Wesley Corpus

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?

Whatever your hand finds to do, do you do it with your might? And do you do all as unto the Lord, as a sacrifice unto God, acceptable in Christ Jesus? The, and this alone is the old religion. This is true, primitive Christianity. Oh, when shall it spread over all the earth? when shall it be found both in us and you? Without waiting for others, let each of us by the grace of God amend one. 16. Are we not thus far agreed? Let us thank God for this, and receive it as a fresh token of His love. But if God still loveth us, we ought also to love one another. We ought, without this endless jangling about opinions, to provoke one another to love and to good works. Let the points wherein we differ stand aside: here are enough wherein we agree enough to be the ground of every Christian temper and of every Christian action. O brethren, let us not still fall out by the way! I hope to see you in heaven. And if I practice the religion above described, you dare not say I shall go to hell. You cannot think so. None can persuade you to it. Your own conscience tells you the contrary. Then, if we cannot as yet think alike in all things, at least we may love alike. Herein we cannot possibly do amiss. For of one point none can doubt a moment, -- ‘God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.’ 17. In the name, then, and in the strength of God, let us resolve first, not to hurt one another; to do nothing unkind or unfriendly to each other, nothing which we would not have done to ourselves. Rather let us endeavor after every instance of a. kind, friendly, and Christian behavior towards each other. Let us resolve secondly, God being our helper, to speak nothing harsh or unkind of each other. The sure way to avoid this is to say all the good we can both of and to one another; in all our conversation, either with or concerning each other, to use only the language of love to speak with all Softness and tenderness, with the most endearing expression which is consistent with truth and sincerity.

(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."

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."

9. But it did not satisfy him, barely to abstain from doing evil. His soul was athirst to do good. The language of his heart continually was, "`My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.' My Lord went about doing good; and shall not I tread in his steps?" As he had opportunity therefore, if he could do no good of a higher kind, he fed the hungry, clothed the naked, helped the fatherless or stranger, visited and assisted them that were sick or in prison. He gave all his goods to feed the poor. He rejoiced to labour or to suffer for them; and whereinsoever he might profit another, there especially to "deny himself." He counted nothing too dear to part with for them, as well remembering the word of his Lord, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me" (Matt. 25:40). 10. Such was Christianity in its rise. Such was a Christian in ancient days. Such was every one of those who, when they heard the threatenings of the chief priests and elders, "lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and were all filled with the Holy Ghost. The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul:" So did the love of him in whom they had believed constrain them to love one another! "Neither said any of them that aught of the things which he possessed was his own but they had all things common:" So fully were they crucified to the world, and the world crucified to them! "And they continued steadfastly with one accord in the Apostles' doctrine, and in the breaking of bread, and in prayers" (Acts 2:42). "And great grace was upon them all; neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the Apostles' feet: And distribution was made unto every man according as he had need." (Acts 4:31-35.) II. Christianity Spreading from One to Another

5. They are not condemned, thirdly, for inward sin, even though it does now remain. That the corruption of nature does still remain, even in those who are the children of God by faith; that they have in them the seeds of pride and vanity, of anger, lust, and evil desire, yea, sin of every kind; is too plain to be denied, being matter of daily experience. And on this account it is, that St. Paul, speaking to those whom he had just before witnessed to be "in Christ Jesus," (1 Cor. 1:2, 9), to have been "called of God into the fellowship "(or participation) "of his Son Jesus Christ "; yet declares, "Brethren, I could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ" (1 Cor. 3:1): "babes in Christ"; so we see they were "in Christ"; they were believers in a low degree. And yet how much of sin remained in them! of that "carnal mind, which is not subject to the law of God!" 6. And yet, for all this, they are not condemned. Although they feel the flesh, the evil nature, in them; although they are more sensible, day by day, that their "heart is deceitful and desperately wicked"; yet, so long as they do not yield thereto; so long as they give no place to the devil; so long as they maintain a continual war with all sin, with pride, anger, desire, so that the flesh hath not dominion over them, but they still "walk after the Spirit"; "there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." God is well pleased with their sincere, though imperfect. obedience; and they "have confidence toward God," knowing they are his, "by the Spirit which he hath given" them. (1 John 3:24).

2. With regard to the latter, the foundation thereof is laid in those numerous texts of Scripture which describe the marks of the children of God; and that so plain, that he which runneth may read them. These are also collected together, and placed in the strongest light, by many both ancient and modern writers. If any need farther light, he may receive it by attending on the ministry of God's Word; by meditating thereon before God in secret; and by conversing with those who have the knowledge of his ways. And by the reason or understanding that God has given him, which religion was designed not to extinguish, but to perfect; -- according to that of the Apostle, "Brethren, be not children in understanding; in malice" or wickedness "be ye children; but in understanding be ye men;" (1 Cor. 14:20;) -- every man applying those scriptural marks to himself, may know whether he is a child of God. Thus, if he know, First, "as many as are led by the Spirit of God," into all holy tempers and actions, "they are the sons of God;" (for which he has the infallible assurance of holy writ;) Secondly, I am thus "led by the Spirit of God;" he will easily conclude, -- "Therefore I am a son of God." 3. Agreeable to this are all those plain declarations of St. John, in his First Epistle: "Hereby we know that we do know him, if we keep his commandments." (1 John 2:3.) "Whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected; Hereby know we that we are in him;" that we are indeed the children of God. (1 John 2:5.) "If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that everyone that doeth righteousness is born of him." (1 John 2:29.) "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren." (1 John 3:14) "Hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him;" namely, because we "love one another not in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth." "Hereby know we that we dwell in him, because he hath given us of his" loving "Spirit." (1 John 4:13.) And, "hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the" obedient "spirit which he hath given us." (1 John 3:24.)

8. But whoever desires to have a conscience thus void of offence, let him see that he lay the right foundation. Let him remember, "other foundation" of this "can no man lay, than that which is laid, even Jesus Christ." And let him also be mindful, that no man buildeth on him but by a living faith; that no man is a partaker of Christ, until he can clearly testify, "The life which I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God;" in him who is now revealed in my heart; who "loved me, and gave himself for me." Faith alone is that evidence, that conviction, that demonstration of things invisible, whereby the eyes of our understanding being opened, and divine light poured in upon them, we "see the wondrous things of God's law;" the excellency and purity of it; the height, and depth, and length, and breadth thereof, and of every commandment contained therein. It is by faith that, beholding "the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ," we perceive, as in a glass, all that is in ourselves, yea, the inmost motions of our souls. And by this alone can that blessed love of God be "shed abroad in our hearts," which enables us so to love one another as Christ loved us. By this is that gracious promise fulfilled unto all the Israel of God, "I will put my laws into their mind, and write" (or engrave) "them in their hearts;" (Heb. 8:10;) hereby producing in their souls an entire agreement with his holy and perfect law, and "bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." And, as an evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit, so a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit. As the heart therefore of a believer, so likewise his life, is thoroughly conformed to the rule of God's commandments; in a consciousness whereof, he can give glory to God, and say with the Apostle, "This is our rejoicing, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world."

5. "But the 'church is the body of Christ;' (Col. 1:24;) this implies, that its members are washed from all filthiness; otherwise it will follow, that Christ and Belial are incorporated with each other." Nay, it will not follow from hence, "Those who are the mystical body of Christ, still feel the flesh lusting against the Spirit," that Christ has any fellowship with the devil; or with that sin which he enables them to resist and overcome. 6. "But are not Christians `come to the heavenly Jerusalem,' where `nothing defiled can enter'" (Heb. 12:22.) Yes; "and to an innumerable company of angels, and to the spirits of just men made perfect:" That is, Earth and heaven all agree; All is one great family. And they are likewise holy and undefiled, while they "walk after the Spirit;" although sensible there is another principle in them, and that "these are contrary to each other." 7. "But Christians are reconciled to God. Now this could not be, if any of the carnal mind remained; for this is enmity against God: Consequently, no reconciliation can be effected, but by its total destruction." We are "reconciled to God through the blood of the cross:" And in that moment the jronhma sarkos, the corruption of nature, which is enmity with God, is put under our feet; the flesh has no more dominion over us. But it still exists; and it is still in its nature enmity with God, lusting against his Spirit. 8. "But `they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh, with its affections and lusts.'" (Gal. 5:24.) They have so; yet it remains in them still, and often struggles to break from the cross. "Nay, but they have `put off the old man with his deeds.'" (Col. 3:9.) They have; and, in the sense above described, "old things are passed away; all things are become new." A hundred texts may be cited to the same effect; and they will all admit of the same answer. -- "But, to say all in one word, `Christ gave himself for the Church, that it might be holy and without blemish.'" (Eph. 5:25, 27.) And so it will be in the end: But it never was yet, from the beginning to this day.

The Great Assize Preached at the Assizes held before the Honorable Sir Edward Clive, Knight, one of the Judges of His Majesty's Court of Common Pleas, in St. Paul's Church, Bedford, on Friday, March 10, 1758; published at the request of William Cole, Esq., High Sheriff of the county, and others. "We shall all stand before the judgement-seat of Christ." Rom. 14:10 1. How many circumstances concur to raise the awfulness of the present solemnity! -- The general concourse of people of every age, sex, rank, and condition of life, willingly or unwillingly gathered together, not only from the neighboring, but from distant, parts; criminals, speedily to be brought forth and having no way to escape; officers, waiting in their various posts, to execute the orders which shall be given; and the representative of our gracious Sovereign, whom we so highly reverence and honor. The occasion likewise of this assembly adds not a little to the solemnity of it: to hear and determine causes of every kind, some of which are of the most important nature; on which depends no less than life or death, death that uncovers the face of eternity! It was, doubtless, in order to increase the serious sense of these things, and not in the minds of the vulgar only that the wisdom of our forefathers did not disdain to appoint even several minute circumstances of this solemnity. For these also, by means of the eye or ear, may more deeply affect the heart: and when viewed in this light, trumpets, staves, apparel, are no longer trifling or insignificant, but subservient, in their kind and degree, to the most valuable ends of society. 1 2. But, as awful as this solemnity is, one far more awful is at hand. For yet a little while, and "we shall all stand before the judgement-seat of Christ." "For, as I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God." And in that day, "every one of us shall give account of himself to God."

2. And, in this sense also, "every one who loveth him that begat, loveth him that is begotten of him." (1 John 5:1.) His spirit rejoiceth in God his Saviour. He "loveth the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity." He is so "joined unto the Lord," as to be one spirit. His soul hangeth upon Him, and chooseth Him as altogether lovely, "the chiefest among ten thousand." He knoweth, he feeleth what that means, "My Beloved is mine, and I am his." (Song 2:16.) "Thou art fairer than the children of men; full of grace are thy lips, because God hath anointed thee for ever!" (Psalm 45:2.) 3. The necessary fruit of this love of God is the love of our neighbour; of every soul which God hath made; not excepting our enemies; not excepting those who are now "despitefully using and persecuting us;" -- a love whereby we love every man as ourselves; as we love our own souls. Nay, our Lord has expressed it still more strongly, teaching us to "love one another even as He hath loved us." Accordingly, the commandment written in the hearts of all those that love God, is no other than this, "As I have loved you, so love ye one another." Now, "herein perceive we the love of God, in that he laid down his life for us." (1 John 3:16.) "We ought," then, as the Apostle justly infers, "to lay down our lives for the brethren." If we feel ourselves ready to do this, then do we truly love our neighbour. Then "we know that we have passed from death unto life, because we" thus "love the brethren." (1 John 3:14.) "Hereby know we" that we are born of God, that we "dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his" loving "Spirit." (1 John 4:13.) For "love is of God; and every one that" thus "loveth is born of God, and knoweth God." (1 John 4:7.)

3. It would be a considerable step toward this glorious end, if we could bring good men to understand one another. Abundance of disputes arise purely from the want of this; from mere misapprehension. Frequently neither of the contending parties understands what his opponent means; whence it follows, that each violently attacks the other, while there is no real difference between them. And yet it is not always an easy matter to convince them of this; particularly when their passions are moved: It is then attended with the utmost difficulty. However, it is not impossible; especially when we attempt it, not trusting in ourselves, but having all our dependence upon Him with whom all things are possible. How soon is he able to disperse the cloud, to shine upon their hearts, and to enable them both to understand each other, and "the truth as it is in Jesus!" 4. One very considerable article of this truth is contained in the words above recited, "This is his name whereby he shall be called, the LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS;" a truth this, which enters deep into the nature of Christianity, and, in a manner, supports the whole frame of it. Of this, undoubtedly, may be affirmed, what Luther affirms of a truth closely connected with it: it is articulus stantis vel cadentis ecclesiae: The Christian church stands or falls with it. It is certainly the pillar and ground of that faith, of which alone cometh salvation; of that Catholic or universal faith which is found in all the children of God, and which "unless a man keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly."

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! O let us not any more, for such very trifles as these, give our common enemies room to blaspheme! Rather let us at length cut off occasion for them that seek occasion! Let us at length (O why was it not done before) join hearts and hands in the service of our great Master. As we have "one Lord, one faith, one hope of our calling," let us all strengthen each other's hands in God, and with one heart and one mouth declare to all mankind, "THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS."

8. But let not the children of God, "the mourners in Sion," be moved by any of these things. Ye, whose eyes are enlightened, be not troubled by those who walk on still in darkness. Ye do not walk on in a vain shadow: God and eternity are real things. Heaven and hell are in very deed open before you; and ye are on the edge of the great gulf. It has already swallowed up more than words can express, nations, and kindreds, and peoples, and tongues; and still yawns to devour, whether they see it or no, the giddy, miserable children of men. O cry aloud! Spare not! Lift up your voice to Him who grasps both time and eternity, both for yourselves and your brethren, that ye may be counted worthy to escape the destruction that cometh as a whirlwind! that ye may be brought safe through all the waves and storms into the haven where you would be! Weep for yourselves, till he wipes away the tears from your eyes. And even then, weep for the miseries that come upon the earth, till the Lord of all shall put a period to misery and sin, shall wipe away the tears from all faces, and "the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth, as the waters cover the sea."

7. It follows, love "is not puffed up:" It does not incline or suffer any man "to think more highly of himself than he ought to think;" but rather to think soberly: Yea, it humbles the soul unto the dust. It destroys all high conceits, engendering pride; and makes us rejoice to be as nothing, to be little and vile, the lowest of all, the servant of all. They who are "kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love," cannot but "in honour prefer one another." Those who, having the same love, are of one accord, do in lowliness of mind "each esteem other better than themselves." 8. "It doth not behave itself unseemly:" It is not rude, or willingly offensive to any. It "renders to all their due; fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour;" courtesy, civility, humanity to all the world; in their several degrees "honouring all men." A late writer defines good breeding, nay, the highest degree of it, politeness, "A continual desire to please, appearing in all the behaviour." But if so, there is none so well-bred as a Christian, a lover of all mankind. For he cannot but desire to "please all men for their good to edification:" And this desire cannot be hid; it will necessarily appear in all his intercourse with men. For his "love is without dissimulation:" It will appear in all his actions and conversation; yea, and will constrain him, though without guile, "to become all things to all men, if by any means he may save some."

9. And in becoming all things to all men, "love seeketh not her own." In striving to please all men, the lover of mankind has no eye at all to his own temporal advantage. He covets no man's silver, or gold, or apparel: He desires nothing but the salvation of their souls: Yea, in some sense, he may be said, not to seek his own spiritual, any more than temporal, advantage; for while he is on the full stretch to save their souls from death, he, as it were, forgets himself. He does not think of himself, so long as that zeal for the glory of God swallows him up. Nay, at some times he may almost seem, through an excess of love, to give up himself, both his soul and his body; while he cries out, with Moses, "O, this people have sinned a great sin; yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin -- ; and if not, blot me out of the book which thou hast written;" (Exod. 32:31, 32;) -- or, with St. Paul, "I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ, for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh!" (Rom. 9:3.) 10. No marvel that such "love is not provoked:" ou paroxunetai. Let it be observed, the word easily, strangely inserted in the translation, is not in the original: St. Paul's words are absolute. "Love is not provoked:" It is not provoked to unkindness toward any one. Occasions indeed will frequently occur; outward provocations of various kinds; but love does not yield to provocation; it triumphs over all. In all trials it looketh unto Jesus, and is more than conqueror in his love.

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."

18. For a little while you may say, "Woe is me, that I" am constrained to "dwell with Mesech, and to have my habitation among the tents of Kedar!" You may pour out your soul, and bemoan the loss of true, genuine love in the earth: Lost indeed! You may well say, (but not in the ancient sense,) "See how these Christians love one another!" these Christian kingdoms, that are tearing out each other's bowels, desolating one another with fire and sword! these Christian armies, that are sending each by thousands, by ten thousands, quick into hell! these Christian nations, that are all on fire with intestine broils, party against party, faction against faction! these Christian cities, where deceit and fraud, oppression and wrong, yea, robbery and murder, go not out of their streets! these Christian families, torn asunder with envy, jealousy, anger, domestic jars, without number, without end! yea, what is most dreadful, most to be lamented of all, these Christian Churches! --Churches ("tell it not in Gath," -- but, alas! how can we hide it, either from Jews, Turks, or Pagans) that bear the name of Christ, the Prince of Peace, and wage continual war with each other! that convert sinners by burning them alive! that are "drunk with the blood of the saints!" -- Does this praise belong only to "Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth" Nay, verily; but Reformed Churches (so called) have fairly learned to tread in her steps. Protestant Churches too know to persecute, when they have power in their hands, even unto blood. And, meanwhile, how do they also anathematize each other! devote each other to the nethermost hell! What wrath, what contention, what malice, what bitterness, is everywhere found among them, even where they agree in essentials, and only differ in opinions, or in the circumstantials of religion! Who follows after only the "things that make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another" O God! how long Shall thy promise fail Fear it not, ye little flock! Against hope, believe in hope! It is your Father's good pleasure yet to renew the face of the earth. Surely all these things shall come to an end, and the inhabitants of the earth shall learn righteousness.

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!

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."

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.

6. This was "the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees;" a righteousness which, in many respects, went far beyond the conception which many have been accustomed to entertain concerning it. But perhaps it will be said, "It was all false and feigned; for they were all a company of hypocrites." Some of them doubtless were; men who had really no religion at all, no fear of God, or desire to please him; who had no concern for the honour that cometh of God, but only for the praise of men. And these are they whom our Lord so severely condemns, so sharply reproves, on many occasions. But we must not suppose, because many Pharisees were hypocrites, therefore all were so. Nor indeed is hypocrisy by any means essential to the character of a Pharisee. This is not the distinguishing mark of their sect. It is rather this, according to our Lord's account, "They trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others." This is their genuine badge. But the Pharisee of this kind cannot be a hypocrite. He must be, in the common sense, sincere; otherwise he could not "trust in himself that he is righteous." The man who was here commending himself to God unquestionably thought himself righteous. Consequently, he was no hypocrite; he was not conscious to himself of any insincerity. He now spoke to God just what he thought, namely, that he was abundantly better than other men. But the example of St. Paul, were there no other, is sufficient to put this out of all question. He could not only say, when he was a Christian, "Herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men;" (Acts 24:16;) but even concerning the time when he was a Pharisee, "Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day." (Acts 23:1) He was therefore sincere when he was a Pharisee, as well when he was a Christian. He was no more a hypocrite when he persecuted the Church, than when he preached the faith which once he persecuted. Let this then be added to "the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees," -- a sincere belief that they are righteous, and in all things "doing God service."

5 . "Our Father:" -- Not mine only who now cry unto him, but ours in the most extensive sense. The God and "Father of the spirits of all flesh;" the Father of angels and men: So the very Heathens acknowledged him to be, Pathr andpvn te qevn te. The Father of the universe, of all the families both in heaven and earth. Therefore with him there is no respect of persons. He loveth all that he hath made. "He is loving unto every man, and his mercy is over all his works." And the Lord's delight is in them that fear him, and put their trust in his mercy; in them that trust in him through the Son of his love, knowing they are "accepted in the Beloved." But "if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another;" yea, all mankind; seeing "God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son", even to die the death, that they "might not perish, but have everlasting life" 6. "Which art in heaven:" -- High and lifted up; God over all, blessed for ever: Who, sitting on the circle of the heavens, beholdeth all things both in heaven and earth; whose eye pervades the whole sphere of created being; yea, and of uncreated night; unto whom "are known all his works", and all the works of every creature, not only "from the beginning of the world," (a poor, low, weak translation,) but ap aivnos, from all eternity, from everlasting to everlasting; who constrains the host of heaven, as well as the children of men, to cry out with wonder and amazement, O the depth! "the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God!" "Which art in heaven:" -- The Lord and Ruler of all, superintending and disposing all things; who art the King of kings, and Lord of lords, the blessed and only Potentate; who art strong and girded about with power, doing whatsoever pleaseth thee; the Almighty; for whensoever thou willest, to do is present with thee. "In heaven:" -- Eminently there. Heaven is thy throne, "the place where thine honour" particularly "dwelleth." But not there alone; for thou fillest heaven and earth, the whole expanse of space. "Heaven and earth are full of thy glory. Glory be to thee, O Lord, most high!"

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!

7. Again, had you been at Nineveh when it was proclaimed throughout the city, "Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything: Let them not feed or drink water, but let them cry mightily unto God;" -- would your continual fast have been any reason for not bearing part in that general humiliation Doubtless it would not. You would have been as much concerned as any other not to taste food on that day. No more would abstinence, or the observing a continual fast, have excused any of the children of Israel from fasting on the tenth day of the seventh month, that shall not be afflicted," shall not fast, "in that day, he shall be cut off from among his people." Lastly. Had you been with the brethren in Antioch, at the time when they fasted and prayed, before the sending forth of Barnabas and Saul, can you possibly imagine that your temperance or abstinence would have been a sufficient cause for not joining therein Without doubt, if you had not, you would soon have been cut off from the Christian community. You would have deservedly been cast out from among them ,as bringing confusion into the Church of God. IV. 1. I am, in the Last place, to show in what manner we are to fast, that it may be an acceptable service unto the Lord. And, First, let it be done unto the Lord, with our eye singly fixed on Him. Let our intention herein be this, and this alone, to glorify our Father which is in heaven; to express our sorrow and shame for our manifold transgressions of his holy law; to wait for an increase of purifying grace, drawing our affections to things above; to add seriousness and earnestness to our prayers; to avert the wrath of God, and to obtain all the great and precious promises which he hath made to us in Jesus Christ.

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!

21. These are all dead show. Regard them not. Trust thou in the living God; so shalt thou be safe under the shadow of the Almighty; his faithfulness and truth shall be thy shield and buckler. He is a very present help in time of trouble such an help as can never fail. Then shalt thou say, if all thy other friends die, "The Lord liveth, and blessed be my strong helper!" He shall remember thee when thou liest sick upon thy bed; when vain is the help of man. When all the things of earth can give no support, he will "make all thy bed in thy sickness." He will sweeten thy pain; the consolations of God shall cause thee to clap thy hands in the flames. And even when this house of earth" is well nigh shaken down, when it is just ready to drop into the dust, he will teach thee to say, "O death, where is thy sting O grave, where is thy victory Thanks be unto God, who giveth" me "the victory, through" my "Lord Jesus Christ." O trust in Him for happiness as well as for help. All the springs of happiness are in him. Trust in him "who giveth us all things richly to enjoy," pareconti plousivs panta eis apolausin.-- who, of his own rich and free mercy holds them out to us as in his own hand, that receiving them as his gift, and as pledges of his love, we may enjoy all that we possess. It is his love gives a relish to all we taste, -- puts life and sweetness into all, while every creature leads us up to the great Creator, and all earth is a scale to heaven. He transfuses the joys that are at his own right hand into all he bestows on his thankful children; who, having fellowship with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ, enjoy him in all and above all.

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.

5. And this he showed, not only to our first parents, but likewise to all their posterity, by "that true light which enlightens every man that cometh into the world." But, notwithstanding this light, all flesh had, in process of time, "corrupted their way before him;" till he chose out of mankind a peculiar people, to whom he gave a more perfect knowledge of his law; and the heads of this, because they were slow of understanding, he wrote on two tables of stone, which he commanded the fathers to teach their children, through all succeeding generations. 6. And thus it is, that the law of God is now made known to them that know not God. They hear, with the hearing of the ear, the things that were written aforetime for our instruction. But this does not suffice: they cannot, by this means, comprehend the height, and depth, and length, and breadth thereof. God alone can reveal this by his Spirit. And so he does to all that truly believe, in consequence of that gracious promise made to all the Israel of God: "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel. And this shall be the covenant that I will make; I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people" (Jer. 31.31 & c.)

The lowest circumstance we can understand thereby, is, he has no outward connexion with us. We do not labour in conjunction with each other. He is not our fellow-helper in the gospel. And indeed whensoever our Lord is pleased to send many labourers into his harvest, they cannot all act in subordination to, or connexion with, each other. Nay, they cannot be personal acquaintance with, nor be so much as known to, one another. Many there will necessarily be, in different parts of the harvest, so far from having any mutual intercourse, that they will be as absolute strangers to each other as if they had lived in different ages. And concerning any of these whom we know not, we may doubtless say, "He followeth not us." 2. A Second meaning of this expression may be, --he is not of our party. It has long been matter of melancholy consideration to all who pray for the peace of Jerusalem, that so many several parties are still subsisting among those who are all styled Christians. This has been particularly observable in our own countrymen, who have been continually dividing from each other, upon points of no moment, and many times such as religion had no concern in. The most trifling circumstances have given rise to different parties, which have continued for many generations; and each of these would be ready to object to one who was on the other side, "He followeth not us."

2. But it is sure, there is a peculiar love which we owe to those that love God. So David: "All my delight is upon the saints that are in the earth, and upon such as excel in virtue." And so a greater than he: "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another: as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another" (John 13:34, 35). This is that love on which the Apostle John so frequently and strongly insists: "This," saith he, "is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another" (1 John 3:11). "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought," if love should call us thereto, "to lay down our lives for the brethren" (verse 16). And again: "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God. He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love" (4:7, 8). "Not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another (verses 10, 11). 3. All men approve of this; but do all men practise it Daily experience shows the contrary. Where are even the Christians who "love one another as he hath given us commandment" how many hindrances lie in the way! The two grand, general hindrances are, first, that they cannot all think alike and, in consequence of this, secondly, they cannot all walk alike; but in several smaller points their practice must differ in proportion to the difference of their sentiments. 4. But although a difference in opinions or modes of worship may prevent an entire external union, yet need it prevent our union in affection Though we cannot think alike, may we not love alike May we not be of one heart, though we are not of one opinion Without all doubt, we may. Herein all the children of God may unite, notwithstanding these smaller differences. These remaining as they are, they may forward one another in love and in good works.

6. I mean, Thirdly, provoke me to love and to good works. Second thy prayer, as thou hast opportunity, by speaking to me, in love, whatsoever thou believest to be for my soul's health. Quicken me in the work which God has given me to do, and instruct me how to do it more perfectly. Yea, "smite me friendly, and reprove me," whereinsoever I appear to thee to be doing rather my own will, than the will of him that sent me. O speak and spare not, whatever thou believest may conduce, either to the amending my faults, the strengthening my weakness, the building me up in love, or the making me more fit, in any kind, for the Master's use. 7. I mean, Lastly, love me not in word only, but in deed and in truth. So far as in conscience thou canst (retaining still thy own opinions, and thy own manner of worshipping God), join with me in the work of God; and let us go on hand in hand. And thus far, it is certain, thou mayest go. Speak honourably wherever thou art, of the work of God, by whomsoever he works, and kindly of his messengers. And, if it be in thy power, not only sympathize with them when they are in any difficulty or distress, but give them a cheerful and effectual assistance, that they may glorify God on thy behalf. 8. Two things should be observed with regard to what has been spoken under this last head: the one, that whatsoever love, whatsoever offices of love, whatsoever spiritual or temporal assistance, I claim from him whose heart is right, as my heart is with his, the same I am ready, by the grace of God, according to my measure, to give him: the other, that I have not made this claim in behalf of myself only, but of all whose heart is right toward God and man, that we may all love one another as Christ hath loved us. Part III: Inferences III. 1. One inference we may make from what has been said. We may learn from hence, what is a catholic spirit.

3. Hence we may, thirdly, learn, that a catholic spirit is not indifference to all congregations. This is another sort of latitudinarianism, no less absurd and unscriptural than the former. But it is far from a man of a truly catholic spirit. He is fixed in his congregation as well as his principles. He is united to one, not only in spirit, but by all the outward ties of Christian fellowship. There he partakes of all the ordinances of God. There he receives the supper of the Lord. There he pours out his soul in public prayer, and joins in public praise and thanksgiving. There he rejoices to hear the word of reconciliation, the gospel of the grace of God. With these his nearest, his best-beloved brethren, on solemn occasions, he seeks God by fasting. These particularly he watches over in love, as they do over his soul; admonishing, exhorting, comforting, reproving, and every way building up each other in the faith. These he regards as his own household; and therefore, according to the ability God has given him, naturally cares for them, and provides that they may have all the things that are needful for life and godliness. 4. But while he is steadily fixed in his religious principles in what he believes to be the truth as it is in Jesus; while he firmly adheres to that worship of God which he judges to be most acceptable in his sight; and while he is united by the tenderest and closest ties to one particular congregation, --his heart is enlarged toward all mankind, those he knows and those he does not; he embraces with strong and cordial affection neighbours and strangers, friends and enemies. This is catholic or universal love. And he that has this is of a catholic spirit. For love alone gives the title to this character: catholic love is a catholic spirit.

4. Widely different from these are the other sort of wandering thoughts; in which the heart does not wander from God, but the understanding wanders from the particular point it had then in view. For instance: I sit down to consider those words in the verse preceding the text: "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God." I think, "This ought to be the case with all that are called Christians. But how far is it otherwise! Look round into almost every part of what is termed the Christian world. What manner of weapons are these using In what kind of warfare are they engaged; While men, like fiends, each other tear; In all the hellish rage of war See how these Christians love one another! Wherein are they preferable to Turks and Pagans What abomination can be found among Mahometans or Heathens which is not found among Christians also" And thus my mind runs off, before I am aware, from one circumstance to another. Now, all these are, in some sense, wandering thoughts: For although they do not wander from God, much less fight against him, yet they do wander from the particular point I had in view. II. Such is the nature, such are the sorts (to speak rather usefully than philosophically) of wandering thoughts. But what are the general occasions of them This we are, in the Second place, to consider.

4. Will not the case be the same with regard to those thoughts that necessarily arise from violent pain They will more or less continue, while that pain continues, by the inviolable order of nature. This order, likewise, will obtain, where the thoughts are disturbed, broken, or interrupted, by any defect of the apprehension, judgement, or imagination, flowing from the natural constitution of the body. And how many interruptions may spring from the unaccountable and involuntary association of our ideas! Now, all these are directly or indirectly caused by the corruptible body pressing down the mind. Nor, therefore, can we expect them to be removed till "this corruptible shall put on incorruption." 5. And then only, when we lie down in the dust, shall we be delivered from those wandering thoughts which are occasioned by what we see and hear, among those by whom we are now surrounded. To avoid these, we must go out of the world: For as long as we remain therein, as long as there are men and women round about us, and we have eyes to see and ears to hear, the things which we daily see and hear will certainly affect our mind, and will more or less break in upon and interrupt our preceding thoughts. 6. And as long as evil spirits roam to and fro in a miserable, disordered world, so long they will assault (whether they can prevail or no) every inhabitant of flesh and blood. They will trouble even those whom they cannot destroy: They will attack, if they cannot conquer. And from these attacks of our restless, unwearied enemies, we must not look for an entire deliverance, till we are lodged "where the wicked cease from troubling, and where the weary are at rest."

"Now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations." 1 Pet. 1:6. 1. In the preceding discourse I have particularly spoken of that darkness of mind into which those are often observed to fall who once walked in the light of God's countenance. Nearly related to this is the heaviness of soul which is still more common, even among believers. Indeed, almost all the children of God experience this, in an higher or lower degree. And so great is the resemblance between one and the other, that they are frequently confounded together; and we are apt to say, indifferently, "Such an one is in darkness," or "Such an one is in heaviness;" -- as if they were equivalent terms, one of which implied no more than the other. But they are far, very far from it. Darkness is one thing; heaviness is another. There is a difference, yea, a wide an essential difference, between the former and the latter. And such a difference it is as all the children of God are deeply concerned to understand: Otherwise nothing will be more easy than for them to slide out of heaviness into darkness. In order to prevent this, I will endeavor to show, I. What manner of persons those were to whom the Apostle says, "Ye are in heaviness." II. What kind of heaviness they were in: III. What were the causes: and, IV. What were the ends of it. I shall conclude with some inferences. I. 1. I am, in the first place, to show what manner of persons those were to whom the Apostle says, "Ye are in heaviness." And, first, it is beyond all dispute, that they were believers at the time the Apostle thus addressed them: For so he expressly says, (1 Pet. 1:5,) "Ye who are kept through the power of God by faith unto salvation." Again, (1 Pet. 1:7,) he mentions "the trial of their faith, much more precious than that of gold which perisheth." And yet again, (1 Pet. 1:9,) he speaks of their "receiving the end of their faith, the salvation of their souls." At the same time, therefore, that they were "in heaviness," they were possessed of living faith. Their heaviness did not destroy their faith: They still "endured, as seeing him that is invisible."

Has poverty nothing worse in it than this, that it makes men liable to be laughed at It is a sign this idle poet talked by rote of the things which he knew not. Is not want of food something worse than this God pronounced it as a curse upon man, that he should earn it "by the sweat of his brow." But how many are there in this Christian country, that toil, and labour, and sweat, and have it not at last, but struggle with weariness and hunger together Is it not worse for one, after an hard day's labour, to come back to a poor, cold, dirty, uncomfortable lodging, and to find there not even the food which is needful to repair his wasted strength You that live at ease in the earth, that want nothing but eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to understand how well God has dealt with you, -- is it not worse to seek bread day by day, and find none perhaps to find the comfort also of five or six children, crying for what he has not to give! Were it not that he is restrained by an unseen hand, would he not soon "curse God and die" O want of bread! want of bread! Who can tell what this means unless he hath felt it himself I am astonished it occasions no more than heaviness even in them that believe! 4. Perhaps, next to this, we may place the death of those who were near and dear unto us; of a tender parent, and one not much declined into the vale of years; of a beloved child, just rising into life, and clasping about our heart; of a friend that was as our own soul, -- next the grace of God, the last, best gift of Heaven. And a thousand circumstances may enhance the distress. Perhaps the child, the friend, died in our embrace! -- perhaps, was snatched away when we looked not for it! flourishing, cut down like a flower! In all these cases, we not only may, but ought to, be affected: It is the design of God that we should. He would not have us stocks and stones. He would have our affections regulated, not extinguished. Therefore, -- "Nature unreproved may drop a tear." There may be sorrow without sin.

14. We see plainly then both the nature and ground of taking up our cross. It does not imply the disciplining ourselves; (as some speak;) the literally tearing our own flesh: the wearing hair-cloth, or iron-girdles, or anything else that would impair our bodily health; (although we know not what allowance God may make for those who act thus through involuntary ignorance;) but the embracing the will of God, though contrary to our own; the choosing wholesome, though bitter medicines; the freely accepting temporary pain, of whatever kind, and in whatever degree, when it is either essentially or accidentally necessary to eternal pleasure. II. 1. I am, Secondly, to show, that it is always owing to the want either of self-denial, or taking up his cross, that any man does not throughly follow Him, is not fully a disciple of Christ. It is true, this may be partly owing, in some cases, to the want of the means of grace; of hearing the true word of God spoken with power; of the sacraments, or of Christian fellowship. But where none of these is wanting, the great hindrance of our receiving or growing in the grace of God is always the want of denying ourselves, or taking up our cross. 2. A few instances will make this plain. A man hears the word which is able to save his soul: He is well pleased with what he hears, acknowledges the truth, and is a little affected by it; yet he remains "dead in trespasses and sins," senseless and unawakened. Why is this Because he will not part with his bosom-sin, though he now knows it is an abomination to the Lord. He came to hear, full of lust and unholy desires; and he will not part with them. Therefore no deep impression is made upon him, but his foolish heart is still hardened: That is, he is still senseless and unawakened, because he will not deny himself.

6. Do not think to excuse yourself for taking an entirely different step, by saying, "Why, I did not speak to anyone, till I was so burdened that I could not refrain." You was burdened! It was no wonder you should, unless your conscience was seared; for you was under the guilt of sin, of disobeying a plain commandment of God! You ought immediately to have gone, and told "your brother of his fault between you and him alone." If you did not, how should you be other than burdened (unless your heart was utterly hardened,) while you was trampling the command of God under foot, and "hating your brother in your heart" And what a way have you found to unburden yourself God reproves you for a sin of omission, for not telling your brother of his fault; and you comfort yourself under His reproof by a sin of commission, by telling your brother's fault to another person! Ease bought by sin is a dear purchase! I trust in God, you will have no ease, but will be burdened so much the more, till you "go to your brother and tell him," and no one else.

7. I know but of one exception to this rule: There may be a peculiar case, wherein it is necessary to accuse the guilty, though absent, in order to preserve the innocent. For instance: You are acquainted with the design which a man has against the property or life of his neighbor. Now, the case may be so circumstanced, that there is no other way of hindering that design from taking effect, but the making it known, without delay, to him against whom it is laid. In this case, therefore, this rule is set aside, as is that of the Apostle, "Speak evil of no man:" and it is lawful, yea, it is our bounden duty, to speak evil of an absent person, in order to prevent his doing evil to others and himself at the same time. But remember, meanwhile that all evil-speaking is, in its own nature, deadly poison. Therefore if you are sometimes constrained to use it as a medicine, yet use it with fear and trembling; seeing it is so dangerous a medicine, that nothing but absolute necessity can excuse your using it at all. Accordingly, use it as seldom as possible; never but when there is such a necessity: And even then use as little of it as is possible; only so much as is necessary for the end proposed. At all other times, "go and tell him of his fault between thee and him alone."

4. But if this be the rule by which Christians walk, which is the land where Christians live A few you may possibly find scattered up and down, who make a conscience of observing it. But how very few! How thinly scattered upon the face of the earth! And where is there any body of men that universally walk thereby Can we find them in Europe Or, to go no farther, in Great Britain or Ireland I fear not: I fear we may search these kingdoms throughout, and yet search in vain. Alas for the Christian world! Alas for Protestants, for Reformed Christians! O, "who will rise up with me against the wicked" "Who will take God's part" against the evil-speakers Art thou the man By the grace of God, wilt thou be one who art not carried away by the torrent Art thou fully determined, God being thy helper, from this very hour to set a watch, a continual "watch, before thy mouth, and keep the door of thy lips" From this hour wilt thou walk by this rule, "Speaking evil of no man" If thou seest thy brother do evil, wilt thou "tell him of his fault between thee and him alone" Afterwards, "take one or two witnesses," and then only "tell it to the church" If this be the full purpose of thy heart, then learn one lesson well, "Hear evil of no man." If there were no hearers, there would be no speakers, of evil. And is not (according to the vulgar proverb) the receiver as bad as the thief If, then, any begin to speak evil in thy hearing, check him immediately. Refuse to hear the voice of the charmer, charm he never so sweetly; let him use ever so soft a manner, so mild an accent, ever so many professions of goodwill for him whom he is stabbing in the dark, whom he smiteth under the fifth rib! Resolutely refuse to hear, though the whisperer complain of being "burdened till he speak." Burdened! thou fool! dost thou travail with thy cursed secret, as a woman travaileth with child Go, then, and be delivered of thy burden in the way the Lord hath ordained!

dost thou travail with thy cursed secret, as a woman travaileth with child Go, then, and be delivered of thy burden in the way the Lord hath ordained! First, "go and tell thy brother of his fault between thee and him alone.:" next, "take with thee one or two" common friends, and tell him in their presence: If neither of these steps take effect, then "tell it to the church." But, at the peril of thy soul, tell it to no one else, either before or after, unless in that one exempt case, when it is absolutely needful to preserve the innocent! Why shouldst thou burden another as well as thyself, by making him partaker of thy sin

5. O that all you who bear the reproach of Christ, who are in derision called Methodists, would set an example to the Christian world, so called, at least in this one instance! Put ye away evil-speaking, talebearing, whispering: Let none of them proceed out of your mouth! See that you "speak evil of no man;" of the absent, nothing but good. If ye must be distinguished, whether ye will or no, let this be the distinguishing mark of a Methodist: "He censures no man behind his back: By this fruit ye may know him." What a blessed effect of this self-denial should we quickly feel in our hearts! How would our "peace flow as a river," when we thus "followed peace with all men!" How would the love of God abound in our own souls, while we thus confirmed our love to our brethren! And what an effect would it have on all that were united together in the name of the Lord Jesus! How would brotherly love continually increase, when this grand hindrance of it was removed! All the members of Christ's mystical body would then naturally care for each other. "If one member suffered, all would suffer with it; if one was honored, all would rejoice with it;" and everyone would love his brother "with a pure heart fervently." Nor is this all: But what an effect might this have, even on the wild unthinking world! How soon would they descry in us, what they could not find among all the thousands of their brethren, and cry (as Julian the Apostate to his heathen courtiers,) "See how these Christians love one another!" By this chiefly would God convince the world, and prepare them also for His kingdom; as we may easily learn from those remarkable words in our Lord's last, solemn prayer: "I pray for them who will believe in me, that they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me!" [John 17:21] The Lord hasten the time! The Lord enable us thus to love one another, not only "in word and in tongue, but in deed and in truth," even as Christ hath loved us.

2. An excellent branch of Christian wisdom is here inculcated by our Lord on all his followers, namely, the right use of money -- a subject largely spoken of, after their manner, by men of the world; but not sufficiently considered by those whom God hath chosen out of the world. These, generally, do not consider, as the importance of the subject requires, the use of this excellent talent. Neither do they understand how to employ it to the greatest advantage; the introduction of which into the world is one admirable instance of the wise and gracious providence of God. It has, indeed, been the manner of poets, orators, and philosophers, in almost all ages and nations, to rail at this, as the grand corrupter of the world, the bane of virtue, the pest of human society. Hence nothing so commonly heard, as: Nocens ferrum, ferroque nocentius aurum: And gold, more mischievous than keenest steel. Hence the lamentable complaint, Effodiuntur opes, irritamenta malorum. [Wealth is dug up, incentive to all ill.] Nay, one celebrated writer gravely exhorts his countrymen, in order to banish all vice at once, to " throw all their money into the sea:" . . . in mare proximum [. . .] Summi materiem mali!

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.

4. Brethren, "who is an understanding man and endued with knowledge among you" Let him show the wisdom from above, by walking suitably to his character. If he so account of himself as a steward of the manifold gifts of God, let him see that all his thoughts, and words, and works, be agreeable to the post God has assigned him. It is no small thing, to lay out for God all which you have received from God. It requires all your wisdom, all your resolution, all your patience and constancy; far more than ever you had by nature, but not more than you may have by grace. For His grace is sufficient for you; and "all things," you know, "are possible to him that believeth." By faith, then, "put on the Lord Jesus Christ;" "put on the whole armour of God;" and you shall be enabled to glorify Him in all your words and works; yea, to bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ! Edinburgh, May 14, 1768

3. Accordingly, this ought to be the constant care and endeavour of all those who are united together in these kingdoms, and are commonly called, The Church of England. They are united together for this very end, to oppose the devil and all his works, and to wage war against the world and the flesh, his constant and faithful allies. But do they, in fact, answer the end of their union Are all who style themselves "members of the Church of England" heartily engaged in opposing the works of the devil, and fighting against the world and the flesh Alas! we cannot say this. So far from it, that a great part, I fear the greater part of them, are themselves the world, -- the people that know not God to any saving purpose; are indulging, day by day, instead of "mortifying the flesh, with its affections and desires;" and doing, themselves, those works of the devil, which they are peculiarly engaged to destroy. 4. There is, therefore, still need, even in this Christian county, (as we courteously style Great Britain,) yea, in this Christian church, (if we may give that title to the bulk of our nation,) of some to "rise up against the wicked," and join together "against the evil doers." Nay, there was never more need than there is at this day, for them "that fear the Lord to speak often together" on this very head, how they may "lift up a standard against the iniquity" which overflows the land. There is abundant cause for all the servants of God to join together against the works of the devil; with united hearts and counsels and endeavours to make a stand for God, an to repress, as much as in them lies, these "floods of ungodliness." 5. For this end a few persons in London, towards the close of the last century, united together, and after a while, were termed, The Society for Reformation of Manners; and incredible good was done by them for near forty years. But then, most of the original members being gone to their reward, those who succeeded them grew faint in their mind, and departed from the work: So that a few years ago the Society ceased; nor did any of the kind remain in the kingdom.

4. They then printed and dispersed, at their own expense, several thousand books of instruction to Constables and other Parish Officers, explaining and enforcing their several duties: And to prevent, as far as possible, the necessity of proceeding to an actual execution of the laws, they likewise printed and dispersed in all parts of the town dissuasives from Sabbath-breaking, extract from Acts of Parliament against it, and notices to the offenders. 5. The way being paved by these precautions, it was in the beginning of the year 1758, that, after notices delivered again and again, which were as often set at naught, actual informations were made to Magistrates against persons profaning the Lord's day. By this means they first cleared the streets and fields of those notorious offenders who, without any regard either to God or the king, were selling their wares from morning to night. They proceeded to a more difficult attempt, the preventing tippling on the Lord's day, spending the time in alehouses, which ought to be spent in the more immediate worship of God. Herein they were exposed to abundance of reproach, to insult and abuse of every kind; having not only the tipplers, and those who entertained them, the alehouse keepers, to contend with, but rich and honourable men, partly the landlords of those alehouse keepers, partly those who furnished them with drink, and, in general, all who gained by their sins. Some of these were not only men of substance, but men in authority; nay, in more instances than one, they were the very persons before whom the delinquents were brought. And the treatment they gave those who laid the informations naturally encouraged "the beasts of the people" to follow their example, and to use them as fellows not fit to live upon the earth. Hence they made no scruple, not only to treat them with the basest language, not only to throw at them mud or stones, or whatever came to hand, but many times to beat them without mercy, and to drag them over the stones, or through the kennels. And that they did not murder them was not for want of will; but the bridle was in their teeth.

