensual, devilish passions usurp authority over our will; in a word, that there is no whole part in our soul, that all the foundations of our nature are out of course. 3. At the same time we are convinced, that we are not sufficient of ourselves to help ourselves; that, without the Spirit of God, we can do nothing but add sin to sin; that it is He alone who worketh in us by his almighty power, either to will or do that which is good; it being as impossible for us even to think a good thought, without the supernatural assistance of his Spirit, as to create ourselves, or to renew our whole souls in righteousness and true holiness.

4. A sure effect of our having formed this right judgment of the sinfulness and helplessness of our nature, is a disregard of that "honor which cometh of man," which is usually paid to some supposed excellency in us. He who knows himself, neither desires nor values the applause which he knows he deserves not. It is therefore "a very small thing with him, to be judged by man's judgment." He has all reason to think, by comparing what it has said, either for or against him, with what he feels in his own breast, that the world, as well as the god of this world, was "a liar form the beginning." And even as to those who are not of the world; thought he would choose, if it were the will of God, that they should account of him as of one desirous to be found a faithful steward of his Lord's goods, if haply this might be a means of enabling him to be of more use to his fellow-servants, yet as this is the one end of his wishing for their approbation, so he does not at all rest upon it: For he is assured, that whatever God wills, he can never want instruments to perform; since he is able, even of these stones, to raise up servants to do his pleasure. 5. this is that lowliness of mind, which they have learned of Christ, who follow his example and tread in his steps. And this knowledge of their disease, whereby they are more and more cleansed from one part of it, pride and vanity, disposes them to embrace, with a willing mind, the second thing implied in circumcision of the heart, -- that faith which alone is able to make them whole, which is the one medicine given under heaven to heal their sickness.

For "every one," saith St. John, "who hath this hope, purifieth himself even as He is pure." It is his daily care, by the grace of God in Christ, and through the blood of the covenant, to purge the inmost recesses of his soul from the lusts that before possessed and defiled it; from uncleanness, and envy, and malice, and wrath; from every passion and temper that is after the flesh, that either springs from or cherishes his native corruption: as well knowing, that he whose very body is the temple of God, ought to admit into it nothing common or unclean; and that holiness becometh that house for ever, where the Spirit of holiness vouchsafes to dwell. 11. Yet lackest thou one thing, whosoever thou art, that to a deep humility, and a steadfast faith, hast joined a lively hope, and thereby in a good measure cleansed thy heart from its inbred pollution. If thou wilt be perfect, add to all these, charity; add love, and thou hast the circumcision of the heart "Love is the fulfilling of the law, the end of the commandment." Very excellent things are spoken of love; it is the essence, the spirit, the life of all virtue. It is not only the first and great command, but it is all the commandments in one. "Whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are amiable," or honorable; "if there be any virtue, if there be any praise," they are all comprised in this one word, -- love. In this is perfection, and glory, and happiness. The royal law of heaven and earth is this, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength." 12. Not that this forbids us to love anything besides God: It implies that we love our brother also. Nor yet does it forbid us (as some have strangely imagined) to take pleasure in any thing but God. To suppose this, is to suppose the Fountain of holiness is directly the author of sin; since he has inseparably annexed pleasure to the use of those creatures which are necessary to sustain the life he has given us. This, therefore, can never be the meaning of his command.

This, therefore, can never be the meaning of his command. What the real sense of it is, both our blessed Lord and his Apostles tell us too frequently, and too plainly, to be misunderstood. They all with one mouth bear witness, that the true meaning of those several declarations, "The Lord thy God is one Lord;" "Thou shalt have no other Gods but me;" "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy strength" "Thou shalt cleave unto him;" "The desire of thy soul shall be to His name;" -- is no other than this: The one perfect Good shall be your one ultimate end. One thing shall ye desire for its own sake, -- the fruition of Him that is All in All. One happiness shall ye propose to your souls, even an union with Him that made them; the having "fellowship with the Father and the Son;" the being joined to the Lord in one Spirit. One design you are to pursue to the end of time, -- the enjoyment of God in time and in eternity. Desire other things, so far as they tend to this. Love the creature as it leads to the Creator. But in every step you take, be this the glorious point that terminates your view. Let every affection, and thought, and word, and work, be subordinate to this. Whatever ye desire or fear, whatever ye seek or shun, whatever ye think, speak, or do, be it in order to your happiness in God, the sole End, us well as Source, of your being. 13. Have no end, to ultimate end, but God. Thus our Lord: "One thing is needful:" And if thine eye be singly fixed on this one thing, "thy whole body shall be full of light." Thus St. Paul: "This one thing I do; I press toward the mark, for the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus." Thus St. James: "Cleanse your hands, ye sinners, and purify your hearts, ye double-minded." Thus St. John: "love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.

2. Another truth, which naturally follows from what has been said, is, that none shall obtain the honor that cometh of God, unless his heart be circumcised by faith; even a "faith of the operation of God:" Unless, refusing to be any longer led by his senses, appetites, or passions, or even by that blind leader of the blind, so idolized by the world, natural reason, he lives and walks by faith; directs every step, as "seeking Him that is invisible;" "looks not at the things that arc seen, which are temporal, but at the things that arc not seen, which are eternal;" and governs all his desires, designs, and thoughts, all his actions and conversations, as one who is entered in within the veil, where Jesus sits at the right hand of God. 3. It were to be wished, that they were better acquainted with this faith, who employ much of their time and pains in laying another foundation; in grounding religion on the eternal fitness of things on the intrinsic excellence of virtue, and the beauty of actions flowing from it; on the reasons as they term them, of good and evil, and the relations of beings to each other. Either these accounts of the grounds of Christian duty coincide with the scriptural, or not. If they do, why are well meaning men perplexed, and drawn from the weightier matters of the law, by a cloud of terms, whereby the easiest truths are explained into obscurity If they are not, then it behooves them to consider who is the author of this new doctrine; whether he is likely to be an angel from heaven, who preacheth another gospel than that of Christ Jesus; though, if he were, God, not we, hath pronounced his sentence: "Let him be accursed."

7. Another fruit of this living faith is peace. For, "being justified by faith," having all our sins blotted out, "we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ." (Rom. 5:1.) This indeed our Lord himself, the night before his death, solemnly bequeathed to all his followers: "Peace," saith he, "I leave with you;" (you who "believe in God," and "believe also in me;") "my peace I give unto you:" "Not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27.) And again, "These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace." (John 16:33.) This is that "peace of God which passeth all understanding," that serenity of soul which it hath not entered into the heart of a natural man to conceive, and which it is not possible for even the spiritual man to utter. And it is a peace which all the powers of earth and hell are unable to take from him. Waves and storms beat upon it, but they shake it not; for it is founded upon a rock. It keepeth the hearts and minds of the children of God, at all times and in all places. Whether they are in ease or in pain, in sickness or health, in abundance or want, they are happy in God. In every state they have learned to be content, yea, to give thanks unto God through Christ Jesus; being well assured that "whatsoever is, is best," because it is His will concerning them: So that in all the vicissitudes of life their "heart standeth fast, believing in the Lord."

5. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye" also "must be born again." "Except ye" also "be born again, ye cannot see the kingdom of God." Lean no more on the staff of that broken reed, that ye were born again in baptism. Who denies that ye were then made children of God, and heirs of the kingdom of heaven But, notwithstanding this, ye are now children of the devil. Therefore ye must be born again. And let not Satan put it into your heart to cavil at a word, when the thing is clear. Ye have heard what are the marks of the children of God: All ye who have them not on your souls, baptized or unbaptized, must needs receive them, or without doubt ye will perish everlastingly. And if ye have been baptized, your only hope is this, -- that those who were made the children of God by baptism, but are now the children of the devil, may yet again receive "power to become the sons of God;" that they may receive again what they have lost, even the "Spirit of adoption, crying in their hearts, Abba, Father!" Amen, Lord Jesus! May every one who prepareth his heart yet again to seek thy face, receive again that Spirit of adoption, and cry out, "Abba, Father!" Let him now again have power so to believe in thy name as to become a child of God; as to know and feel he hath "redemption in thy blood, even the forgiveness of sins;" and that he "cannot commit sin, because he is born of God." Let him be now "begotten again unto a living hope," so as to "purify himself as thou art pure;" and "because he is a son," let the Spirit of love and of glory rest upon him, cleansing him "from all filthiness of flesh and spirit," and teaching him to "perfect holiness in the fear of God!"

4. Let us learn, Lastly, to follow that direction of the great Apostle, "Be not high-minded, but fear." Let us fear sin, more than death or hell. Let us have a jealous (though not painful) fear, lest we should lean to our own deceitful hearts. "Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall." Even he who now standeth fast in the grace of God, in the faith that overcometh the world, may nevertheless fall into inward sin, and thereby "make shipwreck of his faith." And how easily then will outward sin regain its dominion over him! Thou, therefore, O man of God! watch always; that thou mayest always hear the voice of God! Watch, that thou mayest pray without ceasing, at all times, and in all places, pouring out thy heart before him! So shalt thou always believe, and always love, and never commit sin.

5. Might not one, therefore, reasonably expect, that, however they differed in others, all those who name the name of Christ should agree in this point But how far is this from being the case! There is scarce any wherein they are so little agreed; wherein those who all profess to follow Christ, seem so widely and irreconcilably to differ. I say seem; because I am throughly convinced, that many of them only seem to differ. The disagreement is more in words than in sentiments: They are much nearer in judgment than in language. And a wide difference in language there certainly is, not only between Protestants and Papists, but between Protestant and Protestant; yea, even between those who all believe justification by faith; who agree, as well in this, as every other fundamental doctrine of the gospel 6. But if the difference be more in opinion, than real experience, and more in expression than in opinion, how can it be, that even the children of God should so vehemently contend with each other on the point Several reasons may be assigned for this: The chief is, their not understanding one another; joined with too keen an attachment to their opinions, and particular modes of expression. In order to remove this, at least in some measure; in order to our understanding one another on this head; I shall, by the help of God, endeavour to show, I. What is the righteousness of Christ: II. When, and in what sense, it is imputed to us: And conclude with a short and plain application. And, I. What is the righteousness of Christ It is twofold, either his divine or his human righteousness. 1. His divine righteousness belongs to his divine nature, as he is o vn, He that existeth; "over all, God blessed for ever;" the Supreme; the Eternal; "equal with the Father, as touching his Godhead, though inferior to the Father as touching his manhood." Now this is his eternal, essential, immutable holiness; his infinite justice, mercy, and truth; in all which, he and the Father are One. But I do not apprehend that the divine righteousness of Christ is immediately concerned in the present question. I believe few, if any, do now contend for the imputation of this righteousness to us. Whoever believes the doctrine of imputation, understands it chiefly, if not solely, of his human righteousness.

2. The human righteousness of Christ belongs to him in his human nature; as he is the "Mediator between God and man, the Man Christ Jesus." This is either internal or external. His internal righteousness is the image of God, stamped on every power and faculty of his soul. It is a copy of his divine righteousness, as far as it can be imparted to a human spirit. It is a transcript of the divine purity, the divine justice, mercy, and truth. It includes love, reverence, resignation to his Father; humility, meekness, gentleness; love to lost mankind, and every other holy and heavenly temper; and all these in the highest degree, without any defect, or mixture of unholiness. 3. It was the least part of his external righteousness, that he did nothing amiss; that he knew no outward sin of any kind, neither was "guile found in his mouth;" that he never spoke one improper word, nor did one improper action. Thus far it is only a negative righteousness, though such an one as never did, nor ever can, belong to anyone that is born of a woman, save himself alone. But even his outward righteousness was positive too: He did all things well: In every word of his tongue, in every work of his hands, he did precisely the "will of Him that sent him." In the whole course of his life, he did the will of God on earth, as the angels do it in heaven. All he acted and spoke was exactly right in every circumstance. The whole and every part of his obedience w.as complete. "He fulfilled all righteousness." 4. But his obedience implied more than all this: It implied not only doing, but suffering; suffering the whole will of God, from the time he came into the world, till "he bore our sins in his own body upon the tree;" yea, till having made a full atonement for them, "he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost." This is usually termed the passive righteousness of Christ; the former, his active righteousness. But as the active and passive righteousness of Christ were never, in fact, separated from each other, so we never need separate them at all, either in speaking or even in thinking. And it is with regard to both these conjointly that Jesus is called "the Lord our righteousness."

10. But perhaps some will object, "Nay, but you affirm that faith is imputed to us for righteousness. St. Paul affirms this over and over; therefore I affirm it too. Faith is imputed for righteousness to every believer; namely, faith in the righteousness of Christ; but this is exactly the same thing which has been said before; For by that expression I mean neither more nor less, than that we are justified by faith, not by works; or that every believer is forgiven and accepted, merely for the sake of what Christ has done and suffered. 11. But is not a believer invested or clothed with the righteousness of Christ Undoubtedly he is. And accordingly the words above-recited are the language of every believing heart: Jesu, thy blood and righteousness My beauty are, my glorious dress. That is, "For the sake of thy active and passive righteousness, I am forgiven and accepted of God." But must not we put off the filthy rags of our own righteousness, before we can put on the spotless righteousness of Christ Certainly we must; that is, in plain terms, we must repent, before we can believe the gospel. We must be cut off from dependence upon ourselves, before we can truly depend upon Christ. We must cast away all confidence in our own righteousness, or we cannot have a true confidence in his. Till we are delivered from trusting in anything that we do, we cannot throughly trust in what he has done and suffered. First, we receive the sentence of death in ourselves: Then, we trust in Him that lived and died for us. 12. But do not you believe inherent righteousness Yes, in its proper place; not as the ground of our acceptance with God, but as the fruit of it; not in the place of imputed righteousness, but as consequent upon it. That is, I believe God implants righteousness in every one to whom he has imputed it. I believe "Jesus Christ is made of God unto us sanctification," as well as "righteousness;" or, that God sanctifies, as well as justifies, all them that believe in him. They to whom the righteousness of Christ is imputed, are made righteous by the spirit of Christ, are renewed in the image of God, "after the likeness wherein they were created, in righteousness and true holiness."

19. In the meantime what we are afraid of is this: -- lest any should use the phrase, "The righteousness of Christ," or, "The righteousness of Christ is imputed to me," as a cover for his unrighteousness. We have known this done a thousand times. A man has been reproved, suppose for drunkenness: "O", said he, "I pretend to no righteousness of my own; Christ is my righteousness." Another has been told, that "the extortioner, the unjust, shall not inherit the kingdom of God:" He replies, with all assurance, "I am unjust in myself, but I have a spotless righteousness in Christ." And thus, though a man be as far from the practice as from the tempers of a Christian; though he neither has the mind which was in Christ, nor in any respect walks as he walked; yet he has armour of proof against all conviction, in what he calls the "righteousness of Christ." 20. It is the seeing so many deplorable instances of this kind, which makes us sparing in the use of these expressions. And I cannot but call upon all of you who use them frequently, and beseech you in the name of God, our Saviour, whose you are, and whom you serve, earnestly to guard all that hear you against this accursed abuse of them. O warn them (it may be they will hear your voice) against "continuing in sin that grace may abound!" Warn them against making "Christ the minister of sin;" against making void that solemn decree of God, "Without holiness no man shall see the Lord," by a vain imagination of being holy in Christ! O warn them that if they remain unrighteous, the righteousness of Christ will profit them nothing! Cry aloud, (is there not a cause) that for this very end the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us, that "the righteousness of the law may be fulfilled in us;" and that we may "live soberly, religiously, and godly, in this present world."

I would, Secondly, add a few words to you who are fond of these expressions. And permit me to ask, Do not I allow enough What can any reasonable man desire more I allow the whole sense which you contend for; that we have every blessing through the righteousness of God our Saviour. I allow you to use whatever expressions you choose, and that a thousand times over; only guarding them against that dreadful abuse, which you are as deeply concerned to prevent as I am. I myself frequently use the expression in question, -- imputed righteousness; and often put this and the like expressions into the mouth of a whole congregation. But allow me liberty of conscience herein: Allow me the right of private judgment. Allow me to use it just as often as I judge it preferable to any other expression; and be not angry with me if I cannot judge it proper to use any one expression every two minutes. You may, if you please; but do not condemn me because I do not. Do not, for this, represent me as a Papist, or "an enemy to the righteousness of Christ." Bear with me, as I do with you; else how shall we "fulfil the law of Christ" Do not make tragical outcries, as though I were "subverting the very foundations of Christianity." Whoever does this, does me much wrong: the Lord lay it not to his charge! I lay, and have done for many years, the very same foundation with you. And, indeed, "other foundation can no man lay, than that which is laid, even Jesus Christ." I build inward and outward holiness thereon, as you do, even by faith. Do not, therefore, suffer any distaste, or unkindness, no, nor any shyness or coldness in your heart. If there were a difference of opinion, where is our religion, if we cannot think and let think What hinders but you may forgive me as easily as I may forgive you How much more, when there is only a difference of expression Nay, hardly so much as that all the dispute being only, whether a particular mode of expression shall be used more or less frequently Surely we must earnestly desire to contend with one another, before we can make this a bone of contention!

7. We may, Lastly, observe, how our Lord teaches here. And surely, as at all times, so particularly at this, he speaks "as never man spake." Not as the holy men of old; although they also spoke "as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." Not as Peter, or James, or John, or Paul: They were indeed wise master-builders in his Church; but still in this, in the degrees of heavenly wisdom, the servant is not as his Lord. No, nor even as himself at any other time, or on any other occasion. It does not appear, that it was ever his design, at any other time or place, to lay down at once the whole plan of his religion; to give us a full prospect of Christianity; to describe at large the nature of that holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. Particular branches of this he has indeed described, on a thousand different occasions; but never, besides here, did he give, of set purpose, a general view of the whole. Nay, we have nothing else of this kind in all the Bible; unless one should except that short sketch of holiness delivered by God in those Ten Words or Commandments to Moses, on mount Sinai. But even here how wide a difference is there between one and the other! "Even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth." (2 Cor. 3:10.)

He proceeds to show, that they were helpless as well as guilty, which is the plain purport of all those expressions: "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified:" -- "But now the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ, without the law, is manifested:" -- "We conclude, that a man is justified by faith, without the deeds of the law:" -- Expressions all tending to the same point, even to "hide pride from man;" to humble him to the dust, without teaching him to reflect upon his humility as a virtue; to inspire him with that full, piercing conviction of his utter sinfulness, guilt, and helplessness, which casts the sinner, stripped of all, lost and undone, on his strong Helper, Jesus Christ the Righteous. 9. One cannot but observe here, that Christianity begins just where heathen morality ends; poverty of spirit, conviction of sin, the renouncing ourselves, the not having our own righteousness, (the very first point in the religion of Jesus Christ,) leaving all pagan religion behind. This was ever hid from the wise men of this world; insomuch that the whole Roman language, even with all the improvements of the Augustan age, does not afford so much as a name for humility; (the word from whence we borrow this, as is well known, bearing in Latin a quite different meaning;) no, nor was one found in all the copious language of Greece, till it was made by the great Apostle. 10. O that we may feel what they were not able to express! Sinner, awake! Know thyself! Know and feel, that thou wert "shapen in wickedness," and that "in sin did thy mother conceive thee;" and that thou thyself hast been heaping up sin upon sin, ever since thou couldst discern good from evil! Sink under the mighty hand of God, as guilty of death eternal; and cast off, renounce, abhor, all imagination of ever being able to help thyself! Be it all thy hope to be washed in His blood, and renewed by his almighty Spirit, who himself "bare all our sins in his own body on the tree!" So shalt thou witness, "Happy are the poor in spirit: For theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

11. This is that kingdom of heaven, or of God, which is within us; even "righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." And what is "righteousness," but the life of God in the soul; the mind which was in Christ Jesus; the image of God stamped upon the heart, now renewed after the likeness of Him that created it What is it but the love of God, because he first loved us, and the love of all mankind for his sake And what is this "peace," the peace of God, but that calm serenity of soul, that sweet repose in the blood of Jesus, which leaves no doubt of our acceptance in him; which excludes all fear, but the loving filial fear of offending our Father which is in heaven This inward kingdom implies also "joy in the Holy Ghost;" who seals upon our hearts "the redemption which is in Jesus," the righteousness of Christ imputed to us "for the remission of the sins that are past;" who giveth us now "the earnest of our inheritance," of the crown which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give at that day. And well may this be termed, "the kingdom of heaven;" seeing it is heaven already opened in the soul; the first springing up of those rivers of pleasure which flow at God's right hand for evermore.

13. Then thou learnest of him to be "lowly of heart." And this is the true, genuine, Christian humility, which flows from a sense of the love of God, reconciled to us in Christ Jesus. Poverty of spirit, in this meaning of the word, begins where a sense of guilt and of the wrath of God ends; and is a continual sense of our total dependence on him, for every good thought, or word, or work; of our utter inability to all good, unless he "water us every moment;" and an abhorrence of the praise of men, knowing that all praise is due unto God only. With this is joined a loving shame, a tender humiliation before God, even for the sins which we know he hath forgiven us, and for the sin which still remaineth in our hearts, although we know it is not imputed to our condemnation. Nevertheless, the conviction we feel of inbred sin is deeper and deeper every day. The more we grow in grace, the more do we see of the desperate wickedness of our heart. The more we advance in the knowledge and love of God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, (as great a mystery as this may appear to those who know not the power of God unto salvation,) the more do we discern of our alienation from God, of the enmity that is in our carnal mind, and the necessity of our being entirely renewed in righteousness and true holiness. II. 1. It is true, he has scarce any conception of this who now begins to know the inward kingdom of heaven. "In his prosperity he saith, I shall never be moved; thou, Lord, hast made my hill so strong." Sin is so utterly bruised beneath his feet, that he can scarce believe it remaineth in him. Even temptation is silenced, and speaks not again: It cannot approach, but stands afar off. He is borne aloft in the chariots of joy and love: He soars, "as upon the wings of an eagle." But our Lord well knew that this triumphant state does not often continue long: He therefore presently subjoins, "Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted."

7. But all this wisdom of God is foolishness with the world. The whole affair of mourning and poverty of spirit is with them stupidity and dullness. Nay, it is well if they pass so favourable a judgment upon it; if they do not vote it to be mere moping and melancholy, if not downright lunacy and distraction. And it is no wonder at all, that this judgment should be passed by those who know not God. Suppose, as two persons were walking together, one should suddenly stop, and with the strongest signs of fear and amazement, cry out, "On what a precipice do we stand! See, we are on the point of being dashed in pieces! Another step, and we fall into that huge abyss! Stop! I will not go on for all the world!" -- when the other, who seemed, to himself at least, equally sharp-sighted, looked forward and saw nothing of all this; what would he think of his companion, but that he was beside himself; that his head was out of order; that much religion (if he was not guilty of "much learning") had certainly made him mad!

4. Meekness, therefore, seems properly to relate to ourselves[.] But it may be referred either to God or our neighbour. When this due composure of mind has reference to God, it is usually termed resignation; a calm acquiescence in whatsoever is his will concerning us, even though it may not be pleasing to nature; saying continually, "It is the Lord; let him do what seemeth him good." When we consider it more strictly with regard to ourselves, we style it patience or contentedness. When it is exerted toward other men, then it is mildness to the good, and gentleness to the evil. 5. They who are truly meek, can clearly discern what is evil; and they can also suffer it. They are sensible of everything of this kind, but still meekness holds the reins. They are exceeding "zealous for the Lord of hosts;" but their zeal is always guided by knowledge, and tempered, in every thought , and word, and work, with the love of man, as well as the love of God. They do not desire to extinguish any of the passions which God has for wise ends implanted in their nature; but they have the mastery of all: They hold them all in subjection, and employ them only in subservience to those ends. And thus even the harsher and more unpleasing passions are applicable to the noblest purposes; even hatred, and anger, and fear, when engaged against sin, and regulated by faith and love, are as walls and bulwarks to the soul, so that the wicked one cannot approach to hurt it. 6. It is evident, this divine temper is not only to abide but to increase in us day by day. Occasions of exercising, and thereby increasing it, will never be wanting while we remain upon earth. "We have need of patience, that after we have done" and suffered "the will of God, we may receive the promise." We have need of resignation, that we may in all circumstances say, "Not as I will, but as thou wilt." And we have need of "gentleness toward all men;" but especially toward the evil and unthankful: Otherwise we shall be overcome of evil, instead of overcoming evil with good.

3. "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after" this: In order fully to understand which expression, we should observe, First, that hunger and thirst are the strongest of all our bodily appetites. In like manner this hunger in the soul, this thirst after the image of God, is the strongest of all our spiritual appetites, when it is once awakened in the heart: Yea, it swallows up all the rest in that one great desire, -- to be renewed after the likeness of Him that created us. We should, Secondly, observe, that from the time we begin to hunger and thirst, those appetites do not cease, but are more and more craving and importunate, till we either eat and drink, or die. And even so, from the time that we begin to hunger and thirst after the whole mind which was in Christ, these spiritual appetites do not cease, but cry after their food with more and more importunity; nor can they possibly cease, before they are satisfied, while there is any spiritual life remaining. We may, Thirdly, observe, that hunger and thirst are satisfied with nothing but meat and drink. If you would give to him that is hungry all the world beside, all the elegance of apparel, all the trappings of state, all the treasure upon earth, yea thousands of gold and silver; if you would pay him ever so much honour; -- he regards it not: All these things are then of no account with him. He would still say, "These are not the things I want; give me food, or else I die." The very same is the case with every soul that truly hungers and thirsts after righteousness. He can find no comfort in anything but this: He can be satisfied with nothing else. Whatever you offer besides, it is lightly esteemed: Whether it be riches, or honour, or pleasure, he still says, "This is not the thing which I want! Give me love, or else I die!"

4. And it is as impossible to satisfy such a soul, a soul that is athirst for God, the living God, with what the world accounts religion, as with what they account happiness. The religion of the world implies three things: (1.) The doing no harm, the abstaining from outward sin; at least from such as is scandalous, as robbery, theft, common swearing, drunkenness: (2.) The doing good, the relieving the poor; the being charitable, as it is called: (3.) The using the means of grace; at least the going to church and to the Lord's Supper. He in whom these three marks are found is termed by the world a religious man. But will this satisfy him who hungers after God No: It is not food for his soul. He wants a religion of a nobler kind, a religion higher and deeper than this. He can no more feed on this poor, shallow, formal thing, than he can "fill his belly with the east wind." True, he is careful to abstain from the very appearance of evil; he is zealous of good works; he attends all the ordinances of God: But all this is not what he longs for. This is only the outside of that religion, which he insatiably hungers after. The knowledge of God in Christ Jesus; "the life which is hid with Christ in God;" the being " joined unto the Lord in one Spirit;" the having "fellowship with the Father and the Son;" the "walking in the light as God is in the light;" the being "purified even as He is pure;" -- this is the religion, the righteousness, he thirsts after: Nor can he rest, till he thus rests in God. 5. "Blessed are they who" thus "hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled." They shall be filled with the things which they long for; even with righteousness and true holiness. God shall satisfy them with the blessings of his goodness, with the felicity of his chosen. He shall feed them with the bread of heaven, with the manna of his love. He shall give them to drink of his pleasures as out of the river, which he that drinketh of shall never thirst, only for more and more of the water of life. This thirst shall endure for ever.

13. But he "rejoiceth in the truth," wheresoever it is found; in "the truth which is after godliness;" bringing forth its proper fruit, holiness of heart, and holiness of conversation. He rejoices to find that even those who oppose him, whether with regard to opinions, or some points of practice, are nevertheless lovers of God, and in other respects unreprovable. He is glad to hear good of them, and to speak all he can consistently with truth and justice. Indeed, good in general is his glory and joy, wherever diffused throughout the race of mankind. As a citizen of the world, he claims a share in the happiness of all the inhabitants of it. Because he is a man, he is not unconcerned in the welfare of any man; but enjoys whatsoever brings glory to God, and promotes peace and good-will among men. 14. This "love covereth all things:" (So, without all doubt, panta stegei should be translated; for otherwise it would be the very same with panta upomenei, "endureth all things:") Because the merciful man rejoiceth not in iniquity, neither does he willingly make mention of it. Whatever evil he sees, hears, or knows, he nevertheless conceals, so far as he can without making himself "partaker of other men's sins." Wheresoever or with whomsoever he is, if he sees anything which he approves not, it goes not out of his lips, unless to the person concerned, if haply he may gain his brother. So far is he from making the faults or failures of others the matter of his conversation, that of the absent he never does speak at all, unless he can speak well. A tale-bearer, a backbiter, a whisperer, an evil-speaker, is to him all one as a murderer. He would just as soon cut his neighbour's throat, as thus murder his reputation. Just as soon would he think of diverting himself by setting fire to his neighbour's house, as of thus "scattering abroad arrows, fire-brands, and death," and saying, "Am I not in sport"

So shall "the merciful obtain mercy;" not only by the blessing of God upon all their ways, by his now repaying the love they bear to their brethren a thousand fold into their own bosom; but likewise by "an exceeding and eternal weight of glory," in the "kingdom prepared for them from the beginning of the world."

Surely all these things shall come to an end, and the inhabitants of the earth shall learn righteousness. "Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they know war any more." "The mountains of the Lord's house shall be established on the top of the mountains;" and "all the kingdoms of the earth shall become the kingdoms of our God." "They shall not" then "hurt or destroy in all his holy mountain;" but they shall call their "walls salvation, and their gates praise." They shall all be without spot or blemish, loving one another, even as Christ hath loved us. -- Be thou part of the first-fruits, if the harvest is not yet. Do thou love thy neighbor as thyself. The Lord God fill thy heart with such a love to every soul, that thou mayest be ready to lay down thy life for his sake! May thy soul continually overflow with love, swallowing up every unkind and unholy temper, till he calleth thee up into the region of love, there to reign with him for ever and ever!

Upon Our Lord's Sermon On The Mount: Discourse Three "Blessed are the pure in heart: For they shall see God. "Blessed are the peacemakers: For they shall be called the children of God. "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. "Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: For great is your reward in heaven: For so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you." Matt. 5:8-12. I. 1. How excellent things are spoken of the love of our neighbour! It is "the fulfilling of the law," "the end of the commandment." Without this, all we have, all we do, all we suffer, is of no value in the sight of God. But it is that love of our neighbour which springs from the love of God: Otherwise itself is nothing worth. It behoves us, therefore, to examine well upon what foundation our love of our neighbour stands; whether it is really built upon the love of God; whether we do "love him because he first loved us;" whether we are pure in heart: For this is the foundation which shall never be moved. "Blessed are the pure in heart: For they shall see God." 2. "The pure in heart" are they whose hearts God hath "purified even as he is pure;" who are purified, through faith in the blood of Jesus, from every unholy affection; who, being "cleansed from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfect holiness in the" loving "fear of God." They are, through the power of his grace, purified from pride, by the deepest poverty of spirit; from anger, from every unkind or turbulent passion, by meekness and gentleness; from every desire but to please and enjoy God, to know and love him more and more, by that hunger and thirst after righteousness which now engrosses their whole soul: So that now they love the Lord their God with all their heart, and with all their soul, and mind, and strength.

8. But in a more especial manner they see God in his ordinances. Whether they appear in the great congregation, to "pay him the honour due unto his name," "and worship him in the beauty of holiness;" or "enter into their closets," and there pour out their souls before their "Father which is in secret;" whether they search the oracles of God, or hear the ambassadors of Christ proclaiming glad tidings of salvation; or, by eating of that bread, and drinking of that cup, "show forth his death till he come" in the clouds of heaven; -- in all these his appointed ways, they find such a near approach as cannot be expressed. They see him, as it were, face to face, and "talk with him, as a man talking with his friend;" -- a fit preparation for those mansions above, wherein they shall see him as he is. 9. But how far were they from seeing God, who, having heard "that it had been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths," (Matt. 5:33,) interpreted it thus, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, when thou swearest by the Lord Jehovah. Thou "shalt perform unto the Lord" these thine oaths;" but as to other oaths, he regardeth them not. So the Pharisees taught. They not only allowed all manner of swearing in common conversation; but accounted even forswearing a little thing, so they had not sworn by the peculiar name of God.

But our Lord here absolutely forbids all common swearing, as well as all false swearing; and shows the heinousness of both, by the same awful consideration, that every creature is God's, and he is everywhere present, in all, and over all. "I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven, for it is God's throne;" (Matt. 5:34;) and, therefore, this is the same as to swear by Him who sitteth upon the circle of the heavens: "Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool;" (Matt. 5:35;) and he is as intimately present in earth as heaven: "Neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King;" and God is well known in her palaces. "Neither shalt thou swear by thy head; because thou canst not make one hair white or black;" (Matt. 5:36;) because even this, it is plain, is not thine, but God's, the sole disposer of all in heaven and earth. "But let your communication," (Matt. 5:37,) your conversation, your discourse with each other "be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay;" a bare, serious affirming or denying; "for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil:" ek tou ponhrou estin, is of the evil one; proceedeth from the devil, and is a mark of his children.

11. But the great lesson which our blessed Lord inculcates here, and which he illustrates by this example, is, that God is in all things, and that we are to see the Creator in the glass of every creature; that we should use and look upon nothing as separate from God, which indeed is a kind of practical atheism; but, with a true magnificence of thought, survey heaven and earth, and all that is therein, as contained by God in the hollow of his hand, who by his intimate presence holds them all in being, who pervades and actuates the whole created frame, and is, in a true sense, the soul of universe. II. 1. Thus far our Lord has been more directly employed in teaching the religion of the heart. He has shown what Christians are to be. He proceeds to show, what they are to do also; -- how inward holiness is to exert itself in our outward conversation. "Blessed," saith he, "are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of God." 2. "The peace-makers:" The word in the original is oi eirhnopoioi. It is well known that eirhnh, in the sacred writings, implies all manner of good; every blessing that relates either to the soul or the body, to time or eternity. Accordingly, when St. Paul, in the titles of his epistles, wishes grace and peace to the Romans or the Corinthians, it is as if he had said, "As a fruit of the free, undeserved love and favour of God, may you enjoy all blessings, spiritual and temporal; all the good things which God hath prepared for them that love him."

5. Should it be inquired, Fourthly, how they will persecute them, it may be answered in general, Just in that manner and measure which the wise Disposer of all sees will be most for his glory, -- will tend most to his children's growth in grace, and the enlargement of his own kingdom. There is no one branch of God's government of the world which is more to be admired than this. His ear is never heavy to the threatenings of the persecutor, or the cry of the persecuted. His eye is ever open, and his hand stretched out to direct every the minutest circumstance. When the storm shall begin, how high it shall rise, which way it shall point its course, when and how it shall end, are all determined by his unerring wisdom. The ungodly are only a sword of his; an instrument which he uses as it pleaseth him, and which itself, when the gracious ends of his providence are answered, is cast into the fire. At some rare times, as when Christianity was planted first, and while it was taking root in the earth; as also when the pure doctrine of Christ began to be planted again in our nation; God permitted the storm to rise high, and his children were called to resist unto blood. There was a peculiar reason why he suffered this with regard to the Apostles, that their evidence might be the more unexceptionable. But from the annals of the church we learn another, and a far different reason, why he suffered the heavy persecutions which rose in the second and third centuries; namely, because "the mystery of iniquity" did so strongly "work;" because of the monstrous corruptions which even then reigned in the church: These God chastised, and at the same time strove to heal, by those severe but necessary visitations.

7. But the persecution which attends all the children of God is that our Lord describes in the following words: "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you," -- shall persecute by reviling you, -- "and say all manner of evil against you, falsely, for my sake." This cannot fail; it is the very badge of our discipleship; it is one of the seals of our calling; it is a sure portion entailed on all the children of God: If we have it not, we are bastards and not sons. Straight through evil report, as well as good report, lies the only way to the kingdom. The meek, serious, humble, zealous lovers of God and man are of good report among their brethren; but of evil report with the world, who count and treat them "as the filth and offscouring of all things."

10. Yet think not that you can always avoid it, either by this or any other means. If ever that idle imagination steals into your heart, put it to flight by that earnest caution, "Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his Lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you." "Be ye wise as serpents, and harmless as doves." But will this screen you from persecution Not unless you have more wisdom than your Master, or more innocence than the Lamb of God. Neither desire to avoid it, to escape it wholly; for if you do, you are none of his. If you escape the persecution, you escape the blessing; the blessing of those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake. If you are not persecuted for righteousness' sake, you cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven. "If we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him. But if we deny him, he will also deny us." 11. Nay, rather, "rejoice and be exceeding glad," when men persecute you for his sake; when they persecute you by reviling you, and by "saying all manner of evil against you falsely;" which they will not fail to mix with every kind of persecution: They must blacken you to excuse themselves: "For so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you!" -- those who were most eminently holy in heart and life; yea, and all the righteous which ever have been from the beginning of the world. Rejoice, because by his mark also ye know unto whom ye belong. And, because great is your reward in heaven," -- the reward purchased by the blood of the covenant, and freely bestowed in proportion to your sufferings, as well as to your holiness of heart and life. Be exceeding glad;" knowing that "these light afflictions, which are but for a moment, work out for you a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory."

IV. Behold Christianity in its native form, as delivered by its great Author! This is the genuine religion of Jesus Christ! Such he presents it to him whose eyes are opened. See a picture of God, so far as he is imitable by man! A picture drawn by God's own hand: "Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish!" Or rather, wonder and adore! Rather cry out, "Is this the religion of Jesus of Nazareth the religion which I persecuted! Let me no more be found even to fight against God. Lord, what wouldst thou have me to do" What beauty appears in the whole! How just a symmetry! What exact proportion in every part! How desirable is the happiness here described! How venerable, how lovely the holiness! This is the spirit of religion; the quintessence of it. These are indeed the fundamentals of Christianity. O that we may not be hearers of it only! -- "like a man beholding his own face in a glass, who goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was." Nay, but let us steadily "look into this perfect law of liberty, and continue therein." Let us not rest, until every line thereof is transcribed into our own hearts. Let us watch, and pray, and believe, and love, and "strive for the mastery," till every part of it shall appear in our soul, graven there by the finger of God; till we are "holy as He which hath called us is holy, perfect as our Father which is in heaven is perfect!"

Upon Our Lord's Sermon On The Mount: Discourse Four "Ye are the salt of the earth. But if the salt hath lost its savour, wherewith shall it be salted It is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out, and trodden under foot of men. "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. "Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light to all that are in the house. "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Matt. 5:13-16 1. The beauty of holiness, of that inward man of the heart which is renewed after the image of God, cannot but strike every eye which God hath opened, -- every enlightened understanding. The ornament of a meek, humble, loving spirit, will at least excite the approbation of all those who are capable in any degree, of discerning spiritual good and evil. From the hour men begin to emerge out of the darkness which covers the giddy, unthinking world, they cannot but perceive how desirable a thing it is to be thus transformed into the likeness of him that created us. This inward religion bears the shape of God so visibly impressed upon it, that a soul must be wholly immersed in flesh and blood when he can doubt of its divine original. We may say of this, in a secondary sense, even as of the Son of God himself, that it is the "brightness of his glory, the express image of his person;" apaugasma ths doxhs autou, -- "the beaming forth of his" eternal "glory;" and yet so tempered and softened, that even the children of men may herein see God and live; carakthr ths upostasevs autou, -- "the character, the stamp, the living impression, of his person," who is the fountain of beauty and love, the original source of all excellency and perfection.

5. But has our Lord been wanting on his part Has he not sufficiently guarded us against this pleasing delusion Has he not armed us here with armour of proof against Satan "transformed into an angel of light" Yea, verily: He here defends, in the clearest and strongest manner, the active, patient religion he had just described. What can be fuller and plainer, than the words he immediately subjoins to what he had said of doing and suffering "Ye are the salt of the earth: But if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted It is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out, and trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light to all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." In order fully to explain and enforce these important words, I shall endeavour to show, First, that Christianity is essentially a social religion; and that to turn it into a solitary one is to destroy it. Secondly, that to conceal this religion is impossible, as well as utterly contrary to the design of its Author. I shall, Thirdly, answer some objections; and conclude the whole with a practical application. I. 1. First, I shall endeavour to show, that Christianity is essentially a social religion; and that to turn it into a solitary religion, is indeed to destroy it. By Christianity I mean that method of worshipping God which is here revealed to man by Jesus Christ. When I say, This is essentially a social religion, I mean not only that it cannot subsist so well, but that it cannot subsist at all, without society, -- without living and conversing with other men. And in showing this, I shall confine myself to those considerations which will arise from the very discourse before us. But if this be shown, then doubtless, to turn this religion into a solitary one is to destroy it.

But the Apostle does not forbid us to have any intercourse at all, even with the men that know not God: "For then," says he, "ye must needs go out of the world;" which he could never advise them to do. But, he subjoins, "If any man that is called a brother," that professes himself a Christian, "be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner;" (1 Cor. 5:11;) now I have written unto you not to keep company' with him; "with such an one, no not to eat." This must necessarily imply, that we break off all familiarity, all intimacy of acquaintance with him. "Yet count him not," saith the Apostle elsewhere, "as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother;" (2 Thes. 3:15;) plainly showing that even in such a case as this we are not to renounce all fellowship with him. So that here is no advice to separate wholly, even from wicked men. Yea, these very words teach us quite the contrary.

7. Indeed were we wholly to separate ourselves from sinners, how could we possibly answer that character which our Lord gives us in these very words "Ye" (Christians, ye that are lowly, serious and meek; ye that hunger after righteousness, that love God and man, that do good to all, and therefore suffer evil; ye) "are the salt of the earth:" It is your very nature to season whatever is round about you. It is the nature of the divine savour which is in you, to spread to whatsoever you touch; to diffuse itself, on every side, to all those among whom you are. This is the great reason why the providence of God has so mingled you together with other men, that whatever grace you have received of God may through you be communicated to others; that every holy temper, and word, and work of yours, may have an influence on lo them also. By this means a check will, in some measure, be given to the corruption which is in the world; and a small part, at least, saved from the general infection, and rendered holy and pure before God.

8. That we may the more diligently labour to season all we can with every holy and heavenly temper, our Lord proceeds to show the desperate state of those who do not impart the religion they have received; which indeed they cannot possibly fail to do, so long as it remains in their own hearts. "If the salt have lost its savour, wherewith shall it be salted It is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out, and trodden under foot of men:" If ye who were holy and heavenly-minded, and consequently zealous of good works, have no longer that savour in yourselves, and do therefore no longer season others; if you are grown flat, insipid, dead, both careless of your own soul and useless to the souls of other men; `wherewith shall ye be salted How shall ye be recovered What help What hope Can tasteless salt be restored to its savour No; "it is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out," even as the mire in the streets, "and to be trodden under foot of men," to be overwhelmed with everlasting contempt. If ye had never known the Lord, there might have been hope, -- if ye had never been "found in him:" But what can you now say to that, his solemn declaration, just parallel to what he hath here spoken "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he, the Father, "taketh away. He that abideth in me, and I in him, bringeth forth much fruit." "If a man abide not in me," or do not bring forth fruit." "he is cast out as a branch, and withered; and men gather them," not to plant them again, but "to cast them into the fire." (John 15:2, 5, 6.)

And, First, it is impossible for any that have it, to conceal the religion of Jesus Christ. This our Lord makes plain beyond all contradiction, by a two-fold comparison: "Ye are the light of the world: A city set upon an hill cannot be hid." Ye Christians "are the light of the world," with regard both to your tempers and actions. Your holiness makes you as conspicuous as the sun in the midst of heaven. As ye cannot go out of the world, so neither can ye stay in it without appearing to all mankind. Ye may not flee from men; and while ye are among them, it is impossible to hide your lowliness and meekness, and those other dispositions whereby ye aspire to be perfect as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Love cannot be hid any more than light; and least of all, when it shines forth in action, when ye exercise yourselves in the labour of love, in beneficence of every kind. As well may men think to hide a city, as to hide a Christian; yea, as well may they conceal a city set upon a hill, as a holy, zealous, active lover of God and man. 3. It is true, men who love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil, will take all possible pains to prove, that the light which is in you is darkness. They will say evil, all manner of evil, falsely, of the good which is in you; they will lay to your charge that which is farthest from your thoughts, which is the very reverse of all you are, and all you do. And your patient continuance in well-doing, your meek suffering all things for the Lord's sake, your calm, humble joy in the midst of persecution, your unwearied labour to overcome evil with good, will make you still more visible and conspicuous than ye were before.

4. So impossible it is, to keep our religion from being seen, unless we cast it away; so vain is the thought of hiding the light, unless by putting it out! Sure it is, that a secret, unobserved religion, cannot be the religion of Jesus Christ. Whatever religion can be concealed, is not Christianity. If a Christian could be hid, he could not be compared to a city set upon an hill; to the light of the world, the sun shining from heaven, and seen by all the world below. Never, therefore, let it enter into the heart of him whom God hath renewed in the spirit of his mind, to hide that light, to keep his religion to himself; especially considering it is not only impossible to conceal true Christianity, but likewise absolutely contrary to the design of the great Author of it. 5. This plainly appears from the following words: "Neither do men light a candle, to put it under a bushel." As if he had said, As men do not light a candle, only to cover and conceal it, so neither does God enlighten any soul with his glorious knowledge and love, to have it covered or concealed, either by prudence, falsely so called, or shame, or voluntary humility; to have it hid either in a desert, or in the world; either by avoiding men, or in conversing with them. "But they put it on a candlestick, and it giveth light to all that are in the house:" In like manner, it is the design of God that every Christian should be in an open point of view; that he may give light to all around, that he may visibly express the religion of Jesus Christ.

I answer, "God is a Spirit; and they that worship him, must worship him in spirit and in truth." Yea, and this is enough: We ought to employ the whole strength of our mind therein. But then I would ask, What is it to worship God, a Spirit, in spirit and in truth' Why, it is to worship him with our spirit; to worship him in that manner which none but spirits are capable of. It is to believe in him as a wise, just, holy Being, of purer eyes than to behold iniquity; and yet merciful, gracious, and long-suffering; forgiving iniquity, and transgression and sin; casting all our sins behind his back, and accepting us in the Beloved. It is, to love him, to delight in him, to desire him, with all our heart, and mind, and soul, and strength; to imitate him we love, by purifying ourselves, even as he is pure; and to obey him whom we love, and in whom we believe, both in thought, and word, and work. Consequently, one branch of the worshipping God in spirit and in truth is, the keeping his outward commandments. To glorify him, therefore with our bodies, as well as with our spirits; to go through outward work with hearts lifted up to him; to make our daily employment a sacrifice to God; to buy and sell, to eat and drink, to his glory; -- this is worshipping God in spirit and in truth, as much as the praying to him in a wilderness.

5. But if so, then contemplation is only one way of worshipping God in spirit and in truth. Therefore to give ourselves up entirely to this, would be to destroy many branches of spiritual worship, all equally acceptable to God and equally profitable, not hurtful, to the soul. For it is a great mistake, to suppose that an attention to those outward things, whereto the providence of God hath called us, is any clog to a Christian, or any hindrance at all to his always seeing Him that is invisible. It does not at all damp the ardour of his thought; it does not encumber or distract his mind; it gives him no uneasy or hurtful care, who does it all as unto the Lord; who hath learned whatsoever he doth, in word or deed, to do all in the name of the Lord Jesus; having only one eye of the soul, which moves round on outward things, and one immovably fixed on God. Learn what this meaneth, ye poor recluses, that you may clearly discern your own littleness of faith: Yea, that you may no longer judge others by yourselves, go and learn what that meaneth: -- Thou, O Lord, in tender love Dost all my burdens bear; Lift my heart to things above, And fix it ever there. Calm on tumult's wheel I sit; Midst busy multitudes alone; Sweetly waiting at thy feet Till all thy will he done. 6. But the grand objection is still behind. "We appeal," say they, "to experience. Our light did shine; we used outward things many years; and yet they profited nothing. We attended on all the ordinances; but we were no better for it; nor indeed anyone else; Nay, we were the worse; for we fancied ourselves Christians for so doing, when we knew not what Christianity meant." I allow the fact: I allow that you and ten thousand more, have thus abused the ordinances of God; mistaking the means for the end; supposing that the doing these, or some other outward works either was the religion of Jesus Christ, or would be accepted in the place of it. But let the abuse be taken away, and the use remain. Now use all outward things, but use them with a constant eye to the renewal of your soul in righteousness and true holiness.

IV. 1. Notwithstanding all these plausible pretences for hiding it, "let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." This is the practical application which our Lord himself makes of the foregoing considerations. "Let your light so shine:" -- Your lowliness of heart; your gentleness, and meekness of wisdom; your serious, weighty concern for the things of eternity, and sorrow for the sins and miseries of men; your earnest desire of universal holiness, and full happiness in God; your tender good-will to all mankind, and fervent love to your supreme Benefactor. Endeavour not to conceal this light, wherewith God hath enlightened your soul; but let it shine before men, before all with whom you are, in the whole tenor of your conversation. Let it shine still more eminently in your actions, in your doing all possible good to all men; and in your suffering for righteousness' sake, while you "rejoice and are exceeding glad, knowing that great is your reward in heaven." 2. "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works:" -- So far let a Christian be from ever designing or desiring to conceal his religion! On the contrary, let it be your desire, not to conceal it; not to put the light under a bushel. Let it be your care to place it "on a candlestick, that it may give light to all that are in the house." Only take heed, not to seek your own praise herein, not to desire any honour to yourselves. But let it be your sole aim, that all who see your good works may "glorify your Father which is in heaven."

2. From all this we may learn, that there is no contrariety at all between the law and the gospel; that there is no need for the law to pass away, in order to the establishing of the gospel. Indeed neither of them supersedes the other, but they agree perfectly well together. Yea, the very same words, considered in different respects, are parts both of the law and of the gospel. If they are considered as commandments, they are parts of the law: if as promises, of the gospel. Thus, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart," when considered as a commandment, is a branch of the law; when regarded as a promise, is an essential part of the gospel; -- the gospel being no other than the commands of the law proposed by way of promises. Accordingly poverty of spirit, purity of heart, and whatever else is enjoined in the holy law of God, are no other, when viewed in a gospel light, than so many great and precious promises. 3. There is, therefore, the closest connexion that can be conceived between the law and the gospel. On the one hand, the law continually makes way for, and points us to the gospel; on the other, the gospel continually leads us to a more exact fulfilling of the law. The law, for instance, requires us to love God, to love our neighbour, to be meek, humble, or holy. We feel that we are not sufficient for these things; yea, that "with man this is impossible:" But we see a promise of God, to give us that love, and to make us humble, meek, and holy: We lay hold of this gospel, of these glad tidings; it is done unto us according to our faith; and "the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us," through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

6. Next to these are the good-natured, good sort of men: who live an easy, harmless life, neither troubling themselves with outward sin, nor with inward holiness; men who are remarkable neither one way nor the other, neither for religion nor irreligion who are very regular both in public and private, but do not pretend to be any stricter than their neighbours. A Minister of this kind breaks not one, or a few only, of the least commandments of God; but all the great and weighty branches of his law which relate to the power of godliness, and all that require us to "pass the time of our sojourning in fear," to "work out our salvation with fear and trembling;" to have our "loins always girt and our lights burning," to "strive," or agonize, "to enter in at the strait gate." And he teaches men so, by the whole form of his life, and the general tenor of his preaching, which uniformly tends to soothe those in their pleasing dream who imagine themselves Christians and are not; to persuade all who attend upon his ministry to sleep on and take their rest. No marvel, therefore, if both he and they that follow him wake together in everlasting burnings." 7. But above all these, in the highest rank of the enemies of the gospel of Christ, are they who openly and explicitly "judge the law" itself, and "speak evil of the law;" who teach men to break (lusai, to dissolve, to loose, to untie the obligation of) not one only, whether of the least, or of the greatest, but all the commandments at a stroke; who teach, without any cover, in so many words, -- "What did our Lord do with the law He abolished it. There is but one duty, which is that of believing. All commands are unfit for our times. From any demand of the law, no man is obliged now to go one step, to give away one farthing, to eat or omit one morsel." This is, indeed, carrying matters with a high hand; this is withstanding our Lord to the face, and telling him that he understood not how to deliver the message on which He was sent. O Lord, lay not this sin to their charge! Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do!

9. It is impossible, indeed, to have too high an esteem for "the faith of God's elect." And we must all declare, "By grace ye are saved through faith; not of works, lest any man should boast." We must cry aloud to every penitent sinner, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." But, at the same time, we must take care to let all men know, we esteem no faith but that which worketh by love [Gal. 5:6]; and that we are not saved by faith, unless so far as we are delivered from the power as well as the guilt of sin. And when we say, "Believe, and thou shalt be saved;" we do not mean, "Believe, and thou shalt step from sin to heaven, without any holiness coming between; faith supplying the place of holiness;" but, "Believe, and thou shalt be holy; believe in the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt have peace and power together: Thou shalt have power from Him in whom thou believest, to trample sin under thy feet; power to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and to serve him with all thy strength: Thou shalt have power `by patient continuance in well-doing, to seek for glory, and honour, and immortality;' thou shalt both do and teach all the commandments of God, from the least even to the greatest: Thou shalt teach them by thy life as well as thy words, and so `be called great in the kingdom of heaven.'" IV. 1. Whatever other way we teach to the kingdom of heaven, to glory, honour, and immortality, be it called the way of faith, or by any other name, it is, in truth, the way to destruction. It will not bring a man peace at the last. For thus saith the Lord, "[Verily] I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven."

1. In the preceding chapter our Lord has described inward religion in its various branches. He has laid before us those dispositions of soul which constitute real Christianity; the inward tempers contained in that "holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord;" the affections which, when flowing from their proper fountain, from a living faith in God through Christ Jesus, are intrinsically and essentially good, and acceptable to God. He proceeds to show, in this chapter, how all our actions likewise, even those that are indifferent in their own nature, may be made holy, and good and acceptable to God, by a pure and holy intention. Whatever is done without this, he largely declares, is of no value before God. Whereas whatever outward works are thus consecrated to God, they are, in his sight, of great price. 2. The necessity of this purity of intention, he shows, First, with regard to those which are usually accounted religious actions, and indeed are such when performed with a right intention. Some of these are commonly termed works of piety; the rest, works of charity or mercy. Of the latter sort, he particularly names almsgiving; of the former, prayer and fasting. But the directions given for these are equally to be applied to every work, whether of charity or mercy. I. 1. And, First, with regard to works of mercy. "Take heed," saith he,"that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: Otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven." "That ye do not your alms:" -- Although this only is named, yet is every work of charity included, every thing which we give, or speak, or do, whereby our neighbour may be profited; whereby another man may receive any advantage, either in his body or soul. The feeding the hungry, the clothing the naked, the entertaining or assisting the stranger, the visiting those that are sick or in prison, the comforting the afflicted, the instructing the ignorant, the reproving the wicked, the exhorting and encouraging the well-doer; and if there be any other work of mercy, it is equally included in this direction.

Therefore should we "serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice unto him with reverence." Therefore should we think, speak, and act, as continually under the eye, in the immediate presence, of the Lord, the King. 7. "Hallowed be thy name." -- This is the first of the six petitions, whereof the prayer itself is composed. The name of God is God himself; the nature of God, so far as it can be discovered to man. It means, therefore, together with his existence, all his attributes or perfections; His Eternity, particularly signified by his great and incommunicable name, JEHOVAH, as the Apostle John translates it: to A kai to W, arch kai telos, o vn kai o hn kai o ercomenos, -- "the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end; He which is, and which was, and which is to come;" -- His Fullness of Being, denoted by his other great name, I AM THAT I AM! -- His omnipresence; -- His omnipotence; who is indeed the only Agent in the material world; all matter being essentially dull and inactive, and moving only as it is moved by the finger of God; and he is the spring of action in every creature, visible and invisible, which could neither act nor exist, without the continual influx and agency of his almighty power; -- His wisdom, clearly deduced from the things that are seen, from the goodly order of the universe; -- His Trinity in Unity, and Unity in Trinity, discovered to us in the very first line of his written word; bara' 'elohim -- literally, the Gods created, a plural noun joined with a verb of the singular number; as well as in every part of his subsequent revelations, given by the mouth of all his holy Prophets and Apostles; -- His essential purity and holiness; -- and, above all, his love, which is the very brightness of his glory. In praying that God, or his name, may "be hallowed" or glorified, we pray that he may be known, such as he is, by all that are capable thereof, by all intelligent beings, and with affections suitable to that knowledge; that he may be duly honoured, and feared, and loved, by all in heaven above and in the earth beneath; by all angels and men, whom for that end he has made capable of knowing and loving him to eternity.

8. "Thy kingdom come." -- This has a close connexion with the preceding petition. In order that the name of God might be hallowed, we pray that his kingdom, the kingdom of Christ, may come. This kingdom then comes to a particular person, when he "repents and believes the gospel;" when he is taught of God, not only to know himself, but to know Jesus Christ and him crucified. As "this is life eternal, to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent;" so it is the kingdom of God begun below, set up in the believer's heart; "the Lord God Omnipotent" then "reigneth," when he is known through Christ Jesus. He taketh unto himself his mighty power, that he may subdue all things unto himself. He goeth on in the soul conquering and to conquer, till he hath put all things under his feet, till "every thought is brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ." When therefore God shall "give his Son the Heathen for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession;" when "all kingdoms shall bow before him, and all nations shall do him service;" when "the mountain of the Lord's house," the Church of Christ, "shall be established in the top of the mountains;" when "the fullness of the Gentiles shall come in, and all Israel shall be saved;" then shall it be seen, that "the Lord is King, and hath put on glorious apparel," appearing to every soul of man as King of kings, and Lord of lords. And it is meet for all those who love his appearing, to pray that he would hasten the time; that this his kingdom, the kingdom of grace, may come quickly, and swallow up all the kingdoms of the earth; that all mankind, receiving him for their King, truly believing in his name, may be filled with righteousness, and peace, and joy, with holiness and happiness, -- till they are removed hence into his heavenly kingdom, there to reign with him for ever and ever.

15. "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." --"[And] lead us not into temptation." The word translated temptation means trial of any kind. And so the English word temptation was formerly taken in an indifferent sense, although now it is usually understood of solicitation to sin. St. James uses the word in both these senses; first, in its general, then in its restrained, acceptation. He takes it in the former sense when he saith, "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; For when he is tried," or approved of God, "he shall receive the crown of life." (James 1:12, 13.) He immediately adds, taking the word in the latter sense, "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust," or desire, exelkomenos, drawn out of God, in whom alone he is safe, -- "and enticed;" caught as a fish with a bait. Then it is, when he is thus drawn away and enticed, that he properly "enters into temptation." Then temptation covers him as a cloud; it overspreads his whole soul. Then how hardly shall he escape out of the snare! Therefore, we beseech God "not to lead us into temptation," that is, (seeing God tempteth no man,) not to suffer us to be led into it. "But deliver us from evil:" Rather "from the evil one,"; apo tou ponhrou. O ponhros is unquestionably the wicked one, emphatically so called, the prince and god of this world, who works with mighty power in the children of disobedience. But all those who are the children of God by faith are delivered out of his hands. He may fight against them; and so he will. But he cannot conquer, unless they betray their own souls. He may torment for a time, but he cannot destroy; for God is on their side, who will not fail, in the end, to "avenge his own elect, that cry unto him day and night." Lord, when we are tempted, suffer us not to enter into temptation! Do thou make a way for us to escape, that the wicked one touch us not!

3. Not that we are to imagine, the performing the bare outward act will receive any blessing from God. "Is it such a fast that I have chosen, saith the Lord; a day for a man to afflict his soul Is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him" Are these outward acts, however strictly performed, all that is meant by a man's "afflicting his soul" -- "Wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord" No, surely: If it be a mere external service, it is all but lost labour. Such a performance may possibly afflict the body; but as to the soul, it profiteth nothing. 4. Yea, the body may sometimes be afflicted too much, so as to be unfit for the works of our calling. This also we are diligently to guard against; for we ought to preserve our health, as a good gift of God. Therefore care is to be taken, whenever we fast, to proportion the fast to our strength. For we may not offer God murder for sacrifice, or destroy our bodies to help our souls. But at these solemn seasons, we may, even in great weakness of body, avoid that other extreme, for which God condemns those who of old expostulated with him for not accepting their fasts. "Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not -- Behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, saith the Lord." If we cannot wholly abstain from food, we may, at least, abstain from pleasant food; and then we shall not seek his face in vain.

5. But let us take care to afflict our souls as well as our bodies. Let every season, either of public or private fasting, be a season of exercising all those holy affections which are implied in a broken and contrite heart. Let it be a season of devout mourning, of godly sorrow for sin; such a sorrow as that of the Corinthians, concerning which the Apostle saith, "I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance. For ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow" -- h kata qeon luph, -- the sorrow which is according to God, which is a precious gift of his Spirit, lifting the soul to God from whom it flows -- "worketh repentance to salvation, not to be repented of." Yea, and let our sorrowing after a godly sort work in us the same inward and outward repentance; the same entire change of heart, renewed after the image of God, in righteousness and true holiness; and the same change of life, till we are holy as He is holy, in all manner of conversation. Let it work in us the same carefulness to be found in him, without spot and blameless; the same clearing of ourselves, by our lives rather than words, by our abstaining from all appearance of evil; the same indignation, vehement abhorrence of every sin; the same fear of our own deceitful hearts; the same desire to be in all things conformed to the holy and acceptable will of God; the same zeal for whatever may be a means of his glory, and of our growth in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ; and the same revenge against Satan and all his works, against all filthiness both of flesh and Spirit. (2 Cor. 7:9, &c.)

2. This our blessed Lord declares in the liveliest manner in those strong and comprehensive words which he explains, enforces, and enlarges upon, throughout this whole chapter. "The light of the body is the eye: If therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light: but if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness." The eye is the intention: what the eye is to the body, the intention is to the soul. As the one guides all the motions of the body, so does the other those of the soul. This eye of the soul is then said to be single when it looks at one thing only; when we have no other design but to "know God, and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent," -- to know him with suitable affections, loving him as he hath loved us; to please God in all things; to serve God (as we love him) with all our heart and mind and Soul and strength; and to enjoy God in all and above all things, in time and in eternity. 3. "If thine eye be" thus "single," thus fixed on God, "thy whole body shall be full of light." "Thy whole body:" -- all that is guided by the intention, as the body is by the eye. All thou art, all thou doest thy desires, tempers, affections; thy thoughts, and words, and actions. The whole of these "shall be full of light;" full of true divine knowledge. This is the first thing we may here understand by light. "In his light thou shalt see light." "He which of old commanded light to shine out of darkness, shall shine in thy heart:" He shall enlighten the eyes of thy understanding with the knowledge of the glory of God. His Spirit shall reveal unto thee the deep things of God. The inspiration of the Holy One shall give thee understanding, and cause thee to know wisdom secretly. Yea, the anointing which thou receivest of him "shall abide in thee and teach thee of all things."

How does experience confirm this! Even after God hath opened the eyes of our understanding, if we seek or desire anything else than God, how soon is our foolish heart darkened! Then clouds again rest upon our souls. Doubts and fears again overwhelm us. We are tossed to and fro, and know not what to do, or which is the path wherein we should go. But when we desire and seek nothing but God, clouds and doubts vanish away. We who "were sometime darkness are now light in the Lord." The night now shineth as the day and we find "the path of the upright is light." God showeth us the path wherein we should go, and maketh plain the way before our face. 4. The Second thing which we may here understand by light, is holiness. While thou seekest God in all things thou shalt find him in all, the fountain of all holiness, continually filling thee with his own likeness, with justice, mercy, and truth. While thou lookest unto Jesus and Him alone thou shalt be filled with the mind that was in him. Thy soul shall be renewed day by day after the image of him that created it. If the eye of thy mind be not removed from him, if thou endurest "as seeing him that is invisible," and seeking nothing else in heaven or earth, then as thou beholdest the glory of the Lord thou shalt be transformed "into the same image, from glory to glory, by the Spirit of the Lord." And it is also matter of daily experience that "by grace we are" thus "saved through faith." It is by faith that the eye of the mind is opened to see the light of the glorious love of God. And as long as it is steadily fixed thereon, on God in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, we are more and more filled with the love of God and man, with meekness, gentleness, long-suffering; with all the fruits of holiness, which are, through Christ Jesus, to the glory of God the Father.

5. This light which fills him who has a single eye implies, Thirdly, happiness as well as holiness. Surely "light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is to see the sun:" But how much more to see the Sun of Righteousness continually shining upon the soul! And if there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any peace that passeth all understanding, if any rejoicing in hope of the glory of God, they all belong to him whose eye is single. Thus is his "whole body full of light." He walketh in the light as God is in the light, rejoicing evermore, praying without ceasing, and in everything giving thanks, enjoying whatever is the will of God concerning him in Christ Jesus. 6. "But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness." "If thine eye be evil:" -- We see there is no medium between a single and an evil eye. If the eye be not single, then it is evil. If the intention in whatever we do be not singly to God, if we seek anything else, then our "mind and conscience are defiled." Our eye therefore is evil if in anything we do we aim at any other end than God; if we have any view, but to know and to love God, to please and serve him in all things; if we have any other design than to enjoy God, to be happy in him both now and for ever. 7. If thine eye be not singly fixed on God, "thy whole body shall be full of darkness." The veil shall still remain on thy heart. Thy mind shall be more and more blinded by "the God of this world," "lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ should shine upon thee." Thou wilt be full of ignorance and error touching the things of God, not being able to receive or discern them. And even when thou hast some desire to serve God, thou wilt be full of uncertainty as to the manner of serving him; finding doubts and difficulties on every side, and not seeing any way to escape.

20. And trust not in them for happiness: For here also they will be found "deceitful upon the weights." Indeed this every reasonable man may infer from what has been observed already. For if neither thousands of gold and silver, nor any of the advantages or pleasures purchased thereby, can prevent our being miserable, it evidently follows they cannot make us happy. What happiness can they afford to him who in the midst of all is constrained to cry out, To my new coutst sad thougth deos still repair, And round my gilded roofs hangs hovering care Indeed experience is here so full, strong, and undeniable, that it makes all other arguments needless. Appeal we therefore to fact. Are the rich and great the only happy men And is each of them more or less happy in proportion to his measure of riches Are they happy at all I had well nigh said, they are of all men most miserable! Rich man, for once, speak the truth from thy heart. Speak, both for thyself, and for thy brethren! Amidst our plenty something still,- To me, to thee, to him is wanting! That cruel something unpossessed Corrodes and leavens all the rest. Yea, and so it will, till thy wearisome days of vanity are shut up in the night of death. Surely then, to trust in riches for happiness is the greatest folly of all that are under the sun! Are you not convinced of this Is it possible you should still expect to find happiness in money or all it can procure What! Can silver and gold, and eating and drinking, and horses and servants, and glittering apparel, and diversions and pleasures (as they are called) make thee happy They can as soon make thee immortal!

We here speak of imitating or resembling him in the spirit of our minds: For here the true Christian imitation of God begins. "God is a Spirit;" and they that imitate or resemble him must do it "in spirit and in truth." Now God is love: Therefore, they who resemble him in the spirit of their minds are transformed into the same image. They are merciful even as he is merciful. Their soul is all love. They are kind, benevolent, compassionate, tender-hearted; and that not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. Yea, they are, like Him, loving unto every man, and their mercy extends to all his works. 7. One thing more we are to understand by serving God, and that is, the obeying him; the glorifying him with our bodies, as well as with our spirits; the keeping his outward commandments; the zealously doing whatever he hath enjoined; the carefully avoiding whatever he hath forbidden; the performing all the ordinary actions of life with a single eye and a pure heart, offering them all in holy, fervent love, as sacrifices to God through Jesus Christ. 8. Let us consider now what we are to understand, on the other hand, by serving mammon. And, First, it implies the trusting in riches, in money, or the things purchasable thereby, as our strength, -- the means whereby we shall perform whatever cause we have in hand; the trusting in them as our help, -- by which we look to be comforted in or delivered out of trouble. It implies the trusting in the world for happiness; the supposing that "a man's life," the comfort of his life, "consisteth in the abundance of the things which he possesseth;" the looking for rest in the things that are seen; for content, in outward plenty; the expecting that satisfaction in the things of the world, which can never be found out of God. And if we do this, we cannot but make the world our end; the ultimate end, if not of all, at least of many, of our undertakings, many of our actions and designs; in which we shall aim only at an increase of wealth, at the obtaining pleasure or praise, at the gaining a larger measure of temporal things, without any reference to things eternal.

14. Does not every reasonable, every thinking man see that he cannot possibly serve God and mammon Because there is the most absolute contrariety, the most irreconcilable enmity between them. The contrariety between the most opposite things on earth, between fire and water, darkness and light, vanishes into nothing when compared to the contrariety between God and mammon. So that, in whatsoever respect you serve the one, you necessarily renounce the other. Do you believe in God through Christ Do you trust in him as your strength, your help, your shield, and your exceeding great reward as your happiness your end in all, above all things Then you cannot trust in riches. It is absolutely impossible you should, so long as you have this faith in God. Do you thus trust in riches Then you have denied the faith. You do not trust in the living God. Do you love God Do you seek and find happiness in him Then you cannot love the world, neither the things of the world. You are crucified to the world, and the world crucified to you. Do you love the world Are your affections set on things beneath Do you seek happiness in earthly things Then it is impossible you should love God. Then the love of the Father is not in you. Do you resemble God Are you merciful, as your Father is merciful Are you transformed, by the renewal of your mind, into the image of him that created you Then you cannot be conformed to the present world. You have renounced all its affections and lusts. Are you conformed to the world Does your soul still bear the image of the earthly Then you are not renewed in the spirit of your mind. You do not bear the image of the heavenly. Do you obey God Are you zealous to do his will on earth as the angels do in heaven Then it is impossible you should obey mammon. Then you set the world at open defiance. You trample its customs and maxims under foot, and will neither follow nor be led by them. Do you follow the world Do you live like other men Do you please men Do you please yourself Then you cannot be a servant of God. You are of your master and father, the devil.

"His righteousness:" -- This is all his righteousness still: It is his own free gift to us, for the sake of Jesus Christ the righteous, through whom alone it is purchased for us. And it is his work; it is He alone that worketh it in us, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. 21. Perhaps the well observing this may give light to some other scriptures, which we have not always so clearly understood. St. Paul, speaking in his Epistle to the Romans concerning the unbelieving Jews, saith, "They, being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God." I believe this may be one sense of the words: They were "ignorant of God's righteousness," not only of the righteousness of Christ, imputed to every believer, whereby all his sins are blotted out, and he is reconciled to the favour of God: But (which seems here to be more immediately understood) they were ignorant of that inward righteousness, of that holiness of heart, which is with the utmost propriety termed God's righteousness; as being both his own free gift through Christ, and his own work, by his almighty Spirit. And because they were "ignorant" of this, they "went about to establish their own righteousness." They laboured to establish that outside righteousness which might very properly be termed their own. For neither was it wrought by the Spirit of God, nor was it owned or accepted of him. They might work this themselves, by their own natural strength; and when they had done, it was a stink in his nostrils. And yet, trusting in this, they would "not submit themselves unto the righteousness of God." Yea, they hardened themselves against that faith whereby alone it was possible to attain it. "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth." Christ, when he said, "It is finished!" put an end to that law, -- to the law of external rites and ceremonies, that he might bring in a better righteousness through his blood, by that one oblation of himself once offered, even the image of God, into the inmost soul of everyone that believeth.

22. Nearly related to these are those words of the Apostle, in his Epistle to the Philippians: "I count all things but dung that I may win Christ;" an entrance into his everlasting kingdom; "and be found in him," believing in him, "not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." -- "Not having my own righteousness, which is of the law;" a barely external righteousness, the outside religion I formerly had, when I hoped to be accepted of God because I was, "touching the righteousness which is of the law, blameless;" -- "but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith;" [Phil. 3:8-9] that holiness of heart, that renewal of the soul in all its desires, tempers, and affections, "which is of God," (it is the work of God, and not of man,) "by faith;" through the faith of Christ, through the revelation of Jesus Christ in us, and by faith in his blood; whereby alone we obtain the remission of our sins, and an inheritance among those that are sanctified. 23. "Seek ye first" this "kingdom of God" in your hearts; this righteousness, which is the gift and work of God, the image of God renewed in your souls; "and all these things shall be added unto you;" all things needful for the body; such a measure of all as God sees most for the advancement of his kingdom. These shall be added, -- they shall be thrown in, over and above. In seeking the peace and the love of God, you shall not only find what you more immediately seek, even the kingdom that cannot be moved; but also what you seek not, -- not at all for its own sake, but only in reference to the other. You shall find in your way to the kingdom, all outward things, so far as they are expedient for you. This care God hath taken upon himself: Cast you all your care upon Him. He knoweth your wants; and whatsoever is lacking he will not fail to supply.

27. And take no thought for the temptations of to-morrow. This also is a dangerous snare. Think not, "When such a temptation comes, what shall I do how shall I stand I feel I have not power to resist. I am not able to conquer that enemy." Most true: You have not now the power which you do not now stand in need of. You are not able at this time to conquer that enemy; and at this time he does not assault you. With the grace you have now, you could not withstand the temptations which you have not. But when the temptation comes, the grace will come. In greater trials you will have greater strength. When sufferings abound, the consolations of God will, in the same proportion, abound also. So that, in every situation, the grace of God will be sufficient for you. He doth not suffer you "to be tempted" to-day "above that ye are able to bear;" and "in every temptation he will make a way to escape." "As thy days, so thy strength shall be."

2. In the fifth chapter, our great Teacher has fully described inward religion in its various branches. He has there laid before us those dispositions of soul which constitute real Christianity; the tempers contained in that "holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord;" the affections which, when flowing from their proper fountain, from a living faith in God through Christ Jesus, are intrinsically and essentially good, and acceptable to God. In the sixth he hath shown how all our actions likewise, even those that are indifferent in their own nature, may be made holy, and good, and acceptable to God, by a pure and holy intention. Whatever is done without this he declares is of no value with God: Whereas, whatever outward works are thus consecrated to God are, in his sight, of great price. 3. In the former part of this chapter, he points out the most common and most fatal hindrances of this holiness: In the latter, he exhorts us by various motives, to break through all, and secure that prize of our high calling. 4. The first hindrance he cautions us against is judging. "Judge not, that ye be not judged." Judge not others, that ye be not judged of the Lord, that ye bring not vengeance on your own heads. "For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again:" -- A plain and equitable rule, whereby God permits you to determine for yourselves in what manner he shall deal with you in the judgment of the great day.

14. But how rarely should we condemn or judge one another, at least how soon would that evil be remedied, were we to walk by that clear and express rule which our Lord himself has taught us! -- "If thy brother shall trespass against thee," or if thou hear or believe that he hath, "go and tell him of his fault, between him and thee alone." This is the first step thou art to take. "But if he will not hear, take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established." This is the second step. "If he neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church," either to the overseers thereof, or to the whole congregation. Thou hast then done thy part. Then think of it no more, but commend the whole to God.

16. "Give not that which is holy unto the dogs." Beware of thinking that any deserve this appellation till there is full and incontestable proof, such as you can no longer resist. But when it is clearly and indisputably proved that they are unholy and wicked men, not only strangers to, but enemies to God, to all righteousness and true holiness; "give not that which is holy," to agion, -- "the holy thing," emphatically so called, unto these. The holy, the peculiar doctrines of the gospel -- such as were "hid from the ages and generations" of old, and are now made known to us only by the revelation of Jesus Christ and the inspiration of his Holy Spirit -- are not to be prostituted unto these men, who know not if there be any Holy Ghost. Not indeed that the ambassadors of Christ can refrain from declaring them in the great congregation, wherein some of these may probably be; we must speak, whether men will hear or whether they will forbear; but this is not the case with private Christians. They do not bear that awful character; nor are they under any manner of obligation to force these great and glorious truths on them who contradict and blaspheme, who have a rooted enmity against them. Nay, they ought not so to do, but rather to lead them as they are able to bear. Do not begin a discourse with these upon remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Ghost; but talk with them in their own manner, and upon their own principles. With the rational, honourable, and unjust Epicure, reason of "righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come." This is the most probable way to make Felix tremble. Reserve higher subjects for men of higher attainments.

18. And yet you need not utterly despair even of these, who, for the present, "turn again and rend you." For if all your arguments and persuasives fail, there is yet another remedy left; and one that is frequently found effectual when no other method avails; this is prayer. Therefore whatever you desire or want, either for others or for your own soul, "ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." The neglect of this is a Third grand hindrance of holiness. Still we "have not, because we ask not." O how meek and gentle, how lowly in heart, how full of love both to God and men, might ye have been at this day, if you had only asked; -- if you had continued instant in prayer! Therefore, now, at least, "ask, and it shall be given unto you." Ask, that ye may throughly experience and perfectly practise the whole of that religion which our Lord has here so beautifully described. It shall then be given you, to be holy as he is holy, both in heart and in all manner of conversation. Seek, in the way he hath ordained, in searching the Scriptures, in hearing his word, in meditating thereon, in fasting, in partaking of the Supper of the Lord, and surely ye shall find: Ye shall find that pearl of great price, that faith which overcometh the world, that peace which the world cannot give, that love which is the earnest of your inheritance. Knock; continue in prayer, and in every other way of the Lord: Be not weary or faint in your mind. Press on to the mark: Take no denial: Let him not go until he bless you. And the door of mercy, of holiness, of heaven shall be opened unto you.

19. It is in compassion to the hardness of our hearts, so unready to believe the goodness of God, that our Lord is pleased to enlarge upon this head, and to repeat and confirm what he hath spoken. "For everyone," saith he, "that asketh, receiveth;" so that none need come short of the blessing; "and he that seeketh," even everyone that seeketh, "findeth" the love and the image of God; "and to him that knocketh," to everyone that knocketh, the gate of righteousness shall be opened. So that here is no room for any to be discouraged, as though they might ask or seek or knock in vain. Only remember always to pray, to seek, to knock, and not to faint. And then the promise standeth sure. It is firm as the pillars of heaven; -- yea, more firm; for heaven and earth shall pass away; but his word shall not pass away. 20. To cut off every pretence for unbelief, our blessed Lord, in the following verses, illustrates yet farther what he had said, by an appeal to what passes in our own breasts. "What man," saith he, "is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will give him a stone" Will even natural affection permit you to refuse the reasonable request of one you love "Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent" Will he give him hurtful instead of profitable things So that even from what you feel and do yourselves you may receive the fullest assurance, as on the one hand that no ill effect can possibly attend your asking, so, on the other, that it will be attended with that good effect, a full supply of all your wants. For "if ye, being evil, know I how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven," who is pure, unmixed, essential goodness, "give good things to them that ask him!" or, (as he expresses it on another occasion,) "give the Holy Ghost to them that ask him" In him are included all good things; all wisdom, peace, joy, love; the whole treasures of holiness and happiness; all that God hath prepared for them that love him.

24. It may be understood either in a positive or negative sense. If understood in a negative sense, the meaning is, "Whatever ye would not that men should do to you, do not ye unto them." Here is a plain rule, always ready at hand, always easy to be applied. In all cases relating to your neighbour, make his case your own. Suppose the circumstances to be changed, and yourself to be just as he is now. And then beware that you indulge no temper or thought, that no word pass out of your lips, that you take no step which you should have condemned in him, upon such a change of circumstances. If understood in a direct and positive sense, the plain meaning of it is, "Whatsoever you could reasonably desire of him, supposing yourself to be in his circumstances, that do, to the uttermost of your power, to every child of man." 25. To apply this in one or two obvious instances. It is clear to every man's own conscience, we would not that others should judge us, should causelessly or lightly think evil of us; much less would we that any should speak evil of us, -- should publish our real faults or infirmities. Apply this to yourself. Do not unto another what you would not he should do unto you; and you will never more judge your neighbour, never causelessly or lightly think evil of anyone; much less will you speak evil; you will never mention even the real fault of an absent person, unless so far as you are convinced it is absolutely needful for the good of other souls.

Upon Our Lord's Sermon On The Mount: Discourse Eleven "Enter ye in at the strait gate: For wide is the gate, and broad is the way, which leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in threat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." Matt. 7:13, 14. 1. Our Lord, having warned us of the dangers which easily beset us at our first entrance upon real religion, the hinderances which naturally arise from within, from the wickedness of our own hearts; now proceeds to apprize us of the hinderances from without, particularly ill example and ill advice. By one or the other of these, thousands, who once ran well, have drawn back unto perdition; -- yea, many of those who were not novices in religion, who had made some progress in righteousness. His caution, therefore, against these he presses upon us with all possible earnestness, and repeats again and again, in variety of expressions, lest by any means we should let it slip. Thus, effectually to guard us against the former, "Enter ye in," saith he, "at the strait gate: For wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it:" To secure us from the latter, "Beware," saith he, "of false prophets." We shall, at present, consider the former only. 2. "Enter ye in," saith our blessed Lord, "at the strait gate: For wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." 3. In these words we may observe, First, the inseparable properties of the way to hell: "Wide is the gate, broad the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be that go in thereat:" Secondly, the inseparable properties of the way to heaven: "Strait is that gate, and few there be that find it:" Thirdly, a serious exhortation grounded thereon, "Enter ye in at the strait gate."

6. Nor does this only concern the vulgar herd, -- the poor, base, stupid part of mankind. Men of eminence in the world, men who have many fields and yoke of oxen, do not desire to be excused from this. On the contrary, "many wise men after the flesh," according to the human methods of judging, "many mighty," in power, in courage, in riches, many "noble, are called;" called into the broad way, by the world, the flesh, and the devil; and they are not disobedient to that calling Yea, the higher they are raised in fortune and power, the deeper do they sink into wickedness. The more blessings they have received from God, the more sins do they commit; using their honour or riches, their learning or wisdom, not as means of working out their salvation, but rather of excelling in vice, and so insuring their own destruction! II. 1. And the very reason why many of these go on so securely in the broad way, is, because it is broad; not considering that this is the inseparable property of the way to destruction. "Many there be," saith our Lord, "which go in thereat:" for the very reason why they should flee from it, even "because strait is the gate, and narrow the way that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." 2. This is an inseparable property of the way to heaven. So narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, unto life everlasting, -- so strait the gate, -- that nothing unclean, nothing unholy, can enter. No sinner can pass through that gate, until he is saved from all his sins. Not only from his outward sins, from his evil "conversation received by tradition from his fathers." It will not suffice, that he hath "ceased to do evil" and "learned to do well:" He must not only be saved from all sinful actions, and from all evil and useless discourse; but inwardly changed, thoroughly renewed in the spirit of his mind: Otherwise he cannot pass through the gate of life, he cannot enter into glory.

3. For, "narrow is the way that leadeth unto life;" the way of universal holiness. Narrow indeed is the way of poverty of spirit; the way of holy mourning; the way of meekness; and that of hungering and thirsting after righteousness. Narrow is the way of mercifulness; of love unfeigned; the way of purity of heart; of doing good unto all men; and of gladly suffering evil, all manner of evil, for righteousness' sake. 4. "And few there be that find it." Alas! How few find even the way of heathen honesty! How few are there that do nothing to another which they would not another should do unto them! How few that are clear, before God, from acts either of injustice or unkindness! How few that do not "offend with their tongue;" that speak nothing unkind, nothing untrue! What a small proportion of mankind are innocent even of outward transgressions! And how much smaller a proportion have their hearts right before God, -- clean and holy in his sight! Where are they, whom his all-searching eye discerns to be truly humble; to abhor themselves in dust and ashes, in the presence of God their Saviour; to be deeply and steadily serious, feeling their wants, and "passing the time of their sojourning with fear;" truly meek and gentle, never "overcome of evil, but overcoming evil with good;" thoroughly athirst for God, and continually painting after a renewal in his likeness How thinly are they scattered over the earth, whose souls are enlarged in love to all mankind; and who love God with all their strength, who have given him their hearts, and desire nothing else in earth or heaven! How few are those lovers of God and man, that spend their whole strength in doing good unto all men; and are ready to suffer all things, yea, death itself, to save one soul from eternal death!

5. But while so few are found in the way of life, and so many in the way of destruction, there is great danger lest the torrent of example should bear us away with them. Even a single example, if it be always in our sight, is apt to make much impression upon us; especially when it has nature on its side, when it falls in with our own inclinations. How great then must be the force of so numerous examples, continually before our eyes; and all conspiring, together with our own hearts to carry us down the stream of nature! How difficult must it be to stem the tide, and to keep ourselves "unspotted in the world!" 6. What heightens the difficulty still more is, that they are not the rude and senseless part of mankind, at least not these alone, who set us the example, who throng the downward way, but the polite, the well-bred, the genteel, the wise, the men who understand the world, the men of knowledge, of deep and various learning, the rational, the eloquent! These are all, or nearly all, against us. And how shall we stand against these Do not their tongues drop manna; and have they not learned all the arts of soft persuasion -- And of reasoning too; for these are versed in all controversies, and strife of words. It is therefore a small thing with them to prove, that the way is right, because it is broad; that he who follows a multitude cannot do evil, but only he who will not follow them; that your way must be wrong, because it is narrow, and because there are so few that find it. These will make it clear to a demonstration, that evil is good, and good is evil; that the way of holiness is the way of destruction, and the way of the world the only way to heaven.

5. Now, then, "strive to enter in at the strait gate," being penetrated with the deepest sense of the inexpressible danger your soul is in, so long as you are in a broad way, -- so long as you are void of poverty of spirit, and all that inward religion, which the many, the rich, the wise, account madness. "Strive to enter in;" being pierced with sorrow and shame for having so long run on with the unthinking crowd, utterly neglecting, if not despising, that "holiness without which no man can see the Lord." Strive, as in an agony of holy fear, lest "a promise being made you of entering into his rest," even that "rest which remaineth for the people of God," you should nevertheless "come short of it." Strive, in all the fervour of desire, with "groanings which cannot be uttered. Strive by prayer without ceasing; at all times, in all places, lifting up your heart to God, and giving him no rest, till you "awake up after his likeness" and are "satisfied with it." 6. To conclude. "Strive to enter in at the strait gate," not only by this agony of soul, of conviction, of sorrow, of shame, of desire, of fear, of unceasing prayer; but likewise by ordering thy conversation aright, by walking with all thy strength in all the ways of God, the way of innocence, of piety, and of mercy. Abstain from all appearance of evil: Do all possible good to all men: Deny thyself, thy own will, in all things, and take up thy cross daily. Be ready to cut off thy right hand, to pluck out thy right eye and cast it from thee; to suffer the loss of goods, friends, health, all things on earth, so thou mayst enter into the kingdom of heaven!

4. They come, Thirdly, with an appearance of religion. All they do is for conscience' sake! They assure you, it is out of mere zeal for God, that they are making God a liar. It is out of pure concern for religion, that they would destroy it root and branch. All they speak is only from a love of truth, and a fear lest it should suffer; and, it may be, from a regard for the Church, and a desire to defend her from all her enemies. 5. Above all, they come with an appearance of love. They take all these pains, only for your good. They should not trouble themselves about you, but that they have a kindness for you. They will make large professions of their good-will, of their concern for the danger you are in, and of their earnest desire to preserve you from error, from being entangled in new and mischievous doctrines. They should be very sorry to see one who means so well, hurried into any extreme, perplexed with strange and unintelligible notions, or deluded into enthusiasm. Therefore it is that they advise you to keep still, in the plain middle way; and to beware of "being righteous overmuch," lest you should "destroy yourself." III. 1. But how may we know what they really are, notwithstanding their fair appearance This was the Third thing into which it was proposed to inquire. Our blessed Lord saw how needful it was for all men to know false prophets, however disguised. He saw, likewise, how unable most men were to deduce a truth through a long train of consequences. He therefore gives us a short and plain rule, easy to be understood by men of the meanest capacities, and easy to be applied upon all occasions: "Ye shall know them by their fruits."

2. Upon all occasions you may easily apply this rule. In order to know whether any who speak in the name of God are false or true prophets it is easy to observe, First, What are the fruits of their doctrine as to themselves What effect has it had upon their lives Are they holy and unblamable in all things What effect has it had upon their hearts Does it appear by the general tenor of their conversation that their tempers are holy, heavenly, divine that the mind is in them which was in Christ Jesus That they are meek, lowly, patient, lovers of God and man, and zealous of good works 3. You may easily observe, Secondly, what are the fruits of their doctrine as to those that hear them; -- in many, at least, though not in all; for the Apostles themselves did not convert all that heard them. Have these the mind that was in Christ And do they walk as he also walked And was it by hearing these men that they began so to do Were they inwardly and outwardly wicked till they heard them If so, it is a manifest proof that those are true Prophets, Teachers sent of God. But if it is not so, if they do not effectually teach either themselves or others to love and serve God, it is a manifest proof that they are false prophets; that God hath not sent them.

4. A hard saying this! How few can bear it! This our Lord was sensible of, and therefore condescends to prove it at large by several clear and convincing arguments. "Do men," says he, "gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles" (Matt. 7:16.) Do you expect that these evil men should bring forth good fruit As well might you expect that thorns should bring forth grapes, or that figs should grow upon thistles! "Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit." (Matt. 5:17.) Every true Prophet, every Teacher whom I have sent, bringeth forth the good fruit of holiness. But a false prophet, a teacher whom I have not sent, brings forth only sin and wickedness. "A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit." A true Prophet, a Teacher sent from God, does not bring forth good fruit sometimes only, but always; not accidentally, but by a kind of necessity. In like manner, a false prophet, one whom God hath not sent, does not bring forth evil fruit accidentally or sometimes only, but always, and of necessity. "Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire." (Verse 19.) Such infallibly will be the lot of those prophets who bring not forth good fruit, who do not save souls from sin, who do not bring sinners to repentance. "Wherefore," let this stand as an eternal rule, "By their fruits ye shall know them." (Matt. 7:20.) They who, in fact bring the proud, passionate, unmerciful, lovers of the world to be lowly, gentle, lovers of God and man, -- they are true Prophets, they are sent from God, who therefore confirms their word. On the other hand, they whose hearers, if unrighteous before, remain unrighteous still, or, at least, void of any righteousness which "exceeds the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees," -- they are false prophets; they are not sent of God; therefore their word falls to the ground: And, without a miracle of grace, they and their hearers together will fall into the bottomless pit!

13. How can you possibly evade the force of our Lord's words, -- so full, so strong, so express How can ye evade knowing yourselves by your fruits, -- evil fruits of evil trees And how should it be otherwise "Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles" Take this to yourselves, ye to whom it belongs! O ye barren trees, why cumber ye the ground "Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit." See ye not, that here is no exception Take knowledge, then, ye are not good trees; for ye do not bring forth good fruit. "But a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit;" and so have ye done from the beginning. Your speaking, as from God, has only confirmed them that heard you in the tempers, if not works, of the devil. O take warning of Him in whose name ye speak, before the sentence he hath pronounced take place: "Every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down and cast into the fire."

2. The saying, "Lord, Lord," may, Secondly, imply the doing no harm. We may abstain from every presumptuous sin, from every kind of outward wickedness. We may refrain from all those ways of acting or speaking which are forbidden in holy writ. We may be able to say to all those among whom we live, "Which of you convinceth me of sin" We may have a conscience void of any external offence, towards God and towards man. We may be clear of all uncleanness, ungodliness, and unrighteousness, as to the outward act; or, (as the Apostle testifies concerning himself,) "touching the righteousness of the law," that is, outward righteousness, "blameless." But yet we are not hereby justified. Still this is no more than saying, "Lord, Lord;" and if we go no farther than this, we shall never "enter into the kingdom of heaven." 3. The saying, "Lord, Lord," may imply, Thirdly, many of what are usually styled good works. A man may attend the supper of the Lord, may hear abundance of excellent sermons, and omit no opportunity of partaking all the other ordinances of God. I may do good to my neighbour, deal my bread to the hungry, and cover the naked with a garment. I may be so zealous of good works as even to "give all my goods to feed the poor." Yea, and I may do all this with a desire to please God, and a real belief that I do please him thereby; (which is undeniably the case of those our Lord introduces, saying unto him, "Lord, Lord;") and still I may have no part in the glory which shall be revealed. 4. If any man marvels at this, let him acknowledge he is a stranger to the whole religion of Jesus Christ; and, in particular, to that perfect portraiture thereof which he has set before us in this discourse. For how far short is all this of that righteousness and true holiness which he has described therein! How widely distant from that inward kingdom of heaven which is now opened in the believing soul, -- which is first sown in the heart as a grain of mustard-seed, but afterwards putteth forth great branches, on which grow all the fruits of righteousness, every good temper, and word, and work.

5. Yet as clearly as he had declared this, as frequently as he had repeated, that none who have not this kingdom of God within them shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; our Lord well knew that many would not receive this saying, and therefore confirms it yet again: "Many" (saith he: not one; not a few only: It is not a rare or an uncommon case) "shall say unto me in that day," not only, We have said many prayers; We have spoken thy praise; We have refrained from evil; We have exercised ourselves in doing good; -- but, what is abundantly more than this, "We have prophesied in thy name; in thy name have we cast out devils; in thy name done many wonderful works." "We have prophesied;" -- we have declared thy will to mankind; we have showed sinners the way to peace and glory. And we have done this "in thy name;" according to the truth of thy gospel; yea, and by thy authority, who didst confirm the word with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven. For in or by thy name, by the power of thy word and of thy Spirit, "have we cast out devils;" out of the souls which they had long claimed as their own, and whereof they had full and quiet possession. "And in thy name," by thy power, not our own, "have we done many wonderful works;" insomuch that "even the dead heard the voice of the Son of God" speaking by us, and lived. "And then will I profess" even "unto them, I never knew you;" no, not then, when you were "casting out devils in my name:" Even then I did not know you as my own; for your heart was not right toward God. Ye were not yourselves meek and lowly; ye were not lovers of God, and of all mankind; ye were not renewed in the image of God; ye were not holy as I am holy. "Depart from me, ye" who, notwithstanding all this, are "workers of iniquity;" -- anomia, -- Ye are transgressors of my law, my law of holy and perfect love.

6. It is to put this beyond all possibility of contradiction, that our Lord confirms it by that apposite comparison: "Every one," saith he, "who heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house;" -- as they will surely do, sooner or later, upon every soul of man; even the floods of outward affliction, or inward temptation; the storms of pride, anger, fear, or desire; -- "and it fell: And great was the fall of it:" So that it perished for ever and ever. Such must be the portion of all who rest in anything short of that religion which is above described. And the greater will their fall be, because they "heard those sayings, and" yet "did them not."

2. How truly wise is this man! He knows himself; -- an everlasting spirit, which came forth from God, and was sent down into an house of clay, not to do his own will, but the will of Him that sent him. He knows the world; -- the place in which he is to pass a few days or years, not as an inhabitant, but as a stranger and sojourner, in his way to the everlasting habitations; and accordingly he uses the world as not abusing it, and as knowing the fashion of it passes away. He knows God; -- his Father and his Friend, the parent of all good, the centre of the spirits of all flesh, the sole happiness of all intelligent beings. He sees, clearer than the light of the noon-day sun, that this is the end of man, to glorify Him who made him for himself, and to love and enjoy him for ever. And with equal clearness he sees the means to that end, to the enjoyment of God in glory; even now to know, to love, to imitate God, and to believe in Jesus Christ whom he hath sent.

3. He is a wise man, even in God's account; for "he buildeth his house upon a rock;" upon the Rock of Ages, the everlasting Rock, the Lord Jesus Christ. Fitly is he so called; for he changeth not: He is "the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever." To him both the man of God of old, and the Apostle citing his words, bear witness: "Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: They shall perish; but thou remainest: And they all shall wax old as doth a garment; and as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: But thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail." (Heb. 1:10-12) Wise, therefore, is the man who buildeth on Him; who layeth Him for his only foundation; who builds only upon his blood and righteousness, upon what he hath done and suffered for us. On this corner-stone he fixes his faith, and rests the whole weight of his soul upon it. He is taught of God to say, "Lord, I have sinned; I deserve the nethermost hell; but I am justified freely by thy grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ; and the life I now live, I live by faith in Him, who loved me, and gave himself for me: -- The life I now live; namely, a divine, heavenly life; a life which is hid with Christ in God. I now live, even in the flesh, a life of love; of pure love both to God and man; a life of holiness and happiness; praising God, and doing all things to his glory."

4. Yet, let not such an one think that he shall not see war any more; that he is now out of the reach of temptation. It still remains for God to prove the grace he hath given: He shall be tried as gold in the fire. He shall be tempted not less than they who know not God: Perhaps abundantly more; for Satan will not fail to try to the uttermost those whom he is not able to destroy. Accordingly, "the rain" will impetuously descend; only at such times and in such a manner as seems good, not to the prince of the power of the air, but to Him "whose kingdom ruleth over all." "The floods," or torrents, will come; they will lift up their waves and rage horribly. But to them also, the Lord that sitteth above the water-floods, that remaineth a King for ever, will say, "Hitherto shall ye come, and no farther: Here shall your proud waves be stayed." "The winds will blow, and beat upon that house," as though they would tear it up from the foundation: But they cannot prevail: It falleth not; for it is founded upon a rock. He buildeth on Christ by faith and love; therefore, he shall not be cast down. He "shall not fear though the earth be moved, and though the hills be carried into the midst of the sea." "Though the waters thereof rage and swell, and the mountains shake at the tempest of the same;" still he "dwelleth under the defence of the Most High, and is safe under the shadow of the Almighty."

III. 1. How nearly then does it concern every child of man, practically to apply these things to himself! diligently to examine on what foundation he builds, whether on a rock or on the sand! How deeply are you concerned to inquire, "What is the foundation of my hope Whereon do I build my expectation of entering into the kingdom of heaven Is it not built on the sand upon my orthodoxy, or right opinions, which, by a gross abuse of words, I have called faith upon my having a set of notions, suppose more rational or scriptural than others have" Alas! what madness is this! Surely this is building on the sand, or, rather, on the froth of the sea! Say, "I am convinced of this: Am I not again building my hope on what is equally unable to support it Perhaps on my belonging to 'so excellent a church; reformed after the true Scripture model; blessed with the purest doctrine, the most primitive liturgy, the most apostolical form of government!" These are, doubtless, so many reasons for praising God, as they may be so many helps to holiness; but they are not holiness itself: And if they are separate from it, they will profit me nothing; nay, they will leave me the more without excuse, and exposed to the greater damnation. Therefore, if I build my hope upon this foundation, I am still building upon the sand.

2. You cannot, you dare not, rest here. Upon what next will you build your hope of salvation -- upon your innocence upon your doing no harm your not wronging or hurting anyone Well; allow this plea to be true. You are just in all your dealings; you are a downright honest man; you pay every man his own; you neither cheat nor extort; you act fairly with all mankind; and you have a conscience towards God; you do not live in any known sin. Thus far is well: But still it is not the thing. You may go thus far, and yet never come to heaven. When all this harmlessness flows from a right principle, it is the least part of the religion of Christ. But in you it does not flow from a right principle, and therefore is no part at all of religion. So that in grounding your hope of salvation on this, you are still building upon the sand. 3. Do you go farther yet Do you add to the doing no harm, the attending all the ordinances of God Do you, at all opportunities, partake of the Lord's supper use public and private prayer fast often hear and search the Scriptures, and meditate thereon These things, likewise, ought you to have done, from the time you first set your face towards heaven. Yet these things also are nothing, being alone. They are nothing without "the weightier matters of the law." And those you have forgotten: At least, you experience them not: -- Faith, mercy, and love of God; holiness of heart; heaven opened in the soul. Still, therefore, you build upon the sand.

4. Over and above all this, are you zealous of good works Do you, as you have time, do good to all men Do you feed the hungry, and clothe the naked, and visit the fatherless and widow in their affliction Do you visit those that are sick relieve them that are in prison Is any a stranger, and you take him in Friend, come up higher! Do you "prophesy" in the "name" of Christ Do you preach the truth as it is in Jesus And does the influence of his Spirit attend your word, and make it the power of God unto salvation Does he enable you to bring sinners from darkness to light, from the power of Satan unto God Then go and learn what thou hast so often taught, "By grace ye are saved through faith:" "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but of his own mercy he saveth us." Learn to hang naked upon the cross of Christ, counting all thou hast done but dung and dross. Apply to him just in the spirit of the dying thief, of the harlot with her seven devils! else thou art still on the sand; and, after saving others, thou wilt lose thy own soul. 5. Lord, increase my faith, if I now believe! else, give me faith, though but as a grain of mustard-seed! -- But "what doth it profit, if a man say he hath faith, and have not works Can" that "faith save him" O no! That faith which hath not works, which doth not produce both inward and outward holiness, which does not stamp the whole image of God on the heart, and purify us as he is pure; that faith which does not produce the whole of the religion described in the foregoing chapters, is not the faith of the gospel, not the Christian faith, not the faith which leads to glory. O beware of this, above all other snares of the devil, -- of resting on unholy, unsaving faith! If thou layest stress on this, thou art lost for ever: Thou still buildest thy house upon the sand. When "the rain descends, and the floods come, it will surely fall, and great will be the fall of it."

8. Now add to your seriousness, meekness of wisdom. Hold an even scale as to all your passions, but in particular, as to anger, sorrow, and fear. Calmly acquiesce in whatsoever is the will of God. Learn in every state wherein you are, therewith to be content. Be mild to the good: Be gentle toward all men; but especially toward the evil and the unthankful. Beware, not only of outward expressions of anger, such as calling thy brother, Raca, or Thou fool; but of every inward emotion contrary to love, though it go no farther than the heart. Be angry at sin, as an affront offered to the Majesty of heaven; but love the sinner still: Like our Lord, who "looked round about upon the Pharisees with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts." He was grieved at the sinners, angry at sin. Thus be thou "angry, and sin not!" 9. Now do thou hunger and thirst, not for "the meat that perisheth, but for that which endureth unto everlasting life." Trample underfoot the world, and the things of the world; all these riches, honours, pleasures. What is the world to thee Let the dead bury their dead; but follow thou after the image of God. And beware of quenching that blessed thirst, if it is already excited in thy soul, by what is vulgarly called religion; a poor, dull farce, a religion of form, of outside show, which leaves the heart still cleaving to the dust, as earthly and sensual as ever. Let nothing satisfy thee but the power of godliness, but a religion that is spirit and life; the dwelling in God and God in thee; the being an inhabitant of eternity; the entering in by the blood of sprinkling "within the veil," and "sitting in heavenly places with Christ Jesus!"

10. Now, seeing thou canst do all things through Christ strengthening thee, be merciful as thy Father in heaven is merciful! Love thy neighbour as thyself! Love friends and enemies as thy own soul! And let thy love be longsuffering and patient towards all men. Let it be kind, soft, benign; inspiring thee with the most amiable sweetness, and the most fervent and tender affection. Let it rejoice in the truth, wheresoever it is found; the truth that is after godliness. Enjoy whatsoever brings glory to God, and promotes peace and goodwill among men. In love, cover all things, -- of the dead and the absent speaking nothing but good; believe all things which may any way tend to clear your neighbour's character; hope all things in his favour; and endure all things, triumphing over all opposition: For true love never faileth, in time or in eternity. 11. Now be thou pure in heart; purified through faith from every unholy affection; "cleansing thyself from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, and perfecting holiness in the fear of God." Being, through the power of his grace, purified from pride, by deep poverty of spirit; from anger, from every unkind or turbulent passion, by meekness and mercifulness; from every desire but to please and enjoy God, by hunger and thirst after righteousness; now love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy strength!"

II. 1. The nature of that law which was originally given to angels in heaven and man in paradise, and which God has so mercifully promised to write afresh in the hearts of all true believers, was the second thing I proposed to show. In order to which, I would first observe, that although the "law" and the "commandment" are sometimes differently taken (the commandment meaning but a part of the law,) yet, in the text they are used as equivalent terms, implying one and the same thing. But we cannot understand here, either by one or the other, the ceremonial law. It is not the ceremonial law, whereof the Apostle says, in the words above recited, "I had not known sin, but by the law:" this is too plain to need a proof. Neither is it the ceremonial law which saith, in the words immediately subjoined, "Thou shalt not covet." Therefore the ceremonial law has no place in the present question. 2. Neither can we understand by the law mentioned in the text the Mosaic dispensation. It is true, the word is sometimes so understood; as when the Apostle says, speaking to the Galatians (Gal. 3:17,) "The covenant that was confirmed before;" namely, with Abraham, the father of the faithful, "the law," that is, the Mosaic dispensation, "which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul." But it cannot be so understood in the text; for the Apostle never bestows so high commendations as these upon that imperfect and shadowy dispensation. He nowhere affirms the Mosaic to be a spiritual law; or, that it is holy, and just, and good. Neither is it true, that God will write that law in the hearts of those whose iniquities he remembers no more. It remains, that "the law," eminently so termed, is no other than the moral law.

6. But to return. The law of God (speaking after the manner of men) is a copy of the eternal mind, a transcript of the divine nature: Yea, it is the fairest offspring of the everlasting Father, the brightest efflux of his essential wisdom, the visible beauty of the Most High. It is the delight and wonder of cherubim and seraphim, and all the company of heaven, and the glory and joy of every wise believer, every well-instructed child of God upon earth. III. 1. Such is the nature of the ever-blessed law of God. I am, in the Third place, to show the properties of it: -- Not all; for that would exceed the wisdom of an angel; but those only which are mentioned in the text. These are three: it is holy, just, and good. And, First, the law is holy. 2. In this expression the Apostle does not appear to speak of its effects, but rather of its nature: As St. James, speaking of the same thing under another name, says, "The wisdom from above" (which is no other than this law, written in our heart) "is first pure" (Jas. 3.17;) agnh, -- chaste, spotless; eternally and essentially holy. And, consequently, when it is transcribed into the life, as well as the soul, it is (as the same Apostle terms it, Jas. 1:27) qrhskeia kaqara kai amiantos, -- pure religion and undefiled; or, the pure, clean, unpolluted worship of God. 3. It is, indeed, in the highest degree, pure, chaste, clean, holy. Otherwise it could not be the immediate offspring, and much less the express resemblance, of God, who is essential holiness. It is pure from all sin, clean and unspotted from any touch of evil. It is a chaste virgin, incapable of any defilement, of any mixture with that which is unclean or unholy. It has no fellowship with sin of any kind: For "what communion hath light with darkness" As sin is, in its very nature, enmity to God, so his law is enmity to sin.

4. Therefore it is that the Apostle rejects with such abhorrence that blasphemous supposition, that the law of God is either sin itself, or the cause of sin. God forbid that we should suppose it is the cause of sin, because it is the discoverer of it; because it detects the hidden things of darkness, and drags them out into open day. It is true, by this means (as the Apostle observes, Rom. 7:13,) "sin appears to be sin." All its disguises are torn away, and it appears in its native deformity. It is true likewise, that "sin, by the commandment, becomes exceeding sinful:" Being now committed against light and knowledge, being stripped even of the poor plea of ignorance, it loses its excuse, as well as disguise, and becomes far more odious both to God and man. Yea, and it is true, that "sin worketh death by that which is good;" which in itself is pure and holy. When it is dragged out to light, it rages the more: when it is restrained, it bursts out with greater violence. Thus the Apostle (speaking in the person of one who was convinced of sin, but not yet delivered from it,) "Sin, taking occasion by the commandment" detecting and endeavouring to restrain it, disdained the restraint, and so much the more "wrought in me all manner of concupiscence" (Rom. 7:8;) all manner of foolish and hurtful desire, which that commandment sought to restrain. Thus, "when the commandment came, sin revived" (Rom. 7:9;) it fretted and raged the more. But this is no stain on the commandment. Though it is abused, it cannot be defiled. This only proves that "the heart of man is desperately wicked." But "the law" of God "is holy" still.

Closer and closer let us cleave To his beloved Embrace; Expect his fullness to receive, And grace to answer grace. 4. Allowing then, that every believer has done with the law, as it means the Jewish ceremonial law, or the entire Mosaic dispensation; (for these Christ hath taken out of the way;) yea, allowing we have done with the moral law, as a means of procuring our justification; for we are "justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus"; yet, in another sense, we have not done with this law: for it is still of unspeakable use, First, in convincing us of the sin that yet remains both in our hearts and lives, and thereby keeping us close to Christ, that his blood may cleanse us every moment; Secondly, in deriving strength from our Head into his living members, whereby he empowers them to do what his law commands; and, Thirdly, in confirming our hope of whatsoever it commands and we have not yet attained, -- of receiving grace upon grace, till we are in actual possession of the fulness of his promises. 5. How clearly does this agree with the experience of every true believer! While he cries out, "O what love have I unto thy law! all the day long is my study in it;" he sees daily, in that divine mirror, more and more of his own sinfulness. He sees more and more clearly, that he is still a sinner in all things, -- that neither his heart nor his ways are right before God; and that every moment sends him to Christ. This shows him the meaning of what is written, "Thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, Holiness to the Lord. And it shall be upon Aaron's forehead," (the type of our great High-Priest,) "that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts" (so far are our prayers or holy things from atoning for the rest of our sin!) "and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord" (Exod. 28:36, 38.)

II. 1. A Second way of making void the law through faith is, the teaching that faith supersedes the necessity of holiness. This divides itself into a thousand smaller paths, and many there are that walk therein. Indeed there are few that wholly escape it; few who are convinced, we are saved by faith, but are sooner or later, more or less, drawn aside into this by-way. 2. All those are drawn into this by-way who, if it be not settled judgment that faith in Christ entirely sets aside the necessity of keeping his law; yet suppose either sets aside the necessity of keeping his law; yet suppose either, (1.) That holiness is less necessary now than it was before Christ came; or, (2.) That a less degree of it is necessary; or, (3.) That it is less necessary to believers than to others. Yea, and so are all those who, although their judgment be right in the general, yet think they may take more liberty in particular cases than they could have done before they believed. Indeed, the using the term liberty, in such a manner, for liberty from obedience or holiness, shows at once, that their judgment is perverted, and that they are guilty of what they imagined to be far from them; namely, of making void the law through faith, by supposing faith to supersede holiness. 3. The first plea of those who teach this expressly is, that we are now under the covenant of grace, not works; and therefore we are no longer under the necessity of performing the works of the law. And who ever was under the covenant of works None but Adam before the fall. He was fully and properly under that covenant which required perfect, universal obedience, as the one condition of acceptance; and left no place for pardon, upon the very least transgression. But no man else was ever under this, neither Jew nor Gentile; neither before Christ nor since. All his sons were and are under the covenant of grace. The manner of their acceptance is this: The free grace of God, through the merits of Christ, gives pardon to them that believe; that believe with such a faith as, working by love, produces all obedience and holiness.

4. The case is not, therefore, as you suppose, that men were once more obliged to obey God, or to work the works of his law, than they are now. This is a supposition you cannot make good. But we should have been obliged, if we had been under the covenant of works, to have done those works antecedent to our acceptance. Whereas now all good works, though as necessary as ever, are not antecedent to our acceptance, but consequent upon it. Therefore the nature of the covenant of grace gives you no ground, no encouragement at all, to set aside any insistence or degree of obedience; any part or measure of holiness. 5. "But are we not justified by faith, without the works of the law" Undoubtedly we are; without the works either of the ceremonial or the moral law. And would to God all men were convicted of this! It would prevent innumerable evils; Antinomianism in particular: For generally speaking, they are the Pharisees who make the Antinomians. Running into an extreme so palpably contrary to Scripture, they occasion others to run into the opposite one. These, seeking to be justified by works, affright those from allowing any place for them. 6. But the truth lies between both. We are, doubtless, justified by faith. This is the corner-stone of the whole Christian building. We are justified without the works of the law, as any previous condition of justification; but they are an immediate fruit of that faith whereby we are justified. So that if good works do not follow our faith, even all inward and outward holiness, it is plain our faith is nothing worth; we are yet in our sins. Therefore, that we are justified by faith, even by our faith without works, is no ground for making void the law through faith; or for imagining that faith is a dispensation from any kind or degree of holiness. 7. "Nay, but does not St. Paul expressly say, `Unto him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness' And does it not follow from hence, that faith is to a believer in the room, in the place, of righteousness But if faith is in the room of righteousness or holiness, what need is there of this too"

This, it must be acknowledged, comes home to the point, and is, indeed, the main pillar of Antinomianism. And yet it needs not a long or laboured answer. We allow, (1.) That God justifies the ungodly; him that, till that hour, is totally ungodly; -- full of all evil, void of all good: (2.) That he justifies the ungodly that worketh not; that, till that moment, worketh no good work; -- neither can he; for an evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit: (3.) That he justifies him by faith alone, without any goodness or righteousness preceding: And, (4.) That faith is then counted to him for righteousness; namely, for preceding righteousness; that is, God, through the merits of Christ, accepts him that believes, as if he had already fulfilled all righteousness. But what is all this to your point The Apostle does not say, either here or elsewhere, that this faith is counted to him for subsequent righteousness. He does teach that there is no righteousness before faith; but where does he teach that there is none after it He does assert, holiness cannot precede justification; but not, that it need not follow it. St. Paul, therefore, gives you no colour for making void the law, by teaching that faith supersedes the necessity of holiness. III. 1. There is yet another way of making void the law through faith, which is more common than either of the former. And that is, the doing it practically; the making it void in fact, though not in principle; the living as if faith was designed to excuse us from holiness. How earnestly does the Apostle guard us against this, in those well-known words: "What then Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace God forbid:" (Rom. 6:15:) A caution which it is needful thoroughly to consider, because it is of the last importance. 2. The being "under the law," may here mean, (1.) The being obliged to observe the ceremonial law: (2.) The being obliged to conform to the whole Mosaic institution: (3.) The being obliged to keep the whole moral law, as the condition of our acceptance with God: And, (4.) The being under the wrath and curse of God; under sentence of eternal death; under a sense of guilt and condemnation, full of horror and slavish fear.