II. 1. These are the steps which have been hitherto taken in prosecution of this design. I am, in the Second place, to show the excellent thereof, notwithstanding the objections which have been raised against it. Now this may appear from several considerations. And, First, from hence, -- that the making an open stand against all the ungodliness and unrighteousness which overspread our land as a flood is one of the noblest ways of confessing Christ in the face of his enemies. It is giving glory to God, and showing mankind that even in these dregs of time, There are, who faith prefer Though few, and piety to God. And what more excellent than to render to God the honour due unto his name To declare by a stronger proof than words, even by suffering, and running all hazards, "Verily there is a reward for the righteous; doubtless there is a God that judgeth the earth." 2. How excellent is the design to prevent in any degree the dishonour done to his glorious name, the contempt which is poured on his authority, and the scandal brought upon our holy religion by the gross, flagrant wickedness of those who are still called by the name of Christ! To stem in any degree the torrent of vice, to repress the floods of ungodliness, to remove in an leisure those occasions of blaspheming the worthy name hereby we are called, is one of the noblest designs it can possibly enter into the heart of man to conceive.

5. But it is objected, "However excellent a design this is, it does not concern you. For are there not persons to whom there pressing these offenses and punishing the offenders properly belong Are there not Constables, and other Parish Officers, who are bound by oath to this very thing" There are. Constables and Churchwardens, in particular, are engaged by solemn oaths to give due information against profaners of the Lord's day, and all other scandalous sinners. But if they leave it undone, -- if, notwithstanding their oaths, they trouble not themselves about the matter, it concerns all that fear God, that love mankind, and that wish well to their king and country, to pursue this design with the very same vigour as if there were no such Officers existing; it being just the same thing, if they are of no use, as if they had no being. 6. "But this is only a pretence: Their real design is to get money by giving informations." So it has frequently and roundly been affirmed; but without the least shadow of truth. The contrary maybe proved by a thousand instances: No member of the Society takes any part of the money which is by the law allotted to the informer. They never did from the beginning; nor does any of them ever receive anything to suppress or withdraw their information. This is another mistake, if not wilful slander, for which there is not the least foundation. 7. "But the design is impracticable. Vice is risen to such an head that it is impossible to suppress it; especially by such means. For what can an handful of poor people do in opposition to all the world" "With men this is impossible, but not with God." And they trust, not in themselves, but him. Be then the patrons of vice ever so strong, to him they are no more than grasshoppers. And all means are alike to Him: It is the same thing with God "to deliver by many or by few." The small number, therefore, of those who are on the Lord's side is nothing; neither the great number of those that are against him. Still He doth whatever pleaseth him; and "there is no counsel or strength against the Lord."

If they are not convinced, they ought to be: it is high time they should. The case is as plain as plain can be. For if an open, wilful breach both of the law of God and the law of the land is not sin, pray what is And if such a breach both of divine and human laws is not to be punished because a man is not convinced it is a sin, there is an end of all execution of justice, and all men may live as they list. 11. "But mild methods ought to be tried first." They ought: And so they are. A mild admonition is given to every offender before the law is put in execution against him; nor is any man prosecuted till he has express notice that this will be the case unless he will prevent that prosecution by removing the cause of it. In every case the mildest method is used which the nature of the case will bear; nor are severer means ever applied, but when they are absolutely necessary to the end. 12. "Well, but after all this stir about reformation, what real good has been done" Unspeakable good; and abundantly more than anyone could have expected in so short a time, considering the small number of the instruments, and the difficulties they had to encounter. Much evil has been already prevented, and much has been removed. Many sinners have been outwardly reformed some have been inwardly changed. The honour of him whose name we bear, so openly affronted, has been openly defended. And it is not easy to determine how many and how great blessing seven this little stand, made for God and his cause against his daring enemies, may already have derived upon our whole nation. On the whole, then, after all the objections that can be made, reasonable men may still conclude, a more excellent design could scarce ever enter into the heart of man.

III. 1. But what manner of men ought they to be who engage in such a design Some may imagine, any that are willing to assist therein ought readily to be admitted; and that the greater the number of members, the greater will be their influence. But this is by no means true: Matter of fact undeniably proves the contrary. While the former Society for Reformation of Manners consisted of chosen members only, though neither many, rich, nor powerful, they broke through all opposition, and were eminently successful in every branch of their undertaking; but when a number of men less carefully chosen, were received into that Society, they grew less and less useful, till, by insensible degrees, they dwindled into nothing. 2. The number, therefore, of the members is no more to be attended to than the riches or eminence. This is a work of God. It is undertaken in the name of God, and for his sake. It follows, that men who neither love nor fear God have no part or lot in this matter. "Why takest thou my covenant in thy mouth" may God say to any of these; "whereas thou" thyself "hatest to be reformed, and have cast my words behind thee" Whoever, therefore, lives in any known sin is not fit to engage in reforming sinners: More especially if he is guilty, in any instance, or in the least degree, of profaning the name of God, of buying, selling, or doing any unnecessary work on the Lord's day; or offending in any other of those instances which this Society is peculiarly designed to reform. No; let none who stands himself in need of this reformation presume to meddle with such an undertaking. First let him "pull the beam out of his own eye:" Let him be himself unblamable in all things.

3. Not that this will suffice: Everyone engaging herein, should be more than a harmless man. He should be a man of faith; having at least, such a degree of that "evidence of things not seen," as to "aim not at the things that are seen, which are temporal, but at those that are not seen, which are eternal;" such a faith as produces a steady fear of God, with a lasting resolution, by his grace, to abstain from all that he has forbidden, and to do all that he has commanded. He will more especially need that particular branch of faith, -- confidence in God. It is this faith which "removes mountains;" which "quenches the violence of fire;" which breaks through all opposition; and enables one to stand against and "chase a thousand," knowing in whom his strength lies, and, even when he has "the sentence of death in himself, trusting in Him who raiseth the dead." 4. He that has faith and confidence in God, will, of consequence, be a man of courage. And such it is highly needful every man should be, who engages in this undertaking: For many things will occur in the prosecution thereof, which are terrible to nature; indeed, so terrible, that all who "confer with flesh and blood" will be afraid to encounter them. Here, therefore, true courage has its proper place, and is necessary in the highest degree. And this, faith only can supply. A believer can say, I fear no denial; no danger I fear; Nor start from the trial; --For Jesus is near.

5. To courage patience is nearly allied; the one regarding future, the other present, evils. And whoever joins in carrying on a design of this nature, will have great occasion for this. For, notwithstanding all his unblameableness, he will find himself just in Ishmael's situation, -- "his hand against every man, and everyman's hand against him." And no wonder: If it be true, that "all who will live godly shall suffer persecution," how eminently must this be fulfilled in them who, not content to live godly themselves, compel the ungodly to do so too, or at least to refrain from notorious ungodliness! Is not this declaring war against all the world setting all the children of the devil at defiance And will not Satan himself, "the prince of this world, the ruler of the darkness" thereof, exert all his subtlety and all his force in support of his tottering kingdom Who can expect the roaring lion will tamely submit to have the prey plucked out of his teeth "Ye have," therefore, "need of patience; that, after ye have done the will of God, ye may receive the promise." 6. And ye have need of steadiness, that ye may "hold fast" this "profession of your faith without wavering." This also should be found in all that unite in this Society; which is not a task for a"double-minded man," -- for one that "is unstable in his ways." He that is as a reed shaken with the wind is not fit for this warfare; which demands a firm purpose of soul, a constant, determined resolution. One that is wanting in this may "set his hand to the plough;" but how soon will he "look back!" He may, indeed, "endure for a time; but when persecution or tribulation," public or private troubles, "arise because of the work, immediately he is offended." 7. Indeed, it is hard for any to persevere in so unpleasing a work, unless love overpowers both pain and fear. And, therefore, it is highly expedient, that all engaged therein have "the love of God shed abroad in their hearts;" that they should all be able to declare, "we love him, because he first loved us." The presence of Him whom their soul loveth will then make their labour light. They can then say, not from the wildness of an heated imagination, but with the utmost truth and soberness, --

With thee conversing, I forget All time, and toil, and care: Labour is rest, and pain is sweet, While thou, my God, art here. 8. What adds a still greater sweetness, even to labour and pain, is the Christian "love of our neighbour." When they "love their neighbour," that is, every soul of man, "as themselves," as their own souls; when "the love of Christ constrains" them to love one another, "even as he loved us;" when, as he "tasted death for every man," so they are "ready to lay down their life for their brethren;" (including in that number every man, every soul for which Christ died,) what prospect of danger will then be able to fright them from their "labour of love" What suffering will they not be ready to undergo to save one soul from everlasting burnings What continuance of labour, disappointment, pain, will vanquish their fixed resolution Will they not be 'Gainst all repulses steel'd, nor ever tired With toilsome day, or ill-succedding night So love both "hopeth" and "endureth all things:" So "charity never faileth." 9. Love is necessary for all the members of such a Society, on another account likewise; even because it "is not puffed up:" It produces not only courage and patience, but humility. And O how needful is this for all who are so employed! What can be of more importance, than that they should be little and mean and base and vile in their own eyes For, otherwise, should they think themselves anything, should they impute anything to themselves, should they admit anything of a Pharisaic spirit, "trusting in themselves that they were righteous, and despising others;" nothing could more directly tend to overthrow the whole design. For then they would not only have all the world, but also God himself, to contend with; seeing he "resisteth the proud, and giveth grace" only "to the humble." Deeply conscious, therefore, should every member of this society be of his own foolishness, weakness, helplessness; continually hanging, with his whole soul upon Him who alone hath wisdom and strength, with an unspeakable conviction that "the help which is done upon earth, God doth it himself;" and that it is He alone "who worketh in us, both to will and to do of his good pleasure."

10. One point more whoever engages in this design should have deeply impressed on his heart, namely, that "the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God." Let him, therefore, learn of Him who was meek, as well as lowly; and let him abide in meekness, as well as humility: "With all lowliness and meekness," let him "walk worthy of the vocation wherewith he is called." Let them be "gentle toward all men," good or bad, for his own sake, for their sake, for Christ's sake. Are any "ignorant, and out of the way" Let him have "compassion" upon them. Do they even oppose the word and the work of God; yea, set themselves in battle array against it So much the more hath he need "in meekness to instruct those who thus oppose themselves;" if haply they may "escape out of the snare of the devil," and no more be "taken captive at his will." IV. 1. From the qualifications of those who are proper to engage in such an undertaking as this I proceed to show, Fourthly, with what spirit and in what manner it ought to be pursued. First, with what spirit. Now this first regards the motive, which is to be preserved in every step that is taken; for if, at any time "the light which is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! But if thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light." This is, therefore, continually to be remembered, and carried into every word and action. Nothing is to be spoke or done, either great or small, with a view to any temporal advantage; nothing with a view to the favour or esteem, the love or the praise, of men. But the intention, the eye of the mind, is always to be fixed on the glory of God and good of man.

4. But let innocence be joined with prudence, properly so called; -- not that offspring of hell which the world calls prudence, which is mere craft, cunning, dissimulation; but with that "wisdom from above" which our Lord peculiarly recommends to all who would promote his kingdom upon earth. "Be ye therefore wise as serpents," while ye are "harmless as doves." This wisdom will instruct you how to suit your words and whole behaviour, to the persons with whom you have to do; to the time, place, and all other circumstances. It will teach you to cut off occasion of offense, even from those who seek occasion, and to do things of the most offensive nature in the least offensive manner that is possible. 5. Your manner of speaking, particularly to offenders, should be at all times deeply serious (lest it appear like insulting or triumphing over them,) rather inclining to sad; showing that you pity them for what they do, and sympathize with them in what they suffer. Let your air and tone of voice, as well as words, be dispassionate, calm, mild; yea, where it would not appear like dissimulation, even kind and friendly. In some cases, where it will probably be received as it is meant, you may profess the goodwill you bear them; but at the same time, (that it may not be thought to proceed from fear, or any wrong inclination,) professing your intrepidity, and inflexible resolution to oppose and punish vice to the uttermost. V. 1. It remains only to make some application of what has been said, partly to you who are already engaged in this work, partly to all that fear God; and more especially to them that love as well as fear him. With regard to you who are already engaged in this work, the First advice I would give you is, calmly and deeply to consider the nature of your undertaking. Know what you are about; be thoroughly acquainted with what you have in hand; consider the objections which are made to the whole of your undertaking; and before you proceed, be satisfied that those objections have no real weight: Then may every man act as he is fully persuaded in his own mind.

2. I advise you, Secondly, be not in haste to increase your number: And, in adding thereto, regard not wealth, rank, or any outward circumstance; only regard the qualifications above described. Inquire diligently, whether the person proposed be of an unblamable carriage, and whether he be a man of faith, courage, patience, steadiness; whether he be a lover of God and man. If so, he will add to your strength, as well as number: If not, you will lose by him more than you gain; for you will displease God. And be not afraid to purge out from among you any who do not answer the preceding character. By thus lessening your number, you will increase your strength: You will be "vessels meet for your Master's use." 3. I would, Thirdly, advise you narrowly to observe from what motive you at any time act or speak. Beware that your intention be not stained with any regard either to profit or praise. Whatever you do, "do it to the Lord; as the servants of Christ. Do not aim at pleasing yourself in any point, but pleasing Him whose you are and whom you serve. Let your eye be single, from first to last; eye God alone in every word and work. 4. I advise you, in the Fourth place, see that you do everything in a right temper; with lowliness and meekness, with patience and gentleness, worthy the gospel of Christ. Take every step, trusting in God, and in the most tender, loving spirit you are able. Meantime, watch always against all hurry and dissipation of spirit; and pray always, with all earnestness and perseverance, that your faith fail not. And let nothing interrupt that spirit of sacrifice which you make of all you have and are, of all you suffer and do, that it may be an offering of a sweet-smelling savour to God, through Jesus Christ!

Say not, "But I cannot endure the reproach, the odious name of an informer." And did any man ever save his soul, that was not a by-word, and a proverb of reproach Neither canst thou ever save thine, unless thou art willing that men should say all manner of evil of thee. Say not, "But if I am active in this work, I shall lose not only my reputation, but my friends, my customers, my business, my livelihood; so that I shall be brought to poverty." Thou shalt not; thou canst not: It is absolutely impossible, unless God himself chooseth it; for his "kingdom ruleth over all," and "the very hairs of thy head are all numbered." But if the wise, the gracious God choose it for thee, wilt thou murmur or complain Wilt thou not rather say, "The cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it If you "suffer for Christ, happy are you; the Spirit of glory and of God" shall "rest upon you." Say not, "I would suffer all things, but my wife will not consent to it; and, certainly, a man ought to leave father and mother and all, and cleave to his wife." True; all but God; all but Christ: But he ought not to leave him for his wife! He is not to leave any duty undone, for the dearest relative. Our Lord himself hath said in this very sense, "If any man loveth father, or mother, or wife, or children, more than me, he is not worthy of me!" Say not, "Well, I would forsake all for Christ; but one duty must not hinder another; and this would frequently hinder my attending public worship." Sometimes it probably would. "Go, then, and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice." And whatever is lost by showing this mercy, God will repay seven-fold into thy bosom. Say not, "But I shall hurt my own soul. I am a young man; and by taking up loose women I should expose myself to temptation." Yes, if you did this in your own strength, or for your own pleasure. But that is not the case. You trust in God; and you aim at pleasing him only.

9. Was not this the spirit of our dear friend And why should it not be ours O Thou God of love, how long shall Thy people be a by-word among the Heathen How long shall they laugh us to scorn, and say, "See how these Christians love one another!" When wilt Thou roll away our reproach Shall the sword devour for ever How long will it be ere Thou bid Thy people return from "following each other" Now, at least, "let all the people stand still, and pursue after their brethren no more!" But what ever others do, let all of us, my brethren, hear the voice of him that, being dead, yet speaks! Suppose ye hear him say, "Now, at least, be ye followers of me as I was of Christ! Let brother "no more lift up sword against brother, neither know ye war any more!" Rather put ye on, as the elect of God, bowels of mercies, humbleness of mild, brotherly kindness, gentleness, long- suffering, forbearing one another in love. Let the time past suffice for strife, envy, contention; for biting and devouring one another. Blessed be God, that ye have not long ago been consumed one of another! From henceforth hold ye the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." 10. O God, with Thee no word is impossible! Thou does whatsoever please Thee! O that Thou would cause the mantle of Thy prophet, whom Thou hast taken up, now to fall upon us that remain! "Where is the Lord God of Elijah" Let his spirit rest upon these Thy servants! Show Thou art the God that answers by fire! Let the fire of Thy love fall on every heart! And because we love Thee, let us love one another with a "love stronger than death!" Take away from us "all anger, and wrath, and bitterness; all clamor and evil speaking!" Let Thy Spirit so rest upon us, that from this hour we may be "kind to each other, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God, for Christ's sake hath forgiven us!" Servant of God, well done! Thy glorious warfare's past; The battle's fought, the race is won, And thou art crown'd at last; Of all thy heart's desire Triumphantly possess'd, Lodged by the ministerial choir In thy Redeemer's breast. 2

GEORGE WHITEFIELD died at Newburyport, Massachusetts, thirty miles north of Boston, on September 30, 1770, in the Presbyterian manse, which is still preserved. He was buried in a vault under the pulpit of the Presbyterian meeting-house on October 2, according to his own wish; and in 1828 a cenotaph was erected in the church with a suitable inscription. Under date November 10, 1770, Wesley says, "I returned to London, and had the melancholy news of Mr. Whitefield's death confirmed by his executors, who desired me to preach his funeral sermon on Sunday the 18th." [This was his own wish. "If you should die abroad," said Mr. Keen, "whom shall we get to preach your funeral sermon Must it be your old friend, the Rev. Mr. John Wesley" This question was often put, and as often Whitefield answered, "He is the man."] "In order to write this, I retired to Lewisham on Monday; and on Sunday following went to the chapel in Tottenham Court Road. An immense multitude was gathered together from all corners of the town. I was at first afraid that a great part of the congregation would not be able to hear; but it pleased God to strengthen my voice that even those at the door heard distinctly. It was an awful season. All were still as night; most appeared to be deeply affected; and an impression was made on many which one would hope will not speedily be effaced. The time appointed for my beginning at the Tabernacle was half-hour after five, but it was quite filled at three; so I began at four. At first the noise was exceeding great; but it ceased when I began to speak; and my voice was again so strengthened that all who were within could hear, unless an accidental noise hindered here or there for a few moments. Oh that all may hear the voice of Him with whom are the issues of life and death; and who so loudly, by this unexpected stroke, calls all His children to love one another." On the following Friday he repeated the sermon at the Tabernacle at Greenwich to an overflowing congregation. Again, on January 2, 1771, he preached at Deptford "a kind of funeral sermon for Mr. Whitefield. In every place I wish to show all possible respect to the memory of that great and good man."

It must not be forgotten that at this very time Wesley was in the thick of the controversy with the Rev. Walter Shirley and the Countess of Huntingdon's preachers about the famous Minutes of 1770, in which Wesley had laid down clearly the differences between his views and those of the Calvinists. It is much to the credit both of Mr. Whitefield's friends and of Wesley that this was not allowed to interfere with their invitation to him to preach the sermon, nor with his own affectionate and ungrudging recognition of the greatness and goodness of his departed fellow worker. Indeed, their difference of opinion had never, since the dispute in 1741, been permitted to interrupt their mutual love and esteem; they agreed to differ, and still to love one another.

11. The Lord God afterward peopled the earth with animals of every kind. He first commanded the waters to bring forth abundantly; -- to bring forth creatures, which, as they inhabited a grosser element, so they were, in general, of a more stupid nature; endowed with fewer senses and less understanding than other animals. The bivalved shell-fish, in particular, seem to have no sense but that of feeling, unless perhaps a low measure of taste; so that they are but one degree above vegetables. And even the king of the waters, (a title which some give the whale, because of his enormous magnitude,) though he has sight added to taste and feeling, does not appear to have an understanding proportioned to his bulk. Rather, he is inferior therein not only to most birds and beasts, but to the generality of even reptiles and insects. However, none of these then attempted to devour, or in anyway hurt, one another. All were peaceful and quiet, as were the watery fields wherein they ranged at pleasure. 12. It seems the insect kinds were at least one degree above the inhabitants of the waters. Almost all these too devour one another, and every other creature which they can conquer. Indeed, such is the miserably disordered state of the world at present, that innumerable creatures can no otherwise preserve their own lives than by destroying others. But in the beginning it was not so. The paradisiacal earth afforded a sufficiency of food for all its inhabitants; so that none of them had any need or temptation to prey upon the other. The spider was then as harmless as the fly, and did not then lie in wait for blood. The weakest of them crept securely over the earth, or spread their gilded wings in the air, that wavered in the breeze, and glittered in the sun, without any to make them afraid. Meantime, the reptiles of every kind were equally harmless, and more intelligent than they; yea, one species of them "was more subtil," or knowing, "than any of the" brute creation "which God had made."

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!

4. And is not the very form, the outward appearance, of many of the creatures, as horrid as their dispositions Where is the beauty which was stamped upon them when they came first out of the hands of their Creator There is not the least trace of it left: So far from it, that they are shocking to behold! Nay, they are not only terrible and grisly to look upon, but deformed, and that to a high degree. Yet their features, ugly as they are at best, are frequently made more deformed than usual, when they are distorted by pain; which they cannot avoid, any more than the wretched sons of men. Pain of various kinds, weakness, sickness, diseases innumerable, come upon them; perhaps from within; perhaps from one another; perhaps from the inclemency of seasons; from fire, hail, snow, or storm; or from a thousand causes which they cannot foresee or prevent. 5. Thus, "as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; even so death passed upon all men;" and not on man only, but on those creatures also that "did not sin after the similitude of Adam's transgression." And not death alone came upon them, but all of its train of preparatory evils; pain, and ten thousand sufferings. Nor these only, but likewise all those irregular passions, all those unlovely tempers, (which in men are sins, and even in the brutes are sources of misery,) "passed upon all" the inhabitants of the earth; and remain in all, except the children of God.

As if he had allowed too much, in supposing there were a hundred good men in the Roman Empire, he comes to himself, and affirms there are hardly seven. Nay, surely, there were seven thousand! There were so many long ago in one small nation, where Elijah supposed there were none at all. But, allowing a few exceptions, we are authorized to say, "The whole world lieth in wickedness;" yea, "in the wicked one," as the words properly signify. "Yes, the whole heathen world." Yea, and the Christian too; (so called;) for where is the difference, save in a few externals See with your own eyes! Look into that large country, Indostan. There are Christians and Heathens too. Which have more justice, mercy, and truth the Christians or the Heathens Which are most corrupt, infernal, devilish, in their tempers and practice the English or the Indians Which have desolated whole countries, and clogged the rivers with dead bodies O sacred name of Christian! how profaned! O earth, earth, earth! how dost thou groan under the villainies of thy Christian inhabitants! 34. From many of the preceding circumstances we may learn, Thirdly, what is the genuine tendency of riches: What a baleful influence they have had, in all ages, upon pure and undefiled religion. Not that money is an evil of itself: It is applicable to good as well as bad purposes. But, nevertheless, it is an undoubted truth, that "the love of money is the root of all evil;" and also, that the possession of riches naturally breeds the love of them. Accordingly, it is an old remark, Crescit amor nummi, quantum ipsa pecunia crescit: "As money increases, so does the love of it;" and always will, without a miracle of grace. Although, therefore, other causes may concur; yet this has been, in all ages, the principal cause of the decay of true religion in every Christian community. As long as the Christians in any place were poor, they were devoted to God. While they had little of the world, they did not love the world; but the more they had of it, the more they loved it. This constrained the Lover of their souls, at various times, to unchain their persecutors; who, by reducing them to their former poverty, reduced them to their former purity. But still remember, riches have, in all ages, been the bane of genuine Christianity!

I. 1. Let us consider, First, What is the duty that is here enjoined What is it we are to rebuke or reprove And what is it to reprove What is it to reprove To tell anyone of his faults; as clearly appears from the following words: "Thou shalt not suffer sin upon him." Sin is therefore the thing we are called to reprove, or rather him that commits sin. We are to do all that in us lies to convince him of his fault, and lead him into the right way. 2. Love indeed requires us to warn him, not only of sin, (although of this chiefly,) but likewise of any error which, if it were persisted in, would naturally lead to sin. If we do not "hate him in our heart," if we love our neighbour as ourselves, this will be our constant endeavour; to warn him of every evil way, and of every mistake which tends to evil. 3. But if we desire not to lose our labour, we should rarely reprove anyone for anything that is of a disputable nature, that will bear much to be said on both sides. A thing may possibly appear evil to me; therefore I scruple the doing of it; and if I were to do it while that scruple remains, I should be a sinner before God. But another is not to be judged by my conscience: To his own master he standeth or falleth. Therefore I would not reprove him, but for what is clearly and undeniably evil. Such, for instance, is profane cursing and swearing; which even those who practise it most will not often venture to defend, if one mildly expostulates with them. Such is drunkenness, which even a habitual drunkard will condemn when he is sober. And such, in the account of the generality of people, is the profaning of the Lord's day. And if any which are guilty of these sins for a while attempt to defend them, very few will persist to do it, if you look them steadily in the face, and appeal to their own conscience in the sight of God.

1. It must be allowed, that there is a considerable difficulty in performing this in a right manner: Although, at the same time, it is far less difficult to some than it is to others. Some there are who are particularly qualified for it, whether by nature, or practice, or grace. They are not encumbered either with evil shame, or that sore burden, the fear of man: They are both ready to undertake this labour of love, and skilful in performing it. To these, therefore, it is little or no cross; nay, they have a kind of relish for it, and a satisfaction therein, over and above that which arises from a consciousness of having done their duty. But be it a cross to us, greater or less, we know that hereunto we are called. And be the difficulty ever so great to us, we know in whom we have trusted; and that he will surely fulfil his word, "As thy day, so shall thy strength be." 2. In what manner, then, shall we reprove our brother, in order that our reproof may be most effectual Let us first of all take care that whatever we do may be done in "the spirit of love;" in the spirit of tender good-will to our neighbour; as for one who is the son of our common Father, and one for whom Christ died, that he might be a partaker of salvation. Then, by the grace of God, love will beget love. The affection of the speaker will spread to the heart of the hearer; and you will find, in due time, that your labour hath not been in vain in the Lord.

13. Lastly: You that are diligent in this labour of love, see that you be not discouraged, although after you have used your best endeavours, you should see no present fruit. You have need of patience, and then, "after ye have done the will of God" herein, the harvest will come. Never be "weary of well-doing; in due time ye shall reap, if ye faint not." Copy after Abraham, who "against hope, still believed in hope." "Cast thy bread upon the waters; for thou shalt find it after many days." 14. I have now only a few words to add unto you, my brethren, who are vulgarly called "Methodists." I never heard or read of any considerable revival of religion which was not attended with a spirit of reproving. I believe it cannot be otherwise; for what is faith, unless it worketh by love Thus it was in every part of England when the present revival of religion began about fifty years ago: All the subjects of that revival, -- all the Methodists, so called, in every place, were reprovers of outward sin. And, indeed, so are all that "being justified by faith, have peace with God through Jesus Christ." Such they are at first; and if they use that precious gift, it will never be taken away. Come, brethren, in the name of God, let us begin again! Rich or poor, let us all arise as one man; and in any wise let every man "rebuke his neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him!" Then shall all Great Britain and Ireland know that we do not "go a warfare at our own cost:" Yea, "God shall bless us, and all the ends of the world shall fear him." Manchester, July 28, 1787

3. May they not minister also to us, with respect to our bodies, in a thousand ways which we do not now understand They may prevent our falling into many dangers, which we are not sensible of; and may deliver us out of many others, though we know not whence our deliverance comes. How many times have we been strangely and unaccountably preserved, in sudden and dangerous falls! And it is well if we did not impute that preservation to chance, or to our own wisdom or strength. Not so: It was God gave his angels charge over us, and in their hands they bore us up. Indeed, men of the world will always impute such deliverances to accident or second causes. To these, possibly, some of them might have imputed Daniel's preservation in the lion's den. But himself ascribes it to the true cause: "My God hath sent his angel, and shut the lions' mouths." (Dan. 6:22.) 4. When a violent disease, supposed to be incurable, is totally and suddenly removed, it is by no means improbable that this is effected by the ministry of an angel. And perhaps it is owing to the same cause, that a remedy is unaccountably suggested either to the sick person, or some attending upon him, by which he is entirely cured. 5. It seems, what are usually called divine dreams may be frequently ascribed to angels. We have a remarkable instance of this kind related by one that will hardly be thought an enthusiast; for he was a Heathen, a Philosopher, and an Emperor: I mean Marcus Antoninus. "In his Meditations, he solemnly thanks God for revealing to him, when he was at Cajeta, in a dream, what totally cured the bloody flux; which none of his physicians were able to heal." And why may we not suppose, that God gave him this notice by the ministry of an angel

14. This thought opens to us a wider scene. Who can tell how many of those diseases which we impute altogether to natural causes may be really preternatural What disorder is there in the human frame which an evil angel may not inflict Cannot he smite us, as he did Job, and that in a moment, with boils from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot Cannot he with equal ease inflict any other, either external or internal malady Could not he in a moment, by divine permission, cast the strongest man down to the ground, and make him "wallow, foaming," with all the symptoms either of an epilepsy or apoplexy In like manner, it is easy for him to smite any one man, or every one in a city or nation, with a malignant fever, or with the plague itself, so that vain would be the help of man. 15. But that malice blinds the eyes of the wise, one would imagine so intelligent a being would not stoop so low, as it seems the devil sometimes does, to torment the poor children of men! For to him we may reasonably impute many little inconveniences which we suffer. "I believe" (said that excellent man, the Marquis de Renty, when the bench on which he sat snapped in sunder without any visible cause) "that Satan had a hand in it, making me to fall untowardly." I know not whether he may not have a hand in that unaccountable horror with which many have been seized in the dead of night, even to such a degree that all their bones have shook. Perhaps he has a hand also in those terrifying dreams which many have, even while they are in perfect health. It may be observed, in all these instances, we usually say, "The devil;" as if there was one only; because these spirits, innumerable as they are, do all act in concert; and because we know not whether one or more are concerned in this or that work of darkness. It remains only to draw a few plain inferences from the doctrine which has been delivered.

3. But they will then be sensible of a greater loss than that of all they enjoyed on earth. They have lost their place in Abraham's bosom, in the paradise of God. Hitherto, indeed, it hath not entered into their hearts to conceive what holy souls enjoy in the garden of God, in the society of angels, and of the wisest and best men that have lived from the beginning of the world; (not to mention the immense increase of knowledge which they will then undoubtedly receive;) but they will then fully understand the value of what they have vilely cast away. 4. But as happy as the souls in paradise are, they are preparing for far greater happiness. For paradise is only the porch of heaven; and it is there the spirits of just men are made perfect. It is in heaven only that there is the fulness of joy; the pleasures that are at God's right hand for evermore. The loss of this, by those unhappy spirits, will be the completion of their misery. They will then know and feel, that God alone is the centre of all created spirits; and, consequently, that a spirit made for God can have no rest out of him. It seems that the Apostle had this in his view when he spoke of those "who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord." Banishment from the presence of the Lord is the very essence of destruction to a spirit that was made for God. And if that banishment lasts for ever, it is "everlasting destruction." Such is the loss sustained by those miserable creatures, on whom that awful sentence will be pronounced: "Depart from me, ye cursed!" What an unspeakable curse, if there were no other! But, alas! this is far from being the whole: For, to the punishment of loss, will be added the punishment of sense. What they lose implies unspeakable misery, which yet is inferior to what they feel. This it is which our Lord expresses in those emphatical words: "Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."

29. Can anything then be more absurd, than for men to cry out, "The Church! The Church!" and to pretend to be very zealous for it, and violent defenders of it, while they themselves have neither part nor lot therein, nor indeed know what the Church is And yet the hand of God is in this very thing! Even in this his wonderful wisdom appears, directing their mistake to his own glory, and causing "the earth to help the woman." [Rev. 12:16] Imagining that they are members of it themselves, the men of the world frequently defend the Church: Otherwise the wolves that surround the little flock on every side would in a short time tear them in pieces. And for this very reason, it is not wise to provoke them more than is unavoidable. Even on this ground, let us, if it be possible, as much as lieth in us, "live peaceably with all men." Especially as we know not how soon God may call them too out of the kingdom of Satan into the kingdom of his dear Son. 30. In the mean time, let all those who are real members of the Church, see that they walk holy and unblamable in all things. "Ye are the light of the world!" Ye are "a city set upon a hill," and "cannot be hid." O "let your light shine before men!" Show them your faith by your works. Let them see, by the whole tenor of your conversation, that your hope is all laid up above! Let all your words and actions evidence the spirit whereby you are animated! Above all things, let your love abound. Let it extend to every child of man: Let it overflow to every child of God. By this let all men know whose disciples ye are, because you "love one another."

On Schism "That there might be no schism in the body." 1 Cor. 12:25. 1. If there be any word in the English tongue as ambiguous and indeterminate in its meaning as the word Church, it is one that is nearly allied to it, -- the word Schism. it has been the subject of innumerable disputes for several hundred years; and almost innumerable books have been written concerning it in every part of the Christian world. A very large share of these have been published in our country; particularly during the last century, and the beginning of the present: And persons of the strongest understanding, and the most consummate learning, have exhausted all their strength upon the question, both in conversation and writing. This has appeared to be more necessary than ever, since the grand separation of the Reformed from the Romish Church. This is a charge which the members of that Church never fail to bring against all that separate from her; and which, consequently, has employed the thought and pens of the most able disputants on both sides. And Those of each side have generally, when they entered into the field, been secured of victory; supposing the strength of their arguments was so great, that it was impossible for reasonable men to resist them. 2. But it is observable, that exceeding little good has been done by all these controversies. Very few of the warmest and ablest disputants have been able to convince their opponents. After all that could be said, the Papists are Papists, and the Protestants are Protestants still. And the same success has attended those who have so vehemently disputed about separation from the Church of England. Those who separated from her were eagerly charged with schism; they as eagerly denied the charge; and scarce any were able to convince their opponents either on one side or the other.

3. One great reason why this controversy has been so unprofitable, why so few of either side have been convinced, is this: They seldom agreed as to the meaning of the word concerning which they disputed: and if they did not fix the meaning of this, if they did not define the term before they began disputing about it, they might continue the dispute to their lives' end, without getting one step forward; without coming a jot nearer to each other than when they first set out. 4. Yet it must be a point of considerable importance, or St. Paul would not have spoken so seriously of it. It is, therefore, highly needful that we should consider, I. The nature, and , II. The evil of it. I. 1. It is the more needful to do this, because among the numberless books that have been written upon the subject, both by the Romanists and Protestants, it is difficult to find any that define it in a scriptural manner. The whole body of Roman Catholics define schism, a separation from the Church of Rome; and almost all our own writers define it, a separation from the Church of England. Thus both the one and the other set out wrong, and stumble at the very threshold. This will easily appear to any that calmly consider the several texts wherein the word "schism" occurs: from the whole tenor of which it is manifest, that it is not a separation from any Church, (whether general or particular, whether the Catholic, or any national Church,) but a separation in a Church.

10. "But is there no sin resembling what so many learned and pious writers have termed Schism, and against which all the members of religious communities have need to be carefully guarded: I do not doubt but there is; and I cannot tell, whether this too may not, in a remote sense, be called Schism: I mean, "A causeless separation from a body of living Christians.: There is no absurdity in taking the word in this sense, though it be not strictly scriptural. And it is certain all the members of Christian communities should be carefully guarded against it. For how little a thing soever it may seem, and how innocent soever it may be accounted, schism, even in this sense, is both evil in itself, and productive of evil consequences. 11. It is evil in itself. To separate ourselves from a body of living Christian, with whom we were before united, is a grievous breach of the law of love. It is the nature of love to unite us together; and the greater the love, the stricter the union. And while this continues in its strength, nothing can divide those whom love has united. It is only when our love grows could, that we can think of separating from our brethren. And this is certainly the case with any who willingly separate from their Christian brethren. The pretences for separation may be innumerable, but want of love is always the real cause; otherwise they would still hold the unity of he Spirit in the bound of peace. It is therefore contrary to all those commands of God, wherein brotherly love is enjoined: To that of St. Paul, "Let brotherly love continue:" -- that of St. John, "My beloved children, love one another;" -- and especially to that of our blessed Master, "This is my commandment, That ye love on another, as I have loved you" Yea, "By this," saith he, "shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye love one another."

21. Happy is he that attains the character of a peace-maker in the Church of God. Why should not you labor after this Be not content, not to stir up strife; but do all that in you lies, to prevent or quench the very first spark of it. Indeed it is far easier to prevent the flame from breaking out, than to quench it afterwards. However, be not afraid to attempt even this: The God of peace is on your side. He will give you acceptable words, and will send them to the heart of the hearers. Noli diffidere: Noli discedere, says a pious man: Fac quod in te est; et Deus aderit bonce tuce voluntuti: "Do not distrust Him that has all power, that has the hearts of all men in his hand. do what in thee lies, and Good will be present, and bring thy good desires to good effect." Never be weary of well-doing. In due time thou shalt reap if thou faint not.

Spiritual Idolatry "Little children, keep yourselves from idols." 1 John 5:21. 1. There are two words that occur several times in this Epistle, -- paidia and teknia, -- both of which our translators render by the same expression, little children. But their meaning is very different. The former is very properly rendered little children; for it means, babes in Christ, -- those that have lately tasted of his love, and are, as yet, weak and unestablished therein. The latter might with more propriety be rendered, beloved children; as it does not denote any more than the affection of the speaker to those whom he had begotten in the Lord. 2. An ancient historian relates, that when the Apostle was so enfeebled by age as not to be able to preach, he was frequently brought into the congregation in his chair, and just uttered, "Beloved children, love one another." He could not have given a more important advice. And equally important is this which lies before us; equally necessary for every part of the Church of Christ. "Beloved children, keep yourselves from idols." 3. Indeed there is a close connexion between them: One cannot subsist without the other. As there is no firm foundation for the love of our brethren except the love of God, so there is no possibility of loving God except we keep ourselves from idols. But what are the idols of which the Apostle speaks This is the First thing to be considered. We may then, in the Second place, inquire, How shall we keep ourselves from them

18. I would take notice of only one more, which, though it in some measure falls in with several of the preceding, yet, in many respects, is distinct from them all; I mean the idolizing a human creature. Undoubtedly it is the will of God that we should all love one another. It is his will that we should love our relations and our Christian brethren with a peculiar love; and those in particular, whom he has made particularly profitable to our souls. These we are commanded to "love fervently;" yet still "with a pure heart." But is not this "impossible with man" to retain the strength and tenderness of affection, and yet, without any stain to the soul, with unspotted purity I do not mean only unspotted by lust. I know this is possible. I know a person may have an unutterable affection for another without any desire of this kind. But is it without idolatry Is it not loving the creature more than the Creator Is it not putting a man or woman in the place of God giving them your heart Let this be carefully considered, even by those whom God has joined together; by husbands and wives, parents and children. It cannot be denied, that these ought to love one another tenderly: they are commanded so to do. But they are neither commanded nor permitted to love one another idolatrously. Yet how common is this! How frequently is a husband, a wife, a child, put in the place of God. How many that are accounted good Christians fix their affections on each other, so as to leave no place for God! They seek their happiness in the creature, not in the Creator. One may truly say to the other, I view thee, lord and end of my desires. That is, "I desire nothing more but thee! Thou art the thing that I long for! All my desire is unto thee, and unto the remembrance of thy name." Now, if this is not flat idolatry, I cannot tell what is. II. Having largely considered what those idols are of which the Apostle speaks, I will come now to inquire (which may be done more briefly) how we may keep ourselves from them.

16. But these are not all the deadly consequences that result from familiar intercourse with unholy men. It not only hinders them from ordering their conversation aright, but directly tends to corrupt the heart. It tends to create or increase in us all that pride and self-sufficiency, all that fretfulness to resent, yea, every irregular passion and wrong disposition, which are indulged by their companions. It gently leads them into habitual self-indulgence, and unwillingness to deny themselves; into unreadiness to bear or take up any cross; into a softness and delicacy; into evil shame, and the fear of man, that brings numberless snares. It draws them back into the love of the world; into foolish and hurtful desires; into the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, and the pride of life, till they are swallowed up in them. So that, in the end, the last state of these men is far worse than the first.

3. Neither have they any reference to the direction given by the Apostle in his first Epistle to the Corinthians. The whole passage runs thus: "I wrote unto you in an epistle, not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you, not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one, no not to eat." (1 Cor. 5:9-11.) This wholly relates to them that are members of the same Christian community. The Apostle tells them expressly, he does not give this direction, not to company with such and such persons, with regard to the Heathens, or to men in general; and adds this plain reason, "For then must ye needs go out of the world;" you could transact no business in it. "But if any man that is called a brother," -- that is connected with you in the same religious society, -- "be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one, no not to eat." How important a caution is this! But how little is it observed, even by those that are, in other respects, conscientious Christians! Indeed some parts of it are not easy to be observed, for a plain reason, -- they are not easy to be understood. I mean, it is not easy to be understood to whom the characters belong. It is very difficult, for instance, to know, unless in some glaring cases, to whom the character of an extortioner or of a covetous man belongs. We can hardly know one or the other, without seeming at least to be "busy bodies in other men's matters." And yet the prohibition is as strong concerning converse with these, as with fornicators or adulterers. We can only act in the simplicity of our hearts, without setting up for infallible judges, (still willing to be better informed,) according to the best light we have.

The strength which thou assuredly hast, shall be taken away. As firmly as thou didst really stand, thou wilt fall into sin, if not into hell. 3. But lest any should be discouraged by the consideration of those who once ran well, and were afterwards overcome by temptation; lest the fearful of heart should be utterly cast down, supposing it impossible for them to stand; the Apostle subjoins to that serious exhortation, these comfortable words: "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: But God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." [1 Cor. 10:13] I. 1. Let us begin with the observation which ushers in this comfortable promise: "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man." Our translators seem to have been sensible that this expression, common to man, does by means reach the force of the original word. Hence they substitute another in the margin, moderate. But this seems to be less significant than the other, and farther from the meaning of it. Indeed it is not easy to find any word in the English tongue, which answers the word anqrvpinos. I believe the sense of it can only be expressed by some such circumlocution as this: "Such as is suited to the nature and circumstances of man; such as every man may reasonably expect, if he considers the nature of his body and his soul, and his situation in the present world." If we duly consider these, we shall not be surprised at any temptation that hath befallen us; seeing it is no other than such a creature, in such a situation, has all reason to expect.

6. Under this imputation of "desiring to be rich," fall, Fifthly, all "lovers of money." The word properly means, those that delight in money; those that take pleasure in it; those that seek their happiness therein; that brood over their gold and silver, bills or bonds. Such was the man described by the fine Roman painter, who broke out into that natural Soliloquy:-- . . . Populus me sibilat, at mihi plaudo Ipse domi simul ac nummos contemplor in arca. [The following is Francis's translation of these lines from Horace: "Let them his on, While, in my own opinion fully blest, I count my money, and enjoy my chest." -- Edit.] If there are any vices which are not natural to man, I should imagine this is one; as money of itself does not seem to gratify any natural desire or appetite of the human mind; and as, during an observation of sixty years, I do not remember one instance of a man given up to the love of money, till he had neglected to employ this precious talent according to the will of his Master. After this, sin was punished by sin; and this evil spirit was permitted to enter into him. 7. But beside this gross sort of covetousness, the love of money, there is a more refined species of covetousness, mentioned by the great Apostle, pleonexia, -- which literally means a desire of having more; more than we have already. And those also come under the denomination of "they that will be rich." It is true that this desire, under proper restrictions, is innocent; nay, commendable. But when it exceeds the bounds, (and how difficult is it not to exceed them!) then it comes under the present censure.

4. The second thing which is implied in the character of "an Israelite indeed," is, sincerity. As veracity is opposite to lying, so sincerity is to cunning. But it is not opposite to wisdom, or discretion, which are well consistent with it. "But what is the difference between wisdom and cunning Are they not almost, if not quite, the same thing" By no means. The difference between them is exceeding great. Wisdom is the faculty of discerning the best ends, and the fittest means of attaining them. The end of every rational creature is God: the enjoying him in time and in eternity. The best, indeed the only, means of attaining this end, is "the faith that worketh by love." True prudence, in the general sense of the word, is the same thing with wisdom. Discretion is but another name for prudence, -- if it be not rather a part of it, as it sometimes is referred to our outward behaviour, -- and means, the ordering our words and actions right. On the contrary, cunning (so it is usually termed amongst common men, but policy among the great) is, in plain terms, neither better nor worse than the art of deceiving. If therefore, it be any wisdom at all, it is "the wisdom from beneath;" springing from the bottomless pit, and leading down to the place from whence it came. 5. The two great means which cunning uses in order to deceive, are, simulation and dissimulation. Simulation is the seeming to be what we are not; dissimulation, the seeming not to be what we are; according to the old verse, Quod non est simulo: Dissimuloque quod est. Both the one and the other we commonly term, the "hanging out of false colours." Innumerable are the shapes that simulation puts on in order to deceive. And almost as many are used by dissimulation for the same purpose. But the man of sincerity shuns them both, and always appears exactly what he is.

1. The original word, in its primary signification, means heat; such as the heat of boiling water. When it is figuratively applied to the mind, it means any warm emotion or affection. Sometimes it is taken for envy. So we render it, Acts 5:17, where we read, "The High Priest, and all that were with him, were filled with envy," --eplhsqhsan zhlou, although it might as well be rendered, were filled with zeal. Sometimes, it is taken for anger and indignation; sometimes, for vehement desire. And when any of our passions are strongly moved on a religious account, whether for any thing good, or against any thing which we conceive to be evil, this we term religious zeal. 2. But it is not all that is called religious zeal which is worthy of that name. It is not properly religious or Christian zeal, if it be not joined with charity. A fine writer (Bishop Sprat) carries the matter farther still. "It has been affirmed," says that great man, "no zeal is right, which is not charitable, but is mostly so. Charity, or love, is not only one ingredient, but the chief ingredient in its composition." May we not go further still May we not say, that true zeal is not mostly charitable, but wholly so that is, if we take charity, in St. Paul's sense, for love; the love of God and our neighbour. For it is a certain truth, (although little understood in the world,) that Christian zeal is all love. It is nothing else. The love of God and man fills up its whole nature. 3. Yet it is not every degree of that love to which this appellation is given. There may be some love, a small degree of it, where there is no zeal. But it is, properly, love in a higher degree. It is fervent love. True Christian zeal is no other than the flame of love. This is the nature, the inmost essence, of it.

II. 1. From hence it follows, that the properties of love are the properties of zeal also. Now, one of the chief properties of love is humility: "Love is not puffed up." Accordingly, this is a property of true zeal: humility is inseparable from it. As is the degree of zeal, such is the degree of humility: they must rise and fall together. The same love which fills a man with zeal for God, makes him little, and poor, and vile in his own eyes. 2. Another of the properties of love is meekness: consequently, it is one of the properties of zeal. It teaches us to be meek, as well as lowly; to be equally superior to anger or pride. Like as the wax melteth at the fire, so before this sacred flame all turbulent passions melt away, and leave the soul unruffled and serene. 3. Yet another property of love, and consequently of zeal, is unwearied patience: for "love endureth all things." It arms the soul with entire resignation to all the disposals of divine Providence, and teaches us to say, in every occurrence, "It is the Lord; let him do what seemeth him good." It enables us, in whatever state, therewith to be content; to repine at nothing, to murmur at nothing, "but in every thing to give thanks." 4. There is a Fourth property of Christian zeal, which deserves to be more particularly considered. This we learn from the very words of the Apostle, "It is good to be jealously affected always" (not to have transient touches of veal, but a steady, rooted disposition) "in a good thing: "in that which is good: for the proper object of zeal is, good in general; that is, everything that is good, really such, in the sight of God. 5. But what is good in the sight of God What is that religion, wherewith God is always well pleased How do the parts of this rise one above another and what is the comparative value of them This is a point exceeding little considered, and therefore little understood. Positive divinity, many have some knowledge of. But few know anything of comparative divinity. I never saw but one tract upon this head; a sketch of which it may be of use to subjoin.

Sermon 128: Free Grace Preached at Bristol, in the year 1740 Text: "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things" Rom. 8:32 Nothing but the strongest conviction, not only that what is here advanced is "the truth as it is in Jesus," but also that I am indispensably obliged to declare this truth to all the world, could have induced me openly to oppose the sentiments of those whom I esteem for their work's sake: At whose feet may I be found in the day of the Lord Jesus! Should any believe it his duty to reply hereto, I have only one request to make, -- Let whatsoever you do, be done inherently, in love, and in the spirit of meekness. Let your very disputing show that you have "put on, as the elect of God, bowel of mercies, gentleness, longsuffering; "that even according to this time it may be said, "See how these Christians love one another!" 1. How freely does God love the world! While we were yet sinners, "Christ died for the ungodly." While we were "dead in our sin," God "spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all." And how freely with him does he "give us all things!" Verily, FREE GRACE is all in all! 2. The grace or love of God, whence cometh our salvation, is FREE IN ALL, and FREE FOR ALL.

4 All are not lost, or wander'd back ; All have not left thy Church and Thee : There are who suffer for thy sake, Enjoy thy glorious infamy, Esteem the scandal of the cross, And only seek divine applause. 5 Thou who hast kept us to this hour, O keep us faithful to the end ! When, robed with majesty and poweT, Our Jesus shall from heaven descend, His friends and confessors to own, And seat us on his glorious throne. HYMN 484. HfrfrU'*. 1 A PPOINTED by thee, We meet in thy name, ^*- And meekly agree To follow the Lamb, To trace thy example, The world to disdain, And constantly trample On pleasure and pain. 2 Rejoicing in hope, We humbly go on, And daily take up The pledge of our crown ; In doing and bearing The will of our Lord, We still are preparing To meet our reward For the Society on Meeting. 4oo 3 O Jesus, appear ! No longer delay To sanctify here, And bear us away : The end of our meeting On earth let us see, Triumphantly sitting In glory with thee ! HYMN 485. s. m. 1 TESU, we look to thee, J Thy promised presence claim ! Thou in the midst of us shalt be, Assembled in thy name : Thy name salvation is, Which here we come to prove ; Thy name is life, and health, and peace, And everlasting love. 2 Not in the name of pride Or selfishness we meet ; From nature's paths we turn aside, And worldly thoughts forget, We meet, the grace to take Which thou hast freely given ; We meet on earth for thy dear sake, That we may meet in heaven. 3 Present we know thou art ; But, O, thyself reveal ! Now, Lord, let every bounding heart The mighty comfort feel ! O may thy quick'ning voice The death of sin remove ; And bid our inmost souls rejoice In hope of perfect love ! HYMN 486. c. m. 1 tJEE, Jesus, thy disciples see, ^ The promised blessing give ! Met in thy name, we look to thee, Expecting to receive. 4o4 For the Society on Meeting'. 2 Thee we expect, our faithful Lord, Who in thy name are join'd ; We wait, according to thy word, Thee in the midst to find.

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,

The common peace we feel ; A peace to sensual minds unknown, A joy unspeakable. 6 And if our fellowship below In Jesus be so sweet, What heights of rapture shall we know, When round his throne we meet ! For the Society Praying. HYMN 501. c. m. 1 TESUS, great Shepherd of the sheep, J To thee for help we fly ; Thy little flock in safety keep ; For, O ! the wolf is nigh. 2 He comes, of hellish malice full, To scatter, tear, and slay ; He seizes every straggling soul, As his own lawful prey. 3 Us into thy protection take, And gather with thy arm ; Unless the fold we first forsake, The wolf can never harm. 4 We laugh to scorn his cruel power, While by our Shepherd's side : The sheep he never can devour, Unless he first divide. For the Society Praying. 469 5 O do not suffer him to part The souls that here agree ; But make us of one mind and heart, And keep us one in thee ! 6 Together let us sweetly live, Together let us die ; And each a starry crown receive, And reign above the sky. HYMN 502. cm. 1 /^OME, thou omniscient Son of Man, ^-/ Display thy sifting power ; Come with thy Spirit's winnowing fan, And throughly purge thy floor. 2 The chaff of sin, the' accursed thing. Far from our souls be driven ! The wheat into thy garner bring, And lay us up for heaven. 3 Look through us with thy eyes of flame. The clouds and darkness chase ; And tell me what by sin 1 am, And what I am by grace. 4 Whate'er offends thy glorious eyesj Far from our hearts remove ; As dust before the whirlwind flies, Disperse it by thy love. 5 Then let us all thy fulness know, From every sin set free ; Saved, to the utmost -- saved below. And perfectly like thee. 4/0 For the Society Praying. HYMN 503. c. m. 1 HHRY us, O God, and search the ground J- Of every sinful heart : Whate'er of sin in us is found, O bid it all depart ! 2 When to the right or left we stray, Leave us not comfortless ; But guide our feet into the way Of everlasting peace.

And do thy will like those above : Together spread the gospel sound, And scatter peace on all around, And joy, and happiness, and love. True yoke-fellows, by love compell'd, To labour in the gospel field, Our all let us delight to spend, In gathering in thy lambs and sheep ; Assured that thou our souls wilt keep, Wilt keep us faithful to the end. 1 TESU, thou great redeeming Lord, *J The kingdom of thy peace restored For the Society Praying. 489 Let all thy followers perceive, And happy in thy Spirit live ; Retain the grace through thee bestow'd, The favour and the peace of God. 2 Give all thy saints to find in thee The fulness of the Deity; His nature, life^, and mind to prove, In perfect holiness and love : Fountain of grace, thyself make known With God and man for ever one. 3 Still with and in thy people dwell ; Thy gracious plenitude reveal ; Till coming with thy heavenly train, We eye to eye "behold the Man," And share thy majesty divine, And mount our thrones encircling thine. 1 l^XCEPT the Lord conduct the plan, -*-- A The best concerted schemes are vain, And never can succeed ; We spend our wretched strength for nought But if our works in thee be wrought, They shall be blest indeed. 2 Lord, if thou didst thyself inspire Our souls with this intense desire Thy goodness to proclaim, -- Thy glory if we now intend, -- O let our deed begin and end Complete in Jesu's name ! 3 In Jesu's name behold we meet, Far from an evil world retreat, And all its frantic ways ; One only thing resolved to know, And square our useful lives below, By reason and by grace. 4J0 For the Society Praying. 4 Not in the tombs we pine to dwell, Not in the dark monastic cell, By vows and grates confined ; Freely to all ourselves we give, Constraint by Jesu's love to live The servants of mankind. 5 Now, Jesus, now thy love impart, To govern each devoted heart, And fit us for thy will : Deep founded in the truth of grace, Build up thy rising church, and place The city on the hill. 6 O let our faith and love abound ! O let our lives to all around

4 There for me the Savior stands, shows His wounds and spreads His hands. God is love! I know, I feel; Jesus weeps, but loves me still!

5 To God all glory, praise, and love be now and ever given by saints below and saints above, the Church in earth and heaven.

2 Jesus, the Savior, reigns, The God of truth and love; When He has purged our stains, He took his seat above; Lift up your heart, Lift up your voice! Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

8. While you are speaking in this, or some such manner, you should be continually lifting up your heart to God, beseeching him to open the eyes of their understanding, and to pour his light upon them. He, and he alone, can make them to differ herein from the beasts that perish. He alone can apply your words to their hearts; without which all your labour will be in vain. But whenever the Holy Ghost teaches, there is no delay in learning. 9. But if you would see the fruit of your labour, you must teach them not only early and plainly, but frequently too. It would be of little or no service to so it only once or twice a week. How often do you feed their bodies Not less than three times a day. And is the soul of less value than the body Will you not then feed this as often If you find this a tiresome task, there is certainly something wrong in your own mind. You do not love them enough; or you do not love Him who is your Father and their Father. Humble yourself before him! Beg that he would give you more love; and love will make the labour light. 10. But it will not avail to teach them both early, plainly, and frequently, unless you persevere therein. Never leave off, never intermit your labour of love, till you see the fruit of it. But in order to this, you will find the absolute need of being endued with power from on high; without which, I am persuaded, none ever had, or will have, patience sufficient for the work. Otherwise, the inconceivable dullness of some children, and the giddiness or perverseness of others, would induce them to give up the irksome task, and let them follow their own imagination.

19. Next to self-will and pride, the most fatal disease with which we are born, is "love of the world." But how studiously do the generality of parents cherish this in its several branches! They cherish "the desire of the flesh," that is, the tendency to seek happiness in pleasing the outward senses, by studying to enlarge the pleasure of tasting in their children to the uttermost; not only giving them before they are weaned other things beside milk, the natural food of children; but giving them, both before and after, any sort of meat or drink that they will take. Yea, they entice them, long before nature requires it, to take wine or strong drink; and provide them with comfits, gingerbread, raisins, and whatever fruit they have a mind to. They feed in them "the desire of the eves," the propensity to seek happiness in pleasing the imagination, by giving them pretty playthings, glittering toys, shining buckles or buttons, fine clothes, red shoes, laced hats, needless ornaments, as ribbons, necklaces, ruffles; yea, and by proposing any of these as rewards for doing their duty, which is stamping a great value upon them. With equal care and attention they cherish in them the Third branch of the love of the world, "the pride of life;" the propensity to seek their happiness in "the honour that cometh of men." Nor is the love of money forgotten; many an exhortation do they hear on securing the main chance; many a lecture, exactly agreeing with that of the old Heathen, _____ "Get money, honestly if you can; but if not, get money." And they are carefully taught to look on riches and honour as the reward of all their labours.

24. Most parents increase the natural tendency to injustice in their children, by conniving at their wronging each other; if not laughing at, or even applauding, their witty contrivances to cheat one another. Beware of everything of this kind; and from their very infancy sow the seeds of justice in their hearts, and train them up in the exactest practice of it. If possible, teach them the love of justice, and that in the least things as well as the greatest. Impress upon their mind the old proverb: "He that will steal a penny will steal a pound." Habituate them to render unto all their due, even to the uttermost farthing. 25. Many parents connive likewise at the ill-nature of their children, and thereby strengthen it. But truly affectionate parents will not indulge them in any kind or degree of unmercifulness. They will not suffer them to vex their brothers or sisters, either by word or deed. They will not allow them to hurt, or give pain to, anything that has life. They will not permit them to rob birds' nests; much less to kill anything without necessity, -- not even snakes, which are as innocent as worms, or toads, which, notwithstanding their ugliness, and the ill name they lie under, have been proved over and over to be as harmless as flies. Let them extend in its measure the rule of doing as they would be done by, to every animal whatsoever. Ye that are truly kind parents, in the morning, in the evening, and all the day beside, press upon all your children, "to walk in love, as Christ also loved us, and gave himself for us;" to mind that one point, "God is love; and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him."

2. At least, do not teach them to disobey, by rewarding them for disobedience. Remember! you do this every time you give them anything because they cry for it. And herein they are apt scholars: If you reward them for crying, they will certainly cry again. So that there is no end, unless you make it a sacred rule, to give them nothing which they cry for. And the shortest way to do this is, never suffer them to cry aloud. Train them up to obedience in this one instance, and you will easily bring them to obey in others. Why should you not begin to-day Surely you see what is the most excellent way; best for your child, and best for your own soul. Why then do you disobey Because you are a coward; because you want resolution. And doubtless it requires [no small resolution to begin and persist herein. It certainly requires] no small patience, more than nature ever gave. But the grace of God is sufficient for you; you can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth you. This grace is sufficient to give you diligence, as well as resolution; otherwise laziness will be as great a hindrance as cowardice. For without much pains you cannot conquer: Nothing can be done with a slack hand; labour on; never tire, lay line upon line, till patience has its perfect work. 3. But there is another hindrance that is full as hard to be conquered as either laziness or cowardice. It is called fondness, and is usually mistaken for love: But, O, how widely different from it! It is real hate; and hate of the most mischievous kind, tending to destroy both body and soul in hell! O give not way to it any longer, no, not for a moment. Fight against it with your might! for the love of God; for the love of your children; for the love of your own soul!

III. 1. Permit me now to make a short application. But to whom should I direct this Are there any here who are unhappily prejudiced against that Revelation which breathes nothing but benevolence; which contains the richest display of God's love to man, that ever was made from the foundation of the world Yet even to you I would address a few words; for, if you are not Christians, you are men. You too are susceptible of kind impressions: You have the feelings of humanity. Has not your heart too glowed at that noble sentiment; worthy the heart and the lips of the highest Christian, -- Homo sum: Humani nihil a me alienum puto! [This quotation from Terence is thus translated by Colman: -- "I am a man; and all calamities That touch humanity come home to me." -- Edit.] Have not you also sympathized with the afflicted How many times have you been pained at human misery When you have beheld a scene of deep distress, has not your soul melted within you And now and then a sigh you stole, And tears began to flow.

9. It is certain, this has been the common cry from generation to generation. And if it is not true, whence should it arise How can we account for it Perhaps another remark of the same poet may help us to an answer. May it not be extracted from the general character which he gives of old men Difficilis, querulus, laudator temporis acti Se puero, censor, castigatorque minorum. [The following is Boscawen's translation of this quotation from Horace: -- "Fastidious, peevish, prone to praise What pass'd when in their youthful days, And with severe censorious tongue Correct the follies of the young." -- Edit.] Is it not the common practice of old men to praise the past and condemn the present time And this may probably operate much farther than one would at first imagine. When those that have more experience than us, and therefore we are apt to think more wisdom, are almost continually harping upon this, the degeneracy of the world; those who are accustomed from their infancy to hear how much better the world was formerly than it is now, (and so it really seemed to them when they were young, and just come into the world, and when the cheerfulness of youth gave a pleasing air to all that was round about them,) the idea of the world's being worse and worse would naturally grow up with them. And so it will be, till we, in our turn, grow peevish, fretful, discontented, and full of melancholy complaints, "How wicked the world is grown!' How much better it was when we were young, in the golden days that we can remember!"

3. "But how should this multitude of people be kept together And how should it be known whether they walked worthy of their profession" They were providentially led, when they were thinking on another thing, namely, paying the public debt, to divide all the people into little companies, or classes, according to their places of abode, and appoint one person in each class to see all the rest weekly. By this means it was quickly discovered if any of them lived in any known sin. If they did, they were first admonished; and, when judged incorrigible, excluded from the society. 4. This division of the people, and exclusion of those that walked disorderly, without any respect of persons, were helps which few other communities had. To these, as the societies increased, was soon added another. The stewards of the societies in each district were desired to meet the Preachers once a quarter, in some central place, to give an account of the spiritual and temporal state of their several societies. The use of these quarterly meetings was soon found to be exceeding great; in consideration of which, they were gradually spread to all the societies in the kingdom. 5. In order to increase the union between the Preachers, as well as that of the people, they were desired to meet all together in London; and, some time after, a select number of them. Afterwards, for more convenience, they met at London, Bristol, and Leeds, alternately. They spent a few days together in this general Conference, in considering what might most conduce to the general good. The result was immediately signified to all their brethren. And they soon found, that what St. Paul observes of the whole Church, may be, in a measure, applied to every part of it: "The whole body being fitly framed together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, maketh increase of the body to the edifying of itself in love." (Eph. 4:6.)

6. That this may be the more effectually done, they have another excellent help, in the constant change of Preachers; it being their rule, that no Preacher shall remain in the same circuit more than two years together, and few of them more than one year. Some, indeed, have imagined that this was a hindrance to the work of God: But long experience, in every part of the kingdom, proves the contrary. This has always shown that the people profit less by any one person than by a variety of Preachers; while they Used the gifts on each bestow'd, Temper'd by the art of God. 7. Together with these helps, which are peculiar to their own society, they have all those which are enjoyed in common by the other members of the Church of England. Indeed, they have been long pressed to separate from it; to which they have had temptations of every kind. But they cannot, they dare not, they will not, separate from it, while they can remain therein with a clear conscience. It is true, if any sinful terms of communion were imposed upon them, then they would be constrained to separate; but as this is not the case at present, we rejoice to continue therein. 8. What then could God have done more for this his vineyard, which he hath not done in it, with regard to spiritual helps He has hardly dealt so with any other people in the Christian world. If it be said, "He could have made them a separate people, like the Moravian Brethren;" I answer, This would have been a direct contradiction to his whole design in raising them up; namely, to spread scriptural religion throughout the land, among people of every denomination, leaving every one to hold his own opinions, and to follow his own mode of worship. This could only be done effectually, by leaving these things as they were, and endeavouring to leaven the whole nation with that "faith that worketh by love."

3. Riches are equally a hinderance to the loving our neighbour as ourselves; that is, to the loving all mankind as Christ loved us. A rich man may indeed love them that are of his own party, or his own opinion. He may love them that love him: "Do not even Heathens," baptized or unbaptized, "the same" But he cannot have pure, disinterested good-will to every child of man. This can only spring from the love of God, which his great possessions expelled from his soul. 4. From the love of God, and from no other fountain, true humility likewise flows. Therefore, so far as they hinder the love of God, riches must hinder humility likewise. They hinder this also in the rich, by cutting them off from that freedom of conversation whereby they might be made sensible of their defects, and come to a true knowledge of themselves. But how seldom do they meet with a faithful friend; with one that can and will deal plainly with them! And without this we are likely to grow grey in our faults; yea, to die "with all our imperfections on our head." 5. Neither can meekness subsist without humility; for "of pride" naturally "cometh contention." Our Lord accordingly directs us to learn of Him at the same time "to be meek and lowly in heart" Riches therefore are as great a hinderance to meekness as they are to humility. In preventing lowliness of mind, they of consequence prevent meekness; which increases in the same proportion as we sink in our own esteem; and, on the contrary, necessarily decreases as we think more highly of ourselves. 6. There is another Christian temper which is nearly allied to meekness and humility; but it has hardly a name. St. Paul terms it epieikeia. Perhaps, till we find a better name, we may call it yieldingness; a readiness to submit to others, to give up our own will. This seems to be the quality which St. James ascribes to "the wisdom from above," when he styles it ,-- which we render, easy to be entreated; easy to be convinced of what is true; easy to be persuaded. But how rarely is this amiable temper to be found in a wealthy man! I do not know that I have found such a prodigy ten times in above threescore and ten years!

2. From Atheism there is an easy transition to idolatry; from the worship of no God to the worship of false gods: And, in fact, he that does not love God (which is his proper, and his only proper worship) will surely love some of the works of his hands; will love the creature, if not the Creator. But to how many species of idolatry is every rich man exposed! What continual and almost insuperable temptations is he under to "love the world!" and that in all its branches,--"the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, and the pride of life." What innumerable temptations will he find to gratify the "desire of the flesh!" Understand this right. It does not refer to one only, but all the outward senses. It is equal idolatry to seek our happiness in gratifying any or all of these. But there is the greatest danger lest men should seek it in gratifying their taste; in a moderate sensuality; in a regular kind of Epicurism; not in gluttony or drunkenness: Far be that from them! They do not disorder the body; they only keep the soul dead,--dead to God and all true religion.

What Is Man "What is man" Psa. 8:4. 1. Nay, what am I With God's assistance, I would consider myself. Here is a curious machine, "fearfully and wonderfully made." It is a little portion of earth, the particles of which cohering, I know not how, lengthen into innumerable fibres, a thousand times finer than hairs. These, crossing each other in all directions, are strangely wrought into membranes; and these membranes are as strangely wrought into arteries, veins, nerves, and glands; all of which contain various fluids, constantly circulating through the whole machine. 2. In order to the continuance of this circulation, a considerable quantity of air is necessary. And this is continually taken into the habit, by an engine fitted for that very purpose. But as a particle of ethereal fire is connected with every particle of air, (and a particle of water too,) so both air, water, and fire are received into the lungs together; where the fire is separated from the air and water, both of which are continually thrown out; while the fire, extracted from them, is received into, and mingled with, the blood. Thus the human body is composed of all the four elements, duly proportioned and mixed together; the last of which constitutes the vital flame, whence flows the animal heat. 3. Let me consider this yet a little farther. Is not the primary use of the lungs to administer fire to the body, which is continually extracted from the air by that curious fire-pump By inspiration it takes in the air, water, and fire together. In its numerous cells, (commonly called air-vessels,) it detaches the fire from the air and water. This then mixes with the blood; as every air-vessel has a blood-vessel connected with it: And as soon as the fire is extracted from it, the air and water air thrown out by expiration.

17. See, in particular, that all your "desire be unto him, and unto the remembrance of his name." Beware of "foolish and hurtful desires;" such as arise from any visible or temporal thing. All these St. John warns us of, under that general term "love of the world." [1 John 2:15] It is not so much to men of the world, as to the children of God, he gives that important direction: "Love not the world, neither the things of the world." Give no place to "the desire of the flesh," -- the gratification of the outward senses, whether of the taste, or any other. Give no place to "the desire of the eye," -- the internal sense, or imagination, -- by gratifying it, either by grand things, or beautiful, or uncommon. Give no place to "the pride of life," -- the desire of wealth, of pomp, or of the honour that cometh of men. St. John confirms this advice by a consideration parallel to that observation which St. Paul had made to the Corinthians: "For the world and the fashion of it passeth away." [1 John 2:16, 17] "The fashion of it" -- all worldly objects, business, pleasures, cares, whatever now attracts our regard or attention -- "passeth away," -- is in the very act of passing, and will return no more. Therefore desire none of these fleeting things, but that glory which "abideth for ever."

Multiplied our wandering thought, Which first was fix'd on God alone; In ten thousand objects sought The bliss we lost in one. 12. These idols, these rivals of God, are innumerable; but they may be nearly reduced to three parts. First. Objects of sense; such as gratify one or more of our outward senses. These excite the first kind of "love of the world," which St. John terms, "the desire of the flesh." Secondly. Objects of the imagination; things that gratify our fancy, by their grandeur, beauty, or novelty. All these make us fair promises of happiness, and thereby prevent our seeking it in God. This the Apostle terms, "the desire of the eyes;" whereby, chiefly, the imagination is gratified. They are, Thirdly, what St. John calls, "the pride of life." He seems to mean honour, wealth, and whatever directly tends to engender pride. 13. But suppose we were guarded against all these, are there not other idols which we have need to be apprehensive of; and idols, therefore, the more dangerous, because we suspect no danger from them For is there any danger to be feared from our friends and relations; from the mutual endearments of husbands and wives, or of parents and children Ought we not to bear a very tender affection to them Ought we not to love them only less than God Yea, and is there not a tender affection due to those whom God has made profitable to our souls Are we not commanded to "esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake" All this is unquestionably true; and this very thing makes the difficulty. Who is sufficient for this -- to go far enough herein, and no farther to love them enough, and not too much Can we love a wife, a child, a friend, well enough, without loving the creature more than the creator Who is able to follow the caution which St. Paul gives to the Christians at Thessalonica (1 Thess. 4:5.)

14. Now, as long as the Methodists keep to this plan, they cannot separate from the Church. And this is our peculiar glory. It is new upon the earth. Revolve all the histories of the Church, from the earliest ages, and you will find, whenever there was a great work of God in any particular city or nation, the subjects of that work soon said to their neighbours, "Stand by yourselves, for we are holier than you!" As soon as ever they separated themselves, either they retired into deserts, or they built religious houses; or at least formed parties, into which none was admitted but such as subscribed both to their judgment and practice. But with the Methodists it is quite otherwise: They are not a sect or party; they do not separate from the religious community to which they at first belonged. They are still members of the Church; -- such they desire to live and to die. And I believe one reason why God is pleased to continue my life so long is, to confirm them in their present purpose, not to separate from the Church. 15. But, notwithstanding this, many warm men say, "Nay, but you do separate from the Church." Others are equally warm, because they say, I do not. I will nakedly declare the thing as it is. I hold all the doctrines of the Church of England. I love her liturgy. I approve her plan of discipline, and only wish it could be put in execution. I do not knowingly vary from any rule of the Church, unless in those few instances, where I judge, and as far as I judge, there is an absolute necessity. For instance: (1.) As few clergymen open their churches to me, I am under the necessity of preaching abroad. (2.) As I know no forms that will suit all occasions, I am often under a necessity of praying extempore. (3.) In order to build up the flock of Christ in faith and love, I am under a necessity of uniting them together, and of dividing them into little companies, that they may provoke one another to love and good works.

21. But whether ye will hear, or whether ye will forbear, we, by the grace of God, hold on our way; being ourselves still members of the Church of England, as we were from the beginning, but receiving all that love God in every Church as our brother, and sister, and mother. And in order to their union with us we require no unity in opinions, or in modes of worship, but barely that they "fear God and work righteousness," as was observed. Now this is utterly a new thing, unheard of in any other Christian community. In what Church or congregation beside, throughout the Christian world, can members be admitted upon these terms, without any other conditions Point any such out, whoever can. I know none in Europe, Asia, Africa, or America! This is the glory of the Methodists, and of them alone! They are themselves no particular sect or party; but they receive those of all parties who "endeavour to do justly, and love mercy, and walk humbly with their God." Cork, May 4, 1789

12. And let it not be thought, that the knowing Christ after the flesh, the considering him as a mere man, and, in consequence using such language in public as well as private as is suitable to those conceptions of him, is a thing of a purely indifferent nature, or, however, of no great moment. On the contrary, the using this improper familiarity with God our Creator, our Redeemer, our Governor, is naturally productive of very evil fruits. And that not only in those that speak, but also to those that hear them. It has a direct tendency to abate that tender reverence due to the Lord their Governor. It insensibly damps That speechless awe which dares not move, And all the silent heaven of love It is impossible we should accustom ourselves to this odious and indecent familiarity with our Maker, while we preserve in our minds a lively sense of what is painted so strongly in those solemn lines: -- Dark with excessive bright his skirts appear, Yet dazzle heaven, that brightest seraphim Approach not, but with both wings veil their eyes. 13. Now, would not every sober Christian sincerely desire constantly to experience such a love to his Redeemer (seeing he is God as well as man) as is mixed with angelic fear Is it not this very temper which good Dr. Watts so well expresses in those lines: Thy mercy never shall remove From men of heart sincere; Thou savest the souls whose humble love Is join'd with holy fear 14. Not that I would recommend a cold, dead, formal prayer, out of which both love and desire, hope and fear, are excluded. Such seems to have been "the calm and undisturbed method of prayer," so strongly recommended by the late Bishop Hoadly, which occasioned for some years so violent a contest in the religious world. Is it not probable that the well-meaning bishop had met with some of the Mystics or Quietists (such as Madam Guion, or the Archbishop [Fenelon] of Cambray;) and that having no experience of these things he patched together a theory of his own as nearly resembling theirs as he could But it is certain nothing is farther from apathy than real, scriptural devotion. It excites, exercises, and gives full scope to all our nobler passions; and excludes none but those that are wild, irrational, and beneath the dignity of man.

Human Life A Dream "Even like as a dream when one awaketh; so shalt thou make their image to vanish out of the city." Ps. 73:20. 1. Anyone that considers the foregoing verses will easily observe that the Psalmist is speaking directly of the wicked, that prosper in their wickedness. It is very common for these utterly to forget that they are creatures of a day; to live as if they were never to die; as if their present state was to endure for ever; or, at least as if they were indisputably sure that they "had much goods laid up for many years:" So that they might safely say, "Soul, take thine ease; eat, drink, and be merry." But how miserable a mistake is this! How often does God say to such a one, "Thou fool! this night shall thy soul be required of thee!" Well then may it be said of them, "O, how suddenly do they consume!" -- perish, and come to a fearful end. Yea, "even like as a dream when one awaketh; so shalt thou make their image to vanish out of the city." 2. But I would at present carry this thought farther; I would consider it in a general sense, and show how near a resemblance there is between human life and a dream. An ancient poet carries the comparison farther still, when he styles life, "the dream of a shadow." And so does Cowley, when he cries out, O life, thou nothing's younger brother! So like, that we mistake the one for the' other! But, setting these and all other flights of poetry aside, I would seriously inquire, wherein this resemblance lies; wherein the analogy between the one and the other does properly consist.

12. But how do you relish the company that surrounds you Your old companions are gone; a great part of them probably separated from you never to return. Are your present companions angels of light -- ministering spirits, that but now whispered, "Sister spirit, come away! We are sent to conduct thee over that gulf into Abraham's bosom." And what are those Some of the souls of the righteous, whom thou didst formerly relieve with "the mammon of unrighteousness;" and who are now commissioned by your common Lord to receive, to welcome you "into the everlasting habitations." Then the angels of darkness will quickly discern they have no part in you. So they must either hover at a distance, or flee away in despair. Are some of these happy spirits that take acquaintance with you, the same that travelled with you below, and bore a part in your temptations; that, together with you, fought the good fight of faith, and laid hold on eternal life As you then wept together, you may rejoice together, you and your guardian angels perhaps, in order to increase your thankfulness for being "delivered from so great a death." They may give you a view of the realms below; those Regions of sorrow, doleful shades, where peace And rest can never dwell. See, on the other hand, the mansions which were "prepared for you from the foundation of the world!" O what a difference between the dream that is past, and the real scene that is now present with thee! Look up! See! No need of the sun in that day, Which never is follow'd by night; Where Jesus's beauties display A pure and a permanent light! Look down! What a prison is there! "'Twixt upper, nether, and surrounding fire!" And what inhabitants! What horrid, fearful shapes, emblems of the rage against God and man, the envy, fury, despair, fixed within, -- causing them to gnash their teeth at Him they so long despised! Meanwhile, does it comfort them to see, across the great gulf, the righteous in Abraham's bosom What a place is that! What a "house of God, eternal in the heavens!" Earth is only His footstool; yea, The spacious firmament on high, And all the blue, ethereal sky. Well then may we say to its inhabitants,

I. Consider, First, what is here meant by riches. Indeed some may imagine that it is hardly possible to mistake the meaning of this common word. Yet, in truth, there are thousands in this mistake; and many of them quite innocently. A person of note, hearing a sermon preached upon this subject several years since, between surprise and indignation broke out aloud, "Why does he talk about riches here There is no rich man at Whitehaven, but Sir James L____r." And it is true there was none but he that had forty thousand pounds a year, and some millions in ready money. But a man may be rich that has not a hundred a year, nor even one thousand pounds in cash. Whosoever has food to eat, and raiment to put on, with something over, is rich. Whoever has the necessaries and conveniences of life for himself and his family, and a little to spare for them that have not, is properly a rich man; unless he is a miser, a lover of money, one that hoards up what he can and ought to give to the poor. For it so, he is a poor man still, though he has millions in the bank; yea, he is the poorest of men; for The beggars but a common lot deplore; The rich poor man's emphatically poor. 2. But here an exception may be made. A person may have more than necessaries and conveniences for his family, and yet not be rich. For he may be in debt; and his debts may amount to more than he is worth. But if this be the case, he is not a rich man, how much money soever he has in his hands. Yea, a man of business may be afraid that this is the real condition of his affairs, whether it be or no; and then he cannot be so charitable as he would, for fear of being unjust. How many that are engaged in trade, are in this very condition! those especially that trade to a very large amount; for their affairs are frequently so entangled, that it is not possible to determine, with any exactness, how much they are worth, or, indeed, whether they are worth anything or nothing. Should we not make a fair allowance for them

13. Ye angels of God, ye servants of his, that continually do his pleasure! our common Lord hath entrusted you also with talents far more precious than gold and silver, that you may minister in your various offices to the heirs of salvation. Do not you employ every mite of what you have received, to the end for which it was given you And hath he not directed us to do his will on earth, as it is done by you in heaven Brethren, what are we doing! Let us awake! Let us arise! Let us imitate those flaming ministers! Let us employ our whole soul, body and substance, according to the will of our Lord! Let us render unto God the things that are God's; even all we are, and all we have! 14. Most of those who when riches increase set their hearts upon them, do it indirectly in some of the preceding instances. But there are others who do this more directly; being, properly, "lovers of money;" who love it for its own sake; not only for the sake of what it procures. But this vice is very rarely found in children or young persons; but only, or chiefly, in the old, -- in those that have the least need of money, and the least time to enjoy it. Might not this induce one to think, that in many cases it is a penal evil; that it is a sin-punishing evil; that when a man has, for many years, hid his precious talent in the earth, God delivers him up to Satan, to punish by the inordinate love of it Then it is that he is more and more tormented by that auri sacra fames, "that execrable hunger after gold" which can never be satisfied. No: It is most true, as the very Heathen observes, Crescit amor nummi, quantum ipsa pecunia crescit, -- "As money, so the love of money, grows; it increases in the same proportion." As in a dropsy, the more you drink, the more you thirst; till that unquenchable thirst plunge you into the fire which ever shall be quenched!

And when sloth and luxury are joined together, will they not produce an abundant offspring This they certainly have done in these parts. I was surprised a few years ago at a letter I received from Philadelphia, wherein were (nearly) these words: "You think the women in England (many of them, I mean) do not abound in chastity. But yet the generality of your women, if compared with ours, might almost pass for vestal virgins." Now this complication of pride, luxury, sloth, and wantonness, naturally arising from vast wealth and plenty, was the grand hindrance to the spreading of true religion through the cities of North-America. II. Let us now see the other wheel of divine providence. 1. It may reasonably be supposed that the colonies in New-England had, from their very beginning, an hankering after independency. It could not be expected to be otherwise, considering their families, their education, their relations, and the connections they had formed before they left their native country. They were farther inclined to it by the severe and unjust treatment which many of them had met with in England. This might well create in them a fear lest they should meet with the like again, a jealousy of their governors, and a desire of shaking off that dependence, to which they were never thoroughly reconciled. The same spirit they communicated to their children, from whom it descended to the present generation. Nor could it be effaced by all the favours and benefits which they continually received from the English Government. 2. This spirit generally prevailed, especially in Boston, as early as the year 1737. In that year, my brother, being detained there some time, was greatly surprised to hear almost in every company, whether of Ministers, gentlemen, merchants, or common people, where anything of the kind was mentioned, "We must be independent! We will be independent! We will bear the English yoke no longer! We will be our own governors!" This appeared to be even then the general desire of the people; although it is not probable that there was at that time any formed design. No; they could not be so vain as to think they were able to stand alone against the power of Great Britain.

4. But has there, indeed, been any extraordinary work of God wrought in England during this century This is an important question: It is certainly worthy of our serious consideration; and it is capable of being answered to the full satisfaction of every fair inquirer. He may easily be informed, what work it is, and in what manner it has been wrought. It is true, I am in one respect an improper person to give this information; as it will oblige me frequently to speak of myself, which may have the appearance of ostentation: But, with regard to this, I can only cast myself upon the candour of my hearers, being persuaded they will put the most favourable construction upon what is not a matter of choice, but of necessity. For there is no other person, if I decline the task, who can supply my place, -- who has a perfect knowledge of the work in question, from the beginning of it to this day. We may consider, First, the rise and progress of this work: Secondly, the nature of it. I. 1. As to the rise of it. In the year 1725, a young student at Oxford was much affected by reading Kempis's "Christian Pattern," and Bishop Taylor's "Rules of Holy Living and Dying." He found an earnest desire to live according to those rules, and to flee from the wrath to come. He sought for some that would be his companions in the way, but could find none; so that, for several years, he was constrained to travel alone, having no man either to guide or to help him. But in the year 1729, he found one who had the same desire. They then endeavoured to help each other; and, in the close of the year, were joined by two more. They soon agreed to spend two or three hours together every Sunday evening. Afterwards they sat two evenings together, and, in a while, six evenings, in the week; spending that time in reading the Scriptures, and provoking one another to love and to good works.

2. The regularity of their behaviour gave occasion to a young gentleman of the college to say, "I think we have got a new set of Methodists," -- alluding to a set of Physicians, who began to flourish at Rome about the time of Nero, and continued for several ages. The name was new and quaint; it clave to them immediately; and from that time, both those four young gentlemen, and all that had any religious connection with them, were distinguished by the name of Methodists. 3. In the four or five years following, another and another were added to the number, till, in the year 1735, there were fourteen of them who constantly met together. Three of these were Tutors in their several Colleges; the rest, Bachelors of Arts or Under-graduates. They were all precisely of one judgment, as well as of one soul; all tenacious of order to the last degree, and observant, for conscience' sake, of every rule of the Church, and every statute both of the University and of their respective Colleges. They were all orthodox in every point; firmly believing, not only the Three Creeds, but whatsoever they judged to be the doctrine of the Church of England, as contained in her Articles and Homilies. As to that practice of the Apostolic Church, (which continued till the time of Tertullian, at least in many Churches,) the having all things in common, they had no rule, nor any formed design concerning it; but it was so in effect. and it could not be otherwise; for none could want anything that another could spare. This was the infancy of the work. They had no conception of anything that would follow. Indeed, they took "no thought for the morrow," desiring only to live today.

II. 1. Such was the rise, and such has been the progress, of Methodism, from the beginning to the present time. But you will naturally ask, "What is Methodism What does this new word mean Is it not a new religion" This is a very common, nay, almost an universal, supposition; but nothing can be more remote from the truth. It is a mistake all over. Methodism, so called, is the old religion, the religion of the Bible, the religion of the primitive Church, the religion of the Church of England. This old religion, (as I observed in the "Earnest Appeal to Men of Reason and Religion,") is "no other than love, the love of God and of all mankind; the loving God with all our heart, and soul, and strength, as having first loved us, -- as the fountain of all the good we have received, and of all we ever hope to enjoy; and the loving every soul which God hath made, every man on earth as our own soul. This love is the great medicine of life; the neverfailing remedy for all the evils of a disordered world; for all the miseries and vices of men. Wherever this is, there are virtue and happiness going hand in hand; there is humbleness of mind, gentleness, long-suffering, the whole image of God; and, at the same time, a `peace that passeth all understanding,' with `joy unspeakable and full of glory.' This religion of love, and joy, and peace, has its seat in the inmost soul; but is ever showing itself by its fruits, continually springing up, not only in all innocence, (for love worketh no ill to his neighbour,) but, likewise, in every kind of beneficence, -- spreading virtue and happiness all around it."

2. This is the religion of the Bible, as no one can deny who reads it with any attention. It is the religion which is continually inculcated therein, which runs through both the Old and New Testament. Moses and the Prophets, our blessed Lord and his Apostles, proclaim with one voice, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy soul, and thy neighbour as thyself." The Bible declares, "Love is the fulfilling of the Law," "the end of the commandment," -- of all the commandments which are contained in the oracles of God. The inward and outward fruits of this love are also largely described by the inspired writers; so that whoever allows the Scripture to be the Word of God, must allow this to be true religion. 3. This is the religion of the primitive Church, of the whole Church in the purest ages. It is clearly expressed, even in the small remains of Clemens Romanus, Ignatius, and Polycarp; it is seen more at large in the writings of Tertullian, Origen, Clemens Alexandrinus, and Cyprian; and, even in the fourth century, it was found in the works of Chrysostom, Basil, Ephrem Syrus, and Macarius. It would be easy to produce "a cloud of witnesses," testifying the same thing; were not this a point which no one will contest, who has the least acquaintance with Christian antiquity. 4. And this is the religion of the Church of England; as appears from all her authentic records, from the uniform tenor of her Liturgy, and from numberless passages in her Homilies. The scriptural, primitive religion of love, which is now reviving throughout the three kingdoms, is to be found in her Morning and Evening Service, and in her daily, as well as occasional, Prayers; and the whole of it is beautifully summed up in that one comprehensive petition, "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." 5. Permit me to give a little fuller account, both of the progress and nature of this religion, by an extract from a treatise which was published many years ago: -- [Farther Appeal, Part III.]

"Just at the time when we wanted little of filling up the measure of our iniquities, two or three Clergymen of the Church of England began vehemently to call sinners to repentance. Many thousands gathered together to hear them; and, in every place where they came, many began to show such concern for religion as they never had done before. Many were in a short time deeply convinced of the number and heinousness of their sins, of their evil tempers, of their inability to help themselves, and of the insignificancy of their outside religion. And from this repentance sprung fruits meet for repentance; the whole form of their life was changed. They `ceased to do evil, and learned to do well.' Neither was this all; but over and above this outward change they began to experience inward religion; the love of God was shed abroad in their hearts, which they enjoy to this day. They `love Him, because he first loved us;' and this love constrains them to love all mankind, and inspires them with every holy and heavenly temper, with the mind which was in Christ. Hence it is that they are now uniform in their behaviour, unblamable in all manner of conversation; and in whatsoever state they are, they have learned therewith to be content. Thus they calmly travel on through life, never repining, or murmuring, or dissatisfied, till the hour comes that they shall drop this covering of earth, and return to the Father of spirits." 6. This revival of religion has spread to such a degree, as neither we nor our fathers had known. How extensive has it been! There is scarce a considerable town in the kingdom, where some have not been made witnesses of it. It has spread to every age and sex, to most orders and degrees of men; and even to abundance of those who, in time past, were accounted monsters of wickedness. Consider the swiftness as well as extent of it. "In what age has such a number of sinners been recovered in so short a time from the error of their ways When has true 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 afford a parallel instance.

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.

Let our hearts be joined herein; let us unite our wishes and prayers; let our whole soul pant after a general revival of pure religion and undefiled, the restoration of the image of God, pure love, in every child of man! Then let us endeavour to promote, in our several stations, this scriptural, primitive religion; let us, with all diligence, diffuse the religion of love among all we have any intercourse with; let us provoke all men, not to enmity and contention, but to love and to good works; always remembering those deep words, (God engrave them on all our hearts!) "God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him!"

10. I would not be understood, as if I despised these things, as if I undervalued right opinions, true morality, or a zealous regard for the constitution we have received from our fathers. Yet what are these things, being alone What will they profit us in that day What will it avail to tell the Judge of all) "Lord, I was not as other men were; not unjust, not an adulterer, not a liar, not an immoral man" Yea, what will it avail, if we have done all good, as well as done no harm, -- if we have given all our goods to feed the poor, -- and have not charity How shall we then look on those who taught us to sleep on and take our rest, though "the love of the Father was not in us" or who, teaching us to seek salvation by works, cut us off from receiving that faith freely, whereby alone the love of God could have been shed abroad in our hearts To these miserable corrupters of the gospel of Christ, and the poison they have spread abroad, is chiefly owing, II. Secondly, that general corruption in practice as well as in doctrine. There is hardly to be found (O tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon!) either the form of godliness, or the power! So is "the faithful city become an harlot!"

8. And indeed learning will be seldom found without religion; for temporal views, as experience shows, will very rarely suffice to carry one through the labour required to be a thorough scholar. Can it then be dissembled, that there is too often a defect in those to whom the care of youth is entrusted Is that solemn direction sufficiently considered, (Statut. p. 7,) "Let the tutor diligently instruct those scholars committed to his care in strict morality; and especially in the first principles of religion, and in the articles of doctrine" And do they, to whom this important charge is given, labour diligently to lay this good foundation to fix true principles of religion in the minds of youth entrusted with them by their lectures to recommend the practice thereof by the powerful and pleasing influence of their example to enforce this by frequent private advice, earnestly and strongly inculcated to observe the progress, and carefully inquire into the behaviour, of every one of them in a word, to watch over their souls as they that must give account 9. Suffer me, since I have begun to speak upon this head, to go a little farther. Is there sufficient care taken that they should know and keep the statutes which we are all engaged to observe How then is it that they are so notoriously broken every day To instance only in a few: It is appointed, as to divine offices and preaching, "That ALL shall publicly attend: -- Graduates and scholars shall attend punctually, and continue till all be finished with due reverence from the beginning to the end." (P. 181.) It is appointed, "That scholars of every rank shall abstain from all kinds of play where money is contended for; such as cards, dice, and bowls; nor shall they be present at public games of this nature." (P. 157.) It is appointed, "That all (the sons of noblemen excepted) shall accustom themselves to black or dark-coloured clothing; and that they shall keep at the utmost distance from pomp and extravagance." (P. 157.) It is appointed, "That scholars of every rank shall abstain from alehouses, inns, taverns, and from every place within the city where wine, or any other kind of liquor, is ordinarily sold." (P.164.)