The Law Established Through Faith: Discourse Two "Do we then make void the law through faith God forbid! Yea, we establish the law." Rom. 3:31. 1. It has been shown in the preceding discourse, which are the most usual ways of making void the law through faith; namely, First, the not preaching it at all; which effectually makes it all void a stroke; and this under colour of preaching Christ and magnifying the gospel though it be, in truth, destroying both the one and the other: Secondly, the teaching (whether directly or directly,) that faith supersedes the necessity of holiness; that this less necessary now, or a less degree of it necessary, than before Christ came; that it is less necessary to us, because we believe, than otherwise it would have been; or, that Christian liberty is a liberty from any kind or degree of holiness: (So perverting those great truths, that we are now under the covenant of grace, and not of works; that a man is justified by faith, without the works of the law; and that "to him that worketh not, but believeth, his faith is counted for righteousness:") Or, Thirdly, the doing this practically; the making void the law in practice, though not in principle; the living or acting as if faith was designed to excuse us from holiness; the allowing ourselves in sin, "because we are not under the law, but under grace." It remains to inquire how we may follow a better pattern, how we may be able to say, with the Apostle, "Do we then make void the law through faith God forbid: Yea, we establish the law." 2. We do not, indeed, establish the old ceremonial law; we know that is abolished for ever. Much less do we establish the whole Mosaic dispensation; this we know our Lord has nailed to his cross. Nor yet do we so establish the moral law, (which, it is to be feared too many do,) as if the fulfilling it, the keeping all the commandments, were the condition of our justification: If it were so, surely "in His sight should no man living be justified." But all this being allowed, we still, in the Apostle's sense, "establish the law," the moral law.

3. And indeed this we do the more diligently, not only because it is of the deepest importance; -- inasmuch as all the fruit, every word and work, must be only evil continually, if the tree be evil, if the dispositions and tempers of the heart be not right before God; -- but likewise because as important as these things are, they are little considered or understood, -- so little, that we may truly say of the law, too, when taken in its full spiritual meaning, it is "a mystery which was hid from ages and generations since the world began." It was utterly hid from the heathen world. They, with all their boasted wisdom, neither found out God, nor the law of God; not in the letter, much less in the spirit of it. "Their foolish hearts were" more and more "darkened;" while "professing themselves wise, they became fools." And it was almost equally hid, as to its spiritual meaning, from the bulk of the Jewish nation. Even these, who were so ready to declare concerning others, "this people that know not the law are cursed," pronounced their own sentence therein, as being under the same curse, the same dreadful ignorance. Witness our Lord's continual reproof of the wisest among them for their gross misinterpretations of it. Witness the supposition almost universally received among them, that they needed only to make clean the outside of the cup; that the paying tithe of mint, anise, and cummin, -- outward exactness, -- would atone for inward unholiness, for the total neglect both of justice and mercy, of faith and the love of God. Yea, so absolutely was the spiritual meaning of the law hidden from the wisest of them, that one of their most eminent Rabbis comments thus on those words of the Psalmist, "If I incline unto iniquity with my heart, the Lord will not hear me:" "That is," saith he, "if it be only in my heart, if I do not commit outward wickedness, the Lord will not regard it; he will not punish me unless I proceed to the outward act!"

6. It is our part thus to preach Christ, by preaching all things whatsoever he hath revealed. We may indeed, without blame, yea, and with a peculiar blessing from God, declare the love of our Lord Jesus Christ; we may speak, in a more especial manner, of "the Lord our righteousness." We may expatiate upon the grace of God in Christ, "reconciling the world unto himself;" we may, at proper opportunities, dwell upon his praise, as "bearing the iniquities of us all, as wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities, that by his stripes we might be healed:" -- But still we should not preach Christ, according to his word, if we were wholly to confine ourselves to this: We are not ourselves clear before God, unless we proclaim him in all his offices. To preach Christ, as a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, is to preach him, not only as our great High Priest, "taken from among men, and ordained for men, in things pertaining to God;" as such, "reconciling us to God by his blood," and "ever living to make intercession for us;" -- but likewise as the Prophet of the Lord, "who of God is made unto us wisdom," who, by his word and his Spirit, is with us always, "guiding us into all truth;" -- yea, and as remaining a King for ever; as giving laws to all whom he has bought with his blood; as restoring those to the image of God, whom he had first re-instated in his favour; as reigning in all believing hearts until he has "subdued all things to himself," -- until he hath utterly cast out all sin, and brought in everlasting righteousness. II. 1. We establish the law, Secondly, when we so preach faith in Christ as not to supersede, but produce holiness; to produce all manner of holiness, negative and positive, of the heart and of the life.

III. 1. And this naturally brings us to observe, Thirdly, the most important way of establishing the law; namely, the establishing it in our own hearts and lives. Indeed, without this, what would all the rest avail We might establish it by our doctrine; we might preach it in its whole extent; might explain and enforce every part of it. We might open it in its most spiritual meaning, and declare the mysteries of the kingdom; we might preach Christ in all his offices, and faith in Christ as opening all the treasures of his love; and yet, all this time, if the law we preached were not established in our hearts, we should be of no more account before God than "sounding brass, or tinkling cymbals:" All our preaching would be so far from profiting ourselves, that it would only increase our damnation. 2. This is, therefore, the main point to be considered, How may we establish the law in our own hearts so that it may have its full influence on our lives And this can only be done by faith. Faith alone it is which effectually answers this end, as we learn from daily experience. For so long as we walk by faith, not by sight, we go swiftly on in the way of holiness. While we steadily look, not at the things which are seen, but at those which are not seen, we are more and more crucified to the world and the world crucified to us. Let but the eye of the soul be constantly fixed, not on the things which are temporal, but on those which are eternal, and our affections are more and more loosened from earth, and fixed on things above. So that faith, in general, is the most direct and effectual means of promoting all righteousness and true holiness; of establishing the holy and spiritual law in the hearts of them that believe.

16. But the most common of all the enthusiasts of this kind are those who imagine themselves Christians, and are not. These abound, not only in all parts of our land, but in most parts of the habitable earth. That they are not Christians, is clear and undeniable, if we believe the oracles of God. For Christians are holy; these are unholy: Christians love God; these love the world: Christians are humble; these are proud: Christians are gentle; these are passionate; Christians have the mind which was in Christ; these are at the utmost distance from it. Consequently, they are no more Christians, than they are archangels. Yet they imagine themselves so to be; and they can give several reasons for it: for they have been called so ever since they can remember; they were christened many years ago; they embrace the Christian opinions, vulgarly termed the Christian or catholic faith; they use the Christian modes of worship, as their fathers did before them; they live what is called a good Christian life, as the rest of their neighbours do. And who shall presume to think or say that these men are not Christians -- though without one grain of true faith in Christ, or of real, inward holiness; without ever having tasted the love of God, or been "made partakers of the Holy Ghost!"

21. To this kind of enthusiasm they are peculiarly exposed, who expect to be directed of God, either in spiritual things or in common life, in what is justly called an extraordinary manner: I mean, by visions or dreams, by strong impressions or sudden impulses on the mind. I do not deny, that God has, of old times, manifested His will in this manner; or, that He can do so now: nay, I believe He does, in some very rare instances. But how frequently do men mistake herein! How are they misled by pride, and a warm imagination, to ascribe such impulses or impressions, dreams or visions, to God, as are utterly unworthy of Him! Now this is all pure enthusiasm; all as wide of religion, as it is of truth and soberness. 22. Perhaps some may ask, "Ought we not then to inquire what is the will of God in all things And ought not His will to be the rule of our practice" Unquestionably it ought. But how is a sober Christian to make this inquiry to know what is the will of God Not by waiting for supernatural dreams; not by expecting God to reveal it in visions; not by looking for any particular impressions or sudden impulses on his mind: no; but by consulting the oracles of God. "To the law and to the testimony!" This is the general method of knowing what is "the holy and acceptable will of God." 23. "But how shall I know what is the will of God, in such and such a particular case The thing proposed is, in itself, of an indifferent nature, and so left undetermined in Scripture." I answer, the Scripture itself gives you a general rule. applicable to all particular cases: "The will of God is our sanctification." It is His will that we should be inwardly and outwardly holy; that we should be good, and do good, in every kind and in the highest degree whereof we are capable. Thus far we tread upon firm ground. This is as clear as the shining of the sun. In order, therefore, to know what is the will of God in a particular case, we have only to apply this general rule.

30. Against every sort of this it behoves us to guard with the utmost diligence; considering the dreadful effects it has so often produced, and which, indeed, naturally result from it. Its immediate offspring is pride; it continually increases this source from whence it flows; and hereby it alienates us more and more from the favour and from the life of God. It dries up the very springs of faith and love, of righteousness and true holiness; seeing all these flow from grace: but "God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace" only "to the humble." 31. Together with pride there will naturally arise an unadvisable and unconvincible spirit. So that into whatever error or fault the enthusiast falls, there is small hope of his recovery. For reason will have little weight with him (as has been frequently and justly observed) who imagines he is led by a higher guide, -- by the immediate wisdom of God. And as he grows in pride, so he must grow in unadvisableness and in stubbornness also. He must be less and less capable of being convinced, less susceptible of persuasion; more and more attached to his own judgement and his own will, till he is altogether fixed and immovable. 32. Being thus fortified both against the grace of God, and against all advice and help from man, he is wholly left to the guidance of his own heart, and of the king of the children of pride. No marvel, then, that he is daily more rooted and grounded in contempt of all mankind, in furious anger, in every unkind disposition, in every earthly and devilish temper. Neither can we wonder at the terrible outward effects which have flowed from such dispositions in all ages; even all manner of wickedness, all the works of darkness, committed by those who call themselves Christians, while they wrought with greediness such things as were hardly named even among the Heathens. Such is the nature, such the dreadful effects, of that manyheaded monster, Enthusiasm! From the consideration of which we may now draw some plain inferences, with regard to our own practice.

4. No one, then, is so perfect in this life, as to be free from ignorance. Nor, Secondly, from mistake; which indeed is almost an unavoidable consequence of it; seeing those who "know but in part" [1 Cor. 13:12] are ever liable to err touching the things which they know not. It is true, the children of God do not mistake as to the things essential to salvation: They do not "put darkness for light, or light for darkness;" [Isa. 5:20] neither "seek death in the error of their life." [Wisdom 1:12] For they are "taught of God," and the way which he teaches them, the way of holiness, is so plain, that "the wayfaring man, though a fool, need not err therein." [Isa. 35:8] But in things unessential to salvation they do err, and that frequently. The best and wisest of men are frequently mistaken even with regard to facts; believing those things not to have been which really were, or those to have been done which were not. Or, suppose they are not mistaken as to the fact itself, they may be with regard to its circumstances; believing them, or many of them, to have been quite different from what in truth, they were. And hence cannot but arise many farther mistakes. Hence they may believe either past or present actions which were or are evil, to be good; and such as were or are good, to be evil. Hence also they may judge not according to truth with regard to the characters of men; and that, not only by supposing good men to be better, or wicked men to be worse, than they are, but by believing them to have been or to be good men who were or are very wicked; or perhaps those to have been or to be wicked men, who were or are holy and unreprovable.

8. Nor can we expect, till then, to be wholly free from temptation. Such perfection belongeth not to this life. It is true, there are those who, being given up to work all uncleanness with greediness, [Eph. 4:19] scarce perceive the temptations which they resist not, and so seem to be without temptation. There are also many whom the wise enemy of souls, seeing to be fast asleep in the dead form of godliness, will not tempt to gross sin, lest they should awake before they drop into everlasting burnings. I know there are also children of God who, being now justified freely, [Rom. 5:1] having found redemption in the blood of Christ, [Eph. 1:7] for the present feel no temptation. God hath said to their enemies, "Touch not mine anointed, and do my children no harm." [see 1 Chron. 16:22] And for this season, it may be for weeks or months, he causeth them to "ride on high places;" [Deut. 32:13] he beareth them as on eagles' wings, [Exod. 19:4] above all the fiery darts of the wicked one. [Eph. 6:16] But this state will not last always; as we may learn from that single consideration, -- that the Son of God himself, in the days of his flesh, was tempted even to the end of his life. [Heb. 2:18; 4:15; 6:7] Therefore, so let his servant expect to be; for "it is enough that he be as his Master." [Luke 6:40] 9. Christian perfection, therefore, does not imply (as some men seem to have imagined) an exemption either from ignorance or mistake, or infirmities or temptations. Indeed, it is only another term for holiness. They are two names for the same thing. Thus every one that is perfect is holy, and every one that is holy is, in the Scripture sense, perfect. Yet we may, lastly, observe, that neither in this respect is there any absolute perfection on earth. There is no perfection of degrees, as it is termed; none which does not admit of a continual increase. So that how much soever any man hath attained, or in how high a degree soever he is perfect, he hath still need to "grow in grace," [2 Pet. 3:18] and daily to advance in the knowledge and love of God his Saviour. [see Phil. 1:9]

28. Exactly agreeable to this are his words in the first chapter of this Epistle, (1 John 1:5, &c.,) "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we walk in the light, -- we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." And again, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." [1 John 1:9] Now it is evident, the Apostle here also speaks of a deliverance wrought in this world. For he saith not, the blood of Christ will cleanse at the hour of death, or in the day of judgment, but, it "cleanseth," at the time present, "us," living Christians, "from all sin." And it is equally evident, that if any sin remain, we are not cleansed from all sin: If any unrighteousness remain in the soul, it is not cleansed from all unrighteousness. Neither let any sinner against his own soul say, that this relates to justification only, or the cleansing us from the guilt of sin. First, because this is confounding together what the Apostle clearly distinguishes, who mentions first, to forgive us our sins, and then to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. "Secondly, because this is asserting justification by works, in the strongest sense possible; it is making all inward as well as outward holiness necessarily previous to justification. For if the cleansing here spoken of is no other than the cleansing us from the guilt of sin, then we are not cleansed from guilt; that is, are not justified, unless on condition of "walking in the light, as he is in the light." [1 John 1:7] It remains, then, that Christians are saved in this world from all sin, from all unrighteousness; that they are now in such a sense perfect, as not to commit sin, and to be freed from evil thoughts and evil tempers."

29. Thus hath the Lord fulfilled the things he spake by his holy prophets, which have been since the world began; -- by Moses in particular, saying, (Deut. 30:6.) I "will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul;" by David, crying out, "Create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me;" [Ps. 51:10] -- and most remarkably by Ezekiel, in those words: "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean; From all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; -- and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. -- Ye shall be my people, and I will be your God. I will also save you from all your uncleannesses. -- Thus saith the Lord your God, In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities, -- the Heathen shall know that I the Lord build the ruined places; -- I the Lord have spoken it, and I will do it." (Ezek. 36:25, &c.) 30. "Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved," both in the Law and in the Prophets, and having the prophetic word confirmed unto us in the Gospel, by our blessed Lord and his Apostles; "let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." [2 Cor. 7:1] "Let us fear, lest" so many "promises being made us of entering into his rest," which he that hath entered into, has ceased from his own works, "any of us should come short of it." [Heb. 4:1] "This one thing let us do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, let us press toward the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus;" [Phil. 3:13, 14] crying unto him day and night, till we also are "delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the sons of God!" [Rom. 8:21] THE PROMISE OF SANCTIFICATION (Ezekiel 36:25, &c.) BY THE REV. CHARLES WESLEY.

God of all power, and truth, and grace, Which shall from age to age endure; Whose word, when heaven and earth shall pass, Remains, and stands for ever sure: Calmly to thee my soul looks up, And waits thy promises to prove; The object of my steadfast hope, The seal of thine eternal love. That I thy mercy may proclaim, That all mankind thy truth may see, Hallow thy great and glorious name, And perfect holiness in me. Chose from the world, if now I stand Adorn'd in righteousness divine; If, brought unto the promised land, I justly call the Saviour mine; Perform the work thou hast begun, My inmost soul to thee convert: Love me, for ever love thine own, And sprinkle with thy blood my heart. Thy sanctifying Spirit pour, To quench my thirst, and wash me clean; Now, Father, let the gracious shower Descend, and make me pure from sin. Purge me from every sinful blot; My idols all be cast aside: Cleanse me from every evil thought, From all the filth of self and pride. Give me a new, a perfect heart, From doubt, and fear, and sorrow free; The mind which was in Christ impart, And let my spirit cleave to thee. O take this heart of stone away, (Thy rule it doth not, cannot own;) In me no longer let it stay: O take away this heart of stone. The hatred of my carnal mind Out of my flesh at once remove; Give me a tender heart, resign'd, And pure, and fill'd with faith and love.

2. With regard to the former, all our thoughts are naturally of this kind: For they are continually wandering from God: We think nothing about him: God is not in all our thoughts: We are, one and all, as the Apostle observes, "without God in the world." We think of what we love; but we do not love God; therefore, we think not of him. Or, if we are now and then constrained to think of him for a time, yet as we have not pleasure therein, nay, rather, as these thoughts are not only insipid, but distasteful and irksome to us, we drive them out as soon as we can, and return to what we love to think of. So that the world, and the things of the world, -- what we shall eat, what we shall drink, what we shall put on, -- what we shall see, what we shall hear, what we shall gain, -- how we shall please our senses or our imagination, -- takes up all our time, and engrosses all our thought. So long, therefore, as we love the world; that is, so long as we are in our natural state; all our thoughts, from morning to evening, and from evening to morning, are no other than wandering thoughts. 3. But many times we are not only "without God in the world," but also fighting against him; as there is in every man by nature a "carnal mind which is enmity against God:" No wonder, therefore, that men abound with unbelieving thoughts; either saying in their hearts, "There is no God," or questioning, if not denying, his power or wisdom, his mercy, or justice, or holiness. No wonder that they so often doubt of his providence, at least, of its extending to all events; or that, even though they allow it, they still entertain murmuring or repining thoughts. Nearly related to these, and frequently connected with them, are proud and vain imaginations. Again: Sometimes they are taken up with angry, malicious, or revengeful thoughts; at other times, with airy scenes of pleasure, whether of sense or imagination; whereby the earthly, sensual mind becomes more earthy and sensual still. Now by all these they make flat war with God: These are wandering thoughts of the highest kind.

I. 1. I am, First, to point out the several ways whereby Satan endeavours to destroy the first work of God in the soul, or at least to hinder its increase by our expectation of that greater work. And, 1. He endeavours to damp our joy in the Lord by the consideration of our own vileness, sinfulness, unworthiness; added to this, that there must be a far greater change than is yet, or we cannot see the Lord. If we knew we must remain as we are even to the day of our death, we might possibly draw a kind of comfort, poor as it was, from that necessity. But as we know, we need not remain in this state, as we are assured there is a greater change to come, and that unless sin be all done away in this life we cannot see God in glory, -- that subtle adversary often damps the joy we should otherwise feel in what we have already attained, by a perverse representation of what we have not attained, and the absolute necessity of attaining it. So that we cannot rejoice in what we have, because there is more which we have not. We cannot rightly taste the goodness of God, who hath done so great things for us, because there are so much greater things which as yet he hath not done. Likewise, the deeper conviction God works in us of our present unholiness, and the more vehement desire we feel in our heart of the entire holiness he hath promised, the more are we tempted to think lightly of the present gifts of God, and to undervalue what we have already received because of what we have not received.

4. More especially in the time of sickness and pain he will press this with all his might: "Is it not the word of Him that cannot lie, `Without holiness no man shall see the Lord' But you are not holy. You know it well; you know holiness is the full image of God; and how far is this above, out of your sight You cannot attain unto it. Therefore, all your labour has been in vain. All these things you have suffered in vain. You have spent your strength for nought. You are yet in your sins, and must therefore perish at the last." And thus, if your eye be not steadily fixed on Him who hath borne all your sins, he will bring you again under that "fear of death," whereby you was so long "subject unto bondage," and, by this means, impair, if not wholly destroy, your peace as, well as joy in the Lord. 5. But his master-piece of subtlety is still behind. Not content to strike at your peace and joy, he will carry his attempts farther yet: He will level his assault against your righteousness also. He will endeavour to shake, yea, if it be possible, to destroy the holiness you have already received by your very expectation of receiving more, of attaining all the image of God. 6. The manner wherein he attempts this, may partly appear from what has been already observed. For, First, by striking at our joy in the Lord, he strikes likewise at our holiness: Seeing joy in the Holy Ghost is a precious means of promoting every holy temper; a choice instrument of God whereby he carries on much of his work in a believing soul. And it is a considerable help not only to inward, but also to outward holiness. It strengthens our hands to go on in the work of faith, and in the labour of love; manfully to "fight the good fight of faith, and to lay hold on eternal life." It is peculiarly designed of God to be a balance both against inward and outward sufferings; to "lift up the hands that hang down, and confirm the feeble knees." Consequently, whatever damps our joy in the Lord proportionably obstructs our holiness. And therefore, so far as Satan shakes our joy he hinders our holiness also.

7. The same effect will ensue, if he can, by any means, either destroy or shake our peace. For the peace of God is another precious means of advancing the image of God in us. There is scarce a greater help to holiness than this, a continual tranquility of spirit, the evenness of a mind stayed upon God, a calm repose in the blood of Jesus. And without this, it is scarce possible to "grow in grace," and in the vital "knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." For all fear (unless the tender, filial fear) freezes and benumbs the soul. It binds up all the springs of spiritual life, and stops all motion of the heart toward God. And doubt, as it were, bemires the soul, so that it sticks fast in the deep clay. Therefore, in the same proportion as either of these prevail, our growth in holiness is hindered.

8. At the same time that our wise adversary endeavours to make our conviction of the necessity of perfect love an occasion of shaking our peace by doubts and fears, he endeavours to weaken, if not destroy, our faith. Indeed these are inseparably connected, so that they must stand or fall together. So long as faith subsists we remain in peace; our heart stands fast, while it believes in the Lord. But if we let go our faith, our filial confidence in a loving, pardoning God, our peace is at an end, the very foundation on which it stood being overthrown. And this is the only foundation of holiness, as well as of peace; consequently whatever strikes at this, strikes at the very root of all holiness: For without this faith, without an abiding sense that Christ loved me, and gave himself for me, without a continuing conviction that God for Christ's sake is merciful to me a sinner, it is impossible that I should love God: "We love him, because he first loved us;" and in proportion to the strength and clearness of our conviction that he hath loved us, and accepted us in his Son. And unless we love God, it is not possible that we should love our neighbour as ourselves; nor, consequently, that we should have any right affections, either toward God, or toward man. It evidently follows, that whatever weakens our faith, must, in the same degree obstruct our holiness: And this is not only the most effectual, but also the most compendious, way of destroying all holiness; seeing it does not affect any one Christian temper, any single grace or fruit of the Spirit, but, so far as it succeeds, tears up the very root of the whole work of God.

9. No marvel, therefore, that the ruler of the darkness of this world should here put forth all his strength. And so we find by experience. For it is far easier to conceive, than it is to express, the unspeakable violence wherewith this temptation is frequently urged on them who hunger and thirst after righteousness. When they see, in a strong and clear light, on the one hand, the desperate wickedness of their own hearts, -- on the other hand, the unspotted holiness to which they are called in Christ Jesus; on the one hand, the depth of their own corruption, of their total alienation from God, -- on the other, the height of the glory of God, that image of the Holy One, wherein they are to be renewed; there is, many times, no spirit left in them; they could almost cry out, "With God this is impossible!" They are ready to give up both faith and hope; to cast away that very confidence, whereby they are to overcome all things, and do all things, through Christ strengthening them; whereby, "after' they have done the will of God," they are to "receive the promise."

10. And if they "hold fast the beginning of their confidence steadfast unto the end," they shall undoubtedly receive the promise of God, reaching through both time and eternity. But here is another snare laid for our feet: While we earnestly pant for that part of the promise which is to be accomplished here, "for the glorious liberty of the children of God," we may be led unawares from the consideration of the glory which shall hereafter be revealed. Our eye may be insensibly turned aside from that crown which the righteous Judge hath promised to give at that day "to all that love his appearing;" and we may be drawn away from the view of that incorruptible inheritance which is reserved in heaven for us. But this also would be a loss to our souls, and an obstruction to our holiness. For to walk in the continual sight of our goal, is a needful help in our running the race that is set before us. This it was, the having "respect unto the recompense of reward," which of old time, encouraged Moses, rather "to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt." Nay, it is expressly said of a greater than he, that "for the joy that was set before him, he endured the cross, and despised the shame," till he "sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Whence we may easily infer, how much more needful for us is the view of that joy set before us, that we may endure whatever cross the wisdom of God lays upon us, and press on through holiness to glory.

11. But while we are reaching to this, as well as to that glorious liberty which is preparatory to it, we may be in danger of falling into another snare of the devil, whereby he labours to entangle the children of God. We may take too much thought for tomorrow, so as to neglect the improvement of to-day. We may so expect perfect love, as not to use that which is already shed abroad in our hearts. There have not been wanting instances of those who have greatly suffered hereby. They were so taken up with what they were to receive hereafter, as utterly to neglect what they had already received. In expectation of having five talents more, they buried their one talent in the earth. At least, they did not improve it as they might have done, to the glory of God and the good of their own souls. 12. Thus does the subtle adversary of God and man endeavour to make void the counsel of God, by dividing the gospel against itself, and making one part of it overthrow the other; while the first work of God in the soul is destroyed by the expectation of his perfect work. We have seen several of the ways wherein he attempts this by cutting off, as it were, the springs of holiness. But this he likewise does more directly by making that blessed hope an occasion of unholy tempers.

13. Thus, whenever our heart is eagerly athirst for all the great and precious promises; when we pant after the fullness of God, as the hart after the water-brook; when our soul breaketh out in fervent desire, "Why are his chariot-wheels so long a-coming" -- he will not neglect the opportunity of tempting us to murmur against God. He will use all his wisdom, and all his strength, if haply, in an unguarded hour, we may be influenced to repine at our Lord for thus delaying his coming. At least, he will labour to excite some degree of fretfulness or impatience; and, perhaps, of envy at those whom we believe to have already attained the prize of our high calling. He well knows, that, by giving way to any of these tempers, we are pulling down the very thing we would build up. By thus following after perfect holiness, we become more unholy than before. Yea, there is great danger that our last state should be worse than the first; like them of whom the Apostle speaks in those dreadful words, "It had been better they had never known the way of righteousness, than, after they had known it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them."

II. 1. And, First, does Satan endeavour to damp your joy in the Lord, by the consideration of your sinfulness; added to this, that without entire, universal holiness, no man can see the Lord You may cast back this dart upon his own head, while through the grace of God, the more you feel of your own vileness, the more you rejoice in confident hope, that all this shall be done away. While you hold fast this hope, every evil temper you feel, though you hate it with a perfect hatred, may be a means, not of lessening your humble joy, but rather of increasing it. "This and this," may you say, "shall likewise perish from the presence of the Lord. Like as the wax melteth at the fire, so shall this melt away before his face." By this means, the greater that change is which remains to be wrought in your soul, the more may you triumph in the Lord, and rejoice in the God of your salvation, who hath done so great things for you already, and will do so much greater things than these.

2. Secondly: The more vehemently he assaults your peace with that suggestion, "God is holy; you are unholy; You are immensely distant from that holiness, without which you cannot see God: How then can you be in the favour of God How can you fancy you are justified" -- take the more earnest heed to hold fast that, "Not by works of righteousness which I have done, I am found in him; I am accepted in the Beloved; not having my own righteousness, (as the cause, either in whole or in part, of our justification before God,) but that which is by faith in Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." O bind this about your neck: Write it upon the table of thy heart. Wear it as a bracelet upon thy arm, as frontlets between thine eyes: "I am 'justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ." Value and esteem, more and more, that precious truth, "By grace we are saved through faith." Admire, more and more, the free grace of God, in so loving the world as to give "his only Son, that whosoever believeth on him might not perish, but have everlasting life." So shall the sense of the sinfulness you feel, on the one hand, and of the holiness you expect, on the other, both contribute to establish your peace, and to make it flow as a river. So shall that peace flow on with an even stream, in spite of all those mountains of ungodliness, which shall become a plain in the day when the Lord cometh to take full possession of your heart. Neither will sickness, or pain, or the approach of death, occasion any doubt or fear. You know a day, an hour, a moment with God, is as a thousand years. He cannot be straitened for time, wherein to work whatever remains to be done in your soul. And God's time is always the best time. Therefore be thou careful for nothing: Only make thy request known unto Him, and that, not with doubt or fear, but thanksgiving; as being previously assured, He cannot withhold from thee any manner of thing that is good.

4. In the same power of faith, press on to glory. Indeed this is the same prospect still. God hath joined from the beginning pardon, holiness, heaven. And why should man put them asunder O beware of this! Let not one link of the golden chain be broken. "God, for Christ's sake hath forgiven me. He is now renewing me in his own image. Shortly he will make me meet for himself, and take me to stand before his face. I, whom he hath justified through the blood of his Son, being thoroughly sanctified by his Spirit, shall quickly ascend to the `New Jerusalem, the city of the living God.' Yet a little while, and I shall `come to the general assembly and church of the first-born, and to God the Judge of all, and to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant.' How soon will these shadows flee away, and the day of eternity dawn upon me! How soon shall I drink of `the river of the water of life, going out of the throne of God and of the Lamb! There all his servants shall praise him, and shall see his face, and his name shall be upon their foreheads. And no night shall be there; and they have no need of a candle or the light of the sun. For the Lord God enlighteneth them, and they shall reign for ever and ever.'"

5. And if you thus "taste of the good word, and of the powers of the world to come," you will not murmur against God, because you are not yet "meet for the inheritance of the saints in light." Instead of repining at your not being wholly delivered, you will praise God for thus far delivering you. You will magnify God for what he hath done, and take it as an earnest of what he will do. You will not fret against him, because you are not yet renewed, but bless him because you shall be; and because "now is your salvation" from all sin "nearer than when you" first "believed." Instead of uselessly tormenting yourself because the time is not fully come, you will calmly and quietly wait for it, knowing that it "will come, and will not tarry." You may, therefore, the more cheerfully endure, as yet, the burden of sin that still remains in you, because it will not always remain. Yet a little while, and it shall be clean gone. Only "tarry thou the Lord's leisure:" Be strong, and "he shall comfort thy heart;" and put thou thy trust in the Lord! 6. And if you see any who appear (so far as man can judge, but God alone searcheth the hearts) to be already partakers of their hope, already "made perfect in love;" far from envying the grace of God in them, let it rejoice and comfort your heart. Glorify God for their sake! "If one member is honoured," shall not "all the members rejoice with it" Instead of jealousy or evil surmising concerning them, praise God for the consolation! Rejoice in having a fresh proof of the faithfulness of God in fulfilling all his promises; and stir yourself up the more, to "apprehend that for which you also are apprehended of Christ Jesus!"

1. I. And, first, let us inquire, What is salvation The salvation which is here spoken of is not what is frequently understood by that word, the going to heaven, eternal happiness. It is not the soul's going to paradise, termed by our Lord, "Abraham's bosom." It is not a blessing which lies on the other side death; or, as we usually speak, in the other world. The very words of the text itself put this beyond all question: "Ye are saved." It is not something at a distance: it is a present thing; a blessing which, through the free mercy of God, ye are now in possession of. Nay, the words may be rendered, and that with equal propriety, "Ye have been saved": so that the salvation which is here spoken of might be extended to the entire work of God, from the first dawning of grace in the soul, till it is consummated in glory. 2. If we take this in its utmost extent, it will include all that is wrought in the soul by what is frequently termed "natural conscience," but more properly, "preventing grace"; --all the drawings of the Father; the desires after God, which, if we yield to them, increase more and more; --all that light wherewith the Son of God "enlighteneth every one that cometh into the world;" showing every man "to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with his God"; --all the convictions which His Spirit, from time to time, works in every child of man--although it is true, the generality of men stifle them as soon as possible, and after a while forget, or at least deny, that they ever had them at all. 3. But we are at present concerned only with that salvation which the Apostle is directly speaking of. And this consists of two general parts, justification and sanctification.

Justification is another word for pardon. It is the forgiveness of all our sins; and , what is necessarily implied therein, our acceptance with God. The price whereby this hath been procured for us (commonly termed "the meritorious cause of our justification"), is the blood and righteousness of Christ; or, to express it a little more clearly, all that Christ hath done and suffered for us, till He "poured out His soul for the transgressors." The immediate effects of justification are, the peace of God, a "peace that passeth all understanding," and a "rejoicing in hope of the glory of God" "with joy unspeakable and full of glory." 4. And at the same time that we are justified, yea, in that very moment, sanctification begins. In that instant we are born again, born from above, born of the Spirit: there is a real as well as a relative change. We are inwardly renewed by the power of God. We feel "the love of God shed abroad in our heart by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us"; producing love to all mankind, and more especially to the children of God; expelling the love of the world, the love of pleasure, of ease, of honour, of money, together with pride, anger, self-will, and every other evil temper; in a word, changing the earthly, sensual, devilish mind, into "the mind which was in Christ Jesus." 5. How naturally do those who experience such a change imagine that all sin is gone; that it is utterly rooted out of their heart, and has no more any place therein! How easily do they draw that inference, "I feel no sin; therefore, I have none: it does not stir; therefore it does not exist: it has no motion; therefore, it has no being!"

6. But it is seldom long before they are undeceived, finding sin was only suspended, not destroyed. Temptations return, and sin revives; showing it was but stunned before, not dead. They now feel two principles in themselves, plainly contrary to each other; "the flesh lusting against the Spirit"; nature opposing the grace of God. They cannot deny, that although they still feel power to believe in Christ, and to love God; and although His "Spirit" still "witnesses with their spirits, that they are children of God"; yet they feel in themselves sometimes pride or self-will, sometimes anger or unbelief. They find one or more of these frequently stirring in their heart, though not conquering; yea, perhaps, "thrusting sore at them that they may fall"; but the Lord is their help. 7. How exactly did Macarius, fourteen hundred years ago, describe the present experience of the children of God: "The unskilful," or unexperienced, "when grace operates, presently imagine they have no more sin. Whereas they that have discretion cannot deny, that even we who have the grace of God may be molested again. For we have often had instances of some among the brethren, who have experienced such grace as to affirm that they had no sin in them; and yet, after all, when they thought themselves entirely freed from it, the corruption that lurked within was stirred up anew, and they were wellnigh burned up." 8. From the time of our being born again, the gradual work of sanctification takes place. We are enabled "by the Spirit" to "mortify the deeds of the body," of our evil nature; and as we are more and more dead to sin, we are more and more alive to God. We so on from grace to grace, while we are careful to "abstain from all appearance of evil," and are "zealous of good works," as we have opportunity, doing good to all men; while we walk in all His ordinances blameless, therein worshipping Him in spirit and in truth; while we take up our cross, and deny ourselves every pleasure that does not lead us to God.

9. It is thus that we wait for entire sanctification; for a full salvation from all our sins, --from pride, self-will, anger, unbelief; or, as the Apostle expresses it, "go unto perfection." But what is perfection The word has various senses: here it means perfect love. It is love excluding sin; love filling the heart, taking up the whole capacity of the soul. It is love "rejoicing evermore, praying without ceasing, in everything giving thanks." II. But what is faith through which we are saved This is the second point to be considered. 1. Faith, in general, is defined by the Apostle, elegcos pragmatvn ou blepomenvn. An evidence, a divine evidence and conviction (the word means both) of things not seen; not visible, not perceivable either by sight, or by any other of the external senses. It implies both a supernatural evidence of God, and of the things of God; a kind of spiritual light exhibited to the soul, and a supernatural sight or perception thereof. Accordingly, the Scripture speaks of God's giving sometimes light, sometimes a power of discerning it. So St. Paul: "God, who commanded light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." And elsewhere the same Apostle speaks of "the eyes of" our "understanding being opened." By this two-fold operation of the Holy Spirit, having the eyes of our soul both opened and enlightened, we see the things which the natural "eye hath not seen, neither the ear heard." We have a prospect of the invisible things of God; we see the spiritual world, which is all round about us, and yet no more discerned by our natural faculties than if it had no being. And we see the eternal world; piercing through the veil which hangs between time and eternity. Clouds and darkness then rest upon it no more, but we already see the glory which shall be revealed.

2. Taking the word in a more particular sense, faith is a divine evidence and conviction not only that "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself," but also that Christ loved me, and gave Himself for me. It is by this faith (whether we term it the essence, or rather a property thereof) that we receive Christ; that we receive Him in all His offices, as our Prophet, Priest, and King. It is by this that He is "made of God unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." 3. "But is this the faith of assurance, or faith of adherence" The Scripture mentions no such distinction. The Apostle says, "There is one faith, and one hope of our calling"; one Christian, saving faith; "as there is one Lord," in whom we believe, and "one God and Father of us all." And it is certain, this faith necessarily implies an assurance (which is here only another word for evidence, it being hard to tell the difference between them) that Christ loved me, and gave Himself for me. For "he that believeth" with the true living faith "hath the witness in himself": "the Spirit witnesseth with his spirit that he is a child of God." "Because he is a son, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into his heart, crying, Abba, Father"; giving him an assurance that he is so, and a childlike confidence in Him. But let it be observed, that, in the very nature of the thing, the assurance goes before the confidence. For a man cannot have a childlike confidence in God till he knows he is a child of God. Therefore, confidence, trust, reliance, adherence, or whatever else it be called, is not the first, as some have supposed, but the second, branch or act of faith. 4. It is by this faith we are saved, justified, and sanctified; taking that word in its highest sense. But how are we justified and sanctified by faith This is our third head of inquiry. And this being the main point in question, and a point of no ordinary importance, it will not be improper to five it a more distinct and particular consideration.

3. "But do you believe we are sanctified by faith We know you believe that we are justified by faith; but do not you believe, and accordingly teach, that we are sanctified by our works" So it has been roundly and vehemently affirmed for these five-and-twenty years: but I have constantly declared just the contrary; and that in all manner of ways. I have continually testified in private and in public, that we are sanctified as well as justified by faith. And indeed the one of those great truths does exceedingly illustrate the other. Exactly as we are justified by faith, so are we sanctified by faith. Faith is the condition, and the only condition, of sanctification, exactly as it is of justification. It is the condition: none is sanctified but he that believes; with out faith no man is sanctified. And it is the only condition: this alone is sufficient for sanctification. Every one that believes is sanctified, whatever else he has or has not. In other words, no man is sanctified till he believes: every man when he believes is sanctified. 4. "But is there not a repentance consequent upon, as well as a repentance previous to, justification And is it not incumbent on all that are justified to be `zealous of good works' Yea, are not these so necessary, that if a man willingly neglect them he cannot reasonably expect that he shall ever be sanctified in the full sense; that is, perfected in love Nay, can he grow at all in grace, in the loving knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ Yea, can he retain the grace which God has already given him Can he continue in the faith which he has received, or in the favour of God. Do not you yourself allow all this, and continually assert it But, if this be so, how can it be said that faith is the only condition of sanctification"

5. I do allow all this, and continually maintain it as the truth of God. I allow there is a repentance consequent upon, as well as a repentance previous to, justification. It is incumbent on all that are justified to be zealous of good works. And there are so necessary, that if a man willingly neglect them, he cannot reasonably expect that he shall ever be sanctified; he cannot grow in grace, in the image of God, the mind which was in Christ Jesus; nay, he cannot retain the grace he has received; he cannot continue in faith, or in the favour of God. What is the inference we mist draw herefrom Why, that both repentance, rightly understood, and the practice of all good works, --works of piety, as well as works of mercy (now properly so called, since they spring from faith), are, in some sense, necessary to sanctification. 6. I say, "repentance rightly understood"; for this must not be confounded with the former repentance. The repentance consequent upon justification is widely different from that which is antecedent to it. This implies no guilt, no sense of condemnation, no consciousness of the wrath of God. It does not suppose any doubt of the favour of God, or any "fear that hath torment." It is properly a conviction, wrought by the Holy Ghost, of the sin which still remains in our heart; of the jronhma sarkos, the carnal mind, which "does still remain" (as our Church speaks) "even in them that are regenerate"; although it does no longer reign; it has not now dominion over them. It is a conviction of our proneness to evil, of an heart bent to backsliding, of the still continuing tendency of the flesh to lust against the spirit. Sometimes, unless we continually watch and pray, it lusteth to pride, sometimes to anger, sometimes to love of the world, love of ease, love of honour, or love of pleasure more than of God. It is a conviction of the tendency of our heart to self-will, to Atheism, or idolatry; and above all, to unbelief; whereby, in a thousand ways, and under a thousand pretenses, we are ever departing, more or less, from the living God.

7. With this conviction of the sin remaining in our hearts, there is joined a clear conviction of the sin remaining in our lives; still cleaving to all our words and actions. In the best of these we now discern a mixture of evil, either in the spirit, the matter, or the manner of them; something that could not endure the righteous judgement of God, were He extreme to mark what is done amiss. Where we least suspected it, we find a taint of pride or self-will, of unbelief or idolatry; so that we are now more ashamed of our best duties than formerly of our worst sins: and hence we cannot but feel that these are so far from having anything meritorious in them, yea, so far from being able to stand in sight of the divine justice, that for those also we should be guilty before God, were it not for the blood of the covenant. 8. Experience shows that, together with this conviction of sin remaining in our hearts, and cleaving to all our words and actions; as well as the guilt which on account thereof we should incur, were we not continually sprinkled with the atoning blood; one thing more is implied in this repentance; namely, a conviction of our helplessness, of our utter inability to think one good thought, or to form one good desire; and much more to speak one word aright, or to perform one good action, but through His free, almighty grace, first preventing us, and then accompanying us every moment. 9. "But what good works are those, the practice of which you affirm to be necessary to sanctification" First, all works of piety; such as public prayer, family prayer, and praying in our closet; receiving the supper of the Lord; searching the Scriptures, by hearing, reading, meditating; and using such a measure of fasting or abstinence as our bodily health allows.

10. Secondly, all works of mercy; whether they relate to the bodies or souls of men; such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, entertaining the stranger, visiting those that are in prison, or sick, or variously afflicted; such as the endeavouring to instruct the ignorant, to awaken the stupid sinner, to quicken the lukewarm, to confirm the wavering, to comfort the feeble-minded, to succour the tempted, or contribute in any manner to the saving of souls from death. This is the repentance, and these the "fruits meet for repentance," which are necessary to full sanctification. This is the way wherein God hath appointed His children to wait for complete salvation. 11. Hence may appear the extreme mischievousness of that seemingly innocent opinion, that there is no sin in a believer; that all sin is destroyed, root and branch, the moment a man is justified. By totally preventing that repentance, it quite blocks up the way to sanctification. There is no place for repentance in him who believes there is no sin either in his life or heart: consequently, there is no place for his being perfected in love, to which that repentance is indispensably necessary. 12. Hence it may likewise appear, that there is no possible danger in thus expecting full salvation. For suppose we were mistaken, suppose no such blessing ever was or can be attained, yet we lose nothing: nay, that very expectation quickens us in using all the talents which God has given us; yea, in improving them all; so that when our Lord cometh, He will receive His own with increase.

13. But to return. though it be allowed, that both this repentance and its fruits are necessary to full salvation; yet they are not necessary either in the same sense with faith, or in the same degree: --Not in the same degree; for these fruits are only necessary conditionally, if there be time and opportunity for them; otherwise a man may be sanctified without them. But he cannot be sanctified without faith. likewise, let a man have ever so much of this repentance, or ever so many good works, yet all this does not at all avail: he is not sanctified till he believes. But the moment he believes, with or without those fruits, yea, with more or less of this repentance, he is sanctified. --Not in the same sense; for this repentance and these fruits are only remotely necessary, --necessary in order to the continuance of his faith, as well as the increase of it; whereas faith is immediately and directly necessary to sanctification. It remains, that faith is the only condition which is immediately and proximately necessary to sanctification. 14. "But what is that faith whereby we are sanctified, --saved from sin, and perfected in love" It is a divine evidence and conviction, first, that God hath promised it in the holy Scripture. Till we are thoroughly satisfied of this, there in no moving one step further. And one would imagine there needed not one word more to satisfy a reasonable man of this, than the ancient promise, "Then will I circumcise thy heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord they God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." How clearly does this express the being perfected in love! --how strongly imply the being saved from all sin! For as long as love takes up the whole heart, what room is there for sin therein

15. It is a divine evidence and conviction, secondly, that what God hath promised He is able to perform. Admitting, therefore, that "with men it is impossible" to "bring a clean thing out of an unclean," to purify the heart from all sin, and to till it with all holiness; yet this creates no difficulty in the case, seeing "with God all things are possible." And surely no one ever imagined it was possible to any power less than that of the Almighty! But if God speaks, it shall be done. God saith, "Let there be light; and there" is "light"! 16. It is, thirdly, a divine evidence and conviction that He is able and willing to do it now. And why not Is not a moment to Him the same as a thousand years He cannot want more time to accomplish whatever is His will. And He cannot want or stay for any more worthiness or fitness in the persons He is pleased to honour. We may therefore boldly say, at any point of time, "Now is the day of salvation!" "To-day, if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts!" "Behold, all things are now ready; come unto the marriage!" 17. To this confidence, that God is both able and willing to sanctify us now, there needs to be added one thing more, --a divine evidence and conviction that He doeth it. In that hour it is done: God says to the inmost soul, "According to thy faith be it unto thee!" Then the soul is pure from every spot of sin; it is clean "from all unrighteousness." The believer then experiences the deep meaning of those solemn words, "If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin."

18. "But does God work this great work in the soul gradually or instantaneously" Perhaps it may be gradually wrought in some; I mean in this sense, --they do not advert to the particular moment wherein sin ceases to be. But it us infinitely desirable, were it the will of God, that it should be done instantaneously; that the Lord should destroy sin "by the breath of His mouth," in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. And so He generally does; a plain fact, of which there is evidence enough to satisfy any unprejudiced person. Thou therefore look for it every moment! Look for it in the way above described; in all those good works whereunto thou art "created anew in Christ Jesus." There in then no danger: you can be no worse, if you are no better, for that expectation. For were you to be disappointed of your hope, still you lose nothing. But you shall not be disappointed of your hope: it will come, and will not tarry. Look for it then every day, every hour, every moment! Why not this hour, this moment Certainly you may look for it now, if you believe it is by faith. And by this token you may surely know whether you seek it by faith or by works. If by works, you want something to be done first, before you are sanctified. You think, I must first be or do thus or thus. Then you are seeking it by works unto this day. If you seek it by faith, you may expect it as you are; and expect it now. It is of importance to observe, that there is an inseparable connexion between these three points, --expect it by faith; expect it as you are; and expect it now! To deny one of them, is to deny them all; to allow one, is to allow them all. Do you believe we are sanctified by faith Be true then to your principle; and look for this blessing just as you are, neither better nor worse; as a poor sinner that has still nothing to pay, nothing to plead, but "Christ died." And if you look for it as you are, then expect it now. Stay for nothing: why should you Christ is ready; and He is all you want. He is waiting for you: He is at the door!

1. And this is certain, the Scripture gives us no reason to think any otherwise of them. On the contrary, all the above cited passages of Scripture refer to those who lived after the flood. It was above a thousand years after, that God declared by David concerning the children of men, "They are all gone out of the way, of truth and holiness; "there is none righteous, no, not one." And to this bear all the Prophets witness, in their several generations. So Isaiah, concerning God's peculiar people, (and certainly the Heathens were in no better condition,) "The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores." The same account is given by all the Apostles, yea, by the whole tenor of the oracles of God. From all these we learn, concerning man in his natural state, unassisted by the grace of God, that "every imagination of the thoughts of his heart is" still "evil, only evil," and that "continually." 2. And this account of the present state of man is confirmed by daily experience. It is true, the natural man discerns it not: And this is not to be wondered at. So long as a man born blind continues so, he is scarce sensible of his want: Much less, could we suppose a place where all were born without sight, would they be sensible of the want of it. In like manner, so long as men remain in their natural blindness of understanding, they are not sensible of their spiritual wants, and of this in particular. But as soon as God opens the eyes of their understanding, they see the state they were in before; they are then deeply convinced, that "every man living," themselves especially, are, by nature, "altogether vanity;" that is, folly and ignorance, sin and wickedness.

5. But ye have not so learned the oracles of God. Ye know, that He who seeth what is in man gives a far different account both of nature and grace, of our fall and our recovery. Ye know that the great end of religion is, to renew our hearts in the image of God, to repair that total loss of righteousness and true holiness which we sustained by the sin of our first parent. Ye know that all religion which does not answer this end, all that stops short of this, the renewal of our soul in the image of God, after the likeness of Him that created it, is no other than a poor farce, and a mere mockery of God, to the destruction of our own soul. O beware of all those teachers of lies, who would palm this upon you for Christianity! Regard them not, although they should come unto you with all the deceivableness of unrighteousness; with all smoothness of language, all decency, yea, beauty and elegance of expression, all professions of earnest good will to you, and reverence for the Holy Scriptures. Keep to the plain, old faith, "once delivered to the saints," and delivered by the Spirit of God to our hearts. Know your disease! Know your cure! Ye were born in sin: Therefore, "ye must be born again," born of God. By nature ye are wholly corrupted. By grace ye shall be wholly renewed. In Adam ye all died: In the second Adam, in Christ, ye all are made alive. "You that were dead in sins hath he quickened:" He hath already given you a principle of life, even faith in him who loved you and gave himself for you! Now, "go on from faith to faith," until your whole sickness be healed; and all that "mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus!"

I. 1. And, First, Why must we be born again What is the foundation of this doctrine The foundation of it lies near as deep as the creation of the world; in the scriptural account whereof we read, "And God," the three-one God, "said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him:" (Gen. 1:26, 27:) -- Not barely in his natural image, a picture of his own immortality; a spiritual being, endued with understanding, freedom of will, and various affections; -- nor merely in his political image, the governor of this lower world, having "dominion over the fishes of the sea, and over all the earth;" -- but chiefly in his moral image; which, according to the Apostle, is "righteousness and true holiness." (Eph. 4:24.) in this image of God was man made. "God is love:" Accordingly, man at his creation was full of love; which was the sole principle of all his tempers, thoughts, words, and actions. God is full of justice, mercy, and truth; so was man as he came from the hands of his Creator. God is spotless purity; and so man was in the beginning pure from every sinful blot; otherwise God could not have pronounced him, as well as all the other work of his hands, "very good" (Gen. 1:31.) This he could not have been, had he not been pure from sin, and filled with righteousness and true holiness. For there is no medium: If we suppose and intelligent creature not to love God, not to be righteous and holy, we necessarily suppose him not to be good at all; much less to be "very good."

2. But, although man was made in the image of God, yet he was not made immutable. This would have been inconsistent with the state of trial in which God was pleased to place him. He was therefore created able to stand, and yet liable to fall. And this God himself apprized him of, and gave him a solemn warning against it. Nevertheless, man did not abide in honour: He fell from his high estate. He "ate of the tree whereof the Lord had commanded him, Thou shalt not eat thereof." By this wilful act of disobedience to his Creator, this flat rebellion against his Sovereign, he openly declared that he would no longer have God to rule over him; That he would be governed by his own will, and not the will of Him that created him; and that he would not seek his happiness in God, but in the world, in the works of his hands. Now, God had told him before, "In the day that thou eatest" of that fruit, "thou shalt surely die." And the word of the Lord cannot be broken. Accordingly, in that day he did die: He died to God, -- the most dreadful of all deaths. He lost the life of God: He was separated from Him, in union with whom his spiritual life consisted. The body dies when it is separated from the soul; the soul, when it is separated from God. But this separation from God, Adam sustained in the day, the hour, he ate of the forbidden fruit. And of this he gave immediate proof; presently showing by his behaviour, that the love of God was extinguished in his soul, which was now "alienated from the life of God." Instead of this, he was now under the power of servile fear, so that he fled from the presence of the Lord. Yea, so little did he retain even of the knowledge of Him who filleth heaven and earth, that he endeavored to "hide himself from the Lord God among the trees of the garden:" (Gen. 3:8:) So had he lost both the knowledge and the love of God, without which the image of God could not subsist. Of this, therefore, he was deprived at the same time, and became unholy as well as unhappy.

Of this, therefore, he was deprived at the same time, and became unholy as well as unhappy. In the room of this, he had sunk into pride and self-will, the very image of the devil; and into sensual appetites and desires, the image of the beasts that perish. 3. If it be said, "Nay, but that threatening, ' In the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die,' refers to temporal death, and that alone, to the death of the body only;" the answer is plain: To affirm this is flatly and palpably to make God a liar; to aver that the God of truth positively affirmed a thing contrary to truth. For it is evident, Adam did not die in this sense, "in the day that he ate thereof." He lived, in the sense opposite to this death, above nine hundred years after. So that this cannot possibly be understood of the death of the body, without impeaching the veracity of God. It must therefore be understood of spiritual death, the loss of the life and image of God. 4. And in Adam all died, all human kind, all the children of men who were then in Adam's loins. The natural consequence of this is, that every one descended from him comes into the world spiritually dead, dead to God, wholly dead in sin; entirely void of the life of God; void of the image of God, of all that righteousness and holiness wherein Adam was created. Instead of this, every man born into the world now bears the image of the devil in pride and self-will; the image of the beast, in sensual appetites and desires. This, then, is the foundation of the new birth, -- the entire corruption of our nature. Hence it is, that, being born in sin, we must be "born again." Hence every one that is born of a woman must be born of the Spirit of God.

4. Before a child is born into the world he has eyes, but sees not; he has ears, but does not hear. He has a very imperfect use of any other sense. He has no knowledge of any of the things of the world, or any natural understanding. To that manner of existence which he then has, we do not even give the name of life. It is then only when a man is born, that we say he begins to live. For as soon as he is born, be begins to see the light, and the various objects with which he is encompassed. His ears are then opened, and he hears the sounds which successively strike upon them. At the same time, all the other organs of sense begin to be exercised upon their proper objects. He likewise breathes, and lives in a manner wholly different from what he did before. How exactly doth the parallel hold in all these instances! While a man is in a mere natural state, before he is born of God, he has, in a spiritual sense, eyes and sees not; a thick impenetrable veil lies upon them; he has ears, but hears not; he is utterly deaf to what he is most of all concerned to hear. His other spiritual senses are all locked up: He is in the same condition as if he had them not. Hence he has no knowledge of God; no intercourse with him; he is not at all acquainted with him. He has no true knowledge of the things of God, either of spiritual or eternal things; therefore, though he is a living man, he is a dead Christian. But as soon as he is born of God, there is a total change in all these particulars. The "eyes of his understanding are opened;" (such is the language of the great Apostle;) and, He who of old "commanded light to shine out of darkness shining on his heart, he sees the light of the glory of God," his glorious love, "in the face of Jesus Christ." His ears being opened, he is now capable of hearing the inward voice of God, saying, "Be of good cheer; thy sins are forgiven thee;" "go and sin no more." This is the purport of what God speaks to his heart; although perhaps not in these very words.

He lives a life which the world knoweth not of, a "life which is hid with Christ in God." God is continually breathing, as it were, upon the soul; and his soul is breathing unto God. Grace is descending into his heart; and prayer and praise ascending to heaven: And by this intercourse between God and man, this fellowship with the Father and the Son, as by a kind of spiritual respiration, the life of God in the soul is sustained; and the child of God grows up, till he comes to the "full measure of the stature of Christ." 5. From hence it manifestly appears, what is the nature of the new birth. It is that great change which God works in the soul when he brings it into life; when he raises it from the death of sin to the life of righteousness. It is the change wrought in the whole soul by the almighty Spirit of God when it is "created anew in Christ Jesus;" when it is "renewed after the image of God, in righteousness and true holiness;" when the love of the world is changed into the love of God; pride into humility; passion into meekness; hatred, envy, malice, into a sincere, tender, disinterested love for all mankind. In a word, it is that change whereby the earthly, sensual, devilish mind is turned into the "mind which was in Christ Jesus." This is the nature of the new birth: "So is every one that is born of the Spirit."

III. 1. It is not difficult for any who has considered these things, to see the necessity of the new birth, and to answer the Third question, Wherefore, to what end, is it necessary that we should be born again It is very easily discerned, that this is necessary, First, in order to holiness. For what is holiness according to the oracles of God Not a bare external religion, a round of outward duties, how many soever they be, and how exactly soever performed. No: Gospel holiness is no less than the image of God stamped upon the heart; it is no other than the whole mind which was in Christ Jesus; it consists of all heavenly affections and tempers mingled together in one. It implies such a continual, thankful love to Him who hath not withheld from us his Son, his only son, as makes it natural, and in a manner necessary to us, to love every child of man; as fills us "with bowels of mercies, kindness, gentleness, long-suffering:" It is such a love of God as teaches us to be blameless in all manner of conversation; as enables us to present our souls and bodies, all we are and all we have, all our thoughts, words, and actions, a continual sacrifice to God, acceptable through Christ Jesus. Now, this holiness can have no existence till we are renewed in the image of our mind. It cannot commence in the soul till that change be wrought; till, by the power of the Highest overshadowing us, we are "brought from darkness to light, from the power of Satan unto God;" that is, till we are born again; which, therefore, is absolutely necessary in order to holiness.

2. But "without holiness no man shall see the Lord," shall see the face of God in glory. Of consequence, the new birth is absolutely necessary in order to eternal salvation. Men may indeed flatter themselves (so desperately wicked and so deceitful is the heart of man!) that they may live in their sins till they come to the last gasp, and yet afterwards live with God; and thousands do really believe, that they have found a broad way which leadeth not to destruction. "What danger," say they, "can a woman be in that is so harmless and so virtuous What fear is there that so honest a man, one of so strict morality, should miss of heaven; especially if, over and above all this, they constantly attend on church and sacrament" One of these will ask with all assurance, "What! Shall not I do as well as my neighbours" Yes as well as your unholy neighbours; as well as your neighbours that die in their sins! For you will all drop into the pit together, into the nethermost hell! You will all lie together in the lake of fire; "the lake of fire burning with brimstone." Then, at length, you will see (but God grant you may see it before!) the necessity of holiness in order to glory; and, consequently, of the new birth, since none can be holy, except he be born again.

2. From the preceding reflections we may, Secondly, observe, that as the new birth is not the same thing with baptism, so it does not always accompany baptism: They do not constantly go together. A man my possibly be "born of water," and yet not be "born of the Spirit." There may sometimes be the outward sign, where there is not the inward grace. I do not now speak with regard to infants: It is certain our Church supposes that all who are baptized in their infancy are at the same time born again; and it is allowed that the whole Office for the Baptism of Infants proceeds upon this supposition. Nor is it an objection of any weight against this, that we cannot comprehend how this work can be wrought I infants. For neither can we comprehend how it is wrought in a person of riper years. But whatever be the case with infants, it is sure all of riper years who are baptized are not at the same time born again. "The tree is known by its fruits:" And hereby it appears too plain to be denied, that divers of those who were children of the devil before they were baptized continue the same after baptism: "for the works of their father they do:" They continue servants of sin, without any pretence either to inward or outward holiness.

3. A Third inference which we may draw from what has been observed, is, that the new birth is not the same with sanctification. This is indeed taken for granted by many; particularly by an eminent writer, in his late treatise on "The Nature and Grounds of Christian Regeneration." To wave several other weighty objections which might be made to that tract, this is a palpable one: It all along speaks of regeneration as a progressive work, carried on in the soul by slow degrees, from the time of our first turning to God. This is undeniably true of sanctification; but of regeneration, the new birth, it is not true. This is a part of sanctification, not the whole; it is the gate to it, the entrance into it. When we are born again, then our sanctification, our inward and outward holiness, begins; and thenceforward we are gradually to "grow up in Him who is our Head." This expression of the Apostle admirably illustrates the difference between one and the other, and farther points out the exact analogy there is between natural and spiritual things. A child is born of a woman in a moment, or at least in a very short time: Afterward he gradually and slowly grows, till he attains to the stature of a man. In like manner, a child is born of God in a short time, if not in a moment. But it is by slow degrees that he afterward grows up to the measure of the full stature of Christ. The same relation, therefore, which there is between our natural birth and our growth, there is also between our new birth and our sanctification.

Every time you profane the day of the Lord, you thereby deny your baptism; yea, every time you do any thing to another which you would not he should do to you. I answer, Thirdly, Be you baptized or unbaptized, "you must be born again;" otherwise it is not possible you should be inwardly holy; and without inward as well as outward holiness, you cannot be happy, even in this world, much less in the world to come. Do you say, "Nay, but I do no harm to any man; I am honest and just in all my dealings; I do not curse, or take the Lord's name in vain; I do not profane the Lord's day; I am no drunkard; I do not slander my neighbour, nor live in any wilful sin" If this be so, it were much to be wished that all men went as far as you do. But you must go farther yet, or you cannot be saved: Still, "you must be born again." Do you add, "I do go farther yet; for I not only do no harm, but do all the good I can" I doubt that fact; I fear you have had a thousand opportunities of doing good which you have suffered to pass by unimproved, and for which therefore you are accountable to God. But if you had improved them all, if you really had done all the good you possibly could to all men, yet this does not at all alter the case; still, "you must be born again." Without this nothing will do any good to your poor, sinful, polluted soul. "Nay, but I constantly attend all the ordinances of God: I keep to my church and sacrament." It is well you do: But all this will not keep you from hell, except you be born again. Go to church twice a day; go to the Lord's table every week; say ever so many prayers in private; hear ever so many good sermons; read ever so many good books; still, "you must be born again:" None of these things will stand in the place of the new birth; no, nor any thing under heaven. Let this therefore, if you have not already experienced this inward work of God, be your continual prayer: "Lord, add this to all thy blessings, -- let me be born again!

5. But even this is not all; for loss of peace is accompanied with loss of power. We know everyone who has peace with God, through Jesus Christ, has power over all sin. But whenever he loses the peace of God, he loses also the power over sin. While that peace remained, power also remained, even over the besetting sin, whether it were the sin of his nature, his constitution, of his education, or that of his profession; yea, and over those evil tempers and desires which, till then, he could not conquer Sin had then no more dominion over him; but he hath now no more dominion over sin. He may struggle, indeed, but he cannot overcome; the crown is fallen from his head. His enemies again prevail over him, and, more or less, bring him into bondage. The glory is departed from him, even the kingdom of God which was in his heart. He is dispossessed of righteousness, as well as of peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. II. 1. Such is the nature of what many have termed, and not improperly, "The wilderness state." But the nature of it may be more fully understood by inquiring, Secondly, What are the causes of it These indeed are various. But I dare not rank among these the bare, arbitrary, sovereign will of God. He "rejoiceth in the prosperity of his servants: He delighteth not to afflict or grieve the children of men." His invariable will is our sanctification, attended with "peace and joy in the Holy Ghost." These are his own free gifts; and we are assured "the gifts of God are," on his part, "without repentance." He never repenteth of what he hath given, or desires to withdraw them from us. Therefore he never deserts us, as some speak; it is we only that desert him.

As long, therefore, as you cherish Delilah in your bosom he has no place there. It is vain to hope for a recovery of his light, till you pluck out the right eye, and cast it from you. O let there be no longer delay! Cry to Him, that he may enable you so to do! Bewail your own impotence and helplessness; and, the Lord being your helper, enter in at the strait gate; take the kingdom of heaven by violence! Cast out every idol from his sanctuary, and the glory of the Lord shall soon appear. 5. Perhaps it is this very thing, the want of striving, spiritual sloth, which keeps your soul in darkness. You dwell at ease in the land; there is no war in your coasts; and so you are quiet and unconcerned. You go on in the same even track of outward duties, and are content there to abide. And do you wonder, meantime, that your soul is dead O stir yourself up before the Lord! Arise, and shake yourself from the dust; wrestle with God for the mighty blessing; pour out your soul unto God in prayer, and continue therein with all perseverance! Watch! Awake out of sleep; and keep awake! Otherwise there is nothing to be expected, but that you will be alienated more and more from the light and life of God. 6. If, upon the fullest and most impartial examination of yourself, you cannot discern that you at present give way either to spiritual sloth, or any other inward or outward sin, then call to mind the time that is past. Consider your former tempers, words, and actions. Have these been right before the Lord "Commune with him in your chamber, and be still;" and desire of him to try the ground of your heart, and bring to your remembrance whatever has at any time offended the eyes of his glory. If the guilt of any unrepented sin remain on our soul, it cannot be but you will remain in darkness, till, having been renewed by repentance, you are again washed by faith in the "fountain opened for sin and uncleanness."

14. Lastly. If darkness be occasioned by manifold and heavy and unexpected temptations, the best way of removing and preventing this is, to teach believers always to expect temptation, seeing they dwell in an evil world, among wicked, subtle, malicious spirits, and have an heart capable of all evil. Convince them that the whole work of sanctification is not, as they imagined, wrought at once; that when they first believe the are but as new-born babes, who are gradually to grow up, and may expect many storms before they come to the full stature of Christ. Above all, let them be instructed, when the storm is upon them, not to reason with the devil, but to pray; to pour out their souls before God, and show him of their trouble. And these are the persons unto whom, chiefly, we are to apply the great and precious promises; not to the ignorant, till the ignorance is removed, much less to the impenitent sinner. To these we may largely and affectionately declare the loving kindness of God our Saviour, expatiate upon his tender mercies, which have been ever of old. Here we may dwell upon the faithfulness of God, whose "word is tried to the uttermost;" and upon the virtue of that blood which was shed for us, to "cleanse us from all sin:" And God will then bear witness to his word, and bring their souls out of trouble. He will say, "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee." Yea, and that light, if thou walk humbly and closely with God, will "shine more and more unto the perfect day."

6. Once more: Though they were heavy, yet were they holy; they retained the same power over sin. They were still "kept" from this, "by the power of God;" they were "obedient children, not fashioned according to their former desires;" but "as He that had called them is holy," so were they "holy in all manner of conversation." Knowing they were "redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, as a Lamb without spot and without blemish," they had, through the faith and hope which they had in God, "purified their souls by the Spirit." So that, upon the whole, their heaviness well consisted with faith, with hope, with love of God and man, with the peace of God, with joy in the Holy Ghost, with inward and outward holiness. It did no way impair, much less destroy, any part of the work of God in their hearts. It did not at all interfere with that "sanctification of the Spirit" which is the root of all true obedience; neither with the happiness which must needs result from grace and peace reigning in the heart. II. 1. Hence we may easily learn what kind of heaviness they were in; -- the Second thing which I shall endeavor to show. The word in the original, is luphqentes, -- made sorry, grieved; from luph, -- grief or sorrow. This is the constant, literal meaning of the word: And, this being observed, there is no ambiguity in the expression, nor any difficulty in understanding it. The persons spoken of here were grieved: The heaviness they were in was neither more nor less than sorrow or grief; -- a passion which every child of man is well acquainted with.

3. Again: When "calamity cometh as a whirlwind, and poverty as an armed man;" is this a little temptation Is it strange if it occasion sorrow and heaviness Although this also may appear but a small thing to those who stand at a distance, or who look, and "pass by on the other side;" yet it is otherwise to them who feel it. "Having food and raiment," (indeed the latter word, skepasmata, implies lodging as well as apparel,) we may, if the love of God is in our hearts, "be therewith content." But what shall they do who have none of these who, as it were, "embrace the rock for a shelter" who have only the earth to lie upon, and only the sky to cover them who have not a dry, or warm, much less a clean, abode for themselves and their little ones: no, nor clothing to keep themselves, or those they love next themselves, from pinching cold, either by day or night I laugh at the stupid Heathen, crying out, Nil habet, inflex paupertas durius in se, Quam quod ridiculos homines facit!

5. Yet another is, their advance in holiness: holiness of heart, and holiness of conversation; the latter naturally resulting from the former; for a good tree will bring forth good fruit. And all inward holiness is the immediate fruit of the faith that worketh by love. By this the blessed Spirit purifies the heart from pride, self-will, passion; from love of the world, from foolish and hurtful desires, from vile and vain affections. Beside that, sanctified afflictions have, through the grace of God, an immediate and direct tendency to holiness. Through the operation of his Spirit, they humble, more and more, and abase the soul before God. They calm and meeken our turbulent spirit, tame the fierceness of our nature, soften our obstinacy and self-will, crucify us to the world, and bring us to expect all our strength from, and to seek all our happiness in, God. 6. And all these terminate in that great end, that our faith, hope, love, and holiness "may be found," if it doth not yet appear, "unto praise" from God himself, "and honour" from men and angels, "and glory," assigned by the great Judge to all that have endured unto the end. And this will be assigned in that awful day to every man, "according to his works;" according to the work which God had wrought in his heart, and the outward works which he has wrought for God; and likewise according to what he had suffered; So that all these trials are unspeakable gain. So many ways do these "light afflictions, which are but for a moment, work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory!"

2. We may learn from hence, Secondly, that there may be need of heaviness, but there can be no need of darkness. There may be need of our being in "heaviness for a season," in order to the ends above recited; at least, in this sense, as it is a natural result of those "manifold temptations" which are needful to try and increase our faith, to confirm and enlarge our hope, to purify our heart from all unholy tempers, and to perfect us in love. And, by consequence, they are needful in order to brighten our crown, and add to our eternal weight of glory. But we cannot say, that darkness is needful in order to any of these ends. It is no way conducive to them: The loss of faith, hope, love, is surely neither conducive to holiness, nor to the increase of that reward in heaven which will be in proportion to our holiness on earth. 3. From the Apostle's manner of speaking we may gather, Thirdly, that even heaviness is not always needful. "Now, for a season, if need be;" So it is not needful for all persons; nor for any person at all times. God is able, he has both power and wisdom, to work, when he pleases, the same work of grace in any soul, by other means. And in some instances he does so; he causes those whom it pleaseth him to go on from strength to strength, even till they "perfect holiness in his fear," with scarce any heaviness at all; as having an absolute power over the heart of man, and moving all the springs of it at his pleasure. But these cases are rare: God generally sees good to try "acceptable men in the furnace of affliction." So that manifold temptations and heaviness, more or less, are usually the portion of his dearest children.

4. We ought, therefore, Lastly, to watch and pray, and use our utmost endeavours to avoid falling into darkness. But we need not be solicitous how to avoid so much as how to improve by heaviness. Our great care should be, so to behave ourselves under it, so to wait upon the Lord therein, that it may fully answer all the design of his love, in permitting it to come upon us; that it may be a means of increasing our faith, of confirming our hope, of perfecting us in all holiness. Whenever it comes, let us have an eye to these gracious ends for which it is permitted, and use all diligence that we may not make void the counsel of God against ourselves. Let us earnestly work together with him, by the grace which he is continually giving us, in "purifying ourselves from all pollution, both of flesh and spirit," and daily growing in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, till we are received into his everlasting kingdom!

11. The "taking up" differs a little from "bearing his cross." We are then properly said to "bear our cross," when we endure what is laid upon us without our choice, with meekness and resignation. Whereas, we do not properly "take up our cross," but when we voluntarily suffer what it is in our power to avoid; when we willingly embrace the will of God, though contrary to our own; when we choose what is painful, because it is the will of our wise and gracious Creator. 12. And thus it behoves every disciple of Christ to take up, as well as to bear, his cross. Indeed, in one sense, it is not his alone; it is common to him, and many others; seeing there is no temptation befals any man, ei mh anqrvpinos, -- "but such as is common to men;" such as is incident and adapted to their common nature and situation in the present world. But, in another sense, as it is considered with all its circumstances, it is his; peculiar to himself: It is prepared of God for him; it is given by God to him, as a token of his love. And if he receives it as such, and, after using such means to remove the pressure as Christian wisdom directs, lies as clay in the potter's hand; it is disposed and ordered by God for his good, both with regard to the quality of it, and in respect to its quantity and degree, its duration, and every other circumstance. 13. In all this, we may easily conceive our blessed Lord to act as the Physician of our souls, not merely "for his own pleasure, but for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness." If, in searching our wounds, he puts us to pain, it is only in order to heal them. He cuts away what is putrified or unsound, in order to preserve the sound part. And if we freely choose the loss of a limb, rather than the whole body should perish; how much more should we choose, figuratively, to cut off a right hand, rather than the whole soul should be cast into hell!

2. And how extremely common is this sin, among all orders and degrees of men! How do high and low, rich and poor, wise and foolish, learned and unlearned, run into it continually! Persons who differ from each other in all things else, nevertheless agree in this. How few are there that can testify before God, "I am clear in this matter; I have always set a watch before my mouth, and kept the door of my lips!" What conversation do you hear, of any considerable length, whereof evil-speaking is not one ingredient and that even among persons who, in the general, have the fear of God before their eyes, and do really desire to have a conscience void of offence toward God and toward man. 3. And the very commonness of this sin makes it difficult to be avoided. As we are encompassed with it on every side, so, if we are not deeply sensible of the danger, and continually guarding against it, we are liable to be carried away by the torrent. In this instance, almost the whole of mankind is, as it were, in a conspiracy against us. And their example steals upon us, we know not how; so that we insensibly slide into the imitation of it. Besides, it is recommended from within as well as from without. There is scarce any wrong temper in the mind of man, which may not be occasionally gratified by it, and consequently incline us to it. It gratifies our pride, to relate those faults of others whereof we think ourselves not to be guilty. Anger, resentment, and all unkind tempers, are indulged by speaking against those with whom we are displeased; and, in many cases, by reciting the sins of their neighbors, men indulge their own foolish and hurtful desires. 4. Evil-speaking is the more difficult to be avoided, because it frequently attacks us in disguise. We speak thus out of a noble, generous (it is well if we do not say,) holy indignation, against these vile creatures! We commit sin from mere hatred of sin! We serve the devil out of pure zeal for God! It is merely in order to punish the wicked that we run into this wickedness. "So do the passions" (as one speaks) "all justify themselves," and palm sin upon us under the veil of holiness!

And, first, God has entrusted us with our soul, an immortal spirit, made in the image of God; together with all the powers and faculties thereof, understanding, imagination, memory, will, and a train of affections, either included in it or closely dependent upon it, -- love and hatred, joy and sorrow, respecting present good and evil; desire and aversion, hope and fear, respecting that which is to come. All these St. Paul seems to include in two words, when he says, "The peace of God shall keep your hearts and minds." Perhaps, indeed, the latter word, nohmata, might rather be rendered thoughts, provided we take that word in its most extensive sense, for every perception of the mind, whether active or passive. 3. Now, of all these, it is certain, we are only stewards. God has entrusted us with these powers and faculties, not that we may employ them according to our own will, but according to the express orders which he has given us; although it is true that, in doing His will, we most effectually secure our own happiness; seeing it is herein only that we can be happy, either in time or in eternity. Thus we are to use our understanding, our imagination, our memory, wholly to the glory of Him that gave them. Thus our will is to be wholly given up to Him, and all our affections to be regulated as he directs. We are to love and hate, to rejoice and grieve, to desire and shun, to hope and fear, according to the rule which he prescribes whose we are, and whom we are to serve in all things. Even our thoughts are not our own, in this sense; they are not at our own disposal; but for every deliberate motion of our mind we are accountable to our great Master.

3. The Judge of all will then inquire, "How didst thou employ thy soul I entrusted thee with an immortal spirit, endowed with various powers and faculties, with understanding, imagination, memory, will, affections. I gave thee withal full and express directions, how all these were to be employed. Didst thou employ thy understanding, as far as it was capable, according to those directions; namely, in the knowledge of thyself and me -- my nature, my attributes -- my works, whether of creation, of providence, or of grace -- in acquainting thyself with my word -- in using every means to increase thy knowledge thereof -- in meditating thereon day and night Didst thou employ thy memory, according to my will, in treasuring up whatever knowledge thou hadst acquired, which might conduce to my glory, to thy own salvation, or the advantage of others Didst thou store up therein, not things of no value, but whatever instruction thou hadst learned from my word; and whatever experience thou hadst gained of my wisdom, truth, power, and mercy Was thy imagination employed, not in painting vain images, much less such as nourished "foolish and hurtful desires;" but in representing to thee whatever would profit thy soul, and awaken thy pursuit of wisdom and holiness Didst thou follow my directions with regard to thy will Was it wholly given up to me Was it swallowed up in mine, so as never to oppose, but always run parallel with it Were thy affections placed and regulated in such a manner, as I appointed in my word Didst thou give me thy heart Didst thou not love the world, neither the things of the world Was I the object of thy love Was all thy desire unto me, and unto the remembrance of my name Was I the joy of thy heart, the delight of thy soul, the chief among ten thousand Didst thou sorrow for nothing, but what grieved my spirit Didst thou fear and hate nothing but sin Did the whole stream of thy affections flow back to the ocean from whence they came Were thy thoughts employed according to my will -- not in ranging to the ends of the earth, not on folly, or sin; but on `whatsoever things were pure, whatsoever things were holy;' on whatsoever was conducive to my glory, and to `peace and good-will among men'"

4. Thy Lord will then inquire, "How didst thou employ the body wherewith I entrusted thee I gave thee a tongue to praise me therewith: Didst thou use it to the end for which it was given Didst thou employ it, not in evil speaking or idle speaking, not in uncharitable or unprofitable conversation; but in such as was good, as was necessary or useful either to thyself or others such as always tended, directly or indirectly, to `minister grace to the hearers' I gave thee, together with thy other senses, those grand avenues of knowledge, sight, and hearing: were these employed to those excellent purposes for which they were bestowed upon thee in bringing thee in more and more instruction in righteousness and true holiness I gave thee hands and feet, and various members, wherewith to perform the works which were prepared for thee: were they employed, not in doing `the will of the flesh,' of thy evil nature; or the will of the mind; (the things to which thy reason or fancy led thee;) but "the will of Him that sent" thee into the world, merely to work out thy own salvation Didst thou present all thy members, not to sin, as instruments of unrighteousness, but to me alone, through the Son of my love, `as instruments of righteousness'"

6. Thy Lord will farther inquire, "Hast thou been a wise and faithful steward with regard to the talents of a mixed nature which I lent thee Didst thou employ thy health and strength, not in folly or sin, not in the pleasures which perished in the using, `not in making provision for the flesh, to fulfil the desires thereof,' but in a vigorous pursuit of that better part which none could take away from thee Didst thou employ whatever was pleasing in thy person or address, whatever advantages thou hadst by education, whatever share of learning, whatever knowledge of things or men, was committed thee, for the promoting of virtue in the world, for the enlargement of my kingdom Didst thou employ whatever share of power thou hadst, whatever influence over others, by the love or esteem of thee which they had conceived, for the increase of their wisdom and holiness Didst thou employ that inestimable talent of time, with wariness and circumspection, as duly weighing the value of every moment, and knowing that all were numbered in eternity Above all, wast thou a good steward of my grace, preventing, accompanying, and following thee Didst thou duly observe, and carefully improve, all the influences of my Spirit -- every good desire, every measure of light, all His sharp or gentle reproofs How didst thou profit by `the Spirit of bondage and fear,' which was previous to `the Spirit of adoption' And when thou wast made a partaker of this Spirit, crying in thy heart, "Abba, Father," didst thou stand fast in the glorious liberty wherewith I made thee free Didst thou from thenceforth present thy soul and body, all thy thoughts, thy words, and actions, in one flame of love, as a holy sacrifice, glorifying me with thy body and thy spirit Then `well done, good and faithful servant! Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord!'" And what will remain, either to the faithful or unfaithful steward Nothing but the execution of that sentence which has been passed by the righteous Judge; fixing thee in a state which admits of no change through everlasting ages! It remains only that thou be rewarded, to all eternity, according to thy works.

IV. 1. From these plain considerations we may learn, First, How important is this short, uncertain day of life! How precious, above all utterance, above all conception, is every portion of it! The least of these a serious care demands; For though they're little, they are golden sands! How deeply does it concern every child of man, to let none of these run to waste; but to improve them all to the noblest purposes, as long as the breath of God is in his nostrils! 2. We learn from hence, Secondly, that there is no employment of our time, no action or conversation, that is purely indifferent. All is good or bad, because all our time, as everything we have, is not our own. All these are, as our Lord speaks, ta allotria -- the property of another; of God our Creator. Now, these either are or are not employed according to his will. If they are so employed, all is good; if they are not, all is evil. Again: it is His will, that we should continually grow in grace, and in the living knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Consequently, every thought, word, and work, whereby this knowledge is increased, whereby we grow in grace, is good; and every one whereby this knowledge is not increased, is truly and properly evil. 3. We learn from hence, Thirdly, that there are no works of supererogation; that we can never do more than our duty; seeing all we have is not our own, but God's; all we can do is due to Him. We have not received this or that, or many things only, but everything from Him: therefore, everything is His due. He that gives us all, must needs have a right to all: so that if we pay Him anything less than all, we cannot be faithful stewards. And considering, "every man shall receive his own reward, according to his own labour," we cannot be wise stewards unless we labour to the uttermost of our power; not leaving anything undone which we possibly can do, but putting forth all our strength.

17. You may easily observe, that the preceding account is chiefly extracted from his own journals, which, for their artless and unaffected simplicity, may vie with any writings of the kind. And how exact a specimen is this of his labors both in Europe and America, for the honor of his beloved Master, during the thirty years that followed, as well as of the uninterrupted shower of blessings wherewith God was pleased to succeed his labors! Is it not much to be lamented, that anything should have prevented his continuing this account, till at least near the time when he was called by his Lord to enjoy the fruit of his labor If he has left any papers of this kind, and his friends account me worthy of the honor, it would be my glory and joy to methodize, transcribe, and prepare them for the public view. 18. A particular account of the last scene of his life is thus given by a gentleman of Boston: --

The Tabernacle was originally a wooden shed to the north of Upper Moorfields, close to Wesley's Foundery, opened in 1741; in 1753 it was superseded by a brick building, the one in which this sermon was preached in the afternoon. This was used for over a century, and was then replaced by a Tabernacle at the corner of Tabernacle Street and Leonard Street, Finsbury, which occupied the old site. The old pulpit was retained from which Wesley preached on this occasion. The building is now used for business purposes.]

13. But, in general, the birds, created to fly in the open firmament of heaven, appear to have been of an order far superior to either insects or reptiles; although still considerably inferior to beasts; as we now restrain that word to quadrupeds, four-footed animals, which, two hundred years ago, included every kind of living creatures. Many species of these are not only endowed with a large measure of natural understanding, but are likewise capable of much improvement by art, such as one would not readily conceive. But, among all these, there were no birds or beasts of prey; none that destroyed or molested another; but all the creatures breathed, in their several kinds, the benevolence of their great Creator. 14. Such was the state of the creation, according to the scanty ideas which we can now form concerning it, when its great Author, surveying the whole system at one view, pronounced it "very good." It was good in the highest degree whereof it was capable, and without any mixture of evil. Every part was exactly suited to the others, and conducive to the good of the whole. There was "a golden chain" (to use the expression of Plato) "let down from the throne of God;" an exactly connected series of beings, from the highest to the lowest; from dead earth, through fossils, vegetables, animals, to man, created in the image of God, and designed to know, to love, and enjoy his Creator to all eternity.

On The Fall Of Man "Dust thou are, and unto dust shalt thou return." Gen. 3:19. 1. Why is there pain in the world; seeing God is "loving to every man, and his mercy is over all his works" Because there is sin: Had there been no sin, there would have been no pain. But pain (supposing God to be just) is the necessary effect of sin. But why is there sin in the world Because man was created in the image of God: Because he is not mere matter, a clod of earth, a lump of clay, without sense or understanding; but a spirit like his Creator, a being endued not only with sense and understanding, but also with a will exerting itself in various affections. To crown all the rest, he was endued with liberty; a power of directing his own affections and actions; a capacity of determining himself, or of choosing good or evil. Indeed, had not man been endued with this, all the rest would have been of no use: Had he not been a free as well as an intelligent being, his understanding would have been as incapable of holiness, or any kind of virtue, as a tree or a block of marble. And having this power, a power of choosing good or evil, he chose the latter: He chose evil. Thus "sin entered into the world," and pain of every kind, preparatory to death. 2. But this plain, simple account of the origin of evil, whether natural or moral, all the wisdom of man could not discover till it pleased God to reveal it to the world. Till then man was a mere enigma to himself; a riddle which none but God could solve. And in how full and satisfactory a manner has he solved it in this chapter! In such a manner, as does not indeed serve to gratify vain curiosity, but as is abundantly sufficient to answer a nobler end; to Justify the ways of God with men. To this great end I would, First, briefly consider the preceding part of this chapter; and then, Secondly, more particularly weigh the solemn words which have been already recited.

5. God has indeed provided for the execution of his own decree in the very principles of our nature. It is well known, the human body, when it comes into the world, consists of innumerable membranes exquisitely thin, that are filled with circulating fluid, to which the solid parts bear a very small proportion. Into the tubes composed of these membranes, nourishment must be continually infused; otherwise life cannot continue, but will come to an end almost as soon as it is begun. And suppose this nourishment to be liquid, which, as it flows through those fine canals, continually enlarges them in all their dimensions; yet it contains innumerable solid particles, which continually adhere to the inner surface of the vessels through which they flow; so that in the same proportion as any vessel is enlarged, it is stiffened also. Thus the body grows firmer as it grows larger, from infancy to manhood. In twenty, five-and-twenty, or thirty years, it attains its full measure of firmness. Every part of the body is then stiffened to its full degree; as much earth adhering to all the vessels, as gives the solidity they severally need to the nerves, arteries, veins, muscles, in order to exercise their functions in the most perfect manner. For twenty, or, it may be, thirty years following, although more and more particles of earth continually adhere to the inner surface of every vessel in the body, yet the stiffness caused thereby is hardly observable, and occasions little inconvenience. But after sixty years (more or less, according to the natural constitution, and a thousand accidental circumstances) the change is easily perceived, even at the surface of the body. Wrinkles show the proportion of the fluids to be lessened, as does also the dryness of the skin, through a diminution of the blood and juices, which before moistened and kept it smooth and soft. The extremities of the body grow cold, not only as they are remote from the centre of motion, but as the smaller vessels are filled up, and can no longer admit the circulating fluid. As age increases, fewer and fewer of the vessels are pervious, and capable of transmitting the vital stream; except the larger ones, most of which are lodged within the trunk of the body.

There was still wanting a creature of a higher rank, capable of wisdom and holiness. Natus homo est. So "God created man in his own image; in the image of God created he him!" Mark the emphatical repetition. God did not make him mere matter, a piece of senseless, unintelligent clay; but a spirit, like himself, although clothed with a material vehicle. As such he was endued with understanding; with a will including various affections; and with liberty, a power of using them in a right or wrong manner, of choosing good or evil. Otherwise neither his understanding nor his will would have been to any purpose; for he must have been as incapable of virtue or holiness as the stock of a tree. Adam, in whom all mankind were then contained, freely preferred evil to good. He chose to do his own will, rather than the will of his Creator. He "was not deceived," but knowingly and deliberately rebelled against his Father and his King. In that moment he lost the moral image of God, and, in part, the natural: He commenced unholy, foolish, and unhappy. And "in Adam all died:" He entitled all his posterity to error, guilt, sorrow, fear, pain, diseases, and death. 7. How exactly does matter of fact, do all things round us, even the face of the whole world, agree with this account! Open your eyes! Look round you! See darkness that may be felt; see ignorance and error; see vice in ten thousand forms; see consciousness of guilt, fear, sorrow, shame, remorse, covering the face of the earth! See misery, the daughter of sin. See, on every side, sickness and pain, inhabitants of every nation under heaven; driving on the poor, helpless sons of men, in every age, to the gates of death! So they have done well nigh from the beginning of the world. So they will do, till the consummation of all things.

8. But can the Creator despise the work of his own hands Surely that is impossible! Hath he not then, seeing he alone is able, provided a remedy for all these evils Yea, verily he hath! And a sufficient remedy; every way adequate to the disease. He hath fulfilled his word: He hath given "the seed of the woman to bruise the serpent's head." -- "God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him might not perish, but have everlasting life." Here is a remedy provided for all our guilt: He "bore all our sins in his body on the tree." And "if any one have sinned, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." And here is a remedy for all our disease, all the corruption of our nature. For God hath also, through the intercession of his Son, given us his Holy Spirit, to renew us both "in knowledge," in his natural image; -- opening the eyes of our understanding, and enlightening us with all such knowledge as is requisite to our pleasing God; -- and also in his moral image, namely, "righteousness and true holiness." And supposing this is done, we know that "all things" will "work together for our good." We know by happy experience, that all natural evils change their nature and turn to good; that sorrow, sickness, pain, will all prove medicines, to heal our spiritual sickness. They will all be to our profit; will all tend to our unspeakable advantage; making us more largely "partakers of his holiness," while we remain on earth; adding so many stars to that crown which is reserved in heaven for us.

9. Behold then both the justice and mercy of God! -- his justice in punishing sin, the sin of him in whose loins we were then all contained, on Adam and his whole posterity; -- and his mercy in providing an universal remedy for an universal evil; in appointing the Second Adam to die for all who had died in the first; that, "as in Adam all died, so in Christ all" might "be made alive;" that, "as by one man's offence, judgment came upon all men to condemnation, so by the righteousness of one, the free gift" might "come upon all unto justification of life," -- "justification of life," as being connected with the new birth, the beginning of spiritual life, which leads us, through the life of holiness, to life eternal, to glory. 10. And it should be particularly observed, that "where sin abounded, grace does much more abound." For not as the condemnation, so is the free gift; but we may gain infinitely more than we have lost. We may now attain both higher degrees of holiness, and higher degrees of glory, than it would have been possible for us to attain. If Adam had not sinned, the Son of God had not died: Consequently that amazing instance of the love of God to man had never existed, which has, in all ages, excited the highest joy, and love, and gratitude from his children. We might have loved God the Creator, God the Preserver, God the Governor; but there would have been no place for love to God the Redeemer. This could have had no being. The highest glory and joy of saints on earth, and saints in heaven, Christ crucified, had been wanting. We could not then have praised him that, thinking it no robbery to be equal with God, yet emptied himself, took upon him the form of a servant, and was obedient to death, even the death of the cross! This is now the noblest theme of all the children of God on earth; yea, we need not scruple to affirm, even of angels, and archangels, and all the company of heaven. "Hallelujah," they cry, "To the King of the sky, To the great everlasting I AM; To the Lamb that was slain, And liveth again, Hallelujah to God and the Lamb!"

6. Indeed, if man were not free, he could not be accountable either for his thoughts, word, or actions. If he were not free, he would not be capable either of reward or punishment; he would be incapable either of virtue or vice, of being either morally good or bad. If he had no more freedom than the sun, the moon, or the stars, he would be no more accountable than them. On supposition that he had no more freedom than them, the stones of the earth would be as capable of reward, and as liable to punishment, as man: One would be as accountable as the other. Yea, and it would be as absurd to ascribe either virtue or vice to him as to ascribe it to the stock of a tree. 7. But to proceed: "Whom he did foreknow, them he did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son." This is the Second step: (To speak after the manner of men: For in fact, there is nothing before or after in God:) In other words, God decrees, from everlasting to everlasting, that all who believe in the Son of his love, shall be conformed to his image; shall be saved from all inward and outward sin, into all inward and outward holiness. Accordingly, it is a plain undeniable fact all who truly believe in the name of the Son of God do now "receive the end of their faith, the salvation of their souls;" and this in virtue of the unchangeable, irreversible, irresistible decree of God, -- "He that believeth shall be saved;" "he that believeth not, shall be damned." 8. "Whom he did predestinate, them he also called." This is the Third step: (Still remembering that we speak after the manner of men:) To express it a little more largely: According to his fixed decree, that believers shall be saved, those whom he foreknows as such, he calls both outwardly and inwardly, -- outwardly by the word of his grace, and inwardly by his Spirit. This inward application of his word to the heart, seems to be what some term "effectual calling:" And it implies, the calling them children of God; the accepting them "in the Beloved;" the justifying them "freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ."

9. "Whom he called, them he justified." This is the Fourth step. It is generally allowed that the word "justified" here is taken in a peculiar sense; that it means he made them just or righteous. He executed his decree, "conforming them to the image of his Son;" or, as we usually speak, sanctified them. 10. It remains, "whom he justified, them he also glorified." This is the Last step. Having made them "meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light," he gives them "the kingdom which was prepared for them before the world began." This is the order wherein, "according to the counsel of his will," the plan he has laid down from eternity, he saves those whom he foreknew; the true believers in every place and generation. 11. The same great work of salvation by faith, according to the foreknowledge and decree of God, may appear in a still clearer light, if we view it backward, from the end to the beginning. Suppose then you stood with the "great multitude which no man can number, out of every nation, and tongue, and kindred, and people," who "give praise unto Him that stretch upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever;" you would not find one among them all that were entered into glory, who was not a witness of that great truth, "Without holiness no man shall see the Lord;" "not one of all that innumerable company who was not sanctified before he was glorified. By holiness he was prepared for glory; according to the invariable will of the Lord, that the crown, purchased by the blood of his son, should be given to none but those who are renewed by his Spirit. He is become "the author of eternal salvation" only "to them that obey him;" "that obey him inwardly and outwardly; that are holy in heart, and holy in all manner of conversation.

God's Love To Fallen Man "Not as the offence, so also is the free gift." Rom. 5:15. 1. How exceeding common, and how bitter, is the outcry against our first parent for the mischief which he not only brought upon himself, but entailed upon his latest posterity! It was by his wilful rebellion against God that "sin entered into the world." "By one man's disobedience," as the Apostle observes, the many, oi polloi, as many as were then in the loins of their forefather, "were made," or constituted, "sinners:" Not only deprived of the favour of God, but also of this image, of all virtue, righteousness, and true holiness; and sunk, partly into the image of the devil, -- in pride, malice, and all other diabolical tempers ; partly into the image of the brute, being fallen under the dominion of brutal passions and grovelling appetites. Hence also death entered into the world, with all his forerunners and attendants, -- pain, sickness, and a whole train of uneasy, as well as unholy passions and tempers. 2. "For all this we may thank Adam," has echoed down from generation to generation. The self-same charge has been repeated in every age and every nation, where the oracles of God are known; in which alone this grand and important event has been discovered to the children of men. Has not your heart, and probably your lips too, joined in the general charge How few are there of those who believe the scriptural relation of the fall of man that have not entertained the same thought concerning our first parent; severely condemning him that, through wilful disobedience to the sole command of his Creator, Brought death into the world, and all our woe!

1. And, First, mankind in general have gained, by the fall of Adam, a capacity of attaining more holiness and happiness on earth than it would have been possible for them to attain if Adam had not fallen. For if Adam had not fallen, Christ had not died. Nothing can be more clear than this; nothing more undeniable: The more thoroughly we consider the point the more deeply shall we be convinced of it. Unless all the partakers of human nature had received that deadly wound in Adam, it would not have been needful for the Son of God to take our nature upon him. Do you not see that this was the very ground of his coming into the world "By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin: And thus death passed upon all," through him in whom all men sinned. (Rom. 5:12.) Was it not to remedy this very thing that "the Word was made flesh," that "as in Adam all died, so in Christ all" might "be made alive" Unless, then, many had been made sinners by the disobedience of one, by the obedience of one many would not have been made righteous: (Rom. 5:19:) So there would have been no room for that amazing display of the Son of God's love to mankind: There would have been no occasion for his being "obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." It could not then have been said, to the astonishment of all the hosts of heaven "God so loved the world," yea, the ungodly world, which had no thought or desire of returning to him, "that he gave his Son" out of his bosom, his only-begotten Son, "to the end that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Neither could we then have said,:God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself;" or, that he "made him to be sin," that is, a sin-offering, "for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God through him." There would have been no such occasion for such "an Advocate with the Father," as "Jesus Christ the righteous;" neither for his appearing "at the right hand of God, to make intercession for us."

2. What is the necessary consequence of this It is this: There could then have been no such thing as faith in God thus loving the world, giving his only Son for us men, and for our salvation. There could have been no such thing as faith in the Son of God, as "loving us and giving himself for us." There could have been no faith in the Spirit of God, as renewing the image of God in our hearts, as raising us from the death of sin unto the life of righteousness. Indeed the whole privilege of justification by faith could have had no existence; there could have been no redemption in the blood of Christ; neither could Christ have been "made of God unto us," either "wisdom, righteousness. sanctification" or "redemption."

3. And the same grand blank which was in our faith must likewise have been in our love. We might have loved the Author of our being, the Father of angels and men as our Creator and Preserver: We might have said, "O Lord our Governor, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!" -- But we could not have loved him under the nearest and dearest relation, -- as delivering up his Son for us all. We might have loved the Son of God, as being "the brightness of his Father's glory, the express image of his person;" (although this ground seems to belong rather to the inhabitants of heaven than earth;) but we could not have loved him as "bearing our sins in his own body on the tree," and "by that one oblation of himself once offered, making a full sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world." We could not have been "made conformable to his death," nor have known "the power of his resurrection." We could not have loved the Holy Ghost, as revealing to us the Father and the Son; as opening the eyes of our understanding; bringing us out of darkness into his marvellous light; renewing the image of God in our soul, and sealing us unto the day of redemption. So that, in truth, what is now "in the sight of God, even the Father," not of fallible men, "pure religion and undefiled," would then have had no being; inasmuch as it wholly depends on those grand principles -- "By grace ye are saved through faith;" and, "Jesus Christ is of God made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification and redemption."

4. We see then, what unspeakable advantage we derive from the fall of our first parent with regard to faith; -- Faith both in God the Father, who spared not his own Son, his only Son, but "wounded him for our transgressions," and "bruised him for our iniquities:" and in God the Son, who poured out his soul for us transgressors, and washed us in his own blood. We see what advantage we derive therefrom with regard to the love of God; both of God the Father and God the Son. The chief ground of this love, as long as we remain in the body, is plainly declared by the Apostle: "We love Him, because He first loved us." But the greatest instance of his love had never been given, if Adam had not fallen.

5. And as our faith both in God the Father and the Son, receives an unspeakable increase, if not its very being. from this grand event, as does also our love both of the Father and the Son; so does the love of our neighbour also, our benevolence to all mankind, which cannot but increase in the same proportion with our faith and love of God. For who does not apprehend the force of that inference drawn by the loving Apostle: "Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another" If God SO loved us, -- observe, the stress of the argument lies on this very point: SO loved us, as to deliver up his only Son to die a cursed death for our salvation. Beloved, what manner of love is this wherewith God hath loved us; so as to give his only Son, in glory equal with the Father, in Majesty co-eternal What manner of love is this wherewith the only-begotten Son of God hath loved us so as to empty himself, as far as possible, of his eternal Godhead; as to divest himself of that glory which he had with the Father before the world began; as to take upon him the form of a servant, being found in fashion as a man; and then, to humble himself still further, "being obedient unto death, even the death of the cross!" If God SO loved us, how ought we to love one another! But this motive to brotherly love had been totally wanting if Adam had not fallen. Consequently, we could not then have loved one another in so high a degree as we may now. Nor could there have been that height and depth in the command of our blessed Lord, "As I have loved you, So love one another." 6. Such gainers may we be by Adam's fall, with regard both to the love of God and of our neighbour. But there is another grand point, which, though little adverted to, deserves our deepest consideration. By that one act of our first parent, not only "sin entered into the world," but pain also, and was alike the justice but the unspeakable goodness of God. For how much good does he continually bring out of this evil! How much holiness and happiness out of pain!

8. Again: Had there been neither natural nor moral evil in the world, what must have become of patience, meekness, gentleness, longsuffering It is manifest they could have had no being; seeing all these have evil for their object. If, therefore, evil had never entered into the world, neither could these have had any place in it. For who could have returned good for evil, had there been no evil-doer in the universe How had it been possible, on that supposition, to "overcome evil with good" Will you say, "But all these graces might have been divinely infused into the hearts of men" Undoubtedly they might: But if they had, there would have been no use or exercise for them. Whereas in the present state of things we can never long want occasion to exercise them: And the more they are exercised, the more all our graces are strengthened and increased. And in the same proportion as our resignation, our confidence in God, our patience and fortitude, our meekness, gentleness, and longsuffering, together with our faith, and love of God and man, increase, must our happiness increase, even in the present world. 9. Yet again: As God's permission of Adam's fall gave all his posterity a thousand opportunities of suffering, and thereby of exercising all those passive graces which increase both their holiness and happiness; so it gives them opportunities of doing good in numberless instances; of exercising themselves in various good works, which otherwise could have had no being. And what exertions of benevolence, of compassion, of godlike mercy, had then been totally prevented! Who could then have said to the Lover of men, -- Thy Mind throughout my life be shown, While listening to the wretch's cry, The widow's or the orphan's groan, On mercy's wings I swiftly fly, The poor and needy to relieve; Myself, my all for them to give It is the just observation of a benevolent man, -- All worldly joys are less Than that one joy of doing kindnesses.

Surely in "keeping this commandment," if to no other, "there is great reward." "As we have time, let us do good unto all men;" good of every kind, and in every degree. Accordingly, the more good we do, (other circumstances being equal,) the happier we shall be. The more we deal our bread to the hungry, and cover the naked with garments, -- the more we relieve the stranger and visit them that are sick or in prison, -- the more kind offices we do to those that groan under the various evils of human life, -- the more comfort we receive even in the present world, the greater the recompence we have in our own bosom. 10. To sum up what has been said under this head: As the more holy we are upon earth the more happy we must be; (seeing there is an inseparable connexion between holiness and happiness;) as the more good we do to others, the more of present reward redounds into our own bosom; even as our sufferings for God lead us to rejoice in him "with joy unspeakable and full of glory;" therefore, the fall of Adam, -- First, by giving us an opportunity of being far more holy, Secondly, by giving us the occasions of doing innumerable good works, which otherwise could not have been done, and, Thirdly, by putting it into our power to suffer for God, whereby "the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon us," -- may be of such advantage to the children of men, even in the present life, as they will not thoroughly comprehend till they attain life everlasting.

11. It is then we shall be enabled fully to comprehend, not only the advantages which accrue at the present time to the sons of men by the fall of their first parent, but the infinitely greater advantages which they may reap from it in eternity. In order to form some conception of this, we may remember the observation of the Apostle: As "one star differeth from another star in glory, so also is the resurrection of the dead." The most glorious stars will undoubtedly be those who are the most holy, who bear most of that image of God wherein they were created; the next in glory to these will be those who have been most abundant in good works; and next to them, those that have suffered most, according to the will of God. But what advantages, in every one of these respects, will the children of God receive in heaven, by God's permitting the introduction of pain upon earth in consequence of sin! By occasion of this they attained many holy tempers, which other- wise could have had no being; -- resignation to God; confidence in him, in times of trouble and danger; patience, meekness, gentleness, longsuffering, and the whole train of passive virtues: And on account of this superior holiness, they will then enjoy superior happiness. Again: Every one will then "receive his own reward, according to his own labour:" Every individual will be "rewarded according to his work." But the fall gave rise to innumerable good works, which could otherwise never have existed; such as ministering to the necessities of saints; yea, relieving the distressed in every kind: And hereby innumerable stars will be added to their eternal crown. Yet again: There will be an abundant reward in heaven for suffering as well as for doing the will of God: "These light affliction, which are but for a moment, work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." Therefore that event which occasioned the entrance of suffering into the world, has thereby occasioned to all the children of God an increase of glory to all eternity. For although the sufferings themselves will be at an end; although The pain of life shall then be o'er, The anguish and distracting care; There sighing grief shall weep no more; And sin shall never enter there; --

14. See, then, upon the whole, how little reason we have to repine at the fall of our first parent; since herefrom we may derive such unspeakable advantages, both in time and eternity. See how small pretence there is for questioning the mercy of God in permitting that event to take place; since therein mercy, by infinite degrees, rejoices over judgment. Where then is the man that presumes to blame God for not preventing Adam's sin Should we not rather bless him from the ground of the heart, for therein laying the grand scheme of man's redemption, and making way for that glorious manifestation of his wisdom, holiness, justice, and mercy If, indeed, God had decreed, before the foundation of the world, that millions of men should dwell in everlasting burnings, because Adam sinned hundreds or thousands of years before they had a being. I know not who could thank him for this, unless the devil and his angels: Seeing, on this supposition, all those millions of unhappy spirits would be plunged into hell by Adam's sin, without any possible advantage from it. But, blessed be God, this is not the case. Such a decree never existed. On the contrary, every one born of a woman may be an unspeakable gainer thereby: And none ever was or can be a loser but by his own choice. 15. We see here a full answer to that plausible account of the origin of evil, published to the world some years since, and supposed to be unanswerable: That it "necessarily resulted from the nature of matter, which God was not able to alter." It is very kind in this sweet-tongued orator to make an excuse for God! But there is really no occasion for it: God hath answered for himself. He made man in his own image; a spirit endued with understanding and liberty. Man, abusing that liberty, produced evil; brought sin and pain into the world. This God permitted, in order to a fuller manifestation of his wisdom, justice, and mercy, by bestowing on all who would receive it an infinitely greater happiness than they could possibly have attained if Adam had not fallen.

4. Thus, in that day, all the vanity to which they are now helplessly subject will be abolished; they will suffer no more, either from within or without; the days of their groaning are ended. At the same time, there can be no reasonable doubt, but all the horridness of their appearance, and all the deformity of their aspect, will vanish away, and be exchanged for their primeval beauty. And with their beauty their happiness will return; to which there can then be no obstruction. As there will be nothing within, so there will be nothing without, to give them any uneasiness: No heat or cold, no storm or tempest, but one perennial spring. In the new earth, as well as in the new heavens, there will be nothing to give pain, but everything that the wisdom and goodness of God can create to give happiness. As a recompence for what they once suffered, while under the "bondage of corruption," when God has "renewed the face of the earth," and their corruptible body has put on incorruption, they shall enjoy happiness suited to their state, without alloy, without interruption, and without end. 5. But though I doubt not that the Father of All has a tender regard for even his lowest creatures, and that, in consequence of this, he will make them large amends for all they suffer while under their present bondage; yet I dare not affirm that he has an equal regard for them and for the children of men. I do not believe that He sees with equal eyes, as Lord of all, A hero perish, or a sparrow fall. By no means. This is exceeding pretty; but it is absolutely false. For though Mercy, with truth and endless grace, O'er all his works doth reign, Yet chiefly he delights to bless His favourite creature, man.

24. And if the state of the Church in the very first century was so bad, we cannot suppose it was any better in the second. Undoubtedly it grew worse and worse. Tertullian, one of the most eminent Christians of that age, has given us an account of it in various parts of his writings, whence we learn that real, internal religion was hardly found; nay, that not only the tempers of the Christians were exactly the same with those of their heathen neighbours, (pride, passion, love of the world reigning alike in both,) but their lives and manners also. The bearing a faithful testimony against the general corruption of Christians, seems to have raised the outcry against Montanus; and against Tertullian himself, when he was convinced that the testimony of Montanus was true. As to the heresies fathered upon Montanus, it is not easy to find what they were. I believe his grand heresy was, the maintaining that "without" inward and outward "holiness no man shall see the Lord." 25. Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, in every respect an unexceptionable witness, who flourished about the middle of the third century, has left us abundance of letters, in which he gives a large and particular account of the state of religion in his time. In reading this, one would be apt to imagine, he was reading an account of the present century: So totally void of true religion were the generality both of the laity and clergy, so immersed in ambition, envy, covetousness, luxury, and all other vices, that the Christians of Africa were then exactly the same as the Christians of England are now. 26. It is true, that during this whole period, during the first three centuries, there were intermixed longer or shorter seasons wherein true Christianity revived. In those seasons the justice and mercy of God let loose the Heathens upon the Christians. Many of these were then called to resist unto blood. And "the blood of the martyrs was the seed of the Church." The apostolic spirit returned; and many "counted not their lives dear unto themselves, so they might finish their course with joy." Many others were reduced to happy poverty; and being stripped of what they had loved too well, they "remembered from whence they were fallen, and repented, and did their first works."

36. We may learn from hence, Lastly, what thankfulness becomes those who have escaped the corruption that is in the world; whom God hath chosen out of the world, to be holy and unblamable. "Who is it that maketh thee to differ" "And what hast thou which thou hast not received" Is it not "God" alone "who worketh in thee both to will and to do of his good pleasure" "And let those give thanks whom the Lord hath redeemed and delivered from the hand of the enemy." Let us praise him, that he hath given us to see the deplorable state of all that are round about us, to see the wickedness which overflows the earth, and yet not be borne away by the torrent! We see the general, the almost universal contagion; and yet it cannot approach to hurt us! Thanks be unto Him "who hath delivered us from so great a death, and doth still deliver!" And have we not farther ground for thankfulness, yea, and strong consolation, in the blessed hope which God hath given us, that the time is at hand, when righteousness shall be as universal as unrighteousness is now Allowing that "the whole creation now groaneth together" under the sin of man, our comfort is, it will not always groan: God will arise and maintain his own cause; and the whole creation shall then be delivered both from moral and natural corruption. Sin, and its consequence, pain, shall be no more: Holiness and happiness will cover the earth. Then shall all the ends of the world see the salvation of our God; and the whole race of mankind shall know, and love, and serve God, and reign with him for ever and ever!

7. And God created man, not only in his natural, but likewise in his own moral, image. He created him not only "in knowledge," but also in righteousness and true holiness. As his understanding was without blemish, perfect in its kind; so were all his affections. They were all set right, and duly exercised on their proper objects. And as a free agent, he steadily chose whatever was good, according to the direction of his understanding. In so doing, he was unspeakably happy; dwelling in God, and God in him; having an uninterrupted fellowship with the Father and the Son, through the eternal Spirit; and the continual testimony of his conscience, that all his ways were good and acceptable to God. 8. Yet his liberty (as was observed before) necessarily included a power of choosing or refusing either good or evil. Indeed it has been doubted whether man could then choose evil, knowing it to be such. But it cannot be doubted, he might mistake evil for good. He was not infallible; therefore not impeccable. And this unravels the whole difficulty of the grand question, Unde malum "How came evil into the world" It came from "Lucifer, son of the morning." It was the work of the devil. "For the devil," saith the Apostle, "sinneth from the beginning;" that is, was the first sinner in the universe, the author of sin, the first being who, by the abuse of his liberty, introduced evil into the creation. He, -- Of the first, If not the first archangel, was self-tempted to think too highly of himself. He freely yielded to the temptation; and gave way, first to pride, then to self-will. He said, "I will sit upon the sides of the north: I will be like the Most High." He did not fall alone, but soon drew after him a third part of the stars of heaven; in consequence of which they lost their glory and happiness, and were driven from their former habitation.

10. She then "gave to her husband, and he did eat." And in that day, yea, that moment, he died! The life of God was extinguished in his soul. The glory departed from him. He lost the whole moral image of God, -- righteousness and true holiness. He was unholy; he was unhappy; he was full of sin; full of guilt and tormenting fears. Being broke off from God, and looking upon him now as an angry Judge, "he was afraid." But how was his understanding darkened, to think he could "hide himself from the presence of the Lord among the trees of the garden!" Thus was his soul utterly dead to God! And in that day his body likewise began to die, -- became obnoxious to weakness, sickness, pain; all preparatory to the death of the body, which naturally led to eternal death. II. Such are "the works of the devil;" sin and its fruits; considered in their order and connexion. We are, in the Second place, to consider how the Son of God was manifested in order to destroy them. 1. He was manifested as the only-begotten Son of God, in glory equal with the Father, to the inhabitants of heaven before and at the foundation of the world. These "morning stars sang together," all these "sons of God shouted for joy," when they heard him pronounce, "Let there be light; and there was light;" -- when he "spread the north over the empty space," and "stretched out the heavens as a curtain." Indeed, it was the universal belief of the ancient Church, that God the Father none hath seen, nor can see; that from all eternity He hath dwelt in light unapproachable; and it is only in and by the Son of his love that he hath, at any time, revealed himself to his creatures.