"But some man will say, How are the dead raised up And with what body do they come" How can these things be How is it possible that these bodies should be raised again, and joined to their several souls, which many thousands of years ago were either buried in the earth, or swallowed up in the sea, or devoured by fire -- which have mouldered into the finest dust, --that dust scattered over the face of the earth, dispersed as far as the heavens are wide; -- nay, which has undergone ten thousand changes, has fattened the earth, become the food of other creatures, and these again the food of other men How is it possible that all these little parts, which made up the body of Abraham, should be again ranged together, and, unmixed with the dust of other bodies, be all placed in the same order and posture that they were before, so as to make up the very self-same body which his soul at his death forsook Ezekiel was indeed, in a vision, set down in a valley full of dry bones, "and he heard a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone; the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them above, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet." This might be in a vision. But that all this, and much more, should in time come to pass; that our bones, after they are crumbled into dust, should really become living men; that all the little parts whereof our bodies were made, should immediately, at a general summons, meet again, and every one challenge and possess its own place, till at last the whole be perfectly rebuilt; that this, I say, should be done, is so incredible a thing, that we cannot so much as have any notion of it. And we may observe, that the Gentiles were most displeased with this article of the Christian faith; it was one of the last things the Heathens believed; and it is to this day the chief objection to Christianity, "How are the dead raised up With what body do they come" In my discourse on these words, I shall do three things: --

II. The true meaning of the word love; and, III. In what sense it can be said, that without love all this profiteth us nothing. I. As to the First: It must be observed that the word used by St. Paul properly signifies, To divide into small pieces, and then to distribute what has been so divided; and, consequently, it implies, not only divesting ourselves at once of all the worldly goods we enjoy, either from a fit of distaste to the world, or a sudden start of devotion, but an act of choice, and that choice coolly and steadily executed. It may imply, too, that this be done not out of vanity, but in part from a right principle; namely, from a design to perform the command of God, and a desire to obtain his kingdom. It must be farther observed, that the word give signifies, actually to deliver a thing according to agreement; and, accordingly, it implies, like the word preceding, not a hasty, inconsiderate action, but one performed with open eyes and a determined heart, pursuant to a resolution before taken. The full sense of the words, therefore, is this; which he that hath cars to hear, let him hear: "Though I should give all the substance of my house to feed the poor; though I should do so upon mature choice and deliberation; though I should spend my life in dealing it out to them with my own hands, yea, and that from a principle of obedience; though I should suffer, from the same view, not only reproach and shame, not only bonds and imprisonment, and all this by my own continued act and deed, not accepting deliverance, but, moreover, death itself, -- yea, death inflicted in a manner the most terrible to nature; yet all this, if I have not love, (the love of God, and the love of all mankind, `shed abroad in my heart by the Hold Ghost given unto me,') it profiteth me nothing."

II. Let us inquire what this love is, -- what is the true meaning of the word We may consider it either as to its properties or effects: And that we may be under no possibility of mistake, we will not at all regard the judgment of men, but go to our Lord himself for an account of the nature of love; and, for the effects of it, to his inspired Apostle. The love which our Lord requires in all his followers, is the love of God and man; -- of God, for his own, and of man, for God's sake. Now, what is it to love God, but to delight in him, to rejoice in his will, to desire continually to please him, to seek and find our happiness in him, and to thirst day and night for a fuller enjoyment of him As to the measure of this love, our Lord hath clearly told us, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart." Not that we are to love or delight in none but him: For he hath commanded us, not only to love our neighbour, that is, all men, as ourselves; -- to desire and pursue their happiness as sincerely and steadily as our own, -- but also to love many of his creatures in the strictest sense; to delight in them, to enjoy them: Only in such a manner and measure as we know and feel, not to indispose but to prepare us for the enjoyment of Him. Thus, then, we are called to love God with all our heart. The effects or properties of this love, the Apostle describes in the chapter before us. And all these being infallible marks whereby any man may judge of himself, whether he hath this love or hath it not, they deserve our deepest consideration.

"Love suffereth long," or is longsuffering. If thou love thy neighbour for God's sake, thou wilt bear long with his infirmities: If he want wisdom, thou wilt pity and not despise him: If he be in error, thou wilt mildly endeavour to recover him, without any sharpness or reproach: If he be overtaken in a fault, thou wilt labour to restore him in the spirit of meekness: And if, haply, that cannot be done soon, thou wilt have patience with him; if God, peradventure, may bring him, at length to the knowledge and love of the truth. In all provocations, either from the weakness or malice of men, thou wilt show thyself a pattern of gentleness and meekness; and, be they ever so often repeated, wilt not be overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. Let no man deceive you with vain words: He who is not thus long-suffering, hath not love. Again: "Love is kind." Whosoever feels the love of God and man shed abroad in his heart, feels an ardent and uninterrupted thirst after the happiness of all his fellow-creatures. His soul melts away with the very fervent desire which he hath continually to promote it; and out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. In his tongue is the law of kindness. The same is impressed on all his actions. The flame within is continually working itself away, and spreading abroad more and more, in every instance of good-will to all with whom he hath to do. So that whether he thinks or speaks, or whatever he does, it all points to the same end, -- the advancing, by every possible way, the happiness of all his fellow-creatures. Deceive not, therefore, your own souls: He who is not thus kind, hath not love.

Farther: "Love envieth not." This, indeed, is implied, when it is said, "Love is kind." For kindness and envy are inconsistent: They can no more abide together than light and darkness. If we earnestly desire all happiness to all, we cannot be grieved at the happiness of any. The fulfilling of our desire will be sweet to our soul; so far shall we be from being pained at it. If we are always doing what good we can for our neighbour, and wishing we could do more, it is impossible that we should repine at an good he receives: Indeed, it will be the very joy of our heart. However, then, we may flatter ourselves, or one another, he that envieth hath not love. It follows, "Love vaunteth not itself;" or rather, is not rash or hasty in judging: For this is indeed the true meaning of the word. As many as love their neighbour for God's sake, will not easily receive an ill opinion of any to whom they wish all good, spiritual as well as temporal. They cannot condemn him even in their heart without evidence; nor upon slight evidence neither; nor, indeed upon any, without first, if it be possible, having him and his accuser face to face, or at the least acquainting him with the accusation, and letting him speak for himself. Every one of you feels that he cannot but act thus, with regard to one whom he tenderly loves. Why, then, he who doth not act thus hath not love.

I only mention one more of the properties of this love: "Love is not puffed up." You cannot wrong one you love: Therefore, if you love God with all your heart, you cannot so wrong him as to rob him of his glory, by taking to yourself what is due to him only. You will own that all you are, and all you have, is his; that without him you can do nothing; that he is your light and your life, your strength and your all; and that you are nothing, yea, less than nothing, before him. And if you love your neighbour as yourself, you will not be able to prefer yourself before him. Nay, you will not be able to despise any one, any more than to hate him. [Nay, you will think every man better than yourself.] As the wax melteth away before the fire, so doth pride melt away before love. All haughtiness, whether of heart, speech, or behaviour, vanishes away where love prevails. It bringeth down the high looks of him who boasted in his strength, and maketh him as a little child; diffident of himself, willing to hear, glad to learn, easily convinced, easily persuaded. And whosoever is otherwise minded, let him give up all vain hope: He is puffed up, and so hath not love. III. It remains to inquire, in what sense it can be said that "though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, yea, though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profiteth me nothing." The chief sense of the words is, doubtless, this: That whatsoever we do, and whatsoever we suffer, if we are not renewed in the spirit of our mind, by "the love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost given unto us," we cannot enter into life eternal. None can enter there, unless in virtue of covenant which God hath given unto man in the Son of his love. But, because general truths are less apt to affect us, let consider one or two particulars, with regard to which all we can do or suffer, if we have not love, profiteth us nothing. And, First, all without this profiteth not, so as to make life happy; nor, Secondly, so as to make death comfortable.

And, First, without love nothing can so profit us as to make our lives happy. By happiness I mean, not a slight, trilling pleasure, that perhaps begins and ends in the same hour; but such a state of well-being as contents the soul, and gives it a stead, lasting satisfaction. But that nothing without love can profit us, as to our present happiness, will appear from this single consideration: You cannot want it, in any one single instance, without pain; and the more you depart from it, the pain is the greater. Are you wanting in longsuffering Then, so far as you fall short of this, you fall short of happiness. The more the opposite tempers -- anger, fretfulness, revenge -- prevail, the more unhappy you are. You know it; you feel it; nor can the storm be allayed, or peace ever return to your soul, unless meekness, gentleness, patience, or, in one word, love, take possession of it. Does any man find in himself ill-will, malice, envy, or any other temper opposite to kindness Then is misery there; and the stronger the temper, the more miserable he is. If the slothful man may be said to eat his own flesh, much more the malicious, or envious. His soul is the very type of hell; -- full of torment as well as wickedness. He hath already the worm that never dieth, and he is hastening to the fire that never can be quenched. Only as yet the great gulf is not fixed between him and heaven. As yet there is a Spirit ready to help his infirmities; who is still willing, if he stretch out his hands to heaven, and bewail his ignorance and misery, to purify his heart from vile affections, and to renew it in the love of God, and so lead him by present, up to eternal, happiness. Secondly. Without love, nothing can make death comfortable.

It was in this place that I saw the other good soldier of Jesus Christ grappling with his last enemy, death. And it was, indeed, a spectacle worthy to be seen, of God, and angels, and men. Some of his last breath was spent in a psalm of praise to Him who was then giving him the victory; in assurance whereof be began triumph even in the heat of the battle. When he was asked, "Hast thou the love of God in thy heart" he lifted up his eyes and hands, and answered, "Yes, yes!" with the whole strength he had left. To one who inquired if he was afraid of the devil, whom he had just mentioned as making his last attack upon him, he replied, "No, no: My loving Saviour hath conquered every enemy: He is with me. I fear nothing." Soon after, he said, "The way to our loving Saviour is sharp, but it is short." Nor was it long before he fell into a sort of slumber, wherein his soul sweetly returned to God that gave it. Here, we may observe, was no mixture of any passion or temper contrary to love; therefore, there was no misery; perfect love casting out whatever might have occasioned torment. And whosoever thou art who hast the like measure of love, thy last end shall be like his. [Section numbers in brackets follow the Bicentennial Edition.]

Let us consider, First, how God hath blown his trumpet among us of this place. And that it might never be forgotten, it were much to be wished, not only that parents would tell their children, to the intent that their posterity might know it, and the children that are yet unborn; but also, that it were written in our public register, for a standing memorial to all generations; that in the very week, and on the very day, when that diversion which hath had a considerable share in turning the Christian world upside down, was to have been brought in hither also, such a fire broke out, as neither we nor our fathers had seen in this place; a fire which soon spread itself not over one only, but over several dwelling-houses; which so went forth in the fury of its strength, that it soon prevailed over the weak resistance made against it, and left only so much standing of most of those buildings over which it prevailed, as might serve to quicken our remembrance of it. Let it be told, that those who came prepared for another prospect, were entertained with that of devouring flames! a prospect which continued during the whole time of the intended diversion, and which was but too plainly to be seen, together with the fiery pillars of smoke which increased its horror, from the very place which had been pitched upon for the scene of this diversion.

5. But this is no common fault: generally, heathen parents may meet with heathen schoolmasters. A third inconvenience in many schools is, the Masters have no more religion than the scholars. And if they have little or no religion themselves, we may be well assured they will give themselves little trouble about the religion of the children that are committed to their care. Every part of the nation abounds with Masters of this kind; men who are either uninstructed in the very principles of Christianity, or quite indifferent as to the practice of it, "caring for none of these things." Consequently, they are nothing concerned, whether their scholars are Papists or Protestants, Turks or Christians: they look upon this as no part of their business; they take no thought about it. 6. But it is not only with regard to instruction in religion, that most of our great schools are defective. They are defective likewise (which is a fourth objection) with regard to learning; and that in several respects. In some, the children are taught little or no arithmetic; in others, little care is taken even of their writing. In many, they learn scarce the elements of geography, and as little of chronology. And even as to the languages, there are some schools of note wherein no Hebrew at all is taught; and there are exceeding few wherein the scholars are thoroughly instructed even in the Latin and Greek tongues. They are not likely to be; for there is a capital mistake in their very method of teaching. The books which they read are not well chosen, not so much as with regard to language. The language of them is not standard; not even in the Latin. Were even this circumstance duly considered, would Eutropius or Lucius Florus have any place among them? "O, but I want to give a sketch of the Roman history." And cannot you do this much better by English authors? Cannot you give the marrow of Roman history without ruining their style by bad Latin?

But the sense too of the authors read in many schools is as imperfect as their language. And this betrays an inexcusable negligence in those who teach these empty books. For there is no necessity for it. It is well known there are excellent both Greek and Roman authors, who excel them as much in strength of understanding, as in purity and elegance of style. Again: in most schools little judgment is shown in the order of the books that are read. Some very difficult ones are read in the lower classes, "Phædrus's Fables" in particular: and some very easy ones are read long after, in utter defiance of common sense. 7. Another fault common in almost all our schools is, the Masters not only take no care to train up their scholars in true religion, but they themselves teach them what is utterly destructive of all religion whatever: they put authors into their hands, that, with all the beauty of language, all the sweetness of expression, instil into their tender minds both obscenity and profaneness;- Virgil's Alexis, the lewd Epigrams of Martial, and the shameless Satires of Juvenal, (even the sixth,) so earnestly recommending sodomy as well as adultery! Nonne putas melius, quod tecum pusio dormit ? Here you see is the blessed moral! Nay, in spite of the loud complaint made by St. Austin, fourteen hundred years ago, we read there still of the great god, Qui templa cœli summa sonitu concutit, coming down from heaven upon that blessed errand, Fucum factum mulieri! And to this day we retain, for the edification of our children, Tonantem et fornicantem Jovem !

"The school-hours are from seven to eleven, and from one to five. They drink water at their meals:" (and why do not all wise parents teach their children so to do from their infancy, seeing it is universally allowed to be the best diluter of food which is to be found on earth?) "Nothing between meals," lest they should insensibly contract habits which are neither good for body nor mind. Their food is as simple as possible; two days in a week it is wholly vegetable; every day, at breakfast and supper; if we allow, with Dr. Cheyne, milk to come under that appellation. "At eight they go to bed, the youngest first. They all lodge in one room, (every child having a bed to himself,) in which a lamp burns all night. A Master lies in the same room." The propriety of these circumstances is so manifest, that it needs not to be enlarged upon. "All their beds have mattresses on them, not feather-beds; both because they are more healthy, and because we would keep them at the utmost distance from softness and effeminacy." 13. The things taught here are reading, writing, arithmetic, English, French, Latin, Greek, Hebrew, history, geography, chronology, rhetoric, logic, ethics, geometry, algebra, natural philosophy, and metaphysics. In teaching the languages, care is taken to read those authors, and those only, who join together the purity, the strength, and the elegance of their several tongues. In particular, no Roman author is read who lived later than the Augustan age. Only to these are added proper Excerpta from Juvenal, Persius, and Martial. To supply the place of bad Latin writers of antiquity, a few of the moderns are added. And indeed their writings are not unworthy of the Augustan age; being little inferior, either in purity and beauty of diction, to the best writers of that period. 14. Particular care is taken that nothing immodest or profane be found in any of our authors. One of the most immodest wretches that ever defiled paper, has, nevertheless, stumbled upon this caution : Nil dictu fædum visuque hæc limina tangat, Intra quæ puer est."

16. It is true, I have for many years suspended the execution of this part of my design. I was indeed thoroughly convinced, ever since I read Milton's admirable "Treatise on Education," that it was highly expedient for every youth to begin and finish his education at the same place. I was convinced nothing could be more irrational and absurd, than to break this off in the middle, and to begin it again at a different place, and in a quite different method. The many and great inconveniences of this, I knew by sad experience. Yet I had so strong a prejudice in favour of our own Universities, that of Oxford in particular, that I could hardly think of any one's finishing his education without spending some years there. I therefcre encouraged all I had any influence over, to enter at Oxford or Cambridge; both of which I preferred, in many respects, to any University I had seen abroad. Add to this, that several of the young persons at Kingswood had themselves a desire of going to the University. I cannot say I am yet quite clear of that prejudice. I love the very sight of Oxford: I love the manner of life; I love and esteem many of its institutions. But my prejudice in its favour is considerably abated: I do not admire it as I once did. And whether I did or not, I am now constrained to make a virtue of necessity. The late remarkable occurrence of the six young students expelled from the University, and the still more remarkable one of Mr. Seagar, refused the liberty of entering into it, (by what rule of prudence, I cannot tell, any more than of law or equity,) have forced me to see, that neither I, nor any of my friends, must expect either favour or justice there. I am much obliged to Dr. Nowell, and the other gentlemen who exerted themselves on either of those transactions, for not holding me longer in suspense, but dealing so frankly and openly. And, blessed be God, I can do all the business which I have in hand without them. Honour or preferment I do not want, any more than a feather in my cap; and I trust most of those who are educated at our school are, and will be, of the same mind.

22. "But whatever learning they have, if they acquired it there, they cannot be ordained;" (you mean, Episcopally ordained; and indeed that ordination we prefer to any other, where it can be had;) "for the Bishops have all agreed together not to ordain any Methodist." O that they would all agree together not to ordain any drunkard, any Sabbath-breaker, any common swearer, any that makes the very name of religion stink in the nostrils of infidels, any that knows no more of the grounds of religion than he does of Greek or Hebrew! But I doubt that fact. I cannot easily believe that all the Bishops have made such an agreement. Could I be sure they had, I should think it my duty to return them my sincerest thanks. Pity they had not done it ten years ago, and I should not have lost some of my dearest friends. However, I am extremely obliged, if they have agreed to prevent my losing any more the same way; if they have blocked up the door through which several others were likely to run away from me. 23. I should not wonder if there was a general agreement against those who have been so often described as both knaves and madmen. Meantime, I can only say, as a much greater man said, Hier stehe ich: Gott hilffe mich! By His help I have stood for these forty years, among the children of men, whose tongues are set on fire, who shoot out their arrows, even bitter words, and think therein they do God service. Many of these are already gone to give an account to the Judge of quick and dead. I did not expect to have stayed so long behind them; but "good is the will of the Lord." If it were possible, I should be glad, for my few remaining days, to live peaceably with all men: I do as much as lieth in me, in order to this. I do not willingly provoke any man. I go as quietly on my way as I can. But, quietly or unquietly, I must go on; for a dispensation of the Gospel is committed to me; and woe is me if I preach not the Gospel. I am convinced that I am a debtor to all men, and that it is my bounden duty "To rush through every open door,

Part of his answer, dated September 21, 1730, was this :--* And now as to your own designs and employments, what can I say less of them than, Valde probo:* and that I have the highest reason to bless God, that he has given me two sons together at Oxford, to whom he has given grace and courage to turn the war against the world and the devil, which is the best way to conquer them. They have but one more enemy to combat with, the flesh; which if they take care to subdue by fasting and prayer, there will be no more for them to do, but to proceed steadily in the same course, and expect ‘the crown which fadeth not away.’ You have reason to bless God, as I do, that you have so fast a friend as Mr. M. who, I see, in the most difficult service, is ready to break the ice for you. You do not know of how much good that poor wretch who killed his wife has been the providential occasion. I think I must adopt Mr. M. to be my son, together with you and your brother Charles ; and when I have such a ternion to prosecute that war, wherein I am now miles emeritus,t I shall not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate. “T am afraid lest the main objection you make against your going on in the business with the prisoners may secretly proceed from flesh and blood. For ‘who can harm you if you are followers of that which is so good ;’ and which will be one of the marks by which the Shepherd of Israel will know his sheep at the last day ?--Though if it were possible for you to suffer a little in the cause, you would have a confessor’s reward. You own none but such as are out of their senses would be prejudiced against your acting in this manner; but say * I greatly approve. t A soldier past service.

day following ; as he has done five Sundays in six ever since. This much delighted our gay opponents, who increased their number apace ; especially when, shortly after, one of the seniors of the college having been with the Doctor, upon his return from him sent for two young gentlemen severally, who had communicated weekly for some time, and was so successful in his exhortations, that for the future they promised to do it only three times a year. About this time there was a meeting (as one who was present at it informed your son) of several of the officers and senicrs of the college, wherein it was consulted what would be the speediest way to stop the progress of enthusiasm in it. The result we know not, only it was soon publicly reported, that Dr. and the censors were going to blow up The Godly Club. This was now our common title ; though we were sometimes dignified with that of The Enthusiasts, or The Reforming Club.” Part of the answer I received was as follows :-- “Goon Sir,--* A pretty while after the date, yours came to my hand.

June, 1736. ] REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. 25 (to which he had said he was going ;) he said, “ To be sure, it is a fine place. But I don’t mind that; I don’t care what place I am in. Let God put me where he will, or do with me what he will, so I may but set forth his honour and glory.” ' Thur. 3.--Being Ascension day, we had the holy communion ; but only Mr. Hird’s family joined with us in it. One reason why there were nO more, was, because a few words which a woman had inadvertently spoken, had set almost all the town in a flame. Alas! how shall a city stand that is thus divided against itself? Where there is no brotherly love, no meekness, no forbearing, or forgiving one another; but envy, malice, revenge, suspicion, anger, clamour, bitterness, evil speaking, without end! Abundant proof that there can be no true love of man, unless it be built on the love of God. Sun. 6.--Calling on Mr. Lassel, and asking how he did, “ My departure,” said he,“ I hope is at hand.” I asked, “ Are you troubled at that?”’ He replied, “ O no; to depart, and to be with Christ, is far better. I desire no more of this bad world. My hope and my joy and my love is there.” The next time I saw him, he said, “I desire nothing more, than for God to forgive my many and great sins. I would be humble. I would be the humblest creature living. My heart is humble and broken for my sins. Tell me, teach me, what shall I do to please God. I would fain do whatever is his will.” I said, “ It is his will you should suffer.” He answered, “ Then I will suffer. I will gladly suffer whatever pleases him.” Mon. '7.--Finding him weaker, I asked, “Do you still desire to die?” He said, “Yes; but I dare not pray for it, for fear I should displease my heavenly Father. His will be done. Let him work his will, in my life, or in my death.”

Wed. 23.--Mr. Delamotte and I, with a guide, set out to walk to the Cowpen. When we had walked two or three hours, our guide told us plainly, he did not know where we were. However, believing it could not be far off, we thought it best to go on. In an hour or two we came to a cypress swamp which lay directly across our way: there was not time to walk back to Savannah before night ; so we walked through it, the water being about breast high. By the time we had gone a mile beyond it, we were out of all path; and it being now past sunset, we sat down, intending to make a fire, and to stay there till morning ;_ but finding our tinder wet, we were at a stand. I advised to walk on still; but my companions being faint and weary, were for lying down, which we accordingly did about six o’clock: the ground was as wet as our clothes, which (it being a sharp frost) were soon froze together; however, I slept till six in the morning. There fell a heavy dew in the night, which covered us over as white as snow. Within an hour after sunrise, we came to a plantation ; and in the evening, without any hurt, to Savannah. Tues. 28.--We set out by land with a better guide for Frederica. On Wednesday evening we came to Fort Argyle, on the back of the river Ogeechy. The next afternoon we crossed Cooanoochy river, in a small canoe ; our horses swimming by the side of it. We made a fire on the bank, and, notwithstanding the rain, slept quietly till the morning. Sat. Jan. 1, 1737.--Our provisions fell short, our journey being longer than we expected; but having a little barbecued bear’s flesh, (that is, dried in the sun,) we boiled it, and found it wholesome food. The next day we reached Darien, the settlement of the Scotch Highlanders ; a sober, industrious, friendly, hospitable people ; whose minister, Mr. M‘Leod, is a serious, resolute, and, I hope, a pious man.

On Monday evening we left Darien, and on Wednesday, the 5th, came to Frederica. Most here were, as we expected, cold and heartless: we found not one who retained his first love. O send forth Thy. light and Thy truth, that they may guide them! Let them not yet follow their own, imaginations ! After having beaten the air in this unhappy place for twenty days 34 REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. [ March, 1737. on January 26th I took my final leave of Frederica. It was not any apprehension of my own danger, (though my life had been threatened many times,) but an utter despair of doing good there, which made me content with the thought of seeing it no more. In my passage home, having procured a celebrated book, (The Works of Nicholas Machiavel,) I set myself carefully to read and consider it. I began with a prejudice in his favour ; having been informed, he had often been misunderstood, and greatly misrepresented. I weighed the sentiments that were less common; transcribed the passages wherein they were contained ; compared one passage with another, and endeavoured to form a cool, impartial judgment. And my cool judgment is, that if all the other doctrines of devils which have been committed to writing since letters were in the world, were collected together in one volume, it would fall short of this: and, that should a prince form himself by this book, so calmly recommending hypocrisy, treachery, lying, robbery, oppression, adultery, whoredom, and murder of all kinds, Domitian or Nero would be an angel of light, compared to that man. Mon. 31.--We came to Savannah. Tuesday, February 1, being the anniversary feast, on account of the first convoy’s landing in Georgia, we had a sermon and the holy communion. Thursday, 24. It was agreed Mr. Ingham should go for England, and endeavour to bring over, if it should please God, some of our friends to strengthen our hands in his work. Saturday, 26, he left Savannah. By Mr. Ingham I writ to Dr. Bray’s associates, who had sent a parochial library to Savannah. It is expected of the ministers who receive these, to send an account to their benefactors of the method they use in catechising the children and instructing the youth of their respective parishes. That part of the letter was as follows :--

2. The land is of four sorts,--pine barren, oak land, swamp, and marsh. The pine land is of far the greatest extent, especially near the sea coasts. The soil of this isa dry, whitish sand, producing shrubs of several sorts, and between them a spiry, coarse grass, which cattle do not love to feed on. But here and there is a little of a better kind, especially in the savannahs ; (so they call the low, watery meadows, which are usually intermixed with pine lands.) It bears naturally two sorts of fruit,--hurtle-berries, (much like those in England,) and chincopin- nuts; a dry, harsh nut, about the size of a small acorn. A laborious man may, in one year, clear and plant four or five acres of this land: it will produce the first year from two to four bushels of Indian corn, and from four to eight of Indian peas, per acre. ‘The second year it usually bears half as much; the third, less; the fourth, nothing. 3. Vines, mulberries, and peach trees, it bears well. ‘The white mulberry is not good to eat. The black is about the size of a blackberry, and has much the same flavour. In fresh pine land, Indian potatoes grow well; (which aye more luscious and larger than the Irish. ) And so do watermelons and sewee-beans, about the size of our scarlet, but to be shelled and eaten like Windsor beans. 4. Oak land commonly lies in narrow streaks between pine land and some swamp, creek, or river. The soil is a blackish sand, producing several kinds of oak, (though none exactly like the English,) bay, laurel, ash, walnut, sumac trees, gum trees, (a sort of sycamore,) dog trees, (covered in spring with large white flowers,) and many hickory trees, which bear a bad kind of walnut. In the moistest part of this land some persimmon trees grow, (which bear a sort of yellow, clear, luscious plum,) and a few mulberry and cherry trees. ‘The common wild grapes are of two sorts,--both red: the fox grape grows two or three only on a stalk, is thick-skinned, large-stoned, of a harsh taste, and of the size of a small Kentish cherry. The cluster grape is of a harsh taste too, and about the size of a white currant.

Fri. 28.--We found out Mr. Merschall, and the other gentlemen ot the university, to whom we were directed. They were not wanting in any good office while we stayed, and in the afternoon went with us an hour forward in our journey. After a pleasant walk on Saturday, on Sunday, 30, about seven in the morning, we came to Meissen. In Meissen castle, the German chinaware is made, which is full as dear as that imported from the Indies ; and as finely shaped, and beautifully coloured, as any I have ever seen. After breakfast we went to church. I was greatly surprised at all I saw there: at the costliness of apparel in many, and the gaudiness of it, in more; at the huge fur caps worn by the women, of the same shape with a Turkish turban ; which generally had one or more ribands hanging down a great length behind. The minister’s habit was adorned with gold and scarlet, and a vast cross both behind and before. Most of the congregation sat, (the men generally with their hats on, at the prayers as well as sermon,) and all of them stayed during the holy communfon, though but very few received. Alas, alas! what a Reformed country is this! At two in the afternoon we came to Dresden, the chief city of Saxony. Here also we were carried for above two hours from one magistrate or 82 REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. [Aug. 1738. officer to another, with the usual impertinent solemnity, before we were suffered to go to our inn. I greatly wonder that common sense and common humanity (for these, doubtless, subsist in Germany as well as England) do not put an end to this senseless, inhuman usage of strangers, which we met with at almost every German city, though - more particularly at Frankfort, Weimar, Halle, Leipsig and Dresden. I know nothing that can reasonably be said in its defence, in a time of full peace, being a breach of all the common, even Heathen laws of hospitality. If it be a custom, so much the worse; the more is the pity and the shame.

year after I was much pressed in spirit to return and visit my brethren in Moravia. I didso. Wehad the New Testament, our Moravian Hymns, and two or three Lutheran books. We read, and sung, and prayed together, and were much strengthened. One day as we were together at my house, one knocked at the door. I opened it, and it was a Jesuit. He said, ‘My dear Demuth, I know you are a good man, and one that instructs and exhorts your friends. I must see what books you have.’ And going into the inner room, he found the Testament, and the rest together. He took them all away; nor did we dare to hinder him. The next’ day we were summoned before the consistory, and, after a long A ee Eee Aug. 1738. ] REV. J. WESLEY'S JOURNAL. 97 examination, ordered to appear in the church before the congregation on the following Sunday. There they read a long Confession of Faith, and afterward bid us say, ‘In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.’ We did so, though not knowing what they meant. They then told us, we had abjured the Lutheran errors, and called the blessed Trinity to witness, that we assented to that Confession of Faith. My heart sunk within me when [heard it. I went home, but could find no rest. I thought I had now denied my Saviour, and could expect no more mercy from him. I could not bear to stay in Moravia any longer, but immediately returned into Silesia. There I continued six years; but there too I was perpetually terrified with the thoughts of what I had done. I often inquired after my brethren whom I had left in Moravia. Some of them I heard were thrown into prison, and others escaped to a little village in Lusatia called Hernhuth. I wished I could go to that place myself; and at last meeting with one who had the same desire, we agreed to go together. But our design being discovered, he was apprehended and thrown into prison. Expecting the same treatment, I earnestly prayed, that God would show me a token for good. Immediately my soul was filled with joy, and I was ready to go to prison or to death.

JOURNAL.--No. III. Saturpay, August 12, 1738.--About seven in the evening we came to Neu-Kirche, a town about twenty-four miles from Hernhuth. Mr. Schneider (the minister of it, who had desired us to take his house in our way) was not at home: but we found one Mr. Mancetius there, the minister of a neighbouring town, who walked with us in the morning ten miles to Hauswalde, where he lived. He told us that the Lutherans, as well as the Papists, were irreconcilable enemies to the brethren of Hernhuth: that the generality of the Lutheran clergy were as bitter against them as the Jesuits themselves: that none of his neighbours durst go thither, (unless by stealth,) being sure of suffering for it if discovered: that to prevent any of Hernhuth from coming to them, the elector had forbid, under a severe penalty, any number of persons, exceeding three, to meet together on a religious account: and that he himself, for having a little society in his own parish, had been summoned to appear before the consistory at Dresden. Yea, let the “kings of the earth stand up, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his Anointed! He that sitteth in heaven shall laugh them to scorn; the Lord shall have them in derision.”

There, O grave, is thy destruction! There, O serpent, is the Seed that shall for ever bruise thy head. O, I thought my head was a fountain of water. . I was dissolved in love. ‘ My Beloved is mine, and] am his.’ He has all charms. He has ravished my heart. He is my comforter, my frien, my all. He is nowin his garden, feeding among the lilies. O, ‘I am sick of love.’ He is altogether lovely, ‘ the chiefest among ten thousand.’ ” Sun. 10.--I administered the Lord’s Supper at the Castle. At one I expounded at Mr. Fox’s, as usual. The great power of God was with us; and one who had been in despair several years, received a witness that she was a child of God. Mon. 11.--Hearing Mr. Whitefield was arrived from Georgia, I hastened to London; and on Twesday, 12, God gave us once more to take sweet counsel together. Fri. 15.--I preached at St. Antholin’s. Sut. 16.--One who had examined himself by the reflections wrote October 14, made the following observations on the state of his own soul :-- “J. 1. [judge thus of myself. ButI feelit not. Therefore, there is in me still the old heart of stone. 2. I judge thus of happiness: but I still hanker after creature happiness. My soul is almost continuaily yunning out after one creature or another, and imagining ‘ How happy bea) ve van. 1739.] REV. J WESLEY’S JOURNAL. 117 should I be in such or such a condition.’ I have more pleasure in eating and drinking, and in the company of those I love, than I have in God. I have a relish for earthly happiness. I have not a relish for heavenly. ‘I savour pgvow, the things of men, not the things of God.’ Therefore, there is in me still the carnal heart, the Qgovnua gupxoc. But the eyes of my understanding are not yet fully opened. “TI. ‘This is the design of my life.’ » But a thousand little designs are daily stealing into my soul. This is my ultimate design ; but intermediate designs are continually creeping in upon me; designs (though often disguised) of pleasing myself, of doing my own will; designs wherein I do not eye God, at least, not him singly. Therefore my eye is not yet single; at least not always so.

such a one as me, to follow with all possible care and vigilance that wise advice of Mr. Herbert :-- Still let thy mind be bent ; still plotting how, And when, and where, the business may be done. And this, I bless God, I can in some measure do, while I avoid that bane of all religion, the company of good sort of men, as they are called ; persons who have a king to, but no sense of religion. But these insensibly undermine all my resolution, and steal away what little zeal I have. So that I never come from among these saints of the world (as John Valdesso terms them) faint, dissipated, and shorn of all my strength, but T say, ‘God deliver me from a half Christian.’ “9. Freedom from care is yet another invaluable blessing. And where could I enjoy thisasI do now? I hear of such a thing as the cares of the world; but I feel them not. My income is ready for me on so many stated days: all I have to do is to carry it home. The grand article of my expense is food. And this too, is provided without any care of mine. The servants I employ are always ready at quarter day; so I have no trouble on their account. And what I occasionally need to buy, I ean mmediately have without any expense of thought. Here, therefore, I can be ‘without carefulness.’ I can ‘attend upon the Lord without distraction.’ And I know what a help this is to the being holy both in body and spirit.

“13. That Lin particular could, might (it seems) be inferred from what has been shown already ; viz. that I may myself be holier here than any where else, if I faithfully use the blessings I enjoy. But to waive this, I have other reasons so to judge; and_the first is, the plenteousness of the harvest. Here is indeed a large scene of various action: here is room for charity in all its forms: there is scarce any possible way of doing good, for which here is not daily occasion. I can now only touch on the several heads. Here are poor families to be relieved : here are children to be educated: here are workhouses, wherein both young and old gladly receive the word of exhortation: here are prisons, and therein a complication of all human wants: and, lastly, here are the schools of the prophets. Of these, in particular, we must observe, that he who gains one, does thereby do as much service to the world, as he could do ina parish in his whole life; for his name is Legion: in him are contained all those who shall be converted to God by him: he is not a single drop of the dew of heaven, but a river to make glad the city of God. “14. But ‘Epworth,’ you say, ‘is a larger sphere of action than this: there I should have the care of two thousand souls.’ Two thousand souls! I see not how it is possible for such one as me, to take care of one hundred. Because the weight that is now upon me is almost more than I can bear, shall I increase it ten-fold ? imponere Pelio Ossam Scilicet, atque Osse frondosum involvere Olympum. [To heap mountain upon, mountain.] Would this be the way to help either myself or others up to heaven? Nay, the mountains I reared would only crush my own soul, and so make me utterly useless to others.

15. I need but just glance on several other reasons why I am more sikely to be useful here than elsewhere; as, because I have the advice of many friends in any difficulty, and their encouragement in any danger: because we have the eyes of multitudes upon us, who, even without designing it, perform the most substantial office of friendship ; apprizing us, if we have already done any thing wrong, and guarding us against doing so again: lastly, because we have a constant fund to supply the bodily wants of the poor, and thereby open a way for their souls to receive instruction. 16. If you say, ‘ the love of the people of Epworth to me may balance these advantages ;’ I ask, How long will it last? Only till I come to tel] i ~~ £ 6%, Marcn, 1739.] REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. 125° 6% % ‘them plainly that their deeds are evil; and particularly to apply the. LAY Ks general sentence, to say to each, ‘Thou art the man!’ Alas, sir, do not I2s D, SD = know what love they had to you once? And how have many of them e eS oo os used you since? Why, just as every one will be used, whose business it %, : %S. is to bring light to them that love darkness. Sa, “17. Notwithstanding, therefore, their present prejudice in my favour, . I cannot see that I am likely to do that good, either at Epworth or any % other place which I may hope to do in Oxford. And yet one terrible objection lies in the way: ‘Have you found it so in fact? What have you done there in fourteen years? Have not your very attempts to do good there, for want either of a particular turn of mind for the business you engaged in, or of prudence to direct you in the right method of doing it, been always unsuccessful ? Nay, and brought such contempt upon you, as has, in some measure, disqualified you for any future success? And are there not men in Oxford, who are not only better and holier than you, but who, having preserved their reputation, and being universally esteemed, are every way fitter to promote the glory of God in that place?’

replied, “I say it is: and, beside, your preaching frightens people out of their wits.” ‘Sir, did you ever hear me preach?” “No.” “ How then can you judge of what you never heard?” “Sir, by common report.” ‘* Common report is not enough. Give me leave, sir, to ask, Is not your name Nash?” “My name is Nash.” “Sir, I dare not judge of you by common report: I think it not enough to judge by.” Here he paused awhile, and, having recovered himself, said, “ I desire to know what this people comes here for :”” on which one replied, “ Sir, leave him to me: let an old woman answer him. You, Mr. Nash, take care of your boay; we take care of our souls ; and for the food of our souls we come here.” He replied not a word, but walked away. As I returned, the street was full of people, hurrying to and fro, and speaking great words. But when any of them asked, “* Which is he ?” and I replied, “ Iam he,” they were immediately silent. .Several ladies following me into Mr. Merchant’s house, the servant told me there were some wanted to speak to me. I went to them, and said, “I June, 1739.] REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. 137 believe, ladies, the maid mistook ; you only wanted to look at me.” I added, “I do not expect that the rich and great should want either to speak with me, or to hear me; for I speak the plain truth ;--a thing you hear little of, and do not desire to hear.” A few more words passed between us, and I retired. Thur. '7.--I preached at Priest Down, on, “‘ What must we do to be saved?” In the midst of the prayer after sermon, two men (hired, as we afterward understood, for that purpose) began singing a ballad. After a few mild words, (for I saw some that were angry,) used without effect, we all began singing a psalm, which put them utterly to silence. We then poured out our souls in prayer for them, and they appeared altogether confounded. O may this be a day much to be remembered by them, for the loving kindness of the Lord!

Sun. 17.--I preached, at seven, in Upper Moorfields, to (I believe) six or seven thousand people, on, ‘“‘ Ho! every one that thirsteth, come -ye to the waters.” In the afternoon I saw poor R. dT n, who had left our society and the Church. We did not dispute, but pray ; and in a short space the scales fell off from his eyes. He gladly - returned to the Church, and was in the evening re-admitted into our society. At five I preached on Kennington Common, to about fifteen thousand people, on those words, “ Look unto me, and be ye saved, all ye ends of the earth.” Mon. 18.--I left London early in the morning, and the next evening reached Bristol, and preached (as I had appointed, if God should permit) toa numerous congregation. My text now also was, ‘“ Look unto me, and be ye saved, all ye ends of the earth.” Howel Harris called upon me an hour or two after. He said, he had been much dissuaded from either hearing or seeing me, by many who said all manner of evil of me. ‘“ But,” said he, “as soon as I heard you preach, I quickly found what spirit you was of. And before you had done, I was so overpowered with joy and love, that I had much ado to walk home.” It is scarce credible what advantage Satan had gained during my absence of only eight days. Disputes had crept into our little society so that the love of many was already waxed cold. I showed them the June, 1739. | REV. J. WESLEY’S JUURNAL. 141 state they were in the next day, (both at Newgate and at Baptist Mills,) from those words, “ Simon, Simon, behold Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.” And when we met in the evening, instead of reviving the dispute, we all betook ourselves to prayer. Our Lord was with us. Our divisions were healed: misunderstandings vanished away: and all our hearts were sweetly drawn together, and united as at the first.

5. I magnify the grace of God which is in many among you, enaoung you to love him who hath first loved us; teaching you, in whatsoever state you are, therewith to be content ; causing you to trample under foot the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of fe ; and, above all, giving you tc love one another in a manner the world knoweth not of. 6. I praise God that he hath delivered, and yet doth deliver, you from those outward sins that overspread the face of the earth. No cursing, no light or false swearing, no profaning the name of God, is heard among you. No robbery or theft, no gluttony or drunkenness, no whoredom or adultery, no quarrelling or brawling, (those scandals of the Christian name,) are found within your gates. No diversions but such as bevome saints, as may be used in the name of the Lord Jesus. You regard not outward adorning, but rather desire the ornament of a serious, meek, and quiet spirit. You are not slothful in business, but labour to eat your own bread; and wisely manage “the mammon of unrighteousness,” that ye may have to give to others also, to feed the hungry, and cover the naked with a garment. 7. Llove and esteem you for your excellent discipline, scarce inferior to that of the apostolic age; for your due subordination of officers, every one knowing and keeping his proper rank; for your exact division of the people wnder your charge, so that each may be fed with food convenient for them; for your care that all who are employed in the service of the Church should frequently and freely confer together ; and, in consequence thereof, your exact and seasonable knowledge of the state of every member; and your ready distribution either of spiritual or temporal relief, as every man hath need. 8. Perhaps, then, some of you will say, “If you allow all this, what more can you desire?” 'The following extract will answer you at large, wherein I have first given a naked relation (among other things) of many facts and conversations that passed between us in the scme order of time as they occurred; and then summed up what I cannot approve of yet, that it may be tried by the word of God. é

and devouring one another. I pray God, ye be not consumed one of another. Mon. 24.--After spending part of the night at Fetter-lane, I went to a smaller company, where also we exhorted one another with hymns and spiritual songs, and poured out our hearts to God in prayer. Toward morning one of them was overwhelmed with joy and love, and could not help showing it by strong cries and tears. At this another was much displeased, saying, it was only nature, imagination, and animal spirits.--O thou jealous God, lay not this sin to her charge! And let us not be wise above what is written. Sun. 30.--One came to me, by whom I used to profit much. But her conversation was now too high for me: it was far above, out of my sight. My soul is sick of this sublime divinity. Let me think and speak as a little child! Let my religion be plain, artless, simple! Meekness, temperance, patience, faith, and love, be these my highest gifts : and let the highest words wherein I teach them, be those I learn from the book of God! Mon. 31.--I had a long and particular conversation with Mr. Molther himself. I weighed all his words with the utmost care, desired him to explain what I did not understand ; asked him again and again, “ Do I not mistake what you say? Is this your meaning, or is it not?” So that I think, if God has given me any measure of understanding, I could not mistake him much. As soon as I came home, I besought God to assist me, and not suffer “ the blind to go out of the way.” I then wrote down what I conceived to be the difference between us, in the following words :--

of smners,” than he burst out, “The Saviour of sinners indeed! I know it: for he has saved me. He told me so on Sunday morning. And he said, I should not die yet, till I had heard his children preach his Gospel, and had told my old companions in sin, that he is ready to save them too.” Sat. 23.--A gentlewoman (one Mrs. © ) desired to speak with me, and related a strange story :--On Saturday, the 16th instant, (as she informed me,) one Mrs. G., of Northampton, deeply convinced of sin, and therefore an abomination to her husband, was by him put into Bedlam. On Tuesday she slipped out of the gate with some other company ; and after a while, not knowing whither to go, sat down at Mrs. C.’s door. Mrs. C., knowing nothing of her, advised her the next day to go to Bedlam again; and went with her, where she was then chained down, and treated in the usual manner.--This is the Justice of men! A poor highwayman is hanged; and Mr. G. esteemed a very honest man ! Thur. 28.--I desired one who had seen affliction herself, to go and visit Mrs. G. in Bedlam, where it pleased God greatly to knit their hearts-together, and with his comforts to refresh their souls. Disputes being now at an end, and all things quiet and calm, on Monday, September 1, I left London,’ and the next evening found my brother at Bristol, swiftly recovering from his fever. At seven, it pleased God to apply those words to the hearts of many backsliders, ‘* How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? How shall I deliver thee, Israel? How shall i make thee as Admah? How shall I set thee as Zeboim? Mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together,” Hos. xi, 8.

Wed. 3.--I met with one who, having been lifted up with the abundance of joy which God had given her, had fallen into such blasphemies and vain imaginations as are not common to men. In the afternoon I found another instance, nearly, I fear, of the same kind: one, who, after much of the love of God shed abroad in her heart, was become wise far above what is written, and set her private revelations (so called) on the self-same toot with the written word. She zealously maintained, 1. That Christ had died for angels as well as men. 2. That none of the angels kept their first estate ; but all sinned, less or more. 3. That by the death of Christ three things were effected : one part of the fallen spirits were elected, and immediately confirmed in holiness and happiness, who are now the holy angeis; another part of them, having more deeply sinned, were reprobated, who are now devils; and the third nart, allowed a further trial; and in order thereto, sent down from peaven, and imprisoned in bodies of flesh and blood, who are now human souls.--In the evening I earnestly besought them all to keep clear of vain speculations, and seek only for the plain, practical “truth, which is after godliness.” Thur. 4.--A remarkable cause was tried: some time since, several men made a great disturbance during the evening sermon here, behaving rudely to the women, and striking the men who spake not to them. A constable standing by, pulled out his staff, and commanded them to keep the peace. Upon this one of them swore he would be revenged ; and going immediately to a justice, made oath, that he (the constable) 194 REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. [Sept. 1740. had picked his pocket, who was accordingly bound over to the next sessions. At these, not only the same man, but two of his companions, swore the same thing. But there being eighteen or twenty witnesses on the other side, the jury easily saw through the whole proceeding, and without going out at all, or any demur, brought in the prisoner not guilty. Fri. 5.--Our Lord brought home many of his banished ones. In the evening we cried mightily unto him, that brotherly love might continue and increase. And it was according to our faith.