2. At the same time the Son of God strikes at the root of that grand work of the devil, -- pride; causing the sinner to humble himself before the Lord, to abhor himself, as it were, in dust and ashes. He strikes at the root of self-will; enabling the humbled sinner to say in all things, "Not as I will, but as thou wilt." He destroys the love of the world; delivering them that believe in him from "every foolish and hurtful desire;" from the "desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, and the pride of life." He saves them from seeking, or expecting to find, happiness in any creature. As Satan turned the heart of man from the Creator to the creature; so the Son of God turns his heart back again from the creature to the Creator. Thus it is, by manifesting himself, he destroys the works of the devil; restoring the guilty outcast from God, to his favour, to pardon and peace; the sinner in whom dwelleth no good thing, to love and holiness; the burdened, miserable sinner, to joy unspeakable, to real, substantial happiness. 3. But it may be observed, that the Son of God does not destroy the whole work of the devil in man, as long as he remains in this life. He does not yet destroy bodily weakness, sickness, pain, and a thousand infirmities incident to flesh and blood. He does not destroy all that weakness of understanding, which is the natural consequence of the soul's dwelling in a corruptible body; so that still, Humanum est errare et nescire: "Both ignorance and error belong to humanity." He entrusts us with only an exceeding small share of knowledge, in our present state; lest our knowledge should interfere with our humility, and we should again affect to be as gods. It is to remove from us all temptation to pride, and all thought of independency, (which is the very thing that men in general so earnestly covet under the name of liberty.) that he leaves us encompassed with all these infirmities, particularly weakness of understanding; till the sentence takes place, "Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return!"

6. O do not take any thing less than this for the religion of Jesus Christ! Do not take part of it for the whole! What God hath joined together, put not asunder! Take no less for his religion, than the "faith that worketh by love;" all inward and outward holiness. Be not content with any religion which does not imply the destruction of all the works of the devil; that is, of all sin. We know, weakness of understanding, and a thousand infirmities, will remain, while this corruptible body remains; but sin need not remain: This is that work of the devil, eminently so called, which the Son of God was manifested to destroy in this present life. He is able, he is willing, to destroy it now, in all that believe in him. Only be not straitened in your own bowels! Do not distrust his power, or his love! Put his promise to the proof! He hath spoken: And is he not ready likewise to perform Only "come boldly to the throne of grace," trusting in his mercy; and you shall find, "He saveth to the uttermost all those that come to God through him!"

7. The Western Churches seem to have the pre-eminence over all these in many respects. They have abundantly more knowledge: They have more scriptural and more rational modes of worship. Yet two thirds of them are still involved in the corruptions of the Church of Rome; and most of these are entirely unacquainted with either the theory or practice of religion. And as to those who are called Protestants, or Reformed, what acquaintance with it have they Put Papists and Protestants, French and English together, the bulk of one and of the other nation; and what manner of Christians are they Are they "holy as He that hath called them is holy" Are they filled with "righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost" Is there "that mind in them which was also in Christ Jesus" And do they "walk as Christ also walked" Nay, they are as far from it as hell is from heaven! 8. Such is the present state of mankind in all parts of the world! But how astonishing is this, if there is a God in heaven, and if his eyes are over all the earth! Can he despise the work of his own hand Surely this is one of the greatest mysteries under heaven! How is it possible to reconcile this with either the wisdom or goodness of God And what can give ease to a thoughtful mind under so melancholy a prospect What but the consideration, that things will not always be so; that another scene will soon be opened God will be jealous of his honour: He will arise and maintain his own cause. He will judge the prince of this world, and spoil him of his usurped dominion. He will give his Son "the Heathen for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession." "The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." The loving knowledge of God, producing uniform, uninterrupted holiness and happiness, shall cover the earth; shall fill every soul of man.

13. Let us observe what God has done already. Between fifty and sixty years ago, God raised up a few young men, in the University of Oxford, to testify those grand truths, which were then little attended to: -- That without holiness no man shall see the Lord; -- that this holiness is the work of God, who worketh in us both to will and to do; -- that he doeth it of his own good pleasure, merely for the merits of Christ; -- that this holiness is the mind that was in Christ; enabling us to walk as he also walked; -- that no man can be thus sanctified till he is justified; -- and, that we are justified by faith alone. These great truths they declared on all occasions, in private and in public; having no design but to promote the glory of God, and no desire but to save souls from death. 14. From Oxford, where it first appeared, the little leaven spread wider and wider. More and more saw the truth as it is in Jesus, and received it in the love thereof. More and more found "redemption through the blood of Jesus, even the forgiveness of sins." They were born again of his Spirit, and filled with righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. It afterwards spread to every part of the land, and a little one became a thousand. It then spread into North Britain and Ireland; and, a few years after into New-York, Pennsylvania, and many other provinces in America, even as high as Newfoundland and Nova-Scotia. So that, although at first this "grain of mustard- seed" was "the least of all the seeds;" yet, in a few years, it grew into a "large tree, and put forth great branches." 15. Generally, when these truths, justification by faith in particular, were declared in any large town, after a few days or weeks, there came suddenly on the great congregation, -- not in a corner, at London, Bristol, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, in particular, -- a violent and impetuous power, which, Like mighty wind or torrent fierce, Did then opposers all o'er-run.

17. And is it not probable, I say, that he will carry it on in the same manner as he has begun At the first breaking out of this work in this or that place, there may be a shower, a torrent of grace; and so at some other particular seasons, which "the Father has reserved in his own power:" But in general, it seems, the kingdom of God will not "come with observation;" but will silently increase, wherever it is set up, and spread from heart to heart, from house to house, from town to town, from one kingdom to another. May it not spread, first, through the remaining provinces; then, through the isles of North America; and, at the same time, from England to Holland, where there is already a blessed work in Utrecht, Haerlem, and many other cities Probably it will spread from these to the Protestants in France, to those in Germany, and those in Switzerland; then to Sweden, Denmark, Russia, and all the other Protestant nations in Europe. 18. May we not suppose that the same leaven of pure and undefiled religion, of experimental knowledge and love of God, of inward and outward holiness, will afterwards spread to the Roman Catholics in Great Britain, Ireland, Holland; in Germany, France, Switzerland; and in all other countries where Romanists and Protestants live intermixed and familiarly converse with each other Will it not then be easy for the wisdom of God to make a way for religion, in the life and power thereof,into those countries that are merely Popish; as Italy, Spain, Portugal And may it not be gradually diffused from thence to all that name the name of Christ, in the various provinces of Turkey, in Abyssinia, yea, and in the remotest parts, not only of Europe, but of Asia, Africa, and America

27. This I apprehend to be the answer, yea, the only full and satisfactory answer that can be given, to the objection against the wisdom and goodness of God, taken from the present state of the world. It will not always be thus: These things are only permitted for a season by the great Governor of the world, that he may draw immense, eternal good out of this temporary evil. This is the very key which the Apostle himself gives us in the words above recited: "God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all." In view of this glorious event, how well may we cry out, "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!" although for a season "his judgments were unsearchable, and his ways past finding out." (Rom. 11:32,33.) It is enough, that we are assured of this one point, that all these transient evils will issue well; will have a happy conclusion; and that "mercy first and last will reign." All unprejudiced persons may see with their eyes, that He is already renewing the face of the earth: And we have strong reason to hope that the work he hath begun, he will carry on unto the day of the Lord Jesus; that he will never intermit this blessed work of his Spirit, until he has fulfilled all his promises, until he hath put a period to sin, and misery, and infirmity, and death; and re-established universal holiness and happiness, and caused all the inhabitants of the earth to sing together, "Hallelujah, the Lord God omnipotent reigneth!" "Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever!" (Rev. 7:12.) Edited by Syl Hunt IV with corrections by Ryan Danker and George Lyons for the Wesley Center for Applied Theology at Northwest Nazarene University.

So that violence shall be heard no more, neither wasting or destruction seen on the face of the earth. "The wolf shall dwell with the lamb," (the words may be literally as well as figuratively understood,) "and the leopard shall lie down with the kid: They shall not hurt or destroy," from the rising up of the sun, to the going down of the same. 18. But the most glorious of all will be the change which then will take place on the poor, sinful, miserable children of men. These had fallen in many respects, as from a greater height, so into a lower depth, than any other part of the creation. But they shall "hear a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men: And he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be their God." (Rev. 21:3, 4.) Hence will arise an unmixed state of holiness and happiness far superior to that which Adam enjoyed in Paradise. In how beautiful a manner is this described by the Apostle: "God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: For the former things are done away!" As there will be no more death, and no more pain or sickness preparatory thereto; as there will be no more grieving for, or parting with, friends; so there will be no more sorrow or crying. Nay, but there will be a greater deliverance than all this; for there will be no more sin. And, to crown all, there will be a deep, an intimate, an uninterrupted union with God; a constant communion with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ, through the Spirit; a continual enjoyment of the Three-One God, and of all the creatures in him!

3. Meantime the greatest care must be taken that you speak in the spirit of humility. Beware that you do not think of yourself more highly than you ought to think. If you think too highly of yourself, you can scarce avoid despising your brother. And if you show, or even feel, the least contempt of those whom you reprove, it will blast your whole work, and occasion you to lose all you labour. In order to prevent the very appearance of pride, it will be often needful to be explicit on the head; to disclaim all preferring yourself before him; and at the very time you reprove that which is evil, to own and bless God for that which is good in him. 4. Great care must be taken, in the Third place, to speak in the spirit of meekness, as well as lowliness. The Apostle assures us that "the wrath of men worketh not the righteousness of God." Anger, though it be adorned with the name of zeal, begets anger; not love or holiness. We should therefore avoid, with all possible care, the very appearance of it. Let there be no trace of it, either in the eyes, the gesture, or the tone of voice; but let all of these concur in manifesting a loving, humble, and dispassionate spirit. 5. But all this time, see that you do not trust in yourself. Put no confidence in your own wisdom, or address, or abilities of any kind. For the success of all you speak or do, trust not in yourself, but in the great Author of every good and perfect gift. Therefore, while you are speaking, continually lift up your heart to him that worketh all in all. And whatsoever is spoken in the spirit of prayer, will not fall to the ground.

4. But may it not be asked, "Are there now any signs that the day of God's power is approaching" I appeal to every candid, unprejudiced person, whether we may not, at this day, discern all those signs, (understanding the words in a spiritual sense,) to which our Lord referred to John's disciples "The blind receive their sight:" Those who were blind from their birth, unable to see their own deplorable state, and much more to see God, and the remedy he has prepared for them in the Son of his love, now see themselves, yea, and "the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. "The eyes of their understanding being now opened, they see all things clearly. -- "The deaf hear:" Those that were before utterly deaf, to all the outward and inward calls of God, now hear, not only his providential calls, but also the whispers of his grace. -- "The lame walk:" Those who never before arose from the earth, or moved one step toward heaven, are now walking in all the ways of God; yea, "running the race that is set before them." -- "The lepers are cleansed:" The deadly leprosy of sin, which they brought with them into the world, and which no art of man could ever cure, is now clean departed from them. And surely never in any age or nation, since the apostles, have those words been so eminently fulfilled, "The poor have the gospel preached unto them," as it is at this day. At this day the gospel leaven, faith working by love, -- inward and outward holiness, -- or, (to use the terms of St. Paul,) "righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost" -- hath so spread in various parts of Europe, particularly in England, Scotland, Ireland, in the islands, in the north and south, from Georgia to New-England and Newfoundland, that sinners have been truly converted to God, throughly changed both in heart and in life; not by tens, or by hundreds only, but by thousands, yea, by myriads! The fact cannot be denied: we can point out the persons, with their names and places of abode.

13. But what means did the wisdom of God make use of in effecting this great work He thrust out such labourers into his harvest as the wisdom of man would never have thought on. He chose the weak things to confound the strong, and the foolish things to confound the wise. He chose a few young, poor, ignorant men, without experience, learning, or art; but simple of heart, devoted to God, full of faith and zeal, seeking no honour, no profit, no pleasure, no ease, but merely to save souls; fearing neither want, pain, persecution, nor whatever man could do unto them; yea, not counting their lives dear unto themselves, so they might finish their course with joy. Of the same spirit were the people whom God by their word called out of darkness into his marvellous light, many of whom soon agreed to join together, in order to strengthen each other's hands in God. These also were simple of heart, devoted to God, zealous of good works; desiring neither honour, nor riches, nor pleasure, nor ease, nor anything under the sun; but to attain the whole image of God, and to dwell with him in glory. 14. But as these young Preachers grew in years, they did not all grow in grace. Several of them indeed increased in other knowledge; but not proportionably in the knowledge of God. They grew less simple, less alive to God, and less devoted to him. They were less zealous for God; and, consequently, less active, less diligent in his service. Some of them began to desire the praise of men, and not the praise of God only; some to be weary of a wandering life, and so to seek ease and quietness. Some began again to fear the faces of men; to be ashamed of their calling; to be unwilling to deny themselves, to take up their cross daily, "and endure hardship as good soldiers of Jesus Christ." Wherever these Preachers laboured, there was not much fruit of their labours. Their word was not, as formerly, clothed with power: It carried with it no demonstration of the Spirit. The same faintness of spirit was in their private conversation. They were no longer "instant in season, out of season," "warning every man, and exhorting every man," "if by any means they might save some."

16. But of all temptations, none so struck at the whole work of God as "the deceitfulness of riches;" a thousand melancholy proofs of which I have seen within these last fifty years. Deceitful are they indeed! For who will believe they do him the least harm And yet I have not known threescore rich persons, perhaps not half the number, during threescore years, who, as far as I can judge, were not less holy than they would have been had they been poor. By riches I mean, not thousands of pounds, but any more than will procure the conveniences of life. Thus I account him a rich man who has food and raiment for himself and family, without running into debt, and something over. And how few are there in these circumstances who are not hurt, if not destroyed, thereby Yet who takes warning Who seriously regards that awful declaration of the Apostle: Even "they that desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into divers foolish and hurtful desires, which drown men in destruction and perdition" How many sad instances have we seen of this in London, in Bristol, in Newcastle; in all the large trading towns throughout the kingdom, where God has lately caused his power to be known! See how many of those who were once simple of heart, desiring nothing but God, are now gratifying "the desire of the flesh;" studying to please their senses, particularly their taste; endeavouring to enlarge the pleasures of tasting as far as possible. Are not you of that number Indeed, you are no drunkard, and no glutton; but do you not indulge yourself in a kind of regular sensuality Are not eating and drinking the greatest pleasures of your life the most considerable part of your happiness If so, I fear St. Paul would have given you a place among those "whose god is their belly!" How many of them are now again indulging "the desire of the eye!" using every means which is in their power, to enlarge the pleasures of their imagination! if not in grandeur, which as yet is out of their way; yet in new or beautiful things!

3. A second essential attribute of God is eternity. He existed before all time. Perhaps we might more properly say, He does exist from everlasting to everlasting. But what is eternity A celebrated author says, that the Divine eternity is vitae interminabilis tota simul et perfecta possessio: "The at once entire and perfect possession of never-ending life." But how much wiser are we for this definition we know just as much of it as we did before. "The at once entire and perfect possession!" Who can conceive what this means 4. If indeed God had stamped (as some have maintained) an idea of himself on every human soul, we must certainly have understood something of these, as well as his other attributes; for we cannot suppose he would have impressed upon us either a false or an imperfect idea of himself; but the truth is, no man ever did, or does now, find any such idea stamped upon his soul. The little which we do know of God, (expect what we receive by the inspiration of the Holy One,) we do not gather from any inward impression, but gradually acquire from without. "The invisible things of God," if they are known at all, "are known from the things that are made;" not from what God hath written in our hearts, but from what he hath written in all his works.

III. 1. Are we able to search out his works of grace any more than his works of providence Nothing is more sure than that "without holiness no man shall see the Lord." Why is it then that so vast a majority of mankind are, so far as we can judge, cut off from all means, all possibility of holiness, even from their mother's womb For instance: what possibility is there that a Hottentot, a New-Zealander, or an inhabitant of Nova-Zembla, if he lives and dies there, should ever know what holiness means Or consequently ever attain it Yea, but one may say: "He sinned before he was born, in a pre-existent state. Therefore he was placed here in so unfavourable a situation. And it is mere mercy that he should have a second trial." I answer: supposing such a pre-existent state, this which you call a second trial is really no trial at all. As soon as he is born into the world he is absolutely in the power of his savage parents and relations, who from the first dawn of reason train him up in the same ignorance, atheism, and barbarity with themselves. He has no chance, so to speak; he has no possibility of any better education. What trial has he then From the time he comes into the world till he goes out of it again he seems to be under a dire necessity of living in all ungodliness lo and unrighteousness. But how is this How can this be the case with so many millions of the souls that God has made Art thou not the God "of all the ends of the earth, and of them that remain in the broad sea" 2. I desire it may be observed that if this be improved into an objection against revelation it is an objection that lies full as much against natural as revealed religion. If it were conclusive it would not drive us into Deism, but into flat Atheism. It would conclude not only against the Christian revelation but against the being of a God. And yet I see not how we can avoid the force of it but by resolving all into the unsearchable wisdom of God, together with a deep conviction of our ignorance and inability to fathom his counsels.

The foundation of true religion stands upon the oracles of God. It is built upon the Prophets and Apostles, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone. Now, of what excellent use is reason, if we would either understand ourselves, or explain to others, those living oracles! And how is it possible without it to understand the essential truths contained therein a beautiful summary of which we have in that which is called the Apostles' Creed. Is it not reason (assisted by the Holy Ghost) which enables us to understand what the Holy Scriptures declare concerning the being and attributes of God -- concerning his eternity and immensity; his power, wisdom, and holiness It is by reason that God enables us in some measure to comprehend his method of dealing with the children of men; the nature of his various dispensations, of the old and new covenant, of the law and the gospel. It is by this we understand (his Spirit opening and enlightening the eyes of our understanding) what that repentance is, not to be repented of; what is that faith whereby we are saved; what is the nature and the condition of justification; what are the immediate and what the subsequent fruits of it. By reason we learn what is that new birth, without which we cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven; and what that holiness is without which no man shall see the Lord. By the due use of reason we come to know what are the tempers implied in inward holiness; and what it is to be outwardly holy -- holy in all manner of conversation: In other words, what is the mind that was in Christ; and what it is to walk as Christ walked.

10. And as it cannot give either faith, hope, love, or virtue, so it cannot give happiness; since, separate from these, there can be no happiness for any intelligent creature. It is true, those who are void of all virtue may have pleasures, such as they are; but happiness they have not, cannot have. No: Their joy is all sadness; their mirth is all vain; Their laughter is madness; their pleasure is pain! Pleasures Shadows! dreams! fleeting as the wind! unsubstantial as the rainbow! as unsatisfying to the poor gasping soul, As the gay colours of an eastern cloud. None of these will stand the test of reflection: If thought comes, the bubble breaks! Suffer me now to add a few plain words, first to you who under-value reason. Never more declaim in that wild, loose, ranting manner, against this precious gift of God. Acknowledge "the candle of the Lord," which he hath fixed in our souls for excellent purposes. You see how many admirable ends it answers, were it only in the things of this life: Of what unspeakable use is even a moderate share of reason in all our worldly employments, from the lowest and meanest offices of life, through all the intermediate branches of business; till we ascend to those that are of the highest importance and the greatest difficulty! When therefore you despise or depreciate reason, you must not imagine you are doing God service: Least of all, are you promoting the cause of God when you are endeavouring to exclude reason out of religion. Unless you wilfully shut your eyes, you cannot but see of what service it is both in laying the foundation of true religion, under the guidance of the Spirit of God, and in raising the superstructure. You see it directs us in every point both of faith and practice: It guides us with regard to every branch both of inward and outward holiness. Do we not glory in this, that the whole of our religion is a "reasonable service" yea, and that every part of it, when it is duly performed, is the highest exercise of our understanding

Permit me to add a few words to you, likewise, who over-value reason. Why should you run from one extreme to the other Is not the middle way best Let reason do all that reason can: Employ it as far as it will go. But, at the same time, acknowledge it is utterly incapable of giving either faith, or hope, or love; and, consequently, of producing either real virtue, or substantial happiness. Expect these from a higher source, even from the Father of the spirits of all flesh. Seek and receive them, not as your own acquisition, but as the gifts of God. Lift up your hearts to Him who "giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not." He alone can give that faith, which is "the evidence" and conviction "of things not seen." He alone can "beget you unto a lively hope" of an inheritance eternal in the heavens; and He alone can "shed his love abroad in your heart by the Holy Ghost given unto you." Ask, therefore, and it shall be given you! Cry unto him, and you shall not cry in vain! How can you doubt "If ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give the Holy Ghost unto them that ask him!" So shall you be living witnesses, that wisdom, holiness, and happiness are one; are inseparably united; and are, indeed, the beginning of that eternal life which God hath given us in his Son.

3. And what an inconceivable degree of wisdom must they have acquired by the use of their amazing faculties, over and above that with which they were originally endued, in the course of more than six thousand years! (That they have existed so long we are assured; for they "sang together when the foundations of the earth were laid.") How immensely must their wisdom have increased, during so long a period, not only by surveying the hearts and ways of men in their successive generations, but by observing the works of God, his works of creation, his works of providence, his works of grace; and, above all, by "continually beholding the face of their Father which is in heaven!" 4. What measures of holiness, as well as wisdom, have they derived from this inexhaustible ocean! A boundless, fathomless abyss, Without a bottom or a shore! Are they not hence, by way of eminence, styled the holy angels What goodness, what philanthropy, what love to man, have they drawn from those rivers that are at his right hand! Such as we cannot conceive to be exceeded by any but that of God our Saviour. And they are still drinking in more love from this "Fountain of living water."

5. Such is the knowledge and wisdom of the angels of God, as we learn from his own oracles. Such are their holiness and goodness. And how astonishing is their strength! Even a fallen angel is styled by an inspired writer, "the prince of the power of the air." How terrible a proof did he give of this power, in suddenly raising the whirlwind, which "smote the four corners of the house," and destroyed all the children of Job at once! (Job 1.) That this was his work, we may easily learn from the command to "save his life." But he gave a far more terrible proof of his strength, (if we suppose that "messenger of the Lord" to have been an evil angel, as is not at all improbable,) when he smote with death a hundred, four-score and five thousand Assyrians in one night; nay, possibly in one hour, if not one moment. Yet a strength abundantly greater than this must have been exerted by that angel (whether he was an angel of light or of darkness; which is not determined by the text) who smote, in one hour, "all the first-born of Egypt, both of man and beast." For, considering the extent of the land of Egypt, the immense populousness thereof, and the innumerable cattle fed in their houses, and grazing in their fruitful fields; the men and beasts who were slain in that night must have amounted to several millions! And if this be supposed to have been an evil angel, must not a good angel be as strong, yea, stronger than him For surely any good angel must have more power than even an archangel ruined. And what power must the "four angels" in the Revelation have, who were appointed to "keep the four winds of heaven!" There seems, therefore, no extravagance in supposing, that, if God were pleased to permit, any of the angels of light could heave the earth and all the planets out of their orbits; yea, that he could arm himself with all these elements, and crush the whole frame of nature. Indeed we do not know how to set any bounds to the strength of these first-born children of God.

10. The grand reason why God is pleased to assist men by men, rather than immediately by himself, is undoubtedly to endear us to each other by these mutual good offices, in order to increase our happiness both in time and eternity. And is it not for the same reason that God is pleased to give his angels charge over us namely, that he may endear us and them to each other; that by the increase of our love and gratitude to them, we may find a proportionable increase of happiness, when we meet in our Father's kingdom. In the mean time, though we may not worship them, (worship is due only to our common Creator,) yet we may "esteem them very highly in love for their works' sake." And we may imitate them in all holiness; suiting our lives to the prayer our Lord himself has taught us; labouring to do his will on earth, as angels do it in heaven. I cannot conclude this discourse better than in that admirable Collect of our Church: -- "O everlasting God, who hast ordained and constituted the services of angels and men in a wonderful manner; grant that as thy holy angels alway do thee service in heaven, so by thy appointment they may succour and defend us on earth, through Jesus Christ our Lord."

3. This single passage seems to contain the whole scriptural doctrine concerning evil angels. I apprehend the plain meaning of it, literally translated, is this: "Our wrestling," the wrestling of real Christians, "is not" only, or chiefly, "against flesh and blood," weak men, or fleshly appetites and passions, "but against principalities, against powers," -- the mighty princes of all the infernal regions, with their combined forces: And great is their power, as is also the power of the legions they command, -- "against the rulers of the world." (This is the literal meaning of the word.) Perhaps these principalities and powers remain chiefly in the citadel of their kingdom. But there are other evil spirits that range abroad, to whom the provinces of the world are committed, "of the darkness," chiefly the spiritual darkness, "of this age," which prevails during this present state of things, -- "against wicked spirits" -- eminently such; who mortally hate and continually oppose holiness, and labour to infuse unbelief, pride, evil desire, malice, anger, hatred, envy, or revenge -- "in heavenly places;" which were once their abode, and which they still aspire after. In prosecuting this important subject, I will endeavour to explain, I. The nature and properties of evil angels; and, II. Their employment. I. 1. With regard to the First, we cannot doubt but all the angels of God were originally of the same nature. Unquestionably they were the highest order of created beings. They were spirits, pure ethereal creatures, simple and incorruptible; if not wholly immaterial, yet certainly not incumbered with gross, earthly flesh and blood. As spirits, they were endued with understanding, with affections, and with liberty, or a power of self-determination; so that it lay in themselves, either to continue in their allegiance to God, or to rebel against him.

1. And, First, as a general preservative against all the rage, the power, and subtlety of your great adversary, put on the panoply, "the whole armour of God," universal holiness. See that "the mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus," and that ye "walk as Christ also walked;" that ye have a "conscience void of offence toward God and toward men." So shall ye be "able to withstand" all the force and all the stratagems of the enemy: So shall ye be able to "withstand in the evil day," in the day of sore temptation, and "having done all to stand," to remain in the posture of victory and triumph. 2. To his "fiery darts," -- his evil suggestions of every kind, blasphemous or unclean, though numberless as the stars of heaven, -- oppose "the shield of faith." A consciousness of the love of Christ Jesus will effectually quench them all. Jesus hath died for you! What can your faith withstand Believe, hold fast your shield! and who Shall pluck you from his hand 3. If he inject doubts whether you are a child of God, or fears lest you should not endure to the end; "take to you for a helmet the hope of salvation." Hold fast that glad word, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a living hope of an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away." You will never be overthrown, you will never be staggered by your adversary, if you "hold fast the beginning of" this "confidence steadfast unto the end." 4. Whenever the "roaring lion, walking about and seeking whom he may devour," assaults you with all his malice, and rage, and strength, "resist" him, "steadfast in the faith." Then is the time, having cried to the Strong for strength, to "stir up the gift of God that is in you;" to summon all your faith, and hope, and love; to turn the attack in the name of the Lord, and in the power of his might; and "he will" soon "flee from you."

5. But "there is no temptation," says one, "greater than the being without temptation." When, therefore, this is the case, when Satan seems to be withdrawn, then beware lest he hurt you more as a crooked serpent, than he could do as a roaring lion. Then take care you are not lulled into a pleasing slumber; lest he should beguile you as he did Eve, even in innocence, and insensibly draw you from your simplicity toward Christ, from seeking all your happiness in Him. 6. Lastly. If he "transform himself into an angel of light," then are you in the greatest danger of all. Then have you need to beware, lest you also fall, where many mightier have been slain; then have you the greatest need to "watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation." And if you continue so to do, the God whom you love and serve will deliver you. "The anointing of the Holy One shall abide with you, and teach you of all things." Your eye will pierce through snares, you shall "know what that holy and acceptable and perfect will of God is," and shall hold on your way, till you "grow up in all things into him that is our Head, even Christ Jesus."

Does it not seem to be this The fire will be the same, essentially the same, to all that are tormented therein; only perhaps more intense to some than others, according to their degree of guilt; but their worm will not, cannot be the same. It will be infinitely varied, according to the various kinds, as well as degrees, of wickedness. This variety will arise partly from the just judgment of God, "rewarding every man according to his works:" For we cannot doubt but this rule will take place no less in hell than in heaven. As in heaven "every man will receive his own reward," incommunicably his, according to his own labours, -- that is, the whole tenor of his tempers, thoughts, words, and actions; -- so undoubtedly, every man, in fact, will receive his own bad reward, according to his own bad labour. And this, likewise, will be incommunicably his own, even as his labour was. Variety of punishment will likewise arise from the very nature of the thing. As they that bring most holiness to heaven will find most happiness there; so, on the other hand, it is not only true, that the more wickedness a man brings to hell the more misery he will find there; but that this misery will be infinitely varied according to the various kinds of his wickedness. It was therefore proper to say, the fire, in general; but their worm, in particular.

NEVER! -- Where sinks the soul at that dread sound Into a gulf how dark, and how profound! Suppose millions of days, of years, of ages elapsed, still we are only on the threshold of eternity! Neither the pain of body nor of soul is any nearer an end, than it was millions of ages ago. When they are cast into to pur to asbeston, (How emphatical! "The fire, the unquenchable,") all is concluded: "Their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched!" Such is the account which the Judge of all gives of the punishment which he has ordained for impenitent sinners. And what a counterbalance may the consideration of this be to the violence of any temptation! in particular, to the fear of man; the very use to which it is applied by our Lord himself: "Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But fear Him, who after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell." (Luke 12:4, 5) What a guard may these considerations be against any temptation from pleasure! Will you lose, for any of these poor, earthly pleasures, which perish in the using, (to say nothing of the present substantial pleasures of religion,) the pleasures of Paradise; such as "eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into our hearts to conceive" yea, the pleasures of heaven, the society of angels, and of the spirits of just men made perfect; the conversing face to face with God your Father, your Saviour, your Sanctifier; and the drinking of those rivers of pleasure that are at God's right hand for evermore

3. Several of those whom God hath called out of the world, (so the original word properly signifies,) uniting together in one congregation, formed a larger Church; as the Church at Jerusalem; that is, all those in Jerusalem whom God had so called. But considering how swiftly these were multiplied, after the day of Pentecost, it cannot be supposed that they could continue to assemble in one place; especially as they had not then any large place, neither would they have been permitted to build one. In consequence, they must have divided themselves, even at Jerusalem, into several distinct congregations. In like manner, when St. Paul, several years after, wrote to the Church in Rome, (directing his letter, "To all that are in Rome, called to be saints,") it cannot be supposed that they had any one building capable of containing them all; but they were divided into several congregations, assembling in several parts of the city. 4. The first time that the Apostle uses the word Church is in his preface to the former Epistle to the Corinthians: "Paul called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ, unto the Church of God which is at Corinth." The meaning of which expression is fixed by the following words: "To them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus; with all that, in every place," (not Corinth only; so it was a kind of circular letter,) "call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours." In the inscription of his second letter to the Corinthians, he speaks still more explicitly: "Unto the Church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints that are in all Achaia." Here he plainly includes all the Churches, or Christian congregations, which were in the whole province.

28. Does it not clearly appear from this whole account, why, in the ancient Creed, commonly called the Apostles', we term it the universal or catholic Church, -- "the holy catholic Church" How many wonderful reasons have been found out for giving it this appellation! One learned man informs us, "The Church is called holy, because Christ, the Head of it, is holy." Another eminent author affirms, "It is so called because all its ordinances are designed to promote holiness;" and yet another, -- "because our Lord intended that all the members of the Church should be holy." Nay, the shortest and the plainest reason that can be given, and the only true one, is, -- The Church is called holy, because it is holy, because every member thereof is holy, though in different degrees, as He that called them is holy. How clear is this! If the Church, as to the very essence of it, is a body of believers, no man that is not a Christian believer can be a member of it. If this whole body be animated by one spirit, and endued with one faith, and one hope of their calling; then he who has not that spirit, and faith, and hope, is no member of this body. It follows, that not only no common swearer, no Sabbath-breaker, no drunkard, no whoremonger, no thief, no liar, none that lives in any outward sin, but none that is under the power of anger or pride, no lover of the world, in a word, none that is dead to God, can be a member of his Church.

19. I entreat you, therefore, my brethren, all that fear God, and have a desire to please hem, all that wish to have a conscience void of offense toward God and toward man, think not so slightly of this matter, but consider it calmly. Do not rashly tear asunder the sacred ties which unite you to any Christian society. This indeed is not of so much consequence to you who are only a nominal Christian. For you are not now vitally united to any of the members of Christ. Though you are called a Christian, you are not really a member of any Christian Church. But if you are a living member, if you live the life that is hid with Christ in God, then take care how you tend the body of Christ by separating from your brethren. It is a thing evil in itself. It is a sore evil in its consequences. O have pity upon yourself! Have pity on your brethren. Have pity even upon the world of the ungodly! Do not lay more stumbling-blocks in the way of these for whom Christ died. 20. But if you are afraid, and that not without reason, of schism, improperly so called, how much more afraid will you be, if your conscience is tender, of schism in the proper scriptural sense! O beware, I will not say of forming, but of countenancing or abetting any parties in a Christian society! Never encourage, much less cause, either by word or action, any division therein. In the nature of things, "there must be heresies," divisions, "among you;" but keep thyself pure. Leave off contention before it be meddled with: Shun the very beginning of strife. Meddle not with them that are given to dispute, with them that love contention. I never knew that remark to fail: "He that loves to dispute, does not love God." Follow peace with all men, without which you cannot effectually follow holiness. Not only "seek peace," but "ensue it:" If it seem to flee from you, pursue it nevertheless. "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good."

1. And First, I do not conceive the perfection here spoken of, to be the perfection of angels. As those glorious beings never "left their first estate," never declined from their original perfection, all their native faculties are unimpaired: Their understanding, in particular, is still a lamp of light, their apprehension of all things clear and distinct, and their judgment always true. Hence, though their knowledge is limited, (for they are creatures,) though they are ignorant of innumerable things, yet they are not liable to mistake: Their knowledge is perfect in its kind. And as their affections are all constantly guided by their unerring understanding, so all their actions are suitable thereto; so they do, every moment, not their own will, but the good and acceptable will of God. Therefore it is not possible for man, whose understanding is darkened, to whom mistake is as natural as ignorance; who cannot think at all, but by the mediation of organs which are weakened and depraved, like the other parts of his corruptible body; it is not possible, I say, for men always to think right, to apprehend things distinctly, and to judge truly of them. In consequence hereof, his affections, depending on his understanding, are variously disordered. And his words and actions are influenced, more or less, by the disorder both of his understanding and affections. It follows that no man, while in the body, can possibly attain to angelic perfection. 2. Neither can any man, while he is in a corruptible body, attain to Adamic perfection. Adam, before his fall, was undoubtedly as pure, as free from sin, as even the holy angels. In like manner, his understanding was as clear as theirs, and his affections as regular. In virtue of this, as he always judged right, so he was able always to speak and act right. But since man rebelled against God, the case is widely different with him. He is no longer able to avoid falling into innumerable mistakes; consequently, he cannot always avoid wrong affections; neither can he always think, speak, and act right. Therefore man, in his present state, can no more attain Adamic than angelic perfection.

7. Again: He writes to the Christians at Ephesus, of "putting on the new man, which is created after God, in righteousness and true holiness;" and to the Colossians, of "the new man, renewed after the image of him that created him;" plainly referring to the words in Genesis, (Gen. 1:27) "So God created man in his own image." Now, the moral image of God consists (as the Apostle observes) "in righteousness and true holiness." By sin this is totally destroyed. And we never can recover it, till we are "created anew in Christ Jesus." And this is perfection. 8. St. Peter expresses it in a still different manner, though to the same effect: "As he that hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation." (1 Peter 1:15.) According to this Apostle, then, perfection is another name for universal holiness: Inward and outward righteousness: Holiness of life, arising from holiness of heart. 9. If any expressions can be stronger than these, they are those of St. Paul to the Thessalonians: (1 Thess. 5:23:) "The God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may the whole of you, the spirit, the soul, and the body," (this is the literal translation) "be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." 10. We cannot show this sanctification in a more excellent way, than by complying with that exhortation of the Apostle: "I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies" (yourselves, your souls and bodies; a part put for the whole, by a common figure of speech) "a living sacrifice unto God;" to whom ye were consecrated many years ago in baptism. When what was then devoted is actually presented to God, then is the man of God perfect. 11. To the same effect St. Peter says, (1 Pet. 2:5,) "Ye are a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." But what sacrifices shall we offer now, seeing the Jewish dispensation is at an end If you have truly presented yourselves to God, you offer up to him continually all your thoughts, and words, and actions, through the Son of his love, as a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving.

3. With regard to the fruit of the Spirit, the Apostle, in affirming, "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, fidelity, meekness, temperance," does, in effect, affirm that the Holy Spirit actually works love, and these other tempers, in those that are led by him. So that here also, we have firm ground to tread upon, this scripture likewise being equivalent to a promise, and assuring us that all these shall be wrought in us, provided we are led by the Spirit. 4. And when the Apostle says to the Ephesians, (Eph. 4:21-24,) "Ye have been taught, as the truth is in Jesus," -- to "be renewed in the spirit of your mind," and "to put on the new man, which is created after God" -- that is, after the image of God, -- "in righteousness and true holiness," he leaves us no room to doubt, but God will thus "renew us in the spirit of our mind," and "create us anew" in the image of God, wherein we were at first created: Otherwise it could not be said, that this is "the truth as it is in Jesus." 5. The command of God, given by St. Peter, "Be ye holy, as he that hath called you is holy, in all manner of conversation," [1 Pet. 1:15] implies a promise that we shall be thus holy, if we are not wanting to ourselves. Nothing can be wanting on God's part: As he has called us to holiness, he is undoubtedly willing, as well as able, to work this holiness in us. For he cannot mock his helpless creatures, calling us to receive what he never intends to give. That he does call us thereto is undeniable; therefore he will give it, if we are not disobedient to the heavenly calling.

6. The prayer of St. Paul for the Thessalonians, that God would "sanctify" them throughout, and "that the whole of them, the spirit, the soul, and the body, might be preserved blameless," will undoubtedly be heard in behalf of all the children of God, as well as of those at Thessalonica. Hereby, therefore, all Christians are encouraged to expect the same blessing from "the God of peace;" namely, that they also shall be "sanctified throughout, in spirit, soul, and body;" and that "the whole of them shall be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." [1 Thess. 5:23] 7. But the great question is, whether there is any promise in Scripture, that we shall be saved from sin. Undoubtedly there is. Such is that promise, (Psalm 130:8,) "He shall redeem Israel from all his sins;" exactly answerable to those words of the angel, "He shall save his people from their sins." And surely "he is able to save unto the uttermost them that come unto God through him." Such is that glorious promise given through the Prophet Ezekiel: (Ezek. 36:25-27:) "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: From all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them." Such (to mention no more) is that pronounced by Zechariah, (Luke 1:73-75,) "The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, that he would grant unto us, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies," (and such, doubtless are all our sins,) "to serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life." The last part of this promise is peculiarly worthy of our observation. Lest any should say, "True, we shall be saved from our sins when we die," that clause is remarkably added, as if on purpose to obviate this pretence, all the days of our life. With what modesty then can anyone affirm, that none shall enjoy this liberty till death

"But has he promised thus to save us from sin while we are in the body" Undoubtedly he has: For a promise is implied in every commandment of God: Consequently in that, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." For this and every other commandment is given, not to the dead, but to the living. It is expressed in the words above recited, that we should walk "in holiness before him all the days of our life." I have dwelt the longer on this, because it is the grand argument of those that oppose salvation from sin; and also, because it has not been so frequently and so fully answered: Whereas the arguments taken from Scripture have been answered a hundred times over. 12. But a still more plausible objection remains, taken from experience; which is, that there are no living witnesses of this salvation from sin. In answer to this, I allow, (1.) That there are not many. Even in this sense, there are not many fathers. Such is our hardness of heart, such our slowness to believe what both the Prophets and Apostles have spoke, that there are few, exceeding few, true witnesses of the great salvation. (2.) I allow that there are false witnesses, who either deceive their own souls, and speak of the things they know not, or "speak lies in hypocrisy." And I have frequently wondered, that we have not more of both sorts. It is nothing strange, that men of warm imaginations should deceive themselves in this matter. Many do the same with regard to justification: They imagine they are justified, and are not. But though many imagine it falsely, yet there are some that are truly justified. And thus, though many imagine they are sanctified, and are not, yet there are some that are really sanctified.

(3.) I allow that some who once enjoyed full salvation have now totally lost it. They once walked in glorious liberty, giving God their whole heart, "rejoicing evermore, praying without ceasing, and in everything giving thanks." But it is past. They now are shorn of their strength, and become like other men. Perhaps they do not give up their confidence; they still have a sense of his pardoning love. But even this is frequently assaulted by doubts and fears, so that they hold it with a trembling hand. 13. "Nay, this," say some pious and sensible men, "is the very thing which we contend for. We grant, it may please God to make some of his children for a time unspeakably holy and happy. We will not deny, that they may enjoy all the holiness and happiness which you speak of. But it is only for a time: God never designed that it should continue to their lives' end. Consequently, sin is only suspended: It is not destroyed."

What rational objection can you have to the loving the Lord your God with all your heart Why should you have any aversion to it Why should you be afraid of it Would it do you any hurt Would it lessen your happiness, either in this world or the world to come And why should you be unwilling that others should give him their whole heart or that they should love their neighbours as themselves Yea, "as Christ hath loved us" Is this detestable Is it the proper object of hatred Or is it the most amiable thing under the sun Is it proper to move terror Is it not rather desirable in the highest degree 2. Why are you so averse to having in you the whole "mind which was in Christ Jesus" -- all the affections, all the tempers and dispositions, which were in him while he dwelt among men Why should you be afraid of this Would it be any worse for you, were God to work in you this very hour all the mind that was in him If not, why should you hinder others from seeking this blessing or be displeased at those who think they have attained it Is anything more lovely anything more to be desired by every child of man 3. Why are you averse to having the whole "fruit of the Spirit -- "love, joy, peace; longsuffering, meekness, gentleness, fidelity, goodness, temperance" Why should you be afraid of having all these planted in your inmost soul As "against these there is no law," so there cannot be any reasonable objection. Surely nothing is more desirable, than that all these tempers should take deep root in your heart; nay, in the hearts of all that name the name of Christ; yea, of all the inhabitants of the earth. 4. What reason have you to be afraid of, or to entertain any aversion to the being "renewed in the" whole "image of him that created you" Is not this more desirable than anything under heaven Is it not consummately amiable What can you wish for in comparison of this, either for your own soul, or for those for whom you entertain the strongest and tenderest affection And when you enjoy this, what remains but to be "changed from glory to glory, by the Spirit of the Lord"

5. Why should you be averse to universal holiness, -- the same thing under another name Why should you entertain any prejudice against this, or look upon it with apprehension whether you understand by that term the being inwardly conformed to the whole image and will of God, or an outward behaviour in every point suitable to that conformity. Can you conceive anything more amiable than this anything more desirable Set prejudice aside, and surely you will desire to see it diffused over all the earth. 6. Is perfection (to vary the expression) the being "sanctified throughout in spirit, soul, and body" What lover of God and man can be averse to this, or entertain frightful apprehension of it Is it not, in your best moments, your desire to be all of a piece -- all consistent with yourself -- all faith, all meekness, and all love And suppose you were once possessed of this glorious liberty, would not you wish to continue therein -- to be preserved "blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" 7. For what cause should you that are children of God be averse to, or afraid of, presenting yourselves, your souls and bodies, as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God -- to God your Creator, your Redeemer, your Sanctifier Can anything be more desirable than this entire self-dedication to him And is it not your wish that all mankind should unite in this "reasonable service" Surely no one can be averse to this, without being and enemy to all mankind. 8. And why should you be afraid of, or averse to, what is naturally implied in this; namely, the offering up all our thoughts, and words, and actions, as a spiritual sacrifice to God, acceptable to him through the blood and intercession of his well-beloved Son. Surely you cannot deny that this is good and profitable to men, as well as pleasing to God. Should you not then devoutly pray that both you and all mankind may thus worship him in spirit and in truth

9. Suffer me to ask one question more. Why should any man of reason and religion be either afraid of, or averse to, salvation from all sin Is not sin the greatest evil on this side hell And if so, does it not naturally follow that an entire deliverance from it is one of the greatest blessings on this side heaven How earnestly then should it be prayed for by all the children of God! By sin I mean a voluntary transgression of a known law. Are you averse to being delivered from this Are you afraid of such a deliverance Do you then love sin, that you are so unwilling to part with it Surely no. You do not love either the devil or his works. You rather wish to be totally delivered from them, to have sin rooted out both of your life and your heart. 10. I have frequently observed, and not without surprise, that the opposers of perfection are more vehement against it when it is placed in this view, than in any other whatsoever. They will allow all you say of the love of God and man; of the mind which was in Christ; of the fruit of the spirit; of the image of God; of universal holiness; of entire self-dedication; of sanctification in spirit, soul, and body; yea, and of the offering up all our thoughts, words, and actions, as a sacrifice to God; -- all this they will allow so we will allow sin, a little sin, to remain in us till death. 11. Pray compare this with that remarkable passage in John Bunyan's "Holy War." "When Immanuel," says he, "had driven Diabolus and all his forces out of the city of Mansoul, Diabolus preferred a petition to Immanuel, that he might have only a small part of the city. When this was rejected, he begged to have only a little room within the walls. But Immanuel answered, "He should have no place at all; no, not to rest the sole of his foot. Had not the good old man forgot himself Did not the force of truth so prevail over him here as utterly to overturn his own system -- to assert perfection in the clearest manner For if this is not salvation from sin, I cannot tell what is.

Spiritual Worship "This is the true God, and eternal life." 1 John 5:20. 1. In this Epistle St. John speaks not to any particular Church, but to all the Christians of that age; although more especially to them among whom he then resided. And in them he speaks to the whole Christian Church in all succeeding ages. 2. In this letter, or rather tract, (for he was present with those to whom it was more immediately directed, probably being not able to preach to them any longer, because of his extreme old age,) he does not treat directly of faith, which St. Paul had done; neither of inward and outward holiness, concerning which both St. Paul, St. James, and St. Peter, had spoken; but of the foundation of all, -- the happy and holy communion which the faithful have with God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 3. In the preface he describes the authority by which he wrote and spoke, (1 John 1:1-4,) and expressly points out the design of his present writing. To the preface exactly answers the conclusion of the Epistle, more largely explaining the same design, and recapitulating the marks of our communion with God, by, "we know," thrice repeated. (1 John 5:18-20.) 4. The tract itself treats, First, severally, of communion with the Father; (1 John 1:5-10;) of communion with the Son; (1 John 2 and 3;) of communion with the Spirit. (1 John 4.) Secondly, conjointly, of the testimony of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; on which faith in Christ, the being born of God, love to God and his children, the keeping his commandments, and victory over the world, are founded. (1 John 5:1-12.)

9. But where is He to be found Shall we go up into heaven, or down into hell, to seek him Shall we "take the wings of the morning" and search for him "in the uttermost parts of the sea" Nay, quod petis, hic est! What a strange word to fall from the pen of a Heathen! "What you seek is here!" He is "about your bed." He is "about your path" He "besets you behind and before." He "lays his hand upon you." Lo! God is here! not afar off. Now believe and feel him near! May he now reveal himself in your heart! Know him, love him, And you are happy!. 10. Are you already happy in him Then see that you "hold fast whereunto ye have attained!" "Watch and pray," that you may never be "moved from your steadfastness." "Look unto yourselves, that ye lose not what you have gained, but that ye receive a full reward." In so doing, expect a continual growth in grace, in the loving knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Expect that the power of the Highest shall suddenly overshadow you, that all sin may be destroyed, and nothing may remain in your heart, but holiness unto the Lord. And this moment, and every moment, "present yourselves a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God," and "glorify him with your body and with your spirit which are God's!"

7. This is the more easily done, because we are all by nature aqeoi, Atheists, in the world; and that in so high a degree that it requires no less than an almighty power to counteract that tendency to dissipation which is in every human spirit, and restore the capacity of attending to God, and fixing itself on him. For this cannot be done till we are new creatures; till we are created anew in Christ Jesus; till the same power which made the world make us a "clean heart, and renew a right spirit within us." 8. But who is he that is thus renewed He that believeth in the name of the Son of God. He alone that believeth on the Lord Jesus Christ is thus "born of God." It is by this faith alone, that he is "created anew in," or through, "Christ Jesus;" that he is restored to the image of God wherein he was created, and again centred in God; or, as the Apostle expresses it, "joined to the Lord in one spirit." Yet even then the believer may find in himself the remains of that carnal mind, that natural tendency to rest in created good, to acquiesce in visible things, which, without continual care, will press down his soul, and draw him from his Creator. Herein the world, the men that know not God, will never fail to join; at some times with design, and at other times perhaps without design: For their very spirit is infectious, and insensibly changes ours into its own likeness. And we may be well assured, the prince of this world, the devil, will assist them with all his might. He will labour with all his strength, and, what is far more dangerous, with all his subtlety, if by any means he may draw us away from our simplicity towards Christ; from our simple adherence to him; from our union with him, through whom we are also united in one spirit to the Father.

18. It is with great judgment, therefore, that great and good Bishop Taylor, in his "Rules of Holy Living and Dying," (of whom Bishop Warburton, a person not very prone to commend, used to say, "I have no conception of a greater genius on earth than Dr. Jeremy Taylor,") premises to all his other rules those concerning purity of intention. And has he not the authority of our Lord himself so to do who lays it down as an universal maxim, "If thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light." Singly aim at God. In every step thou takest, eye Him alone. Pursue one thing: Happiness in knowing, in loving, in serving God. Then shall thy soul be full of light: Full of the light of the glory of God; of his glorious love, shining upon thee from the face of Jesus Christ. 19. Can anything be a greater help to universal holiness, than the continually seeing the light of his glory It is no wonder, then, that so many wise and good men have recommended, to all who desire to be truly religious, the exercise of the presence of God. But in doing this, some of those holy men seem to have fallen into one mistake: (Particularly, an excellent writer of our own country, in his letters concerning "The Spirit of Prayer:") They put men, wholly unawakened, unconvinced of sin, upon this exercise, at their very entrance into religion; whereas this certainly should not be the first, but rather one of the last things. They should begin with repentance; the knowledge of themselves; of their sinfulness, guilt, and helplessness. They should be instructed next, to seek peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Then let them be taught to retain what they have received; to "walk in the light of his countenance;" yea, to "walk in the light, as he is in the light," without any darkness at all; till "the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth" them "from all sin."

On Friendship With The World "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of this world is enmity with God Whosoever therefore desireth to be a friend of the world is an enemy of God." Jam. 4:4. 1. There is a passage in St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans, which has been often supposed to be of the same import with this: "Be not conformed to this world:" (Rom. 12:2:) But it has little or no relation to it; it speaks of quite another thing. Indeed the supposed resemblance arises merely from the use of the word world in both places. This naturally leads us to think that St. Paul means by conformity to the world, the same which St. James means by friendship with the world: whereas they are entirely different things, as the words are quite different in the original: for St. Paul's word is aivn St. James's is kosmos. However, the words of St. Paul contain an important direction to the children of God. As if he had said, "Be not conformed to either the wisdom, or the spirit, or the fashions of the age; of either the unconverted Jews, or the Heathens, among whom ye live. You are called to show, by the whole tenor of your life and conversation, that you are 'renewed in the spirit of your mind', after the image of him that created you;' and that your rule is not the example or will of man, but 'the good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.'" 2. But it is not strange, that St. James's caution against friendship with the world should be so little understood, even among Christians. For I have not been able to learn that any author, ancient or modern, has wrote upon the subject: No, not (so far as I have ever observed) for sixteen or seventeen hundred years. Even that excellent writer, Mr. Law, who has treated so well many other subjects, has not, in all his practical treatises, wrote one chapter upon it; no, nor said one word, that I remember, or given one caution, against it. I never heard one sermon preached upon it either before the University or elsewhere. I never was in any company where the conversation turned explicitly upon it even for one hour.

5. Let us, First, consider, what it is which the Apostle here means by the world. He does not here refer to this outward frame of things, termed in Scripture, heaven and earth; but to the inhabitants of the earth, the children of men, or at least, the greater part of them. But what part This is fully determined both by our Lord himself, and by his beloved disciple. First, by our Lord himself. His words are, "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love its own: But because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you. And all these things will they do unto you, because they know not him that sent me." (John 15:18, &c.) You see here "the world" is placed on one side, and those who "are not of the world" on the other. They whom God has "chosen out of the world," namely, by "sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth," are set in direct opposition to those whom he hath not so chosen. Yet again: Those "who know not him that sent me," saith our Lord, who know not God, they are "the world." 6. Equally express are the words of the beloved disciple: "Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you: We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren." (1 John 3:13, 14.) As if he had said, "You must not expect any should love you, but those that have 'passed from death unto life.'" It follows, those that are not passed from death unto life, that are not alive to God, are "the world." The same we may learn from those words in the fifth chapter, verse 19, "We know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in the wicked one." [1 John 5:19] Here "the world" plainly means, those that are not of God, and who, consequently "Lie in the wicked one."

Who is able to stand in such a trial Who can resist such a temptation None but one that holds fast the shield of faith, and earnestly cries to the Strong for strength. None but one that gives herself to watching and prayer, and continues therein with all perseverance. If she does this, she will be a happy witness, in the midst of an unbelieving world, that as "all things are possible with God," so all "things are possible to her that believeth." 20. But either a man or woman may ask, "What, if the person who seeks my acquaintance be a person of a strong natural understanding, cultivated by various learning May not I gain much useful knowledge by a familiar intercourse with him May I not learn many things from him, and much improve my own understanding" Undoubtedly you may improve your own understanding, and you may gain much knowledge. But still, if he has not at least the fear of God, your loss will be far greater than your gain. For you can hardly avoid decreasing in holiness as much as you increase in knowledge. And if you lose one degree of inward or outward holiness, all the knowledge you gain will be no equivalent. 21. "But his fine and strong understanding, improved by education, is not his chief recommendation. He has more valuable qualifications than these: He is remarkably good humoured: He is of a compassionate, humane spirit; and has much generosity in his temper." On these very accounts, if he does not fear God, he is infinitely more dangerous. If you converse intimately with a person of this character, you will surely drink into his spirit. It is hardly possible for you to avoid stopping just where he stops. I have found nothing so difficult in all my life as to converse with men of this kind (good sort of men, as they are commonly called) without being hurt by them. O beware of them! Converse with them just as much as business requires, and no more: Otherwise (though you do not feel any present harm, yet,) by slow and imperceptible degrees, they will attach you again to earthly things, and damp the life of God in your soul.

15. But if they do not, if we allow this almost impossible supposition, that they do not desire or use any endeavours to bring you over to their own temper and practice, still it is dangerous to converse with them. I speak not only of openly vicious men, but of all that do not love God, or at least fear him, and sincerely "seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness." Admit, such companions do not endeavour to make you like themselves; does this prove you are in no danger from them See that poor wretch that is ill of the plague! He does not desire, he does not use the least endeavour, to communicate his distemper to you. Yet have a care! Touch him not! Nay, go not near him, or you know not how soon you may be in just the same condition. To draw the parallel: Though we should suppose the man of the world does not desire, design, or endeavour to communicate his distemper to you, yet touch him not! Come not too near him; for it is not only his reasonings or persuasions that may infect your soul, but his very breath is infectious; particularly to those who are apprehensive of no danger. 16. If conversing freely with worldly-minded men has no other ill effect upon you, it will surely, by imperceptible degrees, make you less heavenly-minded. It will give a bias to your mind which will continually draw your soul to earth. It will incline you, without your being conscious of it, instead of being wholly transformed in the renewing of your mind, to be again conformed to this world in its spirit, in its maxims, and in its vain conversation. You will fall again into that levity and dissipation of spirit from which you had before clean escaped; into that superfluity of apparel, and into that foolish, frothy, unprofitable conversation, which was an abomination to you when your soul was alive to God. And you will daily decline from that simplicity both of speech and behaviour whereby you once adorned the doctrine of God our Saviour.

9. Thirdly. "Let him that standeth, take heed lest he fall;" lest he tempt God by unbelief; by distrusting his faithfulness. Hath he said, "in every temptation he will make a way to escape" And shall he not do it Yea, verily; And far above thy thought His counsel shall appear, When fully he the work hath wrought That caused they needless fear. 10. Let us then receive every trial with calm resignation, and with humble confidence that He who hath all power, all wisdom, all mercy, and all faithfulness, will first support us in every temptation, and then deliver us out of all: So that in the end all things shall work together for good, and we shall happily experience, that all these things were for our profit, that we "might be partakers of his holiness."

For is not our "adversary the devil, as a roaring lion," with all his infernal legions, still going "about seeking whom he may devour" This is the case with all the children of men; yea, and with all the children of God, as long as they sojourn in this strange land. Therefore, if we do not wilfully and carelessly rush into them, yet we shall surely "fall into divers temptations;" temptations innumerable as the stars of heaven; and those varied and complicated a thousand ways. But, instead of counting this a loss, as unbelievers would do, "count it all joy; knowing that the trial of your faith," even when it is "tried as by fire," "worketh patience." But "let patience have its perfect work, and ye shall be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." 3. But what is Patience We do not now speak of a heathen virtue; neither of a natural indolence; but of a gracious temper, wrought in the heart of a believer, by the power of the Holy Ghost. It is a disposition to suffer whatever pleases God, in the manner and for the time that pleases him. We thereby hold the middle way, neither oligvrountes, despising our sufferings, making little of them, passing over them lightly, as if they were owing to chance, or second causes; nor, on the other hand, ekloumenoi, affected too much, unnerved, dissolved, sinking under them. We may observe, the proper object of patience is suffering, either in body or mind. Patience does not imply the not feeling this: It is not apathy or insensibility. It is at the utmost distance from stoical stupidity; yea, at an equal distance from fretfulness or dejection. The patient believer is preserved from falling into either of these extremes, by considering, -- Who is the Author of all his suffering Even God his Father; -- What is the motive of his giving us to suffer Not so properly his justice as his love; -- and, What is the end of it Our "profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness."

9. But how does this work differ from that gracious work which is wrought in every believer, when he first finds redemption in the blood of Jesus, even the remission of his sins Many persons that are not only upright of heart, but that fear, nay, and love God, have not spoken warily upon this head, not according to the oracles of God. They have spoken of the work of sanctification, taking the word in its full sense, as if it were quite of another kind, as if it differed entirely from that which is wrought in justification. But this is a great and dangerous mistake, and has a natural tendency to make us undervalue that glorious work of God which was wrought in us when we were justified: Whereas in that moment when we are justified freely by his grace, when we are accepted through the Beloved, we are born again, born from above, born of the Spirit. And there is as great a change wrought in our souls when we are born of the Spirit, as was wrought in our bodies when we are born of a woman. There is, in that hour, a general change from inward sinfulness, to inward holiness. The love of the creature is changed to the love of the Creator; the love of the world into the love of God. Earthly desires, the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, and the pride of life, are, in that instant, changed, by the mighty power of God, into heavenly desires. The whirlwind of our will is stopped in its mid career, and sinks down into the will of God. Pride and haughtiness subside into lowliness of heart; as do anger, with all turbulent and unruly passions, into calmness, meekness, and gentleness. In a word, the earthly, sensual, devilish mind, gives place to "the mind that was in Christ Jesus."

10. "Well, but what more than this can be implied in entire sanctification" It does not imply any new kind of holiness: Let no man imagine this. From the moment we are justified, till we give up our spirits to God, love is the fulfilling of the law; of the whole evangelical law, which took place of the Adamic law, when the first promise of "the seed of the woman" was made. Love is the sum of Christian sanctification; it is the one kind of holiness, which is found, only in various degrees, in the believers who are distinguished by St. John into "little children, young men, and fathers." The difference between one and the other properly lies in the degree of love. And herein there is as great a difference in the spiritual, as in the natural sense, between fathers, young men, and babes.

Every one that is born of God, though he be as yet only a "babe in Christ," has the love of God in his heart; the love of his neighbour; together with lowliness, meekness, and resignation. But all of these are then in a low degree, in proportion to the degree of his faith. The faith of a babe in Christ is weak, generally mingled with doubts or fears; with doubts, whether he has not deceived himself; or fear, that he shall not endure to the end. And if, in order to prevent those perplexing doubts, or to remove those tormenting fears, he catches hold of the opinion that a true believer cannot make shipwreck of the faith, experience will sooner or later show that it is merely the staff of a broken reed, which will be so far from sustaining him, that it will only enter into his hand and pierce it. But to return: In the same proportion as he grows in faith, he grows in holiness; he increases in love, lowliness, meekness, in every part of the image of God; till it pleases God, after he is thoroughly convinced of inbred sin, of the total corruption of his nature, to take it all away; to purify his heart and cleanse him from all unrighteousness; to fulfil that promise which he make first to his ancient people, and in them to the Israel of God in all ages: "I will circumcise thy heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul."

It is not easy to conceive what a difference there is, between that which he experiences now, and that which he experienced before. Till this universal change was wrought in his soul, all his holiness was mixed. He was humble, but not entirely; his humility was mixed with pride: He was meek; but his meekness was frequently interrupted by anger, or some uneasy and turbulent passion. His love of God was frequently damped, by the love of some creature; the love of his neighbour, by evil surmising, or some thought, if not temper, contrary to love. His will was not wholly melted down into the will of God: But although in general he could say, "I come 'not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me;'" yet now and then nature rebelled, and he could not clearly say, "Lord, not as I will, but as thou wilt." His whole soul is now consistent with itself; there is no jarring string. All his passions flow in a continual stream, with an even tenor to God. To him that is entered into this rest, you may truly say, Calm thou ever art within, All unruffled, all serene! There is no mixture of any contrary affections: All is peace and harmony after. Being filled with love, there is no more interruption of it, than of the beating of his heart; and continual love bringing continual joy in the Lord, he rejoices evermore. He converses continually with the God whom he loves, unto whom in everything he gives thanks. And as he now loves God with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his mind, and with all his strenght; so Jesus now reigns alone in his heart, the Lord of every motion there.

12. This premised, in order to throw what light I can upon this interesting question, I will simply relate what I have seen myself in the course of many years. Four or five and forty years ago, when I had no distinct views of what the Apostle meant by exhorting us to "leave the principles of the doctrine of Christ, and go on to perfection," two or three persons in London, whom I knew to be truly sincere, desired to give me an account of their experience. It appeared exceeding strange, being different from any that I had heard before; but exactly similar to the preceding account of entire sanctification. The next year, two or three more persons at Bristol, and two or three in Kingswood, coming to me severally, gave me exactly the same account of their experience. A few years after, I desired all those in London who made the same profession, to come to me all together at the Foundery, that I might be thoroughly satisfied. I desired that man of God, Thomas Walsh, to give us the meeting there. When we met, first one of us, and the the other, asked them the most searching questions we could devise. They answered every one without hesitation, and with the utmost simplicity, so that we were fully persuaded, they did not deceive themselves. In the years 1759, 1760, 1761, and 1762, their numbers multiplied exceedingly, not only in London and Bristol, but in various parts of Ireland as well as England. Not trusting to the testimony of others, I carefully examined most of these myself; and in London alone I found six hundred and fifty-two members of our society who were exceedingly clear in their experience, and of whose testimony I could see no reason to doubt. I believe no year has passed since that time wherein God has not wrought the same work in many others; but sometimes in one part of England or Ireland, sometimes in another; -- as "the wind bloweth where it listeth;" -- and every one of these (after the most careful inquiry, I have not found one exception either in Great Britain or Ireland) has declared that his deliverance from sin was instantaneous; that the change was wrought in a moment.

I believe no year has passed since that time wherein God has not wrought the same work in many others; but sometimes in one part of England or Ireland, sometimes in another; -- as "the wind bloweth where it listeth;" -- and every one of these (after the most careful inquiry, I have not found one exception either in Great Britain or Ireland) has declared that his deliverance from sin was instantaneous; that the change was wrought in a moment. Had half of these, or one third, or one in twenty, declared it was gradually wrought in them, I should have believed this, with regard to them, and thought that some were gradually sanctified and some instantaneously. But as I have not found, in so long a space of time, a single person speaking thus; as all who believe they are sanctified, declare with one voice, that the change was wrought in a moment, I cannot but believe that sanctification is commonly, if not always, an instantaneous work.

13. But however that question be decided, whether sanctification, in the full sense of the word, be wrought instantaneously or gradually, how my we attain to it "What shall we do," said the Jews to our Lord, "that we may work the works of God" His answer will suit those that ask, What shall we do, that this work of God may be wrought in us "This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." On this one work all the others depend. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and all has wisdom, and power, and faithfulness are engaged on thy side. In this, as in all other instances, "by grace we are saved through faith." Sanctification too is "not of works, lest any man should boast." "It is the gift of God," and is to be received by plain, simple faith. Suppose you are now labouring to "abstain from all appearance of evil," "zealous of good works," and walking diligently and carefully in all the ordinances of God; there is then only one point remaining: The voice of God to your soul is, "Believe, and be saved." [See the Sermon on "The Scripture Way of Salvation." (editor's note)] First, believe that God has promised to save you from all sin, and to fill you with all holiness. Secondly, believe that he is able thus "to save to the uttermost all that come unto God through him." Thirdly, believe that he is willing, as well as able, to save you to the uttermost; to purify you from all sin, and fill up all your heart with love. Believe, Fourthly, that he is not only able, but willing to do it now. Not when you come to die; not at any distant time; not to-morrow, but to-day. He will then enable you to believe, it is done, according to his word: And then "patience shall have its perfect work; that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."

14. Ye shall then be perfect. The Apostle seems to mean by this expression, teleioi, ye shall be wholly delivered from every evil work; from every evil word; from every sinful thought; yea, from every evil desire, passion, temper; from all inbred corruption, from all remains of the carnal mind, from the body of sin; and ye shall be renewed in the spirit of your mind, in every right temper, after the image of Him that created you, in righteousness and true holiness. Ye shall be entire, oloklhroi, (The same word which the Apostle uses to the Christians in Thessalonica: [1 Thess. 5:23]) This seems to refer, not so much to the kind as to the degree of holiness; as if he had said, "Ye shall enjoy as high a degree of holiness as is consistent with your present state of pilgrimage;" -- and ye shall want nothing; the Lord being your Shepherd, your Father, your Redeemer, your Sanctifier, your God, and your all, will feed you with the bread of heaven, and give you meat enough. He will lead you forth beside the waters of comfort, and keep you every moment: So that loving him with all your heart, (which is the sum of all perfection,) you will "rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks," till "an abundant entrance is ministered unto you into his everlasting kingdom! Edited by Jennifer Luhn with corrections by Ryan Danker and George Lyons for the Wesley Center for Applied Theology at Northwest Nazarene University.

I. 1. First. We are to observe that great and important truth which ought never to be out of our remembrance: "It is God that worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure." The meaning of these words may be made more plain by a small transposition of them: "It is God that of his good pleasure worketh in you both to will and to do." This position of the words, connecting the phrase, of his good pleasure, with the word worketh, removes all imagination of merit from man, and gives God the whole glory of his own work. Otherwise, we might have had some room for boasting, as if it were our own desert, some goodness in us, or some good thing done by us, which first moved God to work. But this expression cuts off all such vain conceits, and clearly shows his motive to work lay wholly in himself-in his, own mere grace, in his unmerited mercy. 2. It is by this alone he is impelled to work in man both to will and to do. The expression is capable of two interpretations; both of which are unquestionably true. First, to will, may include the whole of inward, to do, the whole of outward, religion. And if it be thus understood, it implies, that it is God that worketh both inward and outward holiness. Secondly, ,to will, may imply every good desire; to do, whatever results therefrom. And then the sentence means, God breathes into us every good desire, and brings every good desire to good effect. 3. The original words, to qelein and to energein, seem to favor the latter construction: to qelein, which we render to will, plainly including every good desire, whether relating to our tempers, words, or actions; to inward or outward holiness. And to energein, which we render to do, manifestly implies all that power from on high, all that energy which works in us every right disposition, and then furnishes us for every good word and work.

II. 1. Proceed we now to the Second point: If God worketh in you, then work out your own salvation. The original word rendered, work out, implies the doing a thing thoroughly. Your own; for you yourselves must do this, or it will be left undone forever. Your own salvation: Salvation begins with what is usually termed (and very properly) preventing grace; including the first wish to please God, the first dawn of light concerning his will, and the first slight transient conviction of having sinned against him. All these imply some tendency toward life; some degree of salvation; the beginning of a deliverance from a blind, unfeeling heart, quite insensible of God and the things of God. Salvation is carried on by convincing grace, usually in Scripture termed repentance; which brings a larger measure of self-knowledge, and a farther deliverance from the heart of stone. Afterwards we experience the proper Christian salvation; whereby, "through grace," we "are saved by faith;" consisting of those two grand branches, justification and sanctification. By justification we are saved from the guilt of sin, and restored to the favour of God; by sanctification we are saved from the power and root of sin, and restored to the image of God. All experience, as well as Scripture, shows this salvation to be both instantaneous and gradual. It begins the moment we are justified, in the holy, humble, gentle, patient love of God and man. It gradually increases from that moment, as "a grain of mustard-seed, which, at first, is the least of all seeds," but afterwards puts forth large branches, and becomes a great tree; till, in another instant, the heart is cleansed, from all sin, and filled with pure love to God and man. But even that love increases more and more, till we "grow up in all things into him that is our Head;" till we attain "the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ."

2. But how are we to work out this salvation The Apostle answers, "With fear and trembling." There is another passage of St. Paul wherein the same expression occurs, which may give light to this: "Servants, obey your masters according to the flesh," -- according to the present state of things, although sensible that in a little time the servant will be free from his master, -- "with fear and trembling." This is a proverbial expression, which cannot be understood literally. For what master could bear, much less require, his servant to stand trembling and quaking before him And the following words utterly exclude this meaning: "In singleness of heart;" with a single eye to the will and providence of God; "not with eye-service, as men-pleasers; but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;" doing whatever they do as the will of God, and, therefore, with their might. (Eph. 6:5, &c.) It is easy to see that these strong expressions of the Apostle clearly imply two things: First, that everything be done with the utmost earnestness of spirit, and with all care and caution: (Perhaps more directly referring to the former word, meta jobou, with fear:) Secondly, that it be done with the utmost diligence, speed, punctuality, and exactness; not improbably referring to the latter word, meta tromou, with trembling. 3. How easily may we transfer this to the business of life, the working out our own salvation! With the same temper, and in the same manner, that Christian servants serve their masters that are upon earth, let other Christians labour to serve their Master that is in heaven: that is, First, with the utmost earnestness of spirit, with all possible care and caution; and, secondly, with the utmost diligence, speed, punctuality, and exactness.

8. "Labour" then, brethren, "not for the meat that perisheth, but for that which endureth to everlasting life." Say with our blessed Lord, though in a somewhat different sense, "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work." In consideration that he still worketh in you, be never "weary of well-doing." Go on, in virtue of the grace of God, preventing, accompanying, and following you, in "the work of faith, in the patience of hope, and in the labour of love." "Be ye steadfast and immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord." And "the God of peace, who brought again from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep," (Jesus,) "make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you what is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever!"

A Call To Backsliders "Will the Lord absent himself for ever And will he be no more entreated Is his mercy clean gone for ever And is his promise come utterly to an end for evermore" Ps. 77:7, 8. 1. Presumption is one grand snare of the devil, in which many of the children of men are taken. They so presume upon the mercy of God as utterly to forget his justice. Although he has expressly declared, "Without holiness no man shall see the Lord," yet they flatter themselves, that in the end God will be better than his word. They imagine they may live and die in their sins, and nevertheless "escape the damnation of hell." 2. But although there are many that are destroyed by presumption, there are still more that perish by despair. I mean, by want of hope; by thinking it impossible that they should escape destruction. Having many times fought against their spiritual enemies, and always been overcome, they lay down their arms; they no more contend, as they have no hope of victory. Knowing, by melancholy experience that they have no power of themselves to help themselves, and having no expectation that God will help them, they lie down under their burden. They no longer strive; for they suppose it is impossible they should attain.

3. To confirm those arguments, drawn from reason and Scripture, they appeal to matter of fact. They ask, "Is it not a fact, that those who fall away from justifying grace, who make `shipwreck of the faith,' that faith whereof cometh present salvation, perish without mercy How much less can any of those escape, who fall away from sanctifying grace! who make shipwreck of that faith whereby they are cleansed from all pollution of flesh and spirit! Has there ever been an instance of one or the other of these being renewed again to repentance If there be any instances of that, one would be inclined to believe that thought of our poet not to be extravagant: -- "E'en Judas struggles his despair to quell, Hope almost blossoms in the shades of hell." II. These are the principal arguments drawn from reason, from Scripture, and from fact, whereby backsliders are wont to justify themselves in casting away hope; in supposing that God hath utterly "shut up his lovingkindness in displeasure." I have proposed them in their full strength, that we may form the better judgment concerning them, and try whether each of them may not receive a clear, full, satisfactory answer. 1. I begin with that argument which is taken from the nature of the thing: "If a man rebel against an earthly prince, he may possibly be forgiven the first time. But if, after a full and free pardon, he should rebel again, there is no hope of obtaining a second pardon: He must expect to die without mercy. Now, if he that rebels again against an earthly king, can look for no second pardon, how can he look for mercy who rebels a second time against the great King of heaven and earth"

(2.) I see no absurdity at all in this interpretation of the word. It seems to be one meaning (at least) of the expression, "a sin unto death;" a sin which God has determined to punish by the death of the sinner. If, therefore, you have sinned a sin of this kind, and your sin has overtaken you; if God is chastising you by some severe disease, it will not avail to pray for your life; you are irrevocably sentenced to die. But observe! This has no reference to eternal death. It does by no means imply that you are condemned to die the second death. No; it rather implies the contrary: The body is destroyed, that the soul may escape destruction. I have myself, during the course of many years, seen numerous instances of this. I have known many sinners (chiefly notorious backsliders from high degrees of holiness, and such as had given great occasion to the enemies of religion to blaspheme) whom God has cut short in the midst of their journey; yea, before they had lived out half their days: These, I apprehend, had sinned "a sin unto death;" in consequence of which they were cut off, sometimes more swiftly, sometimes more slowly, by an unexpected stroke. But in most of these cases it has been observed that "mercy rejoiced over judgment." And the persons themselves were fully convinced of the goodness as well as justice of God. They acknowledged that he destroyed the body in order to save the soul. Before they went hence, he healed their backsliding. So they died that they might live for ever.

(3.) A very remarkable instance of this occurred many years ago. young collier [coal miner] in Kingswood, near Bristol, was an eminent sinner, and afterwards an eminent saint. But, by little and little, he renewed his acquaintance with his old companions, who by degrees wrought upon him, till he dropped all his religion, and was two-fold more a child of hell than before. One day he was working in the pit with a serious young man, who suddenly stopped and cried out, "O Tommy, what a man was you once! How did your words and example provoke many to love and to good works! And what are you now What would become of you, if you were to die as you are" "Nay, God forbid," said Thomas, "for then I should fall into hell headlong! O let us cry to God!" They did so for a considerable time, first the one, and then the other. They called upon God with strong cries and tears, wrestling with him in mighty prayer. After some time, Thomas broke out, "Now I know God hath healed my backsliding. I know again, that my Redeemer liveth, and that he hath washed me from my sins with his own blood. I am willing to go to him." Instantly part of the pit calved in, and crushed him to death in a moment. Whoever thou art that hast sinned "a sin unto death," lay this to heart! It may be, God will require thy soul of thee in an hour when thou lookest not for it! But if he doth, there is mercy in the midst of judgment: Thou shalt not die eternally.

(1.) This is a point which may exactly be determined, and that with the utmost certainty. If it be asked, "Do any real apostates find mercy from God Do any that have `made shipwreck of faith and a good conscience,' recover what they have lost Do you know, have you seen, any instance of persons who found redemption in the blood of Jesus, and afterwards fell away, and yet were restored, -- `renewed again to repentance'" Yea, verily; and not one, or an hundred only, but, I am persuaded, several thousands. In every place where the arm of the Lord has been revealed, and many sinners converted to God, there are several found who "turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them." For a great part of these "it had been better never to have known the way of righteousness." It only increases their damnation, seeing they die in their sins. But others there are who "look unto him they have pierced, and mourn," refusing to be comforted. And, sooner or later, he surely lifts up the light of his countenance upon them; he strengthens the hands that hang down, and confirms the feeble knees; he teaches them again to say, "My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit rejoiceth in God my Saviour." Innumerable are the instances of this kind, of those who had fallen, but now stand upright. Indeed, it is so far from being an uncommon thing for a believer to fall and be restored, that it is rather uncommon to find any believers who are not conscious of having been backsliders from God, in a higher or lower degree, and perhaps more than once, before they were established in faith. (2.) "But have any that had fallen from sanctifying grace been restored to the blessing they had lost" This also is a point of experience; and we have had the opportunity of repeating our observations, during a considerable course of years, and from the one end of the kingdom to the other.

(3.) And, First, we have known a large number of persons, of every age and sex, from early childhood to extreme old age, who have given all the proofs which the nature of the thing admits, that they were "sanctified throughout;" "cleansed from all pollution of the flesh and spirit;" that they "loved the Lord their God with all their heart, and mind, and soul, and strength;" that they continually "presented" their souls and bodies "a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God;" in consequence of which, they "rejoiced evermore, prayed without ceasing, and in every thing gave thanks." And this, and no other, is what we believe to be true, scriptural sanctification. (4.) Secondly. It is a common thing for those who are thus sanctified, to believe they cannot fall; to suppose themselves "pillars in the temple of God, that shall go out no more." Nevertheless, we have seen some of the strongest of them, after a time, moved from their steadfastness. Sometimes suddenly, but oftener by slow degrees, they have yielded to temptation; and pride, or anger, or foolish desires have again sprung up in their hearts. Nay, sometimes they have utterly lost the life of God, and sin hath regained dominion over them. (5.) Yet, Thirdly, several of these, after being thoroughly sensible of their fall, and deeply ashamed before God, have been again filled with his love, and not only perfected therein, but stablished, strengthened, and settled. They have received the blessing they had before with abundant increase. Nay, it is remarkable, that many who had fallen either from justifying or from sanctifying grace, and so deeply fallen that they could hardly be ranked among the servants of God, have been restored, (but seldom till they had been shaken, as it were, over the mouth of hell,) and that very frequently in an instant, to all that they had lost. They have, at once, recovered both a consciousness of his favour, and the experience of the pure love of God. In one moment they received anew both remission of sins, and a lot among them that were sanctified.

On Dress "Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of -- wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; "But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." 1 Pet. 3:3, 4. 1. St. Paul exhorts all those who desire to "be transformed by the renewal of their minds," and to "prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God," not to be "conformed to this world." [Rom. 12:2] Indeed this exhortation relates more directly to the wisdom of the world, which is totally opposite to his "good and acceptable and perfect will." But it likewise has a reference even to the manners and customs of the world, which naturally flow from its wisdom and spirit, and are exactly suitable thereto. And it was not beneath the wisdom of God to give us punctual directions in this respect also. 2. Some of these, particularly that in the text, descend even to the apparel of Christians. And both this text, and the parallel one of St. Paul, are as express as possible. St. Paul's words are, (1 Tim. 2:9, 10,) "I will that women adorn themselves in modest apparel; not -- with gold, or pearls, or costly array; but (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works." 3. "But is it not strange," say some, "that the all-wise Spirit of God should condescend to take notice of such trifles as these to take notice of such insignificant trifles, things of so little moment, or rather of none at all For what does it signify, provided we take care of the soul, what the body is covered with, whether with silk or sackcloth What harm can there be in the wearing of gold, or silver, or precious stones, or any other of those beautiful things with which God has so amply provided us May we not apply to this what St. Paul has observed on another occasion, that 'every creature of God is good, and nothing to be rejected'"

18. How then can it be, that, after so many warnings, you persist in the same folly Is it not hence There are still among you, some that neither profit themselves by all they hear, nor are willing that others should: And these, if any of you are almost persuaded to dress as Christians, reason, and rally, and laugh you out of it. O ye pretty triflers, I entreat you not to do the devil's work any longer! Whatever ye do yourselves, do not harden the hearts of others. And you that are of a better mind, avoid these tempters with all possible care; and if you come where any of them are, either beg them to be silent on the head, or quit the room. 19. Sixthly. The putting on of costly apparel is directly opposite to what the Apostle terms, "the hidden man of the heart;" that is, to the whole "image of God" wherein we were created, and which is stamped anew upon the heart of every Christian believer; -- opposite to "the mind which was in Christ Jesus," and the whole nature of inward holiness. All the time you are studying this outward adorning, the whole inward work of the Spirit stands still; or, rather, goes back, though by very gentle and almost imperceptible degrees. Instead of growing more heavenly-minded, you are more and more earthly-minded. If you once had fellowship with the Father and the Son, it now gradually declines; and you insensibly sink deeper and deeper into the spirit of the world, -- into foolish and hurtful desires, and grovelling appetites. All these evils, and a thousand more, spring from that one root -- indulging yourself in costly apparel. 20. Why then does not everyone that either loves or fears God, flee from it, as from the face of a serpent Why are you still so conformable to the irrational, sinful customs of a frantic world Why do you still despise the express commandment of God uttered in the plainest terms You see the light: Why do not you follow the light of your own mind Your conscience tells you the truth: Why do you not obey the dictates of your own conscience

28. I beseech you, every man that is here present before God, every woman, young or old, married or single, yea, every child that knows good from evil, take this to yourself. Each of you, for one, take the Apostle's advice; at least, hinder not others from taking it. I beseech you, O ye parents, do not hinder your children from following their own convictions, even though you might think they would look prettier if they were adorned with such gewgaws as other children wear! I beseech you, O ye husbands, do not hinder your wives! You, O ye wives, do not hinder your husbands, either by word or deed, from acting just as they are persuaded in their own minds! Above all, I conjure you, ye half-Methodists, you that trim between us and the world, you that frequently, perhaps constantly, hear our preaching, but are in no farther connexion with us; yea, and all you that were once in full connexion with us, but are not so now; whatever ye do yourselves, do not say one word to hinder others from receiving and practising the advice which has been now given! Yet a little while, and we shall not need these poor coverings; for this corruptible body shall put on incorruption. Yet a few days hence, and this mortal body shall put on immortality. In the mean time, let this be our only care, "to put off the old man," -- our old nature, -- "which is corrupt," -- which is altogether evil, -- and to "put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." In particular, "put on, as the elect of God, bowels of mercies, kindness, gentleness, longsuffering." Yea, to sum up all in one word, "put on Christ;" that "when he shall appear, ye may appear with him in glory."

4. The way of love, -- of loving all men for God's sake, of humble gentle, patient love, -- is that which the Apostle so admirably describes in the ensuing chapter. And without this, he assures us, all eloquence, all knowledge, all faith, all works, and all sufferings, are of no more value in the sight of God than sounding brass or a rumbling cymbal, and are not of the least avail toward our eternal salvation. Without this, all we know, all we believe, all we do, all we suffer, will profit us nothing in the great day of accounts. 5. But at present I would take a different view of the text, and point out "a more excellent way" in another sense. It is the observation of an ancient writer, that there have been from the beginning two orders of Christians. The one lived an innocent life, conforming in all things, not sinful, to the customs and fashions of the world; doing many good works, abstaining from gross evils, and attending the ordinances of God. They endeavoured, in general, to have a conscience void of offence in their outward behaviour, but did not aim at any particular strictness, being in most things like their neighbours. The other sort of Christians not only abstained from all appearance of evil, were zealous of good works in every kind, and attended all the ordinances of God, but likewise used all diligence to attain the whole mind that was in Christ, and laboured to walk, in every point, as their beloved Master. In order to this they walked in a constant course of universal self-denial, trampling on every pleasure which they were not divinely conscious prepared them for taking pleasure in God. They took up their cross daily. They strove, they agonized without intermission, to enter in at the strait gate. This one thing they did, they spared no pains to arrive at the summit of Christian holiness; "leaving the first principles of the doctrine of Christ, to go on to perfection;" to "know all that love of God which passeth knowledge, and to be filled with all the fulness of God."

6. From long experience and observation I am inclined to think, that whoever finds redemption in the blood of Jesus, whoever is justified, has then the choice of walking in the higher or the lower path. I believe the Holy Spirit at that time sets before him "the more excellent way," and incites him to walk therein, to choose the narrowest path in the narrow way, to aspire after the heights and depths of holiness, -- after the entire image of God. But if he does not accept this offer, he insensibly declines into the lower order of Christians. He still goes on in what may be called a good way, serving God in his degree, and finds mercy in the close of life, through the blood of the covenant. 7. I would be far from quenching the smoking flax, -- from discouraging those that serve God in a low degree. But I could not wish them to stop here: I would encourage them to come up higher, without thundering hell and damnation in their ears, without condemning the way wherein they were, telling them it is the way that leads to destruction, I will endeavour to point out to them what is in every respect "a more excellent way." 8. Let it be well remembered, I do not affirm that all who do not walk in this way are in the high road to hell. But this much I must affirm, they will not have so high a place in heaven as they would have had if they had chosen the better part. And will this be a small loss, -- the having so many fewer stars in your crown of glory Will it be a little thing to have a lower place than you might have had in the kingdom of your Father Certainly there will be no sorrow in heaven; there all tears will be wiped from our eyes; but if it were possible grief could enter there, we should grieve at that irreparable loss. Irreparable then, but not now. Now, by the grace of God, we may choose the "more excellent way." Let us now compare this, in a few particulars, with the way wherein most Christians walk.

3. The time of taking our food is usually a time of conversation also, as it is natural to refresh our minds while we refresh our bodies. Let us consider a little in what manner the generality of Christians usually converse together. What are the ordinary subjects of their conversation If it is harmless (as one would hope it is), if there be nothing in it profane, nothing immodest, nothing untrue, or unkind; if there be no talebearing, backbiting, or evil-speaking, they have reason to praise God for his restraining grace. But there is more than this implied in "ordering our conversation aright." In order to this it is needful, First, that "your communication," that is, discourse or conversation, "be good;" that it be materially good, on good subjects; not fluttering about anything that occurs; for what have you to do with courts and kings It is not your business to Fight over the wars, reform the state; unless when some remarkable event calls for the acknowledgment of the justice or mercy of God. We must indeed sometimes talk of worldly things; otherwise we may as well go out of the world. But it should only be so far as is needful: Then we should return to a better subject. Secondly, let your conversation be "to the use of edifying;" calculated to edify either the speaker or the hearers, or both; to build them up, as each has particular need, either in faith, or love, or holiness. Thirdly, see that it not only gives entertainment, but, in one kind or other, "ministers grace to the hearers." Now, is not this "a more excellent way" of conversing than the harmless way above-mentioned V. 1. We have seen what is the "more excellent way" of ordering our conversation, as well as our business. But we cannot be always intent upon business: Both our bodies and minds require some relaxation. We need intervals of diversion from business. It will be necessary to be very explicit upon this head, as it is a point which has been much misunderstood.

several Bishops attacked Bishop Atterbury at once, then Bishop of Rochester, and asked, "My Lord, why will you not suffer your servants to deny you, when you do not care to see company It is not a lie for them to say your lordship is not at home; for it deceives no one: Every one knows it means only, your lordship is busy." He replied, "My Lords, if it is (which I doubt) consistent with sincerity, yet I am sure it is not consistent with that simplicity which becomes a Christian Bishop." 10. But to return. The sincerity and simplicity of him in whom is no guile have likewise an influence on his whole behaviour: They give a colour to his whole outward conversation; which, though it be far remote from everything of clownishness and ill-breeding, of roughness and surliness, yet is plain and artless, and free from all disguise, being the very picture of his heart. The truth and love which continually reign there, produce an open front, and a serene countenance; such as leave no pretence to say, with that arrogant King of Castile, "When God made man, he left one capital defect: He ought to have set a window in his breast;" -- for he opens a window in his own breast, by the whole tenor of his words and actions. 11. This then is real, genuine, solid virtue. Not truth alone, nor conformity to truth. This is a property of real virtue, not the essence of it. Not love alone; though this comes nearer the mark: For love, in one sense, "is the fulfilling of the law." No: Truth and love united together, are the essence of virtue or holiness. God indispensably requires "truth in the inward parts," influencing all our words and actions. Yet truth itself, separate from love, is nothing in his sight. But let the humble, gentle, patient love of all mankind, be fixed on its right foundation, namely, the love of God springing from faith, from a full conviction that God hath given his only Son to die for my sins; and then the whole will resolve into that grand conclusion, worthy of all men to be received: "Neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but faith that worketh by love."

6. Would not any one think, on reading these words, that they were both equally sharp That Paul was just as hot as Barnabas, and as much wanting in love as he But the text says no such thing; as will be plain, if we consider first the occasion. When St. Paul proposed, that they should "again visit the brethren in every city where they had preached the word," so far they were agreed. "And Barnabas determined to take with them John," because he was his sister's son, without receiving or asking St. Paul's advice. "But Paul thought not good to take him with them who had departed from them from Pamphylia," -- whether through sloth or cowardice, -- "went not with them to the work." And undoubtedly he thought right; he had reason on his side. The following words are, egento oun paroxusmos, literally, "and there was a fit of anger." It does not say, in St. Paul: Probably it was in Barnabas alone; who thus supplied the want of reason with passion; "so that they parted asunder." And Barnabas, resolved to have his own way, did as his nephew had done before, "departed from the work," -- "took Mark with him, and sailed to Cyprus." But Paul went on his work, "being recommended by the brethren to the grace of God;" which Barnabas seems not to have stayed for. "And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the Churches." From the whole account, it does not appear that St. Paul was in any fault; that he either felt any temper, or spoke any word, contrary to the law of love. Therefore, not being in any fault, he does not need any excuse. 7. Certainly he who is full of love is "gentle towards all men." He "in meekness instructs those that oppose themselves;" that oppose what he loves most, even the truth of God, or that holiness without which no man shall see the Lord: Not knowing but "God, peradventure, may bring them to the knowledge of the truth." However provoked, he does "not return evil for evil, or railing for railing." Yea, he "blesses those that curse him, and does good to them that despitefully use him and persecute him." He "is not overcome of evil, but" always "overcomes evil with good.

6. "And though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains." -- The faith which is able to do this cannot be the fruit of vain imagination, a mere madman's dream, a system of opinions; but must be a real work of God: Otherwise it could not have such an effect. Yet if this faith does not work by love, if it does not produce universal holiness, if it does not bring forth lowliness, meekness, and resignation, it will profit me nothing. This is as certain a truth as any that is delivered in the whole oracles of God. All faith that is, that ever was, or ever can be, separate from tender benevolence to every child of man, friend or foe, Christian, Jew, Heretic, or Pagan, -- separate from gentleness to all men; separate from resignation in all events, and contentedness in all conditions, -- is not the faith of a Christian, and will stand us in no stead before the face of God. 7. Hear ye this, all you that are called Methodists! You, of all men living, are most concerned herein. You constantly speak of salvation by faith: And you are in the right for so doing. You maintain, (one and all,) that a man is justified by faith, without the works of the law. And you cannot do otherwise, without giving up the Bible, and betraying your own souls. You insist upon it, that we are saved by faith: And, undoubtedly, so we are. But consider, meantime, that let us have ever so much faith, and be our faith ever so strong, it will never save us from hell, unless it now save us from all unholy tempers, from pride, passion, impatience; from all arrogance of spirit, all haughtiness and overbearing; from wrath, anger, bitterness; from discontent, murmuring, fretfulness, peevishness. We are of all men most inexcusable, if, having been so frequently guarded against that strong delusion, we still, while we indulge any of these tempers, bless ourselves, and dream we are in the way to heaven!

5. Fifthly. If the object of zeal be that which is good, then fervour for any evil thing is not Christian zeal. I instance in idolatry, worshipping of angels, saints, images, the cross. Although, therefore, a man were so earnestly attached to any kind of idolatrous worship, that he would even "give his body to be burned," rather than refrain from it, call this bigotry or superstition, if you please, but call it not zeal; that is quite another thing. From the same premises it follows, that fervour for indifferent things is not Christian zeal. But how exceedingly common is this mistake too! Indeed one would think that men of understanding could not be capable of such weakness. But, alas! the history of all ages proves the contrary. Who were men of stronger understandings than Bishop Ridley and Bishop Hooper And how warmly did these, and other great men of that age, dispute about the sacerdotal vestments! How eager was the contention for almost a hundred years, for and against wearing a surplice! O shame to man! I would as soon have disputed about a straw or a barley-corn. And this, indeed, shall be called zeal! And why was it not rather called wisdom or holiness 6. It follows also, from the same premises, that fervour for opinions is not Christian zeal. But how few are sensible of this! And how innumerable are the mischiefs which even this species of false zeal has occasioned in the Christian world! How many thousand lives have been cast away by those who were zealous for the Romish opinions! How many of the excellent ones of the earth have been cut off by zealots, for the senseless opinion of transubstantiation! But does not every unprejudiced person see, that this zeal is ` earthly, sensual, devilish;" and that it stands at the utmost contrariety to that zeal which is here recommended by the Apostle What an excess of charity is it then which our great poet expresses, in his "Poem on the Last Day," where he talks of meeting in heaven - Those who by mutual wounds expired,

7. But do not imagine that this single point, rising early, will suffice to make you a Christian. No: Although that single point, the not rising, may keep you a Heathen, void of the whole Christian spirit; although this alone (especially if you had once conquered it) will keep you cold, formal, heartless, dead, and make it impossible for you to get one step forward in vital holiness, yet this alone will go but a little way to make you a real Christian. It is but one step out of many; but it is one. And having taken this, go forward. Go on to universal self-denial, to temperance in all things, to a firm resolution of taking up daily every cross whereto you are called. Go on, in a full pursuit of all the mind that was in Christ, of inward and then outward holiness; so shall you be not almost but altogether, a Christian; so shall you finish your course with joy: You shall awake up after his likeness, and be satisfied. [Jan. 20, 1782]

4. These little labours of love will pave your way to things greater importance. Having shown that you have a regard for their bodies, you may proceed to inquire concerning their souls. And here you have a large field before you; you have scope for exercising all the talents which God has given you. May you not begin with asking, "Have you ever considered, that God governs the world; -- that his providence is over all, and over you in particular -- Does any thing then befall you without his knowledge, -- or without his designing it for your good He knows all you suffer; he knows all your pains; he sees all your wants. He sees not only your affliction in general, but every particular circumstance of it. Is he not looking down from heaven, and disposing all these things for your profit You may then inquire, whether he is acquainted with the general principles of religion. And afterwards, lovingly and gently examine, whether his life has been agreeable thereto: whether he has been an outward, barefaced sinner, or has had a form of religion. See next, whether he knows anything of the power; of worshipping God "in spirit and in truth." If he does not, endeavour to explain to him, "without holiness no man shall see the Lord;" and "except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." When he begins to understand the nature of holiness, and the necessity of the new birth, then you may press upon him "repentance toward God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ." 5. When you find any of them begin to fear God, it will proper to give them, one after another, some plain tracts, as the "Instructions for Christians," "Awake, thou that sleepest," and the "Nature and Design of Christianity." At the next visit you may inquire, what they have read -- what they remember, -- and what they understand. And then will be the time to enforce what they understand, and, if possible, impress it on their hearts. Be sure to conclude every meeting with prayer. If you cannot yet pray without a form, you may use some of those composed by Mr. Spinckes, or any other pious writer. But the sooner you breakthrough this backwardness the better. Ask of God, and he will open your mouth.

But, blessed be God, your die is not cast yet. You are not passed the great gulf, but have it still in your power to choose whether you will be attended by angels or fiends when your soul quits its earthly mansion. Now stretch out your hand to eternal life or eternal death! And God says, "Be it unto thee even as thou wilt!" 9. Being repulsed in this, he makes another request: "I pray thee, send him to my father's house; for I have five brethren; that he may testify to them." It is not impossible that other unhappy spirits may wish well to the relations they have left behind them. But this is the accepted time for them, as well as for us. Let us then address them ourselves; and let us beg our living friends to give us all the help they can, without waiting for assistance from the inhabitants of another world. Let us earnestly exhort them to use the helps they have; to "hear Moses and the Prophets." We are indeed apt to think, like that unhappy spirit, "If one went to them from the dead, they will repent." "But Abraham said, If they hear not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead." III. 1. I am, in the Third place, to prove the truth of this weighty sentence; which I will do, First, briefly, and then more at large. And, First, to express the matter briefly: It is certain that no human spirit, while it is in the body, can persuade another to repent; can work in him an entire change, both of heart and life; a change from universal wickedness, to universal holiness. And suppose that spirit discharged from the body, it is no more able to do this than it was before: No power less than that which created it at first can create any soul anew. No angel, much less any human spirit, whether in the body or out of the body, can bring one soul "from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God." It might very possibly fright him to death, or to the belief of any speculative truth; but it could not frighten him into spiritual life. God alone can raise those that are "dead in trespasses and sins."

9. In the nineteenth chapter of the Revelation, at the ninth verse, there is an expression which comes much nearer to this: -- "The wedding supper of the Lamb." [Rev. 19] There is a near resemblance between this and the marriage supper mentioned in the parable. Yet they are not altogether the same: there is a clear difference between them. The supper mentioned in the parable belongs to the Church Militant; that mentioned in the Revelation, to the Church Triumphant: The one, to the kingdom of God on earth; the other, to the kingdom of God in heaven. Accordingly, in the former, there may be found those who have not a "wedding garment." But there will be none such to be found in the latter: No, not "in that great multitude which no man can number, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation." They will all be "kings and priests unto God, and shall reign with him for ever and ever." 10. Does not that expression, "the righteousness of the saints," point out what is the "wedding garment" in the parable It is the "holiness without which no man shall see the Lord." The righteousness of Christ is doubtless necessary for any soul that enters into glory: But so is personal holiness too, for every child of man. But it is highly needful to be observed, that they are necessary in different respects. The former is necessary to entitle us to heaven; the latter to qualify us for it. Without the righteousness of Christ we could have no claim to glory; without holiness we could have no fitness for it. By the former we become members of Christ, children of God, and heirs of the kingdom of heaven. By the latter "we are made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light."

11. From the very time that the Son of God delivered this weighty truth to the children of men, -- that all who had not the "wedding garment" would be "cast into outward darkness, where are weeping and gnashing of teeth," -- the enemy of souls has been labouring to obscure it, that they might still seek death in the error of their life; and many ways has he tried to disguise the holiness without which we cannot be saved. How many things have been palmed, even upon the Christian world, in the place of this! Some of these are utterly contrary thereto, and subversive of it. Some were noways connected with or related to it; but useless and insignificant trifles. Others might be deemed to be some part of it, but by no means the whole. It may be of use to enumerate some of them, lest ye should be ignorant of Satan's devices. 12. Of the first sort, things prescribed as Christian holiness although flatly contrary thereto, is idolatry. How has this, in various shapes, been taught, and is to this day, as essential to holiness! How diligently is it now circulated in a great part of the Christian Church! Some of their idols are silver and gold, or wood and stone, "graven by art, and man's device;" some, men of like passions with themselves, particularly the Apostles of our Lord, and the Virgin Mary. To these they add numberless saints of their own creation, with no small company of angels.

15. When things of an indifferent nature are represented as necessary to salvation, it is a folly of the same kind, though not of the same magnitude. Indeed, it is not a little sin to represent trifles as necessary to salvation; such as going of pilgrimages, or anything that is not expressly enjoined in the Holy Scripture. Among these we may undoubtedly rank orthodoxy, or right opinions. We know, indeed, that wrong opinions in religion naturally lead to wrong tempers, or wrong practices; and that, consequently, it is our bounden duty to pray that we may have a right judgment in all things. But still a man may judge as accurately as the devil, and yet be as wicked as he. 16. Something more excusable are they who imagine holiness to consist in things that are only a part of it; (that is, when they are connected with the rest; otherwise they are no part of it at all;) suppose in doing no harm. And how exceeding common is this! How many take holiness and harmlessness to mean one and the same thing! whereas were a man as harmless as a post, he might be as far from holiness as heaven from earth. Suppose a man, therefore, to be exactly honest, to pay every one his own, to cheat no man, to wrong no man, to hurt no man, to be just in all his dealings; suppose a woman to be uniformly modest and virtuous in all her words and actions; suppose the one and the other to be steady practisers of morality, that is, of justice, mercy, and truth; yet all this, though it is good as far as it goes, is but a part of Christian holiness. Yea, suppose a person of this amiable character to do much good wherever he is; to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, relieve the stranger, the sick, the prisoner; yea, and to save many souls from death: it is possible he may still fall far short of that holiness without which he cannot see the Lord.

17. What, then, is that holiness which is the true "wedding garment," the only qualification for glory "In Christ Jesus," (that is, according to the Christian institution, whatever be the case of the heathen world,) "neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but a new creation, -- the renewal of the soul "in the image of God wherein it was created." In "Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith which worketh by love." [Gal. 5:6] It first, through the energy of God, worketh love to God and all mankind; and, by this love, every holy and heavenly temper, -- in particular, lowliness, meekness, gentleness, temperance, and longsuffering. "It is neither circumcision," -- the attending on all the Christian ordinances, -- "nor uncircumcision," -- the fulfilling of all heathen morality, -- but "the keeping the commandments of God; particularly those, -- "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and thy neighbour as thyself." In a word, holiness is the having "the mind that was in Christ," and the "walking as Christ walked." 18. Such has been my judgment for these threescore years, without any material alteration. Only, about fifty years ago I had a clearer view than before of justification by faith: and in this, from that very hour, I never varied, no, not an hair's breadth. Nevertheless, an ingenious man has publicly accused me of a thousand variations. I pray God, not to lay this to his charge! I am now on the borders of the grave; but, by the grace of God, I still witness the same confession. Indeed, some have supposed, that when I began to declare, "By grace ye are saved through faith," I retracted what I had before maintained: "Without holiness no man shall see the Lord." But it is an entire mistake: These scriptures well consist with each other; the meaning of the former being plainly this, -- By faith we are saved from sin, and made holy. The imagination that faith supersedes holiness, is the marrow of Antinomianism.

19. The sum of all is this: The God of love is willing to save all the souls that he has made. This he has proclaimed to them in his word, together with the terms of salvation, revealed by the Son of his love, who gave his own life that they that believe in him might have everlasting life. And for these he has prepared a kingdom, from the foundation of the world. But he will not force them to accept of it; he leaves them in the hands of their own counsel; he saith, "Behold, I set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: Choose life, that ye may live." Choose holiness, by my grace; which is the way, the only way, to everlasting life. He cries aloud, "Be holy, and be happy; happy in this world, and happy in the world to come." "Holiness becometh his house for ever!" This is the wedding garment of all that are called to "the marriage of the Lamb." Clothed in this, they will not be found naked: "They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." But as to all those who appear in the last day without the wedding garment, the Judge will say, "Cast them into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Madeley, March 26, 1790

11. This then, is a plain proof that the doctrine of predestination is not a doctrine of God, because it makes void the ordinance of God; and God is not divided against himself. A Second is, that it directly tends to destroy that holiness which is the end of all the ordinances of God. I do not say, none who hold it are holy; (for God is of tender mercy to those who are unavoidably entangled in errors of any kind;) but that the doctrine itself, -- that every man is either elected or not elected from eternity, and that the one must inevitably be saved, and the other inevitably damned, -- has a manifest tendency to destroy holiness in general; for it wholly takes away those first motives to follow after it, so frequently proposed in Scripture, the hope of future reward and fear of punishment, the hope of heaven and fear of hell. That these shall go away into everlasting punishment, and those into life eternal, is not motive to him to struggle for life who believes his lot is cast already; it is not reasonable for him so to do, if he thinks he is unalterably adjudged either to life or death. 12. As directly does this doctrine tend to destroy several particular branches of holiness. Such are meekness and love, -- love, I mean, of our enemies, -- of the evil and unthankful. I say not, that none who hold it have meekness and love; (for as is the power of God, so is his mercy;) but that it naturally tends to inspire, or increase, a sharpness or eagerness of temper, which is quite contrary to the meekness of Christ; as then especially appears, when they are opposed on this head. And it as naturally inspires contempt or coldness towards those whom we suppose outcast form God.

18. Fourthly. This uncomfortable doctrine directly tends to destroy our zeal for good works. And this it does, First, as it naturally tends (according to what was observed before) to destroy our love to the greater part of mankind, namely, the evil and unthankful. For whatever lessens our love, must go far lessen our desire to do them good. This it does, Secondly, as it cuts off one of the strongest motives to all acts of bodily mercy, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and the like, -- viz., the hope of saving their souls from death. For what avails it to relieve their temporal wants, who are just dropping into eternal fire 19. But, Fifthly, this doctrine not only tends to destroy Christian holiness, happiness, and good works, but hath also a direct and manifest tendency to overthrow the whole Christian Revelation. The point which the wisest of the modern unbelievers most industriously labour to prove, is, that the Christian Revelation is not necessary. They well know, could they once show this, the conclusion would be too plain to be denied, "If it be not necessary, it is not true," Now, this fundamental point you give up. For supposing that eternal, unchangeable decree, one part of mankind must be saved, though the Christian Revelation were not in being, and the other part of mankind must be damned, notwithstanding that Revelation. And what would an infidel desire more You allow him all he asks. In making the gospel thus unnecessary to all sorts of men, you give up the whole Christian cause. 20. And as this doctrine manifestly and directly tends to overthrow the whole Christian Revelation, so it does the same thing, by plain consequence, in making that Revelation contradict itself. For it is grounded on such an interpretation of some texts (more or fewer it matters not) as flatly contradicts all the other texts, and indeed the whole scope and tenor of Scripture.

29. Yea, the decree is past; and so it was before the foundation of the world. But what decree Even this: "I will set before the sons of men 'life and death, blessing cursing.' And the soul that chooseth life shall live, as the soul that chooseth death shall die." This decree whereby "whom God did foreknow, he did predestinate," was indeed from everlasting; this, whereby all who suffer Christ to make them alive are "elect according to the foreknowledge of God," now standeth fast, even as the moon, and as the faithful witnesses in heaven; and when heaven and earth shall pass away, yet this shall not pass away; for it is as unchangeable and eternal as is the being of God that gave it. This decree yields the strongest encouragement to abound in all good works and in all holiness; and it is a well-spring of joy, of happiness also, to our great and endless comfort. This is worthy of God; it is every way consistent with all the perfections of his nature. It gives us the noblest view both of his justice, mercy, and truth. To this agrees the whole scope of the Christian Revelation, as well as all the parts thereof. To this Moses and all the Prophets bear witness, and our blessed Lord and all his Apostles Thus Moses, in the name of his Lord: "I call heaven and earth to record against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that thou and thy seed may live." Thus Ezekiel: (To cite one Prophet for all:) "The soul that sinneth, it shall die: The son shall not bear" eternally, "the iniquity of the father. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him." (18:20.) Thus our blessed Lord: "If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink." (John 7:37.) Thus his great Apostle, St. Paul: (Acts 17:30:) "God commandeth all men everywhere to repent; -- "all men everywhere;" every man in every place, without any exception either of place or person. Thus St. James: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him." (James 1:5.) Thus St. Peter: (2 Pet.

'. AlS but a small part of these hymns is of my own coraposing,' I do not think it inconsistent with modesty to declare, that I am persuaded no such hymn-book as this has yet been published in the English language. In what other publication of the kind have you so distinct and full an account of scriptural Christianity? such a declaration of the heights and depths of religion, speculative and practical ? so strong cautions against the most plausible errors ; particularly those that are now most prevalent I and so clear directions for making your calling- and election sure; for perfecting holiness in the fear of God }. (J. May I be permitted to add a few words with regard to the poetry ? Then I will speak to those who are judges thereof, with all freedom and unreserve. To these I may say, without offence, 1. In these hymns there is no doggerel; no botches; nothing put in to patch up the rhyme; no feeble expletives. 2. Here is nothing turgid or bombast, on the one hand, or low and creeping, on the other. 3. Here are no cant expressions; no words without meaning. Those who impute this to us know not what they say. We talk common sense, both in prose and verse, and use no word but in a fixed and determinate sense. 4. Here are, allow me to say, both the purity, the strength, and the elegance of the English language; and, at the same time, the utmost simplicity and plainness, suited to every capacity. Lastly, I desire men of taste to judge, (these are the only competent judges,) whether there be not in some of the following hymns the true spirit of poetry, such as cannot be acquired by art and labour, but must be the gift of nature. By labour a man may become a tolerable imitator of Spenser, Shakspeare, or Milton ; and may heap together pretty compound epithets, as pale-eyed, meek-eyed, and the like ; but unless he be born a poet, he will never attain the genuine spirit of poetry. * l'lii' grealei part was composed by the Rev. Charles Wesley.

There, from the rivers of his grace, Drink endless pleasures in : * Yea, and before we rise To that immortal state, The thoughts of such amazing bliss Should constant joys create. 4 The men of grace have found Glory begun below : Celestial fruit on earthly ground From faith and hope may grow : Then let our songs abound, And every tear be dry: We're inarching through Immanuel's ground To fairer worlds on high. HYMN 13. 7's. TTAPPY soul, that, free from harms, -*- -*■ Rests within his Shepherd's arms ! Who his quiet shall molest ? Who shall violate his rest ? Jesus doth his spirit bear : Jesus takes bis every care : He who found the wandering sheep, Jesus, still delights to keep. The Pleasantness of Religion. \& O that I might so believe, Steadfastly to Jesus cleave ; On his only love rely, Smile at the destroyer nigh : Free from sin and servile fear, Have my Jesus ever near ; All his care rejoice to prove ; All his paradise of love ! Jesus, seek thy wandering sheep ; Bring me back, and lead, and keep ; Take on thee my every care ; Bear me, on thy bosom bear : Let me know my Shepherd's voice, More and more in thee rejoice ; More and more of thee receive ; Ever in thy Spirit live : Live, till all thy life I know, Perfect, through my Lord, below : Gladly then from earth remove, Gather'd to the fold above : O that I at last may stand With the sheep at thy right hand ; Take the crown so freely given, Enter in by thee to heaven ! HYMN 14. l. m. 1 TTAPPY the man that finds the grace, -■- J- The blessing of God's chosen race, The wisdom coming from above, The faith that sweetly works by love. 2 Happy, beyond description, he Who knows " the Saviour died for me !" The gift unspeakable obtains, And heavenly understanding gains. £ ( ) The Pleasantness o/* Religion 3 Wisdom divine ! Who tells the price Of Wisdom's costly merchandise? Wisdom to silver we prefer, And gold is dross compared to her. 4 Her hands are fill'd with length of days, True riches, and immortal praise ; Riches of Christ, on all bestow'd, And honour that descends from God.

Ah ! join me to thy secret ones ! Ah ! gather all thy living stones ! 9 S carter' d o'er all the earth they lie, Till thou collect them with thine eye: Draw by the music of thv Name, And charm into a beauteous frame. 10 For this the pleading Spirit groans, And cries in all thy banish'd ones ; Greatest of gifts, thy love impart, And make us of one mind and heart. 1 1 Join every soul that looks to thee, In bonds of perfect charity; Now, Lord, the glorious fulness give, And all in all for ever live ! HYMN 17. l. m. 1 FESUS, from whom all blessings flow, *J Great Builder of thy church below ; If now thy Spirit moves my breast, Hear, and fulfil thine own request I 2 The few that truly call thee Lord, And wait thy sanctifying word, And thee their utmost Saviour own ; Unite and perfect them in one. 3 O let them all thy mind express, Stand forth thy chosen witnesses : Thy power unto salvation show, And perfect holiness below. 4 In them let all mankind behold, How Christians lived in days of old; Mighty their envious foes to move, A proverb of reproach -- and love. The Pleasantness of Religion. %d 5 Call them into thy wondrous light, Worthy to. walk with thee in white ! Make up thy jewels, Lord, and show The glorious, spotless church below ! 6 From every sinful wrinkle free, Redeem'd from all iniquity, The fellowship of saints make known ; And, O my God, might I be one ! 7 O might my lot be cast with these ; The least of Jesu's witnesses : 0 that my Lord would count me meet To wash his dear disciples' feet ! 8 This only thing do I require : Thou know' st 'tis all my heart's desire, Freely what I receive to give, The servant of thy church to live : 9 After my lowly Lord to go, And wait upon thy saints below ; Enjoy the grace to angels given, And serve the royal heirs of heaven. 10 Lord, if I now thy drawings feel, And ask according to thy will, Confirm the prayer, the seal impart, And speak the answer to my heart. 11 Tell me, or thou shalt never go,

Whose relics with envy I see, No longer in misery now, No longer a sinner like me. 3 This earth is affected no more With sickness, or shaken with pain : The war in the members is o'er, And never shall vex him again : No anger henceforward, or shame, Shall redden this innocent clay : Extinct is the animal flame, And passion is vanish 'd away. Describing Death. *>1 This languishing head is at rest, Its thinking and aching are o'er ; This quiet immovable breast Is heaved by affliction no more : This heart is no longer the seat Of trouble and torturing pain ; It ceases to flutter and beat, It never shall flutter again. The lids he so seldom could close, By sorrow forbidden to sleep, Seal'd up in their mortal repose, Have strangely forgotten to weep : The fountains can yield no supplies, These hollows from water are free ; The tears are all wiped from these eyes, And evil they never shall see. To mourn and to suffer is mine, While bound in a prison I breathe, And still for deliverance pine, And press to the issues of death : What now with my tears I bedew, O might I this moment become ! My spirit created anew, My flesh be con sign 'd to the tomb ! REJOICE for a brother deceased, Our loss is his infinite gain ; A soul out of prison released, And free from its bodily chain ; With songs let us follow his flight, And mount with his spirit above, Escaped to the mansions of light, And lodged in the Eden of love. -. Describing Death . J Our brother the haven hath gain'd, Out-Hying the tempest and wind ; His rest he hath sooner obtained, And left his companions behind, Still toss'd on a sea of distress, Hard toiling to make the blest shore* Where all is assurance and peace, And sorrow and sin are no more. 3 There all the ship's company meet, Who sail'd with the Saviour beneath With shouting each other they greet, And triumph o'er trouble and death : The voyage of life's at an end, The mortal affliction is past ; The age that in heaven they spend, For ever and ever shall last. Ts. BLESSING, honour, thanks, and praise, Pay we, gracious God, to thee : Thou, in thine abundant grace,

Rise, our permanent abode ; From the founded world prepared ; Purchased by the blood of God. * v Describing Heaven. 6 O might we quickly find The place for us designed ; See the long-expected day Of our full redemption here : Let the shadows flee away, Let the new-made world appear 7 High on thy great white throne, O King of Saints, come down ; Jn the New Jerusalem Now triumphantly descend ; Let the final trump proclaim Joys begun which ne'er shall end. HOW happy is the pilgrim's lot ! How free from every anxious thought, From worldly hope and fear ! Confined to neither court nor cell, His soul disdains on earth to dwell, He only sojourns here. His happiness in part is mine, Already saved from low design, From every creature-love ; Blest with the scorn of finite good, My soul is lighten 'd of its load, And seeks the things above. 3 The things eternal I pursue ; A happiness beyond the view Of those that basely pant For things by nature felt and seen ; Their honours, wealth, and pleasures mean, I neither have nor want. Describing Heaven. i ' 4 I have no babes to hold me here ; But children more securely dear For mine I humbly claim. Better than daughters or than sons, Temples divine of living stones, Inscribed with Jesu's name. 5 No foot of land do 1 possess, No cottage in this wilderness ; A poor wayfaring man, I lodge awhile in tents below ; Or gladly wander to and fro, Till I my Canaan gain. 6 Nothing on earth I call my own ; A stranger, to the world unknown, I all their goods despise ; I trample on their whole delight, And seek a country out of sight, A country in the skies. 7 There is my house and portion fair ; My treasure and my heart are there, And my abiding home ; For me my elder brethren stay, And angels beckon me away, And Jesus bids me come. 8 I come, -- thy servant, Lord, replies ; -- I come to meet thee in the skies, And claim my heavenly rest ! Now let the pilgrim's journey end : Now, O my Saviour, Brother, Friend, Receive me to thy breast ! / ** Describing lltaveu. HYMN 69. 6-8's.

1 HPHOU, Lord, on whom I still depend, A Shalt keep me faithful to the end : J trust thy truth, and love, and power, Shall save me to the latest hour ; And, when I lay this hody down, Reward with an immortal crown. 2 Jesus, in thy great Name I go To conquer death, my final foe ! And when I quit this cumhrous clay, And soar on angels' wings away, My soul the second death defies, And reigns eternal in the skies. 3 Eye hath not seen, nor ear hath heard, What Christ hath for his saints prepared, Who conquer through their Saviour's might, Who sink into perfection's height, And trample death beneath their feet, And gladly die their Lord to meet. 4 Dost thou desire to know and see, What thy mysterious name shall be ? Contending for thy heavenly home, Thy latest foe in death o'ercome ; Till then thou searchest out in vain, What only conquest can explain. HYMN 70. 8's. 1 T LONG to behold him array'd *~ With glory and light from above, The King in his beauty display'd, His beauty of holiest love : 1 languish and sigh to be there, Where Jesus hath fix'd his abode : O when shall we meet in the air, And fly to the mountain of God ! Describing Heaven. 7o With him I on Sion shall stand, (For Jesus hath spoken the word,) The breadth of Iminanuel's land Survey by the light of my Lord ; But when, on thy bosom reclined, Thy face I am strength en' d to see, My fulness of rapture I find, My heaven of heavens, in thee. How happy the people that dwell Secure in the city above ! No pain the inhabitants feel, No sickness or sorrow shall prove. Physician of souls, unto me Forgiveness and holiness give ; And then from the body set free, And then to the citv receive ! 1 T EADER of faithful souls, and Guide -L^ Of all that travel to the sky, Come, and with us, even us, abide, Who would on thee alone rely ; On thee alone our spirits stay, While held in life's uneven way. 2 Strangers and pilgrims here below, This earth, we know, is not our place ; But hasten through the vale of woe,

And, restless to behold thy face, Swift to our heavenly country move, Our everlasting home above. 3 We have no 'biding city here, But seek a city out of sight ; Thither our steady course we steer. Aspiring to the plains of light, 74 Describing Heaven. Jerusalem, the saints' abode, Whose founder is the living God. 4 Patient the' appointed race to run, This weary world we cast behind ; From strength to strength we travel on. The New Jerusalem to find : Our labour this, our only aim, To find the New Jerusalem. 5 Through thee, who all our sins hast borne, Freely and graciously forgiven, With songs to Sion we return, Contending for our native heaven ; That palace of our glorious King, We find it nearer while we sing. 6 Raised by the breath of Love Divine, We urge our way with strength renew' d ; The church of the first-born to join, We travel to the mount of God ; With joy upon our heads arise, And meet our Captain in the skies. HYMN 72. 6-8\j. 1 O AVIOUR, on me the grace bestow, ^ To trample on my mortal foe ; Conqueror of death with thee to rise, And claim my station in the skies, Fix'd as the throne which ne'er can move. A pillar in thy church above. 2 As beautiful as useful there, May I that weight of glory bear, With all who finally o'ercome, Supporters of the heavenly dome ; Of perfect holiness possess'd, For ever in thy presence bless'd. Describing Heaven. iO 3 Write upon me the Name divine, And let thy Father's nature shine, His image visibly exprest, His glory pouring from my breast, O'er all my bright humanity, Transform'd into the God I see ! 4 Inscribing with the city's name, The heavenly New Jerusalem, To me the victor's title give, Among thy glorious saints to live, And all their happiness to know, A citizen of heaven below. 5 When thou hadst all thy foes o'ercome, Returning to thy glorious home, Thou didst receive the full reward, That I might share it with my Lord ; And thus thy own new name obtain, And one with thee for ever reign. HYMN 73. 8's. 1 \ WAY with our sorrow and fear, -£"*- We soon shall recover our home, The city of saints shall appear ;

The day of eternity come : From earth we shall quickly remove, And mount to our native abode ; The house of our Father above, The palace of angels and God. 2 Our mourning is all at an end, When, raised by the life-giving word, We see the new city descend, Adorn'd as a bride for her Lord : The city so holy and clean, No sorrow can breathe in the air : No gloom of affliction or sin, No shadow of evil is there ! /u Describing Heaven. 3 By faith we already behold That lovely Jerusalem here ; Her walls are of jasper and gold, As crystal her buildings are clear : Immovably founded in grace, She stands, as she ever hath stood, And brightly her Builder displays, And flames with the glory of God. 4 No need of the sun in that day, Which never is followed by night, Where Jesus's beauties display A pure and a permanent light : The Lamb is their Light and their Sun, And, lo ! by reflection they shine, With Jesus ineffably one, And bright in effulgence divine ! 5 The saints in his presence receive Their great and eternal reward ; In Jesus, in heaven they live ; They reign in the smile of their Lord : The flame of angelical love Is kindled at Jesus's face ; And all the enjoyment above Consists in the rapturous gaze. HYMN 74. s. m. A^7E know, by faith we know, ** If this vile house of clay, This tabernacle, sink below In ruinous decay, We have a house above, Not made with mortal hands ; And firm, as our Redeemer's love, That heavenly fabric stands. Describing Heaven. • * 2 It stands securely high, Indissolubly sure ; Our glorious mansion in the sky Shall evermore endure : O were we enter'd there, To perfect heaven restored ! O were we all caught up to share The triumph of our Lord ! 3 For this in faith we call, For this we weep and pray : O might the tabernacle fall ; O might we 'scape away ! Full of immortal hope, We urge the restless strife, And hasten to be swallow' d up Of everlasting life. 4 Absent, alas ! from God, We in the body mourn, And pine to quit this mean abode, And languish to return. Jesus, regard our vows,

And change our faith to sight ; And clothe us with our nobler house Of empyrean light ! 5 O let us put on thee In perfect holiness, And rise prepared thy face to see, Thy bright, unclouded face ! Thy grace with glory crown, Who hast the earnest given ; And now triumphantly come down, And take oui souls to heaven ! S® Describing Heaven. HYMN 75. 7fs. \ IFT your eyes of faith, and see J-^ Saints and angels join'd in one What a countless company Stand before yon dazzling throne ! Each before his Saviour stands ; All in milk-white robes array'd, Palms they carry in their hands, Crowns of glory on their head. 2 Saints begin the endless song, Cry aloud in heavenly lays, Glory doth to God belong ; God, the glorious Saviour, praise : All salvation from him came ; Him, who reigns enthroned on high : Glory to the bleeding Lamb, Let the morning stars reply. 3 Angel-powers the throne surround, Next the saints in glory they ; Lull'd with the transporting sound, They their silent homage pay ; Prostrate on their face before God and his Messiah fall ; Then in hymns of praise adore, Shout the Lamb that died for all ! 4 Be it so, they all reply, Him let all our orders praise ; Him that did for sinners die, Saviour of the favour' d race ! Render we our God his right, Glory, wisdom, thanks, and power, Honour, majesty, and might ; Praise him, praise him evermore ! HYMN 76. 7's. 1 ^ITITHAT are these array'd in white, * * Brighter than the noon -day sun ? Describing Heaven. 7*j Foremost of the sons of light, Nearest the eternal throne ? These are they that bore the cross, Nobly for their Master stood ; Sufferers in his righteous cause, Followers of the dying God Out of great distress they came, Wash'd their robes by faith below In the blood of yonder Lamb, Blood that washes white as snow : Therefore are they next the throne, Serve their Maker day and night : God resides among his own, God doth in his saints delight. More than conquerors at last, Here they find their trials o'er ; They have all their sufferings past, Hunger now and thirst no more : No excessive heat they feel

1 r^OME, O thou all-victorious Lord, ^--/ Thy power to us make known ; Strike with the hammer of thy word, And break these hearts of stone ! 2 O that we all might now begin Our foolishness to mourn ; And turn at once from every sin, And to our Saviour turn ! 3 Give us ourselves and thee to know, In this our gracious day ; Repentance unto life bestow, And take our sins away. 4 Conclude us first in unbelief, And freely then release ; Fill every soul with sacred grief, And then with sacred peace. 5 Impoverish, Lord, and then relieve, And then enrich the poor ; The knowledge of our sickness give ; The knowledge of our cure. 6 That blessed sense of guilt impart, And then remove the load ; Trouble, and wash the troubled heart In the atoning blood. 7 Our desperate state through sin declare, And speak our sins forgiven ; By perfect holiness prepare, And take us up to heaven. Hb Praying for a Blessing. HYMN 85. s. m. 1 OPIR1T of Faith, come down, ^ Reveal the things of God ; And make to us the Godhead known, And witness with the blood : 'Tis thine the blood to' apply, And give us eyes to see, Who did for every sinner die, Hath surely died for me. 2 No man can truly say That Jesus is the Lord, Unless thou take the veil away, And breathe the living word : Then, only then, we feel Our interest in his blood, And cry, with joy unspeakable, " Thou art my Lord, my God ! ' 3 O that the world might know The all-atoning Lamb ! Spirit of faith ! descend, and show The virtue of his name : The grace which all may find, The saving power, impart ; And testify to all mankind, And speak in every heart. 4 Inspire the living faith, Which whosoe'er receives, The witness in himself he hath, And consciously believes ; The faith that conquers all, And doth the mountain move, And saves whoe'er on Jesus call, And perfects them in love. Praying for a Blessing. 87 HYMN 86. 2-6** §■ 4-7's. 1 DINNERS, your hearts lift up, ^ Partakers of your hope ! This, the day of Pentecost ; Ask, and ye shall all receive ; Surely now the Holy Ghost

And told thee all the mind of God. Ye are my witnesses, to you My name and nature are made known ; Ye only can your seal set to, That I am God, and God alone." Describing Formal Religion HYMN 91. c. m. LONG have I seem'd to serve thee, Lord, With unavailing pain : Fasted, and pray'd, and read thy Word, And heard it preach 'd in vain. Describing Formal Religion. ^1 2 Oft did I with the' assembly join, And near thine altar drew ; A form of godliness was mine, The power I never knew. 3 I rested in the outward law ; Nor knew its deep design : The length and breadth I never saw, And height, of love divine. 4 To please thee thus, at length I see, Vainly I hoped and strove : For what are outward things to thee, Unless they spring from love ? _ 5 I see the perfect law requires Truth in the inward parts ; Our full consent, our whole desires, Our undivided hearts. 6 But I of means have made my boast, Of means an idol made ; The spirit in the letter lost, The substance in the shade. 7 Where am I now, or what my hope ? What can my weakness do ? Jesus, to thee my soul looks up : 'Tis thou must make it new. 1 OTILL for thy lovingkindness, Lord, ^ I in thy temple wait ; I look to find thee in thy word, Or at thy table meet 2 Here, in thine own appointed ways, I wait to learn thy will : Silent I stand before thy face, And hear thee say, " Be still ! " *)<£ Describing Formal Religion. 3 " Be still ! and know that I am God ! "-- 'Tis all I live to know ; To feel the virtue of thy blood, And spread its praise below ! 4 I wait my vigour to renew, Thine image to retrieve, The veil of outward things pass through, And gasp in thee to live. 5 I work, and own the labour vain, And thus from works I eease : I strive, and see my fruitless pain, Till God create my peace. 6 Fruitless, till thou thyself impart, Must all my efforts prove : They cannot change a sinful heart ; They cannot purchase love.

My form without the power; The sin-convincing Spirit blew, And blasted every flower : My mouth was stopp'd, and shame Cover' d my guilty face : I fell on the atoning Lamb, And I was saved by grace. HYMN 94. ' c. m. 1 HPHE men who slight thy faithful word, *■ In their own lies confide, These are the temple of the Lord, , And Heathens all beside ! 2 The temple of the Lord are these, The only church and true, Who live in pomp, and wealth, and ease, And Jesus never knew. 3 O would'st thou, Lord, reveal their sins, And turn their joy to grief; The world, the Christian world, convince Of damning unbelief! 4 The formalists confound, convert, And to thy people join ; And break, and fill the broken heart With confidence divine ! Describing Inward Religion. HYMN 95. l. m. 1 A UTHOR of faith, eternal Word, -^ Whose Spirit breathes the active flame ; Faith, like its Finisher and Lord, To-day, as yesterday the same : 2 To thee our humble hearts aspire, And ask the gift unspeakable : Increase in us the kindled fire, In us the work of faith fulfil. 3 By faith we know thee strong to save : (Save us, a present Saviour thou !) Whate'er we hope, by faith we have, Future and past subsisting now. 4 To him that in thy name believes, Eternal life with thee is given ; Into himself he all receives, Pardon, and holiness, and heaven. 5 The things unknown to feeble sense, Unseen by reason's glimmering ray, With strong, commanding evidence, Their heavenly origin display. 6 Faith lends its realizing light, The clouds disperse, the shadows flv ; The' Invisible appears in sight, And God is seen by mortal eye. HYMN 96. s. m. OW can a sinner know His sins on earth forgiven ? How can my gracious Saviour show My name inscribed in heaven ? What we have felt and seen, With confidence we tell ; And publish to the sons of men The signs infallible. •vO Describing Inward Religion. 2 We who in Christ believe That he for us hath died, We all his unknown peace receive, And feel his blood applied ; Exults our rising soul, Disburden'd of her load, And swells unutterably full Of glory and of God. 3 His love, surpassing far

The love of all beneath, We find within our hearts, and dare The pointless darts of death. Stronger than death and hell, The mystic power we prove ; And, conquerors of the world, we dwell In heaven, who dwell in Love. 4 Wre by his Spirit prove And know the things of God, The things which freely of his love He hath on us bestow'd : His Spirit to us he gave, And dwells in us, we know : The witness in ourselves we have, And all its fruits we show. 5 The meek and lowly heart That in our Saviour was, To us his Spirit doth impart, And signs us with his cross : Our nature 's turn'd, our mind Transform'd in all its powers ; And both the Witnesses are join'd, The Spirit of God with ours. 6 Wrhate'er our pardoning Lord Commands, we gladly do ; And, guided by his sacred Word, We all his steps pursue : Describing Inward Religion. «^7 His glory our design, We live our God to please ; And rise, with filial fear divine, To perfect holiness. * HYMN 97. 8'* §• &s. 1 r I ^HOU great mysterious God unknown, -*- Whose love hath gently led me on, Even from my infant days ; Mine inmost soul expose to view, And tell me, if I ever knew Thy justifying grace. 2 If I have only known thy fear, And follow'd, with a heart sincere, Thy drawings from above ; Now, now the further grace bestow, And let my sprinkled conscience know Thy sweet forgiving love. 3 Short of thy love I would not stop, A stranger to the gospel hope, The sense of sin forgiven ; I would not, Lord, my soul deceive, Without the inward witness live, That antepast of heaven. 4 If now the witness were in me, Would he not testify of thee In Jesus reconciled ? And should I not with faith draw nigh, And boldly, Abba, Father, cry, And know myself thy child ? 5 Whate'er obstructs thy pardoning love, -- Or sin, or righteousness,-- remove, Thy glory to display ; Mine heart of unbelief convince, And now absolve me from my sins, And take them all away. <JO Praying for Repentance. 6 Father, in me reveal thy Son, And to my inmost soul make known

Endue my soul with thee ; Let thine image be restored, Thy name and nature let me prove ; With thy fulness fill me, Lord, And perfect me in love. HYMN 110. 7's8f6's. 1 TESUS, Friend of sinners, hear, *J Yet once again I pray : From my debt of sin set clear, For I have nought to pay : Speak, O speak, the kind release, A poor backsliding soul restore ; Love me freely, seal my peace, And bid me sin no more. 2 For my selfishness and pride, Thou hast withdrawn thy grace ; Left me long to wander wide, An outcast from thy face ; But I now my sins confess, And mercy, mercy, I implore ; Love, &c. 3 Though my sins as mountains rise, And swell and reach to heaven, Mercy is above the skies, I mav be still forgiven : Infinite my sins' increase, But greater is thy mercy's store : Love, &c. 4 Sin's deceitfulness hath spread A hardness o'er my heart ; But if thou thy Spirit shed, The stony shall depart : 11U For Mourners Shed thy love, thy tenderness, And let me feel thy softening power ; Love, &c 5 From the' oppressive power of sin My struggling* spirit free ; Perfect righteousness bring in, Unspotted purity : Speak, and all this war shall cease, And sin shall give its raging o'er ; Love, &c. 6 For this only thing I pray, And this will I require, Take the power of sin away, Fill me with chaste desire ; Perfect me in holiness ; Thine image to my soul restore ; Love me freely, seal my peace, And bid me sin no more. * HYMN 111. l. m. 1 HPHUS saith the Lord ! Who seek the Lamb, A Who follow after righteousness ; Look to the Rock from whence ye came, The Father of the faithful race. 2 Children of faithful Abraham, these, Who dare expect salvation here : The Lord shall give them gospel peace, And all his hopeless mourners cheer : 3 Shall soon his fallen Sion raise, Her waste and desolate places build ; Pour out the Spirit of his grace, And make her wilds a fruitful field. 4 The barren souls shall be restored ; The desert all renew'd shall rise ; Bloom as the garden of the Lord, A fair terrestrial paradise.

Convinced of Sin. Ill 5 Gladness and joy shall there be found, Thanksgiving, and the voice of praise ; The voice of melody shall sound, And every heart be fhTd with grace. 6 A law shall soon from him proceed, A living, life-infusing Word ; The truth that makes you free indeed, The' eternal Spirit of your Lord. 7 His mercy he will cause to rest, Where all may see their sins forgiven ; May rise, no more by guilt opprest, And bless the light that leads to heaven. HYMN 112. Ts Sf 6's. The Good Samaritan. Luke x. 30. 1 AylTOE is me ! what tongue can tell * * My sad afflicted state ! Who my anguish can reveal, Or all my woes relate ! Fallen among thieves I am, And they have robb'd me of my God ; Turn'd my glory into shame, And left me in my blood. 2 O thou good Samaritan ! In thee is all my hope ; Only thou canst succour man, And raise the fallen up : Hearken to my dying cry ; My wounds compassionately see ; Me, a sinner, pass not by, Who gasp for help to thee. 3 Still thou journey'st where I am, And still thy bowels move : 11^ For Mourners Pity is with thee the same, And all thy heart is love : Stoop to a poor sinner, stoop, And let thy healing grace abound ; Heal my bruises, and bind up My spirit's every wound. 4 Saviour of my soul, draw nigh, In mercy haste to me ; At the point of death I lie, And cannot come to thee ; Now thy kind relief afford, The wine and oil of grace pour in ; Good Physician, speak the word, And heal my soul of sin. 5 Pity to my dying cries Hath drawn thee from above ; Hovering over me, with eyes Of tenderness and love, Now, ev'n now, I see thy face ; The balm of Gilead I receive : Thou hast saved me by thy grace, And bade the sinner live. 6 Surely now the bitterness Of second death is past ; O my life, my righteousness ! On thee my soul is cast : Thou hast brought me to thine inn, And I am of thy promise sure ; Thou shalt cleanse me from all sin,

Who, turning to that heavenly shrine, Through Jesus to thy throne apply, Through Jesus for acceptance cry ? 5 With all who for redemption groan, Father, in Jesu's name I pray ! And still we cry and wrestle on Till mercy take our sins away : Hear from thy dwelling-place in heaven, And now pronounce our sins forgiven. HYMN 122. 8's §■ 6V. 1 f\ THOU who hast our sorrows borne, ^S Help us to look on thee and mourn, On thee whom we have slain ; Have pierced a thousand, thousand times, And by reiterated crimes Renew'd thy mortal pain. 2 Vouchsafe us eyes of faith to see The man transiix'd on Calvary, To know thee, who thou art, The One Eternal God and True ! And let the sight affect, subdue, And break my stubborn heart. 3 Lover of souls, to rescue mine, lleveal the charity divine, That suffer' d in my stead ; Convinced of Sin. 1^1 That made thy soul a sacrifice, And quench' d in death those flaming eyes, And how'd that sacred head. The veil of unbelief remove, And by thy manifested love, And by thy sprinkled blood, Destroy the love of sin in me, And get thyself the victory, And bring me back to God. Now let thy dying love constrain My soul to love its God again, Its God to glorify : And, lo ! I come thy cross to share, Echo thy sacrificial prayer, And with my Saviour die ! HYMN 123. c. m. 1 ET the redeem' d give thanks and praise JL^ To a forgiving God ! My feeble voice I cannot raise, Till wash'd in Jesu's blood : 2 Till, at thy coming from above, My mountain-sins depart, And fear gives place to filial love, And peace o'erflows my heart. 3 Prisoner of Hope, I still attend The' appearance of my Lord, These endless doubts and fears to end, And speak my soul restored : 4 Restored by reconciling grace ; With present pardon blest ; And fitted by true holiness For my eternal rest. J ££ For Mourners 5 The peace which man can ne'er conceive, The love and joy unknown, Now, Father, to thy servant give, And claim me for thine own. 6 My God, in Jesus pacified, My God, thyself declare, And draw me to his open side, And plunge the sinner there !

HYMN 124. 8's # 6's. 1 r\ THAT I, first of love possess'd, ^S With my Redeemer's presence bless' d, Might his salvation see ! Before thou dost my soul require, Allow me, Lord, my heart's desire, And show thyself to me. 2 Appear my sanctuary from sin : Open thine arms, and take me in ; In thy own presence hide : Hide in the place where Moses stood, And show me now the face of God, My Father pacified. 3 What but thy manifested grace, Can guilt, and fear, and sorrow chase, The cause of grief destroy ? Thy mercy makes salvation sure, Makes all my heart and nature pure, And fills with hallow'd joy. 4 Come quickly, Lord, the veil remove ! Pass as a God of pardoning love Before my ravish'd eyes ; And when I in thy person see Jehovah's glorious majesty, I find my Paradise. Convinced of km. \23 HYMN 125. c. m. 1 f\ THAT I could my Lord receive, V>/ Who did the world redeem ; Who gave his life, that I might live A life conceal' d in him ! 2 O that I could the blessing prove, My heart's extreme desire ; Live happy in my Saviour's love, And in his arms expire ! 3 Mercy I ask to seal my peace, That, kept by mercy's power, I may from every evil cease, And never grieve thee more ! 4 Now, if thy gracious will it be, Even now, my sins remove ; And set my soul at liberty, By thy victorious love. 5 In answer to ten thousand prayers, Thou pardoning God, descend ! Number me with salvation's heirs, My sins and troubles end ! 6 Nothing I ask or want beside, Of all in earth or heaven, But let me feel thy blood applied, And live and die forgiven. HYMN 126. l. M. 1 rTHOO strong I was to conquer sin, -*■ When 'gainst it first 1 turn'd my face ; Nor knew my want of power within, Nor knew the' omnipotence of grace. j-^* For Mourners 2 In nature's strength I sought in vain For what my God refused to give : I could not then the mastery gain, Or lord of all my passions live. 3 But, for the glory of thy name,

Nothing have I to plead ; Unto dogs it is not right To cast the children's bread : Yet the dogs the crumbs may eat, That from the master's table fall : Let the fragments be my meat ; Thy grace is free for all. 5 Give me, Lord, the victory, My heart's desire fulfil : Conv in ced of Sin . Jul Let it now be done to me According to my will ! Give me living bread to eat, And say, in answer to my call, " Canaanite, thy faith is great ! My grace is free for all." 6 If thy grace foi all is free, Thy call now let me hear ; Show this token upon me, And bring salvation near : Now the gracious word repeat, The word of healing to my soul ct Canaanite, thy faith is great ! Thy faith hath made thee whole. } J^OME, holy, celestial Dove, ^^ To visit a sorrowful breast, My burden of guilt to remove, And bring me assurance and rest ! Thou only hast power to relieve A sinner o'erwhehn'd with his load ; The sense of acceptance to give, And sprinkle his heart with the blood 2 With me if of old thou hast strove, And strangely withheld from my sin, And tried, by the lure of thy love, My worthless affections to win, -- The work of thy mercy revive ; Thy uttermost mercy exert ; And kindly continue to strive, And hold, till I yield thee my heart 3 Thy call if I ever have known, And sigh'd from myself to get free, And groan'd the unspeakable groan, And long'd to be happy in thee,--- » o2 For Mourners Fulfil the imperfect desire ; Thy peace to my conscience reveal ; The sense of thy favour inspire, And give me my pardon to feel ! 4 If when I had put thee to grief, And madly to folly return 'd, Thy pity hath been my relief, And lifted me up as I mourn' d, -- Most pitiful Spirit of Grace, Relieve me again and restore ; My spirit in holiness raise, To fall and to suffer no more ! 5 If now I lament after God, And gasp for a drop of thy love, If Jesus hath bought thee with blood, For me to receive from above, -- Come, heavenly Comforter, come,

On me, the vilest reptile, me ! I take the blessing from above, And wonder at thy boundless love. 2 Me in my blood thy love pass'd by, And stopp'd, my ruin to retrieve ; Wept o'er my soul thy pitying eye ; Thy bowels yearn'd, and sounded, u Live ! " Dying, I heard the welcome sound, And pardon in thy mercy found. 3 Honour, and might, and thanks, and praise, I render to my pardoning God ; Extol the riches of thy grace, And spread thy saving name abroad ; That only name to sinners given, Which lifts poor dying worms to heaven. 4 Jesus, I bless thy gracious power, And all within me shouts thy Name : Thy Name let every soul adore, Thy power let every tongue proclaim ; Thy grace let every sinner know, And lind with me their heaven below. HYMN 207. 7's. 1 TESUS is our common Lord, ** He our loving Saviour is : By his death to life restored, Misery we exchange for bliss ; Bliss to carnal minds unknown : O 'tis more than tongue can tell ! Onlv to believers shown, Glorious and unspeakable ! For Believers Rejoicing. 2()o 2 Christ, our Brother and our Friend, Shows us his eternal love : Never shall our triumphs end, Till we take our seats above. Let us walk with him in white, For our bridal day prepare, For our partnership in light, For our glorious meeting there ! HYMN 208. c. m. 1 ^OOME, let us, who in Christ believe, ^--/ Our common Saviour praise ; To him with joyful voices give The glory of his grace. 2 He now stands knocking at the door Of every sinner's heart ; The worst need keep him out no more, Or force him to depart. 3 Through grace we hearken to thy voice, Yield to be saved from sin ; In sure and certain hope rejoice, That thou wilt enter in. 4 Come quickly in, thou heavenly guest, Nor ever hence remove ; But sup with us, and let the feast Be everlasting love. HYMN 209. 6-8's. 1 rT^HOU hidden Source of calm repose, -*- Thou all-sufficient Love Divine, My help and refuge from my foes, Secure I am, if thou art mine : And lo ! from sin, and grief, and shame, I hide me, Jesus, in thy Name.

The man who on thy love depends ; Watches every number' d hair, And all his steps attends. 3 Who can sound the depths unknown Of thy redeeming grace ? Grace, that gave thine only Son To save a ruin'd race ! Millions of transgressors poor Thou hast for Jesu's sake forgiven ; Made them of thy favour sure, And snatch'd from hell to heaven. 4 Millions more thou ready art To save, and to forgive ! Every soul and every heart Of man thou would 'st receive : Father, now accept of mine, Which now, through Christ, I offer thee; Tell me now, in love divine, That thou hast pardon' d me ! For Believers Rejoicing. 2oJ HYMN 246. l. m. J A /TY soul, through my Redeemer's care, IV A Saved from the second death I feel, My eyes from tears of dark despair, My feet from falling into hell. 2 Wherefore to him my feet shall run ; My eyes on his perfections gaze ; My soul shall live for God alone ; And all within me shout his praise. HYMN 247. L. m. 1 TTOLY as thou, O Lord, is none ! A A Thy holiness is all thy own ; A drop of that unbounded sea Is ours, a drop derived from thee. 2 And when thy purity we share, Thy only glory we declare ; And, humbled into nothing, own Holy and pure is God alone ! 3 Sole, self-existing God and Lord, By all thy heavenly hosts adored ; Let all on earth bow down to thee, And own thy peerless majesty : 4 Thy power unparallel'd confess, Establish'd on the Rock of Peace ; The Rock that never shall remove, The Rock of pure, almighty Love ! HYMN 248. c. m. 1 T3LEST be our everlasting Lord, ■D Our Father, God, and King ! Thy sovereign goodness we record, Thy glorious power we sing. Z*±\) For Believers Rejoicing, 2 i$y thee the victory is given ; The majesty divine, And strength, and might, and earth, and heaven, And all therein, are thine. 3 Thy kingdom, Lord, is thine alone, Who dost thy right maintain, And, high on thine eternal throne, O'er men and angels reign. 4 Riches, as seemeth good to thee, Thou dost, and honour, give ; And Kings their power and dignity Out of thy hand receive.

To every heart of man : Thy peace, and joy, and righteousness, In all our bosoms reign. 4 The righteousness that never ends, But makes an end of sin, The joy that human thought transcends, Into our souls bring in : 5 The kingdom of establish'd peace, Which can no more remove ; The perfect power of Godliness, The' omnipotence of Love. HYMN 252. cm. 1 /^OME, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, V_y One God in Persons Three, Bring back the heavenly blessing, lost By all mankind and me. For Believers Rejoicing. 243 2 Thy favour, and thy nature too, To me, to all restore ; Forgive, and after God renew, And keep us evermore. 3 Eternal Sun of Righteousness, Display thy beams divine, And cause the glories of thy face Upon my heart to shine. 4 Light in thy light O may I see, Thy grace and mercy prove ; Revived, and cheer'd, and bless'd by thee, The God of pardoning love. 5 Lift up thy countenance serene, And let thy happy child Behold, without a cloud between, The Godhead reconciled ! 6 That all-comprising peace bestow On me, through grace forgiven ; The joys of holiness below, And then the joys of heaven ! *HYMN 253. s. m. 1 Xj^ATHER, in whom we live, ■*- In whom we are, and move, The glory, power, and praise receive Of thy creating love. 2 Let all the angel-throng Give thanks to God on high ; While earth repeats the joyful song, And echoes through the sky. ^44 For Believers Rejoicing. 3 Incarnate Deity, Let all the ransom' d race Render in thanks their lives to thee, For thy redeeming grace. 4 The grace to sinners show'd, Ye heavenly choirs proclaim, And cry, " Salvation to our God, Salvation to the Lamb ! " 5 Spirit of Holiness, Let all thy saints adore Thy sacred energy, and bless Thine heart-renewing power. (I Not angel- tongues can tell Thy love's ecstatic height, The glorious joy unspeakable, The beatific sight ! 7 Eternal, Triune Lord ! Let all the hosts above, Let all the sons of men, record And dwell upon thy love. 8 When heaven and earth are fled Before thy glorious face, Sing all the saints thy love hath made Thine everlasting praise ! HYMN 254. l.m. 1 riHHE day of Christ, the day of God,

-*- We humbly hope with joy to see, Wash'd in the sanctifying blood Of an expiring Deity. 2 Who did for us his life resign, There is no other God but One, For all the plenitude divine Resides in the eternal Son. For Believers Rejoicing. ^4A 3 Spotless, sincere, without offence, O may we to his day remain, Who trust the blood of God to cleanse Our souls from every sinful stain. 4 Lord, we believe the promise sure ; The purchased Comforter impart ; Apply thy blood to make us pure, To keep us pure, in life and heart ! 5 Then let us see that day supreme, When none thy Godhead shall deny, Thy Sovereign Majesty blaspheme, Or count thee less than the Most High : 6 When all who on their God believe, Who here thy last appearing love, Shall thy consummate joy receive, And see thy glorious face above. HYMN 255. 6-8'a. 1 OPIRIT of Truth, essential God, ^ Who didst thy ancient saints inspire. Shed in their hearts thy love abroad, And touch their hallow* d lips with fire ; Our God from all eternity, World without end, we worship thee. 2 Still we believe, Almighty Lord, Whose presence fills both earth and heaven, The meaning of the written word Is by thy inspiration given : Thou only dost thyself explain The secret mind of God to man. 246 For Believers Rejoicing. 3 Come, then, Divine Interpreter, The Scriptures to our hearts apply , And, taught by thee, we God revere, Him in Three Persons magnify ; In each the Triune God adore, Who was, and is for evermore. HYMN 256. cm. HAUL! Father, Son, and Spirit great, Before the birth of time Enthroned in everlasting state, Jehovah, Elohim ! 2 A mystical plurality We in the Godhead own, Adoring One in Persons Three, And Three in Nature One. ,\ From thee our being we receive, The creatures of thy grace ; And, raised out of the earth, we live To sing our Maker's praise. 4 Thy powerful, wise, and loving mind Did our creation plan ; And all the glorious Persons join'd To form thy favourite, Man. 5 Again thou didst, in council met, Thy ruin'd work restore, Establish 'd in our first estate, To forfeit it no more. 6 And when we rise in love renew 'd,

Tbee, Holy Son, adore ; Tbee, Spirit of Truth and Holiness, We worship evermore. For Believers Rejoicing. .249 4 The incommunicable right, Almighty God ! receive, Which angel-choirs, and saints in light, And saints embodied, give. 5 Three Persons equally divine We magnify and love ; And both the choirs ere long shall join, To sing thy praise above. 6 Hail! holy, holy, holy Lord, (Our heavenly song shall be,) . Supreme, essential One, adored In co-eternal Three ! HYMN 260. 1's. 1 TTOLY, holy, holy Lord, -H- God the Father, and the Word, God the Comforter, receive Blessings more than we can give : Mix'd with those beyond the sky, Chanters to the Lord Most High, We our hearts and voices raise, Echoing thy eternal praise. 2 One, inexplicably Three, One, in simplest Unity, God, incline thy gracious ear, Us, thy lisping creatures, hear : Thee while man, the earth-born, sings. Angels shrink within their wings ; Prostrate Seraphim above Breathe unutterable love. 3 Happy they who never rest, With thy heavenly presence blest ! They the heights of glory see, Sound the depths of Deity ! 'ZOV For Believers Rejoicing. Fain with them our souls would vie ; Sink as low, and mount as high ; Fall o'erwhelm'd with love, or soar ; Shout, or silently adore ! 1 /^OME, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, ^^ Whom one all-perfect God we own, Restorer of thine image lost, Thy various offices make known ; Display, our fallen souls to raise, Thy whole economy of grace. 2 Jehovah in three Persons, come, And draw, and sprinkle us, and seal, Poor, guilty, dying worms, in whom Thou dost eternal life reveal ; The knowledge of thyself bestow, And all thy glorious goodness show. 3 Soon as our pardon'd hearts believe That thou art pure, essential love, The proof we in ourselves receive Of the Three Witnesses above ; Sure, as the saints around thy throne, That Father, Word, and Spirit, are One. 4 O that we now, in love renew'd, Might blameless in thy sight appear : Wake we in thy similitude, Stamp'd with the Triune character : Flesh, spirit, soul, to thee resign ; And live and die entirely thine ! For Believers Rejoicing. £*) I HYMN 262. cm. 1 \ THOUSAND oracles divine -^*- Their common beams unite ; That sinners may with angels join

To worship God aright : 2 To praise a Trinity adored By all the hosts above ; And one thrice-holy God and Lord Through endless ages love. 3 Triumphant host ! they never cease To laud and magnify The triune God of Holiness, Whose glory fills the sky : 4 Whose glory to this earth extends, When God himself imparts, And the whole Trinity descends Into our faithful hearts. 5 By faith the upper choir we meet ; And challenge them to sing Jehovah, on his shining seat, Our Maker and our King. 6 But God made flesh is wholly ours, And asks our nobler strain ; The Father of celestial powers, The Friend of earth-born man ! 7 Ye seraphs, nearest to the throne, With rapturous amaze On us, poor ransom'd worms, look down For heaven's superior praise. 8 The King, whose glorious face ye see, For us his crown resign'd ; That fulness of the Deity, He died for all mankind ! ^02 J?or Believers Rejoicing. *HYMN 263. cm. 1 T^ATHER, how wide thy glory shines ! *- How high thy wonders rise ! Known through the earth by thousand signs, By thousands through the skies. l2 Those mighty orbs proclaim thy power ; Their motions speak thy skill ; And on the wings of every hour We read thy patience still. 3 Part of thy name divinely stands On all thy creatures writ ; They show the labour of thy hands, Or impress of thy feet. 4 But when we view thy strange design To save rebellious worms, Where vengeance and compassion join In their divinest forms ; 5 Here the whole Deity is known, Nor dares a creature guess Which of the glories brightest shone, The justice, or the grace. 6 Now the full glories of the Lamb Adorn the heavenly plains ! Bright seraphs learn Immanuers name. And try their choicest strains. 7 O ! may I bear some humble part In that immortal song ! Wonder and joy shall tune my heart And love command my tongue. For JBelievers Fighting. 20o HYMN 264. s. m, 1 f\ ALL-CREATING God ! ^S At whose supreme decree Our body rose, a breathing clod, Our souls sprang forth from thee ; 2 For this thou hast design'd, And form'd us man for this, To know and love thyself, and find In thee our endless bliss.

O'er a parch'd and weary land As a great rock extends its shade, Hide me, Saviour, with thine hand, And screen my naked head. In the time of my distress Thou hast my succour been, In my utter helplessness Restraining me from sin : 0 how swiftly didst thou move To save me in the trying hour ! Still protect me with thy love, And shield me with thy power. First and last in me perform The work thou hast begun ; Be my shelter from the storm, My shadow from the sun : Weary, parch'd with thirst, and faint, Till thou the' abiding Spirit breathe Every moment, Lord, I want The merit of thy death. Never shall I want it less, When thou the gift hast given, Fill'd me with thy righteousness, And seal'd the heir of heaven : 1 shall hang upon my God, Till I thy perfect glory see ; Till the sprinkling of thy blood Shall speak me up to thee. HYMN 293. l. m. 1 TESUS, my King, to thee I bow, *J Enlisted under thy command ; Captain of my salvation, thou Shalt lead me to the promised land. 2o2 For Believers Fighting. 2 Thou hast a great deliverance wrought, The staff from off my shoulder broke ; Out of the house of bondage brought, And freed me from the' Egyptian yoke. 3 O'er the vast howling wilderness, To Canaan's bounds thou hast me led ; Thou bidd'st me now the land possess, And on thy milk and honey feed. 4 I see an open door of hope ; Legions of sin in vain oppose ; Bold I with thee, my Head, march up, And triumph o'er a world of foes. 5 Gigantic lusts come forth to fight, I mark, disdain, and all break through ; I tread them down in Jesu's might, Through Jesus I can all things do. 6 Lo ! the tall sons of Anak rise ! Who can the sons of Anak meet ? Captain, to thee I lift mine eyes, And, lo ! they fall beneath my feet. 7 Passion, and appetite, and pride, (Pride, my old, dreadful, tyrant-foe,) I see cast down on every side, And, conquering, I to conquer go. 8 My Lord in my behalf appears ; Captain, thy strength-inspiring eye Scatters my doubts, dispels my fears, And makes the host of aliens fly.

Till faith shall make us whole ; Till thou shalt all things new create, In each believing soul. Who can resist thy will? Speak, and it shall be done ! Thou shalt the work of faith fuliil, And perfect us in one. For Believers Praying. 2v3 HYMN 304. 8's §■ 6's. The Beatitudes. Matt. v. 1--12. 1 O AViOUR, on me the want bestow, 0 Which all that feel shall surely know Their sins on earth forgiven ; Give me to prove the kingdom mine, And taste, in holiness divine, The happiness of heaven. 2 Meeken my soul, thou heavenly Lamb, That I in the new earth may claim My hundred-fold reward ; My rich inheritance possess, Co-heir with the great Prince of Peace, Co-partner with my Lord. 3 Me with that restless thirst inspire, That sacred, infinite desire ; And feast my hungry heart : Less than thyself cannot suffice : My soul for all thy fulness cries, For all thou hast, and art. 4 Mercy who show shall mercy find ; Thy pitiful and tender mind Be, Lord, on me bestowal ; So shall 1 still the blessing gain, And to eternal life retain The mercy of my God. 5 Jesus, the crowning grace impart , Bless me with purity of heart, That, now beholding thee, 1 soon may view thy open face, On all thy glorious beauties gaze, And God for ever- see ! 2v^± For Believers Watching. 6 Not for my fault or folly's sake, The name, or mode, or form, I take, -- But for true holiness, Let me be vvrong'd, reviled, abhorr'd ; And thee, my sanctifying Lord, In life and death confess 7 Call'd to sustain the hallow'd cross, And suffer for thy righteous cause, Pronounce me doubly blest : And let thy glorious Spirit, Lord, Assure me of my great reward, In heaven's eternal feast. For Believers TVatehing. HYMN 305. s. m. 1 f^ RACIOUS Redeemer, shake ^--J" This slumber from my soul ! Say to me now, " Awake, awake ! And Christ shall make thee whole." Lay to thy mighty hand ; Alarm me in this hour ; And make me fully understand The thunder of thy power ! 2 Give me on thee to call, Always to watch and pray, Lest I into temptation fall, And cast my shield away. For each assault prepared

And ready may I be ; For ever standing on my guard, And looking up to thee. 3 O do thou always warn My soul of evil near ! When to the right or left I turn, Thy voice still let me hear : For Believers Watching. 295 £> " Come back ! this is the way ; Come back, and walk herein ! *' O may I hearken and obey, And shun the paths of sin ! Thou seest my feebleness ; Jesus, be thou my power, My help and refuge in distress, My fortress and my tower. Give me to trust in thee ! Be thou my sure abode ; My horn, and rock, and buckler be, My Saviour, and my God. Myself I cannot save, Myself I cannot keep : But strength in thee I surely have, Whose eye-lids never sleep : My soul to thee alone Now therefore I commend ; Thou, Jesus, love me as thy own, And love me to the end. 1 T^ATHER, to thee I lift mine eyes, JL My longing eyes, and restless heart Before the morning watch I rise, And wait to taste how good thou art, To' obtain the grace I humbly claim, The saving power of Jesu's name. 2 This slumber from my soul, O shake ! Warn by thy Spirit's inward call ; Let me to righteousness awake, And pray that I no more may fall, Or give to sin or Satan place, But walk in all thy righteous ways. ^*yb For Believers Watching. s 3 O would'st thou, Lord, thy servant guard, 'Gainst every known or secret foe ; A mind for all assaults prepared, A sober, vigilant mind bestow, Ever apprized of danger nigh, And when to light, and when to fly. 4 O never suffer me to sleep Secure within the verge of hell , But still my watchful spirit keep In lowly awe and loving zeal ; And bless me with a godly fear, And plant that guardian -angel here ! 5 Attended by the sacred dread, And wise from evil to depart, Let me from strength to strength proceed, And rise to purity of heart ; Through all the paths of duty move, From humble faith to perfect love. HYMN 307. c. m. d.

1 TTELP, Lord, to whom for help I fly, •1 -■- And still my tempted soul stand by, Throughout the evil day : The sacred watchfulness impart, And keep the issues of my heart. And stir me up to pray. 2 My soul with thy whole armour arm ; In each approach of sin alarm, And show the danger near ; Surround, sustain, and strengthen me, And fill with godly jealousy, And sanctifying fear. 3 Whene'er my careless hands hang down, O let me see thy gathering frown, And feel thy warning eye ; For Believers Watching. 299 And starting cry, from ruin's brink, Save, Jesus, or I yield, I sink, O save me, or 1 die ! 4 Tf near the pit I rashly stray, Before I wholly fall away, The keen conviction dart ! Recal me by that pitying look, That kind, upbraiding glance, which broke Unfaithful Peter s heart. 5 In me thine utmost mercy show, And make me like thyself below, Unblamable in grace ; Ready prepared, and fitted here, By perfect holiness, to' appear Before thy glorious face. HYMN 310. c. m 1 TNTO a world of ruffians sent, ■*- I walk on hostile ground ; While human bears on slaughter bent, And ravening wolves, surround. 2 The lion seeks my soul to slay, In some unguarded hour ; And waits to tear his sleeping prey, And watches to devour. 3 But worse than all my foes I find The enemy within, The evil heart, the carnal mind, Mine own insidious sin. 4 My nature every moment waits, To render me secure, And all my paths with ease besets, To make my ruin sure. oOO For Believers Watching. 5 But thou hast given a loud alarm ; And thou shalt still prepare My soul for all assaults, and arm With never-ceasing prayer. 6 O do not suffer me to sleep, Who on thy love depend ; But still thy faithful servant keep, And save me to the end ! HYMN 311. s.M. 1 DID me of men beware, -A-J And to my ways take heed ; Discern their every secret snare, And circumspectly tread O may I calmly wait Thy succours from above ; And stand against their open hate And well-dissembled love ! 2 My spirit, Lord, alarm, When men and devils join ; 'Gainst all the powers of Satan aim,

' * Who load us with reproach and shame ; As servants of the Lord Most High, As zealous for his glorious name, We ought in all his paths to move, With holy fear and humble love. 2 That wisdom, Lord, on us bestow, From every evil to depart ; To stop the mouth of every foe, While, upright both in life and heart, The proofs of godly fear we give, And show them how the Christians live. For Believers Working . «307 HYMN 320. 8's&6's. BE it my only wisdom here, To serve the Lord with filial fear, With loving gratitude ; Superior sense may I display, By shunning every evil way, And walking in the good. 2 O may I still from sin depart ! A wise and understanding heart, Jesus, to me be given ; And let me through thy Spirit know, To glorify my God below, And find my way to heaven. For Believers Working. HYMN 321. cm. SUMMON'D my labour to renew, And glad to act my part, Lord, in thy name my work I do, And with a single heart. End of my every action thou, In all things thee I see : Accept my hallow' d labour now ; I do it unto thee. Whate'er the Father views as thine, He views with gracious eyes ; Jesus, this mean oblation join To thy great Sacrifice. o\)o For Believers Working. s 4 Stamp'd with an infinite desert, My work he then shall own ; Well pleased with me, when mine thou art, And I his favour' d son. HYMN 322. c. m. 1 SERVANT of all, to toil for man ^ Thou didst not, Lord, refuse ; Thy majesty did not disdain To be employ 'd for us ! 2 Thy bright example I pursue, To thee in all things rise ; And all I think, or speak, or do, Is one great sacrifice. 3 Careless through outward cares I go, From all distraction free ; My hands are but engaged below, My heart is still with thee. HYMN 323. s. i\i. J /^ OD of almighty love, ^^ By whose sufficient grace I lift my heart to things above, And humbly seek thy face : Through Jesus Christ the Just, My faint desires receive ; And let me in thy goodness trust, And to thy glory live. 2 Whate'er I say or do,

Thy glory be my aim ; My offerings all be offer' d through The ever-blessed Name ! Jesus, my single eye Be fix'd on thee alone : Thy name be praised on earth, on high ; Thy will by all be done ! For Believers Working. <J09 s Spirit of faith, inspire, My consecrated heart ; Fill me with pure, celestial fire, With all thou hast, and art : My feeble mind transform, And, perfectly renew'd, Into a saint exalt a worm, A worm exalt to God ! HYMN 324. l. m. 1 T^ORTH in thy name, O Lord, I go, ■*- My daily labour to pursue ; Thee, only thee, resolved to know, In all I think, or speak, or do. 2 The task thy wisdom hath assign'd, O let me cheerfully fulfil ! In all my works thy presence find, And prove thy acceptable will. 3 Thee may I set at my right hand, Whose eyes my inmost substance see ; And labour on at thy command, And offer all my works to thee. 4 Give me to bear thy easy yoke, And every moment watch and pray ; And still to things eternal look, And hasten to thy glorious day. 5 For thee delightfully employ Whate'er thy bounteous grace hath given ; And run my course with even joy, And closelv walk with thee to heaven. <3JU For Believers fVorking. HYMN 325. 7's 8f6's. LO ! I come with joy to do The Master's blessed will ; Him in outward works pursue, And serve his pleasure still. Faithful to my Lord's commands, I still would choose the better part ; Serve with careful Martha s hands, And loving Mary's heart. 2 Careful without care I am, Nor feel my happy toil* Kept in peace by Jesu's name, Supported by his smile : Joyful thus my faith to show, I find his service my reward ; Every work I do below, I do it to the Lord. 3 Thou, O Lord, in tender love, Dost all my burdens bear ! Lift my heart to things above, And fix it ever there ! Calm on tumult's wheel I sit, 'Midst busy multitudes alone, Sweetly waiting at thy feet, Till all thy will be done. 4 Thou, O Lord, my portion art, Before I hence remove ! Now my treasure and my heart

The saints' secure abode : On faith's strong eagle-pinions rise, And force your passage to the skies, And scale the mount of God. 3 Who suffer with our Master here, We shall before his face appear, And by his side sit down : To patient faith the prize is sure ; And all that to the end endure The cross, shall wear the crown For Believers Suffering. oli 4 Thrice blessed, bliss-inspiring hope ! It lifts the fainting* spirits up ; It brings to life the dead : Our conflicts here shall soon be past, And you and I ascend at last, Triumphant with our Head. 5 That great mysterious Deity We soon with open face shall see ; The beatific sight Shall fill heaven's sounding courts with praise, And wide diffuse the golden blaze Of everlasting light. G The Father shining on his throne, The glorious co-eternal Son, The Spirit, one and seven, Conspire our rapture to complete ; And, lo ! we fall before his feet, And silence heightens heaven. 7 In hope of that ecstatic pause, Jesus, we now sustain the cross, And at thy footstool fall ; Till thou our hidden life reveal, Till thou our ravish'd spirits fill, And God is All in All ! HYMN 334. 8'8 8r6's. 2 Sam. xvi. 1 ORD, I adore thy gracious will ; *-** Through every instrument of ill My Father's goodness see ; Accept the complicated wrong Of Shimei's hand and Shimei's tongue, As kind rebukes from thee ! olo For Believers Suffering. HYMN 335. Ts §■ &s. 1 /^AST on the fidelity ^-^ Of my redeeming Lord, I shall his salvation see, According to his word : Credence to his word I give ; My Saviour in distresses past Will not now his servant leave, But bring me through at last. 2 Better than my boding fears To me thou oft hast proved ; Oft observed my silent tears, And challenged thy beloved : Mercy to my rescue flew, And death ungrasp'd his fainting prey ; Pain before thy face withdrew, And sorrow fled away. 3 Now as yesterday the same, In all my troubles nigh, Jesus, on thy Word and Name I steadfastly rely ; Sure as now the grief I feel, The promised joy I soon shall have ; Saved again, to sinners tell Thy power and will to save.

4 Thy mind throughout my life be shown, While list'ning to the wretch's cry, The widow's and the orphan's groan, On mercy's wings I swiftly fly, The poor and helpless to relieve, My life, my all, for them to give. 5 Thus may I show the Spirit within, Which purges me from every stain ; Unspotted from the world and sin, My faith's integrity maintain ; The truth of my religion prove, By perfect purity and love. 1 f\ GOD of my salvation, hear, ^-^ And help a sinner to draw near With boldness to the throne of Grace Help me thy benefits to sing, And smile to see me feebly bring My humble sacrifice of praise. 2 I cannot praise thee as I would ; But thou art merciful and good ; I know thou never wilt despise The day of small and feeble things, But bear me, till on eagles' wings To all the heights of love I rise. OQy) Seeking for full Redemption. 3 I thank thee for that gracious taste, (Which pride would not permit to last,) That touch of love, that pledge of heaven ; Surely on me my Father smiled, And once I knew him reconciled, And once I felt my sins forgiven. 4 My Lord and God I then could see, My Saviour, who hath died for me, To bring the rebel near to God ; Thou didst, thou didst, thy peace impart ; Pardon was written on my heart, In largest characters of blood. 5 Vilest of all the sons of men, When I to folly turn'd again, And sinn'd against thy light and love, Grace did much more than sin abound ; Amazed, I still forgiveness found, And thank'd my Advocate above. 6 Saviour, for this I thank thee now ; My Saviour to the utmost, thou Hast snatch'd me from the gates of hell ; That I to all mankind may prove Thy free, thine everlasting love, Which all mankind with me may feel. 7 The boundless love that found out me, For every soul of man is free ; None of thy mercy need despair ; Patient, and pitiful, and kind, Thee every soul of man may find, And, freely saved, thy grace declare. 8 A vile, backsliding sinner, I Ten thousand deaths deserve to die ; Yet still by sovereign grace I live !

Well-pleasing in thy sight. I ask no higher state ; Indulge me but in this, And soon or later then translate To my eternal bliss. Seeking for full Redemption. oDO HYMN 368. 7's §• 6Y 1 T^ATHER, see this living clod, -*- This spark of heavenly fire ; See my soul, the breath of God, Doth after God aspire : Let it still to heaven ascend, Till I my principle rejoin, Blended with my glorious end, And lost in love divine. 2 Lord, if thou from me hast broke The power of outward sin, Burst this Babylonish yoke, And make me free within : Bid my inbred sin depart, And I thy utmost word shall prove, Upright both in life and heart, And perfected in love. 3 God of all-sufficient grace, My God in Christ thou art ; Bid me walk before thy face, Till I am pure in heart ; Till, transform'd by faith divine, I gain that perfect love unknown, Bright in all thine image shine, By putting on thy Son. 4 Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, In council join again, To restore thine image lost By frail, apostate man : O might I thy form express, Through faith begotten from above, Stamp'd with real holiness, And fill'd with perfect love. 354 Seeking for full Redemption* HYMN 369. l. m. 1 f\ GOD, most merciful and true ! ^^ Thy nature to my soul impart ; 'Stablish with me the cov'nant new, And write perfection on my heart. 2 To real holiness restored, 0 let me gain my Saviour's mind ! And, in the knowledge of my Lord, Fulness of life eternal find. 3 Remember, Lord, my sins no more, That them I may no more forget ; But sunk in guiltless shame adore, With speechless wonder, at thy feet. 4 O'erwhelm'd with thy stupendous grace, 1 shall not in thy presence move ; But breathe unutterable praise, And rapturous awe, and silent love. 5 Then every murmuring thought and vain Expires, in sweet confusion lost ; I cannot of my cross complain ; I cannot of my goodness boast. 6 Pardon'd for all that I have done, My mouth as in the dust I hide ; And glory give to God alone, My God for ever pacified ! HYMN 370. c. m

1 TVEEPEN the wound thy hands have made U In this weak, helpless soul, Till mercy, with its balmy aid, Descends to make me whole. Seeking for full Redemption. oOO 2 The sharpness of thy two-edged sword Enable me to' endure ; Till bold to say, My hallowing Lord Hath wrought a perfect cure. 3 I see the' exceeding broad command, Which all contains in one : Enlarge my heart to understand The mystery unknown. 4 O that with all thy saints I might By sweet experience prove, What is the length, and breadth, and height, And depth, of perfect love ! WHAT now is my object and aim ? What now is my hope and desire ? To follow the heavenly Lamb, And after his image aspire : My hope is all centred in thee ; I trust to recover thy love, On earth thy salvation to see, And then to enjoy it above. I thirst for a life-giving God, A God that on Calvary died ; A fountain of water and blood, Which gush'd from Immanuel's side ! I gasp for the stream of thy love, The Spirit of rapture unknown : And then to re-drink it above, Eternally fresh from the throne. ODD Seeking for full Redemption GIVE me the enlarged desire. And open, Lord, my soul, Thy own fulness to require, And comprehend the whole : Stretch my faith's capacity Wider, and yet wider still ; Then with all that is in thee My soul for ever fill ! 1 TESU, thy boundless love to me *J No thought can reach, no tongue declare; O knit my thankful heart to thee, And reign without a rival there : Thine wholly, thine alone, I am ; Be thou alone my constant flame ! 2 O grant that nothing in my soul May dwell, but thy pure love alone : O may thy love possess me whole, My joy, my treasure, and my crown ; Strange flames far from my heart remove ; My every act, word, thought, be love ! 3 O Love, how cheering is thy ray ! All pain before thy presence flies ; Care, anguish, sorrow, melt away, Where'er thy healing beams arise : O Jesu, nothing may 1 see, Nothing desire, or seek, but thee ! 4 Unwearied may I this pursue,

My treasure, and my all thou art ! True witness of my sonship, now Engraving pardon on my heart, Seal of my sins in Christ forgiven, Earnest of love, and pledge of heaven. 5 Come, then, my God, mark out thine heir; Of heaven a larger earnest give ! With clearer light thy witness bear ; More sensibly within me live ; Let all my powers thine entrance feel, And deeper stamp thyself the seal ! Seeking for full Redemption. d59 1 OAVIOUR from sin, I wait to prove ^ That Jesus is thy healing name ; To lose, when perfected in love, Whate'er I have, or can, or am : I stay me on thy faithful word, "The servant shall be as his Lord." 2 Answer that gracious end in me, For which thy precious life was given ; Redeem from all iniquity ; Restore, and make me meet for heaven ! Unless thou purge my every stain, Thy suffering and my faith are vain. 3 Didst thou not in the flesh appear, Sin to condemn, and man to save? That perfect love might cast out fear ? That I thy mind in me might have ? In holiness show forth thy praise, And serve thee all my spotless days ? 4 Didst thou not die that I might live No longer to myself but thee ? Might body, soul, and spirit, give To him who gave himself for me ? Come then, my Master, and my God, Take the dear purchase of thy blood. 5 Thy own peculiar servant claim, For thy own truth and mercy's sake ; Hallow in me thy glorious name ; Me for thine own this moment lake. And change and throughly purify ; Thine only may I live and die. •JOO Seeking fur full Redemption. J WANT the spirit of power within, JL Of love, and of a healthful mind ; Of power, to conquer inbred sin ; Of love, to thee and all mankind ; Of health, that pain and death defies, Most vigorous when the bodv dies. 2 When shall I hear the inward voice, Which only faithful souls can hear ? Pardon, and peace, and heavenly joys, Attend the promised Comforter ; 0 come, and righteousness divine, And Christ, and all with Christ, aie mine! A O that the Comforter would come !

4 Fully in my life express All the heights of holiness ; Sweetly let my spirit prove All the depths of humble love. HYMN 382. I'sfyVs. Zechariah iv. 7- 1 f^l GREAT Mountain, who art thou, ^-^ Immense, immovable ? High as heaven aspires thy brow, Thy foot sinks deep as hell ! Thee, alas, I long have known, Long have felt thee fixt within ; Still beneath thy weight I groan ; Thou art Indwelling Sin. obb Seeking for full Redemption. 2 Thou art darkness in my mind ; Perverseness in my will ; Love inordinate and blind, That always cleaves to ill ; Every passion's wild excess ; Anger, lust, and pride, thou art ; Thou art sin and sinfulness, And unbelief of heart. 3 Not by human might or power Canst thou be moved from hence ; But thou shalt flow down before Divine Omnipotence : My Zerubbabel is near : J have not believed in vain : Thou, when Jesus doth appear, Shalt sink into a plain. 4 Christ the Head, the Corner- Stone , Shall be brought forth in me ; Glory be to Christ alone ! His grace shall set me free : I shall shout my Saviour's name ; Him I evermore shall praise ; All the work of grace proclaim, Of sanctifying grace. 5 Christ hath the foundation laid, And Christ shall build me up ; Surely I shall soon be made Partaker of my hope : Author of my faith he is, He its Finisher shall be ; Perfect love shall seal me his To all eternity. Seeking for full Redemption. 367 1 V^THO hath slighted or contemn 'd * » The day of feeble things ? I shall be by grace redeemed ; 'Tis grace salvation brings : Ready now my Saviour stands ; Him I now rejoice to see With the plummet in his hands, To build and finish me. 2 I right early shall awake, And see the perfect day ; Soon the Lamb of God shall take My inbred sin away : When to me my Lord shall come, Sin for ever shall depart ; Jesus takes up all the room In a believing heart. 3 Son of God arise, arise, And to thy temple come ! Look, and with thy flaming eyes

3 Lord, I will not let thee go, Till the blessing thou bestow : Hear my Advocate Divine ! Lo ! to his my suit I join ; Join'd to his, it cannot fail : Bless me ; for I will prevail ! 4 Heavenly Father, Life Divine, Change my nature into thine ! Move and spread throughout my soul, Actuate and fill the whole ! Be it I no longer now Living in the flesh, but Thou. 5 Holy Ghost, no more delay ! Come, and in thy temple stay ! Now thine inward witness bear, Strong, and permanent, and clear : Spring of Life, thyself impart : Rise eternal in my heart ! o74 Seeking for full Redemption. HYMN 391. l.m. Ezekiel xxxvi. 25, &c. 1 /^ OD of all power, and truth, and grace, ^J Which shall from age to age endure ; Whose word, when heaven and earth shall pass, Remains and stands for ever sure : 2 That I thy mercy may proclaim, That all mankind thy truth may see, Hallow thy great and glorious name, And perfect holiness in me. 3 Thy sanctifying Spirit pour, To quench my thirst, and make me clean . Now, Father, let the gracious shower Descend, and make me pure from sin. 4 Purge me from every sinful blot ; My idols all be cast aside ; Cleanse me from every sinful thought, From all the filth of self and pride. 5 Give me a new, a perfect heart, From doubt, and fear, and sorrow free ; The mind which was in Christ impart, And let my spirit cleave to thee. (> O take this heart of stone away ! Thy sway it doth not, cannot own : In me no longer let it stay ; O take away this heart of stone ! 7 O that I now, from sin released, Thy word may to the utmost prove, Enter into the promised rest, The Canaan of thy perfect love ! HYMN 392. l. m. 1 T^ATHER, supply my every need ; r Sustain the life thyself hast given ; Seeking for full Redemption. 3/5 Call for the never-failing bread, The manna that comes down from heaven. 2 The gracious fruits of righteousness, Thy blessings' unexhausted store, In me abundantly increase ; Nor ever let me hunger more. 3 Let me no more, in deep complaint,

In every place and age the same ? Hast thou forgot thy gracious skill, Or lost the virtue of thy name ? 4 Faith in thy changeless name I have ; The good, the kind Physician, thou Art able now our souls to save, Art willing to restore them now. Seeking for full Redemption. 379 5 Though seventeen hundred years are past Since thou didst in the flesh appear, Thy tender mercies ever last ; And still thy healing power is here ! 6 Wouldst thou the body's health restore, And not regard the sin-sick soul? The sin -sick soul thou lov'st much more, And surely thou shalt make it whole. 7 All my disease, my every sin, To thee, O Jesus, I confess : In pardon, Lord, my cure begin, And perfect it in holiness. 8 That token of thine utmost good Now, Saviour, now on me bestow ; And purge my conscience with thy blood, And wash my nature white as snow. HYMN 398. 7>s. 1 CAVIOUR of the sin-sick soul, ^ Give me faith to make me whole ! Finish thy great work of grace, Cut it short in righteousness. 2 Speak the second time, "Be clean !" Take away my inbred sin ; Every stumbling-block remove ; Cast it out by perfect love. 3 Nothing less will I require, Nothing more can I desire : None but Christ to me be given ! None but Christ in earth or heaven 4 O that I might now decrease ! O that all I am might cease ! Let me into nothing fall, Let my Lord be all in all ! oo\) Seeking for full Redemption, HYMN 399. 7's. 1 IGHT of Life, seraphic fire, J-^ Love Divine, thyself impart ; Every fainting soul inspire ; Shine in every drooping heart ! Every mournful sinner cheer ; Scatter all our guilty gloom ; Son of God, appear, appear ! To thy human temples come. 2 Come, in this accepted hour ; Bring thy heavenly kingdom in ! Fill us with the glorious power, Rooting out the seeds of sin : Nothing more can we require, We will covet nothing less ; Be thou all our heart's desire, All our joy, and all our peace ! HYMN 400. 7's.

1 TESUS comes with all his grace, *J Comes to save a fallen race ; Object of our glorious hope, Jesus comes to lift us up ! 2 Let the living stones cry out ; Let the sons of Abraham shout : Praise we all our lowly King, Give him thanks, rejoice, and sing. 3 He hath our salvation wrought ; He our captive souls hath bought ; He hath reconciled to God ; He hath wash'd us in his blood. Scekmg for full Redemption. 381 4 We are now his lawful right, Walk as children of the light : We shall soon obtain the grace, Pure in heart, to see his face. 5 We shall gain our calling's prize ; After God we all shall rise, Fill'd with joy, and love, and peace, Perfected in holiness. 6 Let us then rejoice in hope, Steadily to Christ look up ; Trust to be redeem'd from sin, Wait, till he appear within. 7 Fools and madmen let us be, Yet is our sure trust in thee : Faithful is the promised word, We shall all be as our Lord. 8 Hasten, Lord, the perfect day ! Let thy every servant say, " I have now obtain 'd the power, Born of God, to sin no more." Mark ix. 23. ALL things are possible That can in Jesu's na to him name believe : Lord, I no more thy truth blaspheme, Thy truth I lovingly receive ; I can, I do believe in thee ; All things are possible to me. The most impossible of all Is, that I e'er from sin should cease ; Yet shall it be, 1 know it shall ; Jesus, look to thy faithfulness ! If nothing is too hard for thee, All things are possible to me. uoz, Seeking for full Redemption. 3 Though earth and hell the word gainsay, The word of God can never fail ; The Lamb shall take my sins away ; 'Tis certain, though impossible : The thing impossible shall be ; All things are possible to me. 4 When thou the work of faith hast wrought, I here shall in thine image shine, Nor sin in deed, or word, or thought ; Let men exclaim, and fiends repine, They cannot break the firm decree ; All things are possible to me. 5 Thy mouth, O Lord, hath spoke, hath sworn,

That I shall serve thee without fear, Shall find the pearl which others spurn, Holy, and pure, and perfect here : The servant as his Lord shall be ; All things are possible to me. 6 All things are possible to God, To Christ, the power of God in man, To me, when I am all renew'd, When I in Christ am form'd again, And witness, from all sin set free, All things are possible to me. HYMN 402. 7's8f6's. 1 f\ MIGHT I this moment cease ^S From every work of mine; Find the perfect holiness, The righteousness divine ! Let me thy salvation see ; Let me do thy perfect will ; Live in glorious liberty, And all thy fulness feel. Seeking for full Redemption. O cut short the work, and make Me now a creature new ; For thy truth and mercy's sake, The gracious wonder show : Call me forth thy witness, Lord ; Let my life declare thy power ; To thy perfect love restored, O let me sin no more ! Fain I would the truth proclaim, That makes me free indeed, Glorify my Saviour's Name, And all its virtues spread : Jesus all our wants relieves, Jesus, mighty to redeem, Saves, and to the utmost saves, All those that come to him. Perfect then thy mighty power In a weak, sinful worm ! All my sins destroy, devour, And all my soul transform ! Now apply thy Spirit's seal ; O come quickly from ahove ! Empty me of sin, and fill With all the life of love. HYMN 403. c. m. 1 ORD, 1 helieve a rest remains, ■*-^ To all thy people known, A rest where pure enjoyment reigns, And thou art loved alone : 2 A rest, where all our soul's desire Is fix'd on things ahove ; Where fear, and sin, and grief expire, Cast out by perfect love oo4 Seeking fur full Redemption. 3 O that I now the rest might know, Believe, and enter in ! Now, Saviour, now the power bestow, And let me cease from sin. 4 Remove this hardness from my heart, This unbelief remove : To me the rest of faith impart, The sabbath of thy love. 5 I would be thine, thou know'st I would,

I now exult to see ; My hope is full (O glorious hope !) Of immortality. 5 He visits now the house of clay ; He shakes his future home ; O would'st thou, Lord, on this glad day, Into thy temple come ! 6 With me I know, I feel, thou art ; But this cannot suffice, Unless thou plantest in my heart A constant paradise. 7 My earth thou waterest from on high ; But make it all a pool : Spring up, O Well, I ever cry, Spring up within my soul ! 8 Come, O my God, thyself reveal, Fill all this mighty void ; Thou only canst my spirit fill : Come, O my God, my God ! 9 Fulfil, fulfil my large desires, Large as infinity ; Give, give me all my soul requires, All, all that is in thee! HYMN 406. c. m. 1 ^IIITHAT is our calling's glorious hope, » ^ But inward holiness ? For this to Jesus I look up, I calmly wait for this. 2 I wait, till he shall touch me clean, Shall life and power impart, Seeking for full Redemption. 3o7 Give me the faith that casts out sin, And purines the heart. 3 This is the dear redeeming grace, For every sinner free ; Surely it shall on me take place, The chief of sinners, me. 4 From all iniquity, from all, He shall my soul redeem ; In Jesus I believe, and shall Believe myself to him. 5 When Jesus makes my heart his home, My sin shall all depart ; And, lo ! he saith, " I quickly come, To fill and rule thy heart ! " 6 Be it according to thy word ! Redeem me from all sin : My heart would now receive thee, Lord ; Come in, my Lord, come in ! HYMN 407. 7'sSf6's. Dent, xxxiii. 26 -- 29. 1 INTONE is like Jeshurun's God, ■*-^l So great, so strong, so high : Lo ! he spreads his wings abroad, He rides upon the sky : Israel is his first-born son : God, the' Almighty God, is thine ; See him to thy help come down, The excellence divine. 2 Thee the great Jehovah deigns

To succour and defend ; Thee the' eternal God sustains, Thy Maker and thy Friend : Israel, what hast thou to dread ? Safe from all impending harms, tjoo Seeking for full Redemption. Round thee and beneath are spread The everlasting arms 3 God is thine ; disdain to fear The enemy within : God shall in thy flesh appear, And make an end of sin : God the man of sin shall slay, Fill thee with triumphant joy ; God shall thrust him out, and say, " Destroy them all, destroy !" 4 All the struggle then is o'er, And wars and fightings cease ; Israel then shall sin no more, But dwell in perfect peace : All his enemies are gone ; Sin shall have in him no part ; Israel now shall dwell alone, With Jesus in his heart. 5 In a land of corn and wine His lot shall be below ; Comforts there, and blessings join, And milk and honey flow : Jacob's well is in his soul ; Gracious dew his heavens distil, Fill his soul, already full, And shall for ever fill. 6 Blest, O Israel, art thou ; What people is like thee ? Saved from sin, by Jesus, now Thou art, and still shalt be : Jesus is thy seven-fold shield ; Jesus is thy flaming sword ; Earth, and hell, and sin, shall yield To God's almighty word. Seeking for full Redemption. OoV HYMN 408. l. m. 1 TTE wills, that I should holy be ; A -*- That holiness I long to feel ; That full divine conformity To all my Saviour's righteous will. 2 See, Lord, the travail of thy soul Accomplish' d in the change of mine ; And plunge me, every whit made wholes In all the depths of love divine. 3 On thee, O God, my soul is stay'd, And waits to prove thine utmost will ; The promise, by thy mercy made, Thou canst, thou wilt, in me fulfil. 4 No more I stagger at thy power, Or doubt thy truth, which cannot move : Hasten the long-expected hour, And bless me with thy perfect love. 5 Jesus, thy loving Spirit alone Can lead me forth, and make me free ; Burst every bond through which I groan, And set my heart at liberty. 6 Now let thy Spirit bring me in ;

And give thy servant to possess The land of rest from inbred sin, The land of perfect holiness. 7 Lord, 1 believe thy power the same ; The same thy truth and grace endure ; And in thy blessed hands I am, And trust thee for a perfect cure. 8 Come, Saviour, come, and make me whole ; Entirely all my sins remove ; To perfect health restore my soul, To perfect holiness and love. oJO Seeking Jar full Redemption. HYMN 409. c. m J TESUS, my Lord, I cry to thee *J Against the spirit unclean : I want a constant liberty, A perfect rest from sin. 2 Expel the fiend out of my heart, By love's almighty power ; Now, now command him to depart, And never enter more. 3 Thy killing and thy quick'ning power, Jesus, in me display ; The life of nature from this hour, My pride and passion, slay. 4 Then, then, my utmost Saviour, raise My soul, with saints above, To serve thy will, and spread thy praise, And sing thy perfect love. 5 This moment I thy truth confess ; This moment I receive The heavenly gift, the dew of grace, And by thy mercy live. 6 The next, and every moment, Lord, On me thy Spirit pour ; And bless me, who believe thy word, With that last glorious shower. HYMN 410. s. m. 1 T^ATHER, I dare believe ^ Thee merciful and true : Thou wilt my guilty soul forgive, My fallen soul renew. Seeking for full Redemption. 391 Come, then, for Jesu's sake, And bid my heart be clean ; An end of all my troubles make, An end of all my sin. 2 I will, through grace, I will, I do, return to thee ; Take, empty it, O Lord, and fill My heart with purity ! For power, I feebly pray : Thy kingdom now restore, To-day, while it is call'd to-day, And I shall sin no more. 3 I cannot wash my heart, But by believing thee, And waiting for thy blood to' impart The spotless purity : While at thy cross I lie, Jesus, thy grace bestow, Now thy all-cleansing blood apply, And I am white as snow. HYMN 411. 6-7's. 1 ^\^THY not now, my God, my God? * * Ready if thou always art, Make in me thy mean abode,

1 /^UICKEN'D with our immortal Head, ^^ Who daily, Lord, ascend with thee, Redeem'd from sin, and free indeed, We taste our glorious liberty. 2 Saved from the fear of hell and death, With joy we seek the things above ; And all thy saints the spirit breathe Of power, sobriety, and love. 3 Power o'er the world, the fiend, and sin, We through thy gracious Spirit feel ; Full power the victory to win, And answer all thy righteous will. oJo For Believers Saved 4 Pure love to God thy members find, Pure love to every soul of man ; And in thy sober, spotless mind, Saviour, our heaven on earth we gain. HYMN 420. l. m. Resurrection. 1 \^E faithful souls, who Jesus know, -*- If risen indeed with him ye are, Superior to the joys below, His resurrection's power declare. 2 Your faith by holy tempers prove , By actions show your sins forgiven ! And seek the glorious things above, And follow Christ, your Head, to heaven, 3 There your exalted Saviour see, Seated at God's right hand again, In all his Father's majesty, In everlasting pomp, to reign. 4 To him continually aspire, Contending for your native place ; And emulate the angel-choir, And only live to love and praise. 5 For who by faith your Lord receive, Ye nothing seek or want beside ; Dead to the world and sin ye live ; Your creature- love is crucified. 6 Your real life, with Christ conceal'd, Deep in the Father's bosom lies ; And, glorious as your Head reveal'd, Ye soon shall meet him in the skies. For Believers Saved. o99 HYMN 421. s. m. 2 Tim. iv. 7- 1 " T THE good fight have fought," -*- O when shall I declare ? The victory by my Saviour got, I long with Paul to share. 0 may I triumph so, When all my warfare 's past ; And, dying, find my latest foe Under my feet at last ! 2 This blessed word be mine Just as the port is gain'd, " Kept by the power of grace divine, 1 have the faith maintain'd." The' Apostles of my Lord, To whom it first was given, They could not speak a greater word, Nor all the saints in heaven. HYMN 422. l. m.

1 HPHE Voice that speaks Jehovah near, A The still small voice I long to hear; 0 may it now my Lord proclaim, And fill my soul with holy shame ! 2 Ashamed I must for ever be, Afraid the God of love to see, If saints and prophets hide their face, And angels tremble while they gaze ! HYMN 426. s. m. 1 ORD, in the strength of grace, -*^ With a glad heart and free, Myself, my residue of days, I consecrate to thee. 4:0*2 For Believers Saved. 2 Thy ransom'd servant, I Restore to thee thy own ; And, from this moment, live or die To serve my God alone. 1 /~^ OD of all-redeeming grace, ^J By thy pardoning love compel!' d, Up to thee our souls we raise, Up to thee our bodies yield : Thou our sacrifice receive, Acceptable through thy Son, While to thee alone we live, While we die to thee alone. 2 Meet it is, and just, and right, That we should be wholly thine, In thy only will delight, In thy blessed service join : O that every work and word Might proclaim how good thou art ; " Holiness unto the Lord" Still be written on our heart. HYMN 428. c. m. 1 ET Him to whom we now belong -L' His sovereign right assert, And take up every thankful song, And every loving heart. 2 He justly claims us for his own, Who bought us with a price ; The Christian lives to Christ alone, To Christ alone he dies ! 3 Jesus, thine own at last receive, Fulfil our hearts' desire, And let us to thy glory live, And in thy cause expire. For Believers Saved. 403 Our souls and bodies we resign ; With joy we render thee Our all, no longer ours, but thine To all eternity. 1 T> EHOLD the servant of the Lord ! -U I wait thy guiding eye to feel, To hear and keep thy every word, To prove and do thy perfect will ; Joyful from my own works to cease, Glad to fulfil all righteousness. 2 Me if thy grace vouchsafe to use, Meanest of all thy creatures, me, The deed, the time, the manner choose ;

Ye trembling slaves of sin, The Rock of your salvation, struck And cleft to take you in : To shelter the distrest, He did the cross endure , Enter into the clefts, and rest In Jesu's wounds secure. 3 Jesus, to thee we fly, From the devouring sword ; Our city of defence is nigh ; Our help is in the Lord. -- Or, if the scourge o'erflow, And laugh at innocence, Thine everlasting arms, we know, Shall be our souls' defence. 4 We in thy word believe, And on thy promise stay ; Our life, which still to thee we give, Shall be to us a prey : Our life with thee we hide, Above the furious blast, And shelter'd in thy wounds abide, Till all the storms are past. ] For Believers Interceding. 4:2 J 5 Believing against hope, We hang upon thy grace, Through every lowering cloud look up, And wait for happy days ; The days when all shall know Their sins in Christ forgiven, And walk awhile with God below, And then fly up to heaven. HYMN 454. l. m. Against Lukewarmness. -- Rev. iii. 14 -- 19. GOD of unspotted purity, Us and our works cans ist thou behold ! Justly we are abhorr'd by thee, For we are neither hot nor cold. 2 We call thee Lord, thy faith profess, But do not from our hearts obey ; In soft Laodicean ease We sleep our useless lives away. 3 We live in pleasure, and are dead, In search of fame and wealth we live : Commanded in thy steps to tread, We seek sometimes, but never strive. 4 A lifeless form we still retain ; Of this we make our empty boast, Nor know the name we take in vain ; The power of godliness is lost. 5 How long, great God, have we appear'd Abominable in thy sight ! Better that we had never heard Thy word, or seen the gospel light. 6 Better that we had never known The way to heaven through saving grace Than basely in our lives disown, And slight and mock thee to thy face. 4^0 J?or Believers Interceding. 7 Thou rather would'st that we were cold Than seem to serve thee without zeal ; Less guilty if, with those of old, We worshipp'd Thor and Woden still. 8 Less grievous wili the judgment-dav

To Sodom and Gomorrah prove, Than us, who cast our faith away, And trample on thy richer love. HYMN 455. l. m. 1 f\ LET us our own works forsake, ^^ Ourselves, and all we have deny ; Thy condescending counsel take, And come to thee pure gold to huy. i2 O might we, through thy grace, attain The faith thou never wilt reprove ; The faith that purges every stain, The faith that always works by love ! 3 O might we see in this our day, The things belonging to our peace, And timely meet thee in thy wav Of judgments, and our sins confess ! 4 Thy fatherly chastisements own ; With filial awe revere thy rod ; And turn, with zealous haste, and run Into the outstretch'd arms of God. HYMN 456. l. m. For the Promise of the Spirit. FATHER, if justly still we claim To us and ours the promise made, To us he graciously the same, And crown with living fire our head JFor Believers Interceding. 4:2/ s 2 Our claim admit, and from above Of holiness the Spirit shower, Of wise discernment, humble love ; And zeal, and unity, and power. 3 The Spirit of convincing speech, Of power demonstrative, impart ; Such as may every conscience reach, And sound the unbelieving heart : 4 The Spirit of refining fire, Searching the inmost of the mind, To purge all fierce and foul desire, And kindle life more pure and kind : 5 The Spirit of faith, in this thy day, To break the power of cancell'd sin, Tread down its strength, o'erturn its sway, And still the conquest more than win. 6 The Spirit breathe of inward life, Which in our hearts thy laws may write ; Then grief expires, and pain, and strife ; 'Tis nature all, and all delight. HYMN 457. l. m. 1 |^N all the earth thy Spirit shower ; ^^ The earth in righteousness renew ; Thy kingdom come, and hell's o'erpower, And to thy sceptre all subdue. 2 Like mighty winds, or torrents fierce, Let it opposers all o'errun ; And every law of sin reverse, That faith and love may make all one. 3 Yea, let thy Spirit in every place Its richer energy declare ; While lovely tempers, fruits of grace, The kingdom of thy Christ prepare. 4^o For Believers Interceding.

4 Their selfish will in time subdue, And mortify their pride ; And lend their youth a sacred clew To find the Crucified. 5 We would in every step look up ; By thy example taught To' alarm their fear, excite their hope, And rectify their thought. 6 We would persuade their hearts to' obey ; With mildest zeal proceed ; And never take the harsher way, When love will do the deed. 7 For this we ask, in faith sincere, The wisdom from above, To touch their hearts with filial fear, And pure, ingenuous love : 8 To watch their will, to sense inclined ; Withhold their hurtful food ; And gently bend their tender mind, And draw their souls to God. HYMN 469. c. m. 1 T^ATHER of Lights ! thy needful aid ■*- To us that ask impart ; Mistrustful of ourselves, afraid Of our own treacherous heart. 2 O'erwhelm'd with justest fear, again To thee for help we call : Where many mightier have been slain, By thee unsaved, we fall. 4o8 For Believers Interceding". s 3 Unless restrain 'd by grace we are, In vain the snare we see; We see, and rush into the snare Of blind idolatry. 4 We plunge ourselves in endless woes, Our helpless infant sell ; Resist the light, and side with those Who send their babes to hell. 5 Ah ! what avails superior light, Without superior love ? We see the truth, we judge aright, And wisdom's ways approve : 6 We mark the idolizing throng, Their cruel fondness blame ; Their children's souls we know they wrong ; And we shall do the same. 7 In spite of our resolves, we fear Our own infirmity ; And tremble at the trial near, And cry, O God, to thee ! 8 We soon shall do what we condemn, And, down the current borne, With shame confess our nature's stream Too strong for us to turn. 9 Our only help in danger's hour, Our only strength, thou art! Above the world, and Satan's power, And greater than our heart ! 10 Us from ourselves thou canst secure, In nature's slippery ways ; And make our feeble footsteps sure, By thy sufficient grace. For Believers Interceding. 439 11 If on thy promised grace alone We faithfully depend, Thou surely wilt preserve thy own, And keep them to the end :

The souls I from my Lord receive, Of each I an account must give, At that tremendous hour ! 4 Lord over all, and God most high ! Jesus, to thee for help I fly, For constant power and grace ; That, taught by thy good Spirit and led, J may with confidence proceed, And all thy footsteps trace. 5 O teach me my first lesson now And, while to thy sweet yoke I bow, Thy easy service prove, Lowly and meek in heart, I see The art of governing like thee Is governing by love. HYMN 472. 8** $&s 1 AND my house will serve the Lord ■■- But first obedient to his word I must myself appear : By actions, words, and tempers show, That I my heavenly Master know, And serve with heart sincere. 2 I must the fair example set ; From those that on my pleasure wait The stumbling-block remove ; Their duty by my life explain ; And still in all my works maintain The dignity of love. 3 Easy to be entreated, mild, Quickly appeased and reconciled, A follower of my God, 44^ For Believers Interceding. A saint indeed, I long to be, And lead my faithful family In the celestial road. 4 Lord, if thou didst the wish infuse, A vessel fitted for thy use Into thy hands receive ! Work in me both to will and do ; And show them how believers true And real Christians live. 5 With all-sufficient grace supply ; And, lo ! I come to testify The wonders of thv name, Which saves from sin, the world, and hell ; Whose virtue every heart may feel, And every tongue proclaim. 6 A sinner, saved myself from sin, I come my family to win, To preach their sins forgiven ; Children, and wife, and servants seize, And through the paths of pleasantness Conduct them all to heaven. For Children. COME, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, To whom we for our children cry ; The good desired and wanted most, Out of thy richest grace supply ; The sacred discipline be given, To train and bring them up for heaven. 2 Answer on them the end of all Our cares, and pains, and studies here ; On them, recover' d from their fall, Stamp'd with the humble character, For Believers Interceding. 44<J

^ Thy goodness we proclaim, Which brings us here to meet again, And triumph in thy name : Thy mighty name hath been Our safeguard and our tower ; Hath saved us from the world, and sin, And all the' Accuser's power. 2 Jesus, take all the praise, That still on earth we live, Unspotted in so foul a place, And innocently grieve ! We shall from Sodom flee, When perfected in love ; And haste to better company, Who wait for us above. 3 Awhile in flesh disjoin'd, Our friends that went before We soon in paradise shall find, And meet to part no more. For the Society on Meeting. 4ol In yoii thrice happy seat, Waiting for us they are ; And thou shalt there a husband meet ! And I a parent there ! 4 O ! what a mighty change Shall Jesu's suff'rers know, While o'er the happy plains they range, Incapable of woe ! No ill- requited love Shall there our spirits wound ; No base ingratitude above, No sin in heaven is found. 5 There all our griefs are spent ! There all our sorrows end ! We cannot there the fall lament Of a departed friend, -- A brother dead to God, By sin, alas ! undone : -- No father there, in passion loud, Cries, " O my son, my son ! " 6 No slightest touch of pain, Nor sorrow's least alloy, Can violate our rest, or stain Our purity of joy : In that eternal day No clouds nor tempests rise : There gushing tears are wiped away For ever from our eyes. JESU, to thee our hearts we lift, (May all our hearts with love o'erflow !) With thanks for thy continued gift, -- That still thy precious name we know, Retain our sense of sin forgiven, And wait for all our inward heaven. 4o'2 For (lie Society on Meeting. :? What mighty troubles hast thou shown Thy feeble, tempted followers here! We have through lire and water gone. But saw thee on the floods appear, But felt thee present in the flame, And shouted our Deliverer's name. 3 When stronger souls their faith forsook, And, lull'd in worldly, hellish peace, Leap'd desperate from their Guardian -rock, And headlong plunged in sin's abyss ; Thy strength was in our weakness shown, And still it guards and keeps thine own.

HYMN 499. p. m. 1 /^OME, let us ascend, My companion and friend, ^-^ To a taste of the banquet above ; If thy heart be as mine, If for Jesus it pine, Come up into the chariot of love. 2 Who in Jesus confide, We are bold to outride The storms of affliction beneath ; With the prophet we soar To the heavenly shore, And outfly all the arrows of death. 3 By faith we are come To our permanent home : By hope we the rapture improve : By love we still rise, And look down on the skies, For the heaven of heavens is love. 4 Who on earth can conceive How happy we live, In the palace of God, the great King ? What a concert of praise, When our Jesus's grace The whole heavenly company sing! 5 What a rapturous song, When the glorified throng In the spirit of harmony join : Join all the glad choirs, Hearts, voices, and lyres, And the burden is, " Mercy divine ! " For the Society giving Thanks. 467 6 Hallelujah, they cry, To the King of the sky, To the great everlasting I AM ; To the Lamb that was slain, And liveth again, Hallelujah to God and the Lamb ! J" The Lamb on the throne, Lo ! he dwells with his own , And to rivers of pleasure he leads ! With his mercy's full blaze, With the sight of his face, Our beatified spirits he feeds. 8 Our foreheads proclaim His ineffable name ; Our bodies his glory display : A day without night We feast in his sight, And eternity seems as a day ! * HYMN 500. c. m. 1 A LL praise to our redeeming Lord, *~*- Who joins us by his grace, And bids us, each to each restored, Together seek his face. 2 He bids us build each other up ; And, gather* d into one, To our high calling's glorious hope We hand in hand go on. 3 The gift which he on one bestows, We all delight to prove : The grace through every vessel flows, In purest streams of love. 4 Ev'n now we think and speak the same, And cordially agree ; Concentred all, through Jesu's name, In perfect harmony. 468 For the Society Praying. 5 We all partake the joy of one,

3 Make us of one heart and mind, Courteous, pitiful, and kind, 476 For the Society Praying. Lowly, meek, in thought and word, Altogether like our Lord. 4 Let us for each other care, Each the other's harden bear, To thy church the pattern give, Show how true believers live. 5 Free from anger and from pride, Let us thus in God abide ; All the depths of love express, All the heights of holiness ! 6 Let us then with joy remove To the family above ; On the wings of angels fly ; Show how true believers die. 1 nPHOU God of truth and love, J- We seek thy perfect way, Ready thy choice to' approve, Thy providence to' obey ; Enter into thy wise design, And sweetly lose our will in thine. 2 Why hast thou cast our lot In the same age and place ? And why together brought To see each other's face ? To join with softest sympathy, And mix our friendly souls in thee? 3 Didst thou not make us one, That we might one remain, Together travel on, And bear each other's pain ; Till all thy utmost goodness prove, And rise renew'd in perfect love ? For the Society Praying. 477 4 Surelv thou didst unite Our kindred spirits here, That all hereafter might Before thy throne appear; Meet at the marriage of the Lamb, And all thy glorious love proclaim. 5 Then let us ever hear The blessed end in view, And join, with mutual care, To fight our passage through ; And kindly help each other on, Till all receive the starry crown. 6 O may thy Spirit seal Our souls unto that day, With all thy fulness fill, And then transport away ! Away to our eternal rest, Away to our Redeemer's breast ! HYMN 511. 6-8' s. 1 T^ORGIVE us, for thy mercy's sake, -*- Our multitude of sins forgive ! And for thy own possession take, And bid us to thy glory live ; Live in thy sight, and gladly prove Our faith, by our obedient love. 2 The cov'nant of forgiveness seal, And all thy mighty wonders show ! Our inbred enemies expel ; And conquering them to conquer go, Till all of pride and wrath be slain. And not one evil thought remain ! 3 O put it in our inward parts,

The living law of perfect love ! Write the new precept in our hearts : We shall not then from thee remove, 4/o For the Society Praying, Who in thy glorious image shine, Thy people, and for ever thine. HYMN 512. 6-Ts. 1 /CENTRE of our hopes thou art, ^-^ End of our enlarged desires ; Stamp thine image on our heart ; Fill us now with heavenly fires ; Cemented by love divine, Seal our souls for ever thine. 2 All our works in thee be wrought, Levell'd at one common aim ; Every word, and every thought, Purge in the refining flame : Lead us, through the paths of peace, On to perfect holiness. 3 Let us all together rise, To thy glorious life restored ; Here regain our paradise, Here prepare to meet our Lord ; Here enjoy the earnest given, Travel hand in hand to heaven ! HYMN 513. 6-8'j. 1 TESUS, with kindest pity see ** The souls that would be one in thee : If now accepted in thy sight, Thou dost our upright hearts unite, Allow us even on earth to prove The noblest joys of heavenly love. 2 Before thy glorious eyes we spread The wish which doth from thee proceed ; Our love from earthly dross refine ; Holy, angelical, divine, Thee its great Author let it show, And back to the pure fountain flow. For the Society Praying. 479 3 A drop of that unbounded sea, O Lord, resorb it into thee ! While all our souls, with restless strife, Spring up into eternal life, And, lost in endless raptures, prove Thy whole immensity of love. 4 A spark of that ethereal fire, Still let it to its source aspire, To thee in every wish return, Intensely for thy glory burn ; While all our souls fly up to thee, And blaze through all eternity. HYMN 514. Ts. L T^ATHER, at thy footstool see ■*■ Those who now are one in thee : Draw us by thy grace alone ; Give, O give us to thy Son ! 2 Jesus, friend of human kind, Let us in thy name be join'd ; Each to each unite and bless ; Keep us still in perfect peace. 3 Heavenly, all-alluring Dove, Shed thy over-shadowing love ; Love, the sealing grace, impart ; Dwell within our single heart.

1 T ET us join, ('tis God commands,) ^-^ Let us join our hearts and hands ; Help to gain our calling's hope ; Build we each the other up : God his blessings shall dispense ; God shall crown his ordinance ; Meet in his appointed ways ; Nourish us with social grace. 2 Let us then as brethren love, Faithfully his gifts improve, Carry on the earnest strife, Walk in holiness of life; Still forget the things behind, Follow Christ in heart and mind, Tow'rd the mark unwearied press, Seize the crown of righteousness. 3 Plead we thus for faith alone, Faith which by our works is shown : God it is who justifies ; Only faith the grace applies ; -- Active faith that lives within, Conquers earth, and hell, and sin, Sanctifies, and makes us whole, Forms the Saviour in the soul. 4 Let us for this faith contend ; Sure salvation is its end : Heaven already is begun, Everlasting life is won. Only let us persevere, Till we see our Lord appear : Never from the Rock remove, Saved bv faith, which works by love 4bt) For the Society Praying. HYMN 522. Ts. PARTNERS of a glorious hope, Lift your hearts and voices up : Jointly let us rise, and sing Christ our Prophet, Priest, and King : Monuments of Jesu's grace, Speak we by our lives his praise ; Walk in him we have received ; Show we not in vain believed. While we walk with God in light God our hearts doth still unite ; Dearest fellowship we prove, Fellowship in Jesu's love : Sweetly each, with each combined, In the bonds of duty join'd, Feels the cleansing blood applied, Daily feels that Christ hath died. Still, O Lord, our faith increase ; Cleanse from all unrighteousness : Thee the' unholy cannot see ; Make, O make us meet for thee ! Every vile affection kill ; Root out every seed of ill ; Utterly abolish sin ; Write thy law of love within. Hence may all our actions flow ; Love the proof that Christ we know ; Mutual love the token be, Lord, that we belong to thee : Love, thine image, love impart ! Stamp it on our face and heart ! Only love to us be given ! Lord, we ask no other heaven

With purest lustre shine ; That all around our works may see, And give the glory, Lord, to thee, The heavenly Light Divine. HYMN 527. &s$&s. J /^OME, Wisdom, Power, and Grace Divine, ^^ Come, Jesus, in thy name to join A happy chosen band ; Who fain would prove thine utmost will, And all thy righteous laws fulfil, In love's benign command. 2 If pure essential Love thou art, Thy nature into every heart, Thy loving self, inspire : Bid all our simple souls be one, United in a bond unknown, Baptized with heavenly fire. 3 Still may we to our centre tend, -- To spread thy praise our common end. To help each other on ; For the Society Praying. 491 Companions through the wilderness, To share a moment's pain, and seize An everlasting crown. 4 Jesus, our tender'd souls prepare ! Infuse the softest social care, The warmest charity, The bowels of our bleeding Lamb, The virtues of thy wondrous name, The heart that was in thee. 5 Supply what every member wants ; To found the fellowship of saints, Thy Spirit, Lord, supply ; So shall we all thy love receive, Together to thy glory live, And to thy glory die. 1 f\ SAVIOUR, cast a gracious smile ! ^-^ Our gloomy guilt, and selfish guile, And shy distrust remove : The true simplicity impart, To fashion every passive heart, And mould it into love. 2 Our naked hearts to thee we raise ; Whate'er obstructs thy work of grace, For ever drive it hence : Exert thy all-subduing power, And each regenerate soul restore To child-like innocence. 3 Soon as in thee we gain a part, Our spirit purged from nature's art Appears, by grace forgiven ; 49~ For the Society Praying. We then pursue our sole design, To lose our melting will in thine, And want no other heaven 4 O that we now the power might feel, To do on earth thy blessed will, As angels do above ! In thee, the Life, the Truth, the Way To walk, and perfectly to' obey Thy sweet constraining love ! 5 Jesus, fulfil our one desire, And spread the spark of living fire Through every hallow'd breast ; Bless with divine conformity, And give us now to find in thee Our everlasting rest. HYMN 529. 7's.

HOLY Lamb, who thee confess Followers of thy holiness, Thee they ever keep in view, Ever ask, " What shall we do ?" Govern'd by thy only will, All thy words we would fulfil, Would in all thy footsteps go Walk as Jesus walk'd below, While thou didst on earth appear, Servant to thy servants here, Mindful of thy place above, All thy life was prayer and love. Such our whole employment be, Works of faith and charity ; Works of love on man bestow'd, Secret intercourse with God. For the Society Praying. 49o Early in the temple met, Let us still our Saviour greet ; Nightly to the mount repair, Join our praying Pattern there. There hy wrestling faith obtain Power to work for God again ; Power his image to retrieve, Power, like thee, our Lord, to live. Vessels, instruments of grace, Pass we thus our happy days 'Twixt the mount and multitude, Doing or receiving good ; Glad to pray and labour on, Till our earthly course is run, Till we, on the sacred tree, Bow the head and die like thee. 1 /^OME, thou all-inspiring Spirit, ^^ Into every longing heart ! Bought for us by Jesu's merit, Now thy blissful self impart : Sign our uncontested pardon ; Wash us in the' atoning blood ! Make our hearts a water'd garden ; Fill our spotless souls with God. 2 If thou gav'st the' enlarged desire Which for thee we ever feel, Now our panting souls inspire, Now our cancell'd sin reveal : Claim us for thy habitation ; Dwell within our hallow'd breast; Seal us heirs of full salvation, Fitted for our heavenlv rest. W4 for the Society Prayiyig. 3 Give us quietly to tarry, Till for all thy glory meet, Waiting, like attentive Mary, Happy at the Saviour's feet ; Keep us from the world unspotted From all earthly passions free, Wholly to thyself devoted, Fix'd to live and die for thee. 4 Wrestling on in mighty prayer, Lord, we will not let thee go, Till thou all thy mind declare, All thy grace on us bestow ; Peace, the seal of sin forgiven, Joy, and perfect love, impart, Present, everlasting heaven, All thou hast, and all thou art ! HYMN 531. 7's8f6's.

In yonder blest abode, The patriarchs and prophets old, And all the saints of God. Abraham and Isaac there, And Jacob shall receive The followers of their faith and prayer, Who now in bodies live. 6 We shall our time beneath Live out in cheerful hope, And fearless pass the vale of death, And gain the mountain-top. To gather home his own God shall his angels send, For the Society at Parting. 499 And bid our bliss, on earth begun, In deathless triumph end. JESUS, accept the praise That to thy Name belongs ; Matter of all our lays, Subject of all our songs : Through thee we now together came, And part exulting in thy Name. In flesh we part awhile, But still in spirit join'd, To' embrace the happy toil, Thou hast to each assign 'd ; And while we do thy blessed will, We bear our heaven about us still. O let us thus go on In all thy pleasant ways, And, arm'd with patience, run With joy the' appointed race : Keep us, and every seeking soul, Till all attain the heavenly goal. There we shall meet again, When all our toils are o'er, And death, and grief, and pain, And parting are no more : We shall with all our brethren rise, And grasp thee in the flaming skies. O happy, happy day, That calls thy exiles home ! The heavens shall pass away, The earth receive its doom ; Earth we shall view, and heaven destroy'd, And shout above the flery void. 2 12" 500 For the Society at Parting. 6 These eyes shall see them fall, Mountains; and stars, and skies ! These eyes shall see them all Out of their ashes rise! These lips his praises shall rehearse. Whose nod restores the universe. 7 According- to his word, His oath to sinners given, We look to see restored The ruin'd earth and heaven ; In a new world his truth to prove, A world of righteousness and love. 8 Then let us wait the sound, That shall our souls release ; And lahour to he found Of him in spotless peace, In perfect holiness renew'd, Adorn'd with Christ, and meet for God. HYMN 537. c. m. 1 /^ OD of all consolation, take ^J The glory of thy grace ! Thy gifts to thee we render back In ceaseless songs of praise.

By thy dying love to man, Take all our sins away : Burst our bonds, and set us free ; From all iniquity release ; (3 remember Calvary, &c. Additional Hymns. 511 3 Let thy blood, by faith applied, The sinner's pardon seal ; Speak us freely justified, And all our sickness heal ; By thy passion on the tree, Let all our griefs and troubles cease ; O remember Calvary, &c. 4 Never will we hence depart, Till thou our wants relieve, Write forgiveness on our heart, And all thine image give ! Still our souls shall cry to thee, Till perfected in holiness ; O remember Calvary, And bid us go in peace ! HYMN 549. c. m. 1 TESU, at whose supreme command, *J We now approach to God, Before us in thy vesture stand, Thy vesture dipp'd in blood ! Obedient to thy gracious word, We break the hallow' d bread, Commem'rate thee, our dying Lord, And trust on thee to feed. 2 Now, Saviour, now thyself reveal, And make thy nature known ; Affix thy blessed Spirit's seal, And stamp us for thine own : The tokens of thy dying love O let us all receive ; And feel the quick'ning Spirit move, And sensibly believe ! 3 The cup of blessing, bless'd by thee, Let it thy blood impart ; The bread thy mystic body be, And cheer each languid heart. Ol2 Additional Hymns. The grace which sure salvation brings Let us herewith receive ; Satiate the hungry with good things, The hidden manna give. 4 The living bread, sent down from heaven, In us vouchsafe to be : Thy flesh for all the world is given. And all may live by thee. Now, Lord, on us thy flesh bestow, And let us drink thy blood, Till all our souls are till'd below With all the life of God. HYMN 550. cm. 1 /^OME, Holy Ghost, thine influence shed, ^-^ And realize the sign ; Thy life infuse into the bread, Thy power into the wine. 2 Effectual let the tokens prove, And made, by heavenly art, Fit channels to convey thy love To every faithful heart. HYMN 551. 6-8's. 1 T VICTIM Divine, thy grace we claim,

3 For this my heart sighs : Nothing else can suffice ; How, Lord, can I purchase the pearl of great price ? It cannot be bought, And thou know'st I have nought, Not an action, a word, or a truly good thought. 4 But I hear a voice say, "Without money ye may Receive it, whoever have nothing to pay : Who on Jesus relies, without money or price, The pearl of forgiveness and holiness buys : 5 The blessing is free : " -- So, Lord, let it be ; 1 yield that thy love should be given to me. I freely receive What thou freely dost give, And consent in thy love, in thy Eden, to live. 6 The gift I embrace ; The Giver I praise ; And ascribe my salvation to Jesus's grace : It comes from above ; The foretaste 1 prove ; And I soon shall receive all the fulness of love. 520 Additional Hymns. 1 f^ OD moves in a mysterious way, ^-* His wonders to perform ; He plants his footsteps in the sea, And rides upon the storm. Deep in unfathomable mines Of never-failing skill, He treasures up his bright designs, And works his sovereign will. 2 Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take ! The clouds ye so much dread Are big with mercy, and shall break In blessings on your head. Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, But trust him for his grace : Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face. 3 His purposes will ripen fast, Unfolding every hour ; The bud may have a bitter taste, But sweet will be the flower. Blind unbelief is sure to err, And scan his work in vain : God is his own Interpreter, And he will make it plain. HYMN 560. p.m. LORD, dismiss us with thy blessing ! Bid us now depart in peace ; Still on heavenly manna feeding, Let our faith and love increase : Fill each breast with consolation ; Up to thee our hearts we raise : When we reach yon blissful station, Then we'll give thee nobler praise! Hallelujah !

Of glory condescend ? And will lie write his name, My Father and my Friend ? Hymns of Adoration, t)33 I love his name, I love his word : Join all my powers to praise the Lord ! HYMN 570. l. u. The Perfections and Providence of God. 1 YTIGH in the heavens, eternal God, ■*■ ■*■ Thy goodness in full glory shines ; Thy truth shall break through every cloud That veils and darkens thy designs. 2 For ever firm thy justice stands, As mountains their foundations keep ; Wise are the wonders of thy hands ; Thy judgments are a mighty deep. 3 Thy providence is kind and large, Both man and beast thy bounty share ; The whole creation is thy charge, But saints are thy peculiar care. 4 My God, how excellent thy grace, Whence all our hope and comfort springs ! The sons of Adam in distress Fly to the shadow of thy wings. 5 Life, like a fountain rich and free, Springs from the presence of the Lord , And in thy light our souls shall see The glories promised in thy word. HYMN 571. l. m. " Holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, for ever." 1 ^l^TITH glory clad, with strength array'd, * * The Lord that o'er all nature reigns, The world's foundations strongly laid, And the vast fabric still sustains. 2 How sure established is thy throne. Which shall no change or period see! Oo4 Hymns of Adoration. For thou, O Lord, and thou alone, Art King from all eternity. 3 The floods, O Lord, lift up their voice, And toss their troubled waves on high : But God above can still their noise, And make the angry sea comply. 4 Thy promise, Lord, is ever sure : And they that in thy house would dwell, That happy station to secure, Must still in holiness excel. HYMN 572. l. m. The same subject. 1 r I TIE earth and all her fullness owns A Jehovah for her sovereign Lord ; The countless myriads of her sons Rose into being at his word. 2 His word did out of nothing call The world, and founded all that is ; Launch' d on the floods this solid ball, And fix'd it in the floating seas. 3 But who shall quit this low abode,

Who shall ascend the heavenly place, And stand upon the mount of God, And see his Maker face to face ? 4 The man whose hands and heart are clean That blessed portion shall receive ; Whoe'er by grace is saved from sin, Hereafter shall in glory live. 5 He shall obtain the starry crown ; And, number' d with the saints above. The God of his salvation own, The God of his salvation love Hymns of Adoration. 535 HYMN 573. s. m Public Worship. 1 OOME, sound his praise abroad, ^-^ And hymns of glory sing ; Jehovah is the sovereign God, The universal King. 2 He form'd the deeps unknown ; He gave the seas their bound ; The watery worlds are all his own, And all the solid ground. 3 Come, worship at his throne ; Come, bow before the Lord : We are his works, and not our own ; He form'd us by his word. 4 To-day attend his voice, Nor dare provoke his rod ; Come, as the people of his choice, And own your gracious God. HYMN 574, 6-8\s. Psalm lxxxiv. 1 TTOW lovely are thy tents, O Lord ! X J. Where'er thou choosest to record Thy name, or place thy house of prayer, My soul outflies the angel -choir, And faints, o'erpower'd with strong desire, To meet thy special presence there. 2 Happy the men to whom 'tis given, To dwell within that gate of heaven, And in thy house record thy praise ; Whose strength and confidence thou art, Who feel thee, Saviour, in their heart. The Wav, the Truth, the Life of grace : 536 Hymns of Adoration. 3 Who, passing through the mournful vale, Drink comfort from the living well, That flows replenish'd from above ; From strength to strength advancing here, Till all before their God appear, And each receives the crown of love, 4 Better a day thy courts within Than thousands in the tents of sin ; How base the noblest pleasures there ! How great the weakest child of thine ! His meanest task is all divine, And kings and priests thy servants are. 5 The Lord protects and cheers his own, Their light and strength, their shield and sun He shall both grace and glory give : Unlimited his bounteous grant ; No real good they e'er shall want ;

1 r^ RE AT is the Lord our God, ^^ And let his praise be great ; He makes his churches his abode, His most delightful seat. 540 Hymns of Adoration. 2 These temples of his grace, How beautiful they stand ! The honours of our native place, And bulwarks of our land. 3 In Sion God is known A refuge in distress ; How bright has his salvation shone Through all her palaces ! 4 In every new distress We'll to his house repair ; We'll think upon his wondrous grace, And seek deliverance there. HYMN 580. 6-8's Sabbath Morning. 1 r^ REAT God, this hallow'd day of thine ^--* Demands our souls' collected powers ; May we employ in works divine These solemn and devoted hours : O may our souls adoring own The grace which calls us to thy throne ! 2 Hence, ye vain cares and trifles, fly! Where God resides, appear no more . Omniscient Lord, thy piercing eye Doth every secret thought explore : 0 may thy grace our thoughts refine, And fix our hearts on things divine ! HYMN 581. s. m. The same Subject. 1 'llfELCOME, sweet day of rest, ' * That saw the Lord arise ; Welcome to this reviving breast, And these rejoicing eyes ! Hymns of Adoration. 041 2 The King himself comes near, And feasts his saints to-day ; Here we may sit, and see him here And love, and praise, and pray. 3 One day amidst the place Where Thou, my Lord, hast been, Is sweeter than ten thousand days Of pleasurable sin. 4 My willing soul would stay In such a frame as this, And sit and sing herself away To everlasting bliss. HYMN 582. l. m. The earthly and the heavenly Sabbath. L ORD of the Sabbath, hear our vows, ^-A On this thy day, in this thy house ; And own, as grateful sacrifice, The songs which from thy servants rise. 2 Thine earthly Sabbaths, Lord, we love ; But there's a nobler rest above ; To that our lab'ring souls aspire, With ardent pangs of strong desire. 3 No more fatigue, no more distress, Nor sin nor hell shall reach the place ; No sighs shall mingle with the songs, Which warble from immortal tongues.