Wed. 4.--Being the general fast-day, I preached in the morning on those words, “ Shall I not visit for these things, saith the Lord? Shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?” Coming from the service at St. Luke’s, I'found our house so crowded, that the people were ready to tread one upon another. I had not designed to preach ; but seeing such a congregation, I could. not think it nght to send them empty away ;-and therefore expounded the parable of the barren fig tree. O that it may at length bear fruit! From hence I went to Deptford, where many poor wretches were got together, utterly void both of common sense and common decency. ‘They cried aloud, as if just A ty ‘ i i oe vO Nee 202 | REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. [Feb. 1741. come from “ among the tombs :” but they could not prevail against the Holy One of God. Many of them were altogether confounded, and, I trust, will come again with a better mind. Tues. 10.--(Being Shrove Tuesday.) Before I began to preach, many men of the baser sort, having mixed themselves with the women, behaved so indecently, as occasioned much disturbance. A constable commanded tnem te keep the peace: in answer to which they knovked him down. Some who were near seized on two of them, and, by shutting the doors, prevented any further contest. Those two were afterward carried hefore a magistrate ; but on their promise of better behaviour, were discharged. Thur. 12.--My brother returned from Oxford, and preached on the true way of waiting for God: thereby dispelling at once the fears of some, and the vain hopes of others ; who had confidently affirmed that Mr. Charles Wesley was still already, and would come to London no more.

_ Sun. 8.--After preaching at Bristol, on the abuse and the right use cf the Lord’s Supper, I earnestly besought them at Kingswood to beware of offending “ in tongue,” either against justice, mercy, or truth. After sermon, the remains of our society met, and found we had great reason to bless God, for that, after fifty-two were withdrawn, we had still upward of ninety left. O may these, at least, hold “the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace!” I will shut up this melancholy subject with part of a letter wrote by my brother about this time :-- “Tf you think proper, you may show Brother C---- what follows.” (N. B. I did not think it proper then.) “My dearest brother John C , in much love and tenderness I speak. You came to Kingswood upon my brother’s sending for you. You served under him in the Gospei as a son. I need not say how well he loved you. You used the authority he gave you, to overthrow his doctrine: you every where contradicted it; (whether true or false is not the question;) but you ought first to have fairly told him, ‘I preach contrary to you. Are you willing, notwithstanding, that I should continue in your house gainsaying you? If you are not, I have no place in these regions. You have a right to this open dealing. JI now give you fair warning: shall I stay here opposing you, or shall J depart ”’ “My brother, have you dealt thus honestly and openly with him? No; but you have stolen away the people’s heart from him. And when some of them basely treated their best friend, God only excepted, how patiently did you take it? When did you ever vindicate us, as we have you? Why did you not plainly tell them, ‘ You are eternally indebted to these men. Think not that I will stay among you, to head a party against my dearest friend--and brother, as he suffers me to call him, having humbled himself for my sake, and given me (no bishop, priest, or deacon,) the right hand of fellowship. If I hear that one word more is spoken against him, { will leave you that moment, and never see your face more.’

**T cannot but rejoice in your steadfast faith, in your love to our blessed Redeemer, your deadness to the world; your meekness, temperance, chastity, and love of one another. I greatly approve of your conferences and bands; of your method of instructing children; and, in general, of your great care of the souls committed to your charge. But of some other things I stand in doubt, which I will mention in love and meekness. And I wish that, in order to remove those doubts, you would on each of those heads, First, Plainly answer, whether the fact be as I suppose; and, if so, Secondly, Consider whether it be right. “Do you not wholly neglect joint fasting? Is not the Count all in all? Are not the rest mere shadows; calling him Rabbi; almost implicitly both believing and obeying him? Is there not something of levity in your behaviour? Are you, in general, serious enough? Are you zealous and watchful to redeem timer Do you not sometimes fall into trifling conversation? Do you not magnify your own Church too much? Do you believe any who are not of it to be in gospel liberty? Are you not straitened in your love? Do you love your enemies and wicked men as yourselves? Do you not mix human wisdom with divine; joining worldly prudence to heavenly? Do you not use cunning, guile, or dissimulation in many cases? Are you not of a close, dark, reserved temper and behaviour? Is not the spirit of secresy the spirit of your community? Have you that child-like openness, frankness, and plainness of speech, so manifest to all in the Apostles and first Christians?”

It may easily be seen that my objections, then, were nearly the same as now. Yet I cannot say my affection ‘was lessened at all, till after September, 1739, when certain men among us began to trouble their brethren, and subvert their souls. However, I cleared the Moravians still, and laid the whole blame on our English brethren. But from November the Ist, I could not but see (unwilling as I was to see them) more and more things which I could in no wise reconcile with the gospel of Christ. And these I have set down with all simplicity, as they occurred in order of time: believing myself indispensably obliged so to do, both in duty to God and man. Yet do I this, because I love them not? God knoweth ; yea, and in part I esteem them still: because I Sept. 1741.} REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. 227 verily believe, they have a sincere desire to serve God; because many of them have tasted of his love, and some retain it in simplicity ; because they love one another; because they have so much of the truth of the Gospel, and so far abstain from outward sin ; and, lastly, because their discipline is, in most respects, so truly excellent. ‘“¢ But why then are you bitter against them?” I do not know that I am. Let the impartial reader judge. And if any bitter word has escaped my notice, I here utterly retract it. “ But do not you rail at them?” T hope not. God forbid that I should rail at a Turk, infidel, or heretic. To one who advanced the most dangerous error, I durst say no more than, “The Lord rebuke thee.” But I would point out what those errors were ; and, I trust, in the spirit of meekness.

misings presently vanished away, and our hearts were ) it together in love. We rode together to Machan, (five miles beyond Newport,} which we reached about twelve o’clock. In an hour after H. Harris. came, and many of his friends from distant parts. We had no dispute. of any kind; but the spirit of peace and love was in the midst of us. At three we went to church. There was a vast congregation, though at only a few hours’ warning. After prayers, I preached on those words. in the Second lesson, “ The life which I now live I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Mr. Rowlands then preached in Welsh, on Matthew xxviii, 5: “ Fear not ye; for ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.” We rode afterward to St. Bride’s in the Moors; where Mr. Row- -- lands preached again. Here we were met by Mr. Humphreys and Thomas Bissicks, of Kingswood. About eleven a few of us retired, in order to provoke one another to love, and to good works. But T. Bis- ~ sicks immediately introduced the dispute, and others seconded him. This H. Harris and Mr. Rowlands strongly withstood; but finding it profited nothing, Mr. Rowlands soon withdrew. H. Harris kept them at bay till about one o’clock in the morning: I then left them and Capt. T. together. About three they left off just where they began.

Fri. 5.--I set out, and with some difficulty reached Chippenham on Saturday evening; the weather being so extremely rough and boisterous, that I had much ado to sit my horse. On Sunday, about noon, I came to Kingswood, where were many of our friends from Bath, Bristol, and Wales. O that we may ever thus “love one another with a pure heart fervently!” Mon. 8.--I rode to Bath; and in the evening explained the latter part of the seventh of St. Luke. Observing many noisy persons at the end of the room, I went and stood in the midst of them ; but the greater part slipped away to the end from whence I came, and then took heart, and cried aloud again. I paused, to give them their full scope ; and then began a particular application to them. They were very quiet in a short time; and, I trust, will not forget it so soon as some of them may desire. Wednesday, 10, and the following days of this week, I spoke severally with all those who desired to remain in the United Society, to watch over each other in love. Mon. 15.--Many met together to consult on a proper method for discharging the public debt; and it was at length agreed, 1. That every member of the society, who was able, should contribute a penny a week. 2. That the whole society should be divided into little companies or classes,--about twelve in each class. And, 3. That one person in each class should receive the contribution vf the rest, and bring it in to the stewards, weekly. Fri. 19.--I went to Bath. Many threatened great things; but I knew the strength ot iad a a oh a tla Feb. 1742. | REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. 243 them and their god. I preached on, “ He shall save his people from their sins ;” none disturbing or interrupting me.

April 16.--(Being Good Friday.) I was desired to call on one that was ill at Islington. I found there several of my old acquaintance who loved me once as the apple of their eye. By staying with them but a little, I was clearly convinced, that was I to stay but one week among them, (unless the providence of God plainly called me so to do,) I should be as still as poor Mr. St I felt their words, as it were, thrilling through my veins. So soft! so pleasing to nature! It seemed our religion was but a heavy, coarse thing; nothing so delicate, so refined as theirs. I wonder any person of taste (that has not faith) can stand before them ! Sun. 18.--In the afternoon, one who had tasted the love of God, but nad turned again to folly, was deeply convinced, and torn, as it were, in pieces, by guilt, and remorse, and fear; and even after the sermon was ended, she continued in the same agony, it seemed, both of body and sou.. Many of us were then met together in another part of the house ; but her cries were so piercing, though at a distance, that I could not pray, nor hardly speak, being quite chilled every time I heard them. I asked, whether it were best to bring her in, or send her out of the house. It being the general voice, she was brought in, and we cried to God, to heal her backsliding. We soon found we were asking according to his will. He not only bade her “depart in peace,” but filled many others, till then heavy of heart, with peace and joy in believing. “a 9 EIR, Se aaa? 248 REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. _ [May, 1742.

Sat. 19.--I was informed that one Mr. Hall had been there, about a year before, and had preached several times ; but I could not learn that there was the least fruit of his labour ; nor could I find any that desired to hear him again, nor any that appeared to care for such matters. Sun. 30.--At seven I walked down to Sandgate, the poorest and most contemptible part of the town; and, standing at the end of the street with John Taylor, began to sing the hundredth Psalm. Three or four people came out tu see what was the matter; who soon increased to four or five hundred. I suppose there might be twelve or fifteen hundred, before I had done preaching ; to whom I applied those solemn words, ‘He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities : the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and by his stripes we are healed.” Observing the people, when I had done, to stand gaping and staring upon me, with the most profound astonishment, I told them, “ If you desire to know who I am, my name is John Wesley. At five in the evening, with God’s help, I design to preach here again.”

At five, the hill on which I designed to preach was covered, from the top to the bottom. I never saw so large a number of people together, either in Moorfields, or at Kennington Common. I knew it was not possible for the one half to hear, although my voice was then strong and clear ; and I stood so as to have them all in view, as they were ranged on the side of the hill. The word of God which I set before them was, “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely.” After preaching, the poor people were ready to tread me under foot, out of pure love and kindness. It was some time before I could possibly get out of the press. I then went back another way:than I came; but several were got to our inn before me; by whom I was vehemently importuned to stay with them, at least, a few days ; or, however, one day more. But I could not consent; having given my word to be at Birstal, with God’s leave, on Tuesday night. Some of these told me, they were members of a religious society, which had subsisted for many years, and had always gone on in a prudent, regular manner, and been well spoken of by all men. They likewise informed me what a fine library they had; and that the steward read a sermon every Sunday And yet how many of the publicans and herlots will go into the kingdom of heaven before these ! Mon. 31.--About three I left Newcastle. I read over to-day the famous Dr. Pitcairn’s Works ; but I was utterly disappointed by that dry, sour, controversial book. We came in the evening to Boroughpridge, where, to my great surprise, the mistress of the house. though Journal I.--17 he? eee 204 REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. [June, 1742. - much of a gentlewoman, desired she and her family might join with us in prayer. They did so likewise between four and five in the morning. Perhaps even this seed may bring forth fruit.

I had appointed to preach in Stroud at noon. But, about ten, observing it to rain faster and faster, was afraid the poor people would not be able to come, many of whom lived some miles off. But in a quarter of an hour the rain ceased, and we had a fair, pleasant day; so that many were at the market place, while I applied the story of the Pharisee and Publican ; the hard rain in the morning having disengaged them from their work in the grounds. There would probably have been more disturbance, but that a drunken man began too soon, and was so senselessly impertinent, that even his comrades were quite ashamed of him. In the evening I preached on Hampton Common. Many of Mr. Whitefield’s society were there; to whorn, as well as to all the other sinners (without meddling with any of their opinions,) I declared in the name of the great Physician, ‘I will heal their backsliding ; I will love them freely.”

Mon. 28.--I preached again at Horsley, and spoke severally with those of the society. The world now begins to take alarm, and to cast out their name as evil. After a very good woman (so called) had used abundance of arguments to hinder her neighbour from going near these people, she told her at length, ‘* Why, none but the wickedest people upon earth go there:” “ Nay, then,” replied she, ‘I will go immediately; for | am sure none upon earth is wickeder than me.” Such be the event of all worldly wisdom! Tues. March 1.--I preached at two in Pelton, five miles south oi Newcastle. A multitude of people were gathered together from all the neighbouring towns, and (which I rejoiced at much more) from all the neighbouring pits. In riding home, I observed a little village called Chowden, which they told me consisted of colliers only. I resolved to preach there as soon as possible; for these are sinners, and need repentance. Sun. 6.--I read over in the society, the Rules which all our members are to observe, and desired every one seriously te consider Pan March, 1743. | REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. 281 whether he was willing to conform thereto or no. That this would shake many of them I knew well; and therefore, on Monday, 7, I began visiting the classes again, lest “that which is lame should be turned out of the way.” Tues. 8.---In the afternoon I preached on a smooth part of the Fell (or Common) near Chowden. I found we were got into the very Kingswood of the north. Twenty or thirty wild children ran round us, as soon as we came, staring as in amaze. They could not properly be said to be either clothed or naked. One of the largest (a girl, about fifteen) had a piece of a ragged, dirty blanket, some way hung about her, and a kind of cap on her head, of the same cloth and colour. My heart was exceedingly enlarged toward them ; and they looked as if they would have swallowed me up; especially while I was applying these words, “ Be it known unto you, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you forgiveness of sins.”

Sun. 17.--I preached (as I had done the Wednesday before) to my favourite congregation at Placey, on, “ Him hath God exalted with his own right hand, to be a Prince anda Saviour.” JI then joined a little company of them together, who desire “ repentance and remission of sins.” Mon. 18.--I set out from Newcastle with John Downes, of Horsley. We were four hours riding to Ferry Hill, about twenty measured miles. After resting there an hour, we rode softly on; and at two o’clock came to Darlington. I thought my horse was not well; he thought the same of his; though they were both young, and very well the day before. We ordered the hostler to fetch a farrier, which he did without delay; but before the men could determine what was the matter, both the horses lay down and died. I hired a horse to SandYatton, and rode on, desiring John Downes to follow me. Thence 288 REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. [Aug. 1743 foe to Boroughbridge, on Tuesday morning, and then walked on to eeds. Wed. 20.--I preached at Birstal and Hightown. After I had visited all the societies in these parts, and preached at as many of the little towns as I could on Monday, 25, I rode to Barley Hall. Many from Sheffield were there. We rejoiced greatly together in “ Him who justifieth the ungodly.” On Tuesday night and Wednesday morning I preached at Nottingham: on Wednesday evening, at Markfield Fr. 28. ---We rode to Newport Pagnell, and Saturday, 29, to London.

We immediately waited upon the governor, with the usual present, viz. a newspaper. I desired him, likewise to accept of an “ Earnest Appeal.” The-minister not being willing I should preach in the church, I preached, at six, in the street, to almost all the town, and many soldiers, sailors, and workmen, on, *“* Why will ye die, O house of Israel 2” It was a blessed time, so that I scarce knew how to conclude. After sermon I gave them some little books and hymns, which they were so eager to receive, that they were ready to teat \oth them and me to pieces. For what political reason such a number of workmen were gathered together, and employed at so large an expense, to fortify a few barren rocks, which whosoever would take, deserves to have them for his pains, I could not possibly devise: but a providential reason was easy to be discovered. God might call them together to hear the Gospel, which perhaps otherwise they might never have thought of. At five in the morning I preached again on, “I will heal their backsliding ; I will love them freely.” And between nine and ten, having talked with many in private, and distributed both to them and others between two and three hundred hymns and little books, we left this barren, dreary place, and set sail for St. Ives, though the wind was strong, and blew directly in our teeth. Our pilot said we shou!d have good luck, if we reached the land; but he knew not Him whom the winds and seas obey. Soon after three we were even with the Land’s End, and about nine we reached St. Ives.

We observed Friday, 17, as a day of solemn fasting and prayer. In the afternoon, many being met together, I exhorted them, now, while they had opportunity, to make to themselves “ friends of the mammon of unrighteousness ;” to deal their bread to the hungry, to clothe the naked, and not to hide themselves from their own flesh. And God opened their hearts, so that they contributed near fifty pounds, which I began laying out the very next hour, in linen, woollen and shoes for them whom I knew to be diligent and yet in want. In the evening I expounded Daniel iii; and those words in particular : “ Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace. But if not, we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” Sat. 18.--I received an account, from James Jones, of another kind of invasion in Staffordshire. The substance of it was as follows :-- “ On Monday, January 23, a great mob gathered together at Darlaston, a mile from Wednesbusy. They fell upon a few people who were going to Wednesbury, and among the rest, on Joshua Constable’s wife, of Darlaston. Some of them threw her down, and five or six held her down, that another might force her. But she continued to resist, till they changed their purpose, beat her much, and went away. Mon. 30.--The mob gathered again, broke into Joshua Constable’s house, pulled part of it down, broke some of his goods in pieces, and carried the rest away; particularly all his shop goods, to a considerable value. But not satisfied with this, they sought for him and his wife, swearing they would knock their brains out. Their little children meantime, as well as themselves, wandered up and down, no one daring to relieve or take them in, lest they should hazard their own lives. Tues. 31.--About a hundred of the mob met together, on the Church Hill at Wednesbury. But hearing some of Wednesbury were resolved to defend themselves, they dispersed for that time.

this life is in his Son.” A storm of rain and hail began while I was preaching; but the congregation did not move. At five I preached again. Many of the poor people followed me to the house at which { lodged; and we could not consent to part, till I had spent another hour in exhortation, and prayer, and thanksgiving. I read to-day the strange account of that John Endicot, governor of New England, and his associates there; who beat and imprisoned so many of the poor Quakers, and murdered William Robinson, Marmaduke Stephenson, and others. O who would have looked for Father Inquisitors at Boston! Surely these men did not cry out against Popish cruelty! Mon. 2.--I preached at five, and rode on toward Launceston. The hills were covered with snow, as in the depth of winter. About two we came to Trewint, wet and weary enough, having been battered by the rain and hail for some hours. I preached in the evening to many more than the house would contain, on the happiness of him whose sins are ‘ forgiven. In the morning Degory Ishel undertook to pilot us over the great moor, all the paths being covered with snow; which, in many places, was driven together, too deep for horse or man to pass. The hail followed us for the first seven miles; we had then a fair, though exceeding sharp, day. I preached at Gwennap in the evening, to a plain, simple-hearted people ; and God comforted us by each other. Wed. 3.--About eleven we reached St. Ives. I was a little surprised at entering John Nance’s house; being received by many, who were waiting for me there, with a loud (though not bitter) cry. But they soon recovered ; and we poured out our souls together in praises and thanksgiving. As soon as we went out, we were saluted, as usual, with a huzza, and a few stones, or pieces of dirt. But in the evening none opened his mouth, while I proclaimed, “I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies.” 312 REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. [ April, 1744.

A young man, servant to Mrs. Clark, of Newington, went home deeply affected. The next day he was taken ill, and every day grew worse ; so that when I came to the house on Monday the 10th, (though I knew nothing of him, or of his illness before,) he was just gasping for breath. It was a melancholy sight: both his words and his eyes “witnessed huge affliction and dismay.” Death stared him in the face, and he knew not God. He could but just say, “« For God’s sake pray for me.” - John Nelson coming in, we asked life for our brother, in full confidence of the promise. All this day, as his illness so his terrors increased. But the next day, God gave him life from the dead. He told me, “ Now I am not afraid to die; for I know God loves me. I did not use to love you or your people ; but now I love you as my own soul. I love you all: I know you are the people of God; and I am just going to him.” He continued praising God as long as he could speak; and when he could not, his eyes were fixed upward. Between one and two on Wednesday morning he cried out, “I have lost my God! Where is he? I cannot see him.” But he soon recovered himself and said, “ Now I have found him; and IJ shall lose him no more.” About seven I prayed with him, and praised God on his behalf; and not long after he fell asleep.

“Rev. Sir,--We made bold to trouble you with this, to acquaint you with some of the Lord’s dealings with us here. We have hired two -ooms; one small one, wherein a few of us meet every day at one o’clock ; and another large one, for public service, where we meet twice a day, at nine in the morning, and four in the afternoon; and the hand of the Omnipotent God is with us, to the pulling down of the strong holds of Satan. “ The seventh instant, when we were met together in the evening, as I was at prayer, one that was kneeling by me cried out, (like a woman in travail,) ‘My Redeemer! my Redeemer!’ which continued about ten minutes. When he was asked what was the matter, he said he had found that which he had often heard of; that is, a heaven upon earth; and some others had much a-do to forbear crying out in the same manner. “ Dear sir, Iam a stranger to you in the flesh. I know not if I have seen you above once; when I saw you preaching on Kennington Common: and then I hated you as much as now (by the grace of God) I love you. The Lord pursued me with convictions, from my infancy; and I often made abundance of good resolutions: but finding, as often, that I could not keep them, (as being made wholly in my own strength,) I at length left off all striving, and gave myself over to all manner of lewdness and profaneness. So I continued for some years, tili the battle of 324 REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. [ Dec. 1744

Dettingen. The balls came then very thick about me, and my comrades fell on every side. Yet I was preserved unhurt. <A few days after this, the Lord was pleased to visit me again. ‘ The pains of hell gat hold upon me, the snares of death encompassed me.’ I durst no longer commit any outward sin; and I prayed God to be merciful to my soul. Now I was at a loss for books: but God took care for this also. One day, as I was at work, I found an old Bible in one of the train wagons. To read this, soon forsook my old companions, all but one, who was still a thorn in my flesh: but, not long after, he sickened and died. “My Bible was now my only companion; and I believed myself a very good Christian, till we came to winter quarters, where I met with John Haime: but I was soon sick of his company; for he robbed me of my treasure ; he stole away my gods, telling me, land my works were going to hell together! This was strange doctrine to me, who, being wholly ignorant of the righteousness of Christ, sought only to establish my own righteousness: and being naturally of astubborn temper, my poor brother was so perplexed with me, that sometimes he was resolved (as he afterward told me) to forbid my coming to him any more. * When the Lord had at length opened my eyes, and shown me that by grace we are saved through faith, I began immediately to declare it to others, though I had not as yet experienced it myself. But, October 23d, as William Clements was at prayer, I felt on a sudden a great alteration in my soul. My eyes overflowed with tears of love. I knew I was, through Christ, reconciled to God, which inflamed my soul with fervent love to him, whom I now saw to be my complete Redeemer. © the tender care of Almighty God in bringing up his children! How are we bound to love so indulgent a Father, and to fall down in wonder and adoration of his great and glorious name, for his tender mercies !-- Dear sir, I beg you will pray for him who is not worthy to be a door keeper to the least of my master’s servants, Joun Evans.”

this state, pride, anger, lust, worldly mindedness, levity, anid carelessness toward God and man, successively got the dominion over me, so that * was no more like a Christian than like an angel. Yet I felt but little trouble for it, (save at times,) and thereby I sunk into a gulf of sloth, which got the dominion over me in such a manner, that I not only was. content frequently to lie in bed till eight, but in the day time did not care to stir one step forward, especially if it was to visit the sick or distressed I was forced to drag myself to and fro, and a heavy load I was to myself And yet my eyes were so blinded, that I was scarce sensible of my sin The cross I could hardly bear naming; for being so used to shun it at all | times, it became a very harsh word to me, and I did not love to hear of it. But, glory be to God, ever since this examination, I have been a little stirred up; though still I am in danger of this evil or any other. Lord, leave me not; for without thee I can do nothing! “T find whenever I know myself poor, and miserable, and blind, and foolish; and white I have a deep sense of my want of love, humility, meekness, seriousness, and wisdom; I then am in earnest in every duty, particularly rising in the morning. But when I am inwardly careless and proud, full and wise enough, then I can very quietly neglect not only this,. but every help which God has given me. “And yet (to speak the whole truth) I am apt to attribute some part

Fri. 18.--At one I preached at Oulton. The little company there do indeed Icve as brethren. I divided the residue of my time between Birstal and Leeds; and on .Monday, 21, took my leave of them for a short season, and rode to Mr. Adams’s, at Osmotherly. Tues. 22.--I came to Newcastle in the evening, just as Mr. Trembath was giving 354 REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. [ Oct. 1745. out the hymn; and as soon as it was ended began preaching, without feeling any want of strength. Wed. 23.--I found all things calm and quiet ; the consternation of the people was over. But the seriousness which it had occasioned in many, continued and increased. Sat. 26.--I sent Alderman Ridley the following letter :-- * Sir,--The fear of God, the love of my country, and the regard I have for his majesty King George, constrain me to write a few plain words to one who is no stranger to these principles of action. My soul has been pained day by day, even in walking the sureets of Newcastle, at the senseless, shameless wickedness, the ignorant profaneness of the poor men to whom our lives are entrusted. The continual cursicg and swearing, the wanton blasphemy of the soldiers in general, must needs be a torture to the sober ear, whether of a Christian or an honest infidel. Can any that either fear God or love their neighbour, hear this without concern? especially if they consider the interest of our country, as well as of these unhappy men themselves. For can it be expected, that God should be on their side who are daily affronting him to his face? And if God be not on their side, how little will either their number, or courage, o strength avail! ‘

Mon. December 2.--The alarms still increased in London, on account of the nearer approach of the rebels. But how easy are ali these things to them who can commit both soul and body to a merciful and faithful Creator! About this time I received some further accounts from the army; the substance of which was as follows :-- * October 10, 1745. “Rey. Sir,--I shall acquaint you with the Lord’s dealings with us since April last. We marched from. Ghent to Allost on the 14th, where I met with two or three of our brethren in the fields, and we sung and prayed together, and were comforted. On the 15th I met a small company about three miles from the town, and the Lord filled our hearts. - with love and peace. On the 17th we marched to the camp near Brussels. On the 18th I met a small congregation on the side of a hill, aud spoke from those words, ‘ Let us go forth, therefore, to him without the camp, bearing his reproach.’ On the 28th I spoke from those words of Isaiah, . ‘Thus saith the Lord concerning the house of Jacob, Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now wax pale.’ On the 29th we marched close to the enemy ; and when I saw them in their camp, my bowels moved toward them in love and pity for their souls. We lay on our arms all night. In the morning, April 30, the cannon began to play, at half an hour after four; and the Lord took away all fear from me, so that I went into the field with joy. The balls flew on either hand, and men fell in abundance; but nothing touched me till about two o’clock: then I received a ball through my left arm, and rejoiced so much the more. Soon after I received another into my right, which obliged me to quit the field. _But I scarce knew whether I was on earth or in heaven: it was one of the sweetest days I ever enjoyed. Wo. Cre Ty “ Leare, near Antwerp, Oct. 21, 1745.

Thur. 20.--We set out as soon as it was light. Before we came to Aldridge Heath, the rain changed into snow, which the northerly wind drove full in our faces, and crusted us over from head to foot in less than an hour’s time. We inquired of one who lived at the entrance of the moors, which was our best way to Stafford. Sir,” said he, ‘tis a thousand pound to a penny, that you do not come there to-day. Why, ’tis four long miles to the far side of this common ; and in a clear day, I am not sure to go right across it: and now all the roads are covered with snow ; and it snows so, that you cannot see before you.” However we went on, and I believe did not go ten yards out of the way till we came into Stafford. In the evening we reached Roger Moss’s house. I preached on Rom. iii, 22, and joined a few together as a society. Friday, 21.--We breakfasted at Bradbury Green, whence we rode on to Marsden; and the next day, Saturday, 22, to Leeds. I preached at five. As we went home a great mob followed, and threw whatever came to hand. I was struck several times, once or twice in the face, but not hurt at all. I walked on to the recorder’s, and told him the case. He promised to prevent the like for the time to come. Sun. 23.--I preached at eight without any interruption ; in Birstal at one, and again at five. Monday, 24.--I preached at Skircoat Green, near Halifax, to a whole company of Quakers. The good man of the house, about fourscore years old, had formerly been a speaker among them. But from fear of man he desisted, and so quenched the Spirit, that he was in darkness for near forty years ; till hearing John Nelson declare the love of God in Christ, light again sprung up in his soul. In the evening I preached to a quiet congregation at Bradford. Tues. 25. --About nine I began at Keighley: thence, (finding the snow was so deep, I could not go through the vales,) I went the straight way, and came to Newcastle, Wednesday, 26.

Mon. 17.--I took my leave of Newcastle, and set out with Mr. Downes and Mr. Shepherd. But when we came to Smeton, Mr. Downes was so ill, that he could go no further. When Mr. Shepherd and I left Smeton, my horse was so exceeding lame, that I was afraid I must have !ain by too. We could not discern what it was that was amiss ; and yet he would scarce set his foot to the ground. By riding thus seven miles, I was thoroughly tired, and my head ached more than it had done for some months. (What I here aver, is the naked fact: Journal I.--24 366 REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. [ March, 1746. let every man account for it as he sees good.) I then thought, “ Cannot God heal either man or beast, by any means, or without any ?” Immediately my weariness and headache ceased, and my horse’s lame- ness in the same instant. Nor did he halt any more either that oor or. the next. A very odd accident this also! Tues. 18.--I rode to Pontefract; on Wednesday, to Epworth ; std, on Thursday, by Barley Hall, to Sheffield. I was glad of having an opportunity here of talking with a child I had heard of. She was convinced of sin some weeks before by the words of her elder brother, (about eight years of age,) dying as a hundred years old, in the full triumph of faith. I asked her abruptly, “Do you love God?” She said, “ Yes, I do love him with all my heart.” I said, “ Why do you love him?” She answered, * Because he has saved me.” I asked, ‘“‘ How has he saved you?” She replied, “ He has taken away my sins.” I said, “ How do you know that?” She answered, “ He told me himself on Saturday, Thy sins are forgiven thee; and I believe him ; and I pray to him without a book. I was afraid to die; but now I am not afraid to die; for if I die I shall go to him.”

““T have always esteemed it to be the truest act of friendship, to use our mutual endeavours to render the characters of each other as blameless and as valuable as possible. And I have never felt a more affectionate ‘sense of my obligations, than when those worthy persons who have honoured me with their affection and correspondence, have freely told me what they thought amiss in my temper and conduct. This, therefore, dear ‘sir, is an office which you might reasonably expect from me, if I had for some time enjoyed an intimate knowledge of you. But it has always been a maxim with me, not to believe any flying story, to the prejudice of those whom I had apparent reason, from what I knew of them, to esteem. And consequently, as I should never make this a foundation, you must be contented to wait longer, before you will be likely to receive that office of fraternal love which you ask from, * Rev. and dear sir, “ Your obliged and affectionate brother and servant, “ P. DoppRIDGE. “ Your caution has suggested a thought to me, whether it be modest to call ourselves humble. If the expression means, a real readiness to serve in love, in any thing low, as washing the feet of another, I hope I can say, ‘Iam your humble servant;’ but if it means one who is in all respects as humble as he could wish, God forbid I should arrogate so proud a title. In what canI say, I have already attained? Only I love my Divine Master, and I would not have a thought in my heart that he should disapprove. I feel a sweetness in being assuredly in his gracious hand, which all the world cannot possibly afford, and which, I really think, would make me happier in a dark dungeon, than ten thousand worlds could make me without it. And therefore I love every creature on earth that bears his image. And I do not except those who, through ignorance, rashness, or prejudice, have greatly injured me.” Sun. 6.--After talking largely with both the men and women leaders, we agreed it would prevent great expense, as well of health as of time Aug. 1'746.] REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. 371 .

Her mother immediately sent for Mrs. Designe, to whom she then went to school. At the same time her father sent for Mr. Smith apothecary, who lived near. At first he proposed bleeding her immediately, and applying a large blister ; but upon examining her further, he said, “It signifies nothing, for the child is dead.” About twelve o’clock she began to stir; then she opened her eyes, and gave the following account :-- * As soon as [ lost my senses, I vas in a dismal place, full of briars, and pits, and ditches; stumbling up and down, and not knowing where to turn, or which way to get either forward or backward; and it was almost quite dark, there being but a little faint twilight, so that I could Aug. 1746.] REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. 375 scarce see before me. I was crying, ready to break my heart; and a man came to me, and said, ‘ Child, where are you going?’ I said, I could not tell. He said, ‘What do you want?’ I answered, ‘I want Christ to be my refuge.’ He said, ‘What is your name? And I told him: but J did not tell him S---- T----. [I told him a name which I never heard before. He said, ‘ You are the child for whom I am sent: you are to go with me.’ I saw it grew lighter as he spoke. We walked together, tili we came to a stile. He went over and bid me stay a little. I stayed about half a quarter of an hour, and then I observed his clothes. They reached down to his feet, and were shining, and white as snow.

Wed. 3.--About one we came to Plymouth. After dinner I walked down to Herbert Jenkins, and with him to the Dock. In the way we overtook Mr. Mignon, then a pattern to all that believed. Herbert preached a plain, honest sermon; but the congregation was greatly displeased ; and many went away as soon he began, having come on purpose to hear me. Thur. 4.--Abundance of people from Plymouth were at the room by half-hour after four. I was much refreshed in applying those words to them, “ The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing ;” and many of us found our hearts knit together in that love which never faileth. As many as the room could well contain followed me to Mr. Hide’s, and importuned me much to call again, in my return from Cornwall. We dined at Looe, (a town near half as large as Islington, which sends only four burgesses to the parliament,) called at Grampound in the afternoon, and just at seven reached Gwennap. The congregation waiting, I began without delay, and found no faintness or weariness, while I expounded, “ We all, with open face beholding as in Sept. 1746. ] REV. J. WESLEY'S JOURNAL. _ 3877 iy ae

Mon. 2.--I rode to Newcastle. The next day, I met the stewards, men who have approved themselves in all things. They are of one heart and of one mind. I found all in the house of the same spirit ; pouring out their souls to God many times in a day together, and breathing nothing but. love and brotherly kindness. Wed. 4.--(Being Ash Wednesday.) I spent some hours in reading “ The Exhortations of Ephrem Syrus.” Surely never did any man, since David, give us such a picture of a broken and contrite heart. This week I read over with some young men, a compendium of rhetoric, and a system of ethics. I see not, why a man of tolerable understanding may not learn in six months’ time more of solid philosophy than is commonly learned at Oxford in four (perhaps seven) years. . Sun. 8.--I preached at Gateshead, and declared the loving kindness of the Lord. In the evening, observing abundance of strangers at the Room, I changed my voice and applied those terrible words, “I have overthrown some of you as I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and the rest of you were as brands plucked out of the burning ; yet have ye not turned unto me, saith the Lord.” Ou Monday, Tuesday, and Thurday, I examined the classes. I had been often told, it was impossible for me to distinguish the precious from the vile, without the miraculous discernment of spirits. But I now saw, more clearly than ever, that this might be done, and without much difficulty, supposing only two things: First, Courage and steadiness in the examiner. Secondly, Common sense and common honesty in the leader of each class. I visit; for instance, the class in the close ~*~ 392 REV. J. WESLEY'S JOURNAL. [ March, 1747

of which Robert Peacock is leader. I ask, ‘ Does this and this person in your class live in drunkenness or any outward sin? Does he go to church, and use the other means of grace? Does he meet you as often as he has opportunity?” Now, if Robert Peacock has common sense, he can answer these questions truly ; and if he has common honesty, he will. And if not, some other in the class has both, and can and will answer for him. Where is the difficulty then of finding out if there be any disorderly walker in this class, and, consequently, in any other? The question is not concerning the heart, but the life. And the general tenor of this, I do not say cannot be known, but cannot be hid without a miracle. Where then is the need of any miraculous discernment in order to purge one of those societies? Nay, where is the use of it? For if 1 had that discernment, I am to pass sentence only ez allegatis et probatis ; [from what is alleged and proved,] not according to what I miraculously discern, but according to what is proved in the face of the sun. The society, which the first year consisted of above eight hundred members, is now reduced to four hundred. But, according to the old proverb, the half is more than the whole. We shall not be ashamed of any of these, when we speak with our enemies in the gate.

wall, all quiet and still. The whole congregation drank in every word with such earnestness in their looks, I could not but hope that God will make this wilderness sing for joy. In the evening I came back to Newlands, where also John Brown has gathered a society. O, what may not a man of small natural talents do, if he be full of faith and love! Sun. 29.--After preaching at South Biddick at five, I hastened to Sunderland, where I preached at eight, and again at two, in the main street, toa Kennington Common congregation. I admire the spirit of this people. From the first day I preached here to this hour, I have not seen a man behave indecently. Those who did not approve, quietly went away.

Tues. '7.--Finding the people about Dent’s Hole were grown dead and cold, I preached there at twelve o’clock ; if haply it might please God yet again to breathe on the dry bones that they might live. Wed. 8. --I found the congregation at Blanchland abundantly increased. [f preached in the evening at Spen, and the next day, at noon, to a serious congregation at Winlinton Mills: a gentleman who had talked of making a disturbance, finding not one man to second him. Fri. 10.--Having settled all the societies in the country, I began examining that of Newcastle again. It was my particular concern, to remove, if possible, every hinderance of brotherly love. And one odd one I found creeping in upon us, which had already occasioned much evil: namely, a fancy, that we must not justify ourselves. (Some of the spawn of Mystic divinity.) Just contrary to the scriptural injunction, “‘ Be ready to give a reason of the hope that is in you.” For want of doing this in time, some offences were now grown incurable. I founa it needful, therefore, to tear up this by the roots; to explain this duty from the foundation, and to require all who desired to remain with us to justify themselves, whenever they were blamed unjustly; and not to swallow up both peace and love in their voluntary humility. Sat. 11.--I preached at Biddick at noon; at Pictery, (two miles west of Biddick,) by Mr. M.’s invitation, in the afternoon ; and in the even ing at Newcastle. Sun. 12.--I preached at Gateshead in the morning ; at Swalwell about two; and at the Room in the evening. I scarce ever heard so fine a defence of a weak cause, as was Mr. S.’s sermon in the morning ; wherein he laboured much to prove the unlawfulness of laymen’s preaching; but with such tenderness and good nature, that 1 almost wished the sermon were printed, for a pattern to all polemicai writers.

Sat. 27.--I preached at four, and then spoke severally to part of the society. As yet I have found only one person among them who knew the love of God, before my brother came. No wonder the devil was so still; for his goods were in peace. About six in the evening, I went to the place where I preached the last year. A little before we had ended the hymn, came the lieutenant, a famous man, with his retinue of soldiers, drummers, and mob. When the drums ceased, a gentleman-barber began to speak: but his voice was quickly drowned in the shouts of the multitude, who grew fiercer and fiercer, as then numbers increased. After waiting about a quarter of an hour, perceiving the violence of the rabble still increasing, I walked down into the thickest of them, and took the captain of the mob by the hand. He immediately said, “ Sir, I will see you safe home. Sir, no man shall touch you. Gentlemen, stand off: give back. I will knock the first man down that touches him.” We walked on in great peace ; my conductor every now and then stretching out his neck (he was a very tal] man) and looking round, to see if any behaved rudely, till we came to Mr. Hide’s door. We then parted in much love. I stayed in the street near half an hour after he was gone, talking with the people, wha had now forgot their anger, and went away in high good humour. sven ay " Hai ; ‘4 July, 1747. | REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. 401

Mon. 17.--I began examining the society, which I finished the next day. It contained about two hundred and fourscore members, many of whom appeared to be strong in faith. The people in general are of a more teachable spirit than in most parts of England. But, on that very account, they must be watched over with the more care, being equally susceptible of good and ill impressions. Tues. 18.-----_I was informed that Mr. Latrobe, the Moravian preacher, had read in his pulpit part of the “Short View of the Difference between the Moravians” and us, with the addition of many bitter words. Herein he did us, anawares, a signal favour; giving an authentic proof that we have nothing to do with them. Fri. 21.--I was desired to see the town and the college. The town has scarce any public building, except the Parliament house, which is at all remarkable. The churches are poor and mean, both:within and without. St. Stephen’s Green might be made a beautiful place, being abundantly larger than Lincoln’s Inn Square; but the houses round about it (besides that some are low and bad) are quite irregular, and un- ’ like each other ; and little care is taken of the Green itself, which is as rough and uneven as acommon. (It was so then.) The college contains two little quadrangles; and one about as large as that of New College, in Oxford. There is likewise a bowling green, a small garden, and a little park ; and a new built, handsome library. 1 expected we should have sailed on Saturday, 22 ; but no packet boat was come in. In order to make the best of our time, I preached this day at noon, as well as in the evening. It was not for nothing that our passage was delayed. Who knows what a day may bring forth?

“6. You went up to London ten years ago. After this you began to speak on any head; not with your usual diffidence and self abasement, but with a kind of confidence i in your own judgment, and an air of selfsufficiency. A natural consequence was, the treating with more sharpness and contempt those who opposed either your judgment or practice. *'7, You came to live at London. You then, for a season, appeared to gain ground again. You acted in concert with my brother and me; heard our advice, and sometimes followed it. But this continued only till you contracted a fresh acquaintance with some of the Brethren of Fetter-lane. Thenceforward you was quite shut up to us; we had no manner of influence over you; you was more and more prejudiced against us, and would receive nothing which we said. “8, About six years ago you removed to Salisbury, and began a scciety there. For a year or two you went with them to the church and sacrament, and simply preached faith working by love. God was with you, and they increased both in number, and in the knowledge and love of God. * About four years since you broke off all friendship with us; you would not so much as make use of our hymns, either in public or private, but laid them quite aside, and took the German hymnbook in their stead. * You would not willingly suffer any of your people to read any ‘thing Dec. 1747. | REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. 413 which we wrote. You angrily caught one of my sermons out of your servant’s hand; saying, you would have no such books read in your house. In much the same manner you spoke to Mrs. Whitemarsh, when you found her reading one of the ‘ Appeals.’ So that as far as in you lay, you fixed a great gulf between us and you, which remains to this day, notwithstanding a few steps lately made toward a reunion.

Fri. 12.--After preaching at Oakhill about noon, I rode to Shepton, and found them all under a strange consternation. A mob, they said, was hired, prepared, and made sufficiently drunk, in order to do all manner of mischief. I began preaching between four and five: none hindered or interrupted at all. We had a blessed opportunity, and the hearts of many were exceedingly comforted. I wondered what was become of the mob. But we were quickly informed, they mistook the place, imagining I should alight (as I used to do) at William Stone’s house, and had summoned, by drum, all their forces together, to meet me at my coming: but Mr. Swindells innocently carrying me to the other end of the Se they did not find their mistake till I had done preaching ; so that the hindering this, which was one of their designs, was utterly disappointed. However, they attended us from the preaching house to William Stone’s, throwing dirt, stones, and clods, in abundance; but they could not hurt us; only Mr. Swindells had a little dirt on his coat, and I a few specks on my hat. After we were gone into the house, they began throwing great stones, in order to break the door. But perceiving this would require some time, they dropped that design for the present. They first broke all the tiles on the pent house over the door, and then poured in a shower of stones at the windows. One of their captains, in his great zeal, had followed us into the house, and was now shut in with us. He did not like this, and would fain have got out; but it was not possible; so he kept as close to me as he could, thinking himself safe when he was near me: but, staying a little behind,--when I went up two pair of stairs, and stood close on one side, where we were a little sheltered,-- a large stone struck him on the forehead, and the blood spouted out . 416 REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL.” [Feb. 1748.

Sun. 14.--At seven I preached at Bedminster. At Kingswood I egan between eight and nine; at Connam about two; (where I read prayers also ;) and in Bristol at five. After the society was the lovefeast ; at which my soul was refreshed ; but my body was worn out, so that I could hardly speak to be heard: nor did I recover my voice for ‘several days. Mon. 15.--I set out for Ireland. We came to the New Passage at ten. After waiting about five hours, we found (which they did not care to confess) that the boatmen did not dare to venture out. It blew a storm. We then rode to the Old Passage ; but the boat was just gone off. Tues. 16.--They talked of passing early; but the storm was too high. I then walked to Aust, where I preached about ten, to a small, serious congregation. Between four and five, the wind somewhat abating, a boat ventured out and carried us over. We passed through Chepstow soon after sunset, and pushed on; though it grew dark, and the untracked snow lay thick upon the ground. About eight we reached the Star, a good, though small inn, five long miles from Chepstow. It snowed all night. On Wednesday, 177, we set out before day ; but found it bad travelling, there being no path to be seen, neither footstep of mar. or beast. However, in four or five hours, we reached Abergavenny; arid Brecknock before three in the afternoon. Our landlady here almost forced us to take a guide. And it was extremely well she did; for the snow had so entirely covered the roads, that our guide himself mistook the way more than once. So that ifhe had not been with us, we should, without doubt, have lodged upon the mountains. I preached in the evening at Builth, and at noon the next day; at Garth in the evening, and twice on Friday. Sat. 20.--I preached in Maesmennys church in the afternoon; at Neb. 1748. ] “PS REVs Js WESLEY’S JOURNAL. 417

Sun. May 1.--Great part of the town was present at five, and, I found, began to feel what was spoken. Yet still the impression is not made, as in other places, on one here and there only; but the main body of the hearers seem to go on together with an even pace. About two I preached on the Connaught side of the bridge, to an attentive multitude both of Protestants and Papists, whose priest, perceiving he profited nothing, at five came himself. I preached on, “Is there no balm in Gilead?” and could not help applying to the Papists in particular. I am satisfied many of them were almost persuaded to give themselves up to the great Physician of souls. ‘ues. 3.--I rode to Birr, twenty miles from Athlone, and, the key of the sessions house not being to be found, declared “the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ” in the street, to a dull, rude, senseless multitude. Many laughed the greater part of the time. Some went away just in the middle of a sentence. And yet when one cried out, (a Carmelite friar, clerk to the priest,) ‘‘ You lie! you lie!” the zealous Protestants cried out, * Knock him down :” and it was no sooner said than done. I saw some bustle, but knew not what was the matter, till the whole was over. In the evening we rode to Balliboy. There being no house that could contain the congregation, I preached here also in the street. I was atraid, in a new place, there would be but few in the morning ; but there May, 1748. ] REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. 425 was a considerable number, and such a blessing as I had scarce found since I landed in Ireland. Wed. 4.--I rode to Clara, and preached to a small company, who were not afraid of a stormy day. I spent half an hour after sermon with a few serious people, and then rode to Tullamore. One who looks on the common Irish cabins, might imagine Saturn stili reigned here :--- Cum frigida parvas Preberet spelunca domos ; ignemque laremque, Et pecus et dominos, communi clauderet wmbra. (The narrow cave a cold retreat affords, And beasts and men screens with one common shade.)