Thy presence who can fly ? Known is the Father to thy sight, The' abyss of Deity. 4 Thy power through Jesu's life display'd, Quite from the virgin's womb, Dying, his soul an offering made, And raised him from the tomb. 5 God's image, which our sins destroy, Thy grace restores below ; And truth, and holiness, and joy, From thee their Fountain flow. 6 Hail, Holy Ghost, Jehovah, Third In order of the Three ; Sprung from the Father and the Word From all eternity ! HYMN 650. fs §• 6*s. Prayer for the Holy Spirit. T) RANCH of Jesse's stem, arise, -*-* And in our nature grow, Turn our earth to Paradise, By flourishing below : Bless us with the Spirit of grace Immeasurably shed on thee ; Pour on all the faithful race The streaming Deity. Let the Spirit of our Head On all the members rest ; From thyself to us proceed, And dwell in every breast : Teach to judge and act aright, Inspire with wisdom from above, Holy faith, and heavenly might, And reverential love. the Holy Spirit 595 3 Lord, of thee we fain would learn Thy heavenly Father's will ; Give us quickness to discern, And boldness to fulfil : All his mind to us explain, All his name on us impress ; Then our souls in thee attain The perfect righteousness. HYMN 651. c. m. The Spirit of Adoption . 1 COVEREIGN of all the worlds on high, ^ Allow my humble claim ; Nor, while, unworthy, I draw nigh, Disdain a Father's name. 2 " My Father God !" that gracious sound Dispels my guilty fear ; Not all the harmony of heaven Could so delight my ear. 3 Come, Holy Spirit, seal the grace On my expanding heart ; And show, that in the Father's love I share a filial part. 4 Cheer'd by a witness so divine, Unwavering I believe ; And, "Abba, Father," humbly cry; Nor can the sign deceive. HYMN 652. c. m. Breathing after the Holy Spirit. 1 /^OME, Holy Spirit, heavenly Dove, ^-^ With all thy quick'ning powers ; Kindle a flame of sacred love In these cold hearts of ours. OJO Hymns on 2 In vain we tune our formal songs, In vain we strive to rise ; Hosannas languish on our tongues, And our devotion dies.

Before I drew my breath ; What pain, what labour, to secure My soul from endless death ! 3 O Jesus, could I this believe, I now should feel thy power ; Now all my wants thou would'st relieve In this, the' accepted hour. 4 Author of faith, to thee I lift My weary, longing eyes : O let me now receive that gift ! My soul without it dies. 5 Surely thou canst not let me die ; O speak, and I shall live ! For here I will unwearied lie, Till thou thy Spirit give. 6 How would my fainting soul rejoice, Could I but see thy face ; Now let me hear thy quick'ning voice, And taste thy pard'ning grace ! bOo Penitential Hymns. HYMN 667. 8's §• 6's. " 27*ow tries t me every moment" 1 T3Y secret influence from above, -U Me thou dost every moment prove, And labour to convert ; Ready to save, I feel thee nigh, And still I hear thy Spirit cry, " My son, give me thy heart." 2 Why do I not the call obey, Cast my besetting sin away, With every useless load ? Why cannot I this moment give The heart thou waitest to receive, And love my loving God ? 3 My loving God, the hind'rance show, Which nature dreads, alas ! to know, And lingers to remove ; Stronger than sin, thy grace exert, And seize, and change, and fill my heart With all the powers of love. 4 Then shall I answer thy design, No longer, Lord, my own, but thine ; Till all thy will be done, Humbly I pass my trial here, And ripe in holiness appear With boldness at thy throne. HYMN 668. s. m. " I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord. 1 ONG have I waited, Lord, JL^ For thy salvation here, And hoped, according to thy word, To see it soon appear : To see thee passing by, All-glorious from above, The Experience, Sfc., of Believers. 609 The Lord of hosts, the Lord most high, The God of pardoning love. '2 Thyself Jehovah's Son Discover to my heart, That when I have my Saviour known, I may in peace depart : May thee, the world's desire. With arms of faith embrace, And then, with yon enraptured choir, For ever see thy face. HYMN 669. p. m.

V_T When storms of sharp distress invade ; Ere we can offer our complaints, Behold him present with his aid ! 2 Let mountains from their seats be huiTd Down to the deep, and buried there, -- Convulsions shake the solid world, -- Our faith shall never yield to fear. 3 Loud may the troubled ocean roar ; In sacred peace our souls abide ; £>lo The Experience, §t., While every nation, every shore, Trembles, and dreads the swelling tide. 4 There is a stream, whose gentle flow Supplies the city of our God ; Life, love, and joy still gliding through, And watering our divine abode. 5 This sacred stream, thy vital word, Thus all our raging fear controls : Sweet peace thy promises afford, And give new strength to fainting souls. 6 Sion enjoys her Monarch's love, Secure against the threat'ning hour ; Nor can her firm foundation move, Built on His faithfulness and power. HYMN 679. c. m. Psalm xxiii. 1 A /TY Shepherd will supply my need, -i-* J- Jehovah is his name ; In pastures fresh he makes me feed, Beside the living stream. 2 He brings my wandering spirit back, When I forsake his ways ; And leads me, for his mercy's sake, In paths of truth and grace. 3 When I walk through the shades of death, Thy presence is my stay : A word of thy supporting breath Drives all my fears away. 4 Thy hand, in sight of all my foes, Doth now my table spread : My cup with blessings overflows, Thine oil anoints my head. of Believers. 0 1 *? 5 The sure provisions of my God Attend me all my days : O may thine house be mine abode, And all my work be praise ! HYMN 680. c. m. " The greatest of these is Charity? 1 TTAPPY the heart where graces reign, JL A Where love inspires the breast : Love is the brightest of the train, And perfects all the rest. 2 Knowledge, alas ! 'tis all in vain, And all in vain our fear : Our stubborn sins will fight and reign, If love be absent there. 3 'Tis love that makes our cheerful feet In swift obedience move : The devils know, and tremble too ; But Satan cannot love. 4 This is the grace that lives and sings,

Shall silence keep before the Lord ; And earth, and hell, and sin shall flee At Jesu's everlasting word. Looking to Christ. 1 A UTHOR of faith, appear ; ^JL Be thou its finisher ! Upward still for this we gaze, Till we feel the stamp divine, Thee behold with open face, Bright in all thy glory shine. 2 Leave not thy work undone, But ever love thine own ; Let us all thy goodness prove Let us to the end believe ; Show thine everlasting love, Save us, to the utmost save t>22 The Experience, §-c, 3 O that our life might be One looking up to thee ! Ever hastening to the day, When our eyes shall see thee near ; Come, Redeemer, come away, Glorious in thy saints appear. 4 Jesu, the heavens bow, We long to meet thee now ! Now in Majesty come down, Pity thine elect, and come : Hear us in thy Spirit groan, Take the weary exiles home. 5 Now let thy face be seen Without a veil between : Come, and change our faith to sight Swallow up mortality ; Plunge us in a sea of light ; Christ, be all in all to me. HYMN 684. fs £ 6's. Deliverance in Danger.. 1 f~^ OD of Daniel, hear my prayer, ^J And let thy power be seen ; Stop the lion's mouth, and bear Me safe out of his den : Save me in this dreadful hour ! Earth, and hell, and nature join ; All stand ready to devour This helpless soul of mine. 2 Thee I serve, my Lord, my God ; In me thy power display : Save me, save me, and defraud The lion of his prey. Angel of the Covenant, Jesus, mighty to retrieve, of Believers. 623 Let him to my help be sent : In Jesus I believe. 3 Save me for thine own great name, That all the world may know, Daniel's God is still the same, And reigns supreme below : Him let all mankind adore, Spread his glorious name abroad ; Tremble all, and bow before The great, the living God. 4 Absolute, unchangeable, O'er all his works he reigns ; His dominion cannot fail, But undisturb'd remains : His dominion standeth fast, Is when time no more shall be ; Still shall his dominion last Through all eternity.

3 People and realms of every tongue Dwell on his love with sweetest song ; And infant-voices shall proclaim Their young Hosannas to his name. 4 Blessings abound where'er he reigns ; The prisoner leaps to lose his chains ; The weary find eternal rest ; And all the sons of want are blest. 5 Where he displays his healing power, Death and the curse are known no more : Jn him the tribes of Adam boast More blessings than their father lost. 634 The Kingdom s 6 Let every creature rise, and bring Its grateful honours to our King ; Angels descend with songs again, And earth prolong the joyful strain. HYMN 698. l. m. Psalm xix. 1 rT^HE heavens declare thy glory, Lord, ■*- In every star thy wisdom shines ; But when our eyes behold thy word, We read thy name in fairer lines. 2 The rolling sun, the changing light, And night and day, thy power confess ; But the blest volume thou hast writ Reveals thy justice and thy grace. 3 Sun, moon, and stars convey thy praise Round the whole earth, and never stand ; So when thy truth began its race, It touch'd and glanced on every land. 4 Nor shall thy spreading gospel rest, Till through the world thy truth has run ; Till Christ has all the nations blest, That see the light or feel the sun. 5 Great Sun of Righteousness, arise, Bless the dark world with heavenly light : Thy gospel makes the simple wise ; Thy laws are pure, thy judgments right. HYMN 699. 8's. Psalm cxvii. 1 T^ROM all that dwell below the skies, -J- Let the Creator's praise arise : of Christ 635 Let the Redeemer's name be sung, Through every land, by every tongue. 2 Eternal are thy mercies, Lord ; Eternal truth attends thy word : Thy praise shall sound from shore to shore, Till suns shall rise and set no more. 3 Your lofty themes, ye mortals, bring ; In songs of praise divinely sing ; The great salvation loud proclaim, And shout for joy the Saviour's name. 4 Praise God, from whom all blessings flow ; Praise him, all creatures here below ; Praise him above, ye heavenly host ; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost ! HYMN 700. s. m.

2 Now then the ceaseless shower Of gospel blessings send, And let the soul-converting power Thy ministers attend. On multitudes confer The heart-renewing love, And by the joy of grace prepare For fuller joys above. " Spare it yet another year." I HP HE Lord of earth and sky, A The God of ages, praise ; 1)4^ Time, Death, and Who reigns enthroned on high, Ancient of endless days ; Who lengthens out our trial here. And spares us yet another year. 2 Barren and wither' d trees, We cumber' d long the ground ; No fruits of holiness On our dead souls were found ; Yet doth he us in mercy spare Another and another year. 3 When justice bared the sword, To cut the fig-tree down, The pity of our Lord Cried, " Let it still alone ;" The Father mild inclines his ear, And spares us yet another year. 4 Jesus, thy speaking blood From God obtain'd the grace, Who therefore hath bestow'd On us a longer space ; Thou didst in our behalf appear, And, lo, we see another year ! 5 Then dig about our root, Break up the fallow ground, And let our gracious fruit To thy great praise abound : 0 let us all thy praise declare, And fruit unto perfection bear ! HYMN 710. c. m. The barren Fig-tree. 1 ET me alone another year, -" In honour of thy Son, Who doth my Advocate appear, Before thy gracious throne the future State. 643 Thou hast vouchsafed a longer space, And spared the barren tree, Because for me my Saviour prays, And pleads his death for me. 2 Time to repent thou dost bestow ; But O the power impart, And let my eyes with tears o'erflow, And break my stubborn heart ! To-day, while it is call'd to-day, The hindering thing remove ; And, lo, I now begin to pray And wrestle for thy love. 3 I now from all my sins would turn To my atoning God ; And look on Him I pierced, and mourn, And feel the sprinkled blood : Would nail my passions to the cross, Where my Redeemer died ; And all things count but dung and loss, For Jesus crucified. 4 Giver of penitential pain, Before thy cross I lie, In grief determined to remain, Till thou thy blood apply. Forgiveness on my conscience seal,

In presence of thy heavenly host, Thyself we faithfully require : Miscellaneous Hymns. G69 Come, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, By blood, by water, and by lire, And till up all thy human shrine, And seal our souls for ever thine. HYMN 741. cm. At the Administration of Infant Baptism, 1 TTOW large the promise, how divine, -*■ -■- To Abr'am and his seed ! " I am a God to thee and thine, Supplying all their need." 2 The words of his extensive love From age to age endure ; The Angel of the Covenant proves And seals the blessing sure. 3 Jesus the ancient faith confirms, To our great father given ; He takes our children to his arms, And calls them heirs of heaven. 4 O God, how faithful are thy ways ! Thy love endures the same ; Nor from the promise of thy grace Blots out our children's name. HYMN 742. 6-7's. The same. 1 T ORD of all, with pure intent, JL^ From their tenderest infancy, In thy temple we present Whom we first received from thee : Through thy well-beloved Son, Ours acknowledge for thine own. t>7U Miscellaneous Hymns. 2 Seal'd with the baptismal seal, Purchased by the' atoning- blood, Jesus, in our children dwell, Make their heart the house of God : Fill thy consecrated shrine, Father, Son, and Spirit divine. HYMN 743. c. m. Children dedicated to Christ. 1 OEE Israel's gentle Shepherd stand ^ With all-engaging charms : Hark how he calls the tender lambs, And folds them in his arms ! 2 " Permit them to approach," he cries, " Nor scorn their humble name: For 'twas to bless such souls as these, The Lord of angels came." 3 We bring them, Lord, in thankful hands, And yield them up to thee ; Joyful that we ourselves are thine, Thine let our offspring be. HYMN 744. l. m. The Institution of a Gospel Ministry from Christ. 1 npHE Saviour, when to heaven he rose, ■*- In splendid triumph o'er his foes, Scatter'd his gifts on men below, And wide his royal bounties flow. 2 Hence sprung the' Apostles' honour' d name; Sacred beyond heroic fame : In lowlier forms, before our eyes, Pastors from hence, and teachers rise. 3 From Christ their varied gifts derive, And fed by Christ their graces live : Miscellaneous Hymns. 67 1

418, 423, 426-432, 434, 530, 576, 586 Diseased by sin, 131-133, 135, 136, 395-397 Dismissal, 560 Dissolution of all things, 63, 64, 536 Divinity of Christ. See ChrLt. Dominion over sin desired, 416 enjoyed, 230, 419 Drawings of the Spirit, 97 Drunkards, swearers, &c, redeemed, 36, 203 Dying saint encouraged, 725 Effusion of the Spirit, 36, 457, 506 £Wofthe world, 57, 61, 64 Enemies of the righteous, 272, 274, 275 Enjoyment of Christ, 390, 407 Entire sanctification, prayers for, 340, 341, 343, 344, 346, 350, 351, 354, 357, 358, 361, 366, 367, 377, 384, 385, 412, 413- 417, 523,525,530 the promise of, pleaded, 342, 345, 356, 360, 362, 380, 391, 401 Espousals to Christ, remembered, 600 Establishment in grace, 228, 254 Eternal happiness, 67, 73-76 Eternal misery, 80, 181 Eternity o\ God, 41, 90, 240 Evening hymns, 83, 227, 287, 758 Example of Christ, 322, 330,529 of a master to his family, 471, 472 Excellency of religion, 14, 19-21 Exhorting to turn to God, 1, 6-8, 31, 32, 36 Fainting 9 inner, 120, 134 Faith, Christ the author and giver of, 95, 118, 122 powerful, 95, 142, 192, 267, 269, 272, 278, 335, 342, 300, 372,401 prayer for, 85, 148, 150, 342, 455, 660, 666, 759 shown by works, 521 the fight of, 266-274, 277, 314, 315, the life of, 196 Faithfulness of believers, 318-320 of God, 5, 142, 157, 179, 288, 348, 360, 559 Fall of man, 98, 150 Fallen, intercession for the, 459, 461, 462 Falling from grace, possible, 317 Family of God, 735 religion, 739 worship, 739 Father, God a, 12, 235 hymn to the, 561 Fear of God, or Godly Fear, 172, 306-310, 313,319, 320 Fear of m;m, 279 Feast of the Gospel, 2, 4, 9 Fellowship of saints, 16, 17,430, 487, 489- 491, 500, 503, 504, 510, 514, 515, 518, 521, 522-527 Fellowship with Christ. See Union. Fiery trial, 286, 292, 329, 335-339 Fighting, believers, 69, 266-270, 273, 293, 314, 315 Fire of the Holy Spirit, 323, 327, 351, 361, 373, 374, 399, 412, 414, 456, 457, 493, 494, 513, 528 Flock of Christ, 13, 62, 501 Followers of Christ, 480, 491, 515, 539 Following Christ, 222, 332, 338, 339, 484, Fools made wise by Christ, 211, 212 Forbearance of God with sinners, 161, 168, 171, 172, 182 Forgiveness enjoyed, 96 implored, 82, 97, 119, 121, 123-125,

114, 165, 174, 511, 565, 748, 768 Formal religion, 91-94, 454 Foundation, Christ a, 39, 90, 516, 620 Foundation of a place of worship, 737 Fountain, Christ a, 79, 170, 193, 290,346, 364, 513 Freedom from sin, 136, 201, 209, 299, 345, 357, 368, 390, 407 Fruitfulness, spiritual, 348, 349, 424, 531 Fulness of God desired, 284, 363, 372, Funeral hymn, 724. See Death. Gentiles, light of, 606, 693, 705 Glorified, Christ, 634, 635 Glory of Christ, 133 of saints in heaven, 72, 75 Glory of God, 568, 571 our end, 321-326, 428-431 Glorying in the cross, 623 only in Christ, 422 God, attributes of, in general, 239-245 eternity of, 41, 90, 240 glorified by obedience, 318-320, 418 524, 526 glorified in his works, 698 holiness of, 247 is here, 494 majesty of, 223 manifest in the flesh, 607, 609 of Abraham, 669-671 of Daniel, 684 our trust in, 588 unknown, 117, 118, 130 with us, 607 Goliath of Gath, 278 Goodness of God, 38, 250, 283, 585, 586, 587, 589, 597 Gospel, 31, 32 excellency of the, 648 the universal spread of, 691-705 Gospel day, 197, 203, 493 Gospel ministry, institution of the, by Christ, Gospel's success, 40, 211, 212, 218, 219, 348, 492 prayer for, 35, 81, 82, 84, 85, 444-446, 706-708 Grace, Christ the source of, 610 free, 4, 164, 365, 558 the power of, 203 victorious, 93, 122, 132, 137, 139, 191, 201, 203, 206 Grafted into Christ, 193, 517 Greatness of God, 569 Growing in grace, 503, 518, 520-522 Guard, Christ our, 566, 622, 765 Guardian care of God, 55f7 Guide, Christ our, 617, 641, 655, 686, 765 Hammer of God's word, 81, 102, 105 Happiness of believers, 12-16, 21, 96, 197, 198, 205, 207, 214, 222, 407. See Rejoicing. of departed saints, 723, 724, 727, 728, 730-735 of heaven, 12, 51, 69, 70, 72, 73, 75, 76, 482, 535, 536 Harmony of love, 538 Hatred to sin, 177 Head of the Church, Christ the, 693 Healing of spiritual diseases, 112, 131, 139, 166, 356, 373, 395, 396, 611, 697 Heart, new, desired, 341, 343 purity of, 688 required by God, 667 Heathens' salvation desired, 444, 445, 691, 693, 694, 696, 703, 705 Heaven described, 73, 74, 76, 333,727,728, 73(1-7- 1 desired, 70, 77, 78, 404, 735 Heavenly mindedness, 296, 322, 325, 419, 420, 423, 43 *

Ilein of salvation, 67, 125, 374 Hell described, 80 dreaded, 181 Help implored, 3.32, ,"3-3 1High Priest, 186, 194, 275, 190 Hindrances to salvation, 152 Holiness, 18, 840, 363, 369, 375, 381 384 391, 392, 406, 408, 427, 522, 525 ' Holiness of God, 2 1-7, 571, 572 Holy Spirit, Divinity of the, 255, 619 indwelling of, 423 prayer for the, 377, 650-652, 654, 657 658 ' prayer to, for sanctifying jn-ace, \rk 351, 374, 376 work of, 649, 650-658 Hope, 172, 345, 404-406, 488 Hope of glory, 356, 357, 491, 497-499, 535 566, 626, 733, 734, 752 House above, stability of, 67 Humility, 184, 185, 206, 247, 316, 3 1-3, Hungering after righteousness, 134, 304 374, 378, 437 Ignorance, 211, 212. See Blindness and Darkness. Image of God desired, 18, 109, 110 3 12 347, 353, 368, 371, 514 enjoyed, 401, 480 Impenitence, 63, 83, 105 Importunity, 164, 295, 299 Impotency, 1 26, 435 Incarnation, 31, 194, 195, 215, 220 413 601-605, 607, 609, 661, 691 Indwelling sin, freedom from, 288, 359 367, 368, 382, 383, 387-389, 391, 399,' 406, 409, 410, 412-414, 416, 417 Inheritance above, 67 Inspiration, 87, 89, 255 Instability, 183, 355 Instruction, 211, 212, 358 Insufficiency of our righteousness, 92, 132, Intercession for England, 453, 460, 463 464, 466 for Heathens, 444, 445 for Jews, 450-452, f><)2 for Mahometans, 443 for penitents, 462 of believers for sinners, 81-83, !) 1441, 442 of Christ, 5, 100, 106, 127. 168, 202, 390, 627, 633, 644, 646 Invitation to sinners, 2-5, 9, 10, 20, 29-32 Israel, passage of, out of Egypt, 223 Jeshurun's God, 407 Jews, salvation of the, 450-452 Joy of believers. See Rejoicing, Happiness, &c. Joy in heaven, 596 Jubilee, 645 ' Judgment described, 51-56, 59, 65, 66, 565, preparation for, 44, 55, 59, 63-66 Judgments, national, 60, 62 Justification, 127, 189, 190, 192, 201 20'? 215, 217, 394, 593. See Pardon and Forgiveness. Kept by Christ, 187, 188, 200, 209, 281, *82, 483 King, Christ a, 1, 12, 56, 107, 195, 211 219, 275-277, 280, 352, 539, 629, 634-^ 639, 612, 689-692, 695, 697, 703 God a, 589 King, prayer for the, 464, 465, 755 Kingdom of Christ, 636-639, 689-692 694 697, 747. See Dominion. Kingdom of grace, 15, 134, 220, 248, 251 275, 352, 399, 418, 423, 447, 488, 496,' 524, 525 '

for the enjoyment of forgiveness, 97, 123-125 for the success of the Gospel, 84 necessity of perseverance in, 295, 297, 299, 301, 303 private, 1 19 prevalence of, 140, 144, 298 the Spirit of, desired, 294, 296, 299 Preacher, concerned to save sinners, 279, Preachers, blessing on, 747 faithfulness of, 30, 279, 439, 410 infirm and aged, 356 in general, 33, 34, 89, 231, 424, 439, Preparation for meeting God, the business of life, 55, 59, 65,512 Presence of God in his church, 493, 520 Preserving grace, 210 Preservation from spiritual enemies, 200, Priesthood of Christ, 193, 211, 627 Priests, clothed with salvation, 446 Priests and Kings, 423 Primitive Christianity, 16, 17 Prince, Christ a, 101, 105, 107 Prisoner of hope, 123, 129, 144, 150, 380, Private prayer, 119 Prodigal's return, 9, 178, 191 Prophet, Christ a, 193, 211, 212, 641-6 43 Prosperity of the church, 687 Protection, 272, 276, 292, 305, 335, 348, 407, 556 Providence, 224, 225, 227, 229, 231, 233, 236, 238, 239, 241, 243, 245, 289, 496, 570, 584, 585, 589, 592, 673-675 mystery of, 559 trusting in, 673-675 Publican, prayer of the, 101 Public worship, 541, 573-575, 577, 579, Purity desired, 284, 304, 361, 391, 410, 414, 417, 512, 688 Quickening, Spirit and Word, 136, 360, 362, 366, 419 Race, Christian, 46, 71, 311, 312, 495, 498, Ransom, Christ a, 190, 330, 444, 445 Ransomed, 386, 497 Reconciliation, 11, 123, 252, 400 Redemption, 565, 595, 601, 613, 625, 661 ; general, 25, 33-35, 39, 90, 129, 149, 190, 378, 444, 445 found, 189-191, 197-202, 206, 217 Refuge, 143, 175, 290, 292, 331, 407, 678 Regeneration, 83, 109, 110, 158, 159,303, 340, 351 Rejoicing of believers, 19, 198, 199, 539. See Happiness of. Reliance on Christ, 92, 131, 132, 142, 143, 163, 217, 312, 335, 436, 508 Religion, internal, 95, 96, 364 Renewal in holiness, desired, 18 Repentance, 9, 99-106 the gift of God, 99-107, 710 Resignation, 335. See Patience. Rest in Christ, 116, 296, 337, 388, 403, Restoration, 98, 109, 110, 169, 256, 402 Resurrection of Christ, 420, 553, 628, 629 Resurrection, of believers, joyful, 58, 60, 65 of the body, 718-721, 726 spiritual, 290, 360 Returning to Christ, 178, 182, 186, 191 Reverence, 307, 316, 353, 358, 369, 425, 494 Revival of religion, 40, 82, 203, 493

acknowledged, 218, 219 Riches, vanity of, 422 Righteousness of Christ, 190, 198, 423 Righteousness of faith, 192 Risen with Christ, 419, 420 Rock, Christ a, 4, 63, 61-, 227. 247, 271, 283, 453, 624 Running, 672, 733 Sabbath, delightful, 544, 578, 580, 581-583 heavenly, 582 Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, 29, 92, 207, 499, 507, 545, 546, 548-552, 575, 594, 751-753, 754 Sacrifice, Christ a, 23, 27, 28, 122, 202, 215, 330, 615, 616 Sacrificing all to God, 285, 286 Saints, glorified, 730, 731 rest of, 732 Salutation on entering a house, 479 Salvation by grace, 211, 212, 219, 269, 558 desired, 299, 341, 343, 367, 388, 389, 391, 409, 410, 412, 414, 417 free for all men, 242, 245, 250 prayer for, 151, 185, 618, 662, 665, 668 Samaritan, 112 Sanctification by the blood of Christ. See Washed. Satan chained, 280 his empty boast, 274 Saviour, Christ the only, 127, 129, 132, 158, 435 Scriptures, opened by inspiration, 87-89, 255, 328 excellency of the, 746 explained and applied by the Spirit, 87-89, 255, 328 Sea, under God's control, 12, 223, 289 Seal of the Spirit, 374, 376, 393, 510, 512, Seamen's hymns, 761, 762, 763, 764 Searcher of hearts, 152, 339, 503 Second death, salvation from, 246 Self-abasement, 163, 164, 175 Self-dedication, 750 Self-denial, 285, 286, 332, 686 Self -despair, 127, 131, 132 Self-righteousness, 94 renounced, 127, 132, 217, 302, 305, Seriousness desired, 42-44, 55, 5(J Serpent's head bruise*', 280, 299 Serving God, 318, 320, 325 the church, 17, 84 Shepherd, God a, 641, 679, 704, 713 Shepherd and sheep, 13, 82, 193, 228, 458 Shield of faith, 267, 269 Shimei's hostility, 334 Shipboard, going on, 763, 764 Sight restored, 133, 135 Simplicity desired, 302 Sin, confession of, 663 freedom from, desired, 288, 347, 387, 389, 408, 409, 412 power of, confessed, 126, 15S, 1-59 subdued bv Christ, 275 Singing, 204, 259, 262, 491 with the Spirit, 204 Single eye, 323 Sinners, chief of, seeking salvation, 115, 116, 159, 161, 168, 170 exhorted to believe in Christ, 1 expostulated with, 6, 7, 8 invited to the Gospel feast, 2, 9 to drink of the water of life, 3, 4, 10 Slavery to sense, confessed, 108 Sobriety, 301, 419 Society, admission into, 756 Soldiers, 266, 277. See Fighting. Son of David, prayer to, 165 Son of God, 565, 601, 607 birth of the, 602, 604, 605, 607, 609 eternal, 561

hymn to, 601 Songs in the night, 287 Soul, original destination of, 18 Spirit, Holy, a Comforter, 655-658 desired, 121, 165, 171, 367, 374, 376, despite to, 161 free for all, 3, 10, 86 led by, 326 the guide of believers, 326 Spiritual fruitfulness, 111 Stability prayed for, 183, 187, 188, 355, Statutes of God, lead to heaven, 15 Steward:, faithful, 432 unfaithful, 176 Still small voice, 358, 425 Stony heart, 84, 102, 110, 145, 173, 391 Strength renewed, 672 Striving, 281, 313, 318. See Fighting. with God, 682 Strong in the Lord, 200, 273, 293, 359 Suffering, 272, 329, 330, 333, 335-339 for righteousness' sake, 304 Sufferings of Christ, 22-25, 27, 28, 33, design of, 330, 362, 375 Sun, Christ a, 647 Supper, the Lord's, 546, 552. See Sacrament. Supping with Christ, 507 Sword of the Spirit, 89, 105, 370 Sympathy, 364, 441, 518, 520, 527 Sympathy of Christ, 157 Talking with Go 1, 214, 325, 328 Te Deum laudamus, 564--566 Temple of God, 121, 383, 385, 399, 405, Temptation, 272, 297, 309, 310, 311, 314, 315, 359 Thanksgiving, 193, 195, 203, 206, 210, 229, 231, 233, 365, 478, 480-482, 584, 585, Thirsting for God, 3, 4, 10, 26, 371 for righteousness, 78. See Hungering. Three Hebrew children, 359 Time, rapid flight of, 42, 44, 46, 47 Traveller' s hymn, 765 Tried, 273, 281, 282. See Temptation. Tried by God, 667 Triniti/ in Unity, 221, 232, 237, 239, 252, 253', 255-263, 333, 368, 418, 430, 477, 506, 514, 515,517, 561, 562, 564, 568, 647, 654, 671, 745, 769 praise to the, 745, 769 Triumph int believer, 274, 275. See Believers and Rejoicing. Trusting in Christ, 270, 278, 282, 660, 677, 678, 682. See Reliance. Trusting in God, 588, 672, 673, 685 Truth of God, 599 Tumult and persecution, 276, 557 Turning to God, 6, 8, 20, 170. See Returning. Unchangeableness cf God, 95, 223, 335 Unfaithfulness, 176, 178, 182-185, 365 Union with Christ, 169, 350, 384, 405, 504, 515,517, 518 Unity in the church, 459, 489, 490, 500, 501, 503-505, 509, 514, 515, 518, 522, 524, 527, 528 Unprofitableness acknowledged, 665 Vineyard of God, 535 Voice of God, 358-425 Vows, 290, 532 performed, 80 Voyage of life, 49, 143, 272, 292 Waiting for God, 142, 177, 180, 356, 389, 530, 672 Walking in Christ, 169, 312, 324, 528

Spirit of Holiness 244 Spotless, sincere . 245 Stamp'd with an . 308 Stand by them in 432 Stand then against 254 Stand then in his 253 Standing now as . 171 Steadfast let us .481 Still heavy is . . 614 Still for us his . 577 Still hide me in thy 315 Still 1 cannot part 160 Still let him with 301 Still let me live thy 339 Still let the publi- 83 Still let them . . 615 Still let thy love . 357 Still let thy tears 28 Still let thy wisdom 192 Still let us, gracious 496 Still let us, Lord . 530 Still let us on our 200 Still let us own our 471 Still let us piay . 434 Still let us to each 457 Still, Lord, thy sav-544 Still may 1 walk as 297 Still may we to . 490 Still nigh me, O . 259 Still, O Lord, for 481 Still, O Lord, our 48H Still restless nature 531 Still stir me up to 410 Still thou go'st . 563 Still thou journey 'stl 1 1 Still we believe . 245 Still we wait for . 558 Still will I strive . 270 Still with and in . 489 Stir up thy power 434 Strangers and pil- 73 Strive we, in affec-483 Strong I am, for . 193 Stronger his love 145 Stronger than the 288 Struggle through 644 Stung by the scor- 38 Sublime upon his . 67 Submissive to thy 648 Subsists as in us all 500 Such happiness, O 64 Suffice that for the 199 Sun and moon are 657 Sun, moon, and . 634 Superior to their . 413 Supply what every 491 Supreme and all- 525 Sure earnest of that 248 Surely he will lift 115 Surely he will not 662 Surely I shall, the 340 Surely in us the . 327 Surely now the . 112 Surely thou canst 340 Surely thou didst 477 Sweet fields be- . 656 Sweet is the day . 539 Sweet is the me- 676 Sweetly may we all 482 Swift as the eagle 613 Swift to my rescue 285 S-\orn to destroy 136

Till, throughly . 176 Time, like an ever- 44 Time to repent . 643 'lis done! my . 31 Tis done, the great 675 ' lis done ! the pre- 27 'Tis done ! thou . 396 'Tis finish'd ! all . 565 'Tis fit we should 648 Tis here thine . 683 ' lis his almighty 623 'Tis his the droop- 106 'lis love that . .619 Tis love ! 'tis love 138 'Tis mercy all, that 325 'Tis mystery all . 197 'lis there, with . 221 'lis thine a heart 128 TV accomplish his 615 To all my weak . 548 To baffle the wise 206 To damp our earth- 59 To-day attend . 535 To destroy his work 288 To each the cov- 495 To fit his soul for 436 To God, most . 667 To God the Son . 638 l'o God the Spirit's 688 To God your . . 255 To help our soul's 283 To help their grov- 106 l'o him continually 398 l'o him mine eye of 259 1 o him our request 464 l'o him that in thy 95 l'o hoary hairs . 678 To Jesu's name . 133 l'o keep your . .255 To know thy nature 242 l'o love is all my 31 To magnify thy . 200 To make them trees 106 To mourn and to 51 To mourn for thy 655 To our Redeemer 624 To please thee thus 91 l'o praise a Trinity 251 To pray and wait 58 To purest joys she 20 To real holiness . 354 l'o rescue me from 134 To save the race . 421 To save us from . 555 To save what was 11 To steer our dan- 436 To that Jerusalem 660 To the blest foun- 602 To the cross, thine 184 To the never- . 288 To the sheep of .160 To thee, benign . 152 To thee for refuge 315 To thee I lift my . 144 To thee inseparably471

3 Plenteous grace with thee is found, grace to cover all my sin; let the healing streams abound; make and keep me pure within. Thou of life the fountain art; freely let me take of thee; spring thou up within my heart, rise to all eternity.

4. Finish, then, thy new creation; Pure and spotless let us be; Let us see thy great salvation Perfectly restored in thee; Changed from glory into glory Till in Heav'n we take our place, Till we cast our crowns before thee, Lost in wonder, love, and praise!

Contented now upon my thigh I halt, till life's short journey end; All helplessness, all weakness I On Thee alone for strength depend; Nor have I power from Thee to move: Thy nature, and Thy name is Love.

On A Single Eye "If thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. Therefore, if the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!" Matt. 6:22, 23. 1. "Simplicity and purity," says a devout man, "are the two wings that lift the soul up to heaven: Simplicity, which is in the intention; and purity, which is in the affections." The former of these, that great and good man, Bishop Taylor, recommends with much earnestness, in the beginning of his excellent book, "Rules of Holy Living and Dying." He sets out with insisting upon this, as the very first point in true religion, and warns us, that, without this, all our endeavours after it will be vain and ineffectual. The same truth, that strong and elegant writer, Mr. Law, earnestly presses in his "Serious Call to a Devout Life" -- a treatise which will hardly be excelled, if it be equalled, in the English tongue, either for beauty of expression, or for justness and depth of thought. And who can censure any follower of Christ, for laying ever so great stress on this point, that considers the manner wherein our Master recommends it, in the words above recited 2. Let us attentively consider this whole passage, as it may be literally translated. "The eye is the lamp of the body:" And what the eye is to the body, the intention is to the soul. We may observe, with what exact propriety our Lord places simplicity of intention between worldly desires and worldly cares; either of which directly tend to destroy it. It follows, "If thine eye be single," singly fixed upon God, "thy whole body," that is, all thy soul, "shall be full of light," -- shall be filled with holiness and happiness. "But if thine eye be evil," -- not single, aiming at any other object, seeking anything beneath the sun, -- "thy whole body shall be full of darkness. And if the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!" how remote, not only from all real knowledge, but from all real holiness and happiness!

8. How strange must not only the manner of existence appear, and the place wherein you are (if it may be called place; though who can define or describe the place of spirits) but the inhabitants of that unknown region! whether they are of the number of those unhappy spirits that "kept not their first estate," or of those holy ones that still "minister to the heirs of salvation." How strange are the employments of those spirits with which you are now surrounded! How bitter are they to the taste of those that are still dreaming upon earth! "I have no relish," said one of these, (a much-applauded wit, who has lately left the body,) "for sitting upon a cloud all day long, and singing praise to God." We may easily believe him; and there is no danger of his being put to that trouble. Nevertheless, this is no trouble to them who cease not day and night, but continually sing, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth!"

7. "We may likewise observe the depth of the work so extensively and swiftly wrought. Multitudes have been throughly convinced of sin; and, shortly after, so filled with joy and love, that whether they were in the body, or out of the body, they could hardly tell; and, in the power of this love, they have trampled underfoot whatever the world accounts either terrible or desirable, having evidenced, in the severest trials, an invariable and tender good-will to mankind, and all the fruits of holiness. Now so deep a repentance, so strong a faith, so fervent love, and so unblemished holiness, wrought in so many persons in so short a time, the world has not seen for many ages. 8. "No less remarkable is the purity of the religion which has extended itself so deeply and swiftly: I speak particularly as to the doctrines held by those who are the subjects of it. Those of the Church of England, at least, must acknowledge this; for where is there a body of people, who, number for number, so closely adhere to the doctrines of the Church "Nor is their religion more pure from heresy than it is from superstition. In former times, wherever any unusual religious concern has appeared, there has sprung up with it a zeal for things that were no part of religion. But it has not been so in the present case; no stress has been laid on anything, as though it was necessary to salvation, but what is plainly contained in the word of God. And of the things contained therein, the stress laid on each has been in proportion to the nearness of its relation to what is there laid down as the sum of all, -- the love of God and our neighbour. So pure, both from superstition and error, is the religion which has lately spread in this nation.

7. That circular letter was the happy occasion of his writing those excellent "Checks to Antinomianism," in which one knows not which to admire most, the purity of the language, (such as a foreigner scarce ever wrote before,) the strength and clearness of the argument, or the mildness and sweetness of the spirit which breathes throughout the whole; insomuch that I nothing wonder at a clergyman that was resolved never to part with his dear decrees, who, being pressed to read them, replied, "No, I will never read Mr. Fletcher's writings; for if I did, I should be of his mind." He now likewise wrote several other valuable tracts. Meantime, he was more abundant in his ministerial labours, both in public and private; visiting his whole parish, early and late, in all weathers; regarding neither heat nor cold, rain nor snow, whether he was on horseback or on foot. But this insensibly weakened his constitution, and sapped the foundation of his health; which was still more effectually done by his intense and uninterrupted studies, at which he frequently continued with scarce any intermission, fourteen, fifteen, or sixteen hours a day. Meantime, he did not allow himself necessary food. He seldom took any regular meals, unless he had company; but twice or thrice in four and twenty hours ate some bread and cheese, or fruit; instead of which he sometimes took a draught of milk, and then wrote on again. When one reproved him for this, for not allowing himself a sufficiency of necessary food, he replied, with surprise, "Not allow myself food Why, our food seldom costs my housekeeper and me less than two shillings a week!" 8. Being informed that his health was greatly impaired, I judged nothing was so likely to restore it as a long journey: So I proposed his taking a journey with me into Scotland, to which he willingly consented. We set out in spring, and after travelling eleven or twelve hundred miles, returned to London in autumn. I verily believe, had he travelled with me a few months longer, he would have quite recovered his health; but being stopped by his friends, he quickly relapsed, and fell into a true pulmonary consumption.

Having introduced some other things, he adds, "Besides faith, there is no one but may see that repentance is required as necessary to justification. Now, repentance is not one work alone, but is, as it were, a collection of many others: For in its compass the following works are comprehended: -- (1.) Sorrow on account of sin: (2.) Humiliation under the hand of God: (3.) Hatred to sin: (4.) Confession of sin: (5.) Ardent supplication of the divine mercy: (6.) The love of God: (7.) Ceasing from sin: (8.) Firm purpose of new obedience: (9.) Restitution of ill-gotten goods: (10.) Forgiving our neighbour his transgressions against us: (11.) Works of beneficence, or alms-giving. How much these things avail to procure remission of sins from God is sufficiently evident from Dan. 4:27; where the Prophet gives this wholesome advice to Nebuchadnezzar, who was at that time cleaving to his sins: `Redeem [The Bishop translates PRQ -- peruk, with the Vulgate, redeem, or buy off but the proper and literal meaning is, break off. A.C.] your sins by alms-giving, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor.'" -- Ibid., p. 10. 7. To instance in one point more: All the Liturgy of the Church is full of petitions for that holiness without which, the Scripture everywhere declares, no man shall see the Lord. And these are all summed up in those comprehensive words which we are supposed to be so frequently repeating: "Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy name." It is evident that in the last clause of this petition, all outward holiness is contained: Neither can it be carried to a greater height, or expressed in stronger terms. And those words, "Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts," contain the negative branch of inward holiness; the height and depth of which is purity of heart, by the inspiration of God's Holy Spirit. The remaining words, "that we may perfectly love thee," contain the positive part of holiness; seeing this love, which is the fulfilling of the law, implies the whole mind that was in Christ.

On Grieving The Holy Spirit "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." Eph. 4:30. There can be no point of greater importance to him who knows that it is the Holy Spirit which leads us into all truth and into all holiness, than to consider with what temper of soul we are to entertain his divine presence; so as not either to drive him from us, or to disappoint him of the gracious ends for which his abode with us is designed; which is not the amusement of our understanding, but the conversion and entire sanctification of our hearts and lives. These words of the Apostle contain a most serious and affectionate exhortation to this purpose. "Grieve. not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." The title "holy," applied to the Spirit of God, does not only denote that he is holy in his own nature, but that he makes us so; that he is the great fountain of holiness to his church; the Spirit from whence flows all the grace and virtue, by which the stains of guilt are cleansed, and we are renewed in all holy dispositions, and again bear the image of our Creator. Great reason, therefore, there was for the Apostle to give this solemn charge concerning it, and the highest obligation lies upon us all to consider it with the deepest attention; which that we may the more effectually do, I shall inquire, I. In what sense the Spirit of God is said to be grieved at the sins of men: II. By what kind of sin he is more especially grieved. III. I shall endeavour to show the force of the Apostle's argument against grieving the Holy Spirit, -- "By whom we are sealed to the day of redemption."

Sun. 28.--A servant of Mr. Bradley’s sent to desire to speak with me. Going to him, I found a young man ill, but perfectly sensible. He desired the rest to go out, and then said, “ On Thursday night, about eleven, being in bed, but broad awake, I heard one calling aloud, ‘Peter! Peter Wright and looking up, the room was as ught as day, and I saw a man in very bright clothes stand by the bed, who said, ‘ Prepare yourself, for your end is nigh ;’ and then immediately all was dark as before.” I told him, “ The advice was good, whencesoever it came.” Ina few days he recovered from his illness ; his whole temper was changed as well-as his life ; and so continued to be, till after three or four weeks he relapsed, and died in peace. Tues. 30.--Mr. Ingham, coming from Frederica, brought me letters, pressing me to go thither. The next day Mr. Delamotte and I began to try, whether life might net as well be sustained by one sort as by variety of food. We chose to make the experiment with bread ; and * Formerly I was the estate of Achemenides, but I am now the property of Menippus.--Eprr. April, 1736. ] REY. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. 23 were never more vigorous and healthy than while we tasted nothing else. ‘“ Blessed are the pure in heart ;” who, whether they eat or drink, or whatever they do, have no end therein but to please God ! To them all things are pure. Every creature is good to them, and nothing to be rejected. But let them who know and feel that they are not thus pure, use every help, and remove every hinderance ; always ng: “ He that despiseth little things shall fall by little and itule.” ;

On Thursday or Friday was delivered out a list of twenty-six men, who were to meet, as a grand jury, on Monday the 22d. But this list was called in the next day, and twenty-four names added to it. Ot this grand jury, (forty-four of whom only met,) one was a Frenchman, who did not understand English, one a Papist, one a professed infidel, three Baptists, sixteen or seventeen others, Dissenters; and several others who had personal quarrels against me, and had openly vowed revenge. To this grand jury, on Monday, the 22d, Mr. Causton gave a long and earnest charge, “to beware of spiritual tyranny, and to oppose the new, illegal authority which was usurped over their consciences.” Then Mrs. Williamson’s affidavit was read: after which, Mr. Causton delivered to the grand jury a paper, entitled,-- ‘A list of grievances, presented by the Grand Jury for Savannah this * day of August, 1737.” This the majority of the grand jury altered in some particulars, and on Thursday, September 1, delivered it again to the court, under the form of two presentments, containing ten bills, which were then read to the people. Herein they asserted, upon oath “'That John Wesley, clerk, had broken the laws of the realm, contrary to the peace of our sovereign lord the king, his crown and dignity. “1. By speaking and writing to Mrs. Williamson, against her husband’s consent. “2. By repelling her from the holy communion. “3. By not declaring his adherence to the Church of England. “4, By dividing the Morning service on Sundays. “5. By refusing to baptize Mr. Parker’s child, otherwise than by dipping, except the parents would certify it was weak, and not able to bear it. “6. By repelling William Gough from the holy communion. “7. By refusing to read the Burial service over the body of Nathaniel Polhill. “8. By calling himself Ordinary of Savannah. “9. By refusing to receive William Aglionby as a godfather, only because he was not a communicant. Sept. 1737. | REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. 43 “10. By refusing Jacob Matthews for the same reason: and baptizing an Indian trader’s child with only two sponsors.” (This I own, was wrong; for I ought, at all hazards, to have refused baptizing it till he had procured a third.)

Being faint in the evening, | called at Altringham, and there lit upon a Quaker, well skilled in, and therefore (as I soon found) sufficiently fond of, controversy. After an hour spent therein, (perhaps not in vain,) I advised him to dispute as little as possible; but rather follow after holiness ; and walk humbly with his God. Late at night we reached Manchester. Friday, the 17th, we spent entirely with Mr. Clayton, by whom, and the rest of our friends here, we were much refreshed and strengthened. Mr. Hoole, the rector of St. Ann’s church, being taken ill the next day, on Sunday, 19, Mr. Kinchin and I officiated at Salford chapel in the morning, by which means Mr. Clayton was at liberty to perform the service of St. Ann’s ; and in the afternoon I preached there on those words of St. Paul, «It any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.” Early in the morning we left Manchester, taking with us Mr. Kiv 64 REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. | Marcn, 1738 chin’s brother, for whom we came, to be entered at Oxford. We were fully determined to lose no opportunity of awakening, instructing, or exhorting, any whom we might meet with in our journey. At Knutsford, where we fist stopped, all we spake to thankfully received the word of exhortation. But at Talk-on-the-Hill, where we dined, she with whom we were, was so much of a gentlewoman, that for near an hour our labour seemed to be in vain. However, we spoke on. Upona sudden, she looked as one just awaked out of asleep. Every word sunk into her heart. Nor have I seen so entire a change both in the eyes, face, and manner of speaking, of any one in so short a time.

May, 1738. ] REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. 71 both in public and in private, and read, with the Scriptures, several other books of religion, especially comments on the New Testament. Yet I had not all this while so much as a notion of inward holiness; nay, went on habitually and, for the most part, very contentedly, in some or other known sin: indeed, with some intermission and short struggles, especially before and after the holy communion, which I was obliged to receive thrice a year. I cannot well tell what I hoped to be saved by now, when I was continually sinning against that little light I had ; unless by those transient fits of what many divines taught me to call repentance. 4, When I was about twenty-two, my father pressed me to enter into holy orders. At the same time, the providence of God directing me to Kempis’s “Christian Pattern,” I began to see, that true religion was seated in the heart, and that God’s Law extended to all our thoughts as well as words and actions. I was, however, very angry at Kempis, for being too strict ; though I read him only in Dean Stanhope’s translation. Yet I had frequently much sensible comfort in reading him, such as | was an utter stranger to before: and meeting likewise with a religious friend, which I never had till now, I began to alter the whole form of my conversation, and to set in earnest upon a new life. I set apart an hour or two a day for religious retirement. I communicated every week. I watched.against all sin, whether in word or deed. I began to aim at, and pray for, inward holiness. So that now, ‘ doing so much, and living so good a life,” I doubted not but I was a good Christian.

“17, At eight in the morning, and in the evening, we meet to pray to and praise God, and to read and hear the Holy Scriptures. The time we usually spend in sleep, is from eleven at night till four in the morning. So that allowing three hours a day for taking the food both of our bodies and souls, there remain sixteen for work. And this space those who are * in health spend therein, with all diligence and faithfulness. “18. Two men keep watch every night in the street ; as do two women. in the women’s apartment; that they may pour out their souls for those that sleep; and by their hymns raise the hearts of any who are awake to God. Aug. 1738. | REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. 103 19. For the further stirring up the gift which is in us, sometimes we have public, sometimes private, love-feasts: at which we take moderate refreshment, with gladness and singleness of heart, and the voice of praise and thanksgiving. 20. If any man among us, having been often admonished, and long forborne, persists in walking unworthy of his holy calling, he is no longer admitted to the Lord’s Supper. If he still continues in his fault, hating to be reformed, the last step is, publicly, and often in the midst of many prayers and tears, to cast him out of our congregation. But great is our joy if he then see the error of his ways, so that we may receive him among us again. " “21. Most of our brethren and sisters have, in some part of their life, experienced holy mourning and sorrow of heart; and have efterward been assured, that there was no more “condemnation for them, being passed from death unto life.” ‘They are, therefore, far from fearing to die, or desiring to live on earth; knowing that to them “to die is gain,” and being confident that they are the care of Him whose are the “issues of life and death.” Wherefore they depart as out of one chamber into another. And after the soul has left its habitation, their remains are deposited in the earth, appointed for that purpose. And the survivors are ee and rejoice over them with a “joy the world knoweth not o

Thur. 14.--I went with Mr. Whitefield to Blackheath, where were, [ believe, twelve or fourteen thousand people. He a little surprised me, by desiring me to preach in his stead; which I did (though nature recoiled) on my favourite subject, “Jesus Christ, who of God is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.” I was greatly moved with compassion for the rich that were there, to whom I made a particular application. Some of them seemed to attend, while others drove away their coaches from so uncouth a preacher. Fri. 15.--I had much talk with one who is called a Quaker ; but he could not receive my saying. I was too strict for him, and talked of such a perfection as he could not think necessary ; being persuaded, there was no harm in costly apparel, provided it was plain and grave ; nor in putting scarlet or gold upon our houses, so it were not upon our clothes. In the evening I went to a society at Wapping, weary in body and faint in spirit. I intended to speak on Romans iii, 19, but could not tell how to open my mouth: and all the time we were singing, my mind was full of some place, I knew not where, in the Epistle to the Hebrews. I begged God to direct, and opened the book on Hebrews x, 19: “ Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest, by the blood of Jesus ; by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh,--let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith; laving our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.” While I was earnestly inviting all sinners to “ enter into the holiest” 140 REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. [June, 1739.

W. I feared that there was error in their doctrine,--1!. Concerning the end of our faith in this life, to wit, Christian perfection. 2. Concerning the means of grace, so called by our Church. Z. I acknowledge no inherent perfection in this life. This is the error of errors. I pursue it through the world with fire and sword ;--I trample it under foot ;--I exterminate it. Christ is our only perfection. Whoever follows after inherent perfection, denies Christ. W. But I believe, that the Spirit of Christ works perfection in true Christians. Z. Not at all. All our perfection is in Christ. All Christian perfection is, faith in the blood of Christ. The whole of Christian perfection is imputed, not inherent. We are perfect in Christ ;--in ourselves, never. W. We contend, I think, about words. Is not every true believer holy 2 Z. Certainly. Bur. he is holy in Christ, not in himself. W. But does he not live holily ? Z. Yes, he lives holily in all things. W. Has he not also a holy heart ? Z. Most certainly. W. Is he not, consequently, holy in himself? Z. No, no. In Christ only. He is not holy in himself. In himself he has no holiness at all. W. Has he not the love of God and his neighbour in his heart? Yea, eve: .he whole image of God ? Z. He has. But these constitute legal, not evangelical holiness. Evangelical holiness is,--faith. W. The dispute is altogether about words. You grant taat the whole heart and the whole life of a believer, are holy: that he loves God with all his heart, and serves him with all his strength. I ask nothing more. I mean nothing else by Christian perfection or holiness, Z. But this is not his holiness. He is not more holy, if he loves more; nor less holy, if he loves less. Journal I.--15 (? ee Saat aC oe 8/4 222 REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. [Sept. 1741. whatsoever you are, I beseech you to weigh the following words; if haply God, “ who sendeth by whom he will send,” may give you light thereby: although “‘the mist of darkness,” (as one ‘of you affirms) should be reserved for me for ever.

Sat. 10.--His journey being deferred till Monday, H. Harris came to me at the new room. He said, as to the decree of reprobation, he renounced and utterly abhorred it. And as to the not falling from grace, 1. He believed that it ought not to be mentioned to the unjustified, or to any that were slack and careless, much less that lived in sin; but only to the earnest and disconsolate mourners. 2. He did himself believe it was possible for one to fall away who had been “ enlightened” with some knowledge of God, who had “tasted of the heavenly gift, and been made partaker of the Holy Ghost ;” and wished we could all agree to keep close, in the controverted points, to the very words of Holy Writ. 3. That he accounted no man so justified as not to fall, till he had a thorough, abiding hatred to all sin, and a continual hunger and thirst after all righteousness. Blessed be thou of the Lord, thou man of peace! Still follow after peace and holiness. Thur. 15.--I was preparing for another journey to Wales, which I had designed to begin on Friday; when I received a message from H. Harris, desiring me to set out immediately, and meet him near the New Passage. I accordingly set out at noon; but, being obliged to wait at the water side, did not reach Will Creek (the place he had appointed for our meeting) till an hour or two after night. But this was soon enough; for he had not been there; nor could we hear any thing of him: so we went back to Mather, and thence in the morning to Lanmarton, a village two miles off, where we heard Mr. Daniel Rowlands was to be, and whom accordingly we found there. Evil sur- ea \ He's) i 232 ; REY. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. [ Oct. 1741.

Tues. 22.---I had a long conversation with Mr. Simpson. And of this I am fully persuaded, that whatever he does, is in the uprightness of his heart. But he is led into a thousand mistakes by one wrong principle, (the same which many either ignorantly or wickedly ascribe to the body of the people called Mcthodists,) the making inward impressions his rule of action, and not the written word. About eight I left Donnington Park, and before noon came to Markfield. We lay at Coventry, and the next day, Wednesday, 23, in the afternoon, came to Evesham. Ateight I preached. There were many who came with a design to disturb the rest ; but they opened not their mouth. Thur. 24.--I spent great part of the day in speaking with the mem aoe ee & June, 1742.] REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. 259. bers of the society ; whom in the evening I earnestly besought, no more to tear each other to pieces by disputing; but to “ follow after holiness,” and ‘ provoke one another to love and to good works.” = Fri. 25 --TI rode to Painswick ; where, in the evening, I declared to all those who had been fighting and troubling one another, from the beginning hitherto, about rites and ceremonies, and modes of worship, and opinions, “ The kingdom of God is not meat and drink ; but nghteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” Sat. 26.--I was desired to call upon Mr. Walker, “the pillar of the Church” in these parts. As soon as I came in, he fell upon me with might and main, for saying, “ People might know their sins were forgiven,” and brought a great book to confute me at once. I asked, if it was the Bible; and upon his answering, “ No,” inquired no further, but laid it quietly down. This made him warmer still: upon which I held it best to shake him by the hand and take my leave.

January 1, 1748.--We began the year at four in the morning, with joy and thanksgiving. The same spirit was in the midst of us, both at noon and in the evening. Surely we shall at length present ourselves ‘a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God.” Wed. 6.--I conversed an hour with Counsellor G., many years eminent for an utter disregard of all religion. He had lately contracted an acquaintance with Mr. R., in consequence of which, he soon set upon his wife. She told him, ‘¢ Sir, here is a fuller answer to your objections, than I am able to give ;”” and desired him seriously to read the “‘ Earnest Appeal.” He did so, and was throughly convinced that there is reality in religion. I believe he told me all that was in his heart. He stayed till the watch-night service was ended, and appeared much aflected. Let but a little seed be sown, and God is able to give it an increase. Sat. 16.--Upon reviewing the account of the sick, we found great reason to praise God. Within the year, about three hundred persons had received medicines occasionally. About one hundred had regularly taken them, and submitted to a proper regimen: more than ninety of these were entirely cured of diseases they had long laboured under. And the expense of medicines for the entire year amounted to some shillings above forty pounds. Sun. 17.--I made a public collection toward a lending stock for the poor. Our rule is, to lend only twenty shillings at once, which is repaid weekly within three months. I began this about a year and a half ago: thirty pounds sixteen shillings were then collected; and out of this, no less than two hundred and fifty-five persons have been relieved in eighteen months. Dr. W., hearing of this design, sent a guinea toward it ; as did an eminent Deist the next morning. Mon. 25.--I preached at four; and afterward set out for Brentford. Thence I rode to Windsor, and preached about noon. We lodged at Morrel Green, and came to Fisherton on Tuesday, about two o’clock.

Fri. 29.--I set out again for Whitehaven. ‘The storm was exceeding high, and drove full in my face, so that it was not without difficulty I could sit my horse ; particularly as I rode over the broad, bare backs of those enormous mountains which lay in my way. However, I kept on as I could, till I came to the brow of Hatside. So thick a fog then fell, that I was quickly out of all road, and knew not which way to turn. But I knew where help was to be found, in either great difficulties or small. The fog vanished in a moment, and I saw Gamblesby at a distance: (the town to which I was going.) I set cut early on Saturday, the 30th, and in the afternoon reached Whitehaven. About this time I was refreshed with a friendly letter from an excellent man, whom I had not heard from for several years: part of it was as follows :--- “ Ebenezer, in Georgia, July 25, 1749. “Rev. anp Dear Srr,--The sincere love to your worthy person and faithful performance of your holy office, which the Lord kindled in my heart, during your presence at Savannah, hath not been abated, but rather increased, since the providence of God called you from us, and showed you another field for the labour of your ministry. “ You are pleased, in your last letter to Mr. Brown, of Savannah, to remember Ebenezer kindly ; and desired to know what is the present state of our settlement. Though we have felt greatly the inconveniences of ee) oe ee 466 REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. [ Oct. 1749

Thur. 26.--We came to Knowle between nine and ten, a furious, turbulent place from the beginning. I began preaching directly in the yard of the inn, to a few gaping, staring people, before the mob could assemble. They increased apace, and were tolerably attentive. In the afternoon we rode to Evesham, where I preached in the evening and morning, and then went forward to Stanley. The congregation was larger than could have been expected, upon a few hours’ warning ; and they all appeared both glad to hear, and willing to embrace, the word of reconciliation. In the evening I preached at Wall Bridge, near Stroud; and the next day, Saturday, 28, reached Bristol. Sun. 29. --I preached both at Kingswood and Bristol, on, “ Ye have need of patience.” It was more particularly at Bristol that God refreshed my soul, and applied what I spoke to my own heart. Jon. 30.--I retired to Kingswood, to write part of the volume of Sermons which I had promised to publish this winter. Wed. November 8.--I preached in Bath at noon, and at Seend in the evening. On Thursday evening, the 9th, at Reading ; and on F'1day in London. Here I found an excellent letter from a friend abroad, part of which I add in his own words; being unable so to translate them, as not to lose great part of the spirit of the original :- - CuarissimE Frater,--Gratia, pax, et multifarie Spiritds Sancti consolationes tibi tueeque societati'sint, et multiplicentur a Deo nostro per Servatorem nostrum. Amen. Tuas gratissinas Ratcormucki datas accepi, et ex illis summo cum gaudio grandem in variis Angliz et Hibernize partibus januam vobis apertam esse intellexi, dum multi adversarii evangelice doctrine sese opponerent. Literas tuas ad D. Perronet datas (4 plain Account, &c,) non quidem legi, sed devoravi. Omniaque aded mihi arriserunt, ut vix me cohibere possim, quin Londinum devolem, veniam et videam societatis tue ordina- Nov. 1749.] -- REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. 471

tiones. Sed catenis variis quasi vinctus, nolens volens hic adstrictus sum. Quamprimim tamen literas illas vertam et typis mandabo, una cum tractatulo illo, The Character of a Methodist.--Forte, si non multos, aliquos excitabit Clericos aut Laicos, ad vestigia evangelica integriis premenda. ‘Admodum mihi placet, te nec sect alicui, nec dogmatibus specificis sectarum adherere, nec patronum eorum agere, sed cuique libertatem relinquere de iis credendi quid velit, modo veré in Deum Filiumque ejus dilectum eredat, Deum ex toto corde amet, a peccatis abstineat, et vitam vocatione evangelicé dignam ducat. Mi Jane, dilectissime frater, rogo, precor, et obtestor per viscera misericordiarum Dei et Filii sui, ut ipsissimam hane vitam insistas, ac premere pergas, nec polemicis te immisceas. Certa solummodod bonum illud fidei pure, integra, evangelice certamen, nec ullos hostes preter carnem corruptam, ejusque desideria mundana, debelles. Cane pejts et angui fugias dogmata multiplicare, et de non necessariis disputare, que bina Satane stratagemata fuére quibus ecclesiam ab integritate et simplicitate evangelica sensim aberrare fecit. Doleo vehementer, te tot tamque gravibus et multifariis negotiis esse obrutum. Quam libenter pro tenuitate mea te, tuosque levare, gravissimaque illa onera ferre vellem, novit Omniscius. Is, precor ardenter, fulciat, sustentet, et animum vobis addat, ut Satane ejusque asseclarum regnum magis magisque indies destruatur, et Dei ejusque Filii regnum erigatur, dimanet et peuetret omnes animos, illorum imprimis quorum mentem mundi dominus occecavit. Hisce votis te demando Deo, verboque ejus gratiz, qui te sociosque tuos zdificent et hereditatem possidendam dent in omnibus sanctis. Vale, mi Jane, frater amicissime, et me amare perge. . Tui ex animo amantissimus, JoHannes DE Koxer. Dabam Rotterodami, 10 Oct. 1'749.* |Mosr pEaRLy BELovED Brotuer,--Grace, peace, and the manifold consolations of the Holy Spirit, be, and be multiplied, to you and your society, from our God, through our Saviour. Amen. I have received your most welcome letter, dated at Ratcormuck, and have learned from it, with the greatest joy, that a great door has been opened to you in various parts of England and Ireland, while many adversaries opposed themselves to the Gospel doctrine.

Being at Osmotherley, seven miles from the cliffs, on Monday, June 1, and finding Edward Abbot there, I desired him, the next morning, to show me the way thither. I walked, crept, and climbed, round and over great part of the ruins. I could not perceive, by any sign, that there was ever any cavity in the rock at all; but one part of the solid stone is cleft from the rest, in a perpendicular line, and smooth, as if cut with instruments: nor is it barely thrown down, but split into many hundred pieces; some of which lie four or five hundred yards from the main rock. The ground nearest the cliffis not raised, but sunk considerably beneath the level: but at some distance it is raised in a ridge of eight or ten yards high, twelve or fifteen broad, and near a hundred long. Adjoining to this lies an oval piece of ground, thirty or forty yards in diameter, which has been removed, whole as it is, from beneath the cliff, without the least fissure, with all its load of rocks; some of which were as large as the hull ofasmall ship. Ata little distance is a second piece of ground, forty or fifty yards across, which has been also transplanted entire, with rocks of various sizes upon it, and a tree growing out of one of them. By the removal of one or both of these, I suppose the hollow near the cliff was made. All around them lay stones and rocks, great and small; some on the surface of the earth, some half sunk into it, some almost covered, in variety of positions. Between these the ground was cleft asunder in a thousand places: some of the apertures were nearly closed again; some gaping as at first. Between thirty and forty acres of land, as is commonly supposed, (though some reckon above sixty,) are in this condition. On the skirts of these, I observed, in abundance of places, the green turf (for it was pasture land) as it were pared off, two or three inches thick, and wrapped round like sheets of lead. A little further, it was not cleft or broken at all, but raised in ridges five or six foot long, exactly tesembling the graves in a church yard. Of these there is a vast number.

About five, even the larger court house being too small to contain the congregation, I the more readily complied with the desire of the prisoners, to preach in the street, near the prison door. I spoke as plain and as home as ever in my life, on, “Ye must be born again.” Poor James was now resolved to speak, and got on a little eminence on purpose. And what could hinder him? Why Vou faucibus hesit. [His words stuck in his throat.] He cawed and cawed, but could utter nothing, hardly three words together. This also hath God wrought: he hath stopped the mouth of the gainsayer, and preserved the weak from being offended. Mon, 26.--Mr. Walsh met me at Belfast, and informed me, that the 614 REV. J. WESLEY'S JOURNAL. [ Aug. 1756 day before he was at Newtown, intending to preach: but while he was at prayer, Mr. M r came with a drunken mob, seized him by the throat, and dragged him along, till a stout man seized him, and constrained him to quit his hold. Mr. W., having refreshed himself at a friend’s house, began a second time. But in a quarter of an hour, Mr. M., having rallied his mob, came again: on which Mr. W. gave him ' the ground, and walked away over the fields. In the evening I spoke very plain at Lisburn, both to the great vulgar, and the small. But between Seceders, old self-conceited Presbyterians, New-Light men, Moravians, Cameronians, and formal Church men, it is a miracle of miracles, if any here bring forth fruit to perfection. The country between Lisburn and Moira is much like Berkshire, having fruitful vales on each side of the road, and well-wooded hills running even with them, at a small distance. At seven I preached in the market house at Lurgan. Many of the gentry were met at the room over it, it being the time of the assembly. The violins were just tuning ; but they ceased till I had done ; and the novelty at least drew and fixed the attention of the whole company.

Sal. 16.--I spoke to each member of the society. What havoc have the two opposite extremes, Mysticism and Antinomianism, made among this once earnest and simple people! Had it not been good for those mer not to have been born, by whom these little ones have been offended 2 !n the afternoon I rode to Dudley, where the work of God increases greatly, notwithstanding the immense scandal which has been given by those who once rejoiced in the love of God. One of these has lately killed his own child, by a blow upon the head. After preaching I talked with M. B. who has been long “a mother in Israel.” “ I was under strong convictions,” said she, “ when twelve or thirteen years old, and soon after found peace with God. But I lost it by degrees, and then contented myself with living a quiet, harmless life, till Mr. Charles Wesley came to Wednesbury, in the year 1742. Soon after this my convictions returned, though not with terror, as before, but with strong hope; and, in a little time, I recovered peace and joy in believing. This I never lost since, but for forty-eight hours ; (by speaking angrily to my child.) Not long after, Mr. Jones talked particularly with me, about the wickedness of my heart. I went home in great trouble, which April, 1757. | REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. 625 did not cease, till one day, sitting in my house, I heard a voice say, in my inmost soul, ‘Be ye holy; for 1 am holy.’ From that hour, for a year and a quarter, (though I never lost my peace,) I did nothing but ong, and weep, and pray, for inward holiness. I was then sitting one day, Aug. 23, 1744, about eight in the morning, musing and praying as usual, when I seemed to hear a loud voice, saying at once to my heart and to my outward ears, ‘ This day shall salvation come to this house.’ I ran up stairs, and presently the power of God came upon me,.so that I shook all over like aleaf. Then a voice said, ‘ This day is salvation come to this house.’ At the instant I felt an entire change. I was full

Isaiah 51:9 Source: Hymns and Sacred Poems (1739), Part II Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- 1 Arm of the Lord awake, awake! Thy87 own immortal strength put on. With terror cloath’d the nations shake, And cast thy foes, in fury, down. As in the antient days appear! The sacred annals speak thy fame: Be now omnipotently near, Thro’ endless ages still the same. 2 Thy tenfold vengeance knew to quell, And humble haughty Rahab’s pride. Groan’d her pale sons thy stroke to feel, The first-born victims groan’d and died! The wounded dragon rag’d in vain; While bold thine utmost plague to brave, Madly he dar’d the parted main And sunk beneath th’ o’erwhelming wave. 3 He sunk; while Israel’s chosen race Triumphant urge their wondrous way. Divinely led the favourites pass, Th’ unwatry deep, and emptied sea. At distance heap’d on either hand, Yielding a strange unbeaten road, In chrystal walls the waters stand, And own the arm of Israel’s God! 86This hymn was omitted from the 4th and 5th edns., but published in HSP (1749), 1:20-21, as Part 2 of a paraphrase of the complete chapter. A manuscript precursor of this longer form is found in MS Clarke, 180-81. 87“Thy” changed to “Thine” in HSP (1749). 4 That arm which is not short’ned now, Which wants not now the power to save. Still present with thy people thou Bear’st them thro’ life’s disparted wave. By earth and hell persued in vain, To thee the ransom’d seed shall come; Shouting their heav’nly Sion gain, And pass thro’ death triumphant home. 5 The pain of life shall there be o’er, The anguish and distracting care; There sighing grief shall weep no more, And sin shall never enter there! Where pure, essential joy is found The Lord’s redeem’d their heads shall raise, With everlasting gladness crown’d, And fill’d with love, and lost in praise!

1 Hear, holy, holy, holy, Lord, Father of all mankind, Spirit of love, eternal word, In mystick union join'd.

1 By faith the holy men of old Obtain'd a never-dying name, The sacred leaves their praise unfold, And God himself records their fame.

1 Divinely warn'd of judgments near, Noah believ'd a threatning God, With humble faith, and holy fear He built the ark, and 'scap'd the flood.

2 Of whom the world unworthy was, Whom only God their Maker knew, The world they punish'd with their loss, The holy anchorites withdrew.

2 A better gift he us provides, On whom the gospel-times are come; And lo! The Holy Ghost abides In us, and makes our hearts his home.

O Aspasia, am I not already betraying myself, needlessly showing my imperfections, to give way to one thought of losing your friendship while I have such an evidence of its sincerity before me I greatly wish I may be able to give a full answer to the question you so obligingly propose; but a direct one I can't give, unless such an one may be deduced from any of the following considerations. To judge whether any action be lawful on the Sabbath [On Sunday observance in the eighteenth century, see Abbey and Overton's The English Church in the Eighteenth Century, ii. 513--19.] or no, we are to consider whether it advances the end for which that was ordained. Now, the end for which the Sabbath was ordained is the attainment of holiness. Whatever therefore tends to advance this end is lawful on this day: whatever does not tend to advance this end is not lawful on this day. Two things we may infer hence: (1) That works of mercy are lawful on this day; for they directly tend to advance this end,' to make us holy as God is holy. (2) That works of necessity are lawful on this day; of which there are two sorts: first, works which we ought to do but cannot do on another day; secondly, works that or works the neglect of which would obstruct this end, for whatever can't be omitted without hindering it do indirectly tend to advance it. One of these, to those who can't perform the offices of religion so well without it, is giving themselves some diversion from it. But of this we may observe that, it being therefore allowed because it tends to advance the end of the day, it is allowable so far and no farther as it does tend to it, to our advance in holiness. It is not enough to say this or that diversion does not obstruct this end; for what does so is allowable on no day: but unless it promotes this particular end, it is not allowable on this day.

My present sense is this: -- I was made to be happy: to be happy I must love God; in proportion to my love of whom my happiness must increase. To love God I must be like Him, holy as He is holy; which implies both the being pure from vicious and foolish passions and the being confirmed in those virtuous and rational affections which God comprises in the word charity. In order to root those out of my soul and plant these in their stead, I must use (1) such means as are ordered by God; (2) such as are recommended by experience and reason. Thus far I believe we are all agreed; but in what follows we are not: for (1) as to the end of my being, I lay it down for a rule that I can't be too happy or therefore holy; and infer thence that the more steadily I keep my eye upon the prize of our high calling the better, and the more of my thoughts and words and actions are directly pointed at the attainment of it. (2) As to the instituted means, I likewise lay it down for a rule that as ' none teach like God,' so there are none like them; and consequently that I am to use them every time I may, and with all the exactness I can. As to prudential means, I believe this rule holds--of things indifferent in themselves, whatever hinders the extirpating my vile affections or the transferring my rational ones to proper objects, that to me is not indifferent, but resolutely to be abstained from, however familiar and pleasing: again of things indifferent in themselves, whatever helps me to conquer vicious and advance in virtuous affections, that to me is not indifferent, but to be embraced, be it ever so difficult or painful. These are the points which I am said to carry too far; whether I do or no, I beg you would not delay to inform me.

I then pressed him earnestly to pray for strength, according to that conviction; and he resolved to try for a week. When that was expired, he said his desire of classical reading was not inflamed, but a little abated; upon which I begged him to repeat his resolution for a week or two longer. He said it signified nothing; for he could never part with the classics entirely. I desired him to read what you say in the Christian Perfection on reading vain authors. He read it, agreed to every word of it, but still in his practice denied it; though appearing in most other particulars an humble, active, zealous Christian. On Tuesday, April 3, being one of the days the statutes require us to communicate at St. Mary's, I called upon him just before church, being to set out for Lincolnshire as soon as the service was over. I asked whether he still halted between two opinions; and, after exhorting him as I could to renounce himself and serve his Master with simplicity, I left him. He did not communicate that day. On my return, May 21, I immediately inquired what state he was in, and found he had never communicated since, which he used to do weekly; that he had left off rising early, visiting the poor, and almost all religious reading, and entirely given himself up to secular. When I asked him why he had left off the holy eucharist, he said fairly, because to partake of it implied a fresh promise to renounce himself entirely and to please God alone; and he did not design to do so. I asked whether he was well convinced he ought to do so. He said, 'Yes.' Whether he wished he could design it. He answered, No, he did not design it.

4. That course of life tends most to the glory of God wherein we can most promote holiness in ourselves and others. I say in ourselves and others, as being fully persuaded that these can never be put asunder. For how is it possible that the good God should make our interest inconsistent with our neighbor's that He should make our being in one state best for ourselves, and our being in another best for the Church This would be making a strange schism in His body; such as surely never was from the beginning of the world. And if not, then whatever state is best on either of these accounts is so on the other likewise. If it be best for others, then it is so for us; if for us, then for them. 5. However, when two ways of life are proposed, I should choose to begin with that part of the question, Which of these have I rational ground to believe will conduce most to my own improvement And that not only because it is every physician's concern to heal himself first, but because it seems we may judge with more ease, and perhaps certainty too, in which state we can most promote holiness in ourselves than in which we can most promote it in others. 6. By holiness I mean not fasting (as you seem to suppose), or bodily austerity, or any other external means of improvement, but the inward temper, to which all these are subservient, a renewal of the soul in the image of God. I mean a complex habit of lowliness, meekness, purity, faith, hope, and the love of God and man. And I therefore believe that, in the state wherein I am, I can most promote this holiness in myself, because I now enjoy several advantages which are almost peculiar to it.

10. Freedom from care I take to be the next greatest advantage to freedom from useless and therefore hurtful company. And this too I enjoy in greater perfection here than I can ever expect to do anywhere else. I hear of such a thing as the cares of this world, and I read of them, but I know them not. My income is ready for me on so many stated days, and all I have to do is to count and carry it home. The grand article of my expense is food, and this too is provided without any care of mine. I have nothing to do but at such an hour to take and eat what is prepared for me. My laundress, barber, &c., are always ready at quarter-day; so I have no trouble on account of those expenses. And for what I occasionally need, I can be supplied from time to time without any expense of thought. Now, to convince me what an help to holiness this is (were not my experience abundantly sufficient) I should need no better authority than St. Paul's: ' I would have you be without carefulness. This I speak for your own profit, that ye may attend upon the Lord' without distraction.' Happy is he that careth only for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord. He may be holy both in body and spirit, after the Apostle's judgment; and I think that he had the Spirit of God.

The uncertainty of my having another opportunity to tell you my thoughts in this life obliges me to tell you what I have often thought of, and that in as few and plain words as I can. Elegance of style is not to be weighed against purity of heart; purity both from the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eye, and the pride of life. Therefore whatever has any tendency to impair that purity is not to be tolerated, much less recommended, for the sake of that elegance. But of this sort (I speak not from the reason of the thing only, nor from my single experience) are the most of the classics usually read in great schools; many of them tending to inflame the lusts of the flesh (besides Ovid, Virgil's Aeneid, and Terence's Eunuch), and more to feed the lust of the eye and the pride of life. I beseech you, therefore, by the mercies of God, who would have us holy, as He is holy, that you banish all such poison from your school; that you introduce in their place such Christian authors as will work together with you in building up your flock in the knowledge and love of God. For assure yourself, dear brother, you are even now called to the converting of heathens as well as I. So many souls are committed to your charge by God, to be prepared for a happy eternity. You are to instruct them, not only in the beggarly elements of Greek and Latin, but much more in the gospel. You are to labor with all your might to convince them that Christianity is not a negation or an external thing, but a new heart, a mind conformed to that of Christ, ' faith working by love.' We recommend you and yours to God. Pray for us. -- I am Your affectionate Brother and servant in Christ.

My brother Harper, [John Wesley married his sister Emilia to Robert Harper, an apothecary of Epworth, shortly before he sailed for Georgia. It was an unfortunate marriage. His business was not a success, and absorbed a large part of what his wife made by her boarding- school at Gainsborough. See letter of June 18, 1725.] too, has a constant place in our prayers. May the good God give him the same zeal for holiness which He has given to a young gentleman at Rotterdam, who was with me last night.[ He had a long, close interview with Mr. Appee, a young Dutchman, in the house and in the garden. Appee proved to be unscrupulous and irreligious. See Journal, i. 180-1d; C. Wesley's Journal, i. 36-41.] Pray for us, and especially for, dear mother, Your dutiful and affectionate Son.

PS.--Having a desire to receive an holy woman of deep experience into the female bands, we doubted what to do because she is a Dissenter. The answer we received from Scripture was Galatians iii. 8. This seemed clear. However, having determined to cast lots, we did so, and our direction was, ‘Refer it to the bands (at London), to be decided by lot.’

‘They affirmed that there is no commandment in the New Testament but to believe; that no other duty lies upon us; and that, when a man does believe, he is not bound or obliged to do anything which is commanded there.’ (ii. 354-5.) ‘Mr. Stonehouse told me, “No one has any degree of faith till he is perfect as God is perfect.”’ (ii. 345.) ‘You believe there are no degrees in faith.’ (ii. 344.) ‘I have heard Mr. Molther affirm, that there is no justifying faith where there is ever any doubt.’ (ii. 492.) ‘The moment a man is justified, he is sanctified wholly. Thenceforth, till death, he is neither more nor less holy.’ (ii. 489.) ‘We are to grow in grace, but not in holiness.’ (ii. 490.)

To Count Zinzendorf and the Moravian Brethren Date: LONDON, September 6, 1745. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1745) Author: John Wesley --- TO THAT PART OF THE PEOPLE CALLED METHODISTS WHO ARE COMMONLY STYLED THE MORAVIAN BRETHREN. You declare, in the Daily Advertiser of August 2 (by your humble servant James Hutton), that Mr. John and Charles Wesley are both in the plain way of false teaching and deceiving souls; that you cannot but be suspicious, at the same time they preach perfection, they are willful servants of sin; and that you fear you shall see them running with their heads against the wall for a punishment of their high spirits. You declare at the same time, if a controversy should arise from this declaration, you will not meddle with it in any way. That is, you strike a man on the head as hard as you can, and then declare you will not fight. You are safe! No controversy will arise on my part from any declaration of this kind. Your unusual conduct does not hinder me from still embracing you with candor and love, and commending you to Him who is able to make you perfect in every good work; for whose sake I am, and trust ever to remain, Your brother and servant.

8. ‘At the time of the first preaching of the gospel’ (as you justly observe) ‘both Jews and Gentiles were very negligent of internal holiness, but laid great stress on external rites and certain actions, which, if they performed according to the due forms of their respective religions, they doubted not but those works would render them acceptable to God. The Apostles therefore thought they could not express themselves too warmly against so wicked a persuasion, and often declare that we cannot be made righteous by works (that is, not by such outward works as were intended to commute for inward holiness), but “by faith in Christ” (that is, by becoming Christians both in principle and practice).’ 9. I have often thought the same thing; namely, that the Apostles used the expression ‘salvation by faith’ (importing inward holiness by the knowledge of God) in direct opposition to the then common persuasion of salvation by works -- that is, going to heaven by outward works, without any inward holiness at all. 10. And is not this persuasion as common now as it was in the time of the Apostles We must needs go out of the world, or we cannot doubt it. Does not every one of our Churches (to speak a sad truth) afford us abundant instances of those who are as negligent of internal holiness as either the Jews or ancient Gentiles were And do not these at this day lay so great a stress on certain external rites, that, if they perform them according to the due forms of their respective communities, they doubt not but those works will render them acceptable to God You and I therefore cannot express ourselves too warmly against so wicked a persuasion; nor can we express ourselves against it in more proper terms than those the Apostles used to that very end. It cannot be denied that this apostolical language is also the language of our own Church. But I waive this. What is scriptural in any Church, I hold fast; for the rest, I let it go. III. 11. But the main point remains: you think the doctrines I hold are not founded on Holy Writ. Before we inquire into this, I would just touch on some parts of that abstract of them which you have given.

6. However, you think there is no occasion now for the expressions used in ancient times, since the persuasions which were common then are now scarcely to be found. For ‘does any Church of England man,’ you ask, ‘maintain anything like this -- that men may commute external works instead of internal holiness’ Most surely: I doubt whether every Church of England man in the nation, yea, every Protestant (as well as Papist) in Europe, who is not deeply sensible that he did so once, does not do so to this day. I am one who for twenty years used outward works, not only as ‘acts of goodness,’ but as commutations (though I did not indeed profess this), instead of inward holiness. I knew I was not holy. But I quieted my conscience by doing such-and-such outward works; and therefore I hoped I should go to heaven, even without inward holiness. Nor did I ever speak close to one who had the form of godliness without the power but I found he had split on the same rock. Abundance of people I have likewise known, and many I do know at this day, who ‘are so grossly superstitious as to think devotion may be put upon God instead of honesty’; as to fancy, going to church and sacrament will bring them to heaven, though they practice neither justice nor mercy. These are the men who make Christianity vile, who, above all others, ‘contribute to the growth of infidelity.’ On the contrary, the speaking of faith working by love, of uniform outward religion springing from inward, has already been the means of converting several Deists and one Atheist (if not more) into real Christians.

13. Neither can I apprehend that I have given an evasive answer to any adversary whatever. I am sure I do not desire to do it; for I want us to understand each other. The sooner the better: therefore let us, as you propose, return to the main point. ‘The charge is,’ your words are, ‘that the Methodists preach sundry singular and erroneous doctrines; in particular three -- Unconditional Predestination, Perceptible Inspiration, and Sinless Perfection. “They set up,” say their adversaries, “their own schemes and notions as the great standard of Christianity, so as to perplex, unhinge, terrify, and distract the minds of multitudes, by persuading them that they cannot be true Christians but by adhering to their doctrines.” This is the charge. Now you ask, “What do you mean by their own schemes, their own notions, their own doctrines” It is plain, we mean their unconditional predestination, their perceptible inspiration, and their sinless perfection.’ The charge, then, is that the Methodists preach unconditional predestination, perceptible inspiration, and sinless perfection. But what a charge! Shall John Wesley be indicted for murder because George Whitefield killed a man Or shall George Whitefield be charged with felony because John Wesley broke an house How monstrous is this! How dissonant from all the rules of common sense and common honesty! Let every man bear his own burthen. If George Whitefield killed a man or taught predestination, John Wesley did not: what has this charge to do with him And if John Wesley broke an house or preached sinless perfection, let him answer for himself. George Whitefield did neither: why, then, is his name put into this indictment Hence appears the inexcusable injustice of what might otherwise appear a trifle. When I urge a man in this manner, he could have no plea at all, were he not to reply, ‘Why, they are both Methodists.’ So when he has linked them together by one nickname, he may hang either instead of the other.

When you first cited these as proofs of enthusiasm, I answered, 'I will put your argument into form, -- ‘He that believes those are miraculous cures which are not so is a rank enthusiast. 'But you believe those to be miraculous cures which are not so: ‘Therefore you are a rank enthusiast. ‘What do you mean by miraculous If you term everything so which is “not strictly accountable for by the ordinary course of natural causes,” then I deny the latter part of the minor proposition. And unless you can make this good, unless you can prove the effects in question are “strictly accountable for by the ordinary course of natural causes,” your argument is nothing worth.’ You reply: ‘Your answer to the objection is very evasive, though you pretend to put my argument in form. You mistake the major proposition, which should have been, -- ‘He that represents those cures as the immediate effects of his own prayers and as miraculous which are not so is a rank enthusiast, if sincere: ‘“But, This you have done: ergo, &c.”’ To this clumsy syllogism I rejoin: (1) That the words ‘if sincere’ are utterly impertinent; for if insincerity be supposed, enthusiasm will be out of the question. (2) That those words ‘as the effects of his own prayers’ may likewise be pared off; for they are unnecessary and cumbersome, the argument being complete without them. (3) That, with or without them, the proposition is false; unless so far as it coincides with that you reject. For it is the believing those to be miracles which are not that constitutes an enthusiast; not the representing them one way or the other, unless so far as it implies such a belief. 12. Upon my answer to the syllogism first proposed, you observe, ‘Thus’ (by denying the latter part of the minor) ‘you clear yourself from the charge of enthusiasm by acknowledging the cures to be supernatural and miraculous. Why, then, would you not speak out, and directly say that you can work real and undoubted miracles This would put the controversy between you and your opposers on a short foot, and be an effectual proof of the truth of your presences.’ (Second Letter, p. 142.)

After a few impartial inquiries of this kind, I am persuaded you will not say, ‘As a commutation, surely no Protestant ever did (receive the sacrament) but yourself.’ Is there not something wrong in these words on another account, as well as in those, ‘You should not treat others as the children of the devil, for taking the same liberty which you and Mr. Whitefield take, who continue, notwithstanding, to be the children of God’ Is there not in both these expressions (and perhaps in some others which are scattered up and down in your letters) something too keen something that borders too much upon sarcasm upon tartness, if not bitterness Does not anything of this sort either make the mind sore or harden it against conviction Does it not make us less able to bear plainness of speech or at least less ready to improve by it Give me leave to add one word more before I proceed. I cannot but be jealous over you. I fear you do not know, near so well as you suppose, even what passes in your own mind. I question not but you believe that without inward holiness no man shall see the Lord; but are you sure you never once entertained a thought that something else might be put upon Him in the stead Perhaps not grossly, not if it appeared just in that shape: no, nor have I, for these twenty years. But I find the same thought to this day stealing in continually under a thousand different forms. I find a continual danger of stopping short of a full renewal in the image of God; a continual propensity to rest in whatever comes between--to put some work or other that I do, even for God’s sake, or some gift that I receive, in the stead of that great work of God, ‘the renewal of my soul after His likeness in righteousness and true holiness.’

You proceed: 'If the Scriptures are a complete rule (I reject the word 'sufficient,' because it is ambiguous), we do not want the Fathers as guides, or, if clear, as interpreters. An esteem for them has carried many into dangerous errors: the neglect of them can have no ill consequences.' (Page 97.) I answer: (1) The Scriptures are a complete rule of faith and practice; and they are clear in all necessary points. And yet their clearness does not prove that they need not be explained, nor their completeness that they need not be enforced. (2) The esteeming the writings of the first three centuries not equally with but next to the Scriptures never carried any man yet into dangerous errors, nor probably ever will. But it has brought many out of dangerous errors, and particularly out of the errors of Popery. (3) The neglect in your sense of the primitive Fathers--that is, the thinking they were all fools and knaves--has this natural consequence (which ,I grant is no ill one, according to your principles), to make all who are not real Christians think Jesus of Nazareth and His Apostles just as honest and wise as them. 16. You afterwards endeavour to show how the Church of England came to have such an esteem for the ancient Fathers. There are several particulars in this account which are liable to exception. But I let them pass, as they have little connexion with the point in question. 17. You conclude your Introductory Discourse thus: 'The design of the present treatise is to fix the religion of the Protestants on its proper basis--that is, on the Sacred Scriptures' (page 111). Here again you speak in your personated character; as also when you 'freely own the primitive writers to be of use in attesting and transmitting to us the genuine books of the Holy Scriptures'! (Page 112.) Books for the full attestation as well as safe transmission whereof you have doubtless the deepest concern!

16. I beg leave to conclude the address to your Lordship with a few more words transcribed from the same letter. ‘Allow Mr. Wesley,’ says Mr. Church, ‘but these few points, and he will defend his conduct beyond exception.’ [See letter of June 17, 1746, sect. vi. 9.] That is most true. If I have indeed been advancing nothing but the true knowledge and love of God; if God has made me an instrument in reforming many sinners and brining them to inward and pure religion; and if many of these continue holy to this day and free from all willful sin, --t hen may I, even I, use those awful words, ‘He that despiseth me despiseth Him that sent me.’ But I never expect the world to allow me one of these points. However, I must go on as God shall enable me. I must lay out whatsoever talents He entrusts me with (whether others will believe I do it or no) in advancing the true Christian knowledge of God, and the love and fear of God among men; in reforming (if so be it please Him to use me still) those who are yet without God in the world; and in propagating inward and pure religion, ‘righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.’ Sincerely wishing your Lordship all happiness in time and in eternity, I remain Your Lordship's most obedient servant.

The next words which you cite, ‘thrown into great perplexities,’ I cannot find in the page you refer to; neither those that follow. The sum of them is that ‘at that time I did not feel the love of God, but found deadness and wanderings in public prayer, and coldness even at the Holy Communion.’ Well, sir, and have you never found in yourself any such coldness, deadness, and wanderings I am persuaded you have. And yet surely your brain is always cool and temperate! never ‘intoxicated with the heated fumes of spirituous particles’! 13. If you quote not incoherent scraps (by which you may make anything out of anything), but entire connected sentences, it will appear that the rest of your quotations make no more for your purpose than the foregoing. Thus -- although I allow that on May 24 ‘I was much buffeted with temptations; but I cried to God, and they fled away; that they returned again and again; I as often lifted up my eyes, and He sent me help from His holy place’ (Journal, i. 476-7) -- it will only prove the very observation I make myself: ‘I was fighting both under the law and under grace. But then I was sometimes, if not often, conquered; now I was always conqueror.’ That some time after, I ‘was strongly assaulted again, and after recovering peace and joy was thrown into perplexity afresh by a letter, asserting that no doubt or fear could consist with true faith, that my weak mind could not then bear to be thus sawn asunder,’ will not appear strange to any who are not utter novices in experimental religion. No more than that, one night the next year, ‘I had no life or spirit in me, and was much in doubt whether God would not lay me aside and send other laborers into His harvest.’ 14. You add: ‘He owns his frequent relapses into sin for near twice ten years. Such is the case of a person who tells us that he carefully considered every step he took, one of intimate communication with the Deity!’ Sir, I did not tell you that; though, according to custom, you mark the words as mine. It is well for you that forging quotations is not felony.

To Samuel Furly Date: LONDON, December 7, 1754. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1754) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, -- For the present it does not appear to be necessary for you to enter into any dispute with your instructor. [See letter of Feb. 19, 1755.] But perhaps he would read a short tract; suppose, The Nature and Design of Christianity. [Wesley’s abridgement of the first chapter of William Law’s Practical Treatise upon Christian Perfection (1740, 19 pp.). See Green’s Bibliography, No. 17.] If at any time he should be touched by what he reads, it would then be a seasonable time to speak. I should not advise you by any means to enter upon anything like teaching or exhorting a company of people. If any poor townsman who is sick desires your assistance, you need not scruple to visit him. But farther than this it seems you are not called to go at present. The main point is now to improve your time in private, to keep dose to God in prayer, and to fix your eye on Him in whatever you do. Then the unction of the Holy One will teach you of all things. --I am Your affectionate brother.

To Samuel Furly Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1755) Author: John Wesley --- LONDON March, 20 1755. MY DEAR BROTHER, -- Of those things which are lawful in themselves, such only are lawful to me as are sfta, conducive either directly or indirectly to my holiness or usefulness. Many things not conducive directly to either, yet may be so remotely, as the learning of languages or arithmetic. And of this kind are most academical exercises. They remotely (a Hough not directly) conduce to our usefulness in the world; by enabling us to take degrees, or to do other things which are (in the present state of things) necessary as means to higher ends. I wish Mr. Hallifax [Spelt with one l by Wesley.] had a little tract of Bishop Bull’s [Wesley deals more fully with this little tract (which he says ‘was of much service to me’) in the letter of May 13, 1764. For his reference to Bishop Bull see Journal, ii. 470, 473-7d; Works, vii. 455; and letter of Aug. 22, 1744.] entitled A Companion for the Candidates for Holy Orders. I dreamed an odd dream last night, that five-and-twenty persons of Peterhouse in Cambridge were deeply awakened. Fight your way through! -- I am Your affectionate brother.

To Samuel Furly Date: LONDON, February 18, 1756. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1756) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR SAMMY, -- You are a very complaisant person. I know in my little circle of acquaintance more than twenty who have all the natural qualifications mentioned in the Address to the Clergy, and several others who have a~ the acquired ones, either by education or by grace; and I would engage to take any person of fourteen years of age who has good natural abilities and to teach him in seven years everything which is there required to a good degree of perfection. Ex pede Herculem. You may easily see what Latin I write by one of the Dissertations in Jobum, [By his father. See note to letter of Oct. 15, 1735.] or even by the short conversation with Count Zinzendorf which is printed in the Journal, [See Journal, ii. 488-90.] I do not know that I have any theme or declamation left. But why do you not talk Latin when you are with me Do this, and you will see the excellence of Terence’s language; whereas Tully would make you talk like a mere stiff pedant. Randal’s Geographical Grammar is far the best compendium of geography which I have seen; and you need nothing more on that subject, adding only the terrestrial globe.

To William Dodd Date: KINGSWOOD, March 12, 1756. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1756) Author: John Wesley --- REVERAND, SIR, --You and I the more easily bear with each other, because we are both of us rapid writers, and therefore more the more liable to mistake. I will thank you for showing me any mistake I am in, being not so tenacious of my opinions now as I was twenty or thirty years ago. Indeed, I am not fond of any opinion as such. I read the Bible with what attention I can, and regulate all my opinions thereby to the best of my understanding. But I am always willing to receive more light; particularly with regard to any less common opinions, because the examining and defending them takes up much time, which I can ill spare from other employments. Whoever, therefore, will give me more fight with regard to Christian Perfection will do me a singular favor. The opinion I have concerning it at present I espouse merely because I think it is scriptural; if, therefore, I am convinced it is not scriptural, I shall willingly relinquish it. 2. I have no particular fondness for the term. It seldom occurs either in my preaching or writings. It h my opponents who thrust it upon me continually, and ask me what I mean by it. So did Bishop Gibson, till by his advice I publicly declared what I did not mean by it and what I did. This I supposed might be best done in the form of a sermon, [On Christian Perfection. See Works, vi. 1-19.] having a text prefixed wherein that term occurred. But that text is there used only as an occasion or introduction to the subject. I do not build any doctrine thereon, nor undertake critically to explain it.

3. What is the meaning of the term ‘perfection’ is another question; but that is a scriptural term is undeniable. Therefore none ought to object to the use of the term, whatever they may do to this or that explication of it. I am very willing to consider whatever you have to object to what is advanced under the flint head of that sermon. But I still think that perfection is only another term for holiness or the image of God in man. God made man perfect, I think, is just the same as He made him holy, or in His own image. You are the very first person I ever read of or spoke with who made any doubt of it. Now, this perfection does certainly admit of degrees. Therefore I readily allow the propriety of that distinction, perfection of kinds and perfection of degree. Nor do I remember one writer ancient or modern who excepts against it. 4. In the sermon on Salvation by Faith [See Works, v. 7-16.] I say, ‘He that is born of God sinneth not’ (a proposition explained at large in another sermon, and there everywhere either explicitly or virtually connected with while he keepeth himself.) ‘by any sinful desire; for any unholy desire he stifleth in the birth.’ Assuredly he does while he keepeth himself. ‘Nor doth he sin by infirmities; for his infirmities have no concurrence of his will, and without this they am not properly tins.’ Taking the words as they lie in connexion thus (and taken otherwise they are not my words, but yours), I must still aver they speak both my own experience and that of many hundred children of God whom I personally know. And all this, with abundantly more than this, is contained in that single expression ‘the loving God with all our hearts and serving Him with all our strength.’ Nor did I ever say or mean any more by perfection than thus loving and serving God. But I dare not say less than this; for it might be attended with worse consequences than you seem to be aware of. If there be a mistake, it is far more dangerous on the one ride than on the other. If I set the mark too high, I drive men into needless fears: if you set k too low, you drive them into hell-fire.

9. I think that all this time you are directly pleading for looseness of manners, and that everything you advance naturally tends thereto. This is my grand objection to that doctrine of the necessity of sinning; not only that it is false, but that it is directly subversive of all holiness. The doctrine of the Gnostics was not that a child of God does not commit sin, i.e. act the things which are forbidden in Scripture, but that they are not sin in him, that he is a child of God still; so they contended not for sinless but sinful perfection: just as different from what I contend for as heaven is from hell. What the Donatists were I do not know. But I suspect they were the real Christians of that age, and were therefore served by St. Augustine and his warm adherents as the Methodists are now by their zealous adversaries. It is extremely easy to blacken; and could I give myself leave, I could paint the consequences of your doctrine in at least as dark and odious colors as you could paint mine.

To Mrs. Hall Date: LONDON, September 15, 1756. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1756) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR SISTER, -- In what path it is best for us to tread God knows better than man. And we are well assured He orders all things for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Probably He withheld you from prosperity to save you from pride; certainly to rescue you from your own will, and from that legion of foolish and hurtful desires which so naturally attend abundance. Be good and do good to the utmost of your present power, and then happy are you. I have ordered Betty Duchesne [Wesley buried Elizabeth Duchesne on Dec. 22, 1776. In the Journal, vi. 135, he describes her as ‘a person eminently upright of heart, yet for many years a child of labor and sorrow. For near forty years she was zealous of good works, and at length shortened her days by laboring for the poor beyond her strength.’ Charles Wesley break-fasted with her on Feb. 15, 1759: see his Journal, ii. 259; and letter of Oct. 27, 1758.] to get the things you spoke of, which probably by this time she has done. Therefore you need not delay your return to London. I purposed to have come through Salisbury, but I was so ill [‘For a few days,’ says Wesley (Journal, iv. 186, ‘I was laid up with a flux; but on Sunday, Sept. 5, I crept out again, and preached at Kingswood in the morning and Stokes Croft in the afternoon. Monday, 6, I set out in the machine, and on Tuesday evening came to London.’] that it was judged not safe for me to ride. O make the best of a few days. -- I am Your affectionate friend and Brother.

To Thomas Olivers Date: LEWISHAM, March 24, 1757. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1757) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR TOMMY, --We should neither be forward nor backward in believing those who think they have attained the second blessing. Of those in Courtmatrix and Ballingarrane I can form no judgment yet. Barely to feel no sin, or to feel constant peace, joy, and love, will not prove the point. We have known some who remained in that state for several years, and yet have afterwards lost almost all they had received. In the two sermons on this subject, the Minutes of the Conference, the preface to the second and third volumes of Hymns, and some of our controversial writings, you have a full account of Christian Perfection. [The Circumcision of the Heart, preached before Oxford University on Jan. 1, 1733, and Christian Perfection, 1741; Hymns and Sacred Poems 1741, 1742; and Minutes, 1744.] (1) It undoubtedly implies salvation from all sin, inward and outward, into all holiness. (2) Without it none can be admitted into heaven, nor be completely happy upon earth. But we must speak very tenderly on this head, for it is far better to lead men than to drive. Study to recommend it rather as amiable and desirable than as necessary. (3) A gradual growth in grace precedes, but the gift itself is always given instantaneously. I never knew or heard of any exception; and I believe there never was one. (4) One fruit given at the same instant (at least usually) is a direct, positive testimony of the Spirit that the work is done, that they cannot fall away, that they cannot sin. In consequence of this they have no slavish fear, but uninterrupted sight, love, and joy, with continual growth in wisdom, holiness, and happiness, till they are filled with all the fullness of God. Beware of pride and stubbornness. Consult Brother Hopper in all things. Be obstinate only in pressing on to perfection. My love to Fanny and Sally Moore. They forget me as soon as I cross the water. Peace be with your spirit. -- I am Your affectionate brother.

Do you find no interruption or abatement at any time of your joy in the Lord Do you continually see God, and that without any cloud or darkness or mist between Do you pray without ceasing, without ever being diverted from it by anything inward or outward Are you never hindered by any person or thing by the power or subtlety of Satan, or by the weakness or disorders of the body pressing down the soul Can you be thankful for everything without exception And do you feel all working together for good Do you do nothing, great or small, merely to please yourself Do you feel no touch of any desire or affection but what springs from the pure love of God Do you speak no words but from a principle of love and under the guidance of His Spirit O how I long to find you unblameable in all things, and holy as He that hath cared you is holy! -- I am yours, &c.

To Dorothy Furly ST. IVES, September 15, 1762. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1762) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--Whereunto you have attained hold fast. But expect that greater things are at hand; although our friend [Apparently her brother. See letter of July 30, and the next one.] talks as if you were not to expect them till the article of death. Certainly sanctification (in the proper sense) is 'an instantaneous deliverance from all sin,' and includes 'an instantaneous power then given always to cleave to God.' Yet this sanctification (at least, in the lower degrees) does not include a power never to think an useless thought nor ever speak an useless word. I myself believe that such a perfection is inconsistent with living in a corruptible body; for this makes it impossible 'always to think right.' While we breathe we shall more or less mistake. If, therefore, Christian perfection implies this, we must not expect it till after death. I want you to be all love. This is the perfection I believe and teach. And this perfection is consistent with a thousand nervous disorders, which that high-strained perfection is not. Indeed, my judgement is that (in this case particularly) to overdo is to undo, and that to set perfection too high (so high as no man that we ever heard or read of attained) is the most effectual (because unsuspected) way of driving it out of the world. Take care you are not hurt by anything in the Short Hymns contrary to the doctrines you have long received. Peace be with your spirit!--I am Your affectionate brother.

If Mr. Maxfield or you say that 'coming short is sin,' be it so; I contend not. But still I say: 'There are they whom I believe to be scripturally perfect. And yet these never felt their want of Christ so deeply and strongly as they do now.' If in saying this I have 'fully given up the point,' what would you have more Is it not enough that I leave you to 'boast your superior power against the little, weak shifts of baffled error' 'Canst thou not be content,' as the Quaker said, 'to lay J. W. on his back, but thou must tread his guts out'[See letter of Nov. 4, 1758, sect. 5 (to Potter).] Here are persons exceeding holy and happy; rejoicing evermore, praying always, and in everything giving thanks; feeling the love of God and man every moment; feeling no pride or other evil temper. If these are not perfect, that scriptural word has no meaning. Stop! you must not cavil at that word: you are not wiser than the Holy Ghost. But if you are not, see that you teach perfection too. 'But are they not sinners' Explain the term one way, and I say, Yes; another, and I say, No. 'Are they cleansed from all sin' I believe they are; meaning from all sinful tempers. 'But have they then need of Christ' I believe they have in the sense and for the reasons above mentioned. Now, be this true or false, it is no contradiction; it is consistent with itself, and I think consistent with right reason and the whole oracles of God. O let you and I go on to perfection! God grant we may so run as to attain!--I am Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Mrs. Maitland Date: LONDON, May 12, 1763. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1763) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR MADAM, -- Both in the former and in the Farther Thoughts on Perfection I have said all I have to say on that head. Nevertheless, as you seem to desire it, I will add a few words more. As to the word, it is scriptural; therefore neither you nor I can in conscience object against it, unless we would send the Holy Ghost to school and teach Him to speak who made the tongue. By that word I mean (as I have said again and again) ‘so loving God and our neighbor as to rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks.’ He that experiences this is scripturally perfect. And if you do not yet, you may experience it: you surely will, if you follow hard after it; for the Scripture cannot be broken. What, then, does their arguing prove who object against perfection ‘Absolute and infallible perfection’ I never contended for it. Sinless perfection Neither do I contend for this, seeing the term is not scriptural. A perfection that perfectly fulfils the whole law, and so needs not the merits of Christ I acknowledge none such--I do now, and always did, protest against it. ‘But is there not sin in those that are perfect’ I believe not; but, be that as it may, they feel none, no temper but pure love, while they rejoice, pray, and give thanks continually. And whether sin is suspended or extinguished, I will not dispute; it is enough that they feel nothing but love. This you allow ‘we should daily press after’; and this is all I contend for. O may God give you to taste of it to-day! -- I am, dear madam, Your very affectionate servant.

I doubt you had a dunce for a tutor at Cambridge, and so set out wrong. Did he never tell you that, of all men living, a clergyman should 'talk with the vulgar' yea, and write, imitating the language of the common people throughout, so far as consists with purity and propriety of speech [See letter of Jan. 14.] Easiness, therefore, is the first, second, and third point; and stiffness, apparent exactness, artificialness of style the main defect to be avoided, next to solecism and impropriety. You point wrong, Sammy: you aim at a wrong mark. If he was a standard for any one (which I cannot possibly allow), yet Dr. Middleton [See letter of Jan. 4, 1749.] is no standard for a preacher--no, not for a preacher before the University. His diction is stiff, formal, affected, unnatural. The art glares, and therefore shocks a man of true taste. Always to talk or write like him would be as absurd as always to walk in minuet step. O tread natural, tread easy, only not careless. Do not blunder or shamble into impropriety. If you will imitate, imitate Mr. Addison or Dr. Swift. You will then both save trouble and do more good.--I am, with love to Nancy, dear Sammy, Your ever affectionate brother.

To Miss J. C. March WHITEHAVEN, June 24, 1764. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1764) Author: John Wesley --- You give me an agreeable account of the state of things in London, and such as calls for much thankfulness. From different letters I find that there is at length a calm season, God having rebuked the wind and the seas. But I am concerned for you. I cannot doubt a moment but you was saved from sin. Your every act, word, thought was love, whatever it be now. You was in a measure a living witness of the perfection I believe and preach--the only perfection of which we are capable while we remain in the body. To carry perfection higher is to sap the foundation of it and destroy it from the face of the earth. I am jealous over you: I am afraid lest, by grasping at a shadow, you should have let go the substance--lest, by aiming at a perfection which we cannot have till hereafter, you should cast away that which now belongs to the children of God. This is love filling the heart. Surely it did fill yours, and it may do now, by simple faith. O cast not away your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward! Converse much with those who are all alive, who strive not to pull you down but to build you up. Accursed be that humility by which shipwreck is made of the faith. Look up and receive power from on high. Receive all you had once, and more than all. Give no place to evil reasoning. You have need to be guarded by a steady and yet tender hand. Be as a little child. The Lord is at hand. He is yours; therefore shall you lack nothing.--I am, &c.[See letter of March 4, 1760.]

Poets themselves must die, [Fall] like those they sung, Deaf the praised ear, and mute the tuneful tongue; E'en he whose heart now melts in tender [Mournful] lays, Shall shortly want the generous tear he pays. Then from his eyes thy much-loved form [Closing eyes thy form] shall part; And the last pang shall tear thee from his heart: Life's idle business at one gasp be o'er, The Muse forgot, and thou beloved [Be loved] no more. Here is style! How clear, how pure, proper, strong! and yet how amazingly easy! This crowns all; no stiffness, no hard words; no apparent art, no affectation; all is natural, and therefore consummately beautiful. Go thou and write likewise. As for me, I never think of my style at all; but just set down the words that come first. Only when I transcribe anything for the press, then I think it my duty to see every phrase be clear, pure, and proper. Conciseness (which is now, as it were, natural to me) brings quantum sufficit of strength. If, after all, I observe any stiff expression, I throw it out, neck and shoulders. Clearness in particular is necessary for you and me, because we are to instruct people of the lowest understanding. Therefore we, above all, if we think with the wise, yet must speak with the vulgar. We should constantly use the most common, little, easy words (so they are pure and proper) which our language affords. When I had been a member of the University about ten years, I wrote and talked much as you do now. But when I talked to plain people in the Castle or the town, I observed they gaped and stared. This quickly obliged me to alter my style and adopt the language of those I spoke to. And yet there is a dignity in this simplicity, which is not disagreeable to those of the highest rank.

To Ann Foard Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1764) Author: John Wesley --- [20] BRISTOL, September 29, I 764. MY DEAR SISTER,--I am glad you wrote. You should do it oftener, and the more freely the better. None shall see your letters, so that you need be under no apprehension of any inconvenience following. In the Thoughts upon Perfection and in the Farther Thoughts you have a clear, consistent account of it. Did you never hear any one speak of it in the manner I do there Or does -- speak in the same manner with -- Wherein do they differ And does not -- -- Nancy, do not start, but speak freely. It may be of more service than you are aware of; and be assured you will bring no inconvenience upon yourself.

To the Societies at Bristol Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1764) Author: John Wesley --- [21] [October 1764.] MY DEAR BRETHREN,--I was much comforted among you when I was with you last, finding my labour had not been in vain. Many of you I found rejoicing in God your Saviour, walking in the light of His countenance, and studying to have a conscience void of offence towards God and man. In order to assist you therein, suffer me to remind you of a few things, which I think are of no small concern, in order to your retaining the life of faith and the testimony of a good conscience towards God. And,-- 1. For God's sake, for the honour of the gospel, for your country's sake, and for the sake of your own souls, beware of bribery. Before you see me again the trial will come at the General Election for Members of Parliament. On no account take money or money's worth. Keep yourselves pure. Give, not sell, your vote. Touch not the accursed thing, lest it bring a blast upon you and your household. 2. Have nothing to do with stolen goods. Neither sell nor buy anything that has not paid the duty--no, not if you could have it at half price. Defraud not the King any more than your fellow subject. Never think of being religious unless you are honest. What has a thief to do with religion Herein mind not men but the Word of God; and, whatever others do, keep yourselves pure. 3. Lose no opportunity of receiving the sacrament. All who have neglected this have suffered loss; most of them are as dead as stones: therefore be you constant herein, not only for example, but for the sake of your own souls.

'We come now to the application of this sovereign test, James iii. 17.' But let us see that we understand it first. I beg leave to consider the whole: 'Who is a wise and knowing man among you Let him show his wisdom,' as well as his faith, 'by his works,' not by words only. 'But if ye have bitter zeal and strife in your heart, do not glory and lie against the truth'; as if any such zeal, anything contrary to love, could consist with true wisdom. 'This wisdom descendeth not from above; but is earthly, sensual, devilish: for where bitter zeal and strife are, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom which is from above' (which every one that hath is a real Christian, and he only) 'is first pure,' free from all that is earthly, sensual, devilish; 'then peaceable,' benign, loving, making peace; 'gentle,' soft, mild, yielding, not morose or sour; 'easy to be entreated,' to be persuaded or convinced, not stubborn, self-willed, or self-conceited; 'full of mercy,' of tenderness and compassion; 'and good fruits,' both in the heart and life. Two of these are immediately specified: 'without partiality,' loving and doing good to all, without respect of persons; 'and without hypocrisy,' sincere, frank, open. I desire to be tried by this test. I try myself by it continually; not, indeed, whether I am a prophet (for it has nothing to do with this), but whether I am a Christian. 1. The present question, then, is not What is Mr. Law or What are the Moravians but What is John Wesley And (1) Is he pure or not 'Not pure; for he separates reason from grace' (page 156). A wonderful proof! But I deny the fact. I never did separate reason from grace. 'Yes, you do; for your own words are, " The points we chiefly insisted on were four: (1) That orthodoxy, or right opinion, [See letter of Sept. 18, 1756, sect. 7.] is at best but a very slender part of religion, if it can be allowed to be any part of it at all "' (page 157).

To Thomas Rankin Date: LONDON, January 22, 1767. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1767) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR TOMMY,--What has more than once troubled me is this. One Assistant was very zealous for one, two, or three years. Afterwards he quite lost his catholic zeal and usefulness. See that this be not your case. Are the people there willing that John Ellis should come into Lincolnshire If they are, let the exchange be made without delay. There is a good work going on in London. But not like that which George Bell and Thomas Maxfield put a stop to. I know not when we shall see an end of the advantage which Satan gained by their means. They made the very name of Perfection stink in the nostrils even of those who loved and honoured it before. And this I told them and others long ago must be a consequence of proceeding in such a manner. I hope you all labour in training up the children and in visiting from house to house. Take care of the rising generation.--I am, dear Tommy, Your affectionate friend and brother.

'But Mr. Wesley says the other Methodists have.' I say no such thing. What I say, after having given a scriptural account of a perfect Christian, is this: 'By these marks the Methodists desire to be distinguished from other men; by these we labour to distinguish ourselves.' And do not you yourself desire and labour after the very same thing But you insist, 'Mr. Wesley affirms the Methodists' (i.e. all Methodists) 'to be perfectly holy and righteous.' Where do I affirm this Not in the tract before us. In the front of this I affirm just the contrary; and that I affirm it anywhere else is more than I know. Be pleased, sir, to point out the place. Till this is done all you add (bitterly enough) is mere brutum fulmen; and the Methodists (so called) may still declare (without any impeachment of their sincerity) that they do not come to the Holy Table 'trusting in their own righteousness, but in God's manifold and great mercies.'-- I am, sir, Yours, &c.

Do they gain ground in London I am afraid perfection should be forgotten. Encourage Richard Blackwell [See letter of July 4, 1763.] and Mr. Colley [Benjamin Colley, a clerical helper of Wesley, was misled by George Bell and Maxfield; but he saw their errors, and was restored to Methodism. Wesley buried him on Nov. 8. See Journal, v. 238 and letter of Sept. 18, 1773, to John Valton.] to speak plainly and to press believers to the constant pursuit and earnest expectation of it. A general faintness in this respect is fallen upon this whole kingdom. Sometimes I seem almost weary of striving against the stream both of preachers and people. See that you all strengthen the hands of, my dear sisters, [She was at Leytonstone with Miss Bosanquet and Mrs. Ryan.] Your affectionate brother.

To Miss March Date: July 5, 1768. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1768) Author: John Wesley --- I am more inclined to congratulate you than to condole with you upon your present situation. Many circumstances concurred to expose you to the greatest of all dangers-- that of being generally commended. It is therefore a peculiarly gracious providence whereby this danger is turned aside, and that without any particular fault or even imprudence on your part. You may now experience the truth of that fine reflection, 'Nothing is more profitable for us than to suffer reproach for a good action done with a single eye.' Nevertheless you cannot be excused from speaking plain to Sarah Crosby and A[nn Foard]; and the sooner this is done the better, lest their want of judgement should produce more ill effects. Certainly you should labour to convince them that they were altogether in a fault. In any wise they should have spoke to you first; then, if you had not satisfied them, they might have gone farther. But what can be done for the poor young woman I am afraid lest she should be turned out of the way. You will hardly need that tract for a time, as you have Mr. Brainerd's Life. There is a pattern of self-devotion and deadness to the world! But how much of his sorrow and pain had been prevented, if he had understood the doctrine of Christian Perfection! How many tears did he shed because it was impossible to be freed from sin! As you have not the same outward trials which many have, it is highly needful you should have some inward ones; although they need not be either many or long. If you walk closely with God, He is able to give any degree of holiness, either by pleasure or pain. S[ally] [Sarah Ryan died on Aug. 17.] continues with you a little longer to quicken you in the way. Why should not a living Christian be exactly of the same spirit with a dying Christian, seeing the difference between her life and ours is nothing when compared to eternity

I suppose a copy of the strange account of Eliz. Hobson [For the account of Elizabeth Hobson's apparitions, see letter of Sept. 12, 1782, to a Quaker.] was sent you from Newcastle from my papers. Not long after, the former half of these papers, eight pages out of sixteen, was taken away, none can tell how to this day. What I could remember, I wrote down again. But I question whether my memory served me as to every circumstance, and must therefore ask of you a copy of what was lost. If you please, Mr. Thompson [William Thompson was at this time Wesley's Assistant in Edinburgh.] can transcribe it for me. The thing is now brought, I hope, to a final issue. She has met him at Boyldon Hill, when he took his leave with, 'I shall see you no more, in time or eternity.' How much happiness is it for us that we hope to see each other both in time and in eternity! 'Nor shorter space true love can satisfy.' That you may be daily more athirst both for holiness and glory is the prayer of, my dear Lady, Your affectionate servant. I am now setting my face toward Bristol.

To Jane Hilton Date: BRISTOL, September 30, 1768. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1768) Author: John Wesley --- Indeed, Jenny, you hardly deserve to hear from me. What, put me off with a letter of two lines! See that you make me amends by the length of your next; or else I will be angry at you, if I can. You, as it were, ask my advice. But I know nothing of the matter: you should have spoken to me when I saw you. Is the person a believer Is he a Methodist Is he a member of our Society Is he clear with regard to the doctrine of Perfection Is he athirst for it If he fails in any of these particulars, I fear he would be an hindrance to you rather than an help. Was not inordinate affection to him one cause of your losing the pure love of God before If it was, you have a great reason to be afraid lest it should again rob you of that pearl. Has it not already Have you all the life you had two months ago Is your soul still all love Speak freely, my dear Jenny, to Your affectionate brother.

To Joseph Benson Date: NORWICH, November 5, 1769. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1769) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR JOSEPH,--I heard that tale, and answered pointblank, 'It is mere invention.' However, I wrote to inquire at the school, so you did well to send a real account both to me and to Ireland. [See letter of Jan. 2.] 'This gives any one enough of Kingswood School.' [Benson had used these words in his letter to Wesley.] 'Ah! simple Master Shallow!' as Shakespeare has it, should not I then have enough of it long ago You put me in mind of Sir John Phillips's [Sir John was a devout Christian who attended the Religious Societies in London. He was a benefactor of the Holy Club and one of the Georgia Trustees. See Journal, i. 186, 297; viii. 278-82, 301.] exclamation when a puff of smoke came out of the chimney, 'Oh, Mr. Wesley, these are the trials which I meet with every day.'--I am, dear Joseph, Your affectionate brother.

To Mrs. Barton Date: LONDON, December 24, 1769. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1769) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--Some of the trials which you must frequently have are of a delicate nature. You will need much of the wisdom from above, or you would suffer loss under them. Those who are very near to you were (and probably are still) prejudiced against William Fallowfield beyond all sense and reason. And how extremely difficult it is for you not to drink in a little of their spirit! Only what is ill-will in them may in you be a simple error of judgement. Yet there is danger lest it should weaken your soul and insensibly lead you to some wrong temper. I believe you may speak without reserve to Brother Howard. [Robert Howard, Assistant at York, was received on trial as a preacher in 1768, and ceased to travel in 1770.] He is a cool, thinking man. But does he preach Christian perfection clearly and explicitly Which of your other preachers does Your affectionate brother.

I had once the opportunity of speaking a few minutes to you on the head of Christian Perfection; and I believe you had not much objection to anything which was then spoken. When I spoke nearly to the same effect to one of the late Bishops of London, Bishop Gibson, he said earnestly, 'Why, Mr. Wesley, if this is what you mean by perfection, who can be against it?' I believe verily there would need no more than a single hour, spent in free and open conversation, to convince you that none can rationally or scripturally say anything against the perfection I have preached for thirty years. The union which I desire among the persons I mentioned is an entire union of heart, constraining them to labour together as one man in spreading vital religion through the nation. But this I do not hope for, though I know a few who would cordially rejoice therein. The union which I proposed is of a lower kind: I proposed that they should love as brethren and behave as such. And I particularized what I think is implied in this, I imagined in so plain a manner, as was hardly possible without great skill to be either misunderstood or misrepresented. I really do not conceive what ambiguity there can be in any part of this proposal, or what objection can lie against our going thus far, whether we go farther or no.

To Mrs. Bennis Date: ASHBY, July 27, 1770. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1770) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR SISTER,--Will you ever find in yourself anything but unfitness? Otherwise your salvation would be of works, not of grace. But you are frequently sick of a bad disease--evil reasoning; which hinders both your holiness and happiness. You want the true Christian simplicity, which is indeed the highest wisdom. Nothing is more clear, according to the plain Bible account, than sanctification, pure love reigning in the heart and life. And nothing is more plain than the necessity of this in order to feel happiness here and hereafter. Check all reasoning concerning these first principles, else you will exceedingly darken your soul; and go on denying yourself, and taking up your cross, until you Sink into perfection's height, The depth of humble love. If the preachers on Waterford Circuit had punctually adhered to the plan which I fixed, the horse would have been no burthen; but the misfortune is every dunce is wiser than me. However, at your desire I will send a second preacher into the circuit after Conference; but the preachers must change regularly. It would never do to let one man sit down for six months with a small Society; he would soon preach himself and them as lifeless as stones. Your alteration of the circuit so as to take in poor, dead Clonmel I much approve, and hope Sister L-- [See letter of June 13] will be made a blessing to the few there. I rejoice at Sisters P and B--'s happy release. [Mrs. Bennis had told him that both died triumphantly.] Is not this worth living for? Still draw near to the fountain by simple faith, and take all you want; but be not slothful in your Lord's vineyard.--My dear sister, Yours affectionately.

To Walter Churchey Date: LONDON, February 21, 1771. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1771) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--I am glad Mr. Benson and you had an opportunity of conversing freely with Mr. Fletcher, and that he has dealt so faithfully with my Lady. Perhaps it may have a good effect. At least, he has delivered his own soul, whether she will hear or whether she will forbear. [See letter of Jan. 7.] Entire sanctification, or Christian perfection, is neither more nor less than pure love--love expelling sin and governing both the heart and life of a child of God. The Refiner's fire purges out all that is contrary to love, and that many times by a pleasing smart. Leave all this to Him that does all things well and that loves you better than you do yourself.--I am, with love to Brother Thomas, Your affectionate brother.

To Joseph Benson Date: CHESTER, March 16. 1771. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1771) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR JOSEPH,--No, I do not forbid your being connected with us. I believe Providence calls you to it. I only warn you of what would lessen your usefulness. On that subject I never suffer myself to reason. I should quickly reason myself into a Deist, perhaps into an Atheist. I am glad you do not lay stress upon it. We have better matters to employ our thoughts. A babe in Christ (of whom I know thousands) has the witness sometimes. A young man (in St. John's sense) has it continually. I believe one that is perfected in love, or filled with the Holy Ghost, may be properly termed a father. This we must press both babes and young men to aspire after--yea, to expect. And why not now I wish you would give another reading to the Plain Account of Christian Perfection.-- I am, dear Joseph, Your affectionate brother. PS.--While I am in Ireland you need only direct to Dublin. I am afraid that smooth words have prevailed over Mr. Fletcher and persuaded him all the fault was on your side. He promised to write to me from Wales, but I have not had one line.

To Miss March Date: ATHLONE, April 14, 1771. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1771) Author: John Wesley --- Whatever comes from you is agreeable to me; your letters always give me pleasure, but none more than the last, which brings the welcome news of the revival of the work of God among you. You will encourage I-- T-- [Miss Thornton, of London, the intimate friend of John Fletcher. See Bulmer's Memoirs of Mrs. Elizabeth Mortimer, p. 115; and letters of July 6, 1770, and Dec. 18, 1780.] to send me a circumstantial account of God's dealings with her soul. Mr. Norris observes that no part of history is so profitable as that which relates to the great changes in states and kingdoms; and it is certain no part of Christian history is so profitable as that which relates to great changes wrought in our souls: these, therefore, should be carefully noticed and treasured up for the encouragement of our brethren. I am glad you have at length broke through those evil reasonings which so long held you down and prevented you from acknowledging the things which were freely given to you of God. Always remember the essence of Christian holiness is simplicity and purity; one design, one desire--entire devotion to God. But this admits of a thousand degrees and variations, and certainly it will be proved by a thousand temptations; but in all these things you shall be more than conqueror. It takes God (so to speak) abundance of pains to hide pride from man; and you are in more danger of it than many, were it only on account of outward advantages. Happy are you if you use those for that single end, to be outwardly and inwardly devoted to God, and that more entirely than you could be in different circumstances. I have just been conversing with that excellent woman Molly Penington [See letter of May 30.]: what a mystery that one of such gifts and such grace should be fixed in a place where she is almost useless! So much the more thankful you may be who have opportunity of employing every talent which God hath given you. If you would retain the talent of health, sleep early and rise early.

To John Mason Date: LONDON, March 22, 1772. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1772) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--I hope Mr. Wagner [Wagner writes to him about a packet from Liverpool to Dublin in March 1778, and Wesley seems to have stayed with him at Liverpool in 1786. See Journal, vi. 182, vii. 154d.] and you are upon good terms. He is an amiable man, and would be exceeding useful were it not for ill advisers. When there is occasion, talk to him freely. He has a friendly heart. It is of great use to meet the leaders of the bands in Liverpool. [Mason had evidently moved from Whitehaven to Liverpool.] This should never be neglected. I am inclined to think the best time for it would be from two to three on Sunday in the afternoon. Then you might set an example to the Society by going to church immediately after. This is of no small importance. For whoever leaves the Church will leave the Methodists. Everywhere strongly and explicitly preach perfection. Then your word will profit.--I am Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Samuel Bardsley Date: BOLTON, April 3, 1772. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1772) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR SAMMY,--I am glad you are got into your circuit again. [Bardsley was now in the Derbyshire Circuit.] Now put forth all your strength. Never be ashamed of the old Methodist doctrine. Press all believers to go on to perfection. Insist everywhere on the second blessing as receivable in a moment, and receivable now, by simple faith. Read again the Plain Account of Christian Perfection. And strive always to converse in a plain, unaffected manner.-- I am, dear Sammy, Yours affectionately.

To Philothea Briggs Date: WHITEHAVEN, April 12, 1772. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1772) Author: John Wesley --- Your affections were apt to be too impetuous, and sometimes uneven too; but nature yields to healing grace, which I trust has made you both more calm and more steady. [See letter of Sept. 13, 1771.] And what will it not make you if you persevere All that is amiable, holy and happy! Already He that loves you gives you a taste of what He has prepared for you. Let patience have its perfect work, and you shall be perfect and entire, lacking nothing. See that you make the best of life! The time is short!

To Philothea Briggs Date: LEITH, NEAR EDINBURGH, May 13, 1772. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1772) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR PHILLY,--To set the state of perfection too high is the surest way to drive it out of the world. The substance of that test I believe I have seen; and I judge it not consistent with humanity, I mean with the state of an human soul, as long as it is united to a corruptible body. Do not puzzle yourself any more with these nice inquiries; but, in order to resettle your judgement, give another deliberate reading to the Farther Thoughts or the Plain Account of Christian Perfection. He that long ago gave you to taste of His pardoning love gave you afterwards a taste of His pure love. Whereunto you have attained hold fast; never cast it away through a voluntary humility. But see that you do not rest there. Comparatively, forget the things that are behind. Reach forward! This one thing do: press on to the prize of your high calling. I expect to be at Newcastle on the 25th instant, and to stay twenty days in or near it. I remember Nicholas Sewell well, and have seen many of his poetical compositions. He was bred a Quaker, but when I knew him was stark, staring mad. I wish my brother would print his verses; but he grows more and more backward. You and I must be content with doing what good we can, and no more. Yet I love you for desiring to do more; only with resignation.--I am, my dear Philly, Yours affectionately.

To Miss March Date: OTLEY, July 1, 1772. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1772) Author: John Wesley --- It is lost time to consider whether you write well or ill; you speak from the heart, and that is enough. Unbelief is either total, the absence of faith; or partial, the want of more faith. In the latter sense every believer may complain of unbelief, unless when he is filled with faith and the Holy Ghost. Then it is all midday. Yet even then we may pray, 'Lord, increase our faith.' We learn to think by reading and meditating on what we read, by conversing with sensible people, and by everything that improves the heart. Since purity of heart (as Mr. Norris observes) both clears the medium through which we see and strengthens the faculty, mechanical rules avail little unless one had opportunity of learning the elements of logic; but it is a miserable task to learn them without an instructor. Entire resignation implies entire love. Give Him your will, and you give Him your heart. You need not be at all careful in that matter, whether you apply directly to one Person or the other, seeing He and the Father are one. Pray just as you are led, without reasoning, in all simplicity. Be a little child hanging on Him that loves you.

To Francis Wolfe Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1772) Author: John Wesley --- LONDON, November, 22, 1772. DEAR FRANCIS,--At what place are the fifty-four pounds (old debt) due, and at what places the three hundred and sixty-three [Wolfe (who ceased to travel in 1782) was now Assistant in Gloucestershire.] You should speak plainly and freely to Brother Seed. [See letter of June 23, 1771.] Before his illness I am afraid he had lost much ground. He should receive this stroke as a call from God, and for the time to come live as he did when he travelled first. Let both of you strongly exhort the believers everywhere to 'go on to perfection'; otherwise they cannot keep what they have.--I am, with love to Sister Wolfe, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Ann Boron Date: CORK, May 2, 1773. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1773) Author: John Wesley --- I have, indeed, often grieved on your account, but it was for your sufferings. And yet I constantly saw the wise end of your sufferings, that you might be more largely a partaker of His holiness. Indeed, you have reason to be satisfied with our Lord’s disposal of you, and to praise Him for all His dispensations. Even those circumstances which are not joyous but grievous yet work together for good. At first this does not always appear; but in a little while light springs out of darkness. It is no wonder you should many times be at a loss how to express what you feel. The language of men is too weak to describe the deep things of God. But sometimes one word may express much. One of our preachers that sometime since labored in this town, though full of faith and love, could find no utterance till he just said ‘Peace! Peace!’ and died [This may have been John Dillon, who labored at Cork in 1786 and died in 1770]. You make me amends for not answering me before on that head by doing it so distinctly now. That is the danger, lest on such an occasion we should not be so fully recollected. But in this and all things His grace is sufficient for us--sufficient to make us more than conquerors, especially when we give ourselves to prayer for this very thing before the trial comes. In most parts of this kingdom there is such a thirst after holiness as I scarce ever knew before. Several here in particular who enjoy it themselves are continually encouraging others to press after it. And two of our traveling preachers who for some years disbelieved it are now happy witnesses of if. I hope you do not forget poor Ally Eden. She has need of comfort; so we will not reprove her. Yours most affectionately.

To Thomas Wride Date: LONDON November 12, 1773. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1773) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR TOMMY,--The matter is short; I see no reason yet why you should remove from York Circuit [Wride was second preacher at York. See letter of Aug. 29, 1774, to him]. Do all the good you can there. Observe and enforce all our Rules. Exhort all the believers to go on to perfection and be gentle to all men.--I am Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Francis Wolfe Date: YORK, July 10, 1774. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1774) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--I had set you down for Bristol the next year. But last night I received a letter from John Murlin, and another from Tommy Lewis, desiring he might be there. Pray tell T. Lewis they will have him and two other new preachers, and that I am seeking for an housekeeper. Explicitly press the believers to go on to perfection!--I am, with love to Sister Wolfe, Your affectionate brother.

To Elizabeth Ritchie Date: MADELEY, July 31, 1774. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1774) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BETSY,--It gives me much pleasure to find that you stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free. Trials you will have; but they will only be means of uniting you to Him more closely. While your eye is singly fixed on Him your whole body will be full of light. You will be enabled To trace His example, The world to disdain, And constantly trample On pleasure and pain. While you are doing this you will not find many doubts of the way wherein you should go. The unction of the Holy One will shine in your heart and shine upon your path; especially if you frequently consider the Directions for preserving Fervency of Spirit and the Father Thoughts upon Christian Perfection. If you should at any time be in doubt concerning any point either of doctrine or practice, use me as a friend; and speak freely to Yours affectionately.

Bishop Browne thought Arianism and Socinianism were the flood which the dragon is in this age pouring out of his mouth to swallow up the woman. Perhaps it may; especially with Dr. Taylor's emendation. But still the main flood in England seems to be Antinomianism. This has been a greater hindrance to the work of God than any or all others put together. But God has already lifted up His standard, and He will maintain His own cause. In the present dispensation He is undoubtedly aiming at that point, to spread holiness over the land. It is our wisdom to have this always in view, inward and outward holiness. A thousand things will be presented by men and devils to divert us from our point. These we are to watch against continually, as they will be continually changing their shape. But let your eye be single; aim still at one thing --holy, loving faith, giving God the whole heart. And incite all to this: one love, one present and eternal heaven.

To Samuel Bardsley Date: LONDON, February 1, 1775. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1775) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR SAMMY, There is something exceedingly remarkable in that sudden breaking out of the work at A----. This is undeniably the Lord's doing, and leaves no room for man to glory. Wherever you are vehemently exhort the believers to ‘go on to perfection.' Read yourself with much prayer, and recommend to them, the Plain Account of Christian Perfection, and those two sermons The Repentance of Believers and The Scripture Way of Salvation.--I am, dear Sammy, Your affectionate brother.

To Ann Bolton Date: LONDON, February 8, 1775. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1775) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--I doubt whether we have not been wanting in one thing. When persons were in their [first] love, we have generally suffered that love to grow cold before we spoke to them of perfection. Would it not have been better to speak to them just then And how often might the first love have been changed into pure love! Your ever affectionate brother.

No, my dear friend, no! it is no selfishness to be pleased when you give pleasure. It proves that your mind was antecedently in a right state; and then God' answers you in the joy of your heart.' So be more and more athirst for that holiness; and thereby give more and more pleasure to Yours affectionately.

To James Barry Date: WHITBY, June 24, 1776. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1776) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR JAMES,--The writer (I forget his name) does not say the local preachers talked blasphemy, but that several of them talk nonsense and that some of them speak against perfection. This must not be suffered. Fix a regular plan for the local preachers, and see that they keep it. You cannot be too exact in this and every other part of discipline.' This, however, I expect. You will see the fruit of your labor.--I am, with love to Sister Barry, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Alexander Knox Date: BRISTOL, March 19, 1777. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1777) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR SIR,--If the returns of your disorder are more and more gentle, there is reason to hope it will be at length totally removed. Very probably, if you live to five- or six-and-twenty, your constitution will take a new turn. But it is certainly the design of Him that loves you to heal both body and soul; and possibly He delays the healing of the former that the cure of the latter may keep pace with it. As ' it is a great loss to lose an affliction,' He would not have you lose what you have suffered. I trust it will not be lost, but will be for your profit, that you may be partaker of His holiness. It is a blessing that He has given you that fear which is the beginning of wisdom; and it is a pledge of greater things to come. How soon? Perhaps to-day.... If I could spare time, I would gladly accept of your invitation; but I doubt whether I can get any farther than Dublin. [He spent Oct. 3-13 in Dublin.] Peace be with all your spirits!--I am, my dear Alleck, Yours most affectionately.

To the Assistant Preachers Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1777) Author: John Wesley --- [October 1777.] MY DEAR BROTHER, About March you may begin to make the subscription for the new chapel. Till then I will beg you with all possible diligence to procure subscriptions for the Philosophy. [See letter of Feb. 15.] Spare no pains. It will be the most complete thing in its kind of any in the English tongue. But it is well if I procure as many subscribers as will pay the expense of the edition.--I am Your affectionate friend and brother.

To William Ripley Date: WESTMINSTER, November 13, 1777. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1777) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR BILLY,--It is well if the houses both at Driffield and Guisborough be not too small. Mr. Atlay will send you a complete set of my Works. If you increase in substance, you are in great danger of decreasing in grace. Treacle-plasters would very probably prevent that crackling of the joints. To prevent worldly-mindedness be as much employed in the work of God as you possibly can. Peace be with you and yours!--I am, dear Billy, Your affectionate brother.

To Samuel Bardsley Date: BRISTOL, March 7, 1779. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1779) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR SAMMY, - I am now just set out on my great journey; probably I shall not reach Inverness till June. It will be in July, if I am spared so long, that I shall visit Derby and Nottingham. My journey is longer this time than it was the last. Let us work while the day is! Exhort all the believers strongly and explicitly to go on to perfection, and to expect every blessing God has promised not to-morrow but to-day! - I am, dear Sammy, Your affectionate brother.

To Hannah Ball Date: LONDON, October 23, 1779. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1779) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER, - To-morrow night I am to set out for Norwich [] and this little tour will take me up a fortnight. At my return I have appointed to visit the classes, which requires a fortnight more. I see no possibility, then, of my opening the house, unless I steal away from them for a few hours. I care not for labor; but I want time. This, then, with God's help I will do. On Tuesday noon, November 9, I will steal away to Wycombe, preach at five in the evening, and then return to London. So I can go on with the classes at six on Wednesday morning. If the preachers and leaders strongly exhort the believers to go on to perfection, then the entire work of God will prosper among you; otherwise it will languish. - I am, my dear Hannah, Your affectionate brother.

To Ann Bolton Date: EPWORTH, June 22, 1780. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1780) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR NANCY,--Your letters are always welcome to me. But none more welcome than your last. It gives me very much pleasure to hear both that God has delivered you from that torturing pain [See letters of Feb. 26, 1780, and Jan. 2, 1781, to her.] and that He has established your soul in His pure love and given you the abiding witness of it. I doubt you have not many in Oxford Circuit whom you can converse with on that subject. I believe the two that have the same deep experience are Hannah Ball (of High Wycombe) and Patty Chapman. I wish you could converse with them, either by writing or speaking; I think each might be profited by the other. I have been a little uneasy since I saw you for fear you should want anything. If you conceal any difficulty you are under from me, you do not use me as your friend. Would you not give me all the pleasure you can I cannot tell you how unspeakably near you are to, my dear Nancy, Yours most affectionately.

To Robert Hopkins Date: NEAR LEEDS, July 25, 1781. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1781) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, -- As long as you give yourself up to God without reserve you may be assured He will give you His blessing. Indeed, you have already received a thousand blessings: but the greatest of all is yet behind--Christ in a pure and sinless heart, reigning the Lord of every motion there. It is good for you to hold fast what you have attained, and to be continually aspiring after this; and you will never find more life in your own soul than when you are earnestly exhorting others to go on unto perfection. Many will blame you for doing it; but regard not that: go on through honor and dishonor. ‘This one thing I do,’ is your motto. I save my own soul and them that hear me.--I am Your affectionate brother.

4. I have since that time revolved this matter over and over in my own mind; and the more I consider it, the more I am convinced this was the best answer that could be given. I still advise all our friends, when this case occurs, quietly and silently to go out. Only I must earnestly caution them not to be critical; not to make a man an offender for a word -- no, nor for a few sentences, which any who believe the decrees may drop without design. But if such a minister should at any time deliberately and of set purpose endeavor to establish Absolute Predestination or to confute Scriptural Perfection, then I advise all the Methodists in the congregation quietly to go away.

To Joseph Algar Date: LONDON, February 24, 1782. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1782) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR JOSEPH, -- Your builders should consider (1) that the Conference can allow them nothing, and (2) that they cannot expect to collect anything in the circuit. Then, if they will build, let them observe the advices given in the Minutes of the Conference. Barely by not ‘going on to perfection’ all believers will grow dead and cold; and then they are just ripe for levity, tattling, and evil-speaking, which will soon destroy all the life of God out of their souls. Therefore you have need on this very account to preach perfection in the most strong and explicit manner possible. Without this you can never lift up the hands that hang down and strengthen the feeble knees. And what you preach to others you have particular need to apply to your own souls. Fly on, and take the prize. It is received by simple faith. Believe, and enter into rest! -- I am, dear Joseph, Your affectionate brother.

To Ann Loxdale Date: LIVERPOOL, April 12, 1782. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1782) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR MISS LOXDALE, -- I advised formerly my dear Jenny Cooper, [See letter of Sept. 11, 1765.] and so I advise you, frequently to read and meditate upon the 13th chapter of the First Epistle to the Corinthians. There is the true picture of Christian perfection! Let us copy after it with all our might. I believe it might likewise be of use to you to read more than once the Plain Account of Christian Perfection. Indeed, what is it more or less than humble, gentle, patient love! It is undoubtedly our privilege to ‘rejoice evermore,’ with a calm, still, heartfelt joy. Nevertheless this is seldom long at one stay. Many circumstances may cause it to ebb and flow. This, therefore, is not the essence of religion, which is no other than humble, gentle, patient love. I do not know whether all these are not included in that one word resignation. For the highest lesson our Lord (as man) learned on earth was to say, ‘Not as I will, but as Thou wilt.’ May He confirm you more and more! Yours most affectionately.

To Mrs. Taylor Date: THORNE, May 14, 1782. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1782) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER, -- I will certainly rather encourage than discourage the sale of Mr. Taylor’s Concordance. [A Concordance to the Holy Scriptures. Thomas Taylor was a diligent student of Greek and Hebrew and a busy writer. York was a quiet circuit then. See Wesley’s Veterans, vii. 64-5, 70.] And I have no objection to recommend it as far as I can upon a slight perusal; but I have by no means time to read it over. I hope to be at York about the middle of June, but I cannot fix the day yet. Peace be with you and yours! -- I am Your affectionate brother.

To Ambrose Foley Date: LONDON, February 24, 1785. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1783) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, -- I am glad to hear that Sister Foley and you are still going on to perfection. On Wednesday, March the 19th, I hope to be at Worcester, and about the 20th at Birmingham. Then we may determine something concerning Quinton! [See letter of Feb. 26, 1782.] -- I am Your affectionate brother.

To Jane Bisson Date: LONDON, October 2, 1783. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1783) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER, -- It gives me much pleasure to find you are still happy in God, leaning upon your Beloved. [See letter of Aug. 4, 1787.] O may you increase therein more and more 1 May you be more and more holy, and you will be more and more happy. This I long for, even your perfection, your growing up in all things into Him that is our Head. O may you never endeavor Loves all-sufficient sea to raise By drops of creature happiness! I send you a little book or two by Mr. Clarke. If I could be of any service to you in anything, it would be an unspeakable satisfaction to, my dear sister, Yours affectionately.

To Hannah Ball Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1783) Author: John Wesley --- LONDON, October [18], 1783. MY DEAR SISTER, -- Your wisdom is, as far as is possible, not to think or speak of Mr. W----- at all. You have better things to think of -- namely, that God is returning to His people. There is a beginning already; but you should continually expect to see greater things than these. ‘Temptations,’ says Mr. Haliburton, ‘and distinct deliverance from temptation, profit us much’; and ‘He prepareth for us,’ as Kempis observes, ‘occasions of fighting that we may conquer.’ [Book II. chap. xi.] Never scruple to declare explicitly what God has done for your soul. And never be weary of exhorting the believers to ‘go on to perfection.’ When they are athirst for this in any place, the whole work of God goes on. -- I am, my dear sister, Your affectionate brother.

To Alexander Knox Date: NEAR LONDON, February 5, 1784. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1784) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR ALLECK, - As to the love of praise, I do not doubt but you have much more of it than you want; and I am persuaded the Great Physician shows you the disease on purpose that He may cure it. But yet, I apprehend, you a little mistake. You blame yourself where no blame is. ' To be pleased with the approbation of our fellow creatures' is no part of corrupt nature. It belongs to our pure nature; and to cherish it in a degree is a duty, and not a sin.... Peace be with you and yours! - I am, my dear Alleck, Ever yours.

To Samuel Bardsley Date: LONDON, February 13, 1784. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1784) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR SAMMY, - It was a senseless, unreasonable prejudice which two or three persons conceived against James Rogers and labored to infuse into others - a mere trick of the devil to hinder his being more useful than any Assistant in that circuit had been before. They will never be able to undo the mischief they have done. If Brother Garside persists in not hearing him, I will trouble his house no more. You don't tell me anything of Hetty Roe. I hope you have seen and conversed with Mr. Smyth [Edward Smyth. See letter of March 3 to Bardsley.] and that his preaching at Macclesfield had been useful. He is an alarming preacher l Strongly exhort the believers to go on to perfection! - I am, with tender love to Brother and Sister Rogers, dear Sammy, Your affectionate brother.

To Christopher Hopper Date: BRISTOL, September 11, 1784. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1784) Author: John Wesley --- The information I received was not from - but from the body of leaders at Warrington and at Liverpool.... If Brother Eels behaves well now, I shall think no more of past things. O exhort the believers to go on to perfection! Perhaps you have been sometimes a little wanting in this. - I am, dear Christopher, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Alexander Surer Date: LONDON, July 26, 1785. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1785) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, - I told you in Scotland that you might come to the Conference; but it is no great matter. Mr. Watkinson does not come; but Mr. Ingles and Rob. Johnson are come in his place. [Richard Watkinson was in Edinburgh, with Andrew Inglis as his Colleague, Robert Johnson at Inverness. Johnson was appointed to Edinburgh, McAllum to Dundee.] According to their own desire, I will station both Brothers McAllum and Johnson in the Dundee Circuit. 'Tis pity that Brother Sanderson should be buried alive in one town. God has qualified him for more extensive usefulness. Since this time twelvemonth what has he done in comparison of what he might have done! Perhaps slipped out for a month once or twice! Oh, why does he not rather choose to 'receive a full reward'! But why do you quarrel with poor Agnes Ramsey Is there no living at Dundee without quarrelling O follow peace with all men, and holiness! - I am Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Peter Walker Date: LONDON, February 21, 1786. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1786) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR PETER, - Our Lord saw it good to humble you first, and then in due time to lift up your head. But the increase of His work which you have hitherto seen you may look upon as only the promise of a shower. If you and your fellow laborers are zealous for God, you will see greater things than these. Only exhort all that have believed to go on to perfection, and everywhere insist upon both justification and full sanctification as receivable now by simple faith. - I am, dear Peter, Your affectionate brother.

To Charles Atmore Date: BRISTOL, March 3, 1786. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1786) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR CHARLES, - Mr. Sagar, I doubt not, has shown you before this what places I propose visiting in the Colne Circuit. [See letter of Feb. 25.] If you think it best that any alteration should be made, you may send me word in time. I expect to be at Birmingham on Saturday, the 25th instant, and the day after at Manchester. I will administer the Lord's Supper wherever you see good. O be zealous, especially in enforcing Christian perfection! - I am, dear Charles, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Thomas Warwick Date: NEAR LONDON, November 16, 1785. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1786) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR TOMMY, - Whoever is pleased or displeased (as some win certainly be), it is your duty to remove every leader whom you judge to be unprofitable to the people, or indeed less profitable than another that lives at a convenient distance. [Warwick was Assistant at Burslem.] Some will likewise be displeased if you diligently exhort the believers to go on to perfection. But you need only secure one point - to please God. - I am, with love to Sister Warwick, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Francis Wrigley Date: LONDON, November 26, 1786. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1786) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,-Now is the very time wherein you should earnestly exhort the believers to go on to perfection. Those of them that hunger and thirst after righteousness will keep their ground; the others will lose what God has wrought. You may certainly give a note to the serious [house-keeper] tin you can do more. I look upon that very common custom to be neither better nor worse than murder. I would no more take a pillow from under the head of a dying person than I would put a pillow upon his mouth. - I am Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Mrs. Cock Date: LONDON, October 12, 1788. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1788) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER, -- It gives me much pleasure to find you are still happy in God, leaning upon your Beloved. O may you increase therein more and more! May you be more and more holy, and you will be more and more happy! [See letters of June 26 (to Adam Clarke) and Dec. 27. ] This I long for, even your perfection, your growing up in all things into Him that is our Head. O may you never endeavor Love's all-sufficient sea to raise By drops of creature happiness! I sent you a little book or two by Mr. Clarke. If I can be of any service to you in anything, it would be an unspeakable satisfaction to, my dear sister, Yours affectionately.

To Jonathan Brown, Isle of Man Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1789) Author: John Wesley --- [October], 1789. DEAR JONATHAN, -- You send us welcome news of the prosperity of the work of God in the isle. A year ago, [See letter of Feb. 28.] I was afraid that our members would scarce ever again amount to four-and-twenty hundred: so they rise now above our hope. I trust now it will be your business throughly to 'purge the floor.' Purge out all the unworthy members, and strongly exhort the rest to 'go on to perfection.' Get as many as possible to meet in band. -- I am, with love to your wife, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To George Baldwin Date: LONDON, November 5, 1789. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1789) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, -- I am glad to hear that you are True yokefellows by love compelled To labor on the. gospel field. [Poetical Works, v. 410.] Verily your labor shall not be in vain. Go in the name of the Lord and in the power of His might. Be instant in season, out of season, above all things exhort the believers to go on to perfection! When this is neglected the whole work of God will languish. So it will without visiting from house to house. [Baldwin was in the Gloucestershire Circuit. He died in 1810.] --I am, dear George, Your affectionate brother.

To Mrs. Pawson Date: LONDON, November 16, 1789. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1789) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER, -- My health is rather increasing than decreased. I can preach once a day without any inconvenience, and sometimes twice [See Journal, viii. 17.]; only not early in the morning. But I purpose soon to make another trial. I am glad the Select Society is restored at Bitstall. This is an excellent means of recommending Christian perfection. Therefore men and devils will in every place use every art to dissolve those societies. Mr. Pawson will be useful wherever he goes; so I trust will you likewise, particularly to those that either already enjoy or are earnestly seeking perfect love. [See a reference to her in letter of Nov. 26 to Adam Clarke.] You do well strongly to insist that those who do already enjoy it cannot possibly stand still. Unless they continue to watch and pray and aspire after higher degrees of holiness, I cannot conceive not only how they can go forward but how they can keep what they have already received. Certainly, therefore, this is a point much to be insisted on, both [in] public and private, that all who have tasted of the pure [level of God should continually grow in grace, in the image of God, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.--I am, my dear sister, Your affectionate brother.

To Edward Lewly Date: LONDON, January 12, 1791. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1791) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHR, -- I do not believe any single person in your Select Society scruples saying, Every moment, Lord, I need The merit of thy death. This is clearly determined in the Thoughts upon Christian Perfection. But who expects common people to speak accurately And how easy is it to entangle them in their talk! I am afraid some have done this already. A man that is not a thorough friend to Christian Perfection will easily puzzle others, and thereby weaken if not destroy any Select Society. I doubt this has been the case with you. That Society was in a lively state and well united together when I was last at Birmingham. My health has been better for a few days than it has been for several months. Peace be with all your spirits! I am Your affectionate brother.

To John Booth Date: LONDON, January 29, 1791. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1791) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, -- You give me a very agreeable account of the progress of the work of God in your circuit. As to the poor self-conceited enthusiasts in Keighley, it seems best that you should never name them in public, but when occasion offers strike at the root of their errors by clearly proving the truth which they deny; and whenever you meet with any of them in private, then speak and spare not. Whenever you have opportunity of speaking to believers, urge them to go on to perfection. Spare no pains; and God, our own God, shall give you His blessing! -- I am Your affectionate friend and brother.

The town was so thronged, by reason of the approaching fair, that we had much ado to pass. But this increased the evening congregation much; among whom was Dr. Hort, then Rector of the parish, a learned, sensible, pious man, and a pattern both for Clergy and laity. Tues. 10.--I rode to Drumersnave, a village delightfully situated. Almost the whole town, Protestants and Papists, were present at the sermon in the evening; and a great part of them in the morning: But O how few of them will bear fruit to perfection | At moon William Ley, James Glasbrook, and I rode to Carrick-upon-Shannon. In less than an hour, an Esquire and Justice of the Peace came down with a drum, and what mob he could gather. I went into the garden with the con gregation, while he was making a speech to his followers in the street. He then attacked William Ley, (who stood at the door,) being armed with an halbert and long sword; and ran at him with the halbert, but missing his thrust, he then struck at him, and broke it short upon his wrist. Having made his way through the house to the other door, he was at a full stop. James Glasbrook held it fast on the other side. While he was endeavouring to force it open, one told him I was preaching in the garden: On this he quitted the door in haste, ran round the house, and, with part of his retinue, climbed over the wall into the garden; and, with a whole volley of oaths and curses, declared, “You shall not preach here to-day.” I told him, “Sir, I do not intend it; for I have preached already.” This made him ready to tear the ground. Finding he was not to be reasoned with, I went into the house. Soon after he revenged himself on James Glasbrook, (by breaking the truncheon of his halbert on his arm,) and on my hat, which he beat and kicked most valiantly; but a gentleman rescued it out of his hands, and we rode quietly out of the town. After preaching to several of the intermediate societies in the way, on Saturday, 14, I came to Tyrrel's Pass, and found several of our friends who were come from various parts. Sunday, 15.

A little above the town, on one side of the river, stands the remains of a magnificent castle. On the other side, toward the bottom of a steep hill, covered with wood, is an ancient chapel, with several apartments adjoining to it, hewn in the solid rock. The windows, the pillars, the communion-table, and several other parts are entire. But where are the inhabit ants? Gathered to their fathers, some of them, I hope, in 56- REv. J. wesley’s [May, 1761. Abraham’s bosom, till rocks, and rivers, and mountains flee away, and the dead, small and great, stand before God | Sun. 17.--I preached at eight in Alnwick, and about one at Alemouth; a poor, barren place, where as yet there is no fruit of all the seed which has been sown. But there may be, since many are still willing to hear. In the evening a multitude of people and a little army of soldiers were gathered in the market-place at Alnwick. In the morning they were to march for Germany. I hope some of them have put their armour on. Mon. 18.--At nine I preached to a large and serious congregation at Widrington. Thence we rode to Morpeth. As it was a rainy day, they expected me to preach in the Room. But observing a large covered place in the market place, I went thither without delay. It was soon more than filled; and many, soldiers and others, stood on the outside, notwithstanding the rain. Why should we despair of doing good in any place, because we do not see present fruit? At five I preached to the honest, simple-hearted colliers at Placey, and before sunset reached Newcastle. Tuesday, 19, was a day of rest. In the evening God was with us of a truth; and many felt their hearts burn with fervent desire of being renewed in the whole image of God. The same flame was kindled at Gateshead-Fell, while I was opening and applying those words, “Every one that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself, even as He is pure.” Thur. 21.--I was much struck with a story told by Ephraim Syrus. I wonder it was never translated into English. It is as follows:- “My beloved brethren, I have a desire to relate to you what our brother Abraham did in his old age.

We rode home by a great house I had frequently heard of. The front is truly noble. In the house I saw nothing remarkable, but what was remarkably bad: Such pictures as an honest Heathen would be ashamed to receive under his roof; unless he designed his wife and daughters should be common prostitutes. And this is the high fashion | What an abundant proof of the taste of the present age | Sun. 20.--Between eight and nine I preached in Gateshead, to a listening multitude. I believe their number was doubled at the Fell, about two in the afternoon. About five I preached to such another congregation on the outside of Pandon-Gate. I know not that I ever before preached to three such congrega tions in one day: Such as obliged me to speak to the utmost extent of my voice, from the first word to the last. But it was all one, as I was no more tired in the evening than if I had sat still all day. Mon. 21.--I took my leave of Newcastle; and about noon preached in the market-place at Morpeth. A few of the hearers were a little ludicrous at first; but their mirth was quickly spoiled. In the evening I preached in the Court IHouse at Alnwick, where I rested the next day. Wednesday, 23. I rode over the sands to Holy-Island, once the famous seat of a Bishop; now the residence of a few poor families, who live chiefly by fishing. At one side of the town are the ruins of a cathedral, with an adjoining monastery. It appears to have been a lofty and elegant building, the middle aisle 178 REv. J. weslEY’s [May, 1764. being almost entire. I preached in what was once the market place, to almost all the inhabitants of the island, and distributed some little books among them, for which they were exceeding thankful. In the evening I preached at Berwick-upon-Tweed; the next evening at Dunbar; and on Friday, 25, about ten, at Haddington, in Provost D.’s yard, to a very elegant congre gation. But I expect little good will be done here; for we begin at the wrong end: Religion must not go from the greatest to the least, or the power would appear to be of men. In the evening I preached at Musselborough, and the next on the Calton-Hill, at Edinburgh.

“You have admirably well expressed what I mean by an opinion, contra-distinguished from an essential doctrine. Whatever is ‘compatible with love to Christ, and a work of grace, I term an opinion. And certainly the holding Parti cular Election and Final Perseverance is compatible with these. ‘Yet what fundamental errors, you ask, ‘have you opposed with half that fervency as you have these opinions?’--I have printed near fifty sermons, and only one of these opposes them at all. I preach about eight hundred sermons in a year; and, taking one year with another, for twenty years past, I have not preached eight sermons in a year upon the subject. But, ‘how many of your best Preachers have been thrust out because they dissented from you in these parti culars?” Not one, best or worst, good or bad, was ever ‘thrust out’ on this account. There has not been a single instance of this kind. Two or three (but far from the best of our Preachers) voluntarily left us, after they had embraced those opinions. But it was of their own mere motion: And two I should have expelled for immoral behaviour; but they 212 REv. J. wesLEY’s [May, 1765. withdrew, and pretended ‘they did not hold our doctrine.’ Set a mark, therefore, on him that told you that tale, and let his word for the future go for nothing. “‘Is a man a believer in Jesus Christ, and is his life suitable to his profession?” are not only the main, but the sole inquiries I make in order to his admission into our society. If he is a Dissenter, he may be a Dissenter still; but if he is a Churchman, I advise him to continue so; and that for many reasons; some of which are mentioned in the tract upon that subject. “I think on Justification just as I have done any time these seven-and-twenty years; and just as Mr. Calvin does. In this respect I do not differ from him an hair's breadth. “But the main point between you and me is Perfection.

Soon after, he came up to me, and said, You are come well-fortified.” He then gave her the reasons why he required her to meet him at that place, and why he could take his leave there, and not in the house, without taking something from her. But withal he charged her to tell this to no one; adding, “If you disclose this to any creature, I shall be under a necessity of troubling you as long as you live. If you do not, I shall never trouble you, nor see you any more, either in time or eternity.’ He then bid her farewell, waved his hand, and disappeared.” Tues. 31.--I made a little excursion into Weardale, and found a people ready prepared for the Lord. I had designed to preach abroad, but had scarce done singing, when a storm of rain drove us into the House. We had a blessed opportunity there, particularly for healing the backsliders. Wed. JUNE 1.--I preached in Teesdale. The sun was scorching hot when I began, but was soon covered with clouds. Many of the Militia were present at Barnard-Castle in the evening, and behaved with decency. I was well pleased to lodge at a gentleman’s, an old school-fellow, half a mile from the town. What a dream are the fifty or sixty years that have slipped away since we were at the Charter-House! Thur. 2.--I preached, at noon, at a farmer's house, near Brough, in Westmoreland. The sun was hot enough, but some shady trees covered both me and most of the congregation. A little bird perched on one of them, and sung without intermission, from the beginning of the service unto the end. Many of the people came from far; but I believe none of them regretted their labour. • About a quarter of a mile from the hill 336 REv. J. wesley’s [July, 1768. The evening congregation in Swaledale was far larger, and equally attentive: And the society was one of the most lively which I have met with in England. Many of them do rejoice in the pure love of God, and many more are earnestly seeking it. Fri. 3.--I rode to Richmond, intending to preach near the house of one of our friends; but some of the chief of the town sent to desire me to preach in the market-place.

May He open your heart, that you may discern his holy, and acceptable, and perfect will; that you may have a right judgment in all things, and evermore rejoice in his holy comfort! I am, dear Madam, “Your affectionate servant, “JoHN WESLEY.” Wed. 28.--I rode to Mount-Mellick, and, for the sake of some tender persons, preached in the new House. It was a solemn time; in consequence of which it was pretty well filled in the morning. A serious awe spread over the whole congregation; but more remarkably the next evening, while I was opening and applying the story of Dives and Lazarus. Friday, 30. I rode over to Montrath, a wild place as most in Ireland, and preached in the shell of a new House to many more than it would contain. All were quiet and attentive. In the middle of the sermon a young woman, who was a sinner, endeavoured for a while to hide her tears, by creeping behind another, till in a few minutes her strength failed, and she sunk down to the ground. I was sorry they carried her away; otherwise, I think she would have soon lifted up her head with joy. In the evening we had a love-feast at Mount-Mellick; and great was our rejoicing in the Lord. Many were filled with consolation, trusting he would soon “make an end of sin, and bring in everlasting righteousness.” Sat. JULY 1.--I found a far different face of things at Portarlington. The large society had once an hundred and thirty members; (an hundred and four I joined in three days;) it had now no more than twenty-four; and some of these had only a name to live. In the evening I applied particularly to the backsliders; but almost as soon as I began, a large company of Quality (as they called them) came, and embar rassed me not a little. I knew this was heathen Greek to them; but I could not then change my subject. However, I diluted my discourse as much as I could, that it might not be quite too strong for their digestion. Sun. 2.--I read Mrs. Rowe's “Devout Exercises of the Heart.” It is far superior to anything of hers which I ever read, in style as well as in sense.

It is a high rock surrounded by the sea, two or three miles in circumference, and about two miles from the shore. The strong east wind made the water so rough, that the boat could hardly live: And when we came to the only landing place, (the other sides being quite perpendicular,) it was with much difficulty that we got up, climbing on our hands and knees. The castle, as one may judge by what remains, was utterly inaccessible. The walls of the chapel, and of the Governor’s house, are tolerably entire. The garden-walls are still seen near the top of the rock, with the well in the midst of it. And round the walls there are spots of grass, that feed eighteen or twenty sheep. But the proper natives of the island are Solund-geese, a bird about the size of a Muscovy duck, which breed by thousands, from generation to genera tion, on the sides of the rock. It is peculiar to these, that they lay but one egg, which they do not sit upon at all, but keep it under one foot, (as we saw with our eyes,) till it is hatched. How many prayers did the holy men confined here offer up, in that evil day! And how many thanksgivings should we return, for all the liberty, civil and religious, which we enjoy! At our return, we walked over the ruins of Tantallon Castle, once the seat of the great Earls of Douglas. The front walls (it was four square) are still standing, and by their vast height June, 1772.] JOURNAL. 465 and huge thickness, give us a little idea of what it once was. Such is human greatness! Fri. 22.--We took a view of the famous Roman camp, lying on a mountain, two or three miles from the town. It is encompassed with two broad and deep ditches, and is not easy of approach on any side. Here lay General Lesley with his army, while Cromwell was starving below. He had no way to escape; but the enthusiastic fury of the Scots delivered him. When they marched into the valley to swallow him up, he mowed them down like grass. Sat. 23.--I went on to Alnwick, and preached in the Town-Hall.

I walked over to Wilton, and preached to a very serious congregation in the new preaching-house. I found at Sarum the fruit of Captain Webb's preaching: Some were awakened, and one perfected in love. Yet I was a little surprised at the remark of some of our eldest brethren, that they had never heard Perfection preached before. Wed. 4.--The preaching-house at Whitchurch, though much enlarged, could not contain the congregation in the evening. Some genteel people were inclined to smile at first ; but their mirth was quickly over. The awe of God fell upon the whole Nov. 1780.] JOURNAL. 193 congregation, and many “rejoiced unto him with reverence.” Saturday, 7. I returned from Portsmouth to London. Mon. 16.--I went to Tunbridge-Wells, and preached to a serious congregation, on Rev. xx. 12. Tuesday, 17. I came back to Sevenoaks, and in the afternoon walked over to the Duke of Dorset's seat. The park is the pleasantest I ever saw ; the trees are so elegantly disposed. The house, which is at least two hundred years old, is immensely large. It consists of two squares, considerably bigger than the two Quadrangles in Lincoln College. I believe we were shown above thirty rooms, beside the hall, the chapels, and three galleries. The pictures are innumerable; I think, four times as many as in the Castle at Blenheim. Into one of the galleries opens the King's bed-chamber, ornamented above all the rest. The bed-curtains are cloth-of-gold; and so richly wrought, that it requires some strength to draw them. The tables, the chairs, the frames of the looking-glasses, are all plated over with silver. The tapestry, representing the whole history of Nebuchadnezzar, is as fresh as if newly woven. But the bed-curtains are exceeding dirty, and look more like copper than gold. The silver on the tables, chairs, and glass, looks as dull as lead. And, to complete all, King Nebuchadnezzar among the beasts, together with his eagle's claws, has a large crown upon his head, and is clothed in scarlet and gold. Mon. 23.--I visited, for a few days, the societies in Northamptonshire. Monday, 30. I went to High-Wycomb, where the new preaching-house was well filled in the evening. Tuesday, 31.

James of “pure religion and undefiled.” In the afternoon, I preached a funeral sermon for Mary Charlton, an Israelite indeed. From the hour that she first knew the pardoning love of God, she never lost sight of it for a moment. Eleven years ago, she believed that God had cleansed her from all sin; and she showed that she had not believed in vain, by her holy and unblamable conversation. Mon. 21.-I went over to Warrington, and preached in the evening. Fearing many of the congregation rested in a false peace, I endeavoured to undeceive them, by closely applying those words, “Ye shall know them by their fruits.” Tuesday, 22. About eleven, I preached at Chowbent, and in the evening at Bolton; where the people seemed to be on the wing, just ready to take their flight to heaven. Wed. 23.--Having appointed to preach at Blackburn, I was desired to take Kabb in my way. But such a road sure no carriage ever went before. I was glad to quit it, and use my own feet. About twelve I found a large number of plain, artless people, just fit for the Gospel. So I applied our Lord’s words, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.” In the evening I preached in the new House at Blackburn. Thur. 24.--I went on to Preston, where the old prejudice seems to be quite forgotten. The little society has fitted up a large and convenient House, where I preached to a candid audience. Every one seemed to be considerably affected: I hope in some the impression will continue. Fri. 25.-We went on to Ambleside; and on Saturday, to Whitehaven. Sunday, 27. I preached, morning and evening, in the House; in the afternoon, in the market-place. But abundance of people went away, not being able to bear the intense heat of the sun. Wed. 30.--I embarked on board the packet-boat for the Isle of Man. We had a dead calm for many hours: However, we June, 1781.] JOURNAL. 205 landed at Douglas on Friday morning. Both the Preachers met me here, and gave me a comfortable account of the still increasing work of God. Before dinner, we took a walk in a garden near the town, wherein any of the inhabitants of it may walk.

Caulfield's, the Rector of Kille man, three miles from Charlemount. His house is agreeably situated, at the head of a beautiful avenue, in which I preached to a very numerous congregation; most of whom seemed to be * The following is Boscawen's translation of these lines from Horace - Day treads on day with rapid pace; Moons hasten to their wane by nature's doom; Whilst thou prepar'st the column's base To rear thy palace, heedless of thy tomb 1-EDIT. 312 REv. J. Wesley’s [June, 1785. deeply affected. I sent my horses on to Mr. Cook’s town, ten Irish miles; Mr. Caulfield sending me thither, Friday, 3, with a pair of his. At ten I preached there, and then hastened forward: But I could not reach Londonderry before seven. We then found (notwithstanding they had but short notice) a congregation gathered from all parts. The society here has not been so well established, for many years, as it is now. What is principally wanting, is, zeal for God, and entire self-devotion to him. Sun. 5.-At eight I strongly applied the latter part of the thirteenth chapter to the Romans. We had a very decent congregation at church, but not so many communicants as I expected. At six our Room was thoroughly filled with as serious hearers as ever I saw. Monday, 6. We had a numerous congregation, in the morning, of rich as well as poor. But who is able effectually to warn these to flee from the wrath to come? At eleven I preached in an open place at Newtown, sixteen miles from Londonderry. In the evening we had, at Coleraine, a larger congregation than at Clones itself; and they seemed a more intelligent people than most I have met with. Indeed, the whole town is different from all that I have seen. There is no hurry or noise, but all quiet and still, both by day and by night; so that no wonder so many here receive the Gospel of peace, and “bring forth fruit unto perfection.” Tues. 7.--I accepted the offer of the Presbyterian meeting; and preached there at noon, and at six in the evening. Wed nesday, 8. After preaching in the morning, I left many of the loving people in tears, and went on to Ballymoney; where I preached in the Court-House, to a very civil, and a very dull, congregation.

That this was the first day's work, The evening and the morning were the first day - The darkness of the evening was before the light of the morning, that it might set it off, and make it shine the brighter. See note at "Ge 1:3" See note at "Ge 1:3" 6, 7, 8 We have here an account of the second day's work, the creation of the firmament. In which observe, 1. The command of God; Let there be a firmament - An expansion; so the Hebrew word signifies, like a sheet spread, or a curtain drawn out. This includes all that is visible above the earth, between it and the third heavens, the air, its higher, middle, and lower region, the celestial globe, and all the orbs of light above; it reaches as high as the place where the stars are fixed, for that is called here the firmament of heaven, Ge 1:14,15, and as low as the place where the birds fly for that also is called the firmament of heaven, Ge 1:20. 2. The creation of it: and God made the firmament. 3. The design of it; to divide the waters from the waters - That is, to distinguish between the waters that are wrapt up in the clouds, and those that cover the sea; the waters in the air, and those in the earth. 4. The naming it; He called the firmament Heaven - 'Tis the visible heaven, the pavement of the holy city. The height of the heavens should mind us of God's supremacy, and the infinite distance that is between us and him; the brightness of the heavens, and their purity, should mind us of his majesty, and perfect holiness; the vastness of the heavens, and their encompassing the earth, and influence upon it, should mind us of his immensity and universal providence. See note at "Ge 1:6 See note at "Ge 1:6 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

God satisfies Moses as to his complaints, ver. 1. He gives him fuller instructions what to say to the children of Israel, ver. 2 - 8. but to little purpose, ver. 9. He sends him again to Pharaoh, ver. 10, 11. But Moses objects against that, ver. 12. upon which a strict charge is given to him and his brother, to execute their commission with vigour, ver. 13. An abstract of the genealogy of the tribes of Reuben and Simeon, to introduce that of Levi, that the pedigree of Moses and Aaron might be cleared, ver. 14 - 27 A repetition of the preceding story, ver. 28 - 30. With a strong hand - That is, being forced to it by a strong hand, he shall let them go. l am Jehovah - The same with I am that I am, the fountain of being and blessedness, and infinite perfection. The patriarchs knew this name, but they did not know him in this matter by that which this name signifies. God would now be known by his name Jehovah, that is,

Concerning the inner curtains of the tabernacle, ver. 1 - 6. Concerning the outer curtains, ver. 7 - 13. Concerning the cover which was to secure it from the weather, ver. 14. Concerning the boards which were to support the curtains, ver. 15 - 30. The partition between the holy place and the most holy, ver. 31 - 35. The veil for the door, ver. 36 - 37. These particulars seem of little use to us now, yet having been of great use to Moses and Israel, and God having thought fit to preserve to us the remembrance of them, we ought not to overlook them. The curtains were to be embroidered with cherubim, to intimate that the angels of God pitched their tents round about the church, <cite>Psa 34:7</cite>. As there were cherubim over the mercy - seat, so there were round the tabernacle. There were to be two hangings, five breadths to each, sewed together, and the two hangings coupled together with golden clasps or tacks, so that it might be all one tabernacle, <cite>Ex 26:6</cite>. Thus the churches of Christ, though they are many, yet are one, being fitly joined together in holy love and by the unity of the Spirit, so growing into one holy temple in the Lord. This tabernacle was very strait and narrow, but at the preaching of the gospel, the church is bid to enlarge the place of her tent, and to stretch forth her curtains, <cite>Isa 54:2</cite>. Badger skins - So we translate it, but it should rather seem to have been some strong sort of leather, (but very fine) for we read of the best sort of shoes made of it. <cite>Eze 16:10</cite>. Very particular directions are here given about the boards of the tabernacle, which were to bear up the curtains. These had tenons which fell into the mortaises that were made for them in silver bases. The boards were coupled together with gold rings at top and bottom, and kept firm with bars that run through golden staples in every board. Thus every thing in the tabernacle was very splendid, agreeable to that infant state of the church, when such things were proper to possess the minds of the worshippers with a reverence of the divine glory. In allusion to this, the new Jerusalem is said to be of pure gold, <cite>Rev 21:18</cite>.

In other offerings men were to give according to their ability, but this, which was the ransom of the soul, must be alike for all; for the rich have as much need of Christ as the poor, and the poor are as welcome to him as the rich. And this was to be paid as a ransom of the soul, that there might be no plague among them - Hereby they acknowledged that they received their lives from God, that they had forfeited their lives to him, and that they depended upon his power and patience for the continuance of them; and thus they did homage to the God of their lives, and deprecated those plagues which their sins had deserved. This money was employed in the service of the tabernacle; with it they bought sacrifices, flour, incense wine, oil, fuel, salt, priests garments, and all other things which the whole congregation was interested in. The laver, or font was a large vessel, that would contain a good quantity of water. The foot of brass, it is supposed, was so contrived as to receive the water, which was let out of the laver, by spouts or cocks. They then had a laver for the priests only to wash in, but to us now there is a fountain opened for Judah and Jerusalem, <cite>Zech 13:1</cite>, an inexhaustible fountain of living water, so that it is our own fault if we remain in our pollution. Aaron and his sons were to wash their hands and feet at this laver every time they went in to minister. For this purpose clean water was put into the laver, fresh every day. Though they washed themselves ever so clean at their own houses, that would not serve, they must wash at the laver. This was designed, to teach them purity in all their ministrations, and to possess them with a reverence of God's holiness, and a dread of the pollutions of sin. They must not only wash and be made clean when they were first consecrated, but they must wash and be kept clean, whenever they went in to minister. He only shall stand in God's holy place that hath clean hands and a pure heart, <cite>Psa 24:3</cite>,4.

The work of the tabernacle is begun, ver. 1 - 4. A stop put to the people's contributions, ver. 5 - 7. A particular account of the making the tabernacle; the fine curtains of it, ver. 8 - 13. The coarse ones, ver. 14 - 19. The boards, ver. 20 - 30: The bars, ver. 31 - 34 The partition veil, ver. 35, 36. and the hangings of the door, ver. 37, 38. And Moses called Bezaleel - "Even those whom God has qualified for, and inclined to the service of the tabernacle, yet must wait for a call to it, either extraordinary, as that of preachers and apostles, or ordinary, as that of pastors and teachers. And observe who they were that Moses called; those in whose heart God had put wisdom for this purpose, beyond their natural capacity, and whose heart stirred him up to come to the work in good earnest." Those are to be called to the building of the gospel tabernacle, whom God has by his grace made in some measure fit for the work, and free to it: ability and willingness, with resolution, are the two things to be regarded in the call of ministers. The veil made for a partition between the holy place and the most holy, signified the darkness and distance of that dispensation compared with the New Testament, which shews us the glory of God more clearly, and invites us to draw near to it; and the darkness and distance of our present state in comparison with heaven, where we shall be ever with the Lord, and see him as he is. An hanging - Which divided the holy place from the court. Chapter XXXVII Bezaleel and his workmen are still busy, making, The ark with the mercy - seat and the cherubim, ver. 1 - 9. The table with its vessels, ver. 10 - 16. The candle - stick with its appurtenances, ver. 17 - 24. The golden altar for incense, ver. 25 - 28. The holy oil and incense, ver. 29. 1 - 9

The last thing prepared was the holy garments. The ephod, and its curious girdle, ver. 1 - 5. The onyx stones for the shoulders, ver. 6, 7. The breast - plate with the precious stones in it, ver. 8 - 21. The robe of the ephod, ver. 22 - 26. The coats, bonnets and breeches for the inferior priests, ver. 27 - 29. And the plate of the holy crown, ver. 30, 31. A summary account of the whole work, ver. 32 - 43. The priests garments are called here clothes of service - Those that wear robes of honour must look upon them as clothes of service; for those upon whom honour is put, from them service is expected. Holy garments were not made for men to sleep in, but to do service in, and then they are indeed for glory and beauty. These also were shadows of good things to come, but the substance is Christ. He is our great high priest; he put upon him the clothes of service when he undertook the work of our redemption; arrayed himself with the gifts and graces of the Spirit, which he received not by measure; charged himself with all God's spiritual Israel, bare them on his shoulder, carried them in his bosom, and presented them in the breast - plate of judgment unto his Father. And, lastly, he crowned himself with holiness to the Lord, consecrated his whole undertaking to the honour of his Fathers holiness. And all true believers are spiritual priests. The clean linen with which all their clothes of service must be made, is the righteousness of saints: and holiness to the Lord must be so written upon their foreheads, that all who converse with them may see they bear the image of God's holiness. Thus was all the work finished - In not much more than five months. Though there was a great deal of fine work, such as used to be the work of time, embroidering, and engraving, not only in gold, but in precious stones, yet they went through with it in a little time, and with the greatest exactness imaginable. The workmen were taught of God, and so were kept from making blunders, which would have retarded them. And the people were hearty and zealous in the work, and impatient till it was finished.

The tenth part of an ephah - About six pints. He shall put no oil, neither frankincense - Either to distinguish these from the meal - offerings, Lev 2:1, or as a fit expression of their sorrow for their sins, in the sense whereof they were to abstain from things pleasant; or to signify that by his sins he deserved to be utterly deprived both of the oil of gladness, the gifts, graces and comforts of the Holy Ghost; and of God's gracious acceptance of his prayers and sacrifices, which is signified by incense, Psa 141:2. As a meal offering - As it was in the meal - offering, where all, except one handful, fell to the share of the priests. And this is the rather mentioned here, because in the foregoing sacrifices, Lev 4:3, &c. Lev 4:13, &c. the priest had no part reserved for him. A trespass - Against the Lord and his priests. Through ignorance - For if a man did it knowingly, he was to be cut off, Num 15:30. In the holy things - In things consecrated to God, and to holy uses; such as tithes and first - fruits, or any things due, or devoted to God, which possibly a man might either with - hold, or employ to some common use. A ram - A more chargeable sacrifice than the former, as the sin of sacrilege was greater. With thy estimation - As thou shalt esteem or rate it, thou, O priest; and at present, thou, O Moses, for he as yet performed the priest's part. And this was an additional charge and punishment to him; besides the ram, he was to pay for the holy thing which he had with - held or abused, so many shekels of silver as the priest should esteem proportionable to it. The former law concerns the alienation of holy things from sacred to common use; this may concern other miscarriages about holy things, and holy duties, as may be gathered from Lev 5:19, where this is said to be a trespass against the Lord, not in a general sense, for so every sin was; but in a proper and peculiar sense.

Thereon - Upon the burnt - offering, which thereby would be sooner consumed, that the way might be made for other sacrifices. Thus should we keep the fire of holy love ever burning in our hearts. Of the meal - offering - Of that which was offered alone, and that by any of the people, not by the priest, for then it must have been all burnt. This law before delivered, is here repeated for the sake of some additions made to it. His sons - The males only might eat these, because they were most holy things; whereas the daughters of Aaron might eat other holy things. In the court - In some special room appointed for that purpose. The reason why this was to be eaten only by holy persons, and that in an holy place, is given Lev 6:17, because it is most holy. It - That part which remains to the priest; for the part offered to God seems not to have been baked at all. Every one - That is, none should touch, or eat them, but consecrated persons, priests, or their sons. When he is anointed - For high - priest for he only of all the priests was to be anointed in future ages. This law of his consecration was delivered before, and is here repeated because of some additions made to it. Perpetual - Whensoever any of them shall be so anointed. At night - Or, in the evening; the one to be annexed to the morning - sacrifice, the other to the evening - sacrifice, over and besides that meal - offering which every day was to be added to the daily morning and evening sacrifices. Thou - Who art so anointed and consecrated. It shall not be eaten - No part of it shall be eaten by the priest, as it was when the offering was for the people.

The blood was not brought in - Because Aaron was not yet admitted into the holy place, whither that blood should have been brought, 'till he had prepared the way by the sacrifices which were to be offered in the court. They have offered - They have done the substance of the thing, though they have mistaken this one circumstance. Such things - Whereby, haying been oppressed with grief, it is not strange nor unpardonable if I have mistaked. Should it have been accepted - Because it was not to be eaten with sorrow, but with rejoicing and thanksgiving. He rested satisfied with his answer. it appeared, that Aaron sincerely aimed at pleasing God: and those who do so, will find he is not extreme to mark what is done amiss.

Chapter XVI The institution of the yearly day of atonement for the whole nation. The whole service is committed to the high - priest, who is, Then only to come into the holy of holies, in his linen garments with a young bullock, ver. 1 - 4. To offer a goat, and a bullock for a sin - offering, ver. 5 - 13. To sprinkle the blood before the mercy seat, and upon the altar, ver. 13 - 19. To confess over the scape - goat, the sins of the people, and then send him into the wilderness, ver. 20 - 23. To offer the burnt - offerings, ver. 24 - 28. And, To appoint this day to be a solemn fast, by a statute for ever, ver. 29 - 34. At all times - Not whensoever he pleaseth, but only when I shall appoint him, namely, to take down the parts and furniture of it upon every removal, and to minister unto me once in the year. Lest he die - For his irreverence and presumption. In the cloud - In a bright and glorious cloud, over the mercy - seat, as a token when I would have him come. With a young bullock - That is, with the blood of it; the body of it was to be offered upon the altar of burnt - offerings. A sin - offering - For his own and family's sins; for a goat was offered for the sins of the people. The linen coat - It is observable, the high - priest did not now use his peculiar and glorious robes, but only his linen garments, which were common to him with the ordinary priests. The reason whereof was, because this was not a day of feasting and rejoicing, but of mourning and humiliation, at which times people were to lay aside their ornaments. These are holy - Because appropriated to an holy and religious use. For the Lord - For the Lord's use by way of sacrifice. Both this and the other goat typified Christ; this in his death and passion for us; that in his resurrection for our deliverance. The bullock - Mentioned in general, Lev 16:6. The ceremonies whereof are here particularly described. This was a different bullock or heifer from that Num 19:2,5,9,10,17, as appears by comparing the places.

This was a different bullock or heifer from that Num 19:2,5,9,10,17, as appears by comparing the places. Within the veil - That is, into the holy of holies, Lev 16:2. Upon the fire - Which was in the censer, Lev 16:12. Upon the mercy - seat - To teach us, that God is merciful to sinners only through and for the blood of Christ. With his face east - ward, or upon the eastern part, towards the people, who were in the court which lay east - ward from the holy of holies, which was the most western part of the tabernacle. This signified that the high - priest in this act represented the people, and that God accepted it on their behalf. Before the mercy - seat - On the ground. Then shall he kill the goat - He went out of the holy of holies, and killed it, and then returned thither again with its blood. And whereas the high - priest is said to be allowed to enter into that place but once in a year, that is to be understood, but one day in a year, though there was occasion of going in and coming out more than once upon that day. Because of the uncleannesses of Israel - For though the people did not enter into that place, yet their sins entered thither, and would hinder the effects of the high - priest's mediation on their behalf if God was not reconciled to them. In the midst of their uncleanness - ln the midst of a sinful people, who defile not themselves only, but also God's sanctuary. And God hereby shewed them, how much their hearts needed to be purified, when even the tabernacle, only by standing in the midst of them, needed this expiation. In the tabernacle - ln the holy place, where the priests and Levites were at other times. This was commanded for the greater reverence to the Divine Majesty then in a more special manner appearing, and that none of them might cast an eye into the holy of holies, as the high - priest went in or came out.

Chapter XIX Various Precepts to be holy, ver. 1, 2. To honour parents and sabbaths, ver. 3. To shun idolatry, ver. 4. Duty to eat their peace - offering, ver. 5 - 8. To leave gleanings for the poor, ver. 9, 10. Not to steal, lie, swear falsely, or defraud, ver. 11 - 13. Not to curse the deaf, or put a stumbling - block before the blind, ver. 14. Not to judge unjustly, carry tales, or bear false witness, ver. 15, 16. To reprove sinners, not to revenge themselves; to love their neighbours, ver. 17, 18. Not to mix different things, ver. 19. Not to lie with their bond - maids, ver. 20 - 22. Not to eat of the fruit of the land for four years, ver. 23 - 25. Not to eat blood, use enchantments, or heathen customs, ver. 26 - 28. Or prostitute their daughters, ver. 29. To reverence God and his sanctuary, ver. 30. Not to regard wizards, ver. 31. To honour the aged, ver. 32. Love and right the stranger, ver. 33, 34. Do no injustice, ver. 34, 35, 36. Be ye holy - Separated from all the forementioned defilements, and entirely consecrated to God and obedient to all his laws. I am holy - Both in my essence, and in all my laws, which are holy and just and good. His mother - The mother is put first, partly because the practice of this duty begins there, mothers, by perpetual converse, being sooner known to their children than their fathers; and partly because this duty is commonly neglected to the mother, upon whom children have not so much dependence as they have upon their father. And this fear includes the two great duties of reverence and obedience. And keep my sabbaths - This is added, to shew, that, whereas it is enjoined to parents that they should take care the sabbath be observed both by themselves and their children, it is the duty of children to fear and obey their parents in this matter. But that, if parents should neglect their duty herein, or by their command, counsel, or example, draw them to pollute the sabbath, the children in that case must keep the sabbath, and prefer the command of God before the commands of their parents.

Nor profane the sanctuary - Either by the performance of a civility, or by entering into the sanctuary before the seven days allotted for his cleansing, Num 19:11, were expired. The crown of the anointing oil - Or, the crown, the golden plate, which is called the holy crown, Exo 29:6, and the anointing oil of his God are upon him. So there is only an ellipsis of the conjunction and, which is frequent. And these two things, being most eminent, are put for the rest, as the sign is put for the thing signified, that is, for he is God's high - priest. In her virginity - Or, a virgin, partly because as he was a type of Christ, so his wife was a type of the church, which is compared to a virgin, and partly for greater caution and assurance that his wife was not a defiled or deflowered person. Most of these things are forbidden to all the priests; and here to the high - priest, to shew that he also, and he especially is obliged to the same cautions. I the Lord sanctify him - I have separated him from all other men for my immediate service, and therefore will not have that race corrupted. Of thy seed - Whether the high priest, or the inferior ones. That hath - In all successive ages, any defect or excess of parts, any notorious deformity or imperfection in his body. The reason hereof is partly typical, that he, might more fully represent Christ, the great high - priest, who was typified both by the priest and sacrifice, and therefore both were to be without blemish; partly moral, to teach all Christians and especially ministers of holy things, what purity and perfection of heart and life they should labour after, and that notorious blemishes in the mind or conversation, render a man unfit for the ministry of the gospel; and partly prudential, because such blemishes were apt to breed contempt of the person; and consequently, of his function, and of the holy things wherein he ministered. For which reason, such persons as have notorious defects or deformities, are still unfit for the ministry except where there are eminent gifts and graces, which vindicate a man from the contemptibleness of his bodily presence.

Chapter XXII A priest, having any uncleanness, must not eat of the holy things, ver. 1 - 7. No priest must eat that which dies of itself, or is torn, ver. 8, 9. No stranger must eat of holy things, ver. 10 - 13. Of them that do it ignorantly, ver. 14 - 16. Sacrifices must be without blemish, and of a due age, ver. 17 - 27. Thank offerings must be eaten the same day, ver. 29, 30. An exhortation to obedience, ver. 31 - 33. Separate themselves - When any uncleanness is upon them, as appears from Lev 22:3,4. From the holy things - From eating of those parts of the offerings, which belong to them. Only of the tithes they might eat. They - The children of Israel. And it ill became the priests to profane or pollute what the people did hallow. Goeth unto the holy things - To eat them, or to touch them; for if the touch of one of the people having his uncleanness upon him defiled the thing he touched, much more was it so in the priest. Cut off - From my ordinances by excommunication: He shall be excluded both from the administration, and from the participation of them. His food - His portion, the means of his subsistence. This may be added, to signify why there was no greater nor longer a penalty put upon the priests than upon the people in the same case, because his necessity craved some mitigation: tho' otherwise the priests being more sacred persons, deserved a greater punishment. Lest they bear sin - Incur guilt and punishment. For it - For the neglect or violation of it. No stranger - Of a strange family, who is not a priest; but there is an exception to this rule, Lev 22:11. A sojourner - One that comes to his house and abides there for a season, and eats at his table. A stranger - To one of another family, who is no priest. Yet the priest's wife, though of another family, might eat. The reason of which difference is, because the wife passeth into the name, state and privileges of her husband, from whom the family is denominated. Unto it - Over and above the principle, and besides the ram to be offered to God, Lev 5:15.

Jubilee - So called either from the Hebrew word Jobel which signifies first a ram, and then a ram's horn, by the sound whereof it was proclaimed; or from Jubal the inventor of musical instruments, Gen 4:21, because it was celebrated with music and all expressions of joy. Unto his possession - Which had been sold or otherwise alienated from him. This law was not at all unjust, because all buyers and sellers had an eye to this condition in their bargains; but it was expedient in many regards, as To mind them that God alone was the Lord and proprietor both of them and of their lands, and they only his tenants; a point which they were very apt to forget. That hereby inheritances, families, and tribes, might be kept entire and clear until the coming of the Messiah, who was to be known as by other things, so by the tribe and family out of which he was to come. And this accordingly was done by the singular providence of God until the Lord Jesus did come. Since which time those characters are miserably confounded: which is no small argument that the Messiah is come. To set bounds both to the insatiable avarice of some, and the foolish prodigality of others, that the former might not wholly and finally swallow up the inheritances of their brethren, and the latter might not be able to undo themselves and their posterity for ever, which was a singular privilege of this law and people. His family - From whom he was gone, being sold to some other family either by himself or by his father. It shall be holy - So it was, because it was sequestered in great part from worldly employments and dedicated to God, and to the exercise of holy joy and thankfulness; and because it was a type of that holy and happy jubilee which they were to expect and enjoy under the Messiah. The increase thereof - Such things as it produced of itself. Out of the field - Whence they in common with others might take it as they needed it; but must not put it into barns, See Lev 25:5, and Exo 23:11. Ye shall not oppress - Neither the seller by requiring more, nor the buyer by taking the advantage from his brother's necessities to give him less than the worth of it.

These are the laws which the Lord made between him and the children of Israel - Hereby his communion with his church is kept up. He manifests not only his dominion over them, but his favour to them, by giving them his law. And they manifest not only their holy fear, but their holy love by the observance of it. And thus it is made between them rather as a covenant than as a law: for he draws them with the cords of a man.

Chapter IV A command to number the Levites from thirty to fifty years old, ver. 1 - 3. The charge of the Kohathites, ver. 4 - 20. Of the Gershonites, ver. 21 - 28. Of the Merarites, ver. 29 - 33. The number of each, ver. 34 - 45. Of all in general, ver. 46 - 49. From thirty - This age was prescribed, as the age of full strength of body, and therefore most proper for their laborious work of carrying the parts and vessels of the tabernacle, and of maturity of judgment, which is necessary for the right management of holy services. Whence even John and Christ entered not upon their ministry till that age. Indeed their first entrance upon their work was at their 25th year, when they began as learners, and acted under the inspection and direction of their brethren; but in their 30th year they were compleatly admitted to a full discharge of their whole office. But David, being a prophet, and particularly directed by God in the affairs of the temple, made a change in this matter, because the magnificence of the temple, and the great multitude of sacred utensils and sacrifices, required a greater number of attendants than formerly was necessary. Until fifty - When they were exempted from the toilsome work of carrying burdens, but not discharged from the honourable and easy work done within the tabernacle, Num 8:26. All that enter - That is, that do and may enter, having no defect, nor other impediment. They shall take down - For upon this necessary occasion the inferior priests are allowed to come into the holy of holies, which otherwise was peculiar to the high - priest. The covering veil - The second veil, wherewith the ark was covered while the tabernacle stood, Exo 40:3. Cover the ark - Because the Levites, who were to carry the ark, might neither see, nor immediately touch it. Badgers - skins - Whereby the ark was secured from the injuries of the weather. The dishes - Upon which the shew - bread was put.

The dishes - Upon which the shew - bread was put. Continual bread - So called because it was continually to be there, even in the wilderness; where though they had only manna for themselves, yet they reserved corn for the weekly making of these loaves, which they might with no great difficulty procure from some of the people bordering upon the wilderness. The golden altar - All covered with plates of gold. The instruments of ministry - The sacred garments used by the priests in their holy ministrations. Cover them - All these coverings were designed, For safety, that these holy things might not be filled by rain, or tarnished by the sun. For decency, most of them had a cloth of blue, or purple, or scarlet over them; the ark, a cloth wholly of blue, perhaps an emblem of the azure skies, which are spread between us and the Majesty on high; For concealment. It was a fit sign of the darkness of that dispensation. The holy things were then covered. But Christ hath now destroyed the face of the covering. The altar - Hence we may conclude, that they did offer sacrifices at other times, though not so constantly and diligently, as they did in Canaan. Moreover the taking away of the ashes only doth sufficiently imply that the fire was preserved, which as it came down from heaven, Lev 9:24. So it was by God's command to be continually fed, and kept burning, and therefore doubtless was put into some vessel, which might be either fastened to the altar and put within this covering, or carried by some person appointed thereunto. Bear it - Upon their shoulders. Afterward the priests themselves, being multiplied, carried these things, though the Levites also were not excluded. They shall not touch - Before they are covered. Eleazar - He himself is to carry these things, and not to commit them to the sons of Kohath. The oversight - The care that all the things above mentioned be carried by the persons and in the manner expressed. Cut not off - Do not by your neglect provoke God to cut them off for touching the holy things. To his service - To that which is peculiarly allotted to him, the services, and burdens being equally distributed among them. The curtains - The curtains or covering of goats - hair.

Chapter XVIII The Work of the priests and Levites, ver. 1 - 7. The maintenance of the priests, ver. 8 - 20. Of the Levites, ver. 21 - 24. The portion they are to pay to the priests, ver. 25 - 32. Shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary - Shall suffer the punishment of all the usurpations, or pollutions of the sanctuary, or the holy things, by the Levites, or any of the people, because you have power from me to keep them all within their bounds. Thus the people are in good measure secured against their fears. Also they are informed that Aaron's high dignity was attended with great burdens, having not only his own, but the people's sins to answer for; and therefore they had no such reason to envy him, if the benefits and dangers were equally considered. The iniquity of your priesthood - That is, Of all the errors committed by yourselves, or by you permitted in others in things, belonging to your priesthood. Unto thee - About sacrifices and offerings and other things, according to the rules I have prescribed them. The Levites are said to minister to Aaron here, to the church, Num 16:9, and to God, Deu 10:8. They shall not contend with thee for superiority, as they have done, but shall be subordinate to thee. Thy sons with thee - Or, both to thee, and to thy sons with thee: Which translation may seem to be favoured by the following words, before the tabernacle, which was the proper place where the Levites ministered. Besides, both the foregoing words, and the two following verses, entirely speak of the ministry of the Levites, and the ministry of the priests is distinctly spoken of, Nu 18:5. They charge - That is, that which thou shalt command them and commit unto them. The sanctuary - Of the holy, and of the most holy place. To you they are given as a gift - We are to value it as a great gift of the divine bounty, to have those joined to us, that will be helpful and serviceable to us, in the service of God. The altar - Of burnt - offering. Within the veil - This phrase here comprehends both the holy and the most holy place.

Within the veil - This phrase here comprehends both the holy and the most holy place. As a gift which I have freely conferred upon you, and upon you alone; and therefore let no man henceforth dare either to charge you with arrogance in appropriating this to yourselves, or to invade your office. I have given them - Not only the charge, but the use of them for thyself and family. By reason of the anointing - That is, because thou art priest, and art to devote thyself wholly to my service. Most holy - Such as were to be eaten only by the priests, and that in the sanctuary. Reserved - That is, such sacrifices or parts of sacrifices as were not burnt in the fire. Render unto me - By way of compensation for a trespass committed against me, in which case a ram was to be offered, which was a most holy thing, and may be particularly designed here. In the most holy place - In the court of the priests, where there were places for this use, which is called the most holy place, not simply and absolutely, but in respect of the thing he speaks of because this was the most holy of all the places appointed for eating holy things, whereof some might be eaten in any clean place in the camp, or in their own house. Whatsoever is first ripe - Not only the first - fruits of the oil and wine, and wheat now mentioned, but all other first - fruits of all other grains, and all fruit trees. Clean - And none else, because these were first offered to God, and by consequence given to priests; but for those which were immediately given to the priests, the clean and unclean might eat of them. Devoted - Dedicated to God by vow or otherwise, provided it be such a thing as might be eaten: for the vessels or treasures of gold and silver which were dedicated by Joshua, David, or others, were not the priests, but appropriated to the uses of the temple. Of men - Which were offered to God in his temple, and to his service and disposal.

To harden their hearts - It was the design of God's providence not to soften their hearts to a compliance with the Israelites, but to give them up to their own animosity, pride, confidence and stubbornness; that so their abominable and incorrigible wickedness might be punished, and that the Israelites might not be mixed with them, but be entire among themselves in the possession of the land. At that time - In that war, but in divers years. The mountain - Or, mountains, the singular number for the plural; these barbarous and monstrous persons either chose to live in the dens or caves, which were frequent in the mountains of those parts, or else they were driven thither by the arms and success of the Israelites. From Debir - From the territories belonging to these cities, as we have often seen in this history, cities mentioned for the country subject to them. The mountains of Israel - It doth not follow from hence, that this book was written by some other person long after Joshua's death, even after the division of the Israelites into two kingdoms. of Israel and Judah; but only that this was one of those clauses which were added by Ezra or some other prophet; though that be not necessary: for since it was evident to Joshua, from Gen 49:10, &c. that the tribe of Judah was to be the chief of all these tribes, and some dawnings of its eminency appeared in that time, in their having the first lot in the land of Canaan, chap.15:1, and the largest inheritance, chap.19:9, it is no wonder that it is mentioned apart, and distinguished from the rest of the tribes of Israel, though that also be one of them. But how could Joshua utterly destroy these, when Caleb and Othniel destroyed some of them after Joshua's death chap.14:12 Judg 1:10 - 12. This might be, either Because these places being in part destroyed and neglected by the Israelites, were repossessed by the giants, and by them kept 'till Caleb destroyed them.

An allusion either to hens, which protect and cherish their young ones under their wings; or to the wings of the Cherubim, between which God dwelt. Tho' I be not - I humbly implore the continuance of thy good opinion of me, though I do not deserve it, being a person more mean, necessitous, and, obscure, a stranger, and one born of heathen parents, and not of the holy and honourable people of Israel, as they are. She sat - Not with or among them, but at some little distance from them, as one inferior to them. It is no disparagement to the finest hand, to be reached forth to the needy. An Ephah - About a bushel. Reserved - At dinner, after she had eaten and was sufficed, or satisfied. Where hast thou gleaned to - day - It is a good question to ask ourselves in the evening, "Where have I gleaned to - day" What improvements have I made in grace or knowledge What have I learned or done, which will turn to account To the dead - That is, which he formerly shewed to those who are now dead, my husband and his sons whilst they were living, and now continues to us. Harvest - Both barley - harvest, and wheat - harvest. She tells what kindness Boaz had shewed her; but not, how he had commended her. Humility teaches not only not to praise ourselves, but not to be forward in repeating the praise which others have given us. Other field - Whereby thou wilt both expose thyself to many inconveniences, which thou mayst expect from strangers; and incur his displeasure, as if thou didst despise his kindness.

- Of whom see 1Chron 2:6. Proverbs - That is, short, and deep, and useful sentences, whereof a great part are contained in the books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. Songs - Whereof the chief and most divine are in the Canticles. Trees - That is, of all plants, of their nature and qualities: all which discourses are lost, without any impeachment of the perfection of the holy scriptures; which were not written to teach men philosophy or physick, but only to make them wise unto salvation. From the cedar, &c. - That is, from the greatest to the least. All kings - All the neighbouring kings; a restriction grounded upon the following words, where this is limited to such as heard of Solomon's wisdom. Let those who magnify the modern learning above that of the ancients, produce such a treasury of learning, anywhere in these later ages, as that was, which Solomon was master of. Yet this puts an honour upon human learning, that Solomon is praised for it, and recommends it to the great ones of the earth, as well worthy their diligent search. In all this Solomon was a type of Christ, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Chapter V Hiram congratulates Solomon on his accession, and agrees to furnish him with workmen and timber for the temple, ver. 1 - 9. The work is well done, and the workmen paid, ver. 10 - 18. They - That is, thy servants. And this assistance which these Gentiles gave to the building of Solomon's temple, was a type of the calling of the Gentiles, and that they should be instrumental in building and constituting Christ's spiritual temple. Cedar - trees - Which for their soundness, and strength, and fragrancy, and durableness, were most proper for his design. Of these David had procured some, but not a sufficient number. Lebanon - Which was in Solomon's jurisdiction: and therefore he doth not desire that Hiram would give him the cedars, because they were his own already; but only that his servants might hew them for him; which the ingenious Tyrians well understood. With thy servants - Either to be employed therein as they shall direct; or to receive the cedars, from their hands, and transmit them to me. Hire - Pay them for their labour and art. Sidonians - Or Tyrians: for these places and people being near, are promiscuously used one for another. Rejoiced - Being a faithful friend to David and his house, and tho' it is not probable he was a sincere proselyte, yet he had sufficient information concerning the nature and excellency of the God of Israel, and had honourable thoughts of him. The sea - The mid - land sea. Floats - Or, rafts. It is thought the timber were tied together in the water, as now is usual, and so by the help of boats or ships, conveyed to the appointed place, which was at no great distance. Household - My family and court, which most properly is called his house. Measures - Heb. twenty cors pure oil; but in 2Chr 2:10, it is twenty thousand baths of oil. To which there is added twenty thousand measures of barley, and twenty thousand baths of wine. Either therefore, first, he speaks of several things. Or, secondly, he speaks there of what Solomon offered: for it runs thus, I will give; and here of what Hiram accepted.

Wood - With other kind of wood, even with fir; as appears from 2Chron 3:5, wherewith the floor is here said to be covered. Floor - This is spoken only concerning the floor, because there was nothing but planks of fir; whereas there was both cedar and fir in the sides of the house, the fir being either put above, or upon the cedar; or intermixed with, or put between the boards or ribs of cedar: as may be gathered from, 2Chron 3:5. House - That is, the most holy place, which contained in length twenty cubits, which may be said to be on the sides Of the house, because this part took off twenty cubits in length from each side of the house, and was also twenty cubits from side to side, so it was twenty cubits every way. The oracle - the most holy place - The last words are added, to explain what he means by the word oracle, which he had not used before. House - That is, the holy place. Temple - This is added, to restrain the signification of the word house, which otherwise notes the whole building. It - The oracle. Cedar - Cedar is here named, not to exclude all other wood, but stone only; as the following words shew. Prepared - That is, adorned and fitted it for the receipt of the ark. Solomon made every thing new, but the ark. That with its mercy seat was still the same that Moses made. This was the token of God's presence, which is with his people, whether they meet in tent or temple, and changes not with their condition. Forepart - Which was in the inner part of the house, called in Hebrew, the forepart; not because a man first enters there, but because when a man is entering, or newly entered into the house, it is still before him. Covered - With gold, chap.7:48 1Chron 28:18. The altar - The altar of incense. House - Or, that house, the oracle. Partition - He made a veil, which was a farther partition between the holy, and the most holy; which veil did hang upon these golden chains.

Partition - He made a veil, which was a farther partition between the holy, and the most holy; which veil did hang upon these golden chains. Before the oracle - In the outward part of the wall, or partition, which was erected between the oracle and the holy place; which is properly said to be before the oracle, there the veil was hung; and there the chains or bars, or whatsoever it was which fastened the doors of the oracle, were placed. It - The partition; which he here distinguisheth from the house, or the main walls of the house, which he had in the former part of this verse told us were overlaid with gold; and now he affirms much as of the partition. Whole house - Not only the oracle, but all the holy place. The altar - the altar of incense, which was set in the holy place close by the doors of the oracle. With gold - As before he overlaid it with cedar. Cherubim - Besides those two made by Moses, Exod 25:18, which were of gold, and far less than these. The Heathens set up images of their gods, and worshipped them. These were designed to represent the servants and attendants of the God of Israel, the holy angels, not to be worshipped themselves, but to shew how great he is whom we worship. Cherubim - As signs of the presence and protection of the angels vouch - safed by God to that place. Palm - trees - Emblems of that peace and victory over their enemies, which the Israelites duly serving God in that place might expect. Within and without - Within the oracle and without it, in the holy place. Fifth part - That is, four cubits in height or breadth, whereas the wall was twenty cubits. Inner court - The priests court, 2Chron 4:9, so called, because it was next to the temple which it compassed. Cedar beams - Which is understood, of so many galleries, one on each side of the temple, whereof the three first were of stone, and the fourth of cedar, all supported with rows of pillars: upon which there were many chambers for the uses of the temple, and of the priests.

Left side - On the north side. The south - In the south - east part, where the offerings were prepared. The pots - To boil those parts of the sacrifices which the priests, &c. were to eat. Vessels - Such as Moses had made only these were larger, and richer, and more. Table of gold - Under which, are comprehended both all the utensils belonging to it, and the other ten tables which he made together with it. Candlesticks - Which were ten, according to the number of the tables, whereas Moses made but one: whereby might be signified the progress of the light of sacred truth, which was now grown clearer than it was in Moses's time, and should shine brighter and brighter until the perfect day of gospel light. Pure gold - Of massy and fine gold. The oracle - In the holy place. Flowers - Wrought upon the candlesticks, as it had formerly been. Silver and gold - So much of it as was left. And vessels - Those which David had dedicated, and with them the altar of Moses, and some other of the old utensils which were now laid aside, far better being put in the room of them.

The priests - For although the Levites might do this, Numb 4:15, yet the priests did it at this time, for the greater honour of the solemnity; and because the Levites might not enter into the holy - place, much less into the holy of holies, where it was to be placed, into which the priests themselves might not have entered, if the high - priest alone could have done it. The tabernacle - That made by Moses, which doubtless before this time had been translated from Gibeon to Zion, and now together with other things, was put into the treasuries of the Lord's house, to prevent all superstitious use of it, and to oblige the people to come up to Jerusalem, as the only place where God would now be worshipped. Sacrificing - When the ark was seated in its place: for although they might in the way offer some sacrifices, as David did; yet that was not a proper season to offer so many sacrifices as could not be numbered. This is more particularly related below, ver.62,63,64, which is here signified by way of anticipation. Cherubim - Of Solomon's new made cherubim, not of the Mosaic cherubim, which were far less, and unmovably fixed to the ark, Exod 37:7,8, and therefore together with the ark, were put under the wings of these cherubim. Drew out - Not wholly, which was expressly forbidden, Exod 25:15, Numb 4:6, but in part. Seen out - In the most holy place, which is oft called by way of eminency, the holy place, and the Hebrew words rendered before the oracle, may be as well rendered, within the oracle. And these staves were left in this posture, that the high - priest might hereby be certainly guided to that very place where he, was one day in a year to sprinkle blood, and to offer incense before the ark, which otherwise he might mistake in that dark place, where the ark was wholly covered with the wings of the great cherubim, which stood between him and the ark when he entered in. Nothing - Strictly and properly: but in a more large sense, the pot of manna, and Aaron's rod were also in it, Heb 9:4, that is, by it, in the most holy place, before the ark of the testimony, where God commanded Moses to put them.

Chapter XXV The person's that were to be employed in singing, ver. 1 - 7. The order in which they were to attend determined by lot, ver. 8 - 31. And captains - All the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites, whom David gathered together, chap.23:2, for this very end, that with their approbation and consent, all these things might be established; who are here fitly called the captains of the host; for the princes were, under David, the chief captains of the militia of the kingdom; and as the Levites are called an host, and the Lord's host, because of their number and order in holy ministrations; so these priests and Levites were the captains and governors of the rest. Separated - Distributed them into their several ranks: which, tho' chiefly done by David as a prophet, and by Divine direction, yet is imputed in part to the captains of the host, because it was done with their concurrence and approbation. The service - To the service of God under the conduct of these persons. Prophecy - Praise God by singing the psalms of David, and other sacred songs made by themselves, who were prophets, or by other prophets or holy men of God. Workmen - Of the persons employed in this sacred work. This good work it seems Samuel revived, but did not live to bring it to perfection. Let each in his day do what he can for God, tho' he cannot carry it so far as he would. When we are gone, God can raise up others to build on our foundation, and bring forth the top - stone. Of Asaph - Under his direction. Of the king - In such manner and order as David appointed. Six - Jeduthun their father being included in that number: or Shimei, mentioned ver.17. The king's seer - He is called the king's seer, either because the king took special delight in him; or because he frequently attended the king in his palace, executing his sacred office there, while the rest were employed in the tabernacle. In the words - To sing Divine songs as were inspired by God to the prophets or holy men of God.

Chapter III The place and time of his building the temple, ver. 1, 2. The dimension and ornaments of it, ver. 3 - 9. The cherubim in the most holy place, ver. 10 - 13. The veil, ver. 14. The two pillars, ver. 15 - 17. Moriah - It was the belief of the ancient Jews, that the temple was built on that very place, where Abraham offered up Issac. Instructed - By David, and by the Spirit of God. The measure - According to he measure which was first fixed. The height - This being a kind of turret to the building. Greater house - The holy place, which was thrice as large as the holy of holies. Nails - Each of the nails, screws, or pins, by which the golden plates were fastened to the walls, weighed, or rather was worth, fifty shekels, workmanship and all. Upper chambers - Rather, the roof. Image work - Or, of moveable work, not fixed to the mercy - seat, as the Mosaical cherubim, but in a moving posture. It seems, they were designed to represent the angels, who attend the Divine Majesty. Inward - Heb. towards the house, that is, the most holy house. The veil - The inner veil before the most holy place. This denoted the darkness of that dispensation and the distance at which the worshippers were kept. But at the death of Christ this veil was rent; for thro' him we are brought nigh, and have boldness, or liberty, not only to look, but to enter into the holiest. Jachin - That is, He shall establish. Boaz - That is, In it is strength.

And they praised the people for their forwardness and faithfulness in it. Questioned - How it came to pass that no more of their provision was spent and that there yet remained such great heaps of it. Most holy things - The remainders of the freewill - offering, the sin - offering, and trespass - offering, and the shew - bread; to see that all had a competent maintenance for themselves and their families. And next, &c. - These were intrusted with receiving and distributing the several portions belonging to the priests who abode in their several cities, whilst their brethren came up to Jerusalem. For, &c. - This is alleged as a reason why their wives and children were provided for out of the holy things, because they sequestered themselves from worldly affairs, by which they might otherwise have provided for their families.

Chapter XXXV Josiah keeps a solemn passover, ver. 1 - 19. He goes against Pharaoh - necho, and is slain, ver, 20 - 24. He is bitterly lamented, ver. 25 - 27. The house - In the holy of holies. Whence, it may seem, it had been removed, by some of the wicked kings of Judah, possibly by Josiah's father Amon. A burden - Or, that it might not be a burden, so these words are to be joined with the former, as the reason why Solomon built this house, that the ark might have a constant and fixed habitation, and not need to be carried from place to place upon their shoulders, as it had been done while it was in the tabernacle. Ministers must look upon themselves as servants both to Christ, and to the people, for his sake. They must take care and take pains, and lay themselves out to the utmost, both for the honour and glory of God, and for the benefit of his people, not as having dominion over their faith, but as helpers of their holiness and joy. Stand - Or, minister, (as that word is frequently used) in the court of the priests. According - According to the several families both of the people, whom he calls their brethren, lest they should despise them, or grudge to serve them, and of the Levites. For the passover was to be eaten by the several families according to their numbers, and therefore he commands these persons, that when the paschal lambs were brought to them to be killed, they might so order the matter, that they might be distributed to the several families whether of the Levitical or other tribes. Princes - Not the political, but ecclesiastical princes, or the chief of the priests and Levites, whose names here follow. Levites - For the use of any of the families of them, as need should be. For they supposed the thirty thousand which the king had given were not sufficient for all the families. Removed - Some of the lesser cattle; for these also might be offered as burnt - offerings, Lev 1:10, and hence it may seem that all these small cattle were not given for paschal - lambs, but were to be offered as burnt - offerings for the people.

Darius - Darius Noehus; and so this Jaddua might be father to him who was in the days of Darius Codomanus, and of Alexander the Great. The wall - Of the city itself, which is here dedicated to God, and to his honour and service, not only upon a general account, by which we ought to devote ourselves, and all that is ours, to God; but upon a more special ground, because this was a place which God himself had chosen, and sanctified by his temple and gracious presence, and therefore did of right belong to him; whence it is often called the holy city. And they restored it to God by this dedication, withal imploring the presence, and favour, and blessing of to this city by solemn prayers, and praises, and sacrifices, wherewith this dedication was accompanied. Places - To which they were now retired after that great and general assembly, chap. 8, 9, & 10. Ne 8:1 &c. Purified themselves - They that would be instrumental to sanctify others, must sanctify themselves, and set themselves apart for God, with purity of mind and sincerity of intention. Princes - And half of the people with them. The wall - For the wall was broad and strong, and so ordered that men might conveniently walk upon it. Right hand - Towards the south and east. Stood still - Waiting, as also their brethren did, that they might go together in due order into God's house, there to perfect the solemnity. The children rejoiced - And their hosanna's were not despised, but are recorded to their praise. All that share in public mercies, ought to join in public thanksgivings. Rejoiced - For the eminent gifts and graces which they observed in many of them: for the great benefit which they had now received by their ministry: and for the competent provision which hereby was made for them, that so they might wholly wait upon their office. The sure way for ministers to gain an interest, in the affections of their people, is to wait on their ministry, to spend their whole time, and thought, and strength therein. The ward - That ward, or charge, which God had prescribed to them. And in particular the charge of purification, of taking care that no unclean person or thing should enter into the house or courts of the Lord.

Their hands - By thy prayers proceeding from a pure heart and conscience. So Eliphaz and his two friends, who in this matter were not innocent, were delivered by the pureness of Job's hands, chap.42:8.

The handles - Heb. with myrrh passing or flowing upon the handles of the lock, which place the bridegroom had touched when he attempted to open it. With - drawn - Denied me his comfortable presence, as a just punishment for my former neglect. Faded - Heb. went out of me: I fainted and was ready to die away, for those endearing expressions related, ver.2, which then I did not heed. I sought - By diligent enquiry and importunate prayer. Watch - men - The governors of the church, who, though by their place they are obliged to comfort the faithful, do frequently discourage them. Smote - With bitter calumnies and persecutions. The keepers - The same with the watchmen, whose office it is to keep the gates and walls of the city. My vine - Which was an ornament of her sex, and an ensign of her relation to Christ. And so the taking of this veil away, signifies their contemptuous usage of her, and endeavours to represent her, as one that had no relation to Christ. O daughters - The church having passed the watchmen, proceeds in the pursuit of her beloved, and enquires of every particular believer whom she meets concerning him. Tell him - That I am ready to faint for want of his presence. What is - Wherein doth he excel them Believers might ask this, that they might be more fully informed of it. White - The white may denote his pure and spotless innocency, and the ruddy colour his bloody passion. As gold - It shines like gold, by reason of the crown of pure gold upon his head. We need not aim at a distinct application of this and the following particulars, unto some special excellency of Christ, because such things are mere conjectures, and the only design of this description is, to set forth the beauty of Christ under the notion of a most amiable person, in whom there is no defect or blemish, from the crown of his head to the sole of his feet. Of doves - Lovely and pleasant, chaste and innocent. Rivers - Where they delight to abide. Milk - Doves of a milk white colour. Cheeks - His face or countenance, an eminent part whereof is the cheeks.

Cheeks - His face or countenance, an eminent part whereof is the cheeks. Spices - Of aromatic flowers which delight both the eye with a pleasant prospect, and the smell with their fragrancy. Lillies - Beautiful and pleasant. Beryl - Beautiful, and precious, and richly adorned, as it were with gold rings set with precious stones. Belly - Which seems to be here used, for the whole body, reaching from the neck to the bottom of the belly. Saphires - Of a pure and bright white colour, intermixt with blue veins; for some saphires are of a bright blue colour. Marble - White, and strait, and well shaped and strong. Gold - His feet are compared to gold, for their singular brightness, for which they are compared to fine - brass, Rev 1:15. Countenance - Heb. his aspect or appearance, his form or person. Lebanon - In respect of its cedars, tall, and upright, and stately. Altogether - Not to run out into more particulars.

Therefore thou shalt be deprived of the rain, that should cool thy thirsty land. A conspiracy - A contrivance, to speak all alike, smooth words, and give out promises of peace and safety. Thereof - Of the land. The treasure - As a reward of their lies. Made her - By persuading Zedekiah to hold out the war, which filled Jerusalem with dead husbands, and forlorn widows. My holy things - Sacrifices, and oblations. Put no difference - Neither have they in their practice, differenced holy and profane, nor in their teaching acquainted the people with the difference, nor in the exercise of their authority, separated the profane from the holy, either persons, or things. Hid their eyes - Despised, and would not see the holiness of the sabbaths. Profaned - Contemned, dishonoured, disobeyed. Destroy souls - Ruin families; cutting off the fathers, and impoverishing the widow, and fatherless. Daubed them - Flattered them, in their ways of sin. Untempered mortar - With promises that like ill - tempered mortar, will deceive them, though all seems at present smooth and safe. I sought - God speaks after the manner of men. A man - Any one, among princes, prophets, priests, or people, to repair the breach. And stand - Interpose between a sinful people, and their offended God, and intreat for mercy. But - All were corrupted.

As the holy flock - Flocks designed to holy uses. In her solemn feasts - These flocks were for quality, the best of all; and for numbers, very great, on the solemn feasts. Thus shall men multiply, and fill the cities of replanted Judea. And the increase of the numbers of men is then honourable, when they are all dedicated to God as a holy flock, to be presented to him for living sacrifices. Crowds are a lovely sight in God's temple.

Chapter XLI The dimensions of the house and various parts of it, ver. 1 - 13. An account of another building, ver. 14, 15. The manner of the building of the house, ver. 16, 17. The ornaments of the house, ver. 18 - 20. The altar of incense and the table, ver. 21, 22. The doors between the temple and the oracle, ver. 23 - 26. The breadth - These walls in their thickness took up as much space as the whole breadth of Moses's tabernacle, Exod 26:16,22. Went he - From the porch thro' the body of the temple, to the partition between the body of the temple and the holy of holies. Measured - Either the thickness of that partition wall, or of the pilasters, which stood one on the one side, and the other on the other side of the door. Of the door - Or entrance out of the temple into the oracle. And the door - This door was six cubits broad, and an upright bar or post on which the leaves met, and which was of one cubit's breadth, make out seven cubits. Thereof - Of the holy of holies, which was an exact square. Before - Parallel with the breadth of the temple. After - Having left the holy of holies, now he is come to take the measures of the outer wall. The house - The temple. Six cubits - Three yards thick was this wall from the ground to the first story of the side - chambers. Side - chamber - Of the lowest floor; for there were three stories of these, and they differed in their breadth, as the wall of the temple, on which they rested, abated of its thickness; for the middle chambers were broader than the lowest by a cubit, and the highest as much broader than the middle. Round about - On the north, south, and west parts, on each side of every one of these three gates. They might - That the beams of the chambers might have good and firm resting - hold. Had not hold - The ends of the beams were not thrust into the main body of the wall of the temple.

The breadth - The whole front of the house eastward. Cherubim - Generally taken for the portrait of angels, or young men with wings: yet is the description of them very different in different places; in Ezekiel's vision, Eze 1:5 - 14 10:14, Isaiah's vision, Isa 6:2, John's vision, Rev 4:6 - 8, and in Solomon's temple, 1Kin 6:23 - 26. Through all the house - And thus it was through the whole house round about. The face - The door or gate of the temple was square, not arched. As the appearance - As was the form of the gate of the temple in its larger, so was the form of the gate of the oracle in its lesser dimensions. The altar - Of incense. The corners - The horns framed out of the four posts at each angle on the top of the altar. The walls - The sides. Before the Lord - In the temple, not in the holy of holies. Two doors - Each had one. Them - The doors of both temple and oracle. The temple - Including the holy of holies also.

The law - This is the first comprehensive rule: holiness becomes God's house; and this relative holiness referred to personal and real holiness. The top - The whole circuit of this mountain shall be holy, but the top of it on which the temple stands, shall be most holy. The altar - Of burnt - offerings. And an hand - breath - The sacred cubit, three inches longer than the common cubit. The bottom - The ledge or settle, fastened to the altar on all sides at the bottom, shall be a cubit in height. The breadth - From the edge of this bench on the outside to the edge where it joined the body of the altar, a cubit, and this the breadth, twenty one inches, broad enough for the priests to walk on. Border - A ledge going round on all the squares. The edge - On the outer edge of this settle a span high. The back - As the back bears burdens, so this was to bear the weight of the whole altar. From the bottom - From the first ledge, which was a cubit broad, and a cubit high from the ground. To the lower - To the top of that square settle, which is called lower, because another settle is raised upon it. Two cubits - In height. The lesser - From the highest edge of the uppermost settle, down to the cubit broad ledge about the lower settle. The greater - So called, because it exceeded the upper settle a cubit in breadth. Four cubits - ln height. Four cubits - In height. From the altar - From the top of the altar. Stairs - Or steps, for such they needed, (probably each stair about one fourth of a cubit,) to carry them, up to the first and second settles. Give - Direct, or command that it be given. Shalt take - Appoint it to be taken. He - The priest. In the appointed place - That is, in the court of the house, and on the altar appointed; this is the first day's sacrifice. They - The priests in attendance. Shalt offer - On the third day, and so on, through seven days. Shalt offer - Direct them to offer. Salt - It may allude to the perpetuity of the covenant thus made by sacrifice. They - The priests in course.

Chapter XLV The division of the holy land, ver. 1 - 8. The ordinances that were given both to the prince and to the people, ver. 9 - 12. The oblations to be offered, and the princes part therein, ver. 13 - 17. Particularly, in the beginning of the year, ver. 18 - 20. And in the passover, and feast of tabernacles, ver. 21 - 25. Of this - Whole portion of twenty five thousand cubits long, or twelve miles and half, and ten thousand broad, or five miles and a little more. For the sanctuary - For a platform for the sanctuary, both house and court. And in it - In the center of this. The possession - Land to be a possession to the citizens of Jerusalem, and to be the content of the city. Broad - About two miles and half broad, and twelve miles and half long. Long - This must run along parallel in length with the holy portion, though but half its breadth. For the whole house - As the capital city, to which the tribe's resort, it must be large enough to entertain them. The prince - The king. Our side - One half of the prince's portion lay on the west side of those three already set out. The other side - The other half lay on the east - side thereof, so the portion of the city, Levites and priests, lay in the middle. The holy portion - Of priests, and Levites, and sanctuary. Before - It lay parallel as broad as these three were broad, and so run on both sides in its breadth from north to south, and had its length as the other, from east to west. Over against - What is called now over - against, or by the side, is called before three times together. So now you have an exact square of twenty - five thousand cubits laid out for God, the Levites and city, which appears thus in the breadth. For the priests. For the Levites. For the city.

Chapter 3 Jerusalem threatened for her wickedness, ver. 1 - 7. A promise of a glorious reformation, ver. 8 - 13. And deliverance consequent upon it, ver. 14 - 20. To her - Jerusalem. The voice - Of God by his mercy and judgments crying aloud. Her princes - Persons of principal place and authority. Lions - Which hunt for prey, and are ever affrighting or devouring. Wolves - Insatiable and cruel, like wolves of the evening, whetted with hunger. Gnaw not the bones - They leave nothing but the bones to be eaten on the morrow. Her prophet - So called, false prophets. Light - Unstable and inconstant. Violence to the law - Wresting it by perverse interpretation. In the midst - Observing all. Not do iniquity - He will judge them righteously. Every morning - Daily he discovers his displeasure against the wicked. Faileth not - Lets no season slip to convince them, by public and visible punishments. The unjust - But the wicked Jews proceed without shame, and without fear. The nations - Of old, the Canaanites, lastly the ten tribes, and later yet, the Assyrians. I said - I thought (speaking after the manner of men). Thou - O Jerusalem. Fear me - For the many and great judgments executed upon others. I punished them - In some measure. Therefore - Since you will not be amended. Wait ye - Attend my resolution. Until - Until I rise up to destroy first, and next to take the spoil. Upon them - The incorrigible Jews. Devoured - Consumed as if burnt up. My jealousy - That jealousy wherewith God is jealous for his own glory. A pure language - I will give them a pure way of worshipping me, the issue of a pure heart. My dispersed - The praying remnant of the scattered Jews shall return to their own land, and bring themselves an offering unto the Lord. Thy doings - Thy sins formerly committed. In thy pride - Proud formalists. No more be haughty - Ye shall no more boast, because of the city, or the temple. Of thee - In Judea and Jerusalem. Shall feed - Shall enjoy peace and plenty. Taken away - Abolished, and put an end to the judgments thy sins brought upon thee. Thine enemy - The Babylonian.