Tues. November 1.--Being All Saints’ day, we had a solemn assembly at the chapel; as I cannot but observe, we have had on this very day, for several years. Surely, “ right dear in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints!” Sun. 13.--Sarah Peters, a lover of souls, a mother in Israel, went to rest. During a close observation of several years, I never saw her, upon the most trying occasions, in any degree ruffled or discomposed, but she was always loving, always happy. It was her peculiar gift, and her continual care, to seek and save that which was lost; to support the weak, to comfort the feeble-minded, to bring back what had beea turned out of the way. And in doing this, God endued her, above her fellows, with the love that “ believeth. hopeth, endureth all things.” “For these four years last past,” says one who was intimately acquainted with her, “we used once or twice a week to unbosom ourselves to each other. I never knew her to have one doubt concerning her own salvation. Her soul was always filled with the holy flame of love, and ran after Christ as the ‘chariots of Ammi-nadib.’ She used to say, ‘I think I am all spirit; I must be always moving; I cannot rest, day or night, any longer than I am gathering in souls to God.’ Yet she would often complain of her weakness and imperfections; and cry out, ‘I am an unprofitable servant.’ I was sometimes jealous that she carried her Nov. 1748.] REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. 44] charity too far, not allowing herself what was needful. But she would answer, ‘I can live upon one meal a day, so that I may have to give to them that have none.’ ”

On Sunday, October 9, she went, with one more, to see the condemned malefactors in Newgate. They inquired for John Lancaster, in particular, who had sent to desire thei: coming. He asked them to go into his cell, which they willingly did; aluhough some dissuaded them from it, because the gaol distemper (a kind of pestilential fever) raged much among the prisoners. They desired he would call together as many of the prisoners as were willing to come. Six or seven of those who were under sentence of death came. They sung a hymn, read a portion of Scripture, and prayed. Their little audience were all in tears. Most of them appeared deeply convinced of their lost estate. From this time her labours were unwearied among them; praying with them and for them night and day. John Lancaster said, ‘“ When I used to come to the Foundery every morning, which I continued to do for some time, I little thought of ever coming to this place. I then often felt the love of God, and thought I should never commit sin more. But after a while, I left off coming to the preaching: then my good desires died away. I fell again into the diversions I had laid aside, and the company I had left off. As I was one day playing at skittles with some of these, a young man, with whom I was now much acquainted, gave me a part of the money which he had just been receiving for some stolen goods. This, with his frequent persuasions, so wrought upon me, that at last I agreed to go partners with Lin. Yet I had often strong convictions; but I stifled them as well as could. : “ We continued in this course till August last. As we were then going home from Bartholomew Fair, one morning about two o’clock, it came into my mind to go and steal the branches out of the Foundery. I climbed over the wall, and brought two of them away; though I trembled and shook, and made so great a noise, that I thought all the family must be dead, or else they could not but hear me. Within a few days after, I stole the velvet; for which I was taken up, tried, and condemned.”

In the evening [ preached at Lantrisant. Thursday, 6,--We rode to a hard-named place on the top of a mountain. I scarce saw any house near: however, a large number of honest, simple people soon came together; but few could understand me: so Henry Lloyd, when I had done, repeated the substance of my sermon in Welsh. The behaviour of the people recompensed us for our labour in climbing up to them. About noon we came to Abérdare, just as the bell was ringing for a burial. This had brought a great number together, to whom, after the burial, I preached in the church. We had almost continued rain from Aberdare to the great rough mountain that hangs over the vale of Brecknock: but as soon as we gained the top of this, we left the 448 REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. [ April, 1749 clouds behind us. We had a mild, fair, sunshiny evening the remainder of our journey. Fri. '7.--We reached Garth. Saturday, 8.--I married my brother and Sarah Gwynne. It was a solemn day, such as became the dignity of a Christian marriage.

Tues. 13.--We rode over to Gloster, a beautiful seat, built by an English gentleman, who had scarce finished his house, and laid out his gardens, when he was called to his everlasting home. Sir L P. and his lady dined with us, whether coming by accident or design I know not. About five I preached m the stately saloon, to a little company of plain, serious people ; the fine ones looking on, and some of them seeming to be a little affected. 1 expounded at Birr about seven, in the strongest manner I could, the story of Dives and Lazarus. Wed. 14.--We designed to dine at Ferbane, about twelve miles from Birr. We stopped at the first inn in the town; but they did not care te i 454 REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. [June, 1749, entertain heretics ; neither did the people at the second inn: I alighted at the third, and went in, without asking any questions. Here I met with a woman very sick and very serious. Some of her neighbours quickly gathered about us, and we endeavoured to improve the opportunity. After some time spent in close conversation and prayer, we parted in much love. About seven I preached at Athlone. It being the time of the general review, abundance of soldiers and many officers were present. They all behaved with the utmost decency. Buta gentleman of the town did not; which had like to have cost him dear. Many swords were drawn ; but the officers interposed, and it went no further. Sat. 17.--The wind being very tempestuous in the evening, I preached in our new-built house. Toward the close of the sermon, I asked, ‘ Which of you will give yourself, soul and body, to God?” One cried out, with a cry that almost shook the house, “ O, I will, I will.” And as soon as she could stand, she came forth in the midst, to witness it before all the congregation. It was Mrs. Glass. Her words pierced like lightning. Presently another witnessed the same resolution. And not long after, one who had been sorrowing as without hope, Mrs. Meecham, lifted up her head with joy, and continued singing and praising God to the dawn of the next day.

for the kingdom of God. The Lord has kindled a fire in Aghrim likewise. The last time but one that I was there, several were struck with deep convictions, which continued till I came again. While I was meeting the society there, the governess of Mr. S *s children was struck ta the ground, and in a short time filled with ‘peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.’ The next morning his steward was cut to the heart, and fell upon his knees in the midst of the sermon; as did Mr. S---- himself, together with his wife, and great part of the congregation. The steward went home full of peace and love. This has set the whole society on fire ; so that now every one is crying out, ‘What must I do to be saved?” ‘The same fire is kindled at Portarlington. I went there the next Sunday after you. One then found a sense of God’s pardoning love; and last. Saturday in the society some cried out, and some fell to the ground, three of whom found peace to their souls. “I was at Mount Mellick likewise the next Sunday after you, and the power of God was present to heal. Two that were heavy laden, found rest that night. The next time we met we scarce knew how to part. We continued singing and praying till five persons received a clear manifestation of the love of God. Another found the same blessing while I was preaching this morning. We spent some time afterward at James Moss’s house, in praying with some that were under deep convictions ; and two of them went home rejoicing in God their Saviour. I was now informed of two more that were rejoicing in God; so that in Mount Mellick twelve persons, in all, have found the ‘ peace that passeth all understanding,’ since you left that place.

vis Eta’ . VA ee ee 462 REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. [Aug. 1749. “ We find and present Charles Wesley to be a person of ill fame, a vagabond, and a common disturber of his majesty’s peace; and we pray he may be transported. “ We find and present James Williams, &c. . We find and present Robert Swindle, &c. We find and present Jonathan Reeves, &c. We find and present John Larwood, &c. We find and present Joseph M‘Auliff, &c. We find and present Charles Skaron, &c. We find and present William Tooker, &c. “We find and present Daniel Sullivan to be a person of ill ‘ame, a vagabond, and a common disturber of his majesty’s peace ; and we pray he may be transported.” Daniel Sullivan was an honest baker, who had lived in Cork many years, I suppose in as good fame as any of his trade in the city ; but he had entertained my brother, and several other Methodists; nay, and suffered them to preach in his house. The other names (only most of them miserably mangled and murdered) were designed for the names of eight preachers who had been there. Mon. 28.--I left London, and in the evening came to Great Potton. About six I went out into the market place, and called to a confused multitude, “* Seek ye the Lord while he may be found; call ye upon him while he is near.” Great things were threatened, but nothing done. We had a quiet and comfortable meeting, and there was reason to hope that the word of God sunk into the hearts of many.

the long war, yet there are great alterations for the better in our town and plantations, since the time you was pleased to visit us. We have two large houses for public worship; one in town, and the other in the middle of our plantations; two schools, in the same places; two corn mills ; one pounding mill for rice, and one saw mill. In the first quantity of boards we sawed, we were cheated by an impostor, who undertook to ship them off to the West Indies. But we did not lose our courage, though we met with almost insuperable difficulties, till our circumstances were mended by the hand of the Almighty. We are still in the favour of the honourable Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge; as also ot many good Christians in Germany; who love us, pray fervently for us and contribute all in their power to promote our spiritual and temporal prosperity. “Through very hard labour, several of our people have left us, and are departed to a better country, in heaven; and the rest are weak and feeble in body, and not able to hold out long, unless relief is sent them by an embarkation of faithful servants from Germany. Besides widows and orphans, we have several that want assistance toward their maintenance ; and this our good God hath sent us heretofore from Europe. “ After my dear fellow labourer, Mr. Gronaw, died in peace, above three ‘years ago, the Lord was pleased to send me another ; who likewise excactly follows the footsteps of his Saviour, to my great comfort, and the great benefit of our congregation. The Lord hath graciously joined us in mutual love and harmony in our congregations; and hath not permitted the Hernhuters, (falsely called Moravians,) nor other false teachers, to creep inamong us. Weare hated by wicked people, which prevents their settling among us; though we love them sincerely, and would have as many settle among us as would keep such orders as Christianity and the Jaws of England require them to do. This is all I thought it necessary ‘to acquaint you with, for the present; being with due regard and cordial wishes for your prosperity in soul and body, reverend and dear sir, *“ Yours most affectionately, “ Joun Martin Bouzius.”

Mon. 2.--The darkness and rain were little hinderance, either to me or the congregation, at five in the morning; (though we were all, as usual, in the open air ;) while I was explaining and applying those words, “ God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself.” I preached in the evening, on, “ Let us come boldly to the throne of grace ;” and then gave my parting exhortation to the society, now consisting of more than two hundred members. Just before I began preaching, I received a letter from Mr. Whitefield, desiring me to meet him at Leeds, on Wednesday evening ; the very time at which I before purposed to be there. So we set out early on Tuesday, 3; one of our brethren, who was a Yorkshireman undertaking to put us into the way. He rode a little and a little further, till we came to Old Hutton, above tifty miles from Whitehaven. We were dropping wet, having had heavy rain for several hours; but we soon got into warm beds, and all was well. Wed. 4.-Our guide was resolved to go a little further still; so we set out together, and rode on together to Leeds ; though it was a long -day’s journey, finding us full employ from five in the morning till nine at night. Thur. 5.--Mr. Whitefield preached at five in the morning. About five in the evening he preached at Birstal; and God gave him both strong and persuasive words; such as, I trust, sunk deep into many hearts.

Sun. 22.--I preached at seven in Richard Cawley’s house; and, about one, at Little Acton. We then rode on to Woor; and the next afternoon came, wet and weary enough, to Wednesbury. I hoped for a few hours’ rest here; but it was a vain hope; for notice had been given that I would preach at Bilbrook in the evening; so I had seven or cight miles to ride back. I preached about six, and again in the morning. ‘qaoeeee PT eee oo oe a “ i ‘| 470 REV. Je WESLEY’S JOURNAL. [Nov. 1749. On Tuesday, 24, about noon we came to Dudley. At one I went to the market place, and proclaimed the name of the Lord to a huge, unwieldy, noisy multitude; the greater part of whom seemed in no wise to know “wherefore they were come together.” I continued speaking about half an hour, and many grew serious and attentive, til] some of Satan’s servants pressed in, raging and blaspheming, and throwing whatever came to hand. I then retired to the house from which I came. The multitude poured after, and covered over with dirt many that were near me ; but I had only a few specks. I preached in Wednesbury at four, to a nobler people, and was greatly comforted among them: so I was likewise in the morning, Wednesday, 25. How does a praying congregation strengthen the preacher ! After preaching again at one, I rode to Birmingham. This had been long a dry uncomfortable place; so I expected little good here: but I was happily disappointed. Such a congregation I never saw there before: not a scoffer, nor a trifler, not an inattentive person (so far as I could discern) among them; and seldom have I known so deep, solemn a sense of the power, and presence,.and love of God. The same blessing we had at the meeting of the society ; and again at the morning preaching. Will then God at length cause even this barren wilderness to blossom and bud as the rose ?

Many who were come from the town earnestly pressed me to go and preach there, assuring me it was the general desire of the inhabitants. I felt a strong aversion to it, but would not refuse, not knowing what God might have to do. Sol went: but we were scarce set down, when the“ sons of Belial,” from all parts, gathered together, and compassed the house. I could just understand their oaths and curses, which were broad English, and sounded on every side. The rest of their language was lost upon me, as mine was upon them. Our friends would have had me stay within; but I judged it best to look them in the face, while it was open day. So I bade them open the door, and Mr. Hopper and I walked straight through the midst of them. Having procured a guide, we then went on without hinderance, to our retreat, at Mr. Holloway’s. Surely this journey will be for good; for hitherto we have had continual storms, both by sea and land. Tues. 3.--Mr. William Jones, of Trefollwin, called and told us an exhorter was preaching a little way off. We went and found him on the common, standing on a little rock, in the midst of an attentive congregation. After he had done, I preached, and then returned to my study at Langefnye. Thur. 5.--I read over great part of Gerard’s Meditationes Sacre ; [Sacred Meditations ; ]--a book recommended to me in the strongest terms. But alas! how was I disappointed! They have some masterly strokes, but are in general trite and flat, the thoughts being as poor as the Latin. It is well every class of writers has a class of readers, or they would never have come to a second impression. About noon I preached two miles west of Llanerellymadd, and in the evening, about a quarter of a mile further. Not one scoffer is found in these congregations ; but whoever hears, hears for his life. Fiz. 6.--I preached near Llanerellymadd at noon, and at Trefollwin in the evening. Observing at night the wind was changed, I rode to Holyhead early in the morning. A ship was just ready to sail; so we went on board, and in the evening landed at Dublin.

Thur. 28.--I preached in the street at Birr, a little beyond the bridge. by this means the congregation was four times larger than usual, in which were abundance of Romans. Friday, 29.--As I went through Frankfort, many people gathered together, chiefly Romans, and desired me to preach. I did so, in the middle of the town. ‘They gave a calm, stupid attention; but I did not perceive that any of them were affected otherwise than with amazement. 1 came to Tullamore, as it fell out, 492 REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. [July, 1750. on a second fair-day; and had, of course, abundance of new hearers. I found far more earnestness in the people now than when I was here before. Why should we ever be discouraged by the want of present success? Who knows what a day may bring forth? In the evening I preached at Athlone, to many officers, and an uncommon number of soldiers, who were gathered together from every part, waiting for a review. Mrs. T. desired me to lodge at her house. About twelve, I heard a huge noise. Presently the street door was broke open; next the door of Mrs. T ’s chamber ; then that of the room in which I lay. I went to the door; on which Mr. T shrunk back, walked down stairs, and wreaked his vengeance on his mother’s windows. Some honest gentlemen of the town had set him en, and filled him with wine for the purpose. Mon. July 2.--I preached in the evening, on Rev. xx. I had none to assist me, nor any respite; and I needed none. It was such a night as I have seldom known: the stout-hearted trembled on every side, particularly the troopers, late at Philip’s Town, who did once run well. One of them sunk down to the ground asa stone; others could hardly stand; and the same spirit of solemn, deep humiliation seemed to run through the whole assembly.

an exceeding hot day, which threw him into a fever. But he was in great peace and love, even to those who greatly wanted love to him. He'was some time at Alice Shadforth’s house, with whom he daily talked of the things of God. He was never without the love of God, spent much time in private prayer, and joined likewise with her in prayer several times ina » day. On Friday, August 24, growing, as she thought, stronger in body, he sat in the evening by the fire-side: about six he fetched a deep sigh, and never spoke more. He was alive till the same hour on Saturday; at which, without any struggle, or any sign of pain, with a smile on his face, he passed away. His last words were, ‘I find the love of God in Christ Jesus. ** All his clothes, linen, and woollen, stockings, hat, and wig, are not thought sufficient to answer his funeral expenses, which amount to one pound seventeen shillings and threepence: all the money he had was one shilling and fourpence.” Enough for any unmarried preacher of the Gospel to leave to his executors. Sun. 9.--I called on poor Mrs. H » whose husband had just engaged in a new branch of business, when God took him “from the evil to come.” 1 am persuaded had he continued in his simplicity he would have been alive to this day. How different from this was the case of John Hague! one who never left his first love, never was weary or faint, but daily grew in grace, and was still on the full stretch for God. When such an instrument is snatched away in the strength of his years, what can all the wisdom of man say, but, “* How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!”

*°%. I do not admire their close, dark, reserved behaviour, particularly toward strangers. The spirit of secrecy is the’spirit of their community, often leading even into guile and dissimulation. One may observe in them much cunning, much art, much evasion, and disguise. They often appear to be what they are not, and not to be what they are. They so study to become all things to all men, as to take the colour and shape of any that are near them: directly contrary to that openness, frankness, and plainness of speech, so manifest in the Apostles and primitive Christians. : “3. Ido not admire their confining their beneficence to the narrow bounds of their own society. This seems the more liable to exception, as they boast of possessing so immense riches. In his late book the Count particularly mentions, how many hundred thousand florins a single mem ber of their Church has lately expended; and how many hundred thousand crowns of yearly rent, the nobility and gentry only of his society enjoy in one single country. Meantime do they, all put together, expend one hundred thousand, yea, one thousand, or one hundred, in feeding the hungry, or clothing the naked, of any society but their own? ‘©4, Ido not admire the manner wherein they treat their opponents. I cannot reconcile it either to love, humility, or sincerity. Is utter contempt or settled disdain, consistent with love or humility? And can it consist with sincerity, to deny any charge which they know in their conscience is true? To say, those quotations are unjust, which are literally copied from their own books? To affirm, their doctrines are misrepresented, when their own sense is given in their own words? To cry, ‘Poor man! He is quite dark! He is utterly blind! He knows nothing of our doctrines!’ though they cannot point out one mistake this blind man has made, or confute one assertion he has advanced ? “Fourthly. I least of all admire the effects their doctrine has had on seme who have lately begun to hear them.

Fri. 30.--I rode through a violent storm to Windsor, and preached to a little serious congregation. About one I preached at Brentford, and gathered up the poor remains of the shattered society. How firm did these stand in the midst of storms! But the sun shone, and they melted away. Mon. December 3.--I rode to Canterbury, and preached on Rev. xx. A few turbulent people made a little noise, as I found it was their custom to do. Perceiving more of them were gathered the next night, I turned and spoke to them at large. They appeared to be not a little confounded, and went away as quiet as lambs. Wed. 5.--1 walked over the cathedral, and surveyed the monuments of the ancient men of renown. One would think such a sight should strike an utter damp upon human vanity. What are the great, the fair, the valiant now?! ‘The matchless warrior,--the puissant monarch {-- A heap of dust is all remains of thee! Tis all thou art, and all the proud shall be. Mon. 10.--I rode to Leigh, in Essex, where I found a little company seeking God; and endeavoured to encourage them in “ provoking one another to love and good works.” Mon. 17.--I set upon cleansing Augeas’s stable,--upon purging that huge work, Mr. Fox’s “ Acts and Monuments,” from all the trash which that honest, injudicious writer has heaped together, and mingled with those venerable records, which are worthy to be had in everlasting remembrance. Sun. 23.--I buried the body of Elizabeth Bamfield, a young woman of two and twenty; who, the Tuesday becore, rose up from breakfast, dropped down, and spoke no more. But she was ready for the Bridegroom. ‘Blessed are they whom, when he cometh, he shall find watching.” Tues. January 1, 1751.--About this time I received a remarkable letter ; part of which ran as follows :-- “ When George Whitefield first preached on Kennington Common, curiosity drew me to hear him frequently. I admired his zeal in calling sinners to repentance, but did not see myself to be one of that number; having had a religious education, even in spiritual religion, such as was aot to be found in other societies. “5 506 REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. [Jan. Ug foul le,

Wed. 24.--Mr. Hopper and I took horse between three and four, and about seven came to Old Camus. Whether the country was good or bad we could not see, having a thick mist all the way. ‘The Scotch towns are like none which I ever saw, either in England, Wales, or Ireland: there is such an air of antiquity in them all, and such a peculiar oddness in their manner of building. But we were most surprised at the entertainment we met with in every place, so far different from common report. We had all things good, cheap, in great abundance, and remarkably well dressed. In the afternoon we rode by Preston Field, and saw the place of battle, and Colonel Gardiner’s house. The Scotch here affirm, that he fought on foot after he was dismounted, and refused to take quarter. Be it as it may, he is now * where the wicked cease from troubling, and where the weary are at rest.” We reached Musselburgh between four and five. I had no intention to preach in Scotland; nor did [ imagine there were any that desired | should. But I was mistaken. Curiosity (if nothing else) brought a ---- May, 1751.] REY. J. WESLEY'S JOURNAL. 518 abundance of people together in the evening. And whereas in the kirk (Mrs. G informed me) there used to be laughing and talking, and all the marks of the grossest inattention, it was [now ] far otherwise here: they remained as statues from the beginning of the sermon to the end. Thur. 25.--We rode to Edinburgh; one of the dirtiest cities I had ever seen, not eacepting Colen in Germany. We returned to Musselburgh to dinner, whither we were followed in the afternoon by a little party of gentlemen from Edinburgh. I know not why any should complain of the shyness of the Scots toward strangers. All I spoke with were as free and open with me as the people of Newcastle or Bristol ; nor did any person move any dispute of any kind, or ask me any question concerning my opinion.

““*On Sunday evening I found her much weaker in body, but her soul was full of life and vigour. When I came in, she said, “ I am exceeding glad you are come. Now let us rejoice together. We shall meet together in heaven. I am washed in the blood of the Lamb: JI know (Ciod is. my Father: I know my name is written in heaven: there we shall all rejoice together.” She was never satisfied with giving thanks; not suffering me to rise from my knees, but holding me by my hands when | wanted to rise. “¢ About eight Mrs. W---- came in, and told us Mr. C---- W---- was come to town. She then broke out into prayer for him, for Mr. J--- W---, and for the society. Afterward she prayed for the Q----,rs, that , God would deliver them from all darkness of mind, covetousness, pride, and the love of the world. She continued praying till near twelve o’clock, speaking with a clear, strong voice; although, whenever she ceased speak-. ing, she seemed just dying away. About twelve she cried out, ‘“ Lord, forgive me! What shall I do to be saved?” I was astonished to hear her voice so changed ; and asked, “‘ My dear, what is it distresses you?” She answered, “I feel anger toward Peggy.” (That was the maid’s name.) “ Lord, forgive me! Lord, lay not this sin to my charge!” We went to prayer together ; and, after a time, she said, “ Help me to bless and thank the Lord. I find sweet refreshments from him. . He is reconciled again.” And from that hour she found no more darkness. ““¢She then began praying for her parents, her sisters, and brother 3 adding, “ Do pray, that God would restrain him from the evils of this world. I have been restrained from a child. I never could play as other children did.” Toward morning she dozed a little; but all the intervals. she spent in praise and thanksgiving, still speaking with as clear and strong a voice as if she had been in health.

Mr. B was not so wise as to take my advice. So the sufferers. applied to the court of king’s bench; and after it had cost him a large sum, he was glad to let them worship God in their own way. Sat. 17.--Calling on a gentleman in the city, whom I had not seen. for some time, I was surprised to find him thin and pale, and with ali the marks of an approaching consumption. I asked whether he did not think a journey would do him more good than a heap of medicines; and whether he would set out with my wife and me for Comwall, on Monday: to which he willingly assented. On Monday evening } preached at Reading. Mr. B overtook us on Tuesday morning, with whom we had an agreeable ride to Newbury, and thence to Andover. Leaving him there, I rode on, through heavy rain, to Salisbury and preached in the evening to an attentive congregation. Wed. 21.--We joined companies again, till Mr. B went to Shaftesbury. I overtook him there the next morning, and we rode on together to Yeovil. Here I struck off, to visit the societies in Devonshire, and Mr. B went straight forward to the Land’s End, whence he returned in perfect health. I now found more and more proofs that the poor wretch whom we had lately disowned, was continually labouring to poison our other preachers. And with some of them he did not lose his labour; the deep prejudices they then received having utterly drank up their blood and spirits ; so that we were obliged, sooner or later, to part with them also. We reached Beercrocombe in the evening, and Collumpton the next day, Friday, 23. I preached in the little meadow at the end of New-street, and observed one circumstance which I had not seen elsewhere. ‘The people did not come close to me, but stood. in a half moon, some yards off, leaving a considerable space in the midst. The very children behaved with remarkable seriousness. 1 saw but one, a girl of three or four years old, who ran about as in play, till another, not much bigger, reproved her, and constrained her to stand still. Here I rested the next day. ,

Fri. 30.--I inquired into the particulars of the last fire here. It began on June 4, about six in the evening. Four engines were brought immediately ; and water in abundance ran through the middle of the street: notwithstanding, it seized four houses instantly, spread across the street, and ran on both sides, right against the wind, till it had burnt all the engines, and made all help impossible. When most of the people had given up all hopes, it stopped all on a sudden: on one side of the street, by blowing up the market house; on the other, none could tell how: having first left about three hundred families without a place where to lay their heads. I preached at six, on those words in the Morning lesson, “ We desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for, as concerning this sect, we know every where it is spoken against.” A drunken man made a little noise ; but a clergyman present desired the town clerk to stop him; which he did immediately. Then the mob of footmen began, ‘having procured a horn, and greatly increased their numbers. But a party of the townsmen undertook them, and scoured the streets of them in a few minutes. To revenge themselves, they laid hold on a poor chimney sweeper they met, though no Maccabee, (as the common people call us here,) carried him away in triumph, and (we heard) half murdered him, before he got out of their hands. Sat. 31.--We rode to Launceston. The mob gathered immediately, and attended us to the room. ‘They made much noise while I was preaching, and threw all kind of things at the people as they came out ; but no one was hurt. Sun. September 1.--At the desire of many I went at eight into the main street. A large congregation of serious people quickly gathered together. Soon after a mob of boys and gentlemen gathered on the other side of the street: they grew more and more noisy; till, finding [ could not be heard there, | went to the room and quietly tinished my discourse. I preached again as soon as we came out of church, and hen hasted to Tresmere. Mr. T not being come, I read prayers 522 REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. | Sept. 1751

Sun. March 15, 1752.--While I was preaching at West-street in the afternoon, there was one of the most violent storms I ever remember. In the midst of the sermon great part of a house opposite to the chapel was blown down. We heard a huge noise, but knew not the cause ; so much the more did God speak to our hearts: and great was the rejoicing of many in confidence of his protection. Between four and. five I took horse with my wife and daughter. ‘The tiles were rattling from the houses on both sides ; but they hurt not us. We reached Hayes about seven in the evening, and Oxford the next day. Tues. 17.--The rain continued without intermission, till we came to Enstone. Soon after we set out from thence, it was succeeded by so vehement a wind, as on Broadway hill often drove us clear out of the path, and was ready to carry away both horse and rider. But our strength was as our day ; and before six in the evening we came unhurt to Evesham. I preached in the evening at the Town Hall, where several of the clergy and gentry were present. Wednesday, 18.--I rode over with Mr. to his house, which I had not seen for upward of twenty years. The place I found, but not the inhabitants: most of them were gone to their long home. I saw not one whom I knew but Mr. "s aunt ; who could not long forbear telling me how sorry she was that I should leave all my friends, to lead this vagabond life. . Why, indeed it is not pleasing to flesh and blood; and I would not do it, if I did not believe there was another world. Our dispute did not continue long, and ended in much love. Mr. rode back with me to Evesham, attended the preaching both at seven, and at five in the morning, and walked with me from the room after sermon; but it was some time before he could speak. He then broke out, ‘I am to take care of two thousand souls, and I never yet knew how to take care of my own!” [ left him full of conviction and good resolutions. How many days will they continue ?

“ On Sunday, August 7, last, I preached at Wrangle, at five in the morning, as usual About six two constables came, and carried me to a public house, where 1 was kept till near four in the afternoon. Then one ot them said, he would go and ask the minister, whether they might not let me go. Upon his return, they brought me out to a large mob, who carried me, and threw me into a standing water; and as often as I tried to come out, they pitched me in again. At last some of them said, I should come out, and kept the others off, till I got up the bank. I found myself very happy all the time; for I knew I was in the Lord’s hand. I got back to the house where I lodged, and went to bed. But in less than an hour the mob came again, broke open the doors of the house and the chamber, and dragged me away with them. They carried me toa great )) April, 1752.] REY. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. 529 ~ pond, which was railed round, being ten or twelve foot deep. Then four men took me up by my legs and arms. [ felt the flesh shrink a little at first ; but it was soon over, and I did not care whether I lived or died ; just as pleased the Lord. They swung me backward and forward two or three times, and then threw me as far as they could into the water. The fall took away my senses, so that I felt nothing more. But some that did not care to have me drowned, when I came above water, catching hold of my clothes with a long pole, pulled me out. I lay senseless for some time. When I came to myself, I saw many people about me: one of them helped me up, and bade me go with him. He brought me toa little house, and put me te bed; but I had not laid long, before the mob came again, pulled me out of bed, and drove me before them, almost naked, to the end of the parish, where they left me. I made shift to get on to a place three miles off, where I got to bed again and slept in peace.”

Mon. 10.--I preached at Aghrim, and found the people much alive to God. Tuesday, 11.--I rode over to Mr. M ’s. How gracious has God been to this family! Three years ago, his youngest daughter, after she had received a clear sense of the love of God, was brought to the gates of death, and continues still just on the wing for eternity. His other daughter was suddenly struck last year; and after having witnessed a good confession to all that were round about her, went to God in the full triumph of faith. Some months since, Mr. M----’s brother began to decline ; and two or three weeks ago, full of unutterable peace and joy, went to Him whom his soul loved. Wed. 12.--In the evening I preached at Birr. I scarce ever saw so large, so genteel, and so serious a congregation there before. The next evening I reached Limerick. I spent Friday and Saturday in conference with our preachers, and the next week spake with each of -- the members of the society ; many of whum, I now found, were “rooted and grounded in love,” and “ zealous of good works.” Fri. 21.--I rode through heavy rain to Shronill, and to Cork the next day. Sunday, 23.--At eight the house would not near contain the congregation: yet I judged a small congregation with peace, preferable to a large one with noise and tumult. On Monday and Tuesday I carefully examined the society, put away those who did not walk according to the Gospel, and found about three hundred who still strive to have *¢a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward man.”’

then in an instant she was quite calm. The next morning she fell into a fit of another kind,--being stretched out, and stiff, as a dead carcass: thus she lay about an hour. In the afternoon she was suddenly seized with violent involuntary laughter; and she had some or other of these fits several times a day, for about a month. In the intervals of them she was in great heaviness of soul, and continually erying for mercy; till, one Saturday, as she lay stretched out on the bed, she broke out, “ I know that my Redeemer liveth.” Her faith and love increased from that time; but so did the violence of her fits also. And often while she was rejoicing and praising God, she would cry out, “O Lord !” and, losing her senses at once, lie as dead, or laugh violently, or rave and blaspheme. In the middle of February she grew more outrageous than ever. She frequently strove to throw herself into the fire, or out of the window. Often she attempted to tear the Bible, cursing it in the bitterest manner; and many times she uttered oaths and blasphemies, too horrid to be repeated. Next to the Bible, her greatest rage was against the Methodists, --Mr. W. in particular. She frequently told us where he was, and what he was then doing; adding, “ He will be here soon;” and at another time, “ Now he is galloping down the lane, and two men with him.” In the intervals of her fits she was unusually stupid and moped, as if void of common understanding; and yet sometimes broke out into vehement prayer, to the amazement of all that heard. Sometimes she would strip herself stark naked, and run up and down the house, screaming and crying, “Save me! Save me! He will tear me Pidg fa i Soa ix ‘ 556 REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. [ June, 1753.

I was surprised to find so little fruit here, after so much preaching. That accursed itch of disputing had well nigh destroyed all the seed which had been sown. And this “vain jangling” they called “ contending for the faith.” I doubt the whole faith of these poor wretches is but an opinion. After a little rest, we took a walk round the town, which is regularly fortified ; and is, I suppose, the only regular fortification in Great Britain or Ireland. Gosport, Portsmouth, and the Common, (which is now all turned into streets,) may probably contain half as many people as Bristol: and so civil a people I never saw before in any seaport town in England. I preached at half an hour after six, in an open part of the Common, adjoining to the new church. The congregation was large and well-behaved: not one scoffer did I see, nor one trifler. In the morning, Tuesday, 10, I went on board a hoy; and in three hours landed at Cowes, in the Isle of Wight ; as far exceeding the Isle of Anglesey, both in pleasantness and fruitfulness, as that exceeds the rocks of Scilly. We rode straight to Newport, the chief town in the Isle, and found a little society in tolerable order. Several of them had found peace with God. One informed me it was about eight years ago since she first knew her interest in Christ, by means of one who called there in his Journal I.--36 558 REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. [July, 1753 way to Pennsylvania ; but having none to speak to, or advise with, she was long tormented with doubts and fears. After some years, she received a fresh manifestation of his love, and could not doubt or fear any more. She is now (and has been long) confined to her bed, and consuming away with pining sickness: but all is good to her; for she has learned in every thing to give thanks.

_ to Plymouth Dock. I found much hurt had been done here by the bitter zeal of two or three bigots for their opinion. ‘Two years ago they promised in the most solemn manner to let all controversy alone ; but quickly after the fire broke out anew, and has been devouring ever since. Sat. 21.--I endeavoured to convince them that they were destroying,. not premoting, the work of God; and on Sunday, when I spake to the society one by one, they seemed once more aware of Satan’s devices. Mon. 23.--I rode to Launceston, and had the first general meeting of the stewards, for the eastern part of Cornwall. In the evening I preached in perfect peace; a great blessing, if it be not bought too dear ; if the world does not begin to love us, because we love the world. Tues. 24.--In the road to Camelford, I was taken with such a bleeding at the nose as I have not had since my return from Georgia. For a mile or two it increased more and more, and then at once stopped of itself; so I rode on comfortably, (though the day was extremely hot , and reached St. Agnes in the evening. On Wednesday, 25, the stewards met at St. Ives, from the western Aug. 1753. | REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. 5oy part of Cornwall. The next day I began examining the society ; but T was soon obliged to stop short. I found an accursed thing among them; well nigh one and all bought or sold uncustomed goods. I therefore delayed speaking to any more till I had met them all together. This I did in the evening, and told them plain, either they must put this abomination away, or they would see my face no more. Frt. 27.-- They severally promised so to do. So I trust this plague is stayed. Sat. 28.--After preaching to the little flock at Zennor, we rode on to St. Just; and found such a congregation at six in the evening as we used to have ten years since. 1 did not find any society in the county so much alive to God as this. Fifty or threescore have been added to it lately; and many children filled with peace and joy in believing.

Fri. 3.--I began to recover my strength, so that I could sit up near two hours together. And‘from this time, I felt no inconvenience ; only that I could not talk, nor stand long without resting. Sun. 5.--In the afternoon I rode to Redruth, and preached to a large congregation in an open part of the street. My voice was low ; but, the day being calm, I believe all could hear’: and after I had done, I felt myself consider-| ably stronger than when I begun. Mon. 6.--I preached in Gwennap at five, and afterward saw a strange sight,--a man that is old and rich, and yet not covetous. In the evening I preached at Penryn, and found my strength so restored, that I could speak loud enough to be heard by a numerous congregation ; and thrice the next day, at Penryn, Bezore, (near Truro,) and St. Ewe. Wed. 8.--We were invited to Mevagissey, a small town on the south sea. As soon as we entered the town, many ran together, crying, “ See, the Methodees are come.” But they only gaped and stared; so that we returned unmolested to the house I was to preach at, a mile from the town. Many serious people were waiting for us, but most of them deeply ignorant. While I was showing them the first principles of Christianity, many of the rabble from the town came up. They looked as fierce as lions; but in a few minutes changed their countenance, and stood still. ‘Toward the close, some began to laugh and talk, who grew more boisterous after I had concluded. But I walked straight through the midst of them, and took horse without any interruption. On Thursday, 9, 1 rode to Port Isaac, and the next day to Trewalder. ‘The little society here meet every night and morning, with a preacher or without; and whoever comes among them quickly feels what spirit they are of. Sat. 11.--The rain stopped at twelve, and gave me an opportunity of preaching in the market place at Camelford. I saw only one person in the congregation who was not deeply serious. That one (which I was sorry to hear) was the curate of the parish.

Almost as soon as we set out, we were met by such a shower of rain as I never saw before in Europe. But it did us no hurt: we came very well, though very wet, to St. Gennis. Sun. 12.--I never saw so many people in this church ; nor did I ever before speak so plainiy to them. They hear; but when will they feel ? O what can man do toward raising either dead bodies, or dead souls! Mon. 13.--The rain attended us all the way to Launceston. I preached at noon, but was not dry till the evening. Yet I did not catch any cold at all. What can hurt, without leave from God? Tues. 14.-- I willingly accepted the offer of preaching in the house lately built fos Mr. Whitefield, at Plymouth Dock. Thus it behoveth us to trample o1 bigotry and party zeal. Ought not all who love God to love one ano ther? Thur. 16.--I rode to Collumpton, but could not reach it till ic was too late to preach. Sun. 19.--I1 preached thrice at Tiverton, rode to Middlesey the next Sept. 1753. ] REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. 561 day, and on Tuesday to Bristol. Fri. 24.--I endeavoured once more to bring Kingswood school into order. Surely the importance of this - aesign is apparent, even from the difficulties that attend it. I have spent more money, and time, and care, on this, than almost any design I ever had: and still it exercises all the patience I have. But it is worth all the labour. Mon. 27.--I came early to the New Passage ; but the wind shifting, obliged me to wait near six hours. When we were almost over, it shifted again ; so that we could not land till between six and seven.

1. In the year 1739, Mr. J. and W. D. came to Bedford. By them I ‘was convinced that I was in a state of damnation, though I was outwardly unblamable. Some of the Germans came down in 1741, and engaged, 1. ‘To draw no one from the Church. 2. To hold a meeting on Sunday nights for us that were of the Church. On these conditions I joined with them. But in the beginning of 1742, they dropped the Sunday night preaching, and required us to attend their meeting at the same hour that we used to go to church. I was much troubled at this, and wrote to Mr. John Wesley, entreating him to come down and help us. 2. When the Brethren learned this, they gave me abundance of fair words, and persuaded me to write again, and desire Mr. W. not to come. I was then made servant at the love-feast. I still received the sacrament at the Church once a year; but I regarded the Church less and Jess: and being continually taught that works signified nothing, and that we could not do them without trusting in them, I, in a while, left off all works of charity, as well as reading the Bible and private prayer. 3. Their first church was settled here in the beginning of the year 1744. On the 18th of February I was received into the congregation at London, and likewise into the Helpers’ Conference. In 1746, Achenwelder, the Chief Labourer, insisted on my putting myself out of the corporation. I was in much doubt whether it was right so to do: but he commanded, and 1 obeyed. The next year he went to London, and, at his return to Bedford, spoke to this effect:--My Brethren, we have received new orders. In London, Yorkshire, and all other places, no person is to go out of the town, without the leave of the Chief Labourer. So it must be here: observe, no one must go out of the town, no, nota mile, without leave from me.”

Tues. 13.--The chamber wherein I sat, though with a large fire, was much colder than the garden; so that I could not keep myself tolerably warm, even when I was close to the chimney. As we rode home on Wednesday, 14, the wind was high and piercing cold, and blew just in our face, so that the open chaise was no defence, but my feet were quite chilled. When I came home, I had a settled pain in my left breast, a violent cough, and a slow fever; but in a day or two, by following Dr. Fothergill’s prescriptions, I found much alteration for the better; and on Sunday, 18, I preached at Spitalfields, and administered the sacrament to a large congregation. Mon. 19.--I retired to Shoreham, and gained strength continually ; till about eleven at night, on Wednesday, 21,1 was obliged by the cramp to leap out of bed, and continue, for some time, walking up and down the room, though it was a sharp frost. My cough now returned with greater violence, and that by day as well as by night. Sat. 24.--I rode home and was pretty well till night ; but my cough was then worse than ever. My fever returned at the same time, together with the pain in my left breast; so that I should probably have stayed at home on Sunday, 25, had it not been advertised in the public papers, that I would preach a charity sermon at the chapel, both morning and afternoon. My cough did not interrupt me while I preached in the morning ; but it was extremely troublesome while I administered the sacrament. In the afternoon I consulted my friends, whether I should attempt to preach again or no. ‘They thought I should, as it had been advertised. I did so, but very few could hear. My fever increased much while I was preaching: however, I ventured to meet the society ; and for near an hour my voice and strength were restored, so that I felt neither pain nor weakness.

Wed. 2.--With some difficulty we reached Stanley: there has been lately a great awakening in this country. I never saw such a congregation here before, notwithstanding the wind and rain; and all present seemed to receive the word with gladness and readiness of mind. There is a solid, serious people in these parts, who stand their ground against all opposition. The warmest opposers are the Jacobites, who do not love us, because we love King George. But they profit nothing ; for more and more people “ fear God and honour the king.” We rode on Thursday in the afternoon through heavy rain, and almost impass- _ able roads, to Evesham; and on Friday, 4, to Birmingham, a barren, dry, uncomfortable place. Most of the seed which has been sown for so many years, the “ wild boars” have “ rooted up ;” the fierce, unclean, brutish, blasphemous Antinomians have utterly destroyed it. And the mystic foxes have taken true pains to spoil what remained, with their new Gospel. Yet it seems God has a blessing for this place still; so many still attend the preaching; and he is eminently present with the small number that is left in the society. Sat. 5.--I preached at Wednesbury, and at eight on Sunday morning. But the great congregation assembled in the afternoon, as soon as the service of the church was over, with which we take care never to interfere. A solemn awe seemed to run all through the company in the evening, when I met the society. We have indeed preached the Gospel here ‘“ with much contention :” but the success overpays the labour.

from Ashbourn piessed me much to call there ; which accordingly I die at seven in the morning, and preached to a deeply serious congregation. Seventeen or eighteen then desired to join in a society, to whom I spoke severally, and was well pleased to find that near half of them knew the pardoning love of God. One of the first I spoke to was Miss Beresford,--a sweet, but short-lived flower! Through much hail, rain, and wind, we got to Mr. B ’s, at Hayfield, about five in the after noon. His favourite daughter died some hours before we came ; such a child as is scarce heard of ina century. All the family informed me of many remarkable circumstances, which else would have seemed incredible. She spake exceeding plain, yet very seldom ; and then only a few words. She was scarce ever seen to laugh, or heard to utter a light or trifling word: she could not bear any that did, nor any one who behaved in a light or unserious manner. If any such offered to kiss or touch her, she would turn away and say, “I don’t like you.” If her bro- ther or sisters spoke angrily to each other, or behaved triflingly, she vither sharply reproved (when that seemed needful) or tenderly entreated them to give over. If she had spoke too sharply to any, she would humble herself to them, and not rest till they had forgiven her. After her health declined, she was particularly pleased with hearing that hymn sung, “Abba, Father ;” and would be frequently singing that line herself,-- Abba, Father, hear my cry ! On Monday, April 7, without any struggle, she fell asleep, having lived two years and six months. Wed. 9.--In the evening I preached at Manchester. The mob was tolerably quiet, as long as I was speaking, but immediately after, raged horribly. This, I find, has been their manner for some time. No wonder ; since the good justices encourage them. Thur. 10.--I rode to Hayfield again, to bury Mr. B ’s child. Abundance of people were gathered together, and I found uncommon liberty in preaching. Who would have looked for such a congregation as this in the Peak of Derbyshire? I returned to Manchester the next day, and had a quiet congregation both that evening and the following.

self denial, in which none was more exemplary for some years, he sunk lower and lower, till he had neither the power, nor the form of religion left. In the beginning of his illness he was in black despair. But much prayer was made for him. Toward the close of it, it pleased God to restore to him the light of his countenance. So, I trust, his backsliding only cost him his life; and he may yet live with God for ever. I was much affected about this time by a letter sent from a gentleman in Virginia. Part of it runs thus :--- “The poor Negro slaves here never heard of Jesus, or his religion, till they arrived at the land of their slavery in America; whom their masters. generally neglect, as though immortality was not the privilege of their souls, in common with theirown These poor Africans are the principal objects of my compassion; and, . think, the most proper subject of your charity. “ The inhabitants of Virginia are computed to be about three hundred thousand; and the one half of them are supposed to be Negroes. The number of these who attend on my ministry, at particular times, is uncertain; but J think there are about three hundred who give a stated attendance. And never have I been so much struck with the appearance of an assembly, as when I have glanced my eye on one part of the house, adorned (so it has appeared to me) with so many black countenances, eagerly attentive to every word they heard, and some of them covered with tears. A considerable number of them, about a hundred, have been baptized, after they had been fully instructed in the great truths of religion, and had evidenced their sense of them by a life of the strictest virtue. As they are not sufficiently polished to dissemble with a good grace, they express the sensations of their hearts so much in the language of simple nature, and with such genuine indications of artless sincerity, that it is impossible to suspect their professions, especially when attended with a suitable behaviour.

Mon. 27.--We set out for Leigh, in Essex: but, being hindered a little in the morning, the night came on, without either moon or stars, when we were about two miles short of Raleigh. The ruts were so deep and uneven, that the horses could scarce stand, and the chaise was continually in danger of overturning; so that my companions thought it best to walk to the town, though the road was both wet and dirty. Leaving them at Raleigh, I took horse again. It was se thoroughly dark, that we could not see our horses’ heads: however, by the help of Him to whom the night shineth as the day, we hit every turning ; and, without going a quarter of a mile out of our way, before nine came to Leigh. Wed. 29.--I returned to London. In my scraps of time, on this and two or three other days, I read over (what I had often heard much commended) Lord Anson’s Voyage. What pity he had not a better historian! One who had eyes to see, and courage to own the hand of God. Thur. November 5.--Mr. Whitefield called upon me ;--disputings are now no more: we love one another, and join hand in hand to promote the cause of our common Master. In the afternoon I buried the remains of Samuel Larwood, who died of a fever on Sunday morning : deeply convinced of his unfaithfulness, and yet hoping to find mercy. He had lately taken and repaired a building in Southwark, called, by the venerable men who built it, Zoar. His executor offering it to me Dec. 1755.) REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. 594 on the evening of Friday, 6, that solemn day, which we observed with fasting and prayer for our king and country, I preached there to a large and quiet congregation ; but most of them appeared wild enough: and such were we, till grace made the difference.

Thur. 6.--I rode to Kilkenny. One of the dragoons who were quartered here, soon found us out. A few, both of the army and of the town, are joined, and constantly meet together. I preached in the barracks, in one of the officers’ rooms. Still, in Ireland, the first call is to the soldiery. Fri. 7.--We rode to Waterford; where, after preaching, I earnestly exhorted the society to “love as brethren.” On the same subject I preached in the morning, and spent great part of the day in striving to remove misunderstandings and offences. It was not lost labour. Six-and-twenty were left in the morning: before night seven-and-fifty were joined together. T. Walsh preached at five ; but the room being too small, they were obliged to go into the yard. In the evening we had high and low, rich and poor, both in the yard and adjoining gardens. There seemed now to be a general call to this city. So I thought it best the next morning, Monday, 10, to leave Mr. Walsh there, while I went forward to Clonmell, the pleasantest town, beyond all comparison, which I have yet seen in Ireland. It has four broad, straight streets of well-built houses, which cross each other in the centre of the town. Close to the walls, on the south side, runs a broad, clear river. Beyond this rises a green and fruitful mountain, and hangs over the town. The vale runs many miles both east and west, and is well cultivated throughout. I preached at five in a large loft, capable of containing five or six hundred people : but it was not full; many being afraid of its falling, as another did some years before; by which several of the hearers were much hurt, and one so bruised, that she died in a few days.

** Sir,--Having observed your Christian condescension in those labours of love, so truly calculated for the use of common people, I presume to beg your pen in behalf of the next class of God’s creatures. And I would ask, if nature, reason, and Revelation do not all plead in favour even of the brute creation. Is it not unnatural and inhuman, to put them to more pain than is necessary for the service of man? Can reason consent to the making sport with the life or misery of any creature? May not the great law of equity, doing as we would be done to, be extended even to them? May we not suppose ourselves in their place, and thence determine, what they may fairly expect from us? Hath not the Supreme Being given injunctions against cruelty toward them, and commanded that they should enjoy the rest of his day’? Did he not rebuke the prophet for smiting his beast without cause ; and mention the ‘ much cattle,’ as one motive to the Divine compassion, in sparing the ‘ great city’ The | | ou212}t7D ays yoo ui 4} puso, eaqi20S V 612 REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. [July, 1756 Scripture saith, ‘A good man is merciful to his beast.’ And can he be a good man that is not so, if goodness consists in imitating Him, whose ‘mercy is over all his works?’ For ‘he openeth his hand, and satisfieth the desire of every living thing.’ “Tf tenderness, mercy, and compassion, to the brute creatures were impressed on the infant breast, and conducted into action according to its little power, would it not be confirmed in the human heart? And might not this early prepossession be for ever established there; and through a happy bias extend its benevolence to the whole creation?

Sat. 14.--Several of the neighbours came early in the morning, and gladly received a few words of exhortation. We then rode on, through one of the pleasantest countries in the world, by Holywell to Chester. Here we had a comfortable meeting in the evening, as well as the next day, both in the room and in the Square. Mon. 16.--The rain was suspended, while I preached to a large and quiet congregation. Tues. 17.--I rode to Bolton. Though I came unexpected, the house was well filled. After resting a day, on Thursday, 19, I went on to Man. chester, and preached in the evening to a large congregation, without the least disturbance. The tumults here are now at an end; chiefly through the courage and activity of a single constable. Mri. 20.--I rode to Chelmorton in the Peak. Although the poor people had no previous notice, they supplied the want of it by sending 616 REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. [Sept. 1756 quickly to the neighbouring villages. Between seven and eight the house was pretty well filled; and many of them were extremely thankful. Sat. 21.--We set out early; and, after spending an hour at Ashbourn, hastened on to Lichfield: but it was not without difficulty ; the waters being out, to a very uncommon degree, in many places. About eight we reached Wednesbury, tired enough. There we stayed the next day. Mon. 23.--We rode forward to Redditch. It had rained all the way, so that Mr. Walsh was obliged to go to bed as soon as we came in. Having dried some of our clothes, Mr. Bruce and I took horse again about two; having one with us who knew the by-roads, the common road being unpassable through the floods. About five we came to a broad water, which our guide did not care to pass. Mr. Bruce, seeing a foot bridge, walked over it, leading his horse by a long rein through the water: but in an instant the horse disappeared. However, he soor emerged and gained the bank. I rode through, at a small distance, very safely ; and in the evening preached at Evesham. Tues. 24.--Finding we could not ride the usual way, we procured another guide, and rode by Andover Ford to Stroud. Mr. Jones and my brother met us here. _ Wed. 25.--We rode on to Bristol. Thur. 26.--About fifty of us being

Mon. January 3, 1757.--I visited a poor dying backslider, full of good resolutions. But who can tell when these imply a real change of heart? and when they do not, when they spring from fear only, what will they avail before God? Mon. 10.--I walked to Bishop Bonner’s with Mr. D , lately entered at Cambridge, full of good resolutions. May God continue him humble, and simple of heart! Then his sense and learning will do him good: but how great are the odds against him ! Sat. 22.--I called upon one who did run well for several years: but for a considerable time he had cast off the very form of religion. Yet his heart was not utterly hardened. He determined to set out once more; and since that time he has been more confirmed in walking suitably to the Gospel. Fi. 28.--Mr. Meier, chaplain to one of the Hanoverian regiments, called and spent an hour with me. I am surprised at the seriousness of all the German ministers with whom I have had occasion to converse: entirely different from that pertness and affectation of wit which is too common in our own country. The following letter (which I received two or three months after,) was dated on this day :-- “Though you and I may differ in some little things, I have long loved you and your brother, and wished and prayed for your success, as zealous revivers of experimental Christianity. If I differ from you in temper and design, or in the essentials of religion, Iam sure the error must lie on my side. Blessed be God for hearts to love one another ! “As I knew your correspondence must be very extensive, and your labours various and incessant, J intended to have kept my peculiar love for you a secret, till we arrived where seas shall no more roll between us. But your late pious charity constrains me to give you the trouble of a letter. I am confident God will attend it with his blessing, and render you useful at the distance of near four thousand miles.

At one I preached to the largest congregation I have seen since I left Newcastle. All behaved with deep seriousness but one man, whom | afterward learned to be a Baptist preacher. Just as I was taking horse he came again, and laboured hard to begin a dispute : but having neither time nor strength to spare, I gave him the ground and rode away. The congregation at Epworth was full as large, if not larger than that at Misterton. Among them was a poor grey-headed sinner, a mocker at all religion. But his mocking is past. He was in tears most of the time, and is now “ feeling after God.” Mon. 25.--I left Epworth with great satisfaction, and about one preached at Clayworth. I think none was unmoved, but Michael Fenwick; who fell fast asleep under an adjoining hayrick. From thence we rode to Rotherham. When I came in, | had no strength and no voice left. However, in an hour I was able to preach to the largest congregation that I suppose was ever seen there. Tues. 26.-- I was not able to sit up above two or three hours together. However, IT preached in the morning and evening, and spoke severally to the members of the society. Wed. 2’'7.--I preached about noon at Barley Hall, and in the evening at Sheffield. After spending a short time with the society, I lay down as svon as possible. But I could not sleep before twelve o’clock ; and not long together after. Yet I felt no faintness in the morning, but rose lively and well, and had my voice more clear and strong in preaching, than it had been for several days. Thur. 28.--I received a strange account from Edward Bennet’s eldest daughter :-- “On Tuesday, the 12th of this month, I told my husband in the morning, ‘I desire you will not go into the water to-day; at least, not into the deep water, on the far side of the town; for I dreamed I saw you there out of your depth,‘and only your head came up just above the water.’ He promised me he would not, and went to work. Soon after four if the afternoon, being at John Hanson’s, his partner’s house, she was on a ' sudden extremely sick, so that for some minutes she seemed just ready to

Solitude (From the Latin) Source: Hymns and Sacred Poems (1739), Part I Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- From the Latin. Solitude! Where shall I find Thee, pleasing to the thoughtful mind! Sweet delights to thee belong, Untasted by the vulgar throng. Weary of vice and noise I flee, Sweetest comforter, to thee. Here the mild and holy dove Peace inspires and joy and love. Thy unmolested, silent shade No tumultuous sounds invade: No stain of guilt is seen in thee, To soil thy spotless purity. Here the smiling fields around Softest harmony resound. Here with angel quires combin’d, The lord of his own peaceful mind Glides thro’ life, from business far, And noisy strife, and eating care. Here, retir’d from pomp and state (The envy’d torment of the great) Innocent he leads his days, Far from giddy thirst of praise. Here his accounts with studious care Preparing for the last great bar, He weeps the stains of guilt away, And ripens for eternal day. Hoarded wealth desire who please, Tow’rs and gilded palaces. Fraudless silence may I find, Solitude and peace of mind; [3] [Page] 7 To all the busy world unknown, Seen and lov’d by God alone. Ye rich, ye learn’d, ye great, confess This in life is happiness, To live (unknown to all abroad) To myself only and my God.

On Reading Monsr. de Renty's Life Source: Hymns and Sacred Poems (1739), Part I Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- We deem the saints, from mortal flesh releas’d, With brighter day, and bolder raptures blest: Sense now no more precludes the distant thought, And naked souls now feel the God they sought, But thy great soul, which walk’d with God on earth Can scarce be nearer by that second birth: By change of place dull bodies may improve, But spirits to their bliss advance by love. Thy change insensible brought no surprize, Inur’d to innocence and paradise: For earth, not heav’n, thou thro’ a glass didst view, The glass was love; and love no evil knew, But in all places only heav’n did shew. Canst thou love more, when from a body freed, Which so much life, so little had of need? So pure, it seem’d for this alone design’d, To usher forth the virtues of the mind! From nature’s chain, from earthly dross set free, One only appetite remained in thee: That appetite it mourn’d but once deny’d, For when it ceas’d from serving God, it dy’d.

After a Recovery from Sickness Source: Hymns and Sacred Poems (1739), Part I Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- 1 And live I yet by pow’r divine? And have I still my course to run? Again brought back in its decline The shadow of my parting sun? 2 Wondring I ask, is this the breast Struggling so late and torn with pain! The eyes that upward look’d for rest, And dropt their weary lids again! 3 The recent horrors still appear: O may they never cease to awe! Still be the king of terrors near, Whom late in all his pomp I saw. 4 Torture and sin prepar’d his way, And pointed to a yawning tomb! Darkness behind eclips’d the day, And check’d my forward hopes of home. 5 My feeble flesh refus’d to bear Its strong redoubled agonies: When mercy heard my speechless pray’r, And saw me faintly gasp for ease. 6 Jesus to my deliv’rance flew, Where sunk in mortal pangs I lay: Pale death his ancient conq’ror knew, And trembled, and ungrasp’d his prey! 7 The fever turn’d its backward course, Arrested by almighty pow’r; Sudden expir’d its fiery force, And anguish gnaw’d my side no more. 8 God of my life, what just return Can sinful dust and ashes give? I only live my sin to mourn, To love my God I only live! 9 To thee, benign and saving pow’r I consecrate my lengthen’d days; While mark’d with blessings, ev’ry hour Shall speak thy co-extended praise. 10 How shall I teach the world to love, Unchang’d myself, unloos’d my tongue? Give me the pow’r of faith to prove, And mercy shall be all my song. 11 Be all my added life employ’d Thy image in my soul to see: Fill with thyself the mighty void; Enlarge my heart to compass thee! 12 13 14 15 16 17 [Page] 84 O give me, Saviour, give me more! Thy mercies to my soul reveal: Alas! I see their endless store, Yet O! I cannot, cannot feel! The blessing of thy love bestow: For this my cries shall never fail; Wrestling I will not let thee go, I will not, till my suit prevail. I’ll weary thee with my complaint; Here at thy feet for ever lie, With longing sick, with groaning faint: O give me love, or else I die! Without this best, divinest grace ’Tis death, ’tis worse than death to live; ’Tis hell to want thy blissful face, And saints in thee their heav’n receive. Come then, my hope, my life, my Lord, And fix in me thy lasting home! Be mindful of thy gracious word, Thou with thy promis’d Father, come! Prepare, and then possess my heart, O take me, seize me from above: Thee do I love, for God thou art; Thee do I feel, for God is love!

A Prayer Under Convictions Source: Hymns and Sacred Poems (1739), Part I Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- 1 Father of light,11 from whom proceeds Whate’er thy ev’ry creature needs, Whose goodness providently nigh Feeds the young ravens when they cry; To thee I look; my heart prepare, Suggest, and hearken to my pray’r. 2 Since by thy light myself I see Naked, and poor, and void of thee, Thine eyes must all my thoughts survey, Preventing what my lips would say: Thou seest my wants; for help they call, And ere I speak, thou know’st them all. 3 Thou know’st the baseness of my mind Wayward, and impotent and blind, Thou know’st how unsubdu’d my will, Averse to good, and prone to ill: Thou know’st how wide my passions rove, Nor check’d by fear, nor charm’d by love. 4 Fain would I know, as known by thee, And feel the indigence I see; Fain would I all my vileness own, And deep beneath the burden groan: Abhor the pride that lurks within, Detest and loath myself and sin. 11Only the 2nd edn. (1739) uses “Father of lights,” as in James 1:17. 5 Ah give me, Lord, myself to feel, My total misery reveal: Ah give me, Lord, (I still would say) A heart to mourn, a heart to pray; My business this, my only care, My life, my ev’ry breath be pray’r. 6 Scarce I begin my sad complaint, When all my warmest wishes faint; Hardly I lift my weeping eye, When all my kindling ardors die; Nor hopes nor fears my bosom move, For still I cannot, cannot love. 7 Father, I want a thankful heart; I want to taste how good thou art, To plunge me in thy mercy’s sea, And comprehend thy love to me; The breadth, and length, and depth, and height Of love divinely infinite. 8 Father, I long my soul to raise And dwell for ever on thy praise, Thy praise with glorious joy to tell, In extasy unspeakable; While the full pow’r of FAITH I know, And reign triumphant here below.

In Affliction Source: Hymns and Sacred Poems (1739), Part II Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- 1 Eternal beam of light divine, Fountain of unexhausted love, In whom the Father’s glories shine, Thro’ earth beneath, and heav’n above! 2 Jesu! The weary wand’rer’s rest; Give me thy easy yoke to bear, With stedfast patience arm my breast, With spotless love and lowly fear. 3 Thankful I take the cup from thee, Prepar’d and mingled by thy skill: Tho’ bitter to the taste it be, Pow’rful the wounded soul to heal. 4 Be thou, O Rock of Ages, nigh: So shall each murm’ring thought be gone, And grief, and fear, and care shall fly, As clouds before the mid-day sun. 5 Speak to my warring passions, “Peace;” Say to my trembling heart, “Be still:” Thy pow’r my strength and fortress is, For all things serve thy sov’reign will. 6 O death, where is thy sting? Where now Thy boasted victory, O grave? Who shall contend with God: or who Can hurt whom God delights to save?

Second Hymn to Christ Source: Hymns and Sacred Poems (1739), Part II Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- 1 Saviour, the world’s and mine, Was ever grief like thine! Thou my pain, my curse hast took, All my sins were laid on thee; Help me, Lord; to thee I look, Draw me, Saviour, after thee. 2 ’Tis done! My God hath died, My love is crucify’d! Break this stony heart of mine, Pour my eyes a ceaseless flood, Feel, my soul, the pangs divine, Catch, my heart, the issuing blood! 3 When, O my God, shall I For thee submit to die? How the mighty debt repay, Rival of thy passion prove? Lead me in thyself the way, Melt my hardness into love. 4 To love is all my wish, I only live for this: Grant me, Lord, my heart’s desire, There by faith for ever dwell: This I always will require Thee and only thee to feel. 5 Thy pow’r I pant to prove Rooted and fixt in love, Strengthen’d by thy Spirit’s might, Wise to fathom things divine, What the length and breadth and height, What the depth of love like thine. 6 Ah! Give me this to know With all thy saints below. Swells my soul to compass thee, Gasps in thee to live and move, Fill’d with all the deity, All immerst and lost in love!

Hymn for Ascension-Day Source: Hymns and Sacred Poems (1739), Part II Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- 1 Hail the day that sees him rise, Ravish’d from our wishful eyes; Christ awhile to mortals giv’n, Re-ascends his native heav’n! 2 There the pompous triumph waits, “Lift your heads, eternal gates, Wide unfold the radiant scene, Take the King of Glory in!” 73Manuscript copies of this hymn appear in MS Acts, 5-6; and MS Richmond Tracts, 28-29. 3 Circled round with angel powers, Their triumphant Lord, and ours, Conqueror over death and sin, Take the King of Glory in! 4 Him tho’ highest heaven receives, Still he loves the earth he leaves; Tho’ returning to his throne, Still he calls mankind his own. 5 See! He lifts his hands above! See! He shews the prints of love! Hark! His gracious lips bestow Blessings on his church below! 6 Still for us his death he pleads; Prevalent, he intercedes; Near himself prepares our place, Harbinger of human race. 7 Master, (will we ever say) Taken from our head to-day; See thy faithful servants, see! Ever gazing up to thee. 8 Grant, tho’ parted from our sight, High above yon azure height, Grant our hearts may thither rise, Following thee beyond the skies. 9 Ever upward let us move, Wafted on the wings of love, Looking when our Lord shall come, Longing, gasping after home. 10 There we shall with thee remain, Partners of thy endless reign, There thy face unclouded see, Find our heav’n of heav’ns in thee!

Grace Before Meat (Part II) Source: Hymns and Sacred Poems (1739), Part II Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- 1 Parent of good, whose plenteous grace O’er all thy creatures flows, Humbly we ask thy pow’r to bless The food thy love bestows. 2 Thy love provides the sober feast: A second gift impart, Give us with joy our food to taste And with a single heart. 3 Let it for thee new life afford, For thee our strength repair, Blest by thine all-sustaining word, And sanctify’d by prayer. 4 Thee let us taste; nor toil below For perishable meat: The manna of thy love bestow, Give us thy flesh to eat. 77Charles included this hymn in a later manuscript selection for family use: MS Family, 13-14. 5 Life of the world, our souls to feed Thyself descend from high! Grant us of thee the living bread To eat, and never die!

12 Them, the elect, consenting few, Who yield to proffered love, Justify'd here he forms anew, And glorifies above.

26 Lord, if indeed, without a bound, Infinite love thou art, The HORRIBLE DECREE confound, Enlarge thy people's heart!

27 Ah! Who is as thy servants blind, So to misjudge their God! Scatter the darkness of their mind, And shed thy love abroad.

32 Come then, thou all-embracing love, Our frozen bosom warm; Dilating fire within us move, With truth and meekness arm.

33 Let us triumphantly ride on, And more than conquerors prove, With meekness bear th' opposers down, And bind with cords of love.

5 Whose firm foundations never move, Jerusalem was all his care, The New Jerusalem above; His treasure, and his heart was there.

7 Yes Lord; we hearken to thy call, As sojourners o'er earth we rove, We have for thee forsaken all, And seek the heaven of perfect love.

6 For them his heaven he hath prepar'd, His New Jerusalem above, And love is there their great reward, A whole eternity of love.

3 We now our elder brethren meet, Their faith, and happiness improve, And soon with them shall shine compleat In Christ, and perfected in love.

Morning Hymn Source: Hymns and Sacred Poems (1740), Part I Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- Hasten, hasten the glad hour, Come and be Unto me Health, and love, and power. Christ, my life, my inward heaven, Thro’ the whole Of my soul Spread thy little leaven. Make me to the end endure; Let me feel Love the seal: Love shall make it sure. Love, thine image love restore: Let me love, Hence remove, And be seen no more. Morning Hymn. Christ, whose glory fills the skies, Christ, the true, the only light, Sun of righteousness, arise, Triumph o’er the shades of night: Day-Spring from on high, be near: Day-Star, in my heart appear.

A Hymn, to Be Sung at Sea Source: Hymns and Sacred Poems (1740), Part I Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- A Hymn, to Be Sung at Sea. Lord of the wide-extended main, Whose power the winds and seas controuls, Whose hand doth earth and heaven sustain, Whose Spirit leads believing souls; For thee we leave our native shore, (We, whom thy love delights to keep) In other worlds, thy works explore, And see thy wonders in the deep. ’Tis here thy unknown paths we trace, Which dark to human eyes appear, While through the mighty waves we pass, Faith only sees that God is here. Throughout the deep thy footsteps shine, We own thy way is in the sea, O’er-aw’d by majesty divine, And lost in thy immensity! Thy wisdom here we learn t’ adore, Thy everlasting truth we prove, Amazing heights of boundless power, Unfathomable depths of love.

Upon Parting with His Friends. [Part] I [Part] II Source: Hymns and Sacred Poems (1740), Part I Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- When will the dear deliv’rance come? Period of all my pain and strife! O that my soul, which gasps for home, Which struggles in the toils of life, Ease, and a resting place could find, And leave this world of woe behind! O that the bitterness were past, The pain of life’s long ling’ring hour! While snatch’d from passion’s furious blast, And sav’d from sorrow’s baleful pow’r, I mock the storm, out-ride the wave, And gain the harbour of the grave. Bless’d, peaceful state! Where, lull’d to sleep, The suff’rer’s woes shall all be o’er! There plaintive grief no more shall weep, Remembrance there shall vex no more; Nor fond excess, nor pining care, Nor loss, nor parting shall be there! [Part] II. O holy, holy, holy Lord! Righteous in all thy ways art thou! I yield and tremble at thy word, Beneath thy mighty hand I bow, I own, while humbled in the dust, I own the punishment is just. Joy of my eyes the creature was; Desired;--but O! Desir’d for thee! Why feel I then th’ imbitter’d loss? Late in thy judgment’s light, I see Whom now thy stroke hath far remov’d, I lov’d--alas! Too dearly lov’d! And can I see my comfort gone, (My all of comfort here below) And not allow a parting groan, And not permit my tears to flow? Can I forbear to mourn and cry? No--let me rather weep and die. Dear, lovely, gracious souls, to me Pleasant your friendliness has been; So strange your love, from dross so free, The fountain in the stream was seen; From heaven the pure affection flow’d, And led, from whom it sprang, to God. To him thro’ earth-born cares ye pass, To him your loosen’d souls aspire: Glory to God’s victorious grace! O could I catch the sacred fire, Your shining steps from far pursue, And love, and weep, and part like you. Partners of all my griefs and joys, Help me to cast on God my care, To make his will my only choice, Away the dear right eye to tear, The wise decree with you t’ adore, To trust, submit, and grieve no more. O let your prayers the Saviour move, In love my spirit to renew! O could I taste the Saviour’s love, Gladly I then should part with you; My all triumphantly resign, And lodge you in the arms divine.

[Psalm 143:6.] “My soul gaspeth for thee, as a thirsty land” Source: Hymns and Sacred Poems (1740), Part I Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- Ah Lord! Wouldst thou within me live, No longer then should I complain, Nor sighing wish, nor weeping grieve For Christ my life, or death my gain. From grief and sin I then should cease; My loosen’d tongue should then declare Comfort, and love, and joy, and peace, Fill all the soul when Christ is there! [Psalm cxliii. 6 (BCP).] “My soul gaspeth for thee, as a thirsty land.” Lord, how long, how long shall I Lift my weary eyes in pain? Seek, but never find thee nigh, Ask thy love, but ask in vain, Crush’d beneath my nature’s load, Darkly feeling after God! O disclose thy lovely face, Quicken all my drooping powers! Gasps my fainting soul for grace, As a thirsty land for showers: Haste, my Lord, no longer stay, Come, my Jesus, come away! Well thou know’st I cannot rest, Till I fully rest in thee, Till I am of thee possest, Till from sin and self set free, All the life of faith I prove, All the joy and heaven of love. See my sad inconstant state, Give me, Lord, this root within: Trembling for thy love I wait, Still relapsing into sin, Falling, till thy love I feel, Ever sinking into hell. With me O continue, Lord, Keep me, or from thee I fly: Strength and comfort from thy word Imperceptibly supply; Hold me till I apprehend, Make me faithful to the end.

[“I thirst, thou wounded Lamb of God.”] From the German [Nikolaus von Zinzendorf] Source: Hymns and Sacred Poems (1740), Part I Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- If thou impart thyself to me, No other good I need; If thou the Son shalt make me free, I shall be free indeed. I cannot rest, till in thy blood, I full redemption have; But thou, thro’ whom I come to God, Canst to the utmost save. From sin, the guilt, the power, the pain, Thou wilt redeem my soul. Lord, I believe; and not in vain: My faith shall make me whole. I too with thee shall walk in white; With all thy saints shall prove, What is the length, and breadth, and height, And depth of perfect love. From the German.36 I thirst, thou wounded Lamb of God, To wash me in thy cleansing blood, To dwell within thy wounds; then pain Is sweet, and life or death is gain. 36Source: Nikolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf, ed. Das Gesang-Buch der Gemeine in Herrn-Huth (Halle: Wäysenhaus, 1737). Composed of excerpts from four hymns in this collection: vv. 1-2 from #1197 (p. 1059, by Zinzendorf); vv. 3-6 from #1210 (p. 1068, by Johann Nitschmann); v. 7 from #1201 (p. 1061-62, by Zinzendorf); and v. 8 from #1233 (p. 1084-86, by Anna Nitschmann). Take my poor heart, and let it be For ever closed to all but thee! Seal thou my breast, and let me wear That pledge of love for ever there. How blest are they, who still abide Close shelter’d in thy bleeding side! Who life, and strength from thence derive, And by thee move, and in thee live! What are our works but sin and death, Till thou thy quick’ning Spirit breathe! Thou giv’st the power thy grace to move-- O wond’rous grace! O boundless love! How can it be, thou heavenly King, That thou should’st us to glory bring? Make slaves the partners of thy throne, Deck’d with a never-fading crown. Hence our hearts melt, our eyes o’erflow, Our words are lost: nor will we know, Nor will we think of ought, beside “My Lord, my love is crucified.” Ah Lord! Enlarge our scanty thought, To know the wonders thou hast wrought! Unloose our stamm’ring tongue, to tell Thy love, immense, unsearchable!

Another [Samuel Wesley, Sr.] (Another 1) Source: Hymns and Sacred Poems (1740), Part I Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- Another [Hymn to the Trinity].46 To God, who reigns enthron’d on high, To his dear Son who deign’d to die Our guilt and misery to remove, To that blest Spirit who life imparts, Who rules in all believing hearts, Be endless glory, praise, and love. Another [Hymn to the Trinity]. Let heaven and earth agree The Father’s praise to sing, Who draws us to the Son, that he May us to glory bring. Honour and endless love, Let God the Son receive, Who saves us here, and prays above, That we with him may live. 45“And” changed to “in” in Gloria Patri (1746). 46This is a slightly revised version of verse 2 of Samuel Wesley’s adaptation of Psalm CXVII, in The Pious Communicant Rightly Prepared (London: Charles Harper, 1700), 259-60. John Wesley had included both verses of this adaptation (unrevised) in CPH (1737), 9.

[1 John 3:18.] “Little children, love one another” Source: Hymns and Sacred Poems (1740), Part I Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- We the evil angels doom Antedate the joys to come, See the dear Redeemer’s face Sav’d, already sav’d by grace! [1 John iii. 18.] “Little children, love one another.” Giver of concord, Prince of Peace, Meek, lamb-like Son of God, Bid our unruly passions cease, O quench them with thy blood. Rebuke the seas, the tempest chide, Our stubborn wills controul, Beat down our wrath, root out our pride, And calm our troubled soul. Subdue in us the carnal mind, Its enmity destroy, With cords of love th’ old Adam bind, And melt him into joy. Us into closest union draw, And in our inward parts Let kindness sweetly write her law, Let love command our hearts. O let thy love our hearts constrain! Jesus the crucified, What hast thou done our hearts to gain, Languish’d, and groan’d, and died! Who would not now pursue the way Where Jesu’s footsteps shine? Who would not own the pleasing sway Of charity divine? Saviour, look down with pitying eyes, Our jarring wills controul; Let cordial, kind affections rise, And harmonize the soul. Thee let us feel benignly near, With all thy quick’ning powers, The sounding of thy bowels hear, And answer thee with ours. O let us find the antient way Our wond’ring foes to move, And force the heathen world to say, “See how these Christians love!”

On a Journey Source: Hymns and Sacred Poems (1740), Part I Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- Upward on wings of love I fly, Where all his glories blaze, Like you behold with eagle’s eye My heavenly Father’s face. On a Journey. Saviour, who ready art to hear, (Readier than I to pray) Answer my scarcely utter’d prayer, And meet me on the way. Talk with me, Lord: thyself reveal, While here o’er earth I rove; Speak to my heart, and let it feel The kindling of thy love: With thee conversing I forget All time, and toil, and care: Labour is rest, and pain is sweet, If thou, my God, art here. Here then, my God, vouchsafe to stay, And make my heart rejoice; My bounding heart shall own thy sway, And eccho to thy voice.

After a Relapse into Sin Source: Hymns and Sacred Poems (1740), Part I Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- When fully he my faith hath tried, Like gold I in the fire shall shine, Come forth when seven times purified, And strongly bear the stamp divine. After a Relapse into Sin. My God, my God, on thee I call, Thee only would I know: One drop of blood on me let fall, And wash me white as snow. Touch me, and make the leper clean, Purge my iniquity: Unless thou wash my soul from sin, I have no part in thee. But art thou not already mine? Answer, if mine thou art! Whisper within, thou love divine, And chear my doubting heart. Tell me again, my peace is made, And bid the sinner live, The debt’s discharg’d, the ransom’s paid, My Father must forgive. Father, forgive thy froward child, I ask in Jesu’s name, I languish to be reconcil’d,-- And reconcil’d I am. Behold for me the victim bleeds, His wounds are open’d wide, For me the blood of sprinkling pleads, And speaks me justified. O why did I my Saviour leave, So soon unfaithful prove? How could I thy good Spirit grieve, And sin against thy love? I forced thee first to disappear, I turn’d thy face aside-- Ah! Lord, if thou hadst still been here, Thy servant had not died. But O! How soon thy wrath is o’er, And pard’ning love takes place! Assist me, Saviour, to adore The riches of thy grace. O could I lose myself in thee! Thy depth of mercy prove, Thou vast unfathomable sea Of unexhausted love!

Seraphick Love. Altered from [John] Norris Source: Hymns and Sacred Poems (1740), Part I Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- In part we only know thee here, But wait thy coming from above,-- And I shall then behold thee near, And I shall all be lost in love! Seraphick Love.72 Alter’d from Mr. Norris. Away, vain world! My heart resign; For I can be no longer thine: A nobler, a diviner guest Has took possession of my breast. He has, and must engross it all; And yet the room is still too small. In vain you tempt my heart to rove; A fairer object claims my love. At last (alas, how late!) I’ve seen One lovelier than the sons of men: The fairest of ten thousand he, Proportion all, and harmony. All mortal beauty’s but a ray Of his bright ever-shining day: All before thee must disappear, Thou only good, thou only fair. To thee my longing soul aspires With holy breathings, warm desires: To thee my panting heart does move! O pierce, fill, melt it with thy love! 72Source: John Norris, A Collection of Miscellanies (Oxford: J. Crosely, 1687), 22-24. First appeared in CPH (1738), 23-24. It was omitted from the 4th edn. (1743) and following of HSP (1739/40).

Solomon’s Song. Chapter 5:15, etc. [George Sandys] Source: Hymns and Sacred Poems (1740), Part I Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- Would’st thou, great love, once set her free, How would she haste t’ unite with thee! She’d for no angel’s conduct stay, But fly, and love on all the way. Solomon’s Song. Chap. v. 15, &c. Alter’d from Sandys.76 Who’s this, who like the morning shews, When she her paths with roses strews; More fair than the replenish’d moon, More radiant than the sun at noon. Not armies with their ensigns spread, So threaten with amazing dread! His looks like cedars planted on The brows of lofty Lebanon: His tongue the ear with musick feeds, And he in every part exceeds: Among ten thousand he appears The chief, and beauty’s ensign bears. I, my belov’d, am only thine: And thou by just exchange art mine. Come let us tread the pleasant fields; Taste we what fruit the country yields, There where no frosts our spring destroy Shalt thou alone my love enjoy. 76Source: George Sandys, A Paraphrase upon the Song of Solomon (London: John Legat, 1641), 20-32 (with much skipping around). Omitted from the 4th edn. (1743) and following of HSP (1739/40), because moved to

The Love-Feast. Part I. Source: Hymns and Sacred Poems (1740), Part I Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- O let the dead now hear thy voice, Now bid thy banish’d ones rejoice, Their beauty this, their glorious dress, Jesu, thy blood and righteousness! The Love-Feast. Part I. Come, and let us sweetly join Christ to praise in hymns divine; Give we all with one accord Glory to our common Lord: Hands, and hearts, and voices raise, Sing as in the antient days, Antedate the joys above, Celebrate the feast of love. Strive we, in affection strive: Let the purer flame revive, Such as in the martyrs glow’d, Dying champions for their God. We, like them, may live and love, Call’d we are their joys to prove; Sav’d with them from future wrath, Partners of like pretious faith. Sing we then in Jesu’s name, Now, as yesterday the same, One in every age and place, Full for all of truth and grace. We for Christ our Master stand Lights in a benighted land; We our dying Lord confess, We are Jesu’s witnesses. Witnesses that Christ hath died, We with him are crucified: Christ hath burst the bands of death, We his quick’ning Spirit breathe. Christ is now gone up on high, (Thither all our wishes fly): Sits at God’s right-hand above, There with him we reign in love! Part II. Come, thou high and lofty Lord, Lowly, meek, incarnate Word; Humbly stoop to earth again, Come, and visit abject man. Jesu, dear, expected guest, Thou art bidden to the feast; For thyself our hearts prepare, Come, and sit, and banquet there. Jesu, we the promise claim, We are met in thy great name: In the midst do thou appear, Manifest thy presence here; Sanctify us, Lord, and bless, Breathe thy Spirit, give thy peace, Thou thyself within us move; Make our feast a feast of love. Let the fruits of grace abound, Let in us thy bowels sound; Faith, and love, and joy increase, Temperance, and gentleness: Plant in us thy humble mind; Patient, pitiful, and kind, Meek, and lowly let us be, Full of goodness, full of thee. Make us all in thee compleat, Make us all for glory meet, Meet t’ appear before thy sight, Partners with the saints in light. Call, O call us each by name To the marriage of the Lamb, Let us lean upon thy breast, Love be there our endless feast. Part III. Let 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 blessing shall dispense, God shall crown his ordinance, Meet in his appointed ways, Nourish us with social grace. 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, Toward the mark unwearied press, Seize the crown of righteousness. 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 hell, and death, and sin, Hallows whom it first made whole, Forms the Saviour in the soul. 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, Sav’d by faith which works by love. Part IV. 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 receiv’d, Shew we not in vain believ’d. While we walk with God in light, God our hearts doth still unite, Dearest fellowship we prove, Fellowship of Jesu’s love; Sweetly each with each combin’d, 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, th’ 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, thy image love impart, Stamp it on our face and heart, Only love to us be given, Lord, we ask no other heaven.

The Love-Feast. Part I. Source: Hymns and Sacred Poems (1740), Part I Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- O let the dead now hear thy voice, Now bid thy banish’d ones rejoice, Their beauty this, their glorious dress, Jesu, thy blood and righteousness! The Love-Feast. Part I. Come, and let us sweetly join Christ to praise in hymns divine; Give we all with one accord Glory to our common Lord: Hands, and hearts, and voices raise, Sing as in the antient days, Antedate the joys above, Celebrate the feast of love. Strive we, in affection strive: Let the purer flame revive, Such as in the martyrs glow’d, Dying champions for their God. We, like them, may live and love, Call’d we are their joys to prove; Sav’d with them from future wrath, Partners of like pretious faith. Sing we then in Jesu’s name, Now, as yesterday the same, One in every age and place, Full for all of truth and grace.

We for Christ our Master stand Lights in a benighted land; We our dying Lord confess, We are Jesu’s witnesses. Witnesses that Christ hath died, We with him are crucified: Christ hath burst the bands of death, We his quick’ning Spirit breathe. Christ is now gone up on high, (Thither all our wishes fly): Sits at God’s right-hand above, There with him we reign in love! Part II. Come, thou high and lofty Lord, Lowly, meek, incarnate Word; Humbly stoop to earth again, Come, and visit abject man. Jesu, dear, expected guest, Thou art bidden to the feast; For thyself our hearts prepare, Come, and sit, and banquet there. Jesu, we the promise claim, We are met in thy great name: In the midst do thou appear, Manifest thy presence here; Sanctify us, Lord, and bless, Breathe thy Spirit, give thy peace, Thou thyself within us move; Make our feast a feast of love. Let the fruits of grace abound, Let in us thy bowels sound; Faith, and love, and joy increase, Temperance, and gentleness: Plant in us thy humble mind; Patient, pitiful, and kind, Meek, and lowly let us be, Full of goodness, full of thee. Make us all in thee compleat, Make us all for glory meet, Meet t’ appear before thy sight, Partners with the saints in light. Call, O call us each by name To the marriage of the Lamb, Let us lean upon thy breast, Love be there our endless feast. Part III. Let 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 blessing shall dispense, God shall crown his ordinance, Meet in his appointed ways, Nourish us with social grace. Let us then as brethren love, Faithfully his gifts improve, Carry on the earnest strife, Walk in holiness of life.

Monuments of Jesu’s grace, Speak we by our lives his praise, Walk in him we have receiv’d, Shew we not in vain believ’d. While we walk with God in light, God our hearts doth still unite, Dearest fellowship we prove, Fellowship of Jesu’s love; Sweetly each with each combin’d, 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, th’ 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, thy image love impart, Stamp it on our face and heart, Only love to us be given, Lord, we ask no other heaven.

[Page 190]78 Life to every part conveys, Till the whole receive increase, All compleat the body prove, Perfectly built up in love.

God's Love and Power Source: Collection of Psalms and Hymns (1741) Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- I felt my heart, and found a chillness cool Its purple channels in my frozen side; The spring was now become a standing pool, Deprived of motion, and its active tide. O stay! O stay! I ever freeze if banish’d from thy ray: A lasting warmth thy secret beams beget; Thou art a sun which cannot rise or set. Then thaw this ice, and make my frost retreat, But let with temp’rate rays thy lustre shine; Thy judgment’s lightning, but thy love is heat, Those would consume my heart, but this refine. Inspire, inspire! And melt my soul with thy more equal fire; So shall a pensive deluge drown my fears, My ice turn water, and dissolve in tears. After thy love, if I continue hard, If sin again knit, and confirm’d be grown, If guilt rebel, and stand upon his guard, And what was ice before freeze into stone; Reprove, reprove! Thy power assist thee to revenge thy love: Lo, thou hast still thy threats and thunder left, The stone that can’t be melted may be cleft!

For Their Benefactors Source: Collection of Psalms and Hymns (1741) Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- Father of mercies, hear our prayers For those that do us good, Whose love for us a place prepares, And gives the orphans food. Their alms in blessings on their head A thousand-fold restore, O feed their souls with living bread, And let their cup run o’er. Forever in thy Christ built up Thy bounty let them prove, Steadfast in faith, joyful thro’ hope, And rooted deep in love. For those who kindly founded this A better house prepare, Remove them to thy heavenly bliss, And let us meet them there.

A Hymn for Charity-Children Source: Collection of Psalms and Hymns (1741) Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- How happy they, O King of kings! How safe, how truly blest, Who under thy protecting wings Both shelter find and rest. Them wilt thou lead, them wilt thou keep, And with thine arm uphold: O blessed shepherd! Blessed sheep Of Israel’s sacred fold.

A Hymn for Charity-Children (Another 1) Source: Collection of Psalms and Hymns (1741) Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- O thou, whose wisdom, power and love For all thy works provide, Which those vast orbs that roul above And our low center guide. The rich, the poor, the mean, the great Are link’d by thy strong hands; Poiz’d on its base the work’s compleat, The firm composure stands. 10“Still” changed to “To” in 4th edn. (1748) and following. The meanest worm that creeps on earth Is not below thy care; And we, altho’ of humble birth, Thy God-like bounty share. Whoe’er thy being dare dispute Are silenc’d here with ease; The stones themselves would them confute, If we should hold our peace. Th’ Almighty be their strong defence, And multiply their store, Who still concur with providence, Still aid and bless the poor.

A Hymn for Charity-Children (Another 1) Source: Collection of Psalms and Hymns (1741) Author: Charles Wesley (attributed) --- O thou, whose wisdom, power and love For all thy works provide, Which those vast orbs that roul above And our low center guide. The rich, the poor, the mean, the great Are link’d by thy strong hands; Poiz’d on its base the work’s compleat, The firm composure stands.

10“Still” changed to “To” in 4th edn. (1748) and following. The meanest worm that creeps on earth Is not below thy care; And we, altho’ of humble birth, Thy God-like bounty share. Whoe’er thy being dare dispute Are silenc’d here with ease; The stones themselves would them confute, If we should hold our peace. Th’ Almighty be their strong defence, And multiply their store, Who still concur with providence, Still aid and bless the poor.

18, 1724.] who is now my tutor, and who, asking me what Mr. Wigan had of me for tutorage, told me he would never take any more of me than he had done, but would rather add something to than take from what little I had. I heard lately from my brother, who then promised me to order Mr. Sherman to let me have the rent of his room, and this quarter's studentship, by which, together with my five 11b from the Charterhouse at Michaelmas Day, I hope to be very near out of debt everywhere. The small-pox and fever are now very common in Oxford; of the latter a very ingenious young gentleman of our College died yesterday, being the fifth day from the beginning of his illness. There is not any other in the College sick at present, and it is hoped that the approach of winter will stop the spreading of the distemper. I am very glad to hear that all at home are well; as I am, I thank God, at present, being seldom troubled with anything but bleeding at the nose, which I have frequently. A little while ago, it bled so violently while I was walking in the evening a mile or two from Oxford, that it almost choked me; nor did any method I could use at all abate it, till I stripped myself and leapt into the river, which happened luckily not to be far off. I shall not want the notes of my entrance and a great while yet, but shall take care to write time enough them when I do; they can but be brought by the post at last if nobody comes this way or to London in the time. I should have been very glad to have heard my sister Suky or any other of my sisters; nor am I so poor, but that I can spare postage now and then for a letter or two.

To his Mother Date: OXON, June 18, 1725. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1725) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR MOTHER--I am very much surprised at my sister's behavior towards my brother Charles, [Mrs. Samuel Wesley, jun., had evidently been vexed with Charles at Wroot. She had been a kind friend to John when he was at Charterhouse, and she was a young wife at Westminster. Charles told his brother in 1727 that he had cautioned Hetty “never to contraict my sister, whom she knows,’ and who. had been very kind to her (Stevenson's Wesley Family, p. 304).] and wish it is not in some measure of his own procuring. She was always, as far as I could perceive, apt to resent an affront, and I am afraid some reflection or other upon her, of which I have formerly heard him make several, has by accident come to her knowledge. If so, I don't at all wonder at anything which might follow; for though I believe she does not want piety, I am not of opinion she abounds in charity; having observed her sometimes to retaliate with great bitterness, on imagined contempt or slighting expression. She has always been particularly civil to me, ever since I was fifteen or sixteen years old; nor do I ever remember to have received an ill word from her, even to the time of her last being at Oxford. We had then a pretty deal of talk together, frequently by ourselves, and sometimes about my brother Charles, and I don't know that she once intimated anything to his disadvantage, so that either she must be a very skilful dissembler or the misunderstanding between them has took its rise very lately.

The spotless marble of her breast. In vain I strive to break my chain; In vain I heave with anxious sighs: Her pleasing coyness feeds my pain And keeps the conquests of her eyes. Impetuous tides of joy and pain By turns my lab'ring bosom tear; The Queen of Love, with all her train Of hopes and fears, inhabits there. No more the wand'ring Scythian's might From softer themes my lyre shall move; No more the Parthian's wily flight: My lyre shall sing of naught but Love. Haste, grassy altars let us rear; Haste, wreaths of fragrant myrtle twine; With Arab sweets perfume the air, And crown the whole with gen'rous wine. While we the sacred rites prepare, The cruel Queen of fierce desires Will pierce, propitious to my prayer, The obdurate maid with equal fires. Integrity needs no defense; The man who trusts to Innocence, Nor wants the darts Numidians throw, Nor arrows of the Parthian bow. Secure o'er Libya's sandy seas Or hoary Caucasus he strays; O'er regions scarcely known to Fame, Washed by Hydaspes' fabled stream. While void of cares, of naught afraid, Late in the Sabine woods I strayed; On Sylvia's lips, while pleased I sung, How Love and soft Persuasion hung ! A ravenous wolf, intent on food, Rushed from the covert of the wood; Yet dared not violate the grove Secured by Innocence and Love: Nor Mauritania's sultry plain So large a savage does contain; Nor e'er so huge a monster treads Warlike Apulia's beechen shades. Place me where no revolving sun Does e'er h.is radiant circle run, Where clouds and damps alone appear And poison the unwholesome year: Place me in that effulgent day Beneath the sun's directer ray; No change from its fixed place shall move The basis of my lasting love. In imitation of' Quis desiderio sit pugor.' [Horace's Odes, I. xxiv.] What shame shall stop our flowing tears What end shall our just sorrows know Since Fate, relentless to our prayers, Has given the long destructive blow! Ye Muses, strike the sounding string, In plaintive strains his loss deplore, And teach an artless voice to sing The great, the bounteous, now no more For him the Wise and Good shall mourn, While late records his fame declare; And, oft as rolling years return, Shall pay his tomb a grateful tear. Ah I what avail their plaints to thee

Ah I what avails his fame declared Thou blam'st, alas I the just decree Whence Virtue meets its just reward. Though sweeter sounds adorned thy tongue Than Thracian Orpheus whilom played, When list'ning to the morning song Each tree bowed down its leafy head, Never I ah, never from the gloom Of unrelenting Pluto's sway Could the thin shade again resume Its ancient tenement of clay. Indulgent Patience! heav'n-born guest! Thy healing wings around display: Thou gently calm'st the stormy breast And driv'st the tyrant Grief away. Corroding Care and eating Pain By just degrees thy influence own; And lovely lasting Peace again Resumes her long-deserted throne.