Holy flesh - Part of the sacrifice, legally sanctified, or made holy by the altar on which the whole was sanctified. In the skirt - In the lap of his garment, or in any other cloth, and if this cloth touch any common thing as bread, &c., shall that become legally holy Said - Now the second case is proposed. These - Bread or pottage, wine or oil, or meat. Unclean - Shall that which the unclean doth touch, become unclean Though a mediate touch of what is holy will not make holy, yet will not a mediate touch of what is polluted defile So - Polluted persons, touching what is clean, pollute it, so polluted Jews, polluted God's ordinances, while the outward performing of legal duties, left them as unholy in themselves, as they were before: somewhat more then is to be done. The soul is first to be purified, that they and we may offer up a pure offering. The people - The body of the Jews. Every work - Whatever they do, they pollute all by polluted hands. Offer - What they bring to the altar with impure hearts, is polluted by them. Upward - Through past years. Before - Before you would set upon the re - building of the temple after you had intermitted it. Since - All the while the temple lay neglected. When one came - Men are disappointed half in half. But ten - Which he expected would prove twenty measures, ephahs or bushels. It proved but half your hope, thus your corn failed, and your oil much more. Blessing - Burning, and scorching winds. All the labours - In your plowing and sowing, in planting of olives and vines. From the day - When you began to build on the old foundation. Is the seed - Your seed for the next harvest is yet in your barns. Hath not brought forth - No sign yet appears what vintage you shall have, what store of wine, oil, figs, and pomegranates. Yet in the word of God I tell you, you shall be blest in them all, and have a large produce. My servant - A type of him who was God's most beloved servant. As a signet - Which is very highly valued, and carefully kept.

Holiness unto the Lord - Their persons shall bear the dedicating inscription of holiness to the Lord, and by their study of holiness they shall make good their motto. The pots - Which were used in the kitchens of the temple, and were not accounted so sacred as the utensils near the sacrifices, and altar. The bowls - Which received the blood of the sacrifices, were esteemed more holy; so shall thy holiness in these days exceed the holiness of those former days. Every pot - The utensils of private houses shall be all dedicated to God's service. That sacrifice - So the prophet expresses all religious affections, practice, and worship, which shall be as pleasing to God, as were the sacrifices of his people offered up with divine warrant and approbation. Seethe therein - That part of the sacrifice which pertaineth to the priests, and to the offerer to feast on. The Canaanite - Any of the accursed nation, or one who makes merchandise of religion. But all shall know that the Lord hath the greatest pleasure in upright, and sincere love and holiness. Tho' Malachi be the last of the prophets, and in him prophecy ceased: yet the spirit of prophecy shines as clear, as strong, as bright, in him, as in any that went before. The Jews call him the seal of prophecy, because in him the succession of prophets came to a period: God wisely ordering, that prophecy should cease, some ages before the Messiah came, that he might appear the more conspicuous, and be the more welcome. Haggai and Zechariah were sent to reprove the people, for delaying to build the temple: Malachi to reprove them for their neglect of it, now it was built, and for their profanation of the temple - service. And the sins he reproves, are those complained of by Nehemiah, with whom he is supposed to have been cotemporary. And now prophecy was to cease, he speaks more clearly of the Messiah, than any other of the prophets had done.

and that your hearing is vain, unless the same power be present to heal your soul, and to give you a faith which “standeth not in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God?” 14. “Another passage that,” your Lordship thinks, “has been misapplied by enthusiasts, but was really peculiar to the times of the Apostles, is 1 John ii. 20, 27: ‘Ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.--But theanointing which ye have received of him abideth in you : And ye need not that any man teach you, but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie. And even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.’ Here the Apostle arms the true Christians against seducers, by an argument drawn from ‘the unction from the Holy One,” that was in, or rather, among them; that is, from the immediate inspiration of some of their Teachers.” (Pp. 35, 37.) Here it rests upon your Lordship to prove, as well as affirm, oF REASON AND RELIGION. 9I (1.) That ev should be translated among : (2.) That this “unction from the Holy One” means the inspiration of some of their Teachers. The latter your Lordship attempts to prove thus:-- “The inspired Teachers of old were set apart for that office, by an extraordinary effusion of the Holy Ghost: Therefore, “‘The unction from the Holy One here means such an effusion.” (P. 38.) I deny the consequence; so the question is still to be proved. Your Lordship's second argument is drawn from the twenty sixth verse of the fourteenth chapter of St. John's Gospel. Proposed in form, it will stand thus:-- “If those words, “He shall teach you all things, relate only to a miraculous gift of the Holy Ghost, then these words, ‘The same anointing teacheth you of all things, relate to the same miraculous gift : “But those words relate only to a miraculous gift : “Therefore these relate to the same.” I conceive, it will not be very easy to make good the conse quence in the first proposition. But I deny the minor also: The contradictory whereto, I trust, has appeared to be true.

And in the power of this faith they have trampled under foot what ever the world accounts either terrible or desirable; having evidenced, in the severest trials, so fervent a love to God, so invariable and tender a goodwill to mankind, particularly to their enemies, and such a measure of all the fruits of holi ness, as were not unworthy the apostolic age. Now, so deep a repentance, so firm a faith, so fervent love and unblemished holiness, wrought in so many persons, within so short a time, the world has not seen for many ages. 9. No less remarkable is the purity of the religion which has extended itself so deeply and swiftly. I speak particu larly with regard to the doctrines held by those among whom it is so extended. Those of the Church of England, at least, must acknowledge this. For where is there a body of people in the realm, who, number for number, so closely adhere to what our Church delivers as pure doctrine? Where are those who have approved and do approve themselves more orthodox, more sound in their opinions? Is there a Socinian or Arian among them all? Nay, were you to recite the whole cata logue of heresies enumerated by Bishop Pearson, it might be asked, Who can lay any one of these to their charge? Nor is their religion more pure from heresy than it is from superstition. In former times, wherever an unusual concern for the things of God hath appeared, on the one hand, strange and erroneous opinions continually sprung up with it; on the other, a zeal for things which were no part of religion, as though they had been essential branches of it. And many have laid as great, if not greater, stress on trifles, as on the weightier matters of the law. But it has not been so in the present case. No stress has been laid on anything, as though it were neces sary to salvation, but what is undeniably contained in the word of God. And of the things contained therein, the stress laid on each has been in proportion to the nearness of its relation to what is there laid down as the sum of all, the love of God and our neighbour. So pure from superstition, so throughly scrip tural, is that religion which has lately spread in this nation | 10.

Minutes of Several Conversations, 1744 to 1789 Source: The Works of John Wesley, Volume 8 (Zondervan) Year: 1789 Author: John Wesley --- IT is desired, that all things be considered as in the imme diate presence of God; that every person speak freely whatever is in his heart. Q. 1. How may we best improve the time of this Conference? A. (1.) While we are conversing, let us have an especial care to set God always before us. (2.) In the intermediate hours, let us redeem all the time we can for private exercises. (3) Therein let us give ourselves to prayer for one another, and for a blessing on this our labour. Q. 2. Have our Conferences been as useful as they might have been.” A. No : We have been continually straitened for time. Hence, scarce anything has been searched to the bottom. To remedy this, let every Conference last nine days, con cluding on Wednesday in the second week. Q. 3. What may we reasonably believe to be God’s design in raising up the Preachers called Methodists? A. Not to form any new sect; but to reform the nation, particularly the Church; and to spread scriptural holiness over the land. * This tract, which is usually denominated, “The Large Minutes,” contains the plan of discipline as practised in the Methodist Connexion during the life of Mr. Wesley. As its title intimates, it underwent several alterations and enlargements from the year 1744 to 1789, when the last revision took place. It is here reprintel from a copy which bears the date of 1791,-the year in which Mr. Wesley died,--colla'ed with the edition of 1789-EDIT. Q. 4. What was the rise of Methodism, so called? A. In 1729, two young men, reading the Bible, saw they could not be saved without holiness, followed after it, and incited others so to do. In 1737 they saw holiness comes by faith. They saw likewise, that men are justified before they are sanctified; but still holiness was their point. God then thrust them out, utterly against their will, to raise a holy people. When Satan could no otherwise hinder this, he threw Calvinism in the way; and then Antinomianism, which strikes directly at the root of all holiness. Q. 5. Is it advisable for us to preach in as many places as we can, without forming any societies? A. By no means.

Beware you do not oppose, or speak or think evil of, what God hath done in the earth. Rather, each in the station wherein he is placed, join hearts and hands in the work, till holiness and happiness cover our land as the waters cover the sea.

12. My last and most deliberate thoughts on this head were published but a few months since, in these words: (1) “Perhaps the general prejudice against Christian per fection may chiefly arise from a misapprehension of the nature of it. We willingly allow, and continually declare, there is no such perfection in this life, as implies either a dispensation from doing good and attending all the ordinances of God; or a freedom from ignorance, mistake, temptation, and a thou sand infirmities necessarily connected with flesh and blood. (2.) “First. We not only allow, but earnestly contend, that there is no perfection in this life, which implies any dispensa tion from attending all the ordinances of God, or from ‘doing good unto all men, while we have time, though “specially unto the household of faith. We believe, that not only the babes in Christ, who have newly found redemption in his blood, but those also who are “grown up into perfect men, are indis pensably obliged, as often as they have opportunity, “to eat bread and drink wine in remembrance of Him,” and to ‘search the Scriptures; by fasting, as well as temperance, to “keep their bodies under, and bring them into subjection;’ and, above all, to pour out their souls in prayer, both secretly and in the great congregation. (3) “We, Secondly, believe, that there is no such perfection in his life as implies an entire deliverance, either from ignorance or mistake, in things not essential to salvation, or from manifold temptations, or from numberless infirmities wherewith the cor ruptible body more or less presses down the soul. We cannot find any ground in Scripture to suppose, that any inhabitant of a house of clay is wholly exempt, either from bodily infirmities, or from ignorance of many things; or to imagine any is inca pable of mistake, or falling into divers temptations. (4) “‘But whom then do you mean by one that is perfect P” We mean one in whom ‘is the mind which was in Christ,’ and who so “walketh as Christ walked; a ‘man that hath clean hands and a pure heart, or that is “cleansed from all filthiness of flesh and spirit; one in whom ‘is no occasion of stumbling, and who accordingly ‘doth not commit sin.

perfect sense. Then is there given unto them a new and clean heart; and the struggle between the old and new man is over.* 30. (14.) That I may say many things which have been said before, and perhaps by Calvin or Arminius, by Montanus or Barclay, or the Archbishop of Cambray, is highly probable. But it cannot thence be inferred that I hold “a medley of all their principles;--Calvinism, Arminianism, Montanism, Quakerism, Quietism, all thrown together.” There might as well have been added, Judaism, Mahometanism, Paganism. It would have made the period rounder, and been full as easily proved; I mean asserted. For no other proof is yet produced. 31. I pass over the smaller mistakes which occur in the fif teenth and sixteenth paragraphs, together with the prophecy or prognostication concerning the approaching divisions and downfal of the Methodists. What follows to the end, concerning the ground of our hope, is indeed of greater importance. But we have not as yet the strength of the cause; the dissertation promised, is still behind. Therefore, as my work is great, and my time short, I wave that dispute for the present. And per haps, when I shall have received farther light, I may be con vinced, that “gospel holiness,” as Mr. Tucker believes, “is a necessary qualification, antecedent to justification.” This appears to me now to be directly opposite to the gospel of Christ. But I will endeavour impartially to consider what shall be advanced in defence of it. And may He who knoweth my simpleness, teach me his way, and give me a right judgment in all things! * The next note runs thus: “Mr. Wesley has such a peculiar turn and ten dency towards inconsistencies in his principles, that in his Preface to Hali burton's Life, (wrote February 9, 1738-9, just after his return from Germany,) he contradicts all that he has said elsewhere for this sinless perfection; viz., “But it may be said, the gospel covenant does not promise entire freedom from sin. What do you mean by the word sin? the infection of nature, or those number less weaknesses and follies, sometimes (improperly) termed sins of infirmity? If you mean only this, you say most true. We shall not put off these, but with our bodies.

He that cursed or swore, perhaps at every sentence, has now learned to serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice unto him with reverence. Those formerly enslaved to various habits of sin, are now brought to uniform habits of holiness. These are demonstrable facts. I can name the men, with their several places of abode. One of them was an avowed Atheist for many years; some were Jews; a con siderable number Papists; the greatest part of them as much strangers to the form, as to the power, of godliness. When you have weighed these things touching the conse quences of my preaching, on the one hand, (somewhat different from those set down in your Remarks,) and of your preaching, on the other, I would earnestly recommend the following words to your deepest consideration:--“Beware of false prophets; ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree” (every true Prophet or Teacher) “bringeth forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire.” (Matt. vii. 15, &c.) III. 1. Having spoken more largely than I designed on the principle I hold in common with the Moravians, I shall touch very briefly on those errors (so called) which you say I hold more than theirs. (Remarks, page 55.) You name, as the first, my holding that “a man may have a degree of justifying faith before he has, in the full, proper sense, a new, a clean heart.” (Ibid.) I have so often explained this, that I cannot throw away time in adding any more now; only this,--that the moment a sinner is justified, his heart is cleansed in a low degree. But yet he has not a clean heart, in the full, proper sense, till he is made perfect in love. 2. Another error you mention is this doctrine of perfection. (Page 60.) To save you from a continual ignoratio elemchi, I wave disputing on this point also, till you are better ac quainted with my real sentiments. I have declared them on hat head again and again; particularly in the sermon on “Christian Perfection.” 3.

I know, Milton speaks of “virtual or immediate touch.” But most incline to think, virtual touch is no touch at all. “Were the style of the New Testament utterly rude and barbarous, and abounding with every fault that can possibly deform a language; this is so far from proving such language not divinely inspired, that it is one certain mark of this ori ginal.” (Page 55.) A vehement paradox this! But it is not proved yet, and probably never will. “The labours of those who have attempted to defend the purity of Scripture Greek have been very idly employed.” (Page 66.) Others think they have been very wisely employed,and that they have abundantly proved their point. Having now “considered the operations of the Holy Spirit, as the Guide of truth, who clears and enlightens the under standing, I proceed to consider him as the Comforter, who purifies and supports the will.” (Page 89.) “Sacred antiquity is full in its accounts of the sudden and entire change made by the Holy Spirit in the dispositions and manners of those whom it had enlightened; instantaneously effacing their evil habits, and familiarizing them to the per formance of every good action.” (Page 90.) “No natural cause could effect this. Neither fanaticism nor superstition, nor both of them, will account for so sudden and lasting a conversion.” (Ibid.) “Superstition never effects any considerable change in the manners. Its utmost force is just enough to make us exact in the ceremonious offices of religion, or to cause some acts of penitence, as death approaches.” (Page 91.) “Fanaticism, indeed, acts with greater violence, and, by influencing the will, frequently forces the manners from their bent, and sometimes effaces the strongest impressions of cus tom and nature. But this fervour, though violent, is rarely lasting; never so long as to establish the new system into an habit. So that when its rage subsides, as it very soon does, (but where it drives into downright madness,) the bias on the will keeps abating, till all the former habitudes recover their relaxed tone.” (Page 92.) Never were reflections more just than these.

In her Daily Service she teacheth us all to “beseech God to grant us his Holy Spirit, that those things may please him which we do at this present, and that the rest of our life may be pure and holy;” to pray for our sovereign Lord the King, that God would “replenish him with the grace of his Holy Spirit;” for all the Royal Family, that “they may be endued with his Holy Spirit, and enriched with his heavenly grace;” for all the Clergy and People, that he would “send down upon them the healthful Spirit of his grace,” for the Catholic Church, that “it may be guided and governed by his good Spi rit;”and for all therein, who, at any time, make their common supplications unto him, that “the fellowship ’ or communi cation “of the Holy Ghost may be with them all evermore.” Her Collects are full of petitions to the same effect: “Grant that we may daily be renewed by thy Holy Spirit.” (Collect for Christmas Day.) “Grant that in all our sufferings here, for the testimony of thy truth, we may by faith behold the glory that shall be revealed, and, being filled with the Holy Ghost, may love and bless our persecutors.” (St. Stephen’s Day.) “Send thy Holy Ghost, and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of charity.” (Quinquagesima Sunday.) “O Lord, from whom all good things do come, grant to us thy humble servants, that by thy holy inspiration we may think those things that are good, and by thy merciful guidance may perform the same.” (Fifth Sunday after Easter.) “We beseech thee, leave us not comfortless, but send to us the Holy Ghost to comfort us.” (Sunday after Ascension Day.) “Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort.” (Whit-unday.) “Grant us, Lord, we beseech thee, the Spirit to think and do always such things as be rightful.” (Ninth Sunday after Trinity.) “O God, forasmuch as without thee we are not able to please thee, mercifully grant that thy Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts.” (Nineteenth Sun day after Trinity.) “Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy name.” (Communion Office.) “Give thy Holy Spirit to this infant, (or this person,) that he may be born again.

“To what purpose could any further inspiration serve?” Answer yourself: “To enlighten the understanding, and to rectify the will.” Else, be the Scriptures ever so complete, they will not save your soul. How, then, can you imagine it is unnecessary; and that “the supposed need of it is injurious to the written word?” And when you say yourself, “The Spirit is to teach us all things, and to guide us into all truth;” judge you, whether this is “to explain, or to supply, the written word.” “O, He does this by the written word.” True; but also “by his holy inspiration.” So the compilers of our Liturgy speak; who, therefore, according to you, are guilty of “wicked presumption, with which Satan filled their hearts, to lie of the Holy Ghost.” 18. These, also, are the men upon whom you fall in the fol lowing warm words:--“The power of enthusiasm over an heated imagination may be very great. But it must be under the ferment of that old, sour leaven, hypocrisy, to rise to that daring height.” I think not: I think they were neither hypo crites nor enthusiasts, though they teach me to pray for, and consequently to expect, (unless I am an hypocrite indeed,) “God’s holy inspiration,” both in order to “think the things that be good,” and also “perfectly to love him, and worthily to magnify his holy name.” 19. You go on: “They boast that their heart is clean, and their spirit right within them.” Sir, did you ever read Morn ing Prayer on the tenth day of the month? You then said, “Make me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” Did you mean what you said? If you did not, you was guilty of the grossest hypocrisy. If you did, when did you expect God would answer that prayer? when your body was in the grave? Too late 1 Unless we have clean hearts before we die, it had been good we had never been born. 20. “But they boast they are pure from sin, harmless, and undefiled.” So, in a sound sense, is every true believer. “Nay, they boast that their bodies are a living sacrifice, holy, accept able to God.” Sir, is not yours? Are not your soul and body such a sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God?

Are not your soul and body such a sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God? As the Lord God liveth, before whom we stand, if they are not, you are not a Christian. If you are not a holy, living sacrifice, you are still “dead in trespasses and sins.” You are an “alien from the commonwealth of Israel, without” Christian “hope, without God in the world !” 21. You add, “Thus have I exposed their boasted claim to a particular and immediate inspiration.” (Page 30.) No, Sir, you have only exposed yourself; for all that we claim, you allow. “I have shown what a miserable farce is carrying on, beneath the mask of a more refined holiness.” No tittle of this have you shown yet; and before you attempt again to show any thing concerning us, let me entreat you, Sir, to acquaint yourself better with our real sentiments. Perhaps you may then find, that there is not so wide a difference as you imagined between you and, Reverend Sir, Your servant for Christ’s sake,

4.)” And does not this point at original sin? You say, No: For “if Job and his friends had known that the reason of our uncleanness and imperfection was our receiving a corrupted nature from Adam, they ought to have given this reason of it.” And do they not in the very words before us? You say, “No; they turn our thoughts to a quite different reason; namely, the uncleanness of the best of creatures in his sight.” This is not a different reason, but falls in with the other; and the natural meaning of these texts is, “How can he be clean that is born of a woman;” and so conceived and born in sin? “Behold, even to the moon, and it shineth not,’ compared with God; “yea, the stars are not pure in his sight !” How “much less man that is a worm !” (xxv. 6.) In how much higher and stricter a sense is man impure, that carries about with him his mortality, the testimony of that unclean nature which he brought with him into the world? “‘Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?” (Job iv. 17, &c.)” (Page 143.) Shall man dare to arraign the justice of God; to say God punishes him more than he deserves? “Behold, he puts no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly.” Many of these left their first estates; even their wisdom was not to be depended on: “How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay;” whose bodies, liable to pain, sickness, death, are standing monuments of the folly and wickedness which are deep rooted in their souls “What is man, that he should be clean; and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous Behold, he putteth no trust in his holy ones;” yea, the heavens “are not pure in his sight.” His holy angels have fallen, and the highest creatures are not pure in comparison of him. “How much more abominable and filthy,” in the strictest sense, “is man;” every man born into the world: “Who drinketh iniquity like water;” (Job xv.

The comely order of this house is all turned into confusion; the beauties of holiness into noisome impurities; the house of prayer into a den of thieves: Thieves of the worst kind; for every lust is a thief, and every theft is sacri lege. The noble powers which were designed and dedicated to divine contemplation and delight in God, are alienated to the service of the most despicable idols, and employed in the vilest embraces: To behold and admire lying vanities; to indulge and cherish lust and wickedness. “There is not now a system, an entire table, of coherent truths to be found, or a frame of holiness: but some shivered parcels. And if any with great toil and labour apply them selves to draw out here one piece, and there another, and set them together; they serve rather to show, how exquisite the divine workmanship was in the original composition, than to the excellent purposes for which the whole was at first designed. Some pieces agree, and own one another; but how soon are our inquiries nonplussed and superseded! How many attempts have been made, since that fearful fall and ruin of this fabric, to compose again the truths of so many several kinds into their distinct orders, and make up frames of science or useful know ledge And after so many ages, nothing is finished in any kind. Sometimes truths are misplaced; and what belongs to one kind is transferred to another, where it will not fitly match; some times falsehood inserted, which shatters or disturbs the whole frame. And what with much fruitless pains is done by one hand, is dashed in pieces by another; and it is the work of a following age, to sweep away the fine-spun cobwebs of a for mer. And those truths which are of greatest use, though not most out of sight, are least regarded; their tendency and design are overlooked, or they are so loosened and torn off, that they cannot be wrought in, so as to take hold of the soul, but hover as faint, ineffectual motions that signify nothing. “Its very fundamental powers are shaken and disjointed, and their order toward one another confounded and broken; so that what is judged considerable, is not considered; what is recom mended as lovely and eligible, is not loved and chosen.

And this ‘new man,” this new life, is “after the image,’ that is, agreeable to the nature, ‘of God.’” (Page 179.) As you advance no proof of this perfectly new interpreta tion, I leave it to shift for itself. To disprove the common interpretation, you add, “Adam could not be originally created in righteousness and true holi ness; because habits of holiness cannot be created without our knowledge, concurrence, or consent. For holiness in its nature implies the choice and consent of a moral agent, without which it cannot be holiness.” (Page 180.) What is holiness? Is it not essentially love? the love of God, and of all mankind? love producing “bowels of mercies, humbleness of mind, meekness, gentleness, long-suffering?” And cannot God shed abroad this love in any soul without his concurrence, antecedent to his knowledge or consent? And supposing this to be done, will love change its nature? Will it be no longer holiness? This argument can never be sus tained, unless you would play upon the word habits. Love is holiness wherever it exists. And God could create either men or angels, endued from the very first moment of their existence with whatsoever degree of love he pleased. You “think, on the contrary, it is demonstration that we cannot be righteous or holy, we cannot observe what is right, without our own free and explicit choice.” I suppose you mean, practise what is right. But a man may be righteous before he does what is right; holy in heart before he is holy in life. The confounding these two, all along, seems to be the ground of your strange imagination, that Adam “must choose to be righteous, must exercise thought and reflection, ibefore he could be righteous.” Why so? “Because righteous mess is the right use and application of our powers.” Here is your capital mistake. No, it is not; it is the right state of our powers. It is the right disposition of our soul, the right temper of our mind. Take this with you, and you will no more dream that “God could not create man in righteous mess and true holiness;” or that “to talk of wanting that righteousness in which Adam was created, is to talk of nothing we want.” (Page 181.) On Romans ii.

“Is thine eye evil, because he is good?” The premises them being gone, what becomes of the con clusion: “So that the being ‘born into God’s peculiar kingdom depends upon a right use and application of our life and being, and is the privilege only of those wise men whose spirits attain to a habit of true holiness?” This stands without any proof at all. At best, therefore, it is extremely doubtful. But it must appear extremely absurd to those who believe, God can create spirits both wise and holy; that he can stamp any creature with what measure of holiness he sees good, at the first moment of its existence. The occasion of your running into this absurdity seems to be, that you stumbled at the very threshold. In the text under consideration, our Lord mentions two things,--the “new birth,” and the “kingdom of God.” These two your imagina tion blended into one; in consequence of which you run on with “born into his kingdom,” (a phrase never used by our Lord, nor any of his Apostles,) and a heap of other crude expressions of the same kind, all betraying that confusedness of thought which alone could prevent your usual clearness of language. Just in the same manner you go on: “Our first parents in Paradise were to form their minds to an habitual subjection to the law of God, without which they could not be received into his spiritual kingdom.” (Pages 252,253.) This runs upon the same mistaken supposition, that God could not create them boly. Certainly he could and did; and from the very moment that they were created, their minds were in subjection to the law of God, and they were members of his spiritual kingdom. “But if Adam was originally perfect in holiness,” (say, per fectly holy, made in the moral image of God,) “what occasion was there for any farther trial?” That there might be room for farther holiness and happiness. Entire holiness does not exclude growth; nor did the right state of all his faculties entitle him to that full reward which would have followed the right use of them. “Upon the whole, regeneration, or gaining habits of holiness, takes in no part of the doctrine of original sin.” (Page 254.) But regeneration is not “gaining habits of holiness;” it is quite a different thing.

ii. 15: “Christ abolished the enmity, to make” (or create) “in himself of twain one new man.” Does this only mean one new profession? It evidently means one Church, both of Jews and Gentiles. You prove it, 2. From Col. iii. 8-12; where “the Apostle tells the Colossian Christians, that ‘now’ they were obliged to “put off anger, and “to put on bowels of mercies;’ to admit the Christian spirit into their hearts, and to practise Christian duties; for this reason, because they “had put off the old man, and ‘had put on the new. This shows ‘the new man’ was something they might have “put on, and yet be defective in personal, internal holiness.” True; defective so far, as still to want more; more “bowels of mercies, meekness, long-suf fering.” But this does not show, that the “new man” does not mean the principle both of internal and external holiness. The consciousness of having received this is a strong motive both to depart from evil, and to labour after a continual increase of every holy and heavenly temper; therefore, here likewise, “the putting off the old and the putting on the new man” does not mean an outward profession, but a real, inward change; a renewal of soul “in righteousness and true holiness.” You prove it, 3. From Eph. iv. 22, 24: “Here,” you say, “he considers ‘the putting off the old and ‘putting on the new man’ as a duty. They had done it by profession, and therefore were obliged to do it effectually.” They had done it effectually. So the whole tenor of the Apostle's words implies: “Ye have not so learned Christ; if so be,” rather, seeing that, “ye have been taught by him;--that ye put off the old man; --and be renewed in the spirit of your mind;--and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” (Eph. iv. 20-24.) The Apostle here manifestly speaks, not of a lesson they had not learned, but of one which God had taught them already; and thence exhorts them to walk worthy of the blessing they had received, to be “holy in all manner of conversation.” But, 4. “‘The putting on the new man’ is one thing, and the creating him is another.

Now, let us view it more closely: “Adam cculd not sin without a sinful inclination.” The sentence is ambiguous. Either it may mean, “Adam could not choose ill, without some sinful temper preceding;” and in this sense it is false; or, “He could not commit outward sin, without first inclining, that is, choosing so to do.” 2. “This his sinful in clination (or temper) was so strong as to overcome his inbred propensity to holiness.” It was not any sinful inclination (in this sense) which overcame his propensity to holiness; but strong temptation from without: How strong we know not, and the circumstances of it we know not. 3. “This his sinful inclination was so malignant, as to expel that principle at once, and totally.” Not by any sinful inclination, but by yielding to temptation, he did lose the love and image of God. But that this was totally and at once, we have no authority to affirm. 4. “Consequently, original righteousness in Adam was consistent with a sinful propensity, vastly stronger, and more malignant, than ever was or can be in any of his posterity.” It was consistent with no sinful propensity at all, but barely with a power of yielding to temptation. It declined in the same proportion, and by the same degrees, as he did actually yield to this. And when he had yielded entirely, and eaten the fruit, original righteousness was no more. Therefore, the Fifth proposition, “Thus original righteousness proves to be far worse than original sin,” is flourish. What a figure does this fair argument make, now it is turned inside out ! From all this it may appear, that the doctrine of original righteousness (as well as that of original sin) hath a firm foun dation in Scripture, as well as in the attributes of a wise, holy, and gracious God. As you do not offer any new argument in your conclusion, I need not spend any time upon it. You subjoin Remarks on Dr. Watts's Additions to his book. Some of these deserve a serious consideration: 1. Either the new-created man loved God supremely, or not. If he did not, he was not innocent ; since the very law and light of nature require such a love to God. If he did, he stood disposed for every act of obedience. And this is true holiness of heart.

that both alleged what was true; that in a point of so little importance the Apostles varied themselves; some of them observing it on the fourteenth day of the moon, and others not. But, be this as it may, it can be no proof, either that Polycarp was not a holy man, or that he was not favoured with the extraordinary, as well as ordinary, gifts of the Spirit. 9. With regard to the narrative of his martyrdom, you affirm, “It is one of the most authentic pieces in all primitive antiquity.” (Page 124.) I will not vouch for its authenticity; nor therefore for the story of the dove, the flame forming an arch, the fragrant smell, or the revelation to Pionius. But your attempt to account for these things is truly curious. You say, “An arch of flame round his body is an appearance which might easily happen, from the common effects of wind. And the dove said to fly out of him, might be conveyed into the wood which was prepared to consume him.” (Page 229.) How much more naturally may we account for both, by supposing the whole to be a modern fiction, wrote on occasion of that account mentioned by Eusebius, but lost many ages ago! But whatever may be thought of this account of his death, neither does this affect the question, whether during his life he was endued with the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost. 10. There is one of those whom you style apostolic Fathers yet behind, of whom you talk full as familiarly as of the rest: I mean, Hermas: “To whom,” you say, “ some impute the fraud of forging the Sibylline books.” (Page 37.) It would not have been amiss, if you had told us, which of the ancients, whether Christian, Jew, or Heathen, ever accused him of this. If none ever did, some will be apt to think it is giving a person but hard measure, to bring an accusation against him which never was heard of till sixteen hundred years after his death.

(Epist. 5.) And in this large sense he calls the sign of the cross a sacrament; (in Psalm. cxli.,) and others give the same name to washing the feet, (Cypr. de Lotione Pedum,) and many other mysteries. But then matrimony doth no more confer grace, than wash ing the feet, or using the sign of the cross; which Bellar mine, after all the virtue he ascribes to it, will not allow to be properly and truly a sacrament. (De Imag., l. 2, c. 30, sec. Dices ergo.) Q. 88. May those that are in holy orders marry, or those that are married be received into orders in the Church of Rome? A. No; these that are married may not be admitted; (Concil. Later. 1, Can. 21, et Later. 2, Can. 6;) those that are admitted may not marry; and those that, being admitted, do marry, are to be separated. Q. 89. If marriage is a sacrament, and so confers grace, how comes it to be denied to those that are in holy orders? (Catech. Rom., par. 2, c. 8, n. 17.) A. Those in holy orders are the temple of God, and it is a shameful thing that they should serve uncleanness. (Later. Concil. 2, Can. 6.) REPLY. The Apostle, on the contrary, saith, “Marriage is honourable in all; ” (Heb. xiii. 4;) and gives a hard character of that doctrine which forbids it. (1 Tim. iv. 1-3.) And how lawful it was, the direction of the Apostle about it (1 Tim. iii. 2) doth show. And how convenient it is, is manifest from the mischiefs attending the prohibition of it in the Romish Church, which wise men among themselves have lamented. (Polyd. Virgil. de Invent, l. 3, c. 4, et Cassander Consult, art. 23.) I MIGHT have added the Fifth Section about the juris diction which the Church of Rome challenges over Princes, and about their canonization of saints, their consecration of Agnus Deis and beads, &c., and the use these and the like are applied to. I might have further considered their notes of a Church, and, showed how many of them are not true, or, however, do not belong to the Church of Rome; but that would be too large a subject to enter upon: And what has been said will be sufficient to show how far that Church hath erred from truth and reason.

Here you see the Jews, who never had the gospel, are said to put it away.” How ! Are you sure they “never had what they are here said to put away?” Not so: What they put away, it is undeniable, they had, till they put it away; namely, “the word of God spoken” by Paul and Barnabas. This instance, therefore, makes full against you. It proves just the reverse of what you cited it for. But you object further: “Men may have a good con science, in some sense, without true faith.” I grant it, in a restrained, limited sense; but not a good conscience, simply and absolutely speaking. But such is that of which the Apostle here speaks, and which he exhorts Timothy to “hold fast.” Unless you apprehend that the holding it fast likewise “rather supposes he never had it.” “But the faith here mentioned means only the doctrine of faith.” I want better proof of this. It remains, then, one who has the faith which produces a good conscience may yet finally fall. 71. Thirdly. Those who are grafted into the good olive tree, the spiritual, invisible Church, may nevertheless finally fall. For thus saith the Apostle: “Some of the branches are broken off, and thou art grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive-tree. Be not high-minded, but fear: If God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he spare not thee. Behold the good ness and severity of God! On them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: Otherwise thou shalt be cut off.” (Rom. xi. 17, &c.) We may observe here, (1.) The persons spoken to were actually ingrafted into the olive-tree. (2.) This olive-tree is not barely the outward, visible Church, but the invisible, consisting of holy believers. So the text: “If the first fruit be holy, the lump is holy; and if the root be holy, so are the branches.” And “because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith.” (3.) Those holy believers were still liable to be cut off from the invisible Church, into which they were then grafted. (4.) Here is not the least intimation of their being ever grafted in again.

A more dangerous error in the Church of Rome is, the for bidding the Clergy to marry. “Those that are married may not be admitted into orders: Those that are admitted may not marry : And those that, being admitted, do marry, are to be separated.” The Apostle, on the contrary, says, “Marriage is honour able in all;” (Heb. xiii. 4;) and accuses those who “forbid to marry,” of teaching “doctrines of devils.” How lawful it was for the Clergy to marry, his directions concerning it show. (1 Tim. iv. 1, 3.) And how convenient, yea, necessary, in many cases it is, clearly appears from the innumerable mischiefs which have in all ages followed the prohibition of it in the Church of Rome; which so many wise and good men, even of her own communion, have lamented. I have now fairly stated, and calmly considered, most of the particular doctrines of the Church of Rome. Permit me to add a few considerations of a more general nature. That many members of that Church have been holy men, and that many are so now, I firmly believe. But I do not know, if any of them that are dead were more holy than many Protestants who are now with God; yea, than some of our own country, who were very lately removed to Abraham's bosom. To instance only in one : (Whom I mention the rather, because an account of his life is extant :) I do not believe that many of them, of the same age, were more holy than Thomas Walsh. And I doubt if any among them, living now, are more holy than several Protestants now alive. But be this as it may: However, by the tender mercies of God, many members of the Church of Rome have been, and are now, holy men, notwithstanding their principles; yet I fear many of their principles have a natural tendency to undermine holiness; greatly to hinder, if not utterly to destroy, the essential branches of it,-to destroy the love of God, and the love of our neighbour, with all justice, and mercy, and truth. I wish it were possible to lay all prejudice aside, and to consider this calmly and impartially. I begin with the love of God, the fountain of all that holiness without which we cannot see the Lord.

To make it therefore a point of conscience to differ from others, as to the shape or colour of your apparel, is mere superstition; let the difference lie in the price, that you may have the more wherewith to clothe them that have none. “It is not lawful for Christians to swear before a Magistrate, nor to fight in any case.” Whatever becomes of the latter proposition, the former is no part of Christianity; for Christ himself answered upon oath before a Magistrate. Yea, he would not answer till he was put to his oath; till the High Priest said unto him, “I adjure thee by the living God.” Friend, you have an honest heart, but a weak head; you have a zeal, but not according to knowledge. You was zealous once for the love of God and man, for holiness of heart and holiness of life. You are now zealous for particular forms of speaking, for a set of phrases, and opinions. Once your zeal was against ungodliness and unrighteousness, against evil tempers and evil works. Now it is against forms of prayer, against singing psalms or hymns, against appointing times of praying or preaching; against saying you to a single person, uncovering your head, or having too many buttons upon your coat. O what a fall is here ! What poor trifles are these, that now well-nigh engross your thoughts | Come back, come back, to the weightier matters of the law, to spiritual, rational, scriptural religion. No longer waste your time and strength in beating the air, in vain controversies and strife of words; but bend your whole soul to the growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, to the continually advancing in that holiness, without which you cannot see the Lord.

A believer is never sanctified or holy in himself, but in Christ only. He has no holiness in himself at all; all his holiness being imputed, not inherent.” Scripture holiness is the image of God; the mind which was in Christ; the love of God and man; lowliness, gentleness, temperance, patience, chastity. And do you coolly affirm, that this is only imputed to a believer, and that he has none at all of this holiness in him? Is temperance imputed only to him that is a drunkard still ; or chastity, to her that goes on in whoredom? Nay, but a believer is really chaste and temperate. And if so, he is thus far holy in himself. Does a believer love God, or does he not? If he does, he has the love of God in him. Is he lowly, or meek, or patient at all? If he is, he has these tempers in himself; and if he has them not in himself, he is not lowly, or meek, or patient. You cannot therefore deny, that every believer has holiness in, though not from, himself; else you deny, that he is holy at all; and if so, he cannot see the Lord. And indeed, if holiness in general be the mind which was in Christ, what can any one possibly mean by, “A believer is not holy in himself, but in Christ only? that the mind which was in Christ is in a believer also; but it is in Him,-- not in himself, but in Christ !” What a heap of palpable self-contradiction, what senseless jargon, is this! “7. If a man regards prayer, or searching the Scriptures, or communicating, as matter of duty; if he judges himself obliged to do these things, or is troubled when he does them not, he is ‘in bondage,’ he has no faith at all, but is seeking salvation by the works of the law.” Thus obedience with you is a proof of unbelief, and disobe dience a proof of faith ! What is it, to put darkness for light, and light for darkness, if this is not?

Ant.--Doubtless; but he is holy in Christ, not in himself. Friend.--Does he not live a holy life; and is he not holy of heart 2 Ant.--Most certainly. Friend.--Is he not, by plain consequence, holy in himself? Ant.--No, no, in Christ only; not holy in himself: He has no holiness at all in himself. Friend.--Has he not in him the love of God, and of his neighbour; yea, the whole image of God? Ant.--He has. But this is not gospel holiness. Friend.--What vain jangling is this ! You cavil at the name, while you allow the whole thing I contend for. You allow, a believer is holy both in heart and life. This is all I mean by inherent righteousness or holiness. Ant.--But I tell you, this is not gospel holiness. Gospel holiness is faith. Friend.--Stand to this, and you still give up the whole cause. For, on your supposition, I argue thus:--Faith is holiness or righteousness: But faith is in every believer: Therefore, holiness or righteousness is in every believer. Ant.--Alas, alas! I pity you. Take my word for it, you are in utter darkness. You know nothing yet of true faith; nothing at all about it. Friend.--Will you then be so kind as to explain it to me? Ant.--I will. I will make it as clear as the sun. I will show you the very marrow of that doctrine which “I recommend, with all my heart, to all, as the most wholesome doctrine of Jesus Christ. “Many think they know it, when they have but crude, carnal, indigested notions of it. And they imagine we rest contented with such a faith as theirs; namely, that Christ has died to ward off the wrath of God, to purchase his favour, and, as an effect of that, to obtain certain inherent qualities and dispositions, to make us meet for the kingdom of heaven. Was this our faith, it would be requisite to seek after this sort of sanctification, and not to be at rest, without we felt some thing of it. But, on the contrary, we believe that the blood shed upon the cross has put away and blotted out all our sins, and that then there was an everlasting righteousness brought in : By believing which, our hearts and consciences are made as perfectly clean as though we had never sinned.

But whether you understand yourself or no, it is sure I do not understand you. How can my mind at the same time it is “continually disposed to evil,” be “free from sin, perfectly clean, perfectly holy?” Ant.--O the dulness of some men ' I do not mean really holy, but holy by imputation. I told you plainly, the holi ness of which we speak is not in us, but in Christ. “The fruits of the Spirit, (commonly called sanctification,) such as love, gentleness, longsuffering, goodness, meekness, temper ance, neither make us holy before God, nor in our own consciences.” Friend.--I know these cannot atone for one sin. This is done by the blood of Christ alone: For the sake of which, God forgives, and works these in us by faith. Do I reach your meaning now? Ant.-No, no; I wonder at your ignorance. I mean, “we are not made good or holy by any inward qualities or dispo sitions: But being made pure and holy in our consciences, by believing in Christ, we bear forth, inwardly and outwardly, the fruits of holiness.” Now, I hope, you understand me. Friend.--I hope not. For, if I do, you talk as gross nonsense and contradiction as ever came out of the mouth of man. Ant.--How so? Friend.--You say, “We are not made good or holy by any inward qualities or dispositions.” No | are we not made good by inward goodness? (observe, we are not speaking of justification, but sanctification;) holy, by inward holiness? meek, by inward meekness? gentle, by inward gentleness? And are not all these, if they are anything at all, “inward qualities or dispositions?” Again: Just after denying that we have any inward holi ness, you say, “We are made holy in our consciences, and bear forth, inwardly and outwardly, the fruits of holiness.” What heaps of self-contradictions are here ! Ant.--You do not take me right. I mean, these inward dispositions “are not our holiness. For we are not more holy, if we have more love to God and man, nor less holy, if we have less.” Friend.--No ! Does not a believer increase in holiness, as he increases in the love of God and man? Ant.--I say, No. “The very moment he is justified, he is wholly sanctified. And he is neither more nor less holy, from that hour, to the day of his death.

And he is neither more nor less holy, from that hour, to the day of his death. Entire justification and entire sanctification are in the same instant. And neither of them is thenceforth capable either of increase or decrease. Friend.--I thought we were to grow in grace! Ant.--“We are so; but not in holiness. The moment we are justified, we are as pure in heart as ever we shall be. A new-born babe is as pure in heart as a father in Christ. There is no difference.” Friend.--You do well to except against Scripture and reason. For till a man has done with them, he can never swallow this. I understand your doctrine now, far better than I like it. In the main, you are talking much and saying nothing; labouring, as if you had found out the most important truths, and such as none ever knew before. And what does all this come to at the last? A mere, empty “strife of words.” All that is really uncommon in your doctrine is a heap of broad absurdities, in most of which you grossly contradict yourselves, as well as Scripture and common sense. In the meantime, you boast and vapour, as if “ye were the men, and wisdom should die with you.” I pray God to “humble you, and prove you, and show you what is in your hearts l”

We are all agreed as to the meaning, but not as to the expression, “the imputing the righteousness of Christ,” which I still say, I dare not insist upon, neither require any one to use, because I cannot find it in the Bible. If any one can, he has better eyes than me; and I wish he would show me where it is. 12. Now, if by “the righteousness of Christ” we mean anything which the Scripture does not mean, it is certain we put darkness for light. If we mean the same which the Scripture means by different expressions, why do we prefer this expression to the scriptural? Is not this correcting the wisdom of the Holy Ghost, and opposing our own to the perfect knowledge of God? 13. I am myself the more sparing in the use of it, because it has been so frequently and so dreadfully abused; and because the Antinomians use it at this day to justify the grossest abominations. And it is great pity that those who love, who preach, and follow after, holiness, should, under the notion of honouring Christ, give any countenance to those who continually make him “the minister of sin,” and so build on his righteousness as to live in such ungodliness and unrighteousness as is scarce named even among the Heathens. 14. And doth not this way of speaking naturally tend to make Christ the minister of sin? For if the very personal obedience of Christ (as those expressions directly lead me to think) be mine the moment I believe, can anything be added thereto? Does my obeying God add any value to the perfect obedience of Christ? On this scheme, then, are not the holy and unholy on the very same footing? 15. Upon the whole, I cannot express my thoughts better than in the words of that good man, Mr. Hervey: “If people may be safe and their inheritance secure without any know ledge of these particularities, why should you offer to puzzle their heads with a few unnecessary terms? We are not very solicitous as to the credit or the use of any particular set of phrases. Only let men be humbled as repenting criminals at the Redeemer's feet; let them rely as devoted pensioners on his precious merits; and they are undoubtedly in the way to a blissful immortality.” (Dialogues, vol. i., p. 43.

I know not that I ever heard of it before, but only some imperfect fragments of it. The other story, of “a Preacher of perfection who said, the Holy Ghost visibly descended on all true converts,” may be true for aught I know; but I question much, whether that madman was a Preacher. It may likewise be true, that several wild expres sions were uttered at West-street chapel. Yet I think, all these put together will not prove, that I contradict myself. However, I am glad to read, “If I publish another edition of the Review, these instances shall all be omitted; and personal vilifications shall be left to the sole pen of Mr. W.” Then you will reduce your Farrago to a page, and your Review to a penny pamphlet. But still “personal vilification” will not suit my pen. I have better employment for it. 44. You say, “Let us now proceed to Mr. W.’s assertions on sinless perfection.” (Page 26.) As I observed before, I am not now to dispute whether they are right or wrong. I keep therefore to that single point, Do I herein contradict myself, or not? When I said, “If some of our hymns contradict others,” I did not allow they do. I meant only, if it were so, this would not prove that I contradict myself. “But still it proves, the people must sing contradictions.” Observe, that is, if--. In your account of perfection, blot out “no wandering thoughts.” None in the body are exempt from these. This we have declared over and over; particularly in the sermon wrote upon that subject. If in the sermon on Ephesians ii. 8, (not xi. 5, as your blunderer prints it,) the words which I had struck out in the preceding edition, are inserted again, what will this prove? Only that the printer, in my absence, printed, not from the last, but from an uncorrected, copy. However, you are hereby excused from unfairness, as to that quotation. But what excuse have you in the other instance, with regard to Enoch and Elijah? On which I asked, “Why is Mr. Hill so careful to name the first edition? Because in the second the mistake is corrected. Did he know this? And could he avail himself of a mistake which he knew was removed before he wrote?” (Remarks, p. 395.) It is now plain he could !

And when I did, I was so far from making them my creed, that I had objections to almost every page.” (Page 135.) True; but neither does this prove that I adopted his scheme. “To instruct a person in the nature of Christianity, I fixed an hour a day, to read with her in Mr. Law’s treatise on ‘Christian Perfection.’” I did so. And an excellent book it is, though liable to many objections. “Another little company of us met: We sung, read a little of Mr. Law, and then conversed.” 73. “I believe the Mystic writers to be one great Anti christ.” 74. “Mr. F. affirms, Solo mon is the chief of Mystics; and Mr. W. acquiesces in the affirmation.” I retract this. It is far too strong. But observe, I never contradicted it till now ! I do not. I affirm no such thing. Therefore all Mr. H. builds upon this is only a castle in the air. Enoch and Elijah are in Enoch and Elijah are not in heaven. heaven. 75. “Enoch and Elijah en “Enoch and Elijah are not tered at once into the highest in heaven, but only in para degree of glory.” dise.” (Page 138.) “Notes on the New Testament, John iii. 13, first edition.” But why is Mr. H. so careful to name the first edition? Because in the second the mistake is corrected. Did he know this? And could he avail himself of a mistake which he knew was removed before he wrote | For sinless perfection. Against sinless perfection. Upon this head Mr. H. employs his whole strength. I will therefore the more carefully weigh what he advances; only premising, before I descend to particulars, two general observations: (1.) Out of the twenty-five passages cited for perfection, seventeen are taken from my brother’s Hymns. These, therefore, strike wide. Whatever they prove, they cannot prove that I contradict myself. (2.) Out of the twenty-five cited against perfection, four teen are cited from the sermon on “Sin in Believers.” Do I mean, in such believers as are “perfected in love?” Mr. H. himself knows I do not. Why then every one of these four teen arguments is an abuse both upon me and his readers. It is the most egregious trifling that can be conceived.

Fletcher's Letters?” Because I judged it would be an effectual means of undoing the mischief which Mr. Shirley had done: Not that I am now sorry (though I was) for what he has done, for his publication of that bitter Circular Letter: For 1 now clearly discern the hand of God throughout that whole affair. Both my brother and I still indulged the fond hope of living in peace with our warm Calvinist brethren; but we now give it up; our eyes are open; we see what we have to expect. We look for neither mercy nor justice at their hands; if we find any, it will be clear gains. 23. The Second objection is, “Mr. Wesley acknowledged the unguarded manner in which the Minutes were drawn up; and yet immediately after defended them.” I answer, How did I “acknowledge the unguarded manner?” The plain case was this: I seek peace, and would do anything for it, which I can with a safe conscience. On this principle it was, that when Mr. Shirley read over his Declaration, (I say his; for it was he drew it up, not I,) and asked, if we agreed thereto, I was heartily desirous to agree with him as far as possible. In order to this, after altering some words, I asked our brethren, if they were willing to sign it. One immediately said, “The Minutes are not unguarded; they are guarded enough.” I said, “They are guarded enough for you; but not for those who seek occasion against us.” And observe, it is only in this sense, that I subscribed to that expression. But I will not affirm, that my love of peace did not carry me a little too far. I know not but it would have been better, not to have signed the paper at all. 24. So much for the Minutes. Perhaps it may be expected, that I should also take some notice of what Mr. Hill says concerning perfection. All his arguments indeed, and ten times more, I have answered over and over. But if it is required, I will answer once more; only premising, by that perfection, to which St. Paul directs Mr. Hill and me to go on, (Heb. vi. 1) I understand meither more nor less, than what St. John terms “perfect love;” (1 John iv.

But suppose they were all true, what would follow? Many hearers abusing the doctrines I teach, no more prove that those doctrines are false, than the German Ranters proved that Luther's were so. 28. Is it another argument, that “the monstrous doctrine of perfection turns some of its deluded votaries into monsters? This may be proved from the cases of Bell and Harris; the former of whom prophesied that the world would be at an end the last of February; the latter was seized with raving madness, and died blaspheming in a most dreadful manner.” (Page 44.) It would be strange if George Bell were not brought upon the stage, as he has been an hundred times over. As for * This quotation from Juvenal is thus rendered by Mr. Madan : “The censure of a severe laugh is easy to any one.”-ED1 r. poor Benjamin Harris, I believe, as a punishment for his pride and uncharitableness, God permitted him to be struck in an instant with diabolical madness. But it did not con tinue to his death; he did not die blaspheming. I saw him myself quiet and composed; and be calmly delivered up his soul to God. See another instance: “A friend of mine lately informed me that an eminent Preacher of perfection told him, that he had not sinned for some years, and that the Holy Ghost had descended and sat on him and many others in a visible manner, as he did upon the Apostles on the day of Pentecost.” Please to name the man; otherwise an hundred such tales will weigh nothing with men of sense and candour. Behold a Fourth: “Last year I myself conversed with a gentlewoman of such high perfection, that she said, no man could teach her anything, and went to no place of worship for years together: However, she was a scold, and beat her maid.” Perhaps so. And what is that to me? If she is a member of our society, tell me her name; and she will be in it no longer. This is our glorying. It must be, that many members of our society will, from time to time, grow weary of well-doing; yea, that some will fall into sin. But as soon as this appears, they have no more place among us. We regard no man’s person, high or low, rich or poor.

addresses directly to me:-- (1.) “Did not you, in administering the sacrament, a few years ago, to a perfect society in West-Street chapel, leave out the Confession ?” Yes, and many times since. When I am straitened for time, (as I generally am there on a Monday,) I begin the Communion-service at, “We do not presume to come to this thy table.” One Monday, Mr. Madan desired to stay. Here, I suppose, is “the fountain-head of this intelligence.” (2.) “Did not one of the enthusiasts then say, he had heard a voice telling him, he was all holiness to the Lord?” Possibly so; but I remember nothing of it. (3.) “Did not a second declare the same thing?” Not that I remember. (4) “Did not George Bell say, he should never die?” He often did, if not then. (5) “Did not one present confirm it?” Not unlikely ; but I do not remember it. (6.) “Did not another perfect brother say, he believed the millennium was near; for there had been more Constables sworn in that year than heretofore?” Are you sure he was a perfect brother; that is, one that professed so to be As for me, I can say nothing about it; for I neither remember the man nor the words. “This I have put down verbatim from the mouth of a judicious friend then present; but from that time he has been heartily sick of sinless perfection.” Say of “perfect love.” Is it only from that time that Mr. Madan has been sick of it? Was he not sick of it before? And did he then, or at any time since, say one word to me of any of these things? No; but he treasured them up for ten years; and then tells Mr. Hill, that he might tell them to all the world. (7) “Do not you know a Clergvman, once closely connected with you, who refused a great witness for perfection the sacrament, because he had been detected in bed with a perfect sister?” No; I never heard of it before. Surely Mr. M d is not fallen so low, as to invent such a tale as this ! I need not say anything to your last anecdote, since you (for once 1) put a candid construction upon my words.

12. “A vast number of sluts had taken possession of the preaching-houses,” (No; the preaching-houses were not in question,) “and female servants, by courtesy called maids,” (civil and kind ! But neither were servants in question,) “are * “Behold the token "-EDIT. filthy slovens in their persons, dress, and manoeuvres.” (See, Mr. Hill understands French !) “So Mr. John gives the public to understand.” (No, not Mr. John, but Mr. Hill. He goes on:) “And how is this mighty grievance to be redressed? ‘Why, says this Solomon in a cassock,” (Is not that witty?) “‘sluts are to be kept out, by not letting them in.’” (Imposture Detected, p. 12.) And is all this wit bestowed upon three poor lines? The words are just these:-- “Q. Complaint is made that sluts spoil our houses. How then can we prevent this? “A. Let no known slut live in any of them.” (Minutes.) What a colour does Mr. Hill put upon this ! But, meantime, where is conscience? Where is honour? 13. “He denies the doctrines of the Church of England;” (page 13;) that is, absolute predestination. Mr. Sellon has abundantly proved, that this is no doctrine of the Church of England. When Mr. Hill has answered his arguments, I will give him some more. The objections against lay Preachers (which come ill from Mr. Hill) I have largely answered in the “Third Appeal to Men of Reason and Religion.” But I know not that any lay Preachers in connexion with me, either baptize children, or administer the Lord’s supper. I never entreated anything of Bishop Erasmus, who had abundant unexceptionable credentials as to his episcopal character. Nor did he “ever reject any overture” made by me. (Page 14.) Herein Mr. Hill has been misinformed. I deny the fact; let him produce his evidence. The perfection I hold is so far from being contrary to the doctrine of our Church, that it is exactly the same which every Clergyman prays for every Sunday: “Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy name.” I mean neither more nor less than this. In doctrine, therefore, I do not dissent from the Church of England. 14. However, “he renounces the discipline of the Church.” (Page 15.) This objection too I have answered at large, in my Letters to Dr.

I walked, crept, and climbed round and over great part of the ruins. I could not perceive by any sign, that there was ever any cavity in the rock at all; but one part of the solid stone is cleft from the rest, in a perpendicular line, and as smooth as if cut with instruments. Nor is it barely thrown down, but split into many hundred pieces, some of which lie four or five hundred yards from the main rock. The ground nearest the cliff is not raised, but sunk con siderably beneath the level. But, at some distance, it is raised in a ridge of eight or ten yards high, twelve or fifteen broad, and near a hundred long. Adjoining to this lies an oval piece of ground, thirty or forty yards in diameter, which has been removed, whole as it is, from beneath the cliff, without the least fissure, with all its load of rocks, some of which were as large as the hull of a small ship. At a little distance is a second piece of ground, forty or fifty yards across, which has also been transplanted entire, with rocks of various sizes upon it, and a tree growing out of one of them. By the removal of one or both of these, I suppose the hollow near the cliff was made. All round them lay stones and rocks, great and small, some on the surface of the earth, some half sunk into it, some almost covered, in variety of positions. Between these the ground was cleft asunder in a thousand places. Some of the apertures were nearly closed again, some gaping as at first. Between thirty and forty acres of land, as is commonly supposed, (though some reckon above sixty,) are in this condition. On the skirts of these, I observed, in abundance of places, the green turf (for it was pasture-land) as it were pared off, two or three inches thick, and wrapped round like sheets of lead. A little farther it was not cleft or broken at all, but raised in ridges, five or six foot long, exactly resembling the graves in a churchyard. Of these there is a vast number.

As all the good that is done on earth thou doest it thyself, let me ever return to thee all the glory. Let me, as a pure crystal, transmit all the light thou pourest upon me; but never claim as my own what is thy sole property. O thou who wert despised and rejected of men, when I am slighted by my friends, disdained by my superiors, overborne or ridiculed by my equals, or contemptuously treated by my inferiors, let me cry out with thy holy martyr,” “It is now that I begin to be a disciple of Christ.” Then let me thankfully accept, and faithfully use, the happy occasion of improving in thy meek and lowly spirit. If for thy sake “men cast out my name as evil,” let me “rejoice and be exceeding glad.” If for my own infirmities, yet let me acknowledge thy goodness, in giving me this medicine to heal my pride and vanity, and beg thy mercy for those physicians of my soul by whose hands it is administered to me. * Tornati.” “Make me to remember thee on my bed, and think upon thee when I am waking.” Thou hast preserved me from all the dangers of the day past; thou hast been my support from my youth up until now; “under the shadow of thy wings” let me pass this night in comfort and peace. O thou Creator and Preserver of all mankind, have mercy upon all conditions of men; purge thy holy catholic Church from all heresy, schism, and superstition. Bless our Sovereign in his person, in his actions, in his relations, and in his people. May it please thee “to endue his Council, and all the Nobility, with grace, wisdom, and understand ing;” the Magistrates, with equity, courage, and prudence; the Gentry, with industry and temperance; and all the Commons of this land, with increase of grace, and a holy, humble, thankful spirit. O pour upon our whole Church, and especially upon the Clergy thereof, the continual dew of thy blessing. Grant to our Universities peace and piety; and to all that labour under affliction, constant patience and timely deliverance. Bless all my kindred, especially my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all my friends and benefactors ( ).

He cannot ‘speak idle words; no corrupt conversation” ever ‘comes out of his mouth;’ as is all that is not “good to the use of edifying, not fit to ‘minister grace to the hearers. But ‘whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are’ justly ‘of good report, he thinks, speaks, and acts, ‘adorning the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.’” These are the very words wherein I largely declared, for the first time, my sentiments of Christian perfection. And is it not easy to see, (1.) That this is the very point at which I aimed all along from the year 1725; and more deter minately from the year 1730, when I began to be homo unius libri, “a man of one book,” regarding none, comparatively, but the Bible? Is it not easy to see, (2.) That this is the very same doctrine which I believe and teach at this day; not adding one point, either to that inward or outward holiness which I maintained eight-and-thirty years ago? And it is the same which, by the grace of God, I have continued to teach from that time till now; as will appear to every impartial person from the extracts subjoined below. 11. I do not know that any writer has made any objection against that tract to this day; and for some time, I did not find much opposition upon the head, at least, not from serious persons. But after a time, a cry arose, and, what a little surprised me, among religious men, who affirmed, not that I stated perfection wrong, but that “there is no perfection on earth;” may, and fell vehemently on my brother and me for affirming the contrary. We scarce expected so rough an attack from these ; especially as we were clear on justifica tion by faith, and careful to ascribe the whole of salvation to the mere grace of God. But what most surprised us, was, that we were said to “dishonour Christ,” by asserting that he “saveth to the uttermost; ” by maintaining he will reign in our hearts alone, and subdue all things to himself. 12. I think it was in the latter end of the year 1740, that I had a conversation with Dr. Gibson, then Bishop of London, at Whitehall. He asked me what I meant by perfection.

safe in the way of life, above Death, earth, and hell we rise; Me find, when perfected in love, Our long-sought paradise. ') that I now the rest might know, Believe, and enter in : Now, Saviour, now the power bestow, And let me cease from sin | Remove this hardness from my heart, This unbelief remove : To me the rest of faith impart, The sabbath of thy love. Come, O my Saviour, come away Into my soul descend! No longer from thy creature stay, My author and my end. The bliss thou hast for me prepared, No longer be delay'd : Come, my exceeding great reward, For whom I first was made. Come, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, And seal me thine abode : Let all I am in thee be lost : Let all be lost in God! Can anything be more clear, than, (1.) That here also is as full and high a salvation as we have ever spoken of? (2.) That this is spoken of as receivable by mere faith, and as hindered only by unbelief? (3.) That this faith, and consequently the salvation which it brings, is spoken of as given in an instant? (4.) That it is supposed that instant may be now? that we need not stay another moment? that “now,” the very “now, is the accepted time? now is the day of” this full “ salvation?” And, Lastly, that, if any speak otherwise, he is the person that brings new doctrine among us? 15. About a year after, namely, in the year 1742, we published another volume of Hymns. The dispute being now at the height, we spoke upon the head more largely than ever before. Accordingly abundance of the hymns in this volume treat expressly on this subject. And so does the preface, which, as it is short, it may not be amiss to insert entire : “(1.) Perhaps the general prejudice against Christian perfection may chiefly arise from a misapprehension of the nature of it. We willingly allow, and continually declare, there is no such perfection in this life, as implies either a dispensa tion from doing good, and attending all the ordinances of God, V or a freedom from ignorance, mistake, temptation, and a thou sand infirmities necessarily connected with flesh and blood. “(2.) First.

(7.) Overvaluing yourself and your own judgment. If any of these is the case, what wonder is it that you feel no power in anything he says? But do not others feel it? If they do, your argument falls to the ground. And if they do not, do none of these hinderances lie in their way too? You must be certain of this before you can build any argument thereon; and even then your argument will prove no more than that grace and gifts do not always go together. “‘But he does not come up to my idea of a perfect Christian.’ And perhaps no one ever did, or ever will. For your idea may go beyond, or at least beside, the scriptural account. It may include more than the Bible includes therein, or, however, something which that does not include. Scripture perfection is, pure love filling the heart, and governing all the words and actions. If your idea includes anything more or anything else, it is not scriptural; and then no wonder, that a scripturally perfect Christian does not come up to it. “I fear many stumble on this stumbling-block. They include as many ingredients as they please, not according to Scripture, but their own imagination, in their idea of one that is perfect; and then readily deny any one to be such, who does not answer that imaginary idea. “The more care should we take to keep the simple, scrip tural account continually in our eye. Pure love reigning alone in the heart and life,--this is the whole of scriptural perfection. “Q. When may a person judge himself to have attained this? “A. When, after having been fully convinced of inbred sin, by a far deeper and clearer conviction than that he experienced before justification, and after having experienced a gradual mortification of it, he experiences a total death to sin, and an entire renewal in the love and image of God, so as to rejoice evermore, to pray without ceasing, and in everything to give thanks. Not that ‘to feel all love and no sin” is a sufficient proof. Several have experienced this for atime, before theirsouls were fully renewed. None therefore ought to believe that the work is done, till there is added the testimony of the Spirit, witnessing his entire sanctification, as clearly as his justification. “Q.

“Q. But whence is it, that some imagine they are thus sanctified, when in reality they are not? “A. It is hence; they do not judge by all the preceding marks, but either by part of them, or by others that are ambiguous. But I know no instance of a person attending to them all, and yet deceived in this matter. I believe, there can be none in the world. If a man be deeply and fully convinced, after justification, of inbred sin; if he then experience a gradual mortification of sin, and afterwards an entire renewal in the image of God; if to this change, immensely greater than that wrought when he was justified, be added a clear, direct witness of the renewal; I judge it as impossible this man should be deceived herein, as that God should lie. And if one whom I know to be a man of veracity testify these things to me, I ought not, without some sufficient reason, to reject his testimony. “Q. Is this death to sin, and renewal in love, gradual or instantaneous P “A. A man may be dying for some time; yet he does not, properly speaking, die, till the instant the soul is separated from the body; and in that instant he lives the life of eternity. In like manner, he may be dying to sin for some time; yet he is not dead to sin, till sin is separated from his soul; and in that instant he lives the full life of love. And as the change undergone, when the body dies, is of a different kind, and infinitely greater than any we had known before, yea, such as till then it is impossible to conceive; so the change wrought, when the soul dies to sin, is of a different kind, and infinitely greater than any before, and than any can conceive till he experiences it. Yet he stills grows in grace, in the knowledge of Christ, in the love and image of God; and will do so, not only till death, but to all eternity. “Q. How are we to wait for this change? “A.

“A. According as that displeasure is: If they are angry, it is a proof against them; if they are grieved, it is not. They ought to be grieved, if we disbelieve a real work of God, and thereby deprive ourselves of the advantage we might have received from it. And we may easily mistake this grief for anger, as the outward expressions of both are much alike. “Q. But is it not well to find out those who fancy they have attained when they have not? “A. It is well to do it by mild, loving examination. But it is not well to triumph even over these. It is extremely wrong, if we find such an instance, to rejoice as if we had found great spoils. Ought we not rather to grieve, to be deeply concerned, to let our eyes run down with tears? Here is one who seemed to be a living proof of God’s power to save to the uttermost; but, alas, it is not as we hoped. He is weighed in the balance, and found wanting ! And is this matter of joy? Ought we not to rejoice a thousand times more, if we can find nothing but pure love? “‘But he is deceived.” What then? It is a harmless smistake, while he feels nothing but love in his heart. It is a mistake which generally argues great grace, an high degree both of holiness and happiness. This should be a matter of real joy to all that are simple of heart; not the mistake itself, but the height of grace which for a time occasions it. I rejoice that this soul is always happy in Christ, always full of prayer and thanksgiving. I rejoice that he feels no unholy temper, but the pure love of God continually. And I will rejoice, if sin is suspended till it is totally destroyed. “Q. Is there no danger then in a man’s being thus deceived ? “A. Not at the time that he feels no sin. There was danger before, and there will be again when he comes into fresh trials.

x. 14.) “For want of duly considering this, some deny that they need the atonement of Christ. Indeed, exceeding few; I do not remember to have found five of them in England. Of the two, I would sooner give up perfection; but we need not give up either one or the other. The perfection I hold, ‘Love rejoicing evermore, praying without ceasing, and in everything giving thanks, is well consistent with it; if any hold a perfection which is not, they must look to it. “Q. 12. Does then Christian perfection imply any more than sincerity? “A. Not if you mean by that word, love filling the heart, expelling pride, anger, desire, self-will; rejoicing evermore, praying without ceasing, and in everything giving thanks. But I doubt, few use sincerity in this sense. Therefore, I think the old word is best. “A person may be sincere who has all his natural tempers, pride, anger, lust, self-will. But he is not perfect till his heart is cleansed from these, and all its other corruptions. “To clear this point a little farther: I know many that love God with all their heart. He is their one desire, their one delight, and they are continually happy in him. They love their neighbour as themselves. They feel as sincere, fervent, constant a desire for the happiness of every man, good or bad, friend or enemy, as for their own. They rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks. Their souls are continually streaming up to God, in holy joy, prayer, and praise. This is a point of fact; and this is plain, sound, scriptural experience. - “But even these souls dwell in a shattered body, and are so pressed down thereby, that they cannot always exert themselves as they would, by thinking, speaking, and acting precisely right. For want of better bodily organs, they must at times think, speak, or act wrong; not indeed through a defect of love, but through a defect of knowledge. And while this is the case, notwithstanding that defect, and its consequences, they fulfil the law of love. “Yet as, even in this case, there is not a full conformity to the perfect law, so the most perfect do, on this very account, need the blood of atonement, and may properly for themselves, as well as for their brethren, say, ‘Forgive us our trespasses.’ “Q. 13.

Brief Thoughts on Christian Perfection Source: The Works of John Wesley, Volume 11 (Zondervan) Author: John Wesley --- SoME thoughts occurred to my mind this morning concern ing Christian perfection, and the manner and time of receiving it, which I believe may be useful to set down. 1. By perfection I mean the humble, gentle, patient love of God, and our neighbour, ruling our tempers, words, and actions. . I do not include an impossibility of falling from it, either in part or in whole. Therefore, I retract several expressions in our Hymns, which partly express, partly imply, such an impossibility. And I do not contend for the term sinless, though I do not object against it. 2. As to the manner. I believe this perfection is always wrought in the soul by a simple act of faith; consequently, in an instant. But I believe a gradual work, both preceding and following that instant. 3. As to the time. I believe this instant generally is the instant of death, the moment before the soul leaves the body. But I believe it may be ten, twenty, or forty years before. I believe it is usually many years after justification; but that it may be within five years or five months after it, I know no conclusive argument to the contrary. If it must be many years after justification, I would be glad to know how many. Pretium quotus arroget annus * * And how many days or months, or even years, can any one allow to be between perfection and death? How far from justification must it be; and how near to death? LoNDoN, Jan. 27, 1767. *This quotation from Horace is thus translated by Boscawen : “How many years give sanction to our lines?”-EDIT.

An Answer to the Rev. Mr. Dodd Source: The Works of John Wesley, Volume 11 (Zondervan) Author: John Wesley --- 1. YoU and I may the more easily bear with each other, because we are both of us rapid writers, and therefore the more liable to mistake. I will thank you for showing me any mistake I am in; being not so tenacious of my opinions now, as I was twenty or thirty years ago. Indeed, I am not fond of any opinion as such. I read the Bible with what attention I can, and regulate all my opinions thereby, to the best of my understanding. But I am always willing to receive more light; particularly with regard to any less common opinions, because the explaining and defending of them takes up much time, which I can ill spare from other employments. Who ever, therefore, will give me more light with regard to Christian perfection, will do me a singular favour. The opinion I have concerning it at present, I espouse merely because I think it is scriptural. If therefore I am convinced it is not scriptural, I shall willingly relinquish it. 2. I have no particular fondness for the term. It seldom occurs either in my preaching or writings. It is my oppo nents who thrust it upon me continually, and ask me what I mean by it. So did Bishop Gibson, till by his advice I publicly declared what I did not mean by it, and what I did. This I supposed might be best done in the form of a sermon, having a text prefixed, wherein that term occurred. But that text is there used only as an occasion or introduction to the subject. I do not build any doctrine thereupon, nor undertake critically to explain it. 3. What is the meaning of the term perfection? is another question; but that it is a scriptural term is undeniable. Therefore, none ought to object to the use of the term, whatever they may do to this or that explication of it. I am very willing to consider whatever you have to object to what is advanced under the first head of that sermon. But I still * At what time this answer was written, it is perhaps impossible exactly to ascertain. It appears to have been sent as a private letter to Mr.

It appears to have been sent as a private letter to Mr. Dodd, before he had become a Doctor of Divinity; and not to have been published till the year 1782, when it was inserted in the Arminian Magazine.-EDIT. think that perfection is only another term for holiness, or the image of God in man. “God made man perfect,” I think is just the same as, “He made him holy,” or “in his own image;” and you are the first person I ever read of or spoke with, who made any doubt of it. Now this perfection does certainly admit of degrees. Therefore, I readily allow the propriety of that distinction,-perfection of kinds, and perfection of degrees. Nor do I remember one writer, ancient or modern, who excepts against it. 4. In the sermon of Salvation by Faith, I say, “He that is born of God sinneth not,” (a proposition explained at large in another sermon, and everywhere either explicitly or virtually connected with, “while he keepeth himself,”) “by any sinful desire; any unholy desire he stifleth in the birth.” (Assuredly he does, “while he keepeth himself”) “Nor doth he sin by infirmities; for his infirmities have no concurrence of his will; and without this they are not properly sins.” Taking the words as they lie in connexion thus, (and taken otherwise they are not my words but yours,) I must still aver, they speak both my own experience, and that of many hundred children of God whom I personally know. And all this, with abundantly more than this, is contained in that single expres sion, “the loving God with all our heart, and serving him with all our strength.” Nor did I ever say or mean any more by perfection, than thus loving and serving God. But I dare not say less than this; for it might be attended with worse consequences than you seem to be aware of. If there be a mistake, it is far more dangerous on the one side than on the other. If I set the mark too high, I drive men into needless fears; if you set it too low, you drive them into hell-fire. 5.

Some Account of the Late Dr. Dodd Source: The Works of John Wesley, Volume 11 (Zondervan) Author: John Wesley --- 1. I HAVE been frequently desired to give some account of the conversations I had with Dr. Dodd. I could have done this more accurately some years ago, when they were fresh in my memory.” However, I will now set down what I can recollect. And it may enable many who love to think for themselves to form an impartial judgment of one that has been so variously represented. 2. I had no knowledge of Dr. Dodd till he told that excellent woman, Mrs. Lefevre, that he was going to publish something against Mr. Wesley. She advised him to send it to me first. He did so, and was so far at least satisfied with my answer, that his treatise against Christian perfection never saw the light. This was about thirty years ago. And here our intercourse ended; which indeed was very slight, as I had never seen him, either in private or public. 3. When he was imprisoned, he sent to me, desiring to see me. But I was not willing to go, supposing he only wanted me to intercede for him with great men; which I judged would be lost labour. He sent a second time, but I did not go. The gentleman who brought the third message told me plainly, “Sir, I will not go without you.” I then went with him to Wood-Street Compter, where the Doctor then was. The Keeper (an extremely well-behaved man) told me, “Sir, of all * Dr. Dodd was executed for forgery, June 27th, 1777; and this account was published in July, 1783,-EDIT. the prisoners that have been in this place, I have not seen such a one as Dr. Dodd. I could trust him in any part of the house.

Gloria Patri V Source: Hymns on God's Everlasting Love (1742) Author: Charles Wesley --- Praise God from whom pure blessings flow, Whose bowels yearn on all below, Who would not have one sinner lost: Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!

Gloria Patri V Source: Hymns on God's Everlasting Love (1742) Author: Charles Wesley --- Praise God from whom pure blessings flow, Whose bowels yearn on all below, Who would not have one sinner lost: Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!

O Aspasia, am I not already betraying myself, needlessly showing my imperfections, to give way to one thought of losing your friendship while I have such an evidence of its sincerity before me I greatly wish I may be able to give a full answer to the question you so obligingly propose; but a direct one I can't give, unless such an one may be deduced from any of the following considerations. To judge whether any action be lawful on the Sabbath [On Sunday observance in the eighteenth century, see Abbey and Overton's The English Church in the Eighteenth Century, ii. 513--19.] or no, we are to consider whether it advances the end for which that was ordained. Now, the end for which the Sabbath was ordained is the attainment of holiness. Whatever therefore tends to advance this end is lawful on this day: whatever does not tend to advance this end is not lawful on this day. Two things we may infer hence: (1) That works of mercy are lawful on this day; for they directly tend to advance this end,' to make us holy as God is holy. (2) That works of necessity are lawful on this day; of which there are two sorts: first, works which we ought to do but cannot do on another day; secondly, works that or works the neglect of which would obstruct this end, for whatever can't be omitted without hindering it do indirectly tend to advance it. One of these, to those who can't perform the offices of religion so well without it, is giving themselves some diversion from it. But of this we may observe that, it being therefore allowed because it tends to advance the end of the day, it is allowable so far and no farther as it does tend to it, to our advance in holiness. It is not enough to say this or that diversion does not obstruct this end; for what does so is allowable on no day: but unless it promotes this particular end, it is not allowable on this day.

I then pressed him earnestly to pray for strength, according to that conviction; and he resolved to try for a week. When that was expired, he said his desire of classical reading was not inflamed, but a little abated; upon which I begged him to repeat his resolution for a week or two longer. He said it signified nothing; for he could never part with the classics entirely. I desired him to read what you say in the Christian Perfection on reading vain authors. He read it, agreed to every word of it, but still in his practice denied it; though appearing in most other particulars an humble, active, zealous Christian. On Tuesday, April 3, being one of the days the statutes require us to communicate at St. Mary's, I called upon him just before church, being to set out for Lincolnshire as soon as the service was over. I asked whether he still halted between two opinions; and, after exhorting him as I could to renounce himself and serve his Master with simplicity, I left him. He did not communicate that day. On my return, May 21, I immediately inquired what state he was in, and found he had never communicated since, which he used to do weekly; that he had left off rising early, visiting the poor, and almost all religious reading, and entirely given himself up to secular. When I asked him why he had left off the holy eucharist, he said fairly, because to partake of it implied a fresh promise to renounce himself entirely and to please God alone; and he did not design to do so. I asked whether he was well convinced he ought to do so. He said, 'Yes.' Whether he wished he could design it. He answered, No, he did not design it.

4. That course of life tends most to the glory of God wherein we can most promote holiness in ourselves and others. I say in ourselves and others, as being fully persuaded that these can never be put asunder. For how is it possible that the good God should make our interest inconsistent with our neighbor's that He should make our being in one state best for ourselves, and our being in another best for the Church This would be making a strange schism in His body; such as surely never was from the beginning of the world. And if not, then whatever state is best on either of these accounts is so on the other likewise. If it be best for others, then it is so for us; if for us, then for them. 5. However, when two ways of life are proposed, I should choose to begin with that part of the question, Which of these have I rational ground to believe will conduce most to my own improvement And that not only because it is every physician's concern to heal himself first, but because it seems we may judge with more ease, and perhaps certainty too, in which state we can most promote holiness in ourselves than in which we can most promote it in others. 6. By holiness I mean not fasting (as you seem to suppose), or bodily austerity, or any other external means of improvement, but the inward temper, to which all these are subservient, a renewal of the soul in the image of God. I mean a complex habit of lowliness, meekness, purity, faith, hope, and the love of God and man. And I therefore believe that, in the state wherein I am, I can most promote this holiness in myself, because I now enjoy several advantages which are almost peculiar to it.

10. Freedom from care I take to be the next greatest advantage to freedom from useless and therefore hurtful company. And this too I enjoy in greater perfection here than I can ever expect to do anywhere else. I hear of such a thing as the cares of this world, and I read of them, but I know them not. My income is ready for me on so many stated days, and all I have to do is to count and carry it home. The grand article of my expense is food, and this too is provided without any care of mine. I have nothing to do but at such an hour to take and eat what is prepared for me. My laundress, barber, &c., are always ready at quarter-day; so I have no trouble on account of those expenses. And for what I occasionally need, I can be supplied from time to time without any expense of thought. Now, to convince me what an help to holiness this is (were not my experience abundantly sufficient) I should need no better authority than St. Paul's: ' I would have you be without carefulness. This I speak for your own profit, that ye may attend upon the Lord' without distraction.' Happy is he that careth only for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord. He may be holy both in body and spirit, after the Apostle's judgment; and I think that he had the Spirit of God.

DEAR BROTHER, -- I presented Job to the Queen on Sunday, and had many good words and smiles. [A folio volume in Latin, entitled Dissertationes in Librum Jobi, by his father, and dedicated by permission to Queen Caroline. John Wesley presented a copy to her Majesty on Oct. 12, 1735. Dr. Clarke (Wesley Family, i. 330) says that Wesley told him that when he was introduced the Queen was romping with her maids of honor. She stopped her play, heard him graciously, and when he presented the book on bended knee she looked at the outside, said ' It is very prettily bound,' and laid it down in a window without opening a leaf. He rose, bowed, and retired. The Queen bowed, smiled, spoke several kind words, and immediately resumed her sport.] Out of what is due to me on that account, I beg you would first pay yourself what I owe you; and if I live till spring, I can then direct what I would have done with the remainder. The uncertainty of my having another opportunity to tell you my thoughts in this life obliges me to tell you what I have often thought of, and that in as few and plain words as I can. Elegance of style is not to be weighed against purity of heart; purity both from the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eye, and the pride of life. Therefore whatever has any tendency to impair that purity is not to be tolerated, much less recommended, for the sake of that elegance. But of this sort (I speak not from the reason of the thing only, nor from my single experience) are the most of the classics usually read in great schools; many of them tending to inflame the lusts of the flesh (besides Ovid, Virgil's Aeneid, and Terence's Eunuch), and more to feed the lust of the eye and the pride of life. I beseech you, therefore, by the mercies of God, who would have us holy, as He is holy, that you banish all such poison from your school; that you introduce in their place such Christian authors as will work together with you in building up your flock in the knowledge and love of God. For assure yourself, dear brother, you are even now called to the converting of heathens as well as I.

‘They affirmed that there is no commandment in the New Testament but to believe; that no other duty lies upon us; and that, when a man does believe, he is not bound or obliged to do anything which is commanded there.’ (ii. 354-5.) ‘Mr. Stonehouse told me, “No one has any degree of faith till he is perfect as God is perfect.”’ (ii. 345.) ‘You believe there are no degrees in faith.’ (ii. 344.) ‘I have heard Mr. Molther affirm, that there is no justifying faith where there is ever any doubt.’ (ii. 492.) ‘The moment a man is justified, he is sanctified wholly. Thenceforth, till death, he is neither more nor less holy.’ (ii. 489.) ‘We are to grow in grace, but not in holiness.’ (ii. 490.)

8. ‘At the time of the first preaching of the gospel’ (as you justly observe) ‘both Jews and Gentiles were very negligent of internal holiness, but laid great stress on external rites and certain actions, which, if they performed according to the due forms of their respective religions, they doubted not but those works would render them acceptable to God. The Apostles therefore thought they could not express themselves too warmly against so wicked a persuasion, and often declare that we cannot be made righteous by works (that is, not by such outward works as were intended to commute for inward holiness), but “by faith in Christ” (that is, by becoming Christians both in principle and practice).’ 9. I have often thought the same thing; namely, that the Apostles used the expression ‘salvation by faith’ (importing inward holiness by the knowledge of God) in direct opposition to the then common persuasion of salvation by works -- that is, going to heaven by outward works, without any inward holiness at all. 10. And is not this persuasion as common now as it was in the time of the Apostles We must needs go out of the world, or we cannot doubt it. Does not every one of our Churches (to speak a sad truth) afford us abundant instances of those who are as negligent of internal holiness as either the Jews or ancient Gentiles were And do not these at this day lay so great a stress on certain external rites, that, if they perform them according to the due forms of their respective communities, they doubt not but those works will render them acceptable to God You and I therefore cannot express ourselves too warmly against so wicked a persuasion; nor can we express ourselves against it in more proper terms than those the Apostles used to that very end. It cannot be denied that this apostolical language is also the language of our own Church. But I waive this. What is scriptural in any Church, I hold fast; for the rest, I let it go. III. 11. But the main point remains: you think the doctrines I hold are not founded on Holy Writ. Before we inquire into this, I would just touch on some parts of that abstract of them which you have given.

6. However, you think there is no occasion now for the expressions used in ancient times, since the persuasions which were common then are now scarcely to be found. For ‘does any Church of England man,’ you ask, ‘maintain anything like this -- that men may commute external works instead of internal holiness’ Most surely: I doubt whether every Church of England man in the nation, yea, every Protestant (as well as Papist) in Europe, who is not deeply sensible that he did so once, does not do so to this day. I am one who for twenty years used outward works, not only as ‘acts of goodness,’ but as commutations (though I did not indeed profess this), instead of inward holiness. I knew I was not holy. But I quieted my conscience by doing such-and-such outward works; and therefore I hoped I should go to heaven, even without inward holiness. Nor did I ever speak close to one who had the form of godliness without the power but I found he had split on the same rock. Abundance of people I have likewise known, and many I do know at this day, who ‘are so grossly superstitious as to think devotion may be put upon God instead of honesty’; as to fancy, going to church and sacrament will bring them to heaven, though they practice neither justice nor mercy. These are the men who make Christianity vile, who, above all others, ‘contribute to the growth of infidelity.’ On the contrary, the speaking of faith working by love, of uniform outward religion springing from inward, has already been the means of converting several Deists and one Atheist (if not more) into real Christians.

13. Neither can I apprehend that I have given an evasive answer to any adversary whatever. I am sure I do not desire to do it; for I want us to understand each other. The sooner the better: therefore let us, as you propose, return to the main point. ‘The charge is,’ your words are, ‘that the Methodists preach sundry singular and erroneous doctrines; in particular three -- Unconditional Predestination, Perceptible Inspiration, and Sinless Perfection. “They set up,” say their adversaries, “their own schemes and notions as the great standard of Christianity, so as to perplex, unhinge, terrify, and distract the minds of multitudes, by persuading them that they cannot be true Christians but by adhering to their doctrines.” This is the charge. Now you ask, “What do you mean by their own schemes, their own notions, their own doctrines” It is plain, we mean their unconditional predestination, their perceptible inspiration, and their sinless perfection.’ The charge, then, is that the Methodists preach unconditional predestination, perceptible inspiration, and sinless perfection. But what a charge! Shall John Wesley be indicted for murder because George Whitefield killed a man Or shall George Whitefield be charged with felony because John Wesley broke an house How monstrous is this! How dissonant from all the rules of common sense and common honesty! Let every man bear his own burthen. If George Whitefield killed a man or taught predestination, John Wesley did not: what has this charge to do with him And if John Wesley broke an house or preached sinless perfection, let him answer for himself. George Whitefield did neither: why, then, is his name put into this indictment Hence appears the inexcusable injustice of what might otherwise appear a trifle. When I urge a man in this manner, he could have no plea at all, were he not to reply, ‘Why, they are both Methodists.’ So when he has linked them together by one nickname, he may hang either instead of the other.

When you first cited these as proofs of enthusiasm, I answered, 'I will put your argument into form, -- ‘He that believes those are miraculous cures which are not so is a rank enthusiast. 'But you believe those to be miraculous cures which are not so: ‘Therefore you are a rank enthusiast. ‘What do you mean by miraculous If you term everything so which is “not strictly accountable for by the ordinary course of natural causes,” then I deny the latter part of the minor proposition. And unless you can make this good, unless you can prove the effects in question are “strictly accountable for by the ordinary course of natural causes,” your argument is nothing worth.’ You reply: ‘Your answer to the objection is very evasive, though you pretend to put my argument in form. You mistake the major proposition, which should have been, -- ‘He that represents those cures as the immediate effects of his own prayers and as miraculous which are not so is a rank enthusiast, if sincere: ‘“But, This you have done: ergo, &c.”’ To this clumsy syllogism I rejoin: (1) That the words ‘if sincere’ are utterly impertinent; for if insincerity be supposed, enthusiasm will be out of the question. (2) That those words ‘as the effects of his own prayers’ may likewise be pared off; for they are unnecessary and cumbersome, the argument being complete without them. (3) That, with or without them, the proposition is false; unless so far as it coincides with that you reject. For it is the believing those to be miracles which are not that constitutes an enthusiast; not the representing them one way or the other, unless so far as it implies such a belief. 12. Upon my answer to the syllogism first proposed, you observe, ‘Thus’ (by denying the latter part of the minor) ‘you clear yourself from the charge of enthusiasm by acknowledging the cures to be supernatural and miraculous. Why, then, would you not speak out, and directly say that you can work real and undoubted miracles This would put the controversy between you and your opposers on a short foot, and be an effectual proof of the truth of your presences.’ (Second Letter, p. 142.)

After a few impartial inquiries of this kind, I am persuaded you will not say, ‘As a commutation, surely no Protestant ever did (receive the sacrament) but yourself.’ Is there not something wrong in these words on another account, as well as in those, ‘You should not treat others as the children of the devil, for taking the same liberty which you and Mr. Whitefield take, who continue, notwithstanding, to be the children of God’ Is there not in both these expressions (and perhaps in some others which are scattered up and down in your letters) something too keen something that borders too much upon sarcasm upon tartness, if not bitterness Does not anything of this sort either make the mind sore or harden it against conviction Does it not make us less able to bear plainness of speech or at least less ready to improve by it Give me leave to add one word more before I proceed. I cannot but be jealous over you. I fear you do not know, near so well as you suppose, even what passes in your own mind. I question not but you believe that without inward holiness no man shall see the Lord; but are you sure you never once entertained a thought that something else might be put upon Him in the stead Perhaps not grossly, not if it appeared just in that shape: no, nor have I, for these twenty years. But I find the same thought to this day stealing in continually under a thousand different forms. I find a continual danger of stopping short of a full renewal in the image of God; a continual propensity to rest in whatever comes between--to put some work or other that I do, even for God’s sake, or some gift that I receive, in the stead of that great work of God, ‘the renewal of my soul after His likeness in righteousness and true holiness.’

In these points there is no difference between Quakerism and Christianity. 7. 'As many as receive the light, in them is produced an holy and spiritual birth, bringing forth holiness, righteousness, purity, and all other blessed fruits. By which holy birth, as we are sanctified, so we are justified.' Here is a wide difference between Quakerism and Christianity. This is flat justification by works. Whereas the Christian doctrine is, that 'we are justified by faith'; that 'unto him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted to him for righteousness.' The ground of this mistake is the not understanding the meaning of the word 'justification.' For Robert Barclay takes it in the same sense as the Papists do, confounding it with sanctification. So, in page 208 of his Apology, he says in express terms, 'Justification, taken in its proper signification, is making one just, and is all one with sanctification.' 8. 'In whom this holy birth is fully brought forth, the body of sin and death is crucified, and their hearts are subjected to the truth, so as not to obey any suggestion of the evil one; but to be free from actual sinning and transgressing of the law of God, and in that respect perfect.' 9. 'They in whom His grace hath wrought in part to purify and sanctify them may yet by disobedience fall from it and make shipwreck of the faith.' In these propositions there is no difference between Quakerism and Christianity. The uncommon expression 'This holy birth brought forth' is taken from Jacob Behmen. [See Wesley's Thoughts upon Jacob Behmen (1575-1624) in Works, ix. 509-18.] And, indeed, so are many other expressions used by the Quakers, as are also many of their sentiments. 10. 'By this light of God in the heart every true minister is ordained, prepared, and supplied in the work of the ministry.' As to part of this proposition, there is no difference between Quakerism and Christianity. Doubtless 'every true minister is by the light of God prepared and supplied in the work of the ministry.' But the Apostles themselves ordained them by 'laying on of hands.' So we read throughout the Acts of the Apostles.

You proceed: 'If the Scriptures are a complete rule (I reject the word 'sufficient,' because it is ambiguous), we do not want the Fathers as guides, or, if clear, as interpreters. An esteem for them has carried many into dangerous errors: the neglect of them can have no ill consequences.' (Page 97.) I answer: (1) The Scriptures are a complete rule of faith and practice; and they are clear in all necessary points. And yet their clearness does not prove that they need not be explained, nor their completeness that they need not be enforced. (2) The esteeming the writings of the first three centuries not equally with but next to the Scriptures never carried any man yet into dangerous errors, nor probably ever will. But it has brought many out of dangerous errors, and particularly out of the errors of Popery. (3) The neglect in your sense of the primitive Fathers--that is, the thinking they were all fools and knaves--has this natural consequence (which ,I grant is no ill one, according to your principles), to make all who are not real Christians think Jesus of Nazareth and His Apostles just as honest and wise as them. 16. You afterwards endeavour to show how the Church of England came to have such an esteem for the ancient Fathers. There are several particulars in this account which are liable to exception. But I let them pass, as they have little connexion with the point in question. 17. You conclude your Introductory Discourse thus: 'The design of the present treatise is to fix the religion of the Protestants on its proper basis--that is, on the Sacred Scriptures' (page 111). Here again you speak in your personated character; as also when you 'freely own the primitive writers to be of use in attesting and transmitting to us the genuine books of the Holy Scriptures'! (Page 112.) Books for the full attestation as well as safe transmission whereof you have doubtless the deepest concern!

The next words which you cite, ‘thrown into great perplexities,’ I cannot find in the page you refer to; neither those that follow. The sum of them is that ‘at that time I did not feel the love of God, but found deadness and wanderings in public prayer, and coldness even at the Holy Communion.’ Well, sir, and have you never found in yourself any such coldness, deadness, and wanderings I am persuaded you have. And yet surely your brain is always cool and temperate! never ‘intoxicated with the heated fumes of spirituous particles’! 13. If you quote not incoherent scraps (by which you may make anything out of anything), but entire connected sentences, it will appear that the rest of your quotations make no more for your purpose than the foregoing. Thus -- although I allow that on May 24 ‘I was much buffeted with temptations; but I cried to God, and they fled away; that they returned again and again; I as often lifted up my eyes, and He sent me help from His holy place’ (Journal, i. 476-7) -- it will only prove the very observation I make myself: ‘I was fighting both under the law and under grace. But then I was sometimes, if not often, conquered; now I was always conqueror.’ That some time after, I ‘was strongly assaulted again, and after recovering peace and joy was thrown into perplexity afresh by a letter, asserting that no doubt or fear could consist with true faith, that my weak mind could not then bear to be thus sawn asunder,’ will not appear strange to any who are not utter novices in experimental religion. No more than that, one night the next year, ‘I had no life or spirit in me, and was much in doubt whether God would not lay me aside and send other laborers into His harvest.’ 14. You add: ‘He owns his frequent relapses into sin for near twice ten years. Such is the case of a person who tells us that he carefully considered every step he took, one of intimate communication with the Deity!’ Sir, I did not tell you that; though, according to custom, you mark the words as mine. It is well for you that forging quotations is not felony.

MY DEAR BROTHER, -- For the present it does not appear to be necessary for you to enter into any dispute with your instructor. [See letter of Feb. 19, 1755.] But perhaps he would read a short tract; suppose, The Nature and Design of Christianity. [Wesley’s abridgement of the first chapter of William Law’s Practical Treatise upon Christian Perfection (1740, 19 pp.). See Green’s Bibliography, No. 17.] If at any time he should be touched by what he reads, it would then be a seasonable time to speak. I should not advise you by any means to enter upon anything like teaching or exhorting a company of people. If any poor townsman who is sick desires your assistance, you need not scruple to visit him. But farther than this it seems you are not called to go at present. The main point is now to improve your time in private, to keep dose to God in prayer, and to fix your eye on Him in whatever you do. Then the unction of the Holy One will teach you of all things. --I am Your affectionate brother. Editor’s Introductory Notes [1] This is the first letter written after his serious illness. Wesley went to The Limes (Blackwell’s house in Lewisham) on November 26, and that evening wrote his own epitaph. He was able to ride on the 29th, and did so every day till January 1. The contrast in the whether at Bristol was striking. At Lewisham his ride was not once hindered, ‘it being always tolerably fair (however it was before) between twelve and one o’clock.’ He returned to London on the 1st and set out for Bristol the next day. The day before he wrote to Blackwell he ‘began drinking the water at the Hot Well, having a lodging at a small distance from it.’ [2] Whilst Wesley was at Bristol, Henry Venn wrote, on his appointment as curate at Clapham, asking for ‘a personal charge, to take heed to feed the flock commuted unto me’ (Arminian Magazine, 1797, p. 569. Furly was Venn’s friend, and also turned to Wesley for counsel He became a steadfast ally and correspondent. He was now twenty-two, and had recently begun his course at Queens’ College (see letter of December 7). The following letter from Mrs. Lefevre would probably be to Furly: Wednesday, March 25, 1754.

I might have drawn up the Queries with more accuracy, had I not considered, as you ‘hoped I would, the impatience in the public for an answer a close one to every point.' I have therefore, as you desired, ‘used all possible speed,’ and yet have ‘taken care to form my Queries in such a manner that they might deserve the utmost attention, and come dose to the point.’ Is it needful to remind you of that frank engagement to the public wherewith you close your letter ‘As soon as these Queries are finished, the Moravians, who expect them with earnest longing, will lose no time in answering them.’ --I am, &c. You see the impropriety of adding my name. To Samuel Furly [2] LONDON March, 20 1755. MY DEAR BROTHER, -- Of those things which are lawful in themselves, such only are lawful to me as are sfta, conducive either directly or indirectly to my holiness or usefulness. Many things not conducive directly to either, yet may be so remotely, as the learning of languages or arithmetic. And of this kind are most academical exercises. They remotely (a Hough not directly) conduce to our usefulness in the world; by enabling us to take degrees, or to do other things which are (in the present state of things) necessary as means to higher ends. I wish Mr. Hallifax [Spelt with one l by Wesley.] had a little tract of Bishop Bull’s [Wesley deals more fully with this little tract (which he says ‘was of much service to me’) in the letter of May 13, 1764. For his reference to Bishop Bull see Journal, ii. 470, 473-7d; Works, vii. 455; and letter of Aug. 22, 1744.] entitled A Companion for the Candidates for Holy Orders. I dreamed an odd dream last night, that five-and-twenty persons of Peterhouse in Cambridge were deeply awakened. Fight your way through! -- I am Your affectionate brother. To Samuel Lloyd BRISTOL March 20, 1755. DEAR SIR, -- The bearer has behaved extremely well from the very time that he left London. I do not perceive that he is addicted to drinking or any other vice. I am apt to think he would make a good servant. Wishing you the best happiness, I am, dear sir, Your affectionate servant. To Samuel Lloyd Esq, In Devonshire Square, London. To Ebenezer Blackwell MANCHESTER April 9, 1755.

1756 To William Dodd KINGSWOOD, March 12, 1756. REVERAND, SIR, --You and I the more easily bear with each other, because we are both of us rapid writers, and therefore more the more liable to mistake. I will thank you for showing me any mistake I am in, being not so tenacious of my opinions now as I was twenty or thirty years ago. Indeed, I am not fond of any opinion as such. I read the Bible with what attention I can, and regulate all my opinions thereby to the best of my understanding. But I am always willing to receive more light; particularly with regard to any less common opinions, because the examining and defending them takes up much time, which I can ill spare from other employments. Whoever, therefore, will give me more fight with regard to Christian Perfection will do me a singular favor. The opinion I have concerning it at present I espouse merely because I think it is scriptural; if, therefore, I am convinced it is not scriptural, I shall willingly relinquish it. 2. I have no particular fondness for the term. It seldom occurs either in my preaching or writings. It h my opponents who thrust it upon me continually, and ask me what I mean by it. So did Bishop Gibson, till by his advice I publicly declared what I did not mean by it and what I did. This I supposed might be best done in the form of a sermon, [On Christian Perfection. See Works, vi. 1-19.] having a text prefixed wherein that term occurred. But that text is there used only as an occasion or introduction to the subject. I do not build any doctrine thereon, nor undertake critically to explain it.

3. What is the meaning of the term ‘perfection’ is another question; but that is a scriptural term is undeniable. Therefore none ought to object to the use of the term, whatever they may do to this or that explication of it. I am very willing to consider whatever you have to object to what is advanced under the flint head of that sermon. But I still think that perfection is only another term for holiness or the image of God in man. God made man perfect, I think, is just the same as He made him holy, or in His own image. You are the very first person I ever read of or spoke with who made any doubt of it. Now, this perfection does certainly admit of degrees. Therefore I readily allow the propriety of that distinction, perfection of kinds and perfection of degree. Nor do I remember one writer ancient or modern who excepts against it. 4. In the sermon on Salvation by Faith [See Works, v. 7-16.] I say, ‘He that is born of God sinneth not’ (a proposition explained at large in another sermon, and there everywhere either explicitly or virtually connected with while he keepeth himself.) ‘by any sinful desire; for any unholy desire he stifleth in the birth.’ Assuredly he does while he keepeth himself. ‘Nor doth he sin by infirmities; for his infirmities have no concurrence of his will, and without this they am not properly tins.’ Taking the words as they lie in connexion thus (and taken otherwise they are not my words, but yours), I must still aver they speak both my own experience and that of many hundred children of God whom I personally know. And all this, with abundantly more than this, is contained in that single expression ‘the loving God with all our hearts and serving Him with all our strength.’ Nor did I ever say or mean any more by perfection than thus loving and serving God. But I dare not say less than this; for it might be attended with worse consequences than you seem to be aware of. If there be a mistake, it is far more dangerous on the one ride than on the other. If I set the mark too high, I drive men into needless fears: if you set k too low, you drive them into hell-fire.

9. I think that all this time you are directly pleading for looseness of manners, and that everything you advance naturally tends thereto. This is my grand objection to that doctrine of the necessity of sinning; not only that it is false, but that it is directly subversive of all holiness. The doctrine of the Gnostics was not that a child of God does not commit sin, i.e. act the things which are forbidden in Scripture, but that they are not sin in him, that he is a child of God still; so they contended not for sinless but sinful perfection: just as different from what I contend for as heaven is from hell. What the Donatists were I do not know. But I suspect they were the real Christians of that age, and were therefore served by St. Augustine and his warm adherents as the Methodists are now by their zealous adversaries. It is extremely easy to blacken; and could I give myself leave, I could paint the consequences of your doctrine in at least as dark and odious colors as you could paint mine.

DEAR TOMMY, --We should neither be forward nor backward in believing those who think they have attained the second blessing. Of those in Courtmatrix and Ballingarrane I can form no judgment yet. Barely to feel no sin, or to feel constant peace, joy, and love, will not prove the point. We have known some who remained in that state for several years, and yet have afterwards lost almost all they had received. In the two sermons on this subject, the Minutes of the Conference, the preface to the second and third volumes of Hymns, and some of our controversial writings, you have a full account of Christian Perfection. [The Circumcision of the Heart, preached before Oxford University on Jan. 1, 1733, and Christian Perfection, 1741; Hymns and Sacred Poems 1741, 1742; and Minutes, 1744.] (1) It undoubtedly implies salvation from all sin, inward and outward, into all holiness. (2) Without it none can be admitted into heaven, nor be completely happy upon earth. But we must speak very tenderly on this head, for it is far better to lead men than to drive. Study to recommend it rather as amiable and desirable than as necessary. (3) A gradual growth in grace precedes, but the gift itself is always given instantaneously. I never knew or heard of any exception; and I believe there never was one. (4) One fruit given at the same instant (at least usually) is a direct, positive testimony of the Spirit that the work is done, that they cannot fall away, that they cannot sin. In consequence of this they have no slavish fear, but uninterrupted sight, love, and joy, with continual growth in wisdom, holiness, and happiness, till they are filled with all the fullness of God. Beware of pride and stubbornness. Consult Brother Hopper in all things. Be obstinate only in pressing on to perfection. My love to Fanny and Sally Moore. They forget me as soon as I cross the water. Peace be with your spirit. -- I am Your affectionate brother. To his Wife LIVERPOOL, April 24, 1757. [April 24 was a Sunday, and Wesley heard ‘two very useful sermons at St. Thomas’s Church.’ See Journal, iv. 203.]

MY DEAR SISTER,--Whereunto you have attained hold fast. But expect that greater things are at hand; although our friend [Apparently her brother. See letter of July 30, and the next one.] talks as if you were not to expect them till the article of death. Certainly sanctification (in the proper sense) is 'an instantaneous deliverance from all sin,' and includes 'an instantaneous power then given always to cleave to God.' Yet this sanctification (at least, in the lower degrees) does not include a power never to think an useless thought nor ever speak an useless word. I myself believe that such a perfection is inconsistent with living in a corruptible body; for this makes it impossible 'always to think right.' While we breathe we shall more or less mistake. If, therefore, Christian perfection implies this, we must not expect it till after death. I want you to be all love. This is the perfection I believe and teach. And this perfection is consistent with a thousand nervous disorders, which that high-strained perfection is not. Indeed, my judgement is that (in this case particularly) to overdo is to undo, and that to set perfection too high (so high as no man that we ever heard or read of attained) is the most effectual (because unsuspected) way of driving it out of the world. Take care you are not hurt by anything in the Short Hymns contrary to the doctrines you have long received. Peace be with your spirit!--I am Your affectionate brother. To Samuel Furly ST. IVES, September 15, 1762.

Here are persons exceeding holy and happy; rejoicing evermore, praying always, and in everything giving thanks; feeling the love of God and man every moment; feeling no pride or other evil temper. If these are not perfect, that scriptural word has no meaning. Stop! you must not cavil at that word: you are not wiser than the Holy Ghost. But if you are not, see that you teach perfection too. 'But are they not sinners' Explain the term one way, and I say, Yes; another, and I say, No. 'Are they cleansed from all sin' I believe they are; meaning from all sinful tempers. 'But have they then need of Christ' I believe they have in the sense and for the reasons above mentioned. Now, be this true or false, it is no contradiction; it is consistent with itself, and I think consistent with right reason and the whole oracles of God. O let you and I go on to perfection! God grant we may so run as to attain!--I am Your affectionate friend and brother. To Miss March BRISTOL, October 9, 1762. Though I have very little time, I must write a few lines. I thank you for your comfortable letter. Some have more of heat and some of light. The danger is that one should say to the other, 'I have no need of thee,' or that any should mistake his place and imagine himself to be what he is not. Be not backward to speak to any whom you think are mistaken either in this or other things. A loving word spoken in faith shall not fall to the ground; and the more freely you speak to me at any time or on any head the more you will oblige Your ever affectionate brother. To Samuel Furly BRISTOL, October 13, 1762. MY DEAR BROTHER,--In general, when I apprehend, 'Certainly this is a contradiction,' if I find other persons of equal sagacity with myself, of equal natural and acquired abilities, apprehend it is not, I immediately suspect my own judgement; and the more so because I remember I have been many times full as sure as I am now, and yet afterwards I found myself mistaken.

As to this particular question, I believe I am able to answer every objection which can be made. But I am not able to do it without expending much time which may be better employed. For this reason I am persuaded it is so far from being my duty to enter into a formal controversy about it that it would be a wilful sin; it would be employing my short residue of life in a less profitable way than it may be employed. The proposition which I will hold is this: 'A person may be cleansed from all sinful tempers, and yet need the atoning blood.' For what For 'negligences and ignorances'; for both words and actions (as well as omissions) which are in a sense transgressions of the perfect law. And I believe no one is clear of these till he lays down this corruptible body. [See letter of Sept. 15 to him.] Now, Sammy, dropping the point of contradiction or no contradiction, tell me simply what you would have more. Do you believe evil tempers remain till death all, or some if some only, which I love truth wherever I find it; so if you can help me to a little more of it, you will oblige, dear Sammy, Yours, &c. To Thomas Maxfield [8] CANTERBURY, November 2, 1762. Without any preface or ceremony, which is needless between you and me, I will simply and plainly tell what I dislike in your doctrine, spirit, or outward behaviour. When I say yours, I include Brother Bell and Owen and those who are most closely connected with them. 1. I like your doctrine of Perfection, or pure love; love excluding sin; your insisting that it is merely by faith; that consequently it is instantaneous (though preceded and followed by a gradual work), and that it may be now, at this instant. But I dislike your supposing man may be as perfect as an angel; that he can be absolutely perfect; that he can be infallible, or above being tempted; or that the moment he is pure in heart he cannot fall from it.

Your affectionate brother and servant. To Mrs. Maitland [5] LONDON, May 12, 1763. DEAR MADAM, -- Both in the former and in the Farther Thoughts on Perfection I have said all I have to say on that head. Nevertheless, as you seem to desire it, I will add a few words more. As to the word, it is scriptural; therefore neither you nor I can in conscience object against it, unless we would send the Holy Ghost to school and teach Him to speak who made the tongue. By that word I mean (as I have said again and again) ‘so loving God and our neighbor as to rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks.’ He that experiences this is scripturally perfect. And if you do not yet, you may experience it: you surely will, if you follow hard after it; for the Scripture cannot be broken. What, then, does their arguing prove who object against perfection ‘Absolute and infallible perfection’ I never contended for it. Sinless perfection Neither do I contend for this, seeing the term is not scriptural. A perfection that perfectly fulfils the whole law, and so needs not the merits of Christ I acknowledge none such--I do now, and always did, protest against it. ‘But is there not sin in those that are perfect’ I believe not; but, be that as it may, they feel none, no temper but pure love, while they rejoice, pray, and give thanks continually. And whether sin is suspended or extinguished, I will not dispute; it is enough that they feel nothing but love. This you allow ‘we should daily press after’; and this is all I contend for. O may God give you to taste of it to-day! -- I am, dear madam, Your very affectionate servant. To Jenny Lee ABERDEEN, May 26, 1763. MY DEAR SISTER, -- If you are likely to fall into a consumption, I believe nothing will save your life but the living two or three months upon buttermilk churned daily in a bottle. Change of air may do something, if you add riding every day. Else it will avail but little.

1. To clear the case between us a little farther. I must now adopt your words: ‘I, no less than you, preach justification by faith only, the absolute necessity of holiness, the increasing mortification of sin, and rejection of all past experiences and attainments. I abhor, as you do, all Antinomian abuse of the doctrine of Christ, and desire to see my people walking even as He walked. Is it, then, worth while, in order to gratify a few bigoted persons or for the sake of the minute differences between us,’ to encourage ‘all the train of evils which follow contention for opinions in little matters as much as in great’ 2. If I was as strenuous with regard to perfection on one side as you have been on the other, I should deny you to be a sufficient preacher; but this I never did. And yet I assure you I can advance such reasons for all I teach as would puzzle you and all that condemn me to answer; but I am sick of disputing. Let them beat the air and triumph without an opponent. 3. ‘None, you say, preach in your houses who do not hold the very same doctrine with you.’ This is not exactly the case. You are welcome to preach in any of those houses, as I know we agree in the main points; and whereinsoever we differ you would not preach there contrary to me. ‘But would it not give you pain to have any other teacher come among those committed to your charge, so as to have your plan disconcerted, your labors depreciated, and the affections of your flock alienated’ It has given me pain when I had reason to fear this was done, both at Leeds, Birstall, and elsewhere. And I was ‘under a temptation of speaking against you’; but I refrained even among my intimate friends. So far was I from publicly warning my people against one I firmly believed to be much better than myself.

O give Thy servant power to believe! to see and feel how Thou hast loved her! Now let her sink down into the arms of Thy love; and say unto her soul, 'I am thy salvation.' With regard to particular advices, I know not how far your Ladyship would have me to proceed. I would not be backward to do anything in my power; and yet I would not obtrude. But in any respect you may command, my dear Lady, Your Ladyship's affectionate servant. To Miss J. C. March WHITEHAVEN, June 24, 1764. You give me an agreeable account of the state of things in London, and such as calls for much thankfulness. From different letters I find that there is at length a calm season, God having rebuked the wind and the seas. But I am concerned for you. I cannot doubt a moment but you was saved from sin. Your every act, word, thought was love, whatever it be now. You was in a measure a living witness of the perfection I believe and preach--the only perfection of which we are capable while we remain in the body. To carry perfection higher is to sap the foundation of it and destroy it from the face of the earth. I am jealous over you: I am afraid lest, by grasping at a shadow, you should have let go the substance--lest, by aiming at a perfection which we cannot have till hereafter, you should cast away that which now belongs to the children of God. This is love filling the heart. Surely it did fill yours, and it may do now, by simple faith. O cast not away your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward! Converse much with those who are all alive, who strive not to pull you down but to build you up. Accursed be that humility by which shipwreck is made of the faith. Look up and receive power from on high. Receive all you had once, and more than all. Give no place to evil reasoning. You have need to be guarded by a steady and yet tender hand. Be as a little child. The Lord is at hand. He is yours; therefore shall you lack nothing.--I am, &c.[See letter of March 4, 1760.] To Sarah Moore [15] LEEDS, July 5, 1764.

Poets themselves must die, [Fall] like those they sung, Deaf the praised ear, and mute the tuneful tongue; E'en he whose heart now melts in tender [Mournful] lays, Shall shortly want the generous tear he pays. Then from his eyes thy much-loved form [Closing eyes thy form] shall part; And the last pang shall tear thee from his heart: Life's idle business at one gasp be o'er, The Muse forgot, and thou beloved [Be loved] no more. Here is style! How clear, how pure, proper, strong! and yet how amazingly easy! This crowns all; no stiffness, no hard words; no apparent art, no affectation; all is natural, and therefore consummately beautiful. Go thou and write likewise. As for me, I never think of my style at all; but just set down the words that come first. Only when I transcribe anything for the press, then I think it my duty to see every phrase be clear, pure, and proper. Conciseness (which is now, as it were, natural to me) brings quantum sufficit of strength. If, after all, I observe any stiff expression, I throw it out, neck and shoulders. Clearness in particular is necessary for you and me, because we are to instruct people of the lowest understanding. Therefore we, above all, if we think with the wise, yet must speak with the vulgar. We should constantly use the most common, little, easy words (so they are pure and proper) which our language affords. When I had been a member of the University about ten years, I wrote and talked much as you do now. But when I talked to plain people in the Castle or the town, I observed they gaped and stared. This quickly obliged me to alter my style and adopt the language of those I spoke to. And yet there is a dignity in this simplicity, which is not disagreeable to those of the highest rank.