To his Brother Samuel Date: LINCOLN COLLEGE, December 5, 1726, Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1726) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR BROTHER,--I return you thanks for your favorable judgment on my sermon, and for the alterations you direct me to make in it; yet, in order to be still better informed, I take the liberty to make some objections to some of them, in one or two of which I believe you misunderstood me. I. The reasons why I conceive the Samaritans to have been idolaters are, first, because our Savior says of them, ' Ye worship ye know not what '; which seems to refer plainly to the object of their worship: and, secondly, because the old inhabitants of Samaria, who succeeded the Israelites, were undoubtedly so; and I never heard that they were much amended in after-times, -- ‘These nations feared the Lord, and served their graven images, both their children and their children's children' (2 Kings xvii. 41). II. Were the Jews obliged to love wicked men And is not our commandment extended to some cases to which theirs did not reach to the excluding some instances of revenge, which were indulged to them We are doubtless to love good men more than others; but to have inserted it where I was only to prove that we were to love them, and not how much, would not, I think, have been to my purpose. Where our Savior exerts His authority against His opposers, I cannot think it safe for me to follow Him. I would much sooner in those cases act by His precepts than 'example: the one was certainly designed for me, the other possibly was not. The Author had power to dispense with His own laws, and wisdom to know when it was necessary: I have neither. No one would blame a man for using such sharpness of speech as St. Stephen does; especially in a prayer made in the article of death, with the same intention as his.

Why you defer your advice till my debts are paid [See letter of March 19, 1727.] you may probably see a reason; I do not. I reckon my Fellowship near sixty pounds a year. Between forty and fifty it will infallibly cost to live at college, use what management I can. As for pupils, I am not qualified to take them till one of our tutors goes away; when that will be is very uncertain. What you mean by my debt at Wroot I do not apprehend. If the whole I have at any time received of my father, I know not how much it is, and shall not therefore know (as neither will you) when it is satisfied; if what I have received at the University, I may be ruined for want of advice before I can possibly repay that; if what I received when last in the country, that was nothing at all, for I not only bore my own expenses in traveling, but paid ready money for whatever I brought from thence, and left money behind me -- though for several reasons I did not think good to tell my father so much when he blamed me with being so expensive to him in that journey. My sister Hetty's behavior has, for aught I have heard, been innocent enough since her marriage. Most of my disputes on Charity with my father were on her account, he being inconceivably exasperated against her. 'Tis likely enough he would not see her when at Wroot: he has disowned her long ago, and never spoke of her in my hearing but with the utmost detestation. Both he, my mother, and several of my sisters were persuaded her penitence was but feigned. One great reason for my writing the above-mentioned sermon was to endeavor, as far as in me lay, to convince them that, even on the supposition that she was impenitent, some tenderness was due to her still; which my mother, when I read it to her, was so well aware of that she told me as soon as she had read it, 'You writ this sermon for Hetty; the rest was brought in for the sake of the last paragraph.'

Two days ago I was reading a dispute between those celebrated masters of controversy, Bishop Atterbury and Bishop Hoadly [Atterbury preached a funeral sermon (on Thomas Bennet the bookseller) from 1 Cor. xv. 19, 'If in this life only . . .' He argued that, were there no life after this, men would be more miserable than beasts, and the best men often the most miserable. Hoadly disputed the interpretation of the text. Atterbury replied: Hoadly retorted. Atterbury preached another sermon on Charity (I Pet. iv. 8). Again Hoadly criticized at length. A concise account of the controversies may be read in the latest life of Atterbury by Canon Beeching, 1909, PP. 44-5. A fuller account is given in Hunt's Religious Thought in England, iii. 78-9. 'Coming from a High Churchman, at a time when most divines were eloquent on the natural rewards of virtue and religion, Atterbury's doctrine was startling.' For Wesley's interpretation, see his Notes upon the New Testament. See also previous letter.]; but must own I was so injudicious as to break off in the middle. I could not conceive that the dignity of the end was at all proportioned to the difficulty of attaining it. And I thought the labor of twenty or thirty hours, if I was sure of succeeding, which I was not, would be but ill rewarded by that important piece of knowledge whether Bishop Hoadly had misunderstood Bishop Atterbury or no.

To his Mother Date: LINCOLN COLLEGE, March 19, 1727. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1727) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR MOTHER, -- One advantage at least my degree has given me: I am now at liberty, and shall be in a great measure for some time, to choose my own employment; and as I believe I know my own deficiencies best and which of them are most necessary to be supplied, I hope my time will turn to somewhat better account than when it was not so much in my own disposal. On Saturday next I propose beginning an entirely different life, with relation to the management of my expenses, from what I have hitherto done. I expect then to receive a sum of money, [Probably from his Fellowship, at which time he may have received some allowance. See letter of Dec. 6, 1726.] and intend immediately to call in all my creditors' bills (that they may not grow by lying by, as it sometimes happens), and from that time forward to trust no man, of what sort or trade so ever, so far as to let him trust me.

SIR,--We have determined to leave this place on Monday the 9th of November, and hope to see you on Tuesday at Oxford. Perhaps the weather and your inclinations may be so favorable to us that we may meet sooner (of hiring a coach [This and a similar phrase in the reply evidently refer to some arrangement by which the brothers joined their friends at Burford and rode with them to Oxford. See letter of Nov. 19.]). You are very just to those friends you have lately obliged with your company, when you seem assured of their good wishes. The success that attended your journey was certainly owing to yours and Araspes's merit. Your guardian angels would not forsake a charge so worthy of their care. Happy should we be, could our intercession secure you from accidents. The pleasure you gave us in your conversation we think of daily with thankfulness, and hope nothing will happen to prevent your making the visit you have promised us in January. My mother charges me with her particular compliments to you and your brother. Selima says she will not be contented with my making a bare compliment for her. If time would permit, I would gladly say more for her as well as for myself; but I have been in a hurry all this day. When shall I be worthy to subscribe myself, what I very sincerely desire to be, Cyrus's Friend and most faithful servant, ASPASIA.

I ought doubtless not to grieve because one who deserves so well of me is taken from me to God. Surely if you were called first mine ought not to overflow because all tears were wiped from your eyes. That even in this a regard for your happiness ought to take the place of my regard for my own is most certain; but whether I could do what I ought I have great reason to question. I much doubt whether self-love in so trying a circumstance would not be found too strong for a friendship which I even now find to be less disinterested than I hitherto imagined. I used to flatter myself that I had at least the desire to be some way serviceable to Aspasia and Selima, and that this, unmixed with any meaner motive, was the sole principle of many of my actions; but even with this I perceive another principle is interwoven, a desire of recommending myself to their esteem. And if this be a fault, I am much to blame: it is a fault deeply rooted in my nature. But is it a fault to desire to recommend myself to those who so strongly recommend virtue to me ardently to desire their esteem who are so able and willing to make me in some degree worthy of it Tell me, Aspasia; tell me, Selima, if it be a fault that my heart burns within me when I reflect on the many marks of regard you have already shown Your ever obliged and ever faithful CYRUS.

that I fly to those whose eyes are opened, whose hearts are enlarged, who see and love the noblest objects; that I can hardly forbear crying out aloud, 'How unlike are these to Selima, Aspasia, Varanese!'; that I most earnestly repeat that my frequent wish-- O might there be unfeigned Union of mind, as in us all one soul! [Paradise Lost, viii. 6o3-4: ‘Which declare unfeigned Union of mind, or in us both one soul.’] Were it possible that my mind should unite with yours, dear Aspasia, in the single instance of humility which I can't but particularly observe and admire whenever I consider your behavior toward me, I should then dare to hope that He who had wrought in me' to think as I ought to think' would in His own time work a farther resemblance to good Aspasia in Her most obliged, faithful CYRUS. The esteem of Araspes as well as Cyrus must ever attend both Aspasia and Selima.

To his Mother Date: June 11, 1731. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1731) Author: John Wesley --- The motion and sun together, in our last hundred-and-fifty miles' walk, so thoroughly carried off ail our superfluous humors, that we continue perfectly in health, though it is here a very sickly season. And Mr. Kirkham [When at Stanton on May 22.] assures us, on the word of a priest and a physician, that if we will but take the same medicine once or twice a year we shall never need any other to keep us from the gout. When we were with him, we touched two or three times upon a nice subject, but did not come to any full conclusion. The point debated was, What is the meaning of being ' righteous over much,' or by the more common phrase of being 'too strict in religion' and what danger there was of any of us falling into that extreme [See letter of July 19.] All the ways of being too righteous or too strict which we could think of were these: either the carrying some one particular virtue to so great an height as to make it clash with some others; or the laying too much stress on the instituted' means of grace, to the neglect of the weightier matters of the law; or the multiplying prudential means upon ourselves so far, and binding ourselves to the observance of them so strictly, as to obstruct the end we aimed at by them, either by hindering our advance in heavenly affections in general or by retarding our progress in some particular virtue. Our opponents seemed to think my brother and I in some danger of being too strict in this last sense of laying burdens on ourselves too heavy to be borne, and consequently too heavy to be of any use to us.

I want to say a great deal more on this subject, but am exceedingly straitened for time, being to begin a long journey in a day or two, though not so long an one as Aspasia. I was going to say nor so dangerous. But I know no danger that a lover of God can be in till God is no more, or at least has quitted the reins and left Chance to govern the world. Oh yes, there is one danger; and a great one it is, which nothing less than constant care can prevent--the ceasing to love Him: but that care will never be wanting in Aspasia. She will continually watch over her affections, and be going on from strength to strength; every new scene will be to her a new scene of action, of improving herself and others. This reflection greatly softens the thought of the distance that will be shortly between us; especially when I reflect farther that you will still indulge in a share of that improvement, dear Aspasia, Your most faithful friend and most obliged servant, I intend to stay but a fortnight at my father's. If you don't set out till I return, may I not hear from you You will believe that the gratitude and best wishes of Araspes as well as Cyrus will ever attend Aspasia. Adieu,

In November 1729, at which time I came to reside at Oxford, your son, my brother and myself, and one more agreed to spend three or four evenings in a week together. Our design was to read over the classics, which we had before read in private, on common nights, and on Sunday some book in divinity. In the summer following, Mr. Morgan told me he had called at the jail, to see a man that was condemned for killing his wife; and that, from the talk he had with one of the debtors, he verily believed that it would do much good if any one would be at the pains now and then of speaking with them. This he so frequently repeated, that on the 24th of August, 1730, my brother and I walked down with him to the Castle. We were so well satisfied with our conversation there, that we agreed to go thither once or twice a week; which we had not done long, before he desired me, August 31, to go with him to see a poor woman in the town who was sick. In this employment too, when we came to reflect upon it, we believed that it would be worth while to spend an hour or two in a week; provided the minister of the parish in which any such person was were not against it. But that we might not depend wholly on our own judgments, I wrote an account to my father of our whole design; withal begging that he, who had lived seventy years in the world, and seen as much of it as most private men have ever done, would advise us whether we had yet gone too far, and whether we should now stand still or go forward. Part of his answer, dated September 28, 1730, was this:

And now, as to your own designs and employments, what can I say less of them than Valde probo; and that I have the highest reason to bless God that He has given me two sons together in Oxford to whom He has given grace and courage to turn the war against the world and the devil, which is the best way to conquer them They have but one more enemy to combat with, the flesh; which if they take care to subdue by fasting and prayer, there will be no more for them to do, but to proceed steadily in the same course, and expect the crown which fadeth not away. You have reason to bless God, as I do, that you have so fast a friend as Mr. Morgan, who, I see, in the most difficult service, is ready to break the ice for you. You do not know of how much good that poor wretch who killed his wife has been the providential occasion. I think I must adopt Mr. Morgan to be my son, together with you and your brother Charles; and when I have such a ternion to prosecute that war, wherein I am now miles emeritus, I shall not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate.

In pursuance of these directions, I immediately went to Mr. Gerard, the Bishop of Oxford's chaplain, who was likewise the person that took care of the prisoners when any were condemned to die (at other times they were left to their own care): I proposed to him our design of serving them as far as we could, and my own intention to preach there once a month, if the Bishop approved of it. He much commended our design, and said he would answer for the Bishop's approbation, to whom he would take the first opportunity of mentioning it. It was not long before he informed me he had done so, and that his lordship not only gave his permission, but was greatly pleased with the undertaking, and hoped it would have the desired success. Soon after, a gentleman of Merton College, who was one of our little company, which now consisted of five persons, acquainted us that he had been rallied the day before for being a member of The Holy Club; and that it was become a common topic of mirth at his college, where they had found out several of our customs, to which we were ourselves utter strangers. Upon this I consulted my father again, in whose answer were these words: December I.

To his Father Date: June 13, 1733. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1733) Author: John Wesley --- The effects of my last journey, [The Diary for May 1733 says, 'Journey to Epworth 1.0.6.' He spent Sunday with his friend Clayton in Manchester, and then went on to Epworth.] I believe, will make me more cautious of staying any time from Oxford for the future; at least, till I have no pupils to take care of, which probably will be within a year or two. One of my young gentlemen told me at my return that he was more and more afraid of singularity; another, that he had read an excellent piece of Mr. Locke's;[ 2 John Locke (1632-1704) His nephew, Lord Chancellor King, had a decisive influence on Wesley's ecclesiastical views (see letter of Dec. 30, 1745, p. 54). The piece referred to is that on' Authority '(Essay, folio ed. p. 341): ‘The wrong measure or probability which keeps in ignorance or error more people than all the other together is the giving up our assent to the common received opinions, either. of our friends or party, neighborhood or country.’] which had convinced him of the mischief of regarding authority. Both of them agreed that the observing of Wednesday as a fast was an unnecessary singularity; the Catholic Church (that is, the majority of it) having long since repealed by contrary custom the injunction she formerly gave concerning it. [Robert Nelson, the Nonjuror (1656-1715), whose Festivals and Fasts was much commended in the Holy Club, says of the 'ancient Christians': ' Their weekly fasts were kept on Wednesdays and Fridays, because on the one our Lord was betrayed and on the other crucified. These fasts were called their stations, from the military word of keeping their guard, as Tertullian observes.' See letter of Jan. 13, 1735.] A third, who could not yield to this argument, has been convinced by a fever and Dr. Frewin. [Richard Frewin (1681-1761), of Christ Church, physician. and Camden Professor of Ancient History, 1727, See letter of Jan. 14, 1734.] Our seven-and-twenty communicants at St. Mary's were on Monday shrunk to five; and the day before, the last of Mr. Clayton's pupils who continued with us informed me that he did not design to meet us any more.

[A letter given under September 24, 1736, and the Journal Diary for June 16, 1737, show that Wesley still kept up some correspondence with Miss Ann Granville. Miss Hamilton says that at Bulstrode on December 14, 1783 (Auto. and Corr. vi. 175) Mrs. Delany 'told me she had known the two Mr. Wesleys (the Methodist preachers); she knew them when they were young men. They lived near her sister when they were students at Oxford. They were of a serious turn, and associated with such as were so. These brothers joined some other young men at Oxford, and used to meet of a Sunday evening and read the Scriptures, and find out objects of charity to relieve. This was a happy beginning, but the vanity of being singular and growing enthusiasts made them endeavor to gain proselytes and adopt that system of religious doctrine which many reasonable people thought pernicious.' On June 9, 1743, Mrs. Pendarves was married to Dr. Delany, who in May 1744 became Dean of Down; the deanery was worth 2,500 a year, and he had other preferments. He died at Bath on May 6, 1768, and Mrs. Delany on April 15, 1788. She was buried in a vault of St. James's, Piccadilly, where there is a tablet on one of the columns to her memory. She enjoyed the special friendship of George III and Queen Charlotte, and was described by Edmund Burke as ' the highest-bred woman in the world and the woman of fashion of all ages.' ' She was fond of drawing and painting and was a genuine lover of good music, including that unpopular Italian opera against which her master Hogarth had pointed his sharpest etching-needle.' See Austin Dobson's Side-walk Studies, p. 115; and for Miss Granville, the heading to letter of September 24, 1736. An exquisite needlework pocket-book made by Mrs. Delany with a letter from Queen Charlotte to her was sold for 40 in December 1927.]

18. I need not but just glance upon several other reasons why I am more likely to be useful here than anywhere else: as, because I have the joint advice of many friends in any difficulty, and their joint encouragement in any dangers; because the good Bishop and Vice-Chancellor are at hand to supply (as need is) their want of experience; because we have the eyes of multitudes upon us, who, even without designing it, perform the most substantial office of friendship, apprising us where we have already fallen, and guarding us from falling again; lastly, because we have here a constant fund (which I believe this year will amount to near eighty pounds) to supply the bodily wants of the poor, and thereby prepare their souls to receive instruction. 19. If it be said that the love of the people at Epworth balances all these advantages here, I ask, How long will it last Only till I come to tell them plainly that their deeds are evil, and, to make a particular application of that general sentence, to say to each, Thou art the man! Alas, sir, do I not know what love they had for you at first And how have they used you since Why, just as every one will be used whose business it is to bring light to them that love to sit in darkness. 20. Notwithstanding, therefore, their present prejudice in my favor, I cannot quit my first conclusion, that I am not likely to do that good anywhere, not even at Epworth, which I may do at Oxford; and yet one terrible objection lies in the way: Have you found it so in fact What have you done there in so many years Nay, have not the very attempts to do good, for want either of a particular turn of mind for the business you engaged in or of prudence to direct you in the right method of doing it, not only been unsuccessful, but brought such contempt upon you as has in great measure disqualified you for any future success And are there not men in Oxford who are not only better and holier than you, but who, having preserved their reputation, who, being universally esteemed, are every way fitter to promote the glory of God in that place

26. These are part of my reasons for choosing to abide (till I am better informed) in the station wherein God' has placed me. As for the flock committed, to your care, whom for many years you have diligently fed with the sincere milk of the Word, I trust in God your labor shall not be in vain, either to yourself or them: many of them the great Shepherd has by your hand delivered from the hand of the destroyer; some of whom are already entered into peace, and some remain unto this day. For yourself, I doubt not, but when your warfare is accomplished, when you are made perfect through sufferings, you shall come to your grave, not with sorrow, but as a ripe shock of corn, full of years and victories. And He that took care of the poor sheep before you was born will not forget them when you are dead..' Ended December 19, 1734.

To Count Zinzendorf Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1736) Author: John Wesley --- Graviora tua negotia literis meis interpellare non auderem, nisi te crederem illius esse discipulum, qui linum ardens non extingui vult, neque calamum quassatum confringi. Id vero quum persuasum habeam, maximopere te obtestor, ut et tuis et Ecclesiae tecum peregrinantis precibus Deo cornmender, in vera spiritus pauperrate, mansuetudine, fide, ac amore Dei proximique erudiendus. Et si quando tibi paululum otii suppetat, breve illud votum Deo offerre ne dedigneris, quod a fratribus tuis (utinam et meis) Savannensibus saepius oblatum audivi: Einen Helden muth Der da Gut und Blut Gem um deinetwillen lasse Und des Fleisches Ltlste hasse, Gieb ibm, Hchstes Gut, Durch dein theares Blut. [The last verse of Freylinghausen's Wer ist wohl wie Du (No. 30 in the Herrnhut Gesang-Buch of 1737); the hymn which Wesley translated as 'O Jesu, Source of calm repose.' This is the verse which he rendered: A patient, a victorious mind, That life and all things casts behind, Springs forth obedient to Thy call, A heart that no desire can move, But still to adore, believe, and love, Give me, my Lord, my Life, my All!] SAVANNAE, Mart. 15, v.s. 1736. [Translation] SAVANNAH, March 15, 1736. JOHN WESLEY TO COUNT ZINZENDORF. I should not dare to interrupt your more weighty affairs with a letter of mine, did I not hold you to be a disciple of Him who would not have the smoking flax quenched nor the bruised reed broken. But since I am entirely convinced of this, I beg of you that in your prayers and the prayers of the Church that sojourns with you, I may be commended to God, to be instructed in true poverty of spirit, in gentleness, in faith, and love of God and my neighbor. And, whenever you have a little leisure, do not disdain to offer to God this short prayer, which I have heard frequently offered by your brethren at Savannah (would they were mine also!): Then the dauntless mind Which, to Jesus joined, Neither life nor treasure prizes, And all fleshly lusts despises, Grant him, Highest Good, Through Thy precious blood.

'As to doing good, take care of yourself first.' When you are converted, then strengthen your brethren. Beware of (what is incident to all beginners) an eager desire to set others a good example. Beware of earnestness to make others feel what you feel yourself. Let light shine as nothing to you. Beware of a zeal to do great things for God. Be charitable first; then do works of charity; do them when you are not dissipated thereby, or in, danger of losing your soul by pride and vanity. Indeed, till: then you can do no good to men's souls; and without that all done to their bodies is nothing. The command of doing good concerns not you yet. Above all, take care never to dispute about any of these points. Disputing can do no good. Is the man wicked Cast not pearls before swine. Is he imperfect He that disputes any advice is not yet ripe for it. Is he good All good men agree in judgment: they differ only in words, which all are in their own nature ambiguous.' May God deliver you and yours from all error and all unholiness! My prayers will never, I trust, be wanting you. -- I am, dear brother, My sister's and your most affectionate Brother. Pray remember me to Philly. [His brother’s daughter, who married Mr. Earle of Barnstaple.]

To the Georgia Trustees Date: SAVANNAH, March 4, 1737. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1737) Author: John Wesley --- GENTLEMEN,--When the account of the mission expenses, commencing March 1, 1736, and brought down to the end of November, was delivered to me, I was much surprised to find it amount to (in Carolina currency) 666 17 0, which, reduced to sterling, is 090 02 04 (90 2s. 4d.). A day or two since, I received a second account, brought down to March 1, 1737; which being added to the former, the total expense of the year was 726 07 03 (sterling 098 08 01). But upon reading over both I observed, as you will be pleased to do: (1) That of the sum above mentioned 191 19 06 was paid Mr. Quincey, partly for a bed, hangings, and furniture; partly for making a cellar, building a hut, and improvements, by him made in and about the house. (2) That 86 06 09 has been since expended at several times, for necessary repairs of the cellar (which was fallen in), the house and fences round it and the garden, a great part of which fell down, being quite decayed. (3) That 98 10 09 was expended in three journeys to Frederica, twice by water and once by land; whither not my own pleasure, but the desire of some of that desolate people, and the need of all, called me. (4) That 26 01 09 was expended at several times in clothing for Mr. Ingham. These particulars, together amounting to 402 18 09, the expense of Mr. Ingham's food for two or three months, and of mine and Mr. Delamotte's subsistence from March 1, 1736, to March 1, 1737, amounts to Carol. 323 08 6 (sterling 044 04 04).

Once more, sir, let me beg you to consider whether your extreme roughness, and morose and sour behavior, at least on many occasions, can possibly be the fruit of a living faith in Christ. If not, may the God of peace and love fill up what is yet wanting in you ! -- I am, reverend sir, Your humble servant.

I now understand those words of poor Julian, [‘The progress of Atheism has been principally owing to the humanity evinced by Christians toward strangers. The impious Galileans provide not only for those of their own party who are in want, but also for those who hold with us.’ (Julian to Arsacius, Sozomen's Ecc. Hist. chap. xvi.) The saying ‘See how these Christians love one another’ seems to be found first in Tertullian (Apologeticus, chap. xxxix).] ‘See how these Christians love one another.’ Yea, how they love all who have the faintest desire to love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity! Oh may He sanctify to us their holy conversation, that we may be partakers of the spirit which is in them--of their faith unfeigned, and meekness of wisdom, and love which never faileth! Dear mother, forget not often to desire this for Your dutiful and affectionate Son.

I was much concerned when my brother Charles once incidentally mentioned a passage that occurred at Tiverton. ‘Upon my offering to read,’ said he, ‘a chapter in the Serious Call, my sister said, “Who do you read that to Not to these young ladies, I presume; and your brother and I do not want it.”’ Yes, my sister, [Mrs. Samuel Wesley.] I must tell you, in the spirit of love, and before God, who searcheth the heart, you do want it; you want it exceedingly. I know no one soul that wants to read and consider deeply so much the chapter of Universal Love and that of Intercession. The character of Susurrus [‘He had a mighty inclination to hear and discover all the defects and infirmities of all about him.... If you would but whisper anything gently, though it was ever so bad in itself, Susurrus was ready receive it.’ (Law's Serious Call, chap. xxi.) See letter of Oct. 30 to his brother.] there is your own. I should be false to God and you did I not tell you so. Oh may it be so no longer; but may you love your neighbor as yourself, both in word and tongue, and in deed and truth! I believe in a week Mr. Ingham and I shall set out for Herrnhut, about three hundred and fifty miles from hence. O pray for us, that God would sanctify to us all those precious opportunities, that we may be continually built up more and more in the spirit of power, and love, and of a sound mind! --I am, dear brother, Your most affectionate friend and Brother.

To the Moravians at Marienborn and Herrnhut Date: LONDON, September 1738. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1738) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, -- I cannot but rejoice in your steadfast faith, in your love to our blessed Redeemer, your deadness to the world, your meekness, temperance, chastity, and love of one another. I greatly approve of your conferences and bands, of your method of instructing children, and in general of your great care of the souls committed to your charge. But of some other things I stand in doubt, which I will mention in love and meekness. And I wish that, in order to remove those doubts, you would on each of those heads, (1) plainly answer whether the fact be as I suppose; and if so, (2) consider whether it be right. Do you not wholly neglect joint fasting Is not the Count all in all Are not the rest mere shadows, calling him Rabbi, almost implicitly both believing and obeying him Is there not something of levity in your behavior Are you in general serious enough Are you zealous and watchful to redeem time Do you not sometimes fall into trifling conversation Do you not magnify your own Church too much Do you believe any who are not of it to be in gospel liberty Are you not straitened in your love Do you love your enemies and wicked men as yourselves Do you not mix human wisdom with divine, joining worldly prudence to heavenly Do you not use cunning, guile, or dissimulation in many cases Are you not of a close, dark, reserved temper and behavior Is not the spirit of secrecy the spirit of your community Have you that childlike openness, frankness, and plainness of speech so manifest to all in the Apostles and first Christians

To Connt Zinzendorf Date: LONDON, October 30, 1738. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1738) Author: John Wesley --- May our gracious Lord, who counteth whatsoever is done unto the least of His followers as done to Himself, return sevenfold unto you and the Countess and all the Brethren the many kindnesses you did unto us! It would have been a great satisfaction to me if I could have spent more time with the Christians that love one another. But that could not be now, my Master having called me to work in another part of His vineyard. Nor did I return hither at all before the time; for though a great door and effectual had been opened, the adversary had laid so many stumbling-blocks before it that the weak were daily turned out of the way. [See Journal, ii. 75; and also previous letter.] Numberless misunderstandings had arisen, by reason of which the way of truth was much blasphemed; and hence had sprung anger, clamor, bitterness, evil-speaking, envyings, strifes, railings, evil surmisings, whereby the enemy had gained such an advantage over the little flock that ' of the rest durst no man join himself unto them.' But it has now pleased our blessed Master to remove in great measure these rocks of offence. The word of the Lord runs and is glorified, and His work goes on and prospers. Great multitudes are everywhere awakened, and cry out, ‘What must we do to be saved’ Many of them see that there is only one name under heaven whereby they can be saved; and more and more of those that seek it find salvation in His name. Their faith hath made them whole. And these are of one heart and one soul. They all love one another, and are knit together in one body and one spirit, as in one faith and one hope of their calling.

I have thought much (my brother is out of town with Mr. Wells) of the monitors, [See Wesley's account of the discipline of the Church at Herrnhut, Journal, if. 50, 53. The monitors were eleven in number. Some were known to be such; others were secretly appointed, and, if need were, could admonish in the love of Christ even the rulers of the Church.] and am very much afraid that design is not right; and that for several reasons. First, it seems needless. Every man in my band is my monitor, and I his; else I know no use of our being in band. And if anything particular occur, why should not the leaders (as was agreed before) delegate a monitor pro tempors Secondly, I doubt it would be hurtful; and, indeed, many ways: by lessening the care of every member for every other, when so great a part of his care was transferred to another; by lessening mutual freedom, and making it in one instance unnecessary; by setting aside the commandment of God, 'Thou shalt in any wise reprove thy brother,' [See Lev. xix. 17.] by depriving thee, i.e. every one beside the monitors, of the improvement and reward of so doing. Thirdly, I have seen it has produced these effects. Sin (as they esteemed it) was suffered in me at Savannah, first seven months, afterwards five months, without one breath of reproof; notwithstanding the command of God, notwithstanding earnest, continual entreaty on one side, and solemn, repeated promises on the other. And how could this be Why, there were stated monitors to reprove. Others, therefore, judged reproof to be a thing quite out of their way. But I fell not under the care of the monitors. Therefore I might have gone unreproved to this hour had not John [Wesley evidently refers to John Martin Boltzius, the minister of the Saltzburghers, whom he had refused to admit to the Lord's Table in Savannah because he was not baptized by a minister who had been episcopally ordained (see Journal, iii. 434). He speaks (ibid. i. 181) of reading Drake's Anatomy with ‘John.’ Boltzius had told, Wesley of something he thought wrong in his conduct, and had been reproved for doing so by those who thought he had usurped the office of the monitors.] reproved me; for which (as he could not deny) he was roundly reproved himself.

To James Hutton Date: OXON, December 1, 1738. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1738) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR JEMMY, -- The box I have received from the carrier, [See end of letter of Nov. 16.] and the parcel by the coach, and (which is best of all) two letters by the post. Our brother Ingham should stir us up as often as he can. I can but just say us gownsmen. For Charles Kinchin went to-day, and there is none besides that joins with my brother and me cordially. Indeed, you should write to Mr. Hutchings. How can any who truly desire the enlargement of our Lord's kingdom approve of his and Mr. Kinchin's both being shut up in a little village when there is so loud a call for both (if it could be) at Oxford The case of the monitors [See letters of Nov. 26 and 27.] is past; so let it rest. Only I cannot approve of that circumstance, which you may probably think the most necessary of all--the forbidding the person reproved to answer. First, because I doubt it may be a snare to many weak consciences, who may think (as I do in several cases) that it is their duty to answer. Secondly, because it naturally tends to beget or increase, even in the strong, that Mystical silence which is the very bane of brotherly love. For my own part, I never should be willing to reprove any one without hearing him answer for himself. Nor do I find any scripture that forbids it, either directly or by clear inferences -- though it may have ill effects. The impatience of hearing it seems to be a very unchristian temper. Indeed, my brother, you have no need to multiply forms of any kind. The standing up at speaking is a ceremony used neither at Herrnhut nor among any of the Brethren elsewhere. At meal-times especially it appears quite contrary to common sense, and is surely likely to be attended with more ill consequences than it is supposed proper to remove.

To James Hutton Date: BRISTOL, April 16, 1739. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1739) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BRETHERN, -- Sunday, April 8, about eight in the evening, Mr. Wathen and his brethren met and received several persons into their little Society. After prayer their leaders were chose and the bands fixed by lot in the order following: I Band. Richard Leg (haberdasher), leader; Thomas Mitchell, Charles Bonner, William Wynne, Richard Cross. II Band. Jo. Palmer, leader; James Lewis, John Davis, James Smith, William Waters. III Band. Henry Crawley (barber), leader; Thomas Harding, John Wiggins, Samuel Wathen, Thomas Westall. It was farther agreed that a few other persons then mentioned might be admitted into the Society. Monday, April 9, at two in the afternoon, Mrs. Panou and Mrs. Grevil met together with Esther Deschamps and Mary Anne Page (Mrs. Panou's sisters), whom they then received as sisters, and Esther Deschamps was by lot chose leader of the band, which stood as follows: Esther Deschamps, J. Panou, M. Page, Eliz. Davis (then proposed and admitted), and Eliz. Grevil. At five in the evening, Anne Williams, Mary Reynolds, Eliz. Ryan, Esther Highham, Frances Wilds, and Rachel England met together and agreed to meet every Sunday; Anne Williams was chose their leader.

The Assizes prevented my preaching at Newgate this week, except only on Monday and Tuesday. On Monday at four I preached to three or four thousand people at the Brickyard on ‘I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.’ On Tuesday about one, having sent our brethren Easy and Purdy before, I set out for Bath. Soon after I came in, the person who rented the ground, where many people were met, sent me word ‘I should not preach on his ground. If I did, he would arrest me.’ Presently after, a good woman sent to tell me I was welcome to preach on hers. Thither we went at five. It is a meadow on the side of the hill, close to the town, so that they could see us from Lady Cox's [See letter of March 7, 1738.] in the square plainly. Here I offered God's free grace to about two thousand souls. At eight in the evening I preached remission of sins to many casual hearers, from some steps at the end of an house in Gracious Street. Griffith Jones [Griffith Jones, Rector of Llandowror, instituted the circulating Welsh Free Schools, to teach the poor to read Welsh and to give religious instruction. He maintained these schools by subscriptions for twenty-four years, and when he died in 1761 they numbered more than 3,000, and had 158,000 scholars, some of whom were sixty years old. See Tyerman's Whitefield, i. 189-90n.] was one of them, who afterwards refreshed us with his company about an hour at our inn. On Wednesday morning Mr. Chapman [See heading to letter of March 29, 1737.] stayed with us a while, to whom we spake the truth in love. At ten I preached in the meadow again, to, I judge, about two thousand five hundred. At four I offered Jesus Christ as our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption to above three thousand. At seven all the women in band met together, and, having received Mary Cutler into fellowship with them, spent the evening in conference and prayer. At eight the bands of men met at the Society room in Baldwin Street, and received into fellowship with them William Lewis, James Robins, Kenelm Chandler, Anthony Williams, and Thomas Robins. The remainder of the evening was spent in singing, conference, and prayer.

Wednesday, 18th, about two thousand five hundred were present at Baptist Mills. At six the female bands met and admitted Lucretia Smith (late a Quaker, who was baptized the day before), Rebecca Morgan (deeply mourning), Elis,. Holder, Hannah Cornish, Jane Worlock, and Mary Cutler. Lucretia Smith was by lot chose leader. At seven, all the female bands being met together, Rebecca Morgan received the promise of the Father. At eight the men met and received into fellowship with them Richard Hereford (leader), William Farnell, Jo. Goslin, Jos. Ellis, Capel Gilas, Thomas Oldfield, and John Purdy. Likewise William Lewis was by lot added to the first, Kenelm Chandler to the second, and James Robins to the third band. Then the married band was filled up as follows: John Brooks (a soldier), leader; Jo. Williams, Thomas Arnot (a soldier), William Davis, Anthony Williams, and Thomas Robins. But Thomas Robins has since declined meeting. Two boys were also admitted: Thomas Davis, aged fourteen, and Deschamps Panou, aged ten; both of whom ‘have found the Savior in their hearts.’ Thursday, 19th, Mr. Griffith Jones called in his return to Wales, and went with us to Castle Street Society, where two were deeply convinced of sin. At seven several in Nicholas Street received much comfort. On Good Friday, at five in the evening, Mr. Wathen's mistress received remission of sins; as at seven did Samuel Goodson and Anne Holton, who had long been in heaviness. On Easter Eve the rain obliged me to preach in the Poorhouse (not at the door, as usual). While we were afterwards in prayer at Weavers' Hall, a young man was seized with a violent trembling, and in a few minutes sunk down on the ground. We prayed on, and he was soon raised up again. On Easter Day was a thorough rain, so that we could not stand in the Bowling Green nor in the open air at Hanham Mount. All I could do was to preach at Newgate at eight in the morning and two in the afternoon, and to as many as the house would hold at Hanham at eleven in the forenoon. In the afternoon we likewise gathered at an house near Rose Green as many of the neighbors as we could together, after which we had a large company at Nicholas Street, where many were wounded and many comforted.

All Bath on Tuesday was big with expectation of what a great man was to do to me there; and I was much entreated not to preach, 'because no one knew what might happen.' By this report also I gained (I believe) a thousand new hearers of the rich and great of this world. I told them plainly 'the scripture had concluded them all under sin,' high and low, rich and poor, one with another. They appeared not a little surprised and sinking apace into seriousness, when their champion appeared, and, having forced his way through the people, asked ‘by what authority I did these things.’ I answered, ‘By the authority of Jesus my Master, conveyed to me by the (now) Archbishop of Canterbury.’ He said ‘it was contrary to the Act of Parliament; there was an Act of Parliament against conventicles.’ I replied, ‘The conventicles there mentioned were seditious meetings. But there was no such here.’ He said, ‘Yes, it was; for I frighted people out of their wits.’ I asked if he had ever heard me preach. If not, how he could judge of what he never heard He said, ‘By common report, for he knew my character.’ I then asked, ‘Pray, sir, are you a justice of peace or the mayor of this city’ Answer: ‘No, I am not.’ ‘Why then, sir, pray by what authority do you ask me these things’ Here he paused a little, and I went on: ‘Give me leave, sir, to ask, Is not your name Nash’ Answer: ‘Sir, my name is Nash.’ ‘Why then, sir, I trust common report is no good evidence of truth.’ Here the laugh turned full against him, so that he looked about and could scarce recover. Then a bystander said, ‘Sir, let an old woman answer him.’ Then, turning to Mr. Nash, she said, ‘Sir, if you ask what we come here for, we come for the food of our souls. You care for your body: we care for our souls.’ He replied not one word, but turned and walked away.

On Thursday, after exhorting the little Society at Pensford (who stand as a rock, continually battered, but not shaken), I went to Priestdown, where we had a larger company than before. I preached on ‘What must I do to be saved’ It rained hard; but none went away, except one young woman, who came again in a few minutes. In the midst of the prayer two men (who came for that purpose) began singing a ballad. After a few mild words (for I saw none that were angry), we began singing a psalm, which utterly put them to silence. We then prayed for them, and they were quite confounded. I offered them books, but they could not read. I trust this will be a day much to be remembered by them for the loving-kindness of the Lord. My brethren, be meek and lowly; be wise, but not prudent. Stir up the gift that is in you by keeping close together. Love one another, and be ye thankful. You are much on the heart as well as in the prayers of Your affectionate brother in Christ. Jemmy Hutton, if I have not fifty more Hymns next Friday, I will not thank you. Where are the twelve Haliburton's and the Nelson's Sermons, which Mr. Seward writes me word he ordered you to send me, with twenty Hymns on his account O Jemmy, Jemmy! [See letter of May 8.] June 10, 1739.

My love and service attends all our brethren at Cardiff, especially My. Glascot. [Thomas Glascot, one of the overseers of the poor, entertained Wesley on Oct. 18 1739, and went with him to Newport next morning. Charles Wesley stayed with him on his first visit to Cardiff in Nov. 1740 (W.H.S. iii. 176). On Sept. 1, 1758, many followed Wesley to Mr. Glascot’s house, ‘where two of three were cut to the heart, particularly both his daughters and cried to God with strong cries and tears.’ On May 10, 1781 Wesley is at Cardiff, and refers to him as a member of the old Society now ‘gone hence.’ See letter of May 13, 1764.] - I am, in haste, my dear brother, Your Affectionately.

To Philip Henry Molther Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1740) Author: John Wesley --- [BISTOL, April 12, 1740.] DEAR BROTHER MOLTHER, -- Our brother Nowers never laid Sutor's behavior to the charge of the Brethren. He is well satisfied with what you say about it, and desires his love may be remembered to them all. It is my great desire that there may be nothing but love between them and you and Your affectionate brother.

To his Brother Charles Date: LONDON, April 21, 1741. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1741) Author: John Wesley --- It is not possible for me to set out yet. I must go round and glean after G. Whitefield. I will take care of the books you mention. My Journal is not written yet. The bands and Society are my first care. The bands are purged; the Society is purging: and we continually feel whose hand is in the work. Send the new-printed Hymns [Whitefield went to Bristol on April 22, and on the 25th wrote (Life, i. 478), ‘Dear Brother Charles [Wesley] is more and more rash. He has lately printed some very bad hymns.’ These were the Hymns on God's Everlasting Love; to which were added ‘The Cry of a Reprobate and the Horrible Decree.’ 18 hymns, 12mo, 36 pp. Printed in 1741 by S. & F. Farley, Bristol. The hymns were ‘very bad’ to a Calvinist.] immediately. We presented a thousand of Barclay [Wesley's Diary shows that he prepared Serious Considerations on Absolute Predestination, extracted from Robert Barclay, in Dec. 1740. It was published by Farley in 1741, 12mo, 24 pp.] to G. Whitefield's congregation on Sunday. On Sunday next I propose to distribute a thousand more at the Foundry. I am settling a regular method of visiting the sick here. Eight or ten have offered themselves for the work, who are likely to have full employment; for more and more are taken ill every day. Our Lord will thoroughly purge His floor. I rejoice in your speaking your mind freely. O let our love be without dissimulation! But I can't yet agree with you in all points. Who is your informer concerning N. Bath I doubt the facts. Have you had them face to face Brother Nowers [See letter of March 21, 1740.] is not [in love with her]. Ask him about them. Let the premises be but proved, and I greatly commend the conclusion.

It seems to me I ought to go, and that without delay. I think of going early in the morning to Bexley and correcting Mr. Piers’s sermon, [The elaborate care which they used in revising such deliverances may be seen from the Diary notes in Journal, ii. 387-8.] and of setting out for Donnington on Wednesday. If you write thither as soon as you receive this, your letter will be there near as soon as me; and I will either go on into Lincolnshire for a week, or come straight to Bristol, as you will. Let all the brethren pray for me. Adieu!

To Captain Robert Williams Date: LONDON, August 3, 1742. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1742) Author: John Wesley --- SIR, -- To prove that Robert Williams traded very largely during the time he was at Savannah, that he built several considerable buildings both at Savannah and other parts of the colony, that he greatly improved large tracts of land there, and was esteemed to have one of the chief settlements in the colony, you have not so much as quoted ‘common fame.’ So he that will believe it, let him believe it. But you have quoted common fame to support several charges against John Wesley, clerk: as, that he seduced its common persons settled there to idleness; that he used too great familiarities with Miss Hopkey, and continued so to do till she was married to Mr. William Williamson of Savannah, a gentleman of considerable note there ('tis much a gentleman of so considerable note as Mr. William Williamson would marry her!); that he sent her several letters and messages after her marriage, desiring her to meet him at divers unseasonable hours and places, many of which (hours or places) were at his, the said Wesley's, own closet. A report was, you say, that these things were so. Would any man desire better proof I am not surprised at all that upon such evidence you should advance such assertions. But I really am at what you afterwards assert as upon your own personal knowledge -- viz. that two Bills of Indictment being preferred against John Wesley and sent to the Grand Jury of Savannah (Bills of Indictment sent to a Grand Jury! What kind of proceeding is this), this deponent and the rest of the Grand Jury did UNANIMOUSLY agree to the said Bills. How dare you, sir, assert so gross a falsehood Have you no regard either for your reputation or your soul Do you think there is no God to judge the earth You know, you must know, how large a part of that Grand Jury did absolutely disagree to every Bill of the two presentments; and gave those reasons of their disagreement to the Trustees, which neither you nor any man has yet chose to answer.

Silver and gold (most of us must own) we have none; but such as we have we humbly beg your Majesty to accept together with our hearts and prayers. May He who hath bought us with His blood, the Prince of all the kings of the earth, fight against all the enemies of your Majesty with the two-edged sword that cometh out of His mouth! And when He calleth your Majesty from this throne, full of years and victories, may it be with that voice, ‘Come, receive the kingdom prepared for thee from the beginning of the world!’ These are the continual prayers of your Majesty's dutiful and loyal subjects, JOHN WESLEY, &c.

To Mrs. Hutton Date: OXON, August 22, 1744 Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1744) Author: John Wesley --- MADAM,--Had I no other motive to speak than gratitude for past favors, I ought not to be wholly silent. 1. Dreams and visions were never allowed by us to be certain marks of adoption; no, not though they were supposed to be from God. Therefore this mistake, whosesoever it is, is none of mine. 2. Neither did we ever allow the falling into fits (whether natural or preternatural) to be a certain mark; yet we believe the Spirit of God, sharply convincing the soul of sin, may occasion the bodily strength to fail. And what outward effects may possibly follow I believe no man living has skill enough to determine. 3. The power which God may sometimes permit the devil to have either over the soul or body is of quite another consideration. Yet even at those times He can constrain the father of lies to speak some truth, if it be for His own glory. But let those facts plead for themselves. Those persons are now alive; and not one of them is a member of our Society. 4. Fits (as you term them) are not left off. They are frequent now, both in Europe and America, among persons newly convinced of sin. I neither forward nor hinder them. 5. I love Calvin a little, Luther more; the Moravians, Mr. Law, and Mr. Whitefield far more than either. I have many reasons likewise to esteem and love Mr. Hutton. But I love truth more than all. Nor does it appear to me yet that he has dealt near so tenderly with me (since our opinions differed) as I have done with him. 6. In every congregation in England which I remember to have observed there was undeniably a faulty respect of persons. In our chapel there is a place kept for Lady Huntingdon [Lady Huntingdon was a regular worshipper at West Street Chapel.] till the Creed; if she does not come before then, any one takes it that is next, as also when she is out of town. I doubt whether this respect to her be not too great; but I yield in this point to my brother’s judgment.

‘“MY DEAR BRETHREN, -- I CANNOT but rejoice in your steadfast faith, in your love to our blessed Redeemer, your deadness to the world, your meekness, temperance, chastity, and love of one another. I greatly approve of your conferences and bands [The band society in London began May 1, some time before I set out for Germany (Wesley).], of your method of instructing children; and, in general, of your great care of the souls committed to your charge. ‘“But of some other things I stand in doubt, which I will mention in love and meekness. And I wish that, in order to remove those doubts, you would, on each of those heads, First,plainly answer whether the fact be as I suppose; and if so, Secondly, consider whether it be right. ‘“Is not the Count all in all among you ‘“Do you not magnify your own Church too much ‘“Do you not use guile and dissimulation in many cases ‘“Are you not of a close, dark, reserved temper and behavior’ [See letter in Sept. 1738 to the Moravians, where this is given in fuller form.] ‘It may easily be seen, that my objections then were nearly thesame as now.’ Only with this difference, -- I was not then assuredthat the facts were as I supposed. ‘Yet I cannot say my affectionwas lessened at all: (For I did not dare to determine anything:) Butfrom November 1, I could not but see more and more things whichI could not reconcile with the gospel.’ ‘These I have set down with all simplicity. Yet do I this, because Ilove them not God knoweth: Yea, and in part, I esteem them still;because I verily believe they have a sincere