MY DEAR SISTER,--I am glad you wrote. You should do it oftener, and the more freely the better. None shall see your letters, so that you need be under no apprehension of any inconvenience following. In the Thoughts upon Perfection and in the Farther Thoughts you have a clear, consistent account of it. Did you never hear any one speak of it in the manner I do there Or does -- speak in the same manner with -- Wherein do they differ And does not -- -- Nancy, do not start, but speak freely. It may be of more service than you are aware of; and be assured you will bring no inconvenience upon yourself.

'We come now to the application of this sovereign test, James iii. 17.' But let us see that we understand it first. I beg leave to consider the whole: 'Who is a wise and knowing man among you Let him show his wisdom,' as well as his faith, 'by his works,' not by words only. 'But if ye have bitter zeal and strife in your heart, do not glory and lie against the truth'; as if any such zeal, anything contrary to love, could consist with true wisdom. 'This wisdom descendeth not from above; but is earthly, sensual, devilish: for where bitter zeal and strife are, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom which is from above' (which every one that hath is a real Christian, and he only) 'is first pure,' free from all that is earthly, sensual, devilish; 'then peaceable,' benign, loving, making peace; 'gentle,' soft, mild, yielding, not morose or sour; 'easy to be entreated,' to be persuaded or convinced, not stubborn, self-willed, or self-conceited; 'full of mercy,' of tenderness and compassion; 'and good fruits,' both in the heart and life. Two of these are immediately specified: 'without partiality,' loving and doing good to all, without respect of persons; 'and without hypocrisy,' sincere, frank, open. I desire to be tried by this test. I try myself by it continually; not, indeed, whether I am a prophet (for it has nothing to do with this), but whether I am a Christian. 1. The present question, then, is not What is Mr. Law or What are the Moravians but What is John Wesley And (1) Is he pure or not 'Not pure; for he separates reason from grace' (page 156). A wonderful proof! But I deny the fact. I never did separate reason from grace. 'Yes, you do; for your own words are, " The points we chiefly insisted on were four: (1) That orthodoxy, or right opinion, [See letter of Sept. 18, 1756, sect. 7.] is at best but a very slender part of religion, if it can be allowed to be any part of it at all "' (page 157).

1767 1767. Rigging-loft rented for Methodist preaching in New York. Mar. 30. Wesley visits Ireland leaves July 29. Aug. 18. Conference in London: effort to remove debts on preaching-houses; Francis Asbury received on trial. 1768. Jan. Appointed a domestic chaplain to the Countess Dowager of Buchan. Apr. 27. Wesley makes a Will. Aug. 24. Trevecca College opened. 1769. Aug. 1. Conference begins at Leeds: Richard Boardman and Joseph Pilmoor volunteer to go to New York; 50 contributed for the preaching-house there, 20 'given to our brethren for their passage.' Hannah Ball's Sunday school at High Wycombe. [1] Three new lady correspondents were added to Wesley's list at this time. Hannah Ball at High Wycombe abounded in good works, and began her Sunday school nearly fourteen years before Robert Raikes started his in Gloucester. Nancy Bolton, of Witney, became one of Wesley's most favoured correspondents. Mary Bishop, of Bath, was a teacher and thinker after Wesley's own heart. There are signs in the correspondence of the renewal of the Calvinistic Controversy, which was to flame up around the Minutes of the Conference of 1770. George Whitefield is described at the time as 'still breathing nothing but love': but the letter to Joseph Townsend in August 1767 points to the coming storm. The letters to Charles Wesley are of the deepest significance and there is a pathetic touch about the fragment of a letter to his old friend Mrs. Woodhouse asking for particulars of John Whitelamb, who had been his father's curate and had married Mary Wesley. The effort to clear off the debts of the Connexion is one of the outstanding features of this period. Wesley left no stone unturned to accomplish this object, in which preachers and friends gave him the most generous and unwearying support. The last letter is one of unique interest. Wesley had sent his first two preachers to America, where Methodism had already taken root, and was himself thinking of another voyage across the Atlantic, though that was never accomplished. To Ann Foard LONDON, January 15, 1767.

Do they gain ground in London I am afraid perfection should be forgotten. Encourage Richard Blackwell [See letter of July 4, 1763.] and Mr. Colley [Benjamin Colley, a clerical helper of Wesley, was misled by George Bell and Maxfield; but he saw their errors, and was restored to Methodism. Wesley buried him on Nov. 8. See Journal, v. 238 and letter of Sept. 18, 1773, to John Valton.] to speak plainly and to press believers to the constant pursuit and earnest expectation of it. A general faintness in this respect is fallen upon this whole kingdom. Sometimes I seem almost weary of striving against the stream both of preachers and people. See that you all strengthen the hands of, my dear sisters, [She was at Leytonstone with Miss Bosanquet and Mrs. Ryan.] Your affectionate brother. To Lady Maxwell CASTLEBAR, May 7, 1767. MY DEAR LADY,--Your silence is not enough. I will not believe you are tired of my correspondence unless I have it under your own hand. But when I have heard nothing from you for six or eight weeks I begin to be full of fears. I am afraid either that you are dead; or that you are extremely ill, not well able to write; or that your affection is cooled, perhaps to me, perhaps to Him that loves you a thousand times better than I do. It lies upon you to put a period to my fears, to show me that you are still the same, only more and more determined, in spite of all temptations, to go on in the most excellent way.

What, indeed, has hindered I want to consider this. And must we not first say, Nos consules ['We who are the chiefs.'] If we were more holy in heart and life, and more throughly devoted to God, would not all the preachers catch our spirit and carry it with them throughout the land Is not the next hindrance the littleness of grace (rather than of gifts) in a considerable part of our preachers They have not the whole mind which was in Christ; they do not steadily walk as He walked. And therefore the hand of the Lord is stayed; though not altogether; though He does work still, but not in such a degree as He surely would were they holy as He that hath sent them is holy. Is not the third hindrance the littleness of grace in the generality of the people Therefore they pray little and with little fervency for a general blessing; and therefore their prayer has little power with God. It does not, as once, shut and open heaven. Add to this, that as there is much of the spirit of the world in their hearts, so there is much conformity to the world in their lives. They ought to be both burning and shining lights; but they neither burn nor shine. They are not true to the rules they profess to observe; they are not holy in all manner of conversation. Nay, many of them are salt that has lost its savour, the little savour they once had. Wherewith, then, shall the rest of the land be seasoned What wonder that their neighbours are as unholy as ever But what can be done to remedy this I wish you would give an attentive reading to the Minutes of the last Conference, and see if it will not be worth our while to enforce them with our might. We have weight enough, and can force them. I know not who can or will when we are gone. Let us now fix things on as firm a foundation as possible, and not depend upon seeing another Conference. Richard Bourke, John Dillon, and one or two more in this kingdom are truly devoted men; so are a few of the preachers in England. Si sic omnes! ['Oh that the rest were likeminded!'] What would be able to stand before them

July 5, 1768. I am more inclined to congratulate you than to condole with you upon your present situation. Many circumstances concurred to expose you to the greatest of all dangers-- that of being generally commended. It is therefore a peculiarly gracious providence whereby this danger is turned aside, and that without any particular fault or even imprudence on your part. You may now experience the truth of that fine reflection, 'Nothing is more profitable for us than to suffer reproach for a good action done with a single eye.' Nevertheless you cannot be excused from speaking plain to Sarah Crosby and A[nn Foard]; and the sooner this is done the better, lest their want of judgement should produce more ill effects. Certainly you should labour to convince them that they were altogether in a fault. In any wise they should have spoke to you first; then, if you had not satisfied them, they might have gone farther. But what can be done for the poor young woman I am afraid lest she should be turned out of the way. You will hardly need that tract for a time, as you have Mr. Brainerd's Life. There is a pattern of self-devotion and deadness to the world! But how much of his sorrow and pain had been prevented, if he had understood the doctrine of Christian Perfection! How many tears did he shed because it was impossible to be freed from sin! As you have not the same outward trials which many have, it is highly needful you should have some inward ones; although they need not be either many or long. If you walk closely with God, He is able to give any degree of holiness, either by pleasure or pain. S[ally] [Sarah Ryan died on Aug. 17.] continues with you a little longer to quicken you in the way. Why should not a living Christian be exactly of the same spirit with a dying Christian, seeing the difference between her life and ours is nothing when compared to eternity

You, as it were, ask my advice. But I know nothing of the matter: you should have spoken to me when I saw you. Is the person a believer Is he a Methodist Is he a member of our Society Is he clear with regard to the doctrine of Perfection Is he athirst for it If he fails in any of these particulars, I fear he would be an hindrance to you rather than an help. Was not inordinate affection to him one cause of your losing the pure love of God before If it was, you have a great reason to be afraid lest it should again rob you of that pearl. Has it not already Have you all the life you had two months ago Is your soul still all love Speak freely, my dear Jenny, to Your affectionate brother. To Christopher Hopper [27] BRISTOL, October 1, 1768. Truly, Christopher, I am at my wits' end. I know not what can be done. Possibly you may instruct me. The poor man is an incorrigible coxcomb. His last exploit with Mr. Oastler's niece has pinned the casket. I cannot imagine what can be done with him or how he can be trusted anywhere. He can be in no part of the South or West of England; neither my brother nor many others could suffer it. There is no vacancy in the North of England; and wherever he has been there, they are sick of him. I ask you again, Where can he be, where he will not do mischief In any part of Scotland or of Ireland If the time was come for my voyage to Ireland, I would take him with me, and drop him there.--I am, with love to Sister Hopper, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Mrs. Hall KINGSWOOD, October 6, I 768.

I must do this even with regard to my fellow labourers, lest I should seem to mean more than I do. But I am sensible this is a tender point, and one so extremely difficult to treat upon that I should not venture to say one word did I not know to whom I speak. What I mean is this: From many little circumstances which have occurred, I have been afraid (just so far it went) that those clergymen with whom you are most acquainted were jealous of your being acquainted with me. I was the more afraid when I heard the sudden exclamation of one whom you well know, 'Good God! Mr. Wesley is always speaking well of these gentlemen, and they can never speak well of him.' But I am entirely satisfied by that full declaration which you make: 'I do not know of any impression that has been made upon me to your disadvantage.' I had once the opportunity of speaking a few minutes to you on the head of Christian Perfection; and I believe you had not much objection to anything which was then spoken. When I spoke nearly to the same effect to one of the late Bishops of London, Bishop Gibson, he said earnestly, 'Why, Mr. Wesley, if this is what you mean by perfection, who can be against it?' I believe verily there would need no more than a single hour, spent in free and open conversation, to convince you that none can rationally or scripturally say anything against the perfection I have preached for thirty years. The union which I desire among the persons I mentioned is an entire union of heart, constraining them to labour together as one man in spreading vital religion through the nation. But this I do not hope for, though I know a few who would cordially rejoice therein. The union which I proposed is of a lower kind: I proposed that they should love as brethren and behave as such. And I particularized what I think is implied in this, I imagined in so plain a manner, as was hardly possible without great skill to be either misunderstood or misrepresented. I really do not conceive what ambiguity there can be in any part of this proposal, or what objection can lie against our going thus far, whether we go farther or no.

DEAR SISTER,--Will you ever find in yourself anything but unfitness? Otherwise your salvation would be of works, not of grace. But you are frequently sick of a bad disease--evil reasoning; which hinders both your holiness and happiness. You want the true Christian simplicity, which is indeed the highest wisdom. Nothing is more clear, according to the plain Bible account, than sanctification, pure love reigning in the heart and life. And nothing is more plain than the necessity of this in order to feel happiness here and hereafter. Check all reasoning concerning these first principles, else you will exceedingly darken your soul; and go on denying yourself, and taking up your cross, until you Sink into perfection's height, The depth of humble love. If the preachers on Waterford Circuit had punctually adhered to the plan which I fixed, the horse would have been no burthen; but the misfortune is every dunce is wiser than me. However, at your desire I will send a second preacher into the circuit after Conference; but the preachers must change regularly. It would never do to let one man sit down for six months with a small Society; he would soon preach himself and them as lifeless as stones. Your alteration of the circuit so as to take in poor, dead Clonmel I much approve, and hope Sister L-- [See letter of June 13] will be made a blessing to the few there. I rejoice at Sisters P and B--'s happy release. [Mrs. Bennis had told him that both died triumphantly.] Is not this worth living for? Still draw near to the fountain by simple faith, and take all you want; but be not slothful in your Lord's vineyard.--My dear sister, Yours affectionately. To Rebecca Yeoman [16] LONDON, August 4, 1770.

You judge rightly: perfect love and Christian liberty are the very same thing; and those two expressions are equally proper, being equally scriptural. 'Nay, how can they and you mean the same thing? They say you insist on holiness in the creature, on good tempers, and sin destroyed.' Most surely. And what is Christian liberty but another word for holiness? And where is this liberty or holiness if it is not in the creature? Holiness is the love of God and man, or the mind which was in Christ. Now, I trust, the love of God is shed abroad in your heart by the Holy Ghost which is given unto you. And if you are holy, is not that mind in you which was also in Christ Jesus? And are not the love of God and our neighbour good tempers? And, so far as these reign in the soul, are not the opposite tempers, worldly-mindedness, malice, cruelty, revengefulness, destroyed? Indeed, the unclean spirit, though driven out, may return and enter again; nevertheless he was driven out. I use the word 'destroyed' because St. Paul does; 'suspended' I cannot find in my Bible. 'But they say you do not consider this as the consequence of the power of Christ dwelling in us.' Then what will they not say? My very words are: 'None feel their need of Christ like these; none so entirely depend upon Him. For Christ does not give light to the soul separate from, but in and with, Himself. Hence His words are equally true of all men in whatever state of grace they are: "As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me: without" (or separate from) "Me ye can do nothing." For our perfection is not like that of a tree, which flourishes by the sap derived from its own root; but like that of a branch, which, united to the vine, bears fruit, but severed from it is "dried up and withered."'

Whatever comes from you is agreeable to me; your letters always give me pleasure, but none more than the last, which brings the welcome news of the revival of the work of God among you. You will encourage I-- T-- [Miss Thornton, of London, the intimate friend of John Fletcher. See Bulmer's Memoirs of Mrs. Elizabeth Mortimer, p. 115; and letters of July 6, 1770, and Dec. 18, 1780.] to send me a circumstantial account of God's dealings with her soul. Mr. Norris observes that no part of history is so profitable as that which relates to the great changes in states and kingdoms; and it is certain no part of Christian history is so profitable as that which relates to great changes wrought in our souls: these, therefore, should be carefully noticed and treasured up for the encouragement of our brethren. I am glad you have at length broke through those evil reasonings which so long held you down and prevented you from acknowledging the things which were freely given to you of God. Always remember the essence of Christian holiness is simplicity and purity; one design, one desire--entire devotion to God. But this admits of a thousand degrees and variations, and certainly it will be proved by a thousand temptations; but in all these things you shall be more than conqueror. It takes God (so to speak) abundance of pains to hide pride from man; and you are in more danger of it than many, were it only on account of outward advantages. Happy are you if you use those for that single end, to be outwardly and inwardly devoted to God, and that more entirely than you could be in different circumstances. I have just been conversing with that excellent woman Molly Penington [See letter of May 30.]: what a mystery that one of such gifts and such grace should be fixed in a place where she is almost useless! So much the more thankful you may be who have opportunity of employing every talent which God hath given you. If you would retain the talent of health, sleep early and rise early. To Ann Bolton TULLAMORE, April 15, 1771.

Our blessed Lord carries on His work in our souls by giving us either to do or to suffer. Hitherto you are led most in the latter of these ways. I expect, when you have more to do for Him, you shall suffer less. Every morning and frequently in the day you are very near to, my dear sister, Your affectionate brother. To Philothea Briggs LEITH, NEAR EDINBURGH, May 13, 1772. MY DEAR PHILLY,--To set the state of perfection too high is the surest way to drive it out of the world. The substance of that test I believe I have seen; and I judge it not consistent with humanity, I mean with the state of an human soul, as long as it is united to a corruptible body. Do not puzzle yourself any more with these nice inquiries; but, in order to resettle your judgement, give another deliberate reading to the Farther Thoughts or the Plain Account of Christian Perfection. He that long ago gave you to taste of His pardoning love gave you afterwards a taste of His pure love. Whereunto you have attained hold fast; never cast it away through a voluntary humility. But see that you do not rest there. Comparatively, forget the things that are behind. Reach forward! This one thing do: press on to the prize of your high calling. I expect to be at Newcastle on the 25th instant, and to stay twenty days in or near it. I remember Nicholas Sewell well, and have seen many of his poetical compositions. He was bred a Quaker, but when I knew him was stark, staring mad. I wish my brother would print his verses; but he grows more and more backward. You and I must be content with doing what good we can, and no more. Yet I love you for desiring to do more; only with resignation.--I am, my dear Philly, Yours affectionately. To Miss Phil. Briggs, At Mr. Barker's, In Sevenoaks, Kent. To Alexander Clark[10] EDINBURGH, May 19, 1772.

OTLEY, July 1, 1772. It is lost time to consider whether you write well or ill; you speak from the heart, and that is enough. Unbelief is either total, the absence of faith; or partial, the want of more faith. In the latter sense every believer may complain of unbelief, unless when he is filled with faith and the Holy Ghost. Then it is all midday. Yet even then we may pray, 'Lord, increase our faith.' We learn to think by reading and meditating on what we read, by conversing with sensible people, and by everything that improves the heart. Since purity of heart (as Mr. Norris observes) both clears the medium through which we see and strengthens the faculty, mechanical rules avail little unless one had opportunity of learning the elements of logic; but it is a miserable task to learn them without an instructor. Entire resignation implies entire love. Give Him your will, and you give Him your heart. You need not be at all careful in that matter, whether you apply directly to one Person or the other, seeing He and the Father are one. Pray just as you are led, without reasoning, in all simplicity. Be a little child hanging on Him that loves you. To Samuel Sparrow NEAR LORDS, July 2, 1772. DEAR SIR,--I have delayed answering your favour from time to time, hoping for leisure to answer it at large. But when that leisure will come I cannot tell; for in the summer months I am almost continually in motion. So I will delay no longer, but write a little as I can, though not as I would.

DEAR TOMMY,--Six pounds lie in John Johnson’s hands. Let it be paid into the hands of Ezekiel Saunderson and Jas. Stewart. Let the forms and desk at Belfast be finished immediately. Out of what remains you may pay Brother Stewart what is due to him from the Society--I suppose about thirty shillings.--I am, dear Tommy, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Ann Boron [11] CORK, May 2, 1773. I have, indeed, often grieved on your account, but it was for your sufferings. And yet I constantly saw the wise end of your sufferings, that you might be more largely a partaker of His holiness. Indeed, you have reason to be satisfied with our Lord’s disposal of you, and to praise Him for all His dispensations. Even those circumstances which are not joyous but grievous yet work together for good. At first this does not always appear; but in a little while light springs out of darkness. It is no wonder you should many times be at a loss how to express what you feel. The language of men is too weak to describe the deep things of God. But sometimes one word may express much. One of our preachers that sometime since labored in this town, though full of faith and love, could find no utterance till he just said ‘Peace! Peace!’ and died [This may have been John Dillon, who labored at Cork in 1786 and died in 1770]. You make me amends for not answering me before on that head by doing it so distinctly now. That is the danger, lest on such an occasion we should not be so fully recollected. But in this and all things His grace is sufficient for us--sufficient to make us more than conquerors, especially when we give ourselves to prayer for this very thing before the trial comes. In most parts of this kingdom there is such a thirst after holiness as I scarce ever knew before. Several here in particular who enjoy it themselves are continually encouraging others to press after it. And two of our traveling preachers who for some years disbelieved it are now happy witnesses of if. I hope you do not forget poor Ally Eden. She has need of comfort; so we will not reprove her. Yours most affectionately. To Mary Bishop LIMERICK, May 9, 1773.

DEAR HARRY,--When I read over in Ireland The Fool of Quality, I could not but observe the deign of it, to promote the religion of the heart, and that it was well calculated to answer that design; the same thing I observed a week or two ago concerning Juliet Grenville. Yet there seemed to me to be a few passages both in the one and the other which might be altered to the better; I do not mean so much with regard to the sentiments, which are generally very just, as with regard to the structure of the story, which seemed here and there to be not quite clear. I had at first a thought of writing to Mr. Brooke himself, but I did not know whether I might take the liberty. Few authors will thank you for imagining you are able to correct their works. But if he could bear it and thinks it would be of any use, I would give another reading to both these works, and send him my thoughts without reserve just as they occur. I admired Miss Brooke for her silence; her look spake, though not her tongue. If we should live to meet again, I should be glad to hear as well as see her--I am Yours. To Francis Wolfe YORK, July 10, 1774. MY DEAR BROTHER,--I had set you down for Bristol the next year. But last night I received a letter from John Murlin, and another from Tommy Lewis, desiring he might be there. Pray tell T. Lewis they will have him and two other new preachers, and that I am seeking for an housekeeper. Explicitly press the believers to go on to perfection!--I am, with love to Sister Wolfe, Your affectionate brother. To Mr. Wolfe, At the New Room, Bristol. To Ann Bolton [18] LEEDS, July 13, 1774. MY DEAR SISTER,--At all hazards get an electric machine. It is your bounden duty. You are no more at liberty to throw away your health than to throw away your life. If you disperse the small tracts among the poor people round Finstock, it will continue and deepen their awakening. Your removal from Witney was sufficient to cause slackness among the people. I hope Brother Taylor will recover, if he be plainly and yet tenderly dealt with.

MY DEAR BROTHER,--I rejoice to hear that God has made Mr. Crook's labor of love profitable to some of you, and cannot blame you for desiring to have him with you a little longer.' I will write to Mr. Mason, the Assistant at Whitehaven, that Mr. Crook is coming to be a third preacher in that circuit. The three preachers may then visit the Isle month by month; so that you will have Mr. Crook one month in three. They will all teach you that religion is holy tempers and holy lives, and that the sum of all is love.--I am Your affectionate brother. To Mr. Alexander Hume, In Peeltown, Isle of Man. To John Fletcher LONDON, October 6, 1775. DEAR SIR,--I came hither a quarter of an hour ago. Your answer to Mr. Shirley will, I trust, do great good. I cannot but hope it will be of service to himself; for, to say the truth, he does not seem to be sensible that he has done anything amiss. He does not appear to have the least conception of having injured me. I was going to print an edition of your letters here; but I will wait till your Sixth Letter comes, to which I think it will be exceeding proper to annex that you wrote to me. I shall now be here and hereabouts for some months. The Lord give you a right judgement in all things, and evermore to rejoice in His holy comfort--I am, dear sir, Yours most affectionately. To his Brother Charles RAMSBURY PARK, October 17, 1775. DEAR BROTHER,--It takes time to set people's heads right; but we must despair of nothing. I have cast my bread upon the waters, and should have been content though there had been no present fruit. Some hours this morning I devote to 'Americanus.' What is material I shall endeavor to answer. It is well if I can give as good an account of everything else as of my change of judgement.

That jewel who told you he was a rabbi I fear is little better than a cheat. You did well to give me some information about him. I have wrote a line to the Assistant at Bristol; so that if he makes his appearance there our people will be aware of him. I hope Mr. Booth, your third preacher, is now come. He is an Israelite indeed. He is peculiarly blest in encouraging believers to go on to perfection. In this respect I hope he will be particularly to you and all that hunger and thirst after righteousness. It was never designed that Henry Floyd should be stationed in any one place. He is only permitted to preach up and down, chiefly in Welsh, at the discretion of the Assistant. I believed your labor with the children would not be in vain. But in all things we have need of patience; and then, after we have done the will of God, we shall receive the promise. If you love me, deal freely with me. And whenever anything material occurs send an account of it to, my dear Kitty, Yours very affectionately. To Hannah Ball [21] LONDON, October 23, 1779. MY DEAR SISTER, - To-morrow night I am to set out for Norwich [] and this little tour will take me up a fortnight. At my return I have appointed to visit the classes, which requires a fortnight more. I see no possibility, then, of my opening the house, unless I steal away from them for a few hours. I care not for labor; but I want time. This, then, with God's help I will do. On Tuesday noon, November 9, I will steal away to Wycombe, preach at five in the evening, and then return to London. So I can go on with the classes at six on Wednesday morning. If the preachers and leaders strongly exhort the believers to go on to perfection, then the entire work of God will prosper among you; otherwise it will languish. - I am, my dear Hannah, Your affectionate brother. To the Methodist Societies CITY ROAD, LONDON, October 24, 1779.

3. This letter I laid before the Conference, and we easily perceived the difficulty therein proposed concerned not only the Society at Baildon but many others in various parts of the kingdom. It was therefore considered at large, and all our brethren were desired to speak their sentiments freely. In the conclusion they unanimously agreed, first, that it was highly expedient all the Methodists (so called) who had been bred therein should attend the service of the Church as often as possible; but that, secondly, if the minister began either to preach the Absolute Decrees or to rail at and ridicule Christian Perfection, they should quietly and silently go out of the church, yet attend it again the next opportunity. 4. I have since that time revolved this matter over and over in my own mind; and the more I consider it, the more I am convinced this was the best answer that could be given. I still advise all our friends, when this case occurs, quietly and silently to go out. Only I must earnestly caution them not to be critical; not to make a man an offender for a word -- no, nor for a few sentences, which any who believe the decrees may drop without design. But if such a minister should at any time deliberately and of set purpose endeavor to establish Absolute Predestination or to confute Scriptural Perfection, then I advise all the Methodists in the congregation quietly to go away. To Hester Ann Roe [1] LONDON, January 17, 1782.

It is, I believe, near forty years ago that a friend recommended to me Mr. Marshall's Gospel Mystery of Sanctification. [See Journal. v. 239-40.] A few passages I found scattered up and down which I thought leaned towards Antinomianism. But in general I approved of it well, and judged it to be an excellent book. The main proposition, that inward and outward holiness flow from a consciousness of the favor of God, is undoubtedly true. And it is a truth that should always be before our eyes. I commend you to Him that loves you more than you are sensible of; and am, dear sir, Your affectionate friend and brother. To the Rev. Mr. Davenport, At Allexton, Near Uppingham, Rutlandshire. To Elizabeth Ritchie [2] LONDON, January 19, 1782. It seemed a little strange to me, my dear Betsy, that I did not hear from you for so long a time. But I imputed your silence to your bodily weakness, of which several of our friends sent me word. From our brethren in various parts of England and Ireland I have very pleasing accounts of the uncommon blessings which many received at the time of renewing their covenant with God. I am glad to hear that you at Otley had your share. That point, entire salvation from inbred sin, can hardly ever be insisted upon, either in preaching or prayer, without a particular blessing. Honest Isaac Brown [The preacher at Keighley. He is named in the Deed of Declaration, and is one of four to whom Wesley left any money found in his pockets and bureau after his death.] firmly believes this doctrine, that we are to be saved from all sin in this life. But I wish, when opportunity serves, you would encourage him (1) to preach Christian perfection, constantly, strongly, and explicitly; (2) explicitly to assert and prove that it may be received now and (3) (which indeed is implied therein) that it is to be received by simple faith.

DEAR JOSEPH, -- Your builders should consider (1) that the Conference can allow them nothing, and (2) that they cannot expect to collect anything in the circuit. Then, if they will build, let them observe the advices given in the Minutes of the Conference. Barely by not ‘going on to perfection’ all believers will grow dead and cold; and then they are just ripe for levity, tattling, and evil-speaking, which will soon destroy all the life of God out of their souls. Therefore you have need on this very account to preach perfection in the most strong and explicit manner possible. Without this you can never lift up the hands that hang down and strengthen the feeble knees. And what you preach to others you have particular need to apply to your own souls. Fly on, and take the prize. It is received by simple faith. Believe, and enter into rest! -- I am, dear Joseph, Your affectionate brother. To Mr. Joseph Algar, At Mr. Henry Jones’s, In Swansea, South Wales. To Ambrose Foley LONDON, February 26, 1782. DEAR SIR, -- On Saturday, March 23, I hope to be at Birmingham to open the new chapel [He opened Cherry Street Chapel letters of June 19, 1781, and Feb. 24, on July7. See Journal, vi. 360; and 1783.] and to spend a few days there. About the middle of the ensuing week I shall be willing to give you a sermon at Quinton. I am glad to hear that our labor there has not been in vain and that you are not ‘ashamed of the gospel of Christ.’ It will be a particular pleasure to me to see Mrs. Foley, and I hope to see her happier than ever she has been yet. Peace be with your spirits. -- I am Your affectionate brother. To Mr. Ambrose Foley, At Quinton, Near Birmingham. To Mrs. Knapp LONDON, February 27, 1782.

MY DEAR BROTHER, -- It is an excellent plan. The sooner you put it in execution the better; only see that you be all punctual to follow one another exactly. Let not a little hindrance or inconvenience put you out of your way; -- suppose a shower of rain or snow. Press on! Break through! Take up your cross each of you and follow your Master; so shall the world and the devil fall under your feet. -- I am, dear Jemmy, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Mrs. Cock LONDON, October 12, 1788. MY DEAR SISTER, -- It gives me much pleasure to find you are still happy in God, leaning upon your Beloved. O may you increase therein more and more! May you be more and more holy, and you will be more and more happy! [See letters of June 26 (to Adam Clarke) and Dec. 27. ] This I long for, even your perfection, your growing up in all things into Him that is our Head. O may you never endeavor Love's all-sufficient sea to raise By drops of creature happiness! I sent you a little book or two by Mr. Clarke. If I can be of any service to you in anything, it would be an unspeakable satisfaction to, my dear sister, Yours affectionately. To Joseph Cownley LONDON, October 12, 1788. DEAR JOSEPH, -- I really think you have hardly had so much scandal as one might expect would fall to your share. I have heard very few faults found with you for above these forty years, and I think you and I have not had one quarrel yet. So it is very probable we never shall.

Verily your labor shall not be in vain. Go in the name of the Lord and in the power of His might. Be instant in season, out of season, above all things exhort the believers to go on to perfection! When this is neglected the whole work of God will languish. So it will without visiting from house to house. [Baldwin was in the Gloucestershire Circuit. He died in 1810.] --I am, dear George, Your affectionate brother. To Mrs. Pawson LONDON, November 16, 1789. MY DEAR SISTER, -- My health is rather increasing than decreased. I can preach once a day without any inconvenience, and sometimes twice [See Journal, viii. 17.]; only not early in the morning. But I purpose soon to make another trial. I am glad the Select Society is restored at Bitstall. This is an excellent means of recommending Christian perfection. Therefore men and devils will in every place use every art to dissolve those societies. Mr. Pawson will be useful wherever he goes; so I trust will you likewise, particularly to those that either already enjoy or are earnestly seeking perfect love. [See a reference to her in letter of Nov. 26 to Adam Clarke.] You do well strongly to insist that those who do already enjoy it cannot possibly stand still. Unless they continue to watch and pray and aspire after higher degrees of holiness, I cannot conceive not only how they can go forward but how they can keep what they have already received. Certainly, therefore, this is a point much to be insisted on, both [in] public and private, that all who have tasted of the pure [level of God should continually grow in grace, in the image of God, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.--I am, my dear sister, Your affectionate brother. To Mrs. Pawson, In Bitstall, Near Leeds. To Richard Rodda LAMBETH, November 20, 1789.

that both alleged what was true; that in a point of so little importance the Apostles varied themselves; some of them observing it on the fourteenth day of the moon, and others not. But, be this as it may, it can be no proof, either that Polycarp was not a holy man, or that he was not favoured with the extraordinary, as well as ordinary, gifts of the Spirit. 9. With regard to the narrative of his martyrdom, you affirm, “It is one of the most authentic pieces in all primitive antiquity.” (Page 124.) I will not vouch for its authenticity; nor therefore for the story of the dove, the flame forming an arch, the fragrant smell, or the revelation to Pionius. But your attempt to account for these things is truly curious. You say, “An arch of flame round his body is an appearance which might easily happen, from the common effects of wind. And the dove said to fly out of him, might be conveyed into the wood which was prepared to consume him.” (Page 229.) How much more naturally may we account for both, by supposing the whole to be a modern fiction, wrote on occasion of that account mentioned by Eusebius, but lost many ages ago! But whatever may be thought of this account of his death, neither does this affect the question, whether during his life he was endued with the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost. 10. There is one of those whom you style apostolic Fathers yet behind, of whom you talk full as familiarly as of the rest: I mean, Hermas: “To whom,” you say, “ some impute the fraud of forging the Sibylline books.” (Page 37.) It would not have been amiss, if you had told us, which of the ancients, whether Christian, Jew, or Heathen, ever accused him of this. If none ever did, some will be apt to think it is giving a person but hard measure, to bring an accusation against him which never was heard of till sixteen hundred years after his death.

(Epist. 5.) And in this large sense he calls the sign of the cross a sacrament; (in Psalm. cxli.,) and others give the same name to washing the feet, (Cypr. de Lotione Pedum,) and many other mysteries. But then matrimony doth no more confer grace, than wash ing the feet, or using the sign of the cross; which Bellar mine, after all the virtue he ascribes to it, will not allow to be properly and truly a sacrament. (De Imag., l. 2, c. 30, sec. Dices ergo.) Q. 88. May those that are in holy orders marry, or those that are married be received into orders in the Church of Rome? A. No; these that are married may not be admitted; (Concil. Later. 1, Can. 21, et Later. 2, Can. 6;) those that are admitted may not marry; and those that, being admitted, do marry, are to be separated. Q. 89. If marriage is a sacrament, and so confers grace, how comes it to be denied to those that are in holy orders? (Catech. Rom., par. 2, c. 8, n. 17.) A. Those in holy orders are the temple of God, and it is a shameful thing that they should serve uncleanness. (Later. Concil. 2, Can. 6.) REPLY. The Apostle, on the contrary, saith, “Marriage is honourable in all; ” (Heb. xiii. 4;) and gives a hard character of that doctrine which forbids it. (1 Tim. iv. 1-3.) And how lawful it was, the direction of the Apostle about it (1 Tim. iii. 2) doth show. And how convenient it is, is manifest from the mischiefs attending the prohibition of it in the Romish Church, which wise men among themselves have lamented. (Polyd. Virgil. de Invent, l. 3, c. 4, et Cassander Consult, art. 23.) I MIGHT have added the Fifth Section about the juris diction which the Church of Rome challenges over Princes, and about their canonization of saints, their consecration of Agnus Deis and beads, &c., and the use these and the like are applied to. I might have further considered their notes of a Church, and, showed how many of them are not true, or, however, do not belong to the Church of Rome; but that would be too large a subject to enter upon: And what has been said will be sufficient to show how far that Church hath erred from truth and reason.

A more dangerous error in the Church of Rome is, the for bidding the Clergy to marry. “Those that are married may not be admitted into orders: Those that are admitted may not marry : And those that, being admitted, do marry, are to be separated.” The Apostle, on the contrary, says, “Marriage is honour able in all;” (Heb. xiii. 4;) and accuses those who “forbid to marry,” of teaching “doctrines of devils.” How lawful it was for the Clergy to marry, his directions concerning it show. (1 Tim. iv. 1, 3.) And how convenient, yea, necessary, in many cases it is, clearly appears from the innumerable mischiefs which have in all ages followed the prohibition of it in the Church of Rome; which so many wise and good men, even of her own communion, have lamented. I have now fairly stated, and calmly considered, most of the particular doctrines of the Church of Rome. Permit me to add a few considerations of a more general nature. That many members of that Church have been holy men, and that many are so now, I firmly believe. But I do not know, if any of them that are dead were more holy than many Protestants who are now with God; yea, than some of our own country, who were very lately removed to Abraham's bosom. To instance only in one : (Whom I mention the rather, because an account of his life is extant :) I do not believe that many of them, of the same age, were more holy than Thomas Walsh. And I doubt if any among them, living now, are more holy than several Protestants now alive. But be this as it may: However, by the tender mercies of God, many members of the Church of Rome have been, and are now, holy men, notwithstanding their principles; yet I fear many of their principles have a natural tendency to undermine holiness; greatly to hinder, if not utterly to destroy, the essential branches of it,-to destroy the love of God, and the love of our neighbour, with all justice, and mercy, and truth. I wish it were possible to lay all prejudice aside, and to consider this calmly and impartially. I begin with the love of God, the fountain of all that holiness without which we cannot see the Lord.

“5. God out of his infinite love hath so loved the world that he gave his only Son, to the end that whosoever believeth on him might have everlasting life. And he enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world, as he tasted death for every man. “6. The benefit of the death of Christ is not only extended to such as have the distinct knowledge of his death and sufferings, but even unto those who are inevitably excluded from this knowledge. Even these may be partakers of the benefit of his death, though ignorant of the history, if they suffer his grace to take place in their hearts, so as of wicked men to become holy.” In these points there is no difference between Quakerism and Christianity. “7. As many as receive the light, in them is produced a holy and spiritual birth, bringing forth holiness, righteous ness, purity, and all other blessed fruits. By which holy birth, as we are sanctified, so we are justified.” Here is a wide difference between Quakerism and Chris tianity. This is flat justification by works. Whereas, the Christian doctrine is, that “we are justified by faith;” that “unto him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted to him for righteousness.” The ground of this mistake is, the not understanding the meaning of the word justification. For Robert Barclay takes it in the same sense as the Papists do, confounding it with sanctification. So in page 208 of his “Apology,” he says, in express terms, “Justification, taken in its proper signification, is making one just; and is all one with sanctification.” “8. In whom this holy birth is fully brought forth, the body of sin and death is crucified, and their hearts are subjected to the truth, so as not to obey any suggestion of the evil one; but to be free from actual sinning and transgressing of the law of God, and, in that respect, perfect. “9. They in whom his grace hath wrought in part to purify and sanctify them, may yet by disobedience fall from it, and make shipwreck of the faith.” In these propositions there is no difference between Quakerism and Christianity. The uncommon expression, “This holy birth brought forth,” is taken from Jacob Behmen.

One jot or one tittle shall in nowise pass from the law, till heaven and earth pass.” “Therefore a believer is free from the law.” That he is “free from the curse of the law,” we know ; and that he is “free from the law,” or power, “ of sin and death: ” But where is it written that he is free from the law of God? “He is not obliged thereby to do or omit anything, it being inconsistent with his liberty to do anything as commanded.” So your liberty is a liberty to disobey God; whereas ours is a liberty to obey him in all things: So grossly, while we “establish the law,” do you “make void the law through faith !” “5. We are sanctified wholly the moment we are justified, and are neither more nor less holy to the day of our death; entire sanctification and entire justification being in one and the same instant.” Just the contrary appears both from the tenor of God’s word, and the experience of his children. “6. A believer is never sanctified or holy in himself, but in Christ only. He has no holiness in himself at all; all his holiness being imputed, not inherent.” Scripture holiness is the image of God; the mind which was in Christ; the love of God and man; lowliness, gentleness, temperance, patience, chastity. And do you coolly affirm, that this is only imputed to a believer, and that he has none at all of this holiness in him? Is temperance imputed only to him that is a drunkard still ; or chastity, to her that goes on in whoredom? Nay, but a believer is really chaste and temperate. And if so, he is thus far holy in himself. Does a believer love God, or does he not? If he does, he has the love of God in him. Is he lowly, or meek, or patient at all? If he is, he has these tempers in himself; and if he has them not in himself, he is not lowly, or meek, or patient. You cannot therefore deny, that every believer has holiness in, though not from, himself; else you deny, that he is holy at all; and if so, he cannot see the Lord.

Here you see the Jews, who never had the gospel, are said to put it away.” How ! Are you sure they “never had what they are here said to put away?” Not so: What they put away, it is undeniable, they had, till they put it away; namely, “the word of God spoken” by Paul and Barnabas. This instance, therefore, makes full against you. It proves just the reverse of what you cited it for. But you object further: “Men may have a good con science, in some sense, without true faith.” I grant it, in a restrained, limited sense; but not a good conscience, simply and absolutely speaking. But such is that of which the Apostle here speaks, and which he exhorts Timothy to “hold fast.” Unless you apprehend that the holding it fast likewise “rather supposes he never had it.” “But the faith here mentioned means only the doctrine of faith.” I want better proof of this. It remains, then, one who has the faith which produces a good conscience may yet finally fall. 71. Thirdly. Those who are grafted into the good olive tree, the spiritual, invisible Church, may nevertheless finally fall. For thus saith the Apostle: “Some of the branches are broken off, and thou art grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive-tree. Be not high-minded, but fear: If God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he spare not thee. Behold the good ness and severity of God! On them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: Otherwise thou shalt be cut off.” (Rom. xi. 17, &c.) We may observe here, (1.) The persons spoken to were actually ingrafted into the olive-tree. (2.) This olive-tree is not barely the outward, visible Church, but the invisible, consisting of holy believers. So the text: “If the first fruit be holy, the lump is holy; and if the root be holy, so are the branches.” And “because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith.” (3.) Those holy believers were still liable to be cut off from the invisible Church, into which they were then grafted. (4.) Here is not the least intimation of their being ever grafted in again.

Ant.--I do. “They bring in the most dangerous kind of Popery, and pervert the pure gospel of Christ, who persuade men, that if they do not submit to the ordinances of the Lord Jesus, he will not confess them before his Father.” And I affirm, “it is better not to practise outward ordinances at all, than to practise them on these gospel-destroying principles, to the ruining of our souls.” Friend.--What scripture do you produce for this? Ant.--I wish you would not build so much upon the letter: It is your letter-learning too makes you talk of inherent righteousness. * Friend.--Do you say then, a believer has no inherent righteousness? Ant.--That I do. I say, “God will save us to the utmost, without any righteousness or holiness of our own.” To look for inherent righteousness, “is to deny the Spirit, and trample under foot the blood of the covenant. Believers have not any inherent righteousness in them. Our righteousness is nothing but the imputation of the righteousness of Christ.” Friend.--Now, I believe that Christ by his Spirit works righteousness in all those to whom faith is imputed for righteousness. Ant.--“By no means; all our righteousness is in Christ. It is wholly imputed, not inherent. We are always righteous in Christ, but never righteous in ourselves.” Friend.--Is not, then, every believer righteous or holy? Ant.--Doubtless; but he is holy in Christ, not in himself. Friend.--Does he not live a holy life; and is he not holy of heart 2 Ant.--Most certainly. Friend.--Is he not, by plain consequence, holy in himself? Ant.--No, no, in Christ only; not holy in himself: He has no holiness at all in himself. Friend.--Has he not in him the love of God, and of his neighbour; yea, the whole image of God? Ant.--He has. But this is not gospel holiness. Friend.--What vain jangling is this ! You cavil at the name, while you allow the whole thing I contend for. You allow, a believer is holy both in heart and life. This is all I mean by inherent righteousness or holiness. Ant.--But I tell you, this is not gospel holiness. Gospel holiness is faith. Friend.--Stand to this, and you still give up the whole cause. For, on your supposition, I argue thus:--Faith is holiness or righteousness: But faith is in every believer: Therefore, holiness or righteousness is in every believer. Ant.--Alas, alas! I pity you.

This is done by the blood of Christ alone: For the sake of which, God forgives, and works these in us by faith. Do I reach your meaning now? Ant.-No, no; I wonder at your ignorance. I mean, “we are not made good or holy by any inward qualities or dispo sitions: But being made pure and holy in our consciences, by believing in Christ, we bear forth, inwardly and outwardly, the fruits of holiness.” Now, I hope, you understand me. Friend.--I hope not. For, if I do, you talk as gross nonsense and contradiction as ever came out of the mouth of man. Ant.--How so? Friend.--You say, “We are not made good or holy by any inward qualities or dispositions.” No | are we not made good by inward goodness? (observe, we are not speaking of justification, but sanctification;) holy, by inward holiness? meek, by inward meekness? gentle, by inward gentleness? And are not all these, if they are anything at all, “inward qualities or dispositions?” Again: Just after denying that we have any inward holi ness, you say, “We are made holy in our consciences, and bear forth, inwardly and outwardly, the fruits of holiness.” What heaps of self-contradictions are here ! Ant.--You do not take me right. I mean, these inward dispositions “are not our holiness. For we are not more holy, if we have more love to God and man, nor less holy, if we have less.” Friend.--No ! Does not a believer increase in holiness, as he increases in the love of God and man? Ant.--I say, No. “The very moment he is justified, he is wholly sanctified. And he is neither more nor less holy, from that hour, to the day of his death. Entire justification and entire sanctification are in the same instant. And neither of them is thenceforth capable either of increase or decrease. Friend.--I thought we were to grow in grace! Ant.--“We are so; but not in holiness. The moment we are justified, we are as pure in heart as ever we shall be. A new-born babe is as pure in heart as a father in Christ. There is no difference.” Friend.--You do well to except against Scripture and reason. For till a man has done with them, he can never swallow this. I understand your doctrine now, far better than I like it.

And when I did, I was so far from making them my creed, that I had objections to almost every page.” (Page 135.) True; but neither does this prove that I adopted his scheme. “To instruct a person in the nature of Christianity, I fixed an hour a day, to read with her in Mr. Law’s treatise on ‘Christian Perfection.’” I did so. And an excellent book it is, though liable to many objections. “Another little company of us met: We sung, read a little of Mr. Law, and then conversed.” MR. HILL's REVIEw. 395 73. “I believe the Mystic writers to be one great Anti christ.” 74. “Mr. F. affirms, Solo mon is the chief of Mystics; and Mr. W. acquiesces in the affirmation.” I retract this. It is far too strong. But observe, I never contradicted it till now ! I do not. I affirm no such thing. Therefore all Mr. H. builds upon this is only a castle in the air. Enoch and Elijah are in Enoch and Elijah are not in heaven. heaven. 75. “Enoch and Elijah en “Enoch and Elijah are not tered at once into the highest in heaven, but only in para degree of glory.” dise.” (Page 138.) “Notes on the New Testament, John iii. 13, first edition.” But why is Mr. H. so careful to name the first edition? Because in the second the mistake is corrected. Did he know this? And could he avail himself of a mistake which he knew was removed before he wrote | For sinless perfection. Against sinless perfection. Upon this head Mr. H. employs his whole strength. I will therefore the more carefully weigh what he advances; only premising, before I descend to particulars, two general observations: (1.) Out of the twenty-five passages cited for perfection, seventeen are taken from my brother’s Hymns. These, therefore, strike wide. Whatever they prove, they cannot prove that I contradict myself. (2.) Out of the twenty-five cited against perfection, four teen are cited from the sermon on “Sin in Believers.” Do I mean, in such believers as are “perfected in love?” Mr. H. himself knows I do not. Why then every one of these four teen arguments is an abuse both upon me and his readers. It is the most egregious trifling that can be conceived.

Fletcher's Letters?” Because I judged it would be an effectual means of undoing the mischief which Mr. Shirley had done: Not that I am now sorry (though I was) for what he has done, for his publication of that bitter Circular Letter: For 1 now clearly discern the hand of God throughout that whole affair. Both my brother and I still indulged the fond hope of living in peace with our warm Calvinist brethren; but we now give it up; our eyes are open; we see what we have to expect. We look for neither mercy nor justice at their hands; if we find any, it will be clear gains. 23. The Second objection is, “Mr. Wesley acknowledged the unguarded manner in which the Minutes were drawn up; and yet immediately after defended them.” I answer, How did I “acknowledge the unguarded manner?” The plain case was this: I seek peace, and would do anything for it, which I can with a safe conscience. On this principle it was, that when Mr. Shirley read over his Declaration, (I say his; for it was he drew it up, not I,) and asked, if we agreed thereto, I was heartily desirous to agree with him as far as possible. In order to this, after altering some words, I asked our brethren, if they were willing to sign it. One immediately said, “The Minutes are not unguarded; they are guarded enough.” I said, “They are guarded enough for you; but not for those who seek occasion against us.” And observe, it is only in this sense, that I subscribed to that expression. But I will not affirm, that my love of peace did not carry me a little too far. I know not but it would have been better, not to have signed the paper at all. MR. HILL's REVIEw. 407 24. So much for the Minutes. Perhaps it may be expected, that I should also take some notice of what Mr. Hill says concerning perfection. All his arguments indeed, and ten times more, I have answered over and over. But if it is required, I will answer once more; only premising, by that perfection, to which St. Paul directs Mr. Hill and me to go on, (Heb. vi. 1) I understand meither more nor less, than what St. John terms “perfect love;” (1 John iv.

But suppose they were all true, what would follow? Many hearers abusing the doctrines I teach, no more prove that those doctrines are false, than the German Ranters proved that Luther's were so. 28. Is it another argument, that “the monstrous doctrine of perfection turns some of its deluded votaries into monsters? This may be proved from the cases of Bell and Harris; the former of whom prophesied that the world would be at an end the last of February; the latter was seized with raving madness, and died blaspheming in a most dreadful manner.” (Page 44.) It would be strange if George Bell were not brought upon the stage, as he has been an hundred times over. As for * This quotation from Juvenal is thus rendered by Mr. Madan : “The censure of a severe laugh is easy to any one.”-ED1 r. poor Benjamin Harris, I believe, as a punishment for his pride and uncharitableness, God permitted him to be struck in an instant with diabolical madness. But it did not con tinue to his death; he did not die blaspheming. I saw him myself quiet and composed; and be calmly delivered up his soul to God. See another instance: “A friend of mine lately informed me that an eminent Preacher of perfection told him, that he had not sinned for some years, and that the Holy Ghost had descended and sat on him and many others in a visible manner, as he did upon the Apostles on the day of Pentecost.” Please to name the man; otherwise an hundred such tales will weigh nothing with men of sense and candour. Behold a Fourth: “Last year I myself conversed with a gentlewoman of such high perfection, that she said, no man could teach her anything, and went to no place of worship for years together: However, she was a scold, and beat her maid.” Perhaps so. And what is that to me? If she is a member of our society, tell me her name; and she will be in it no longer. This is our glorying. It must be, that many members of our society will, from time to time, grow weary of well-doing; yea, that some will fall into sin. But as soon as this appears, they have no more place among us. We regard no man’s person, high or low, rich or poor.

addresses directly to me:-- (1.) “Did not you, in administering the sacrament, a few years ago, to a perfect society in West-Street chapel, leave out the Confession ?” Yes, and many times since. When I am straitened for time, (as I generally am there on a Monday,) I begin the Communion-service at, “We do not presume to come to this thy table.” One Monday, Mr. Madan desired to stay. Here, I suppose, is “the fountain-head of this intelligence.” (2.) “Did not one of the enthusiasts then say, he had heard a voice telling him, he was all holiness to the Lord?” Possibly so; but I remember nothing of it. (3.) “Did not a second declare the same thing?” Not that I remember. (4) “Did not George Bell say, he should never die?” He often did, if not then. (5) “Did not one present confirm it?” Not unlikely ; but I do not remember it. (6.) “Did not another perfect brother say, he believed the millennium was near; for there had been more Constables sworn in that year than heretofore?” Are you sure he was a perfect brother; that is, one that professed so to be As for me, I can say nothing about it; for I neither remember the man nor the words. “This I have put down verbatim from the mouth of a judicious friend then present; but from that time he has been heartily sick of sinless perfection.” Say of “perfect love.” Is it only from that time that Mr. Madan has been sick of it? Was he not sick of it before? And did he then, or at any time since, say one word to me of any of these things? No; but he treasured them up for ten years; and then tells Mr. Hill, that he might tell them to all the world. (7) “Do not you know a Clergvman, once closely connected with you, who refused a great witness for perfection the sacrament, because he had been detected in bed with a perfect sister?” No; I never heard of it before. Surely Mr. M d is not fallen so low, as to invent such a tale as this ! I need not say anything to your last anecdote, since you (for once 1) put a candid construction upon my words.

F. defends them, and strives to reconcile them with the Declaration. But then comes Mr. W., and tells us, he does not know, but it had been better not to have signed it at all.” And what then? Why, “hereby he intimates, that he has fixed a different sense upon the Minutes from that which they originally bore.” No such thing; he intimates this and no more, that by that well-intended concession, he had given occasion, to those who sought occasion, of offence against him. So all this laboured charge vanishes into air; and no more proves inconsistency than high-treason. 42. We come now to the main point, perfection; the objections to which spread almost throughout the book. But the question is not, whether the doctrine be true or false; but whether I contradict myself concerning it. As to what occurs in the fourth and fifth pages, it may therefore suffice to say, I do believe (as you observe) that real Christians (meaning those that are “perfected in love”) are freed from evil or sinful thoughts. And where do I contradict this? “You say, I cannot prove the facts alleged against some professors of perfection. Indeed I can.” (Page 10.) If you could, that would not prove that I contradict myself on this head. “But one at Worcester writes, ‘I can send you an account of two or three shocking instances of bad behaviour among the professors of perfection here.’” Perhaps so. But will that prove my inconsistency? 43. Awhile since, Mr. Ma--d related to me the whole story of Samuel Wi-n. I know not that I ever heard of it before, but only some imperfect fragments of it. The other story, of “a Preacher of perfection who said, the Holy Ghost visibly descended on all true converts,” may be true for aught I know; but I question much, whether that madman was a Preacher. It may likewise be true, that several wild expres sions were uttered at West-street chapel. Yet I think, all these put together will not prove, that I contradict myself. However, I am glad to read, “If I publish another edition of the Review, these instances shall all be omitted; and personal vilifications shall be left to the sole pen of Mr. W.” Then you will reduce your Farrago to a page, and your Review to a penny pamphlet.

W.” Then you will reduce your Farrago to a page, and your Review to a penny pamphlet. But still “personal vilification” will not suit my pen. I have better employment for it. 44. You say, “Let us now proceed to Mr. W.’s assertions on sinless perfection.” (Page 26.) As I observed before, I am not now to dispute whether they are right or wrong. I keep therefore to that single point, Do I herein contradict myself, or not? When I said, “If some of our hymns contradict others,” I did not allow they do. I meant only, if it were so, this would not prove that I contradict myself. “But still it proves, the people must sing contradictions.” Observe, that is, if--. In your account of perfection, blot out “no wandering 440 REMARKs on MR. HILL’s thoughts.” None in the body are exempt from these. This we have declared over and over; particularly in the sermon wrote upon that subject. If in the sermon on Ephesians ii. 8, (not xi. 5, as your blunderer prints it,) the words which I had struck out in the preceding edition, are inserted again, what will this prove? Only that the printer, in my absence, printed, not from the last, but from an uncorrected, copy. However, you are hereby excused from unfairness, as to that quotation. But what excuse have you in the other instance, with regard to Enoch and Elijah? On which I asked, “Why is Mr. Hill so careful to name the first edition? Because in the second the mistake is corrected. Did he know this? And could he avail himself of a mistake which he knew was removed before he wrote?” (Remarks, p. 395.) It is now plain he could ! Nay, instead of owning his unfairness, he endeavours to turn the blame upon me ! “You are as inconsistent in your censures as in your doctrines: You blame me for quoting the last edition of your Sermon ; whereas you call me to account for quoting the first edition of your Notes, concerning Enoch and Elijah; each of whom you have proved, by a peculiar rule of Foundery-logic, to be both in heaven and out of heaven.” So, without any remorse, nay, being so totally unconcerned as even to break jests on the occasion, you again “avail yourself of a mistake which you knew was removed before you wrote.” 45.

Thoughts, Addresses, Prayers, Letters G r and R a pids G-6 Michig an This edition of the complete and unabridged THE WoRks of JoHN WESLEY is reproduced by the photo offset process from the authorized edition published by the Wesleyan Conference Office in London, England, in 1872. Lithographed in the United States of America * * - * * - , , conTENTs I. Page. Serious Thoughts occasioned by the late Earthquake at Lisbon. . . . . . . . . . . . .• • • - - - - - - - • • * * * * * * * I Free Thoughts on the Present State of Public Affairs: In a Letter to a Friend. . . . .• - - - - - - - - - - - - . . . 14 Thoughts upon Liberty . . . . . . . . . . . .• * * * * * * * * * * 3 * Thoughts concerning the Origin of Power . . . . . . . . . . . 4G, Thoughts on the Present Scarcity of Provisions . . . . . . . £3 Thoughts upon Slavery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 A Call" Addrcss to our American Colonies. . . . . . . . . . . 80 :Some Observations on Liberty : Occasioned by a late Tract 90 A Seasonable Address to the more serious part of the Inhabitants of Great Britain, respecting the Unhappy Contcst between us and our American Brethren : With an occasional Word interspersed to those of a different Complexion. By a Lover of Peace . . . . . . } | {} State Univers, uy of iowa X. Page. A Calm Address to the Inhabitants of England . . . . . . . 129 A Serious Address to the People of England, with regard to the State of the Nation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140 A Compassionate. Address to the Inhabitants of Ireland. . 149 How far is it the Duty of a Christian Minister to Preach Politics 2 . . . . .

. 250 A Short Account of the Life and Death of the Reverend John Fletcher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273 of HIs PARENTAGE AND YoUTH . . . . . . . . . . . . .277 oF HIs conversIon Tê GoD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282 MADELEY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287 FROM HIs seTTLING AT MAD ELEY, To HIs LEAV ING TREVECKA . . . . . . . . . . . • - - - - - . . . . . . 292 FROM HIs LEAVING TREVEcKA, To IIIs GoING To BRISTOL . . . . . . . . . . . . - - - - - - - - - - - - . . . .300 FROM HIs LEAVING NEWINGTON, TILL His RETURN OF HIS MARRIAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326 The University of low- 1 \\raries, vi CONTENTS. CHAPTER VIII. Page. FROM HIS MARRIAGE, To THE BEGINNING of His LAST ILLNESS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333 HIS CHARACTER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.10 HIS DEATH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356 A Plain Account of Christian Perfection, as believed and taught by the Reverend Mr. John Wesley, from the year 1725 to the year 1777 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3G6 Brief Thoughts on Christian Perfection . . . . . . . . . . . . 416 Some Thoughts on an Expression of St. Paul, in the First Epistle to the Thessalonians, v. 23 . . . . . .

. . . 447 On Christian Perfection. To the Rev. Mr. Dodd . . . . . 44S An Answer to the Rev. Mr. Dodd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45() Some Account of the late Dr. Dodd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 k. Thoughts on a Single Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 456 A Thought upon Marriage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4C3 Advice to the People called Methodists, with regard to Dress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 466 Thoughts upon Dress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 477 CoNTENTS. vii XXXIX. Page. A Letter to the Ilev. Mr. Thomas Maxfield: Occasioned by a late Publication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 478 A Clear and Concise Demonstration of the Divine Inspiration of the Holy Scriptures . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 [. The Iteal Character of Montanus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 485 Letter on Preaching Christ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 486 Thoughts on Salvation by Faith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 492 4God's Eyes are over all the Earth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 496 A l'emarkable Providence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 497 An Account of the Brothers’ Steps.• • e o e o e o e - e. e. e. e. e.

Adjoining to this lies an oval piece of ground, thirty or forty yards in diameter, which has been removed, whole as it is, from beneath the cliff, without the least fissure, with all its load of rocks, some of which were as large as the hull of a small ship. At a little distance is a second piece of ground, forty or fifty yards across, which has also been transplanted entire, with rocks of various sizes upon it, and a tree growing out of one of them. By the removal of one or both of these, I suppose the hollow near the cliff was made. All round them lay stones and rocks, great and small, some on the surface of the earth, some half sunk into it, some almost covered, in variety of positions. Between these the ground was cleft asunder in a thousand places. Some of the apertures were nearly closed again, some gaping as at first. Between thirty and forty acres of land, as is commonly supposed, (though some reckon above sixty,) are in this condition. On the skirts of these, I observed, in abundance of places, the green turf (for it was pasture-land) as it were pared off, two or three inches thick, and wrapped round like sheets of lead. A little farther it was not cleft or broken at all, but raised in ridges, five or six foot long, exactly resembling the graves in a churchyard. Of these there is a vast number. That part of the cliff from which the rest is torn, lies so high and is now of so bright a colour, that it is plainly visible to all the country round, even at the distance of several miles. We saw it distinctly, not only from the street in Thirsk, but for five or six miles after, as we rode toward York. So we did likewise in the great North Road, between Sandhutton and Northallerton. But how may we account for this phenomenon? Was it effected by a merely natural cause? If so, that cause must either have been fire, water, or air. It could not be fire; for then some mark of it must have appeared, either at the time, or after it.

But they never had, either before or after they left England, any such power of making laws for themselves as exempted them from the King and Parliament; they never pretended to any such power till now; they never advanced any such claim; nay, when this was laid to their charge, they vehemently denied it, as an absolute slander. But you go further still: “When this power” (of independency) “is lost, the people have always a right to resume it.” Comfortable doctrine indeed! perfectly well calculated for the support of civil government! 39. To the same good end, you observe: “Without an equal representation of all that are governed, government becomes complete tyranny.” (Page 27.) Now, you had told us before, “There is not such an equal representation in England:” It follows, “The English Government is complete tyranny!” We have, however, the comfort to know that it never was any better since the Parliament subsisted. For who can say that there ever was an equal representation since the conquest? We know further, that we have only neighbour's fare; for we cannot find there is any nation in Europe, no, nor in the habitable world, where the Govern ment is not as complete tyranny as our own; we find none wherein there is “an equal representation of all that are governed.” But will any man affirm, in cool blood, that the English Government is “complete tyranny?” We have certainly enjoyed more complete liberty since the Revolution, than England ever enjoyed before; and the English Govern ment, unequal as the representation is, has been admired by all impartial foreigners. 40. “But the sword is now to determine our rights: Detested be the measures which have brought us to this.” (Page 33.) I once thought those measures had been originally concerted in our own kingdom; but I am now persuaded they were not. obSERVATIONS ON LIBERTY. 109 I allow that the Americans were strongly exhorted by letters from England, “never to yield or lay down their arms till they had their own terms, which the Government would be constrained to give them in a short time:” But those mea sures were concerted long before this; long before either the Tea Act or the Stamp Act existed; only they were not digested into form,-that was reserved for the good Congress.

As all the good that is done on earth thou doest it thyself, let me ever return to thee all the glory. Let me, as a pure crystal, transmit all the light thou pourest upon me; but never claim as my own what is thy sole property. O thou who wert despised and rejected of men, when I am slighted by my friends, disdained by my superiors, overborne or ridiculed by my equals, or contemptuously treated by my inferiors, let me cry out with thy holy martyr,” “It is now that I begin to be a disciple of Christ.” Then let me thankfully accept, and faithfully use, the happy occasion of improving in thy meek and lowly spirit. If for thy sake “men cast out my name as evil,” let me “rejoice and be exceeding glad.” If for my own infirmities, yet let me acknowledge thy goodness, in giving me this medicine to heal my pride and vanity, and beg thy mercy for those physicians of my soul by whose hands it is administered to me. * Tornati.” “Make me to remember thee on my bed, and think upon thee when I am waking.” Thou hast preserved me from all the dangers of the day past; thou hast been my support from my youth up until now; “under the shadow of thy wings” let me pass this night in comfort and peace. O thou Creator and Preserver of all mankind, have mercy upon all conditions of men; purge thy holy catholic Church from all heresy, schism, and superstition. Bless our Sovereign in his person, in his actions, in his relations, and in his people. May it please thee “to endue his Council, and all the Nobility, with grace, wisdom, and understand ing;” the Magistrates, with equity, courage, and prudence; the Gentry, with industry and temperance; and all the Commons of this land, with increase of grace, and a holy, humble, thankful spirit. O pour upon our whole Church, and especially upon the Clergy thereof, the continual dew of thy blessing. Grant to our Universities peace and piety; and to all that labour under affliction, constant patience and timely deliverance. Bless all my kindred, especially my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all my friends and benefactors ( ).

Yet I must own, I have known many fully equal to Mr. Whitefield, both in holy tempers and holiness of conversation; but one equal herein to Mr. Fletcher I have not known, no, not in a life of fourscore years. 6. However, having chosen, at least for the present, this narrow field of action, he was more and more abundant in his ministerial labours, both in public and private; not con tenting himself with preaching, but visiting his flock in every corner of his parish. And this work he attended to, early and late, whether the weather was fair or foul; regarding neither heat nor cold, rain nor snow, whether he was on horse back or on foot. But this farther weakened his constitution; which was still more effectually done by his intense and uninterrupted studies; in which he frequently continued with out scarce any intermission, fourteen, fifteen, or sixteen hours a day. But still he did not allow himself such food as was necessary to sustain nature. He seldom took any regular meals, except he had company; otherwise, twice or thrice in four-and-twenty hours, he ate some bread and cheese, or fruit. Instead of this, he sometimes took a draught of milk, and then wrote on again. When one reproved him for not affording himself a sufficiency of necessary food, he replied, “Not allow myself food | Why, our food seldom costs my housekeeper and me together less than two shillings a week.” 7. “On the tenth of May, 1774,” says Mr. Vaughan, to whom we are indebted for several of the preceding anecdotes, “he wrote to me thus: ‘My brother has sent me the rent of a little place I have abroad, eighty pounds, which I was to receive from Mr. Chauvet and Company, in London. But instead of sending the draught for the money, I have sent it back to Switzerland, with orders to distribute it among thc poor. As money is rather higher there than here, that mite will go farther abroad than it would in my parish.’” 8. To show in how great a degree he was disengaged from Wealth, honour, pleasure, or what else This short-enduring world could give, Mr.

He cannot ‘speak idle words; no corrupt conversation” ever ‘comes out of his mouth;’ as is all that is not “good to the use of edifying, not fit to ‘minister grace to the hearers. But ‘whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are’ justly ‘of good report, he thinks, speaks, and acts, ‘adorning the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.’” These are the very words wherein I largely declared, for the first time, my sentiments of Christian perfection. And is it not easy to see, (1.) That this is the very point at which I aimed all along from the year 1725; and more deter minately from the year 1730, when I began to be homo unius libri, “a man of one book,” regarding none, comparatively, but the Bible? Is it not easy to see, (2.) That this is the very same doctrine which I believe and teach at this day; not adding one point, either to that inward or outward holiness which I maintained eight-and-thirty years ago? And it is the same which, by the grace of God, I have continued to teach from that time till now; as will appear to every impartial person from the extracts subjoined below. 11. I do not know that any writer has made any objection against that tract to this day; and for some time, I did not find much opposition upon the head, at least, not from serious persons. But after a time, a cry arose, and, what a little surprised me, among religious men, who affirmed, not that I stated perfection wrong, but that “there is no perfection on earth;” may, and fell vehemently on my brother and me for affirming the contrary. We scarce expected so rough an attack from these ; especially as we were clear on justifica tion by faith, and careful to ascribe the whole of salvation to the mere grace of God. But what most surprised us, was, that we were said to “dishonour Christ,” by asserting that he “saveth to the uttermost; ” by maintaining he will reign in our hearts alone, and subdue all things to himself. 12. I think it was in the latter end of the year 1740, that I had a conversation with Dr. Gibson, then Bishop of London, at Whitehall. He asked me what I meant by perfection.

safe in the way of life, above Death, earth, and hell we rise; Me find, when perfected in love, Our long-sought paradise. ') that I now the rest might know, Believe, and enter in : Now, Saviour, now the power bestow, And let me cease from sin | Remove this hardness from my heart, This unbelief remove : To me the rest of faith impart, The sabbath of thy love. Come, O my Saviour, come away Into my soul descend! No longer from thy creature stay, My author and my end. The bliss thou hast for me prepared, No longer be delay'd : Come, my exceeding great reward, For whom I first was made. Come, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, And seal me thine abode : Let all I am in thee be lost : Let all be lost in God! Can anything be more clear, than, (1.) That here also is as full and high a salvation as we have ever spoken of? (2.) That this is spoken of as receivable by mere faith, and as hindered only by unbelief? (3.) That this faith, and consequently the salvation which it brings, is spoken of as given in an instant? (4.) That it is supposed that instant may be now? that we need not stay another moment? that “now,” the very “now, is the accepted time? now is the day of” this full “ salvation?” And, Lastly, that, if any speak otherwise, he is the person that brings new doctrine among us? 15. About a year after, namely, in the year 1742, we published another volume of Hymns. The dispute being now at the height, we spoke upon the head more largely than ever before. Accordingly abundance of the hymns in this volume treat expressly on this subject. And so does the preface, which, as it is short, it may not be amiss to insert entire : “(1.) Perhaps the general prejudice against Christian perfection may chiefly arise from a misapprehension of the nature of it. We willingly allow, and continually declare, there is no such perfection in this life, as implies either a dispensa tion from doing good, and attending all the ordinances of God, V or a freedom from ignorance, mistake, temptation, and a thou sand infirmities necessarily connected with flesh and blood. “(2.) First.

(7.) Overvaluing yourself and your own judgment. If any of these is the case, what wonder is it that you feel no power in anything he says? But do not others feel it? If they do, your argument falls to the ground. And if they do not, do none of these hinderances lie in their way too? You must be certain of this before you can build any argument thereon; and even then your argument will prove no more than that grace and gifts do not always go together. “‘But he does not come up to my idea of a perfect Christian.’ And perhaps no one ever did, or ever will. For your idea may go beyond, or at least beside, the scriptural account. It may include more than the Bible includes therein, or, however, something which that does not include. Scripture perfection is, pure love filling the heart, and governing all the words and actions. If your idea includes anything more or anything else, it is not scriptural; and then no wonder, that a scripturally perfect Christian does not come up to it. “I fear many stumble on this stumbling-block. They include as many ingredients as they please, not according to Scripture, but their own imagination, in their idea of one that is perfect; and then readily deny any one to be such, who does not answer that imaginary idea. “The more care should we take to keep the simple, scrip tural account continually in our eye. Pure love reigning alone in the heart and life,--this is the whole of scriptural perfection. “Q. When may a person judge himself to have attained this? “A. When, after having been fully convinced of inbred sin, by a far deeper and clearer conviction than that he experienced before justification, and after having experienced a gradual mortification of it, he experiences a total death to sin, and an entire renewal in the love and image of God, so as to rejoice evermore, to pray without ceasing, and in everything to give thanks. Not that ‘to feel all love and no sin” is a sufficient proof. Several have experienced this for atime, before theirsouls 402 PLAIN ACCoUNT of were fully renewed. None therefore ought to believe that the work is done, till there is added the testimony of the Spirit, witnessing his entire sanctification, as clearly as his justification. “Q.

“Q. But whence is it, that some imagine they are thus sanctified, when in reality they are not? “A. It is hence; they do not judge by all the preceding marks, but either by part of them, or by others that are ambiguous. But I know no instance of a person attending to them all, and yet deceived in this matter. I believe, there can be none in the world. If a man be deeply and fully convinced, after justification, of inbred sin; if he then experience a gradual mortification of sin, and afterwards an entire renewal in the image of God; if to this change, immensely greater than that wrought when he was justified, be added a clear, direct witness of the renewal; I judge it as impossible this man should be deceived herein, as that God should lie. And if one whom I know to be a man of veracity testify these things to me, I ought not, without some sufficient reason, to reject his testimony. “Q. Is this death to sin, and renewal in love, gradual or instantaneous P “A. A man may be dying for some time; yet he does not, properly speaking, die, till the instant the soul is separated from the body; and in that instant he lives the life of eternity. In like manner, he may be dying to sin for some time; yet he is not dead to sin, till sin is separated from his soul; and in that instant he lives the full life of love. And as the change undergone, when the body dies, is of a different kind, and infinitely greater than any we had known before, yea, such as till then it is impossible to conceive; so the change wrought, when the soul dies to sin, is of a different kind, and infinitely greater than any before, and than any can conceive till he experiences it. Yet he stills grows in grace, in the knowledge of Christ, in the love and image of God; and will do so, not only till death, but to all eternity. “Q. How are we to wait for this change? “A.

“A. According as that displeasure is: If they are angry, it is a proof against them; if they are grieved, it is not. They ought to be grieved, if we disbelieve a real work of God, and thereby deprive ourselves of the advantage we might have received from it. And we may easily mistake this grief for anger, as the outward expressions of both are much alike. “Q. But is it not well to find out those who fancy they have attained when they have not? “A. It is well to do it by mild, loving examination. But it is not well to triumph even over these. It is extremely wrong, if we find such an instance, to rejoice as if we had found great spoils. Ought we not rather to grieve, to be deeply concerned, to let our eyes run down with tears? Here is one who seemed to be a living proof of God’s power to save to the uttermost; but, alas, it is not as we hoped. He is weighed in the balance, and found wanting ! And is this matter of joy? Ought we not to rejoice a thousand times more, if we can find nothing but pure love? “‘But he is deceived.” What then? It is a harmless smistake, while he feels nothing but love in his heart. It is a mistake which generally argues great grace, an high degree both of holiness and happiness. This should be a matter of real joy to all that are simple of heart; not the mistake itself, but the height of grace which for a time occasions it. I rejoice that this soul is always happy in Christ, always full of prayer and thanksgiving. I rejoice that he feels no unholy temper, but the pure love of God continually. And I will rejoice, if sin is suspended till it is totally destroyed. “Q. Is there no danger then in a man’s being thus deceived ? “A. Not at the time that he feels no sin. There was danger before, and there will be again when he comes into fresh trials.

x. 14.) “For want of duly considering this, some deny that they need the atonement of Christ. Indeed, exceeding few; I do not remember to have found five of them in England. Of the two, I would sooner give up perfection; but we need not give up either one or the other. The perfection I hold, ‘Love rejoicing evermore, praying without ceasing, and in everything giving thanks, is well consistent with it; if any hold a perfection which is not, they must look to it. “Q. 12. Does then Christian perfection imply any more than sincerity? “A. Not if you mean by that word, love filling the heart, expelling pride, anger, desire, self-will; rejoicing evermore, praying without ceasing, and in everything giving thanks. But I doubt, few use sincerity in this sense. Therefore, I think the old word is best. “A person may be sincere who has all his natural tempers, pride, anger, lust, self-will. But he is not perfect till his heart is cleansed from these, and all its other corruptions. “To clear this point a little farther: I know many that love God with all their heart. He is their one desire, their one delight, and they are continually happy in him. They love their neighbour as themselves. They feel as sincere, fervent, constant a desire for the happiness of every man, good or bad, friend or enemy, as for their own. They rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks. Their souls are continually streaming up to God, in holy joy, prayer, and praise. This is a point of fact; and this is plain, sound, scriptural experience. - “But even these souls dwell in a shattered body, and are so pressed down thereby, that they cannot always exert themselves as they would, by thinking, speaking, and acting precisely right. For want of better bodily organs, they must at times think, speak, or act wrong; not indeed through a defect of love, but through a defect of knowledge. And while this is the case, notwithstanding that defect, and its consequences, they fulfil the law of love. “Yet as, even in this case, there is not a full conformity to the perfect law, so the most perfect do, on this very account, need the blood of atonement, and may properly for themselves, as well as for their brethren, say, ‘Forgive us our trespasses.’ “Q. 13.

And why are you so hot against us, because we expect likewise to be sanctified wholly through his Spirit? We look for no favour either from the open servants of sin, or from those who have only the form of religion. But how long will you who worship God in spirit, who are “circumcised with the circumcision not made with hands,” set your battle in array against those who seek an entire circumcision of heart, who thirst to be cleansed “from all filthiness of flesh and spirit,” and to “perfect holiness in the fear of God?” Are we your enemies, because we look for a full deliverance from that “carnal mind which is enmity against God?” Nay, we are your brethren, your fellow labourers in the vineyard of our Lord, your companions in the kingdom and patience of Jesus. Although this we confess, (if we are fools therein, yet as fools bear with us,) we do expect to love God with all our heart, and our neighbour as ourselves. Yea, we do believe, that he will in this world so “cleanse the thoughts of our hearts, by the inspiration of his Holy Spirit, that we shall perfectly love him, and worthily magnify his holy name.” SoME thoughts occurred to my mind this morning concern ing Christian perfection, and the manner and time of receiving it, which I believe may be useful to set down. 1. By perfection I mean the humble, gentle, patient love of God, and our neighbour, ruling our tempers, words, and actions. . I do not include an impossibility of falling from it, either in part or in whole. Therefore, I retract several expressions in our Hymns, which partly express, partly imply, such an impossibility. And I do not contend for the term sinless, though I do not object against it. 2. As to the manner. I believe this perfection is always wrought in the soul by a simple act of faith; consequently, in an instant. But I believe a gradual work, both preceding and following that instant. 3. As to the time. I believe this instant generally is the instant of death, the moment before the soul leaves the body. But I believe it may be ten, twenty, or forty years before.

YoU and I may the more easily bear with each other, because we are both of us rapid writers, and therefore the more liable to mistake. I will thank you for showing me any mistake I am in; being not so tenacious of my opinions now, as I was twenty or thirty years ago. Indeed, I am not fond of any opinion as such. I read the Bible with what attention I can, and regulate all my opinions thereby, to the best of my understanding. But I am always willing to receive more light; particularly with regard to any less common opinions, because the explaining and defending of them takes up much time, which I can ill spare from other employments. Who ever, therefore, will give me more light with regard to Christian perfection, will do me a singular favour. The opinion I have concerning it at present, I espouse merely because I think it is scriptural. If therefore I am convinced it is not scriptural, I shall willingly relinquish it. 2. I have no particular fondness for the term. It seldom occurs either in my preaching or writings. It is my oppo nents who thrust it upon me continually, and ask me what I mean by it. So did Bishop Gibson, till by his advice I publicly declared what I did not mean by it, and what I did. This I supposed might be best done in the form of a sermon, having a text prefixed, wherein that term occurred. But that text is there used only as an occasion or introduction to the subject. I do not build any doctrine thereupon, nor undertake critically to explain it. 3. What is the meaning of the term perfection? is another question; but that it is a scriptural term is undeniable. Therefore, none ought to object to the use of the term, whatever they may do to this or that explication of it. I am very willing to consider whatever you have to object to what is advanced under the first head of that sermon. But I still * At what time this answer was written, it is perhaps impossible exactly to ascertain. It appears to have been sent as a private letter to Mr.

It appears to have been sent as a private letter to Mr. Dodd, before he had become a Doctor of Divinity; and not to have been published till the year 1782, when it was inserted in the Arminian Magazine.-EDIT. think that perfection is only another term for holiness, or the image of God in man. “God made man perfect,” I think is just the same as, “He made him holy,” or “in his own image;” and you are the first person I ever read of or spoke with, who made any doubt of it. Now this perfection does certainly admit of degrees. Therefore, I readily allow the propriety of that distinction,-perfection of kinds, and perfection of degrees. Nor do I remember one writer, ancient or modern, who excepts against it. 4. In the sermon of Salvation by Faith, I say, “He that is born of God sinneth not,” (a proposition explained at large in another sermon, and everywhere either explicitly or virtually connected with, “while he keepeth himself,”) “by any sinful desire; any unholy desire he stifleth in the birth.” (Assuredly he does, “while he keepeth himself”) “Nor doth he sin by infirmities; for his infirmities have no concurrence of his will; and without this they are not properly sins.” Taking the words as they lie in connexion thus, (and taken otherwise they are not my words but yours,) I must still aver, they speak both my own experience, and that of many hundred children of God whom I personally know. And all this, with abundantly more than this, is contained in that single expres sion, “the loving God with all our heart, and serving him with all our strength.” Nor did I ever say or mean any more by perfection, than thus loving and serving God. But I dare not say less than this; for it might be attended with worse consequences than you seem to be aware of. If there be a mistake, it is far more dangerous on the one side than on the other. If I set the mark too high, I drive men into needless fears; if you set it too low, you drive them into hell-fire. 5.

I am, Rev. Sir, Your affectionate brother, 1. I HAVE been frequently desired to give some account of the conversations I had with Dr. Dodd. I could have done this more accurately some years ago, when they were fresh in my memory.” However, I will now set down what I can recollect. And it may enable many who love to think for themselves to form an impartial judgment of one that has been so variously represented. 2. I had no knowledge of Dr. Dodd till he told that excellent woman, Mrs. Lefevre, that he was going to publish something against Mr. Wesley. She advised him to send it to me first. He did so, and was so far at least satisfied with my answer, that his treatise against Christian perfection never saw the light. This was about thirty years ago. And here our intercourse ended; which indeed was very slight, as I had never seen him, either in private or public. 3. When he was imprisoned, he sent to me, desiring to see me. But I was not willing to go, supposing he only wanted me to intercede for him with great men; which I judged would be lost labour. He sent a second time, but I did not go. The gentleman who brought the third message told me plainly, “Sir, I will not go without you.” I then went with him to Wood-Street Compter, where the Doctor then was. The Keeper (an extremely well-behaved man) told me, “Sir, of all * Dr. Dodd was executed for forgery, June 27th, 1777; and this account was published in July, 1783,-EDIT. the prisoners that have been in this place, I have not seen such a one as Dr. Dodd. I could trust him in any part of the house.

and that your hearing is vain, unless the same power be present to heal your soul, and to give you a faith which “standeth not in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God?” 14. “Another passage that,” your Lordship thinks, “has been misapplied by enthusiasts, but was really peculiar to the times of the Apostles, is 1 John ii. 20, 27: ‘Ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.--But theanointing which ye have received of him abideth in you : And ye need not that any man teach you, but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie. And even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.’ Here the Apostle arms the true Christians against seducers, by an argument drawn from ‘the unction from the Holy One,” that was in, or rather, among them; that is, from the immediate inspiration of some of their Teachers.” (Pp. 35, 37.) Here it rests upon your Lordship to prove, as well as affirm, oF REASON AND RELIGION. 9I (1.) That ev should be translated among : (2.) That this “unction from the Holy One” means the inspiration of some of their Teachers. The latter your Lordship attempts to prove thus:-- “The inspired Teachers of old were set apart for that office, by an extraordinary effusion of the Holy Ghost: Therefore, “‘The unction from the Holy One here means such an effusion.” (P. 38.) I deny the consequence; so the question is still to be proved. Your Lordship's second argument is drawn from the twenty sixth verse of the fourteenth chapter of St. John's Gospel. Proposed in form, it will stand thus:-- “If those words, “He shall teach you all things, relate only to a miraculous gift of the Holy Ghost, then these words, ‘The same anointing teacheth you of all things, relate to the same miraculous gift : “But those words relate only to a miraculous gift : “Therefore these relate to the same.” I conceive, it will not be very easy to make good the conse quence in the first proposition. But I deny the minor also: The contradictory whereto, I trust, has appeared to be true.

When have such numbers of sinners in so short a time been recovered from the error of their ways? When hath religion, I will not say since the Reformation, but since the time of Constantine the Great, made so large a progress in any nation, within so small a space? I believe, hardly can either ancient or modern history supply us with a parallel instance. 8. Let understanding men observe also the depth of the work, so extensively and swiftly wrought. It is not a slight or superficial thing; but multitudes of men have been so thoroughly “convinced of sin,” that their “bones were smit ten asunder, as it were with a sword dividing the very joints and marrow.” Many of these have been shortly after so filled with “peace and joy in believing,” that, whether they were in the body or out of the body, they could scarcely tell. And in the power of this faith they have trampled under foot what ever the world accounts either terrible or desirable; having evidenced, in the severest trials, so fervent a love to God, so invariable and tender a goodwill to mankind, particularly to their enemies, and such a measure of all the fruits of holi ness, as were not unworthy the apostolic age. Now, so deep a repentance, so firm a faith, so fervent love and unblemished holiness, wrought in so many persons, within so short a time, the world has not seen for many ages. 9. No less remarkable is the purity of the religion which has extended itself so deeply and swiftly. I speak particu larly with regard to the doctrines held by those among whom it is so extended. Those of the Church of England, at least, must acknowledge this. For where is there a body of people in the realm, who, number for number, so closely adhere to what our Church delivers as pure doctrine? Where are those who have approved and do approve themselves more orthodox, more sound in their opinions? Is there a Socinian or Arian among them all? Nay, were you to recite the whole cata logue of heresies enumerated by Bishop Pearson, it might be asked, Who can lay any one of these to their charge? Nor is their religion more pure from heresy than it is from superstition.

No : We have been continually straitened for time. Hence, scarce anything has been searched to the bottom. To remedy this, let every Conference last nine days, con cluding on Wednesday in the second week. Q. 3. What may we reasonably believe to be God’s design in raising up the Preachers called Methodists? A. Not to form any new sect; but to reform the nation, particularly the Church; and to spread scriptural holiness over the land. * This tract, which is usually denominated, “The Large Minutes,” contains the plan of discipline as practised in the Methodist Connexion during the life of Mr. Wesley. As its title intimates, it underwent several alterations and enlargements from the year 1744 to 1789, when the last revision took place. It is here reprintel from a copy which bears the date of 1791,-the year in which Mr. Wesley died,--colla'ed with the edition of 1789-EDIT. Q. 4. What was the rise of Methodism, so called? A. In 1729, two young men, reading the Bible, saw they could not be saved without holiness, followed after it, and incited others so to do. In 1737 they saw holiness comes by faith. They saw likewise, that men are justified before they are sanctified; but still holiness was their point. God then thrust them out, utterly against their will, to raise a holy people. When Satan could no otherwise hinder this, he threw Calvinism in the way; and then Antinomianism, which strikes directly at the root of all holiness. Q. 5. Is it advisable for us to preach in as many places as we can, without forming any societies? A. By no means. We have made the trial in various places; and that for a considerable time. But all the seed has fallen as by the highway side. There is scarce any fruit remaining. Q. 6. Where should we endeavour to preach most? A. (1.) Where there is the greatest number of quiet and willing hearers. (2.) Where there is most fruit. Q. 7. Is field-preaching unlawful? A. We conceive not. We do not know that it is contrary to any law either of God or man. Q. 8. Have we not used it too sparingly? A. It seems we have; (1.) Because our call is, to save that which is lost. Now, we cannot expect them to seek us. Therefore we should go and seek them.

12. My last and most deliberate thoughts on this head were published but a few months since, in these words: (1) “Perhaps the general prejudice against Christian per fection may chiefly arise from a misapprehension of the nature of it. We willingly allow, and continually declare, there is no such perfection in this life, as implies either a dispensation from doing good and attending all the ordinances of God; or a freedom from ignorance, mistake, temptation, and a thou sand infirmities necessarily connected with flesh and blood. (2.) “First. We not only allow, but earnestly contend, that there is no perfection in this life, which implies any dispensa tion from attending all the ordinances of God, or from ‘doing good unto all men, while we have time, though “specially unto the household of faith. We believe, that not only the babes in Christ, who have newly found redemption in his blood, but those also who are “grown up into perfect men, are indis pensably obliged, as often as they have opportunity, “to eat bread and drink wine in remembrance of Him,” and to ‘search the Scriptures; by fasting, as well as temperance, to “keep their bodies under, and bring them into subjection;’ and, above all, to pour out their souls in prayer, both secretly and in the great congregation. (3) “We, Secondly, believe, that there is no such perfection in his life as implies an entire deliverance, either from ignorance or mistake, in things not essential to salvation, or from manifold temptations, or from numberless infirmities wherewith the cor ruptible body more or less presses down the soul. We cannot find any ground in Scripture to suppose, that any inhabitant of a house of clay is wholly exempt, either from bodily infirmities, or from ignorance of many things; or to imagine any is inca pable of mistake, or falling into divers temptations. (4) “‘But whom then do you mean by one that is perfect P” We mean one in whom ‘is the mind which was in Christ,’ and who so “walketh as Christ walked; a ‘man that hath clean hands and a pure heart, or that is “cleansed from all filthiness of flesh and spirit; one in whom ‘is no occasion of stumbling, and who accordingly ‘doth not commit sin.

perfect sense. Then is there given unto them a new and clean heart; and the struggle between the old and new man is over.* 30. (14.) That I may say many things which have been said before, and perhaps by Calvin or Arminius, by Montanus or Barclay, or the Archbishop of Cambray, is highly probable. But it cannot thence be inferred that I hold “a medley of all their principles;--Calvinism, Arminianism, Montanism, Quakerism, Quietism, all thrown together.” There might as well have been added, Judaism, Mahometanism, Paganism. It would have made the period rounder, and been full as easily proved; I mean asserted. For no other proof is yet produced. 31. I pass over the smaller mistakes which occur in the fif teenth and sixteenth paragraphs, together with the prophecy or prognostication concerning the approaching divisions and downfal of the Methodists. What follows to the end, concerning the ground of our hope, is indeed of greater importance. But we have not as yet the strength of the cause; the dissertation promised, is still behind. Therefore, as my work is great, and my time short, I wave that dispute for the present. And per haps, when I shall have received farther light, I may be con vinced, that “gospel holiness,” as Mr. Tucker believes, “is a necessary qualification, antecedent to justification.” This appears to me now to be directly opposite to the gospel of Christ. But I will endeavour impartially to consider what shall be advanced in defence of it. And may He who knoweth my simpleness, teach me his way, and give me a right judgment in all things! * The next note runs thus: “Mr. Wesley has such a peculiar turn and ten dency towards inconsistencies in his principles, that in his Preface to Hali burton's Life, (wrote February 9, 1738-9, just after his return from Germany,) he contradicts all that he has said elsewhere for this sinless perfection; viz., “But it may be said, the gospel covenant does not promise entire freedom from sin. What do you mean by the word sin? the infection of nature, or those number less weaknesses and follies, sometimes (improperly) termed sins of infirmity? If you mean only this, you say most true. We shall not put off these, but with our bodies.

He that cursed or swore, perhaps at every sentence, has now learned to serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice unto him with reverence. Those formerly enslaved to various habits of sin, are now brought to uniform habits of holiness. These are demonstrable facts. I can name the men, with their several places of abode. One of them was an avowed Atheist for many years; some were Jews; a con siderable number Papists; the greatest part of them as much strangers to the form, as to the power, of godliness. When you have weighed these things touching the conse quences of my preaching, on the one hand, (somewhat different from those set down in your Remarks,) and of your preaching, on the other, I would earnestly recommend the following words to your deepest consideration:--“Beware of false prophets; ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree” (every true Prophet or Teacher) “bringeth forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire.” (Matt. vii. 15, &c.) III. 1. Having spoken more largely than I designed on the principle I hold in common with the Moravians, I shall touch very briefly on those errors (so called) which you say I hold more than theirs. (Remarks, page 55.) You name, as the first, my holding that “a man may have a degree of justifying faith before he has, in the full, proper sense, a new, a clean heart.” (Ibid.) I have so often explained this, that I cannot throw away time in adding any more now; only this,--that the moment a sinner is justified, his heart is cleansed in a low degree. But yet he has not a clean heart, in the full, proper sense, till he is made perfect in love. 2. Another error you mention is this doctrine of perfection. (Page 60.) To save you from a continual ignoratio elemchi, I wave disputing on this point also, till you are better ac quainted with my real sentiments. I have declared them on hat head again and again; particularly in the sermon on “Christian Perfection.” 3.

If I have indeed been advancing nothing but the true knowledge and * Concerning the burning of heretics.--EDIT. love of God; if God has made me an instrument in reforming many sinners, and bringing them to inward and pure reli gion; and if many of these continue holy to this day, and free from all wilful sin; then may I, even I, use those awful words, “He that despiseth me, despiseth Him that sent me.” But I Inever expect the world to allow me one of these points. How ever, I must go on as God shall enable me. I must lay out whatsoever talents he entrusts me with, (whether others will believe I do it or no,) in advancing the true Christian knew ledge of God, and the love and fear of God among men; in re forming (if so be it please him to use me still) those who are yet without God in the world; and in propagating inward and pure religion, “righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” Sincerely wishing your Lordship all happiness in time and in eternity, I remain Your Lordship’s most obedient servant, November 27, 1750. 1. YoU have undertaken to prove, (as I observed in my former letter, a few sentences of which I beg leave to repeat,) that the “whole conduct of the Methodists is but a counter part of the most wild fanaticisms of Popery.” (Preface to the Eirst Part, p. 3.) You endeavour to support this charge by quotations from our own writings, compared with quotations from Popish authors. It lies upon me to answer for one. But in order to spare both you and myself, I shall at present consider only your Second Part, and that as briefly as possible. Accordingly, I shall not meddle with your other quotations, but, leaving them to whom they may concern, shall examine whether those you have made from my writings prove the charge for which they were made or no. If they do, I submit. But if they do not, if they are “the words of truth and soberness,” it is an objection of no real weight against any sentiment, just in itself, though it should also be found in the writings of Papists; yea, of Mahometans or Pagans. 2.

This you know in your own conscience; for you know I speak of myself during the whole time, as having no faith at all. Conse quently, the “rising and fallings.” I experienced then have nothing to do with those “doubts and fears which many go through, after they have by faith received remission of sins.” The next words which you cite, “thrown into great per plexities,” I cannot find in the page you refer to, neither those that follow. The sum of them is, that “at that time I did not feel the love of God, but found deadness and wanderings in public prayer, and coldness even at the holy communion.” Well, Sir, and have you never found in yourself any such coldness, deadness, and wanderings? I am persuaded you have. And yet surely your brain is always cool and temperate! never “intoxicated with the heated fumes of spirituous particles !” 13. If you quote not incoherent scraps, (by which you may make anything out of anything,) but entire connected sen tences, it will appear that the rest of your quotations make no more for your purpose than the foregoing. Thus, although I allow, that on May 24, “I was much buffeted with tempta tions; but I cried to God, and they fled away; that they re turned again and again; I as often lifted up my eyes, and he sent me help from his holy place;” (Vol. I. p. 103;) it will only prove the very observation I make myself: “I was fight ing both under the law and under grace. But then I was some times, if not often, conquered; now I was always conqueror.” That sometime after, I “was strongly assaulted again, and after recovering peace and joy, was thrown into perplexity afresh by a letter, asserting that no doubt or fear could con sist with true faith; that my weak mind could not then bear to be thus sawn asunder,” will not appear strange to any who are not utter novices in experimental religion. No more than that, one night the next year, “I had no life or spirit in me, and was much in doubt, whether God would not lay me aside, and send other labourers into his harvest.” 14. You add, “He owns his frequent relapses into sin, for near twice ten years.

“To what purpose could any further inspiration serve?” Answer yourself: “To enlighten the understanding, and to rectify the will.” Else, be the Scriptures ever so complete, they will not save your soul. How, then, can you imagine it is unnecessary; and that “the supposed need of it is injurious to the written word?” And when you say yourself, “The Spirit is to teach us all things, and to guide us into all truth;” judge you, whether this is “to explain, or to supply, the written word.” “O, He does this by the written word.” True; but also “by his holy inspiration.” So the compilers of our Liturgy speak; who, therefore, according to you, are guilty of “wicked presumption, with which Satan filled their hearts, to lie of the Holy Ghost.” 18. These, also, are the men upon whom you fall in the fol lowing warm words:--“The power of enthusiasm over an heated imagination may be very great. But it must be under the ferment of that old, sour leaven, hypocrisy, to rise to that daring height.” I think not: I think they were neither hypo crites nor enthusiasts, though they teach me to pray for, and consequently to expect, (unless I am an hypocrite indeed,) “God’s holy inspiration,” both in order to “think the things that be good,” and also “perfectly to love him, and worthily to magnify his holy name.” 19. You go on: “They boast that their heart is clean, and their spirit right within them.” Sir, did you ever read Morn ing Prayer on the tenth day of the month? You then said, “Make me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” Did you mean what you said? If you did not, you was guilty of the grossest hypocrisy. If you did, when did you expect God would answer that prayer? when your body was in the grave? Too late 1 Unless we have clean hearts before we die, it had been good we had never been born. 20. “But they boast they are pure from sin, harmless, and undefiled.” So, in a sound sense, is every true believer. “Nay, they boast that their bodies are a living sacrifice, holy, accept able to God.” Sir, is not yours? Are not your soul and body such a sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God?

Are not your soul and body such a sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God? As the Lord God liveth, before whom we stand, if they are not, you are not a Christian. If you are not a holy, living sacrifice, you are still “dead in trespasses and sins.” You are an “alien from the commonwealth of Israel, without” Christian “hope, without God in the world !” 21. You add, “Thus have I exposed their boasted claim to a particular and immediate inspiration.” (Page 30.) No, Sir, you have only exposed yourself; for all that we claim, you allow. “I have shown what a miserable farce is carrying on, beneath the mask of a more refined holiness.” No tittle of this have you shown yet; and before you attempt again to show any thing concerning us, let me entreat you, Sir, to acquaint yourself better with our real sentiments. Perhaps you may then find, that there is not so wide a difference as you imagined between you and, Reverend Sir, Your servant for Christ’s sake, November 7, 1758. RECTOR OF ST. MICHAEL’s, WooD-STREET: 1. IN the Tract which you have just published concerning the people called Methodists, you very properly say, “Our first care should be, candidly and fairly to examine their doctrines. For, as to censure them unexamined would be unjust; so to do the same without a fair and impartial examination would be ungenerous.” And again: “We should, in the first place, carefully and candidly examine their doctrines.” (Page 68.) This is undoubtedly true. But have you done it? Have you ever examined their doctrines yet? Have you examined them fairly? fairly and candidly? candidly and carefully? Have you read over so much as the Sermons they have published, or the “Appeal to Men of Reason and Religion?” I hope you have not; for I would fain make some little excuse for your uttering so many senseless, shameless falsehoods. I hope you know nothing about the Methodists, no more than I do about the Cham of Tartary; that you are ignorant of the whole affair, and are so bold, only because you are blind. Bold enough ! Throughout your whole Tract, you speak satis pro imperio,"-- as authoritatively as if you was, not an Archbishop only, but Apostolic Vicar also; as if you had the full papal power in your hands, and fire and faggot at your beck!

I know, Milton speaks of “virtual or immediate touch.” But most incline to think, virtual touch is no touch at all. “Were the style of the New Testament utterly rude and barbarous, and abounding with every fault that can possibly deform a language; this is so far from proving such language not divinely inspired, that it is one certain mark of this ori ginal.” (Page 55.) A vehement paradox this! But it is not proved yet, and probably never will. “The labours of those who have attempted to defend the purity of Scripture Greek have been very idly employed.” (Page 66.) Others think they have been very wisely employed,and that they have abundantly proved their point. Having now “considered the operations of the Holy Spirit, as the Guide of truth, who clears and enlightens the under standing, I proceed to consider him as the Comforter, who purifies and supports the will.” (Page 89.) “Sacred antiquity is full in its accounts of the sudden and entire change made by the Holy Spirit in the dispositions and manners of those whom it had enlightened; instantaneously effacing their evil habits, and familiarizing them to the per formance of every good action.” (Page 90.) “No natural cause could effect this. Neither fanaticism nor superstition, nor both of them, will account for so sudden and lasting a conversion.” (Ibid.) “Superstition never effects any considerable change in the manners. Its utmost force is just enough to make us exact in the ceremonious offices of religion, or to cause some acts of penitence, as death approaches.” (Page 91.) “Fanaticism, indeed, acts with greater violence, and, by influencing the will, frequently forces the manners from their bent, and sometimes effaces the strongest impressions of cus tom and nature. But this fervour, though violent, is rarely lasting; never so long as to establish the new system into an BIs HoP or GLOUCESTER. 151 habit. So that when its rage subsides, as it very soon does, (but where it drives into downright madness,) the bias on the will keeps abating, till all the former habitudes recover their relaxed tone.” (Page 92.) Never were reflections more just than these.

In her Daily Service she teacheth us all to “beseech God to grant us his Holy Spirit, that those things may please him which we do at this present, and that the rest of our life may be pure and holy;” to pray for our sovereign Lord the King, that God would “replenish him with the grace of his Holy Spirit;” for all the Royal Family, that “they may be endued with his Holy Spirit, and enriched with his heavenly grace;” for all the Clergy and People, that he would “send down upon them the healthful Spirit of his grace,” for the Catholic Church, that “it may be guided and governed by his good Spi rit;”and for all therein, who, at any time, make their common supplications unto him, that “the fellowship ’ or communi cation “of the Holy Ghost may be with them all evermore.” Her Collects are full of petitions to the same effect: “Grant that we may daily be renewed by thy Holy Spirit.” (Collect for Christmas Day.) “Grant that in all our sufferings here, for the testimony of thy truth, we may by faith behold the glory that shall be revealed, and, being filled with the Holy Ghost, may love and bless our persecutors.” (St. Stephen’s Day.) “Send thy Holy Ghost, and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of charity.” (Quinquagesima Sunday.) “O Lord, from whom all good things do come, grant to us thy humble servants, that by thy holy inspiration we may think those things that are good, and by thy merciful guidance may perform the same.” (Fifth Sunday after Easter.) “We beseech thee, leave us not comfortless, but send to us the Holy Ghost to comfort us.” (Sunday after Ascension Day.) “Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort.” (Whit-unday.) “Grant us, Lord, we beseech thee, the Spirit to think and do always such things as be rightful.” (Ninth Sunday after Trinity.) “O God, forasmuch as without thee we are not able to please thee, mercifully grant that thy Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts.” (Nineteenth Sun day after Trinity.) “Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy name.” (Communion Office.) “Give thy Holy Spirit to this infant, (or this person,) that he may be born again.

dress; seeing it saps the very foundation of all revealed religion, whether Jewish or Christian. “Indeed, my L--,” said an eminent man to a person of quality, “I cannot see that we have much need of Jesus Christ.” And who might not say, upon this supposition, “I cannot see that we have much need of Christianity?” Nay, not any at all; for “they that are whole have no need of a Physician; ” and the Christian Revelation speaks of nothing else but the great “Physician” of our souls; nor can Christian Philosophy, whatever be thought of the Pagan, be more properly defined than in Plato's word: It is Separeta \rvX's, “the only true method of healing a distempered soul.” But what need of this, if we are in perfect health P If we are not diseased, we do not want a cure. If we are not sick, why should we seek for a medicine to heal our sickness? What room is there to talk of our being renewed in “knowledge” or “holiness, after the image wherein we were created,” if we never have lost that image * if we are as knowing and holy now, nay, far more so, than Adam was immediately after his creation ? If, therefore, we take away this foundation, that man is by nature foolish and sinful, “fallen short of the glorious image of God,” the Christian system falls at once; nor will it deserve so honourable an appella tion, as that of a “cunningly devised fable.” 5. In considering this confutation of the Christian system, I am under some difficulty from Dr. Taylor's manner of writing. It is his custom to say the same thing (sometimes in different, sometimes in nearly the same words) six or eight, perhaps twelve or fif teen times, in different parts of his book. Now, I have accustomed myself, for many years, to say one and the same thing once only. However, to comply with his manner as far as possible, I shall add, at proper inter vals, extracts from others, expressing nearly the same sentiments which I have before expressed in my own words. 6.

4.)” And does not this point at original sin? You say, No: For “if Job and his friends had known that the reason of our uncleanness and imperfection was our receiving a corrupted nature from Adam, they ought to have given this reason of it.” And do they not in the very words before us? You say, “No; they turn our thoughts to a quite different reason; namely, the uncleanness of the best of creatures in his sight.” This is not a different reason, but falls in with the other; and the natural meaning of these texts is, “How can he be clean that is born of a woman;” and so conceived and born in sin? “Behold, even to the moon, and it shineth not,’ compared with God; “yea, the stars are not pure in his sight !” How “much less man that is a worm !” (xxv. 6.) In how much higher and stricter a sense is man impure, that carries about with him his mortality, the testimony of that unclean nature which he brought with him into the world? “‘Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?” (Job iv. 17, &c.)” (Page 143.) Shall man dare to arraign the justice of God; to say God punishes him more than he deserves? “Behold, he puts no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly.” Many of these left their first estates; even their wisdom was not to be depended on: “How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay;” whose bodies, liable to pain, sickness, death, are standing monuments of the folly and wickedness which are deep rooted in their souls “What is man, that he should be clean; and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous Behold, he putteth no trust in his holy ones;” yea, the heavens “are not pure in his sight.” His holy angels have fallen, and the highest creatures are not pure in comparison of him. “How much more abominable and filthy,” in the strictest sense, “is man;” every man born into the world: “Who drinketh iniquity like water;” (Job xv.

The comely order of this house is all turned into confusion; the beauties of holiness into noisome impurities; the house of prayer into a den of thieves: Thieves of the worst kind; for every lust is a thief, and every theft is sacri lege. The noble powers which were designed and dedicated to divine contemplation and delight in God, are alienated to the service of the most despicable idols, and employed in the vilest embraces: To behold and admire lying vanities; to indulge and cherish lust and wickedness. “There is not now a system, an entire table, of coherent truths to be found, or a frame of holiness: but some shivered parcels. And if any with great toil and labour apply them selves to draw out here one piece, and there another, and set them together; they serve rather to show, how exquisite the divine workmanship was in the original composition, than to the excellent purposes for which the whole was at first designed. Some pieces agree, and own one another; but how soon are our inquiries nonplussed and superseded! How many attempts have been made, since that fearful fall and ruin of this fabric, to compose again the truths of so many several kinds into their distinct orders, and make up frames of science or useful know ledge And after so many ages, nothing is finished in any kind. Sometimes truths are misplaced; and what belongs to one kind is transferred to another, where it will not fitly match; some times falsehood inserted, which shatters or disturbs the whole frame. And what with much fruitless pains is done by one hand, is dashed in pieces by another; and it is the work of a following age, to sweep away the fine-spun cobwebs of a for mer. And those truths which are of greatest use, though not most out of sight, are least regarded; their tendency and design are overlooked, or they are so loosened and torn off, that they cannot be wrought in, so as to take hold of the soul, but hover as faint, ineffectual motions that signify nothing. “Its very fundamental powers are shaken and disjointed, and their order toward one another confounded and broken; so that what is judged considerable, is not considered; what is recom mended as lovely and eligible, is not loved and chosen.

And this ‘new man,” this new life, is “after the image,’ that is, agreeable to the nature, ‘of God.’” (Page 179.) As you advance no proof of this perfectly new interpreta tion, I leave it to shift for itself. To disprove the common interpretation, you add, “Adam could not be originally created in righteousness and true holi ness; because habits of holiness cannot be created without our knowledge, concurrence, or consent. For holiness in its nature implies the choice and consent of a moral agent, without which it cannot be holiness.” (Page 180.) What is holiness? Is it not essentially love? the love of God, and of all mankind? love producing “bowels of mercies, humbleness of mind, meekness, gentleness, long-suffering?” And cannot God shed abroad this love in any soul without his concurrence, antecedent to his knowledge or consent? And supposing this to be done, will love change its nature? Will it be no longer holiness? This argument can never be sus tained, unless you would play upon the word habits. Love is holiness wherever it exists. And God could create either men or angels, endued from the very first moment of their existence with whatsoever degree of love he pleased. You “think, on the contrary, it is demonstration that we cannot be righteous or holy, we cannot observe what is right, without our own free and explicit choice.” I suppose you mean, practise what is right. But a man may be righteous before he does what is right; holy in heart before he is holy in life. The confounding these two, all along, seems to be the ground of your strange imagination, that Adam “must choose to be righteous, must exercise thought and reflection, ibefore he could be righteous.” Why so? “Because righteous mess is the right use and application of our powers.” Here is your capital mistake. No, it is not; it is the right state of our powers. It is the right disposition of our soul, the right temper of our mind. Take this with you, and you will no more dream that “God could not create man in righteous mess and true holiness;” or that “to talk of wanting that righteousness in which Adam was created, is to talk of nothing we want.” (Page 181.) On Romans ii.

“Is thine eye evil, because he is good?” The premises them being gone, what becomes of the con clusion: “So that the being ‘born into God’s peculiar kingdom depends upon a right use and application of our life and being, and is the privilege only of those wise men whose spirits attain to a habit of true holiness?” This stands without any proof at all. At best, therefore, it is extremely doubtful. But it must appear extremely absurd to those who believe, God can create spirits both wise and holy; that he can stamp any creature with what measure of holiness he sees good, at the first moment of its existence. The occasion of your running into this absurdity seems to be, that you stumbled at the very threshold. In the text under consideration, our Lord mentions two things,--the “new birth,” and the “kingdom of God.” These two your imagina tion blended into one; in consequence of which you run on with “born into his kingdom,” (a phrase never used by our Lord, nor any of his Apostles,) and a heap of other crude expressions of the same kind, all betraying that confusedness of thought which alone could prevent your usual clearness of language. Just in the same manner you go on: “Our first parents in Paradise were to form their minds to an habitual subjection to the law of God, without which they could not be received into his spiritual kingdom.” (Pages 252,253.) This runs upon the same mistaken supposition, that God could not create them boly. Certainly he could and did; and from the very moment that they were created, their minds were in subjection to the law of God, and they were members of his spiritual kingdom. “But if Adam was originally perfect in holiness,” (say, per fectly holy, made in the moral image of God,) “what occasion was there for any farther trial?” That there might be room for farther holiness and happiness. Entire holiness does not exclude growth; nor did the right state of all his faculties entitle him to that full reward which would have followed the right use of them. “Upon the whole, regeneration, or gaining habits of holiness, takes in no part of the doctrine of original sin.” (Page 254.) But regeneration is not “gaining habits of holiness;” it is quite a different thing.

ii. 15: “Christ abolished the enmity, to make” (or create) “in himself of twain one new man.” Does this only mean one new profession? It evidently means one Church, both of Jews and Gentiles. You prove it, 2. From Col. iii. 8-12; where “the Apostle tells the Colossian Christians, that ‘now’ they were obliged to “put off anger, and “to put on bowels of mercies;’ to admit the Christian spirit into their hearts, and to practise Christian duties; for this reason, because they “had put off the old man, and ‘had put on the new. This shows ‘the new man’ was something they might have “put on, and yet be defective in personal, internal holiness.” True; defective so far, as still to want more; more “bowels of mercies, meekness, long-suf fering.” But this does not show, that the “new man” does not mean the principle both of internal and external holiness. The consciousness of having received this is a strong motive both to depart from evil, and to labour after a continual increase of every holy and heavenly temper; therefore, here likewise, “the putting off the old and the putting on the new man” does not mean an outward profession, but a real, inward change; a renewal of soul “in righteousness and true holiness.” You prove it, 3. From Eph. iv. 22, 24: “Here,” you say, “he considers ‘the putting off the old and ‘putting on the new man’ as a duty. They had done it by profession, and therefore were obliged to do it effectually.” They had done it effectually. So the whole tenor of the Apostle's words implies: “Ye have not so learned Christ; if so be,” rather, seeing that, “ye have been taught by him;--that ye put off the old man; --and be renewed in the spirit of your mind;--and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” (Eph. iv. 20-24.) The Apostle here manifestly speaks, not of a lesson they had not learned, but of one which God had taught them already; and thence exhorts them to walk worthy of the blessing they had received, to be “holy in all manner of conversation.” But, 4. “‘The putting on the new man’ is one thing, and the creating him is another.

Now, let us view it more closely: “Adam cculd not sin without a sinful inclination.” The sentence is ambiguous. Either it may mean, “Adam could not choose ill, without some sinful temper preceding;” and in this sense it is false; or, “He could not commit outward sin, without first inclining, that is, choosing so to do.” 2. “This his sinful in clination (or temper) was so strong as to overcome his inbred propensity to holiness.” It was not any sinful inclination (in this sense) which overcame his propensity to holiness; but strong temptation from without: How strong we know not, and the circumstances of it we know not. 3. “This his sinful inclination was so malignant, as to expel that principle at once, and totally.” Not by any sinful inclination, but by yielding to temptation, he did lose the love and image of God. But that this was totally and at once, we have no authority to affirm. 4. “Consequently, original righteousness in Adam was consistent with a sinful propensity, vastly stronger, and more malignant, than ever was or can be in any of his posterity.” It was consistent with no sinful propensity at all, but barely with a power of yielding to temptation. It declined in the same proportion, and by the same degrees, as he did actually yield to this. And when he had yielded entirely, and eaten the fruit, original righteousness was no more. Therefore, the Fifth proposition, “Thus original righteousness proves to be far worse than original sin,” is flourish. What a figure does this fair argument make, now it is turned inside out ! From all this it may appear, that the doctrine of original righteousness (as well as that of original sin) hath a firm foun dation in Scripture, as well as in the attributes of a wise, holy, and gracious God. As you do not offer any new argument in your conclusion, I need not spend any time upon it. You subjoin Remarks on Dr. Watts's Additions to his book. Some of these deserve a serious consideration: 1. Either the new-created man loved God supremely, or not. If he did not, he was not innocent ; since the very law and light of nature require such a love to God. If he did, he stood disposed for every act of obedience. And this is true holiness of heart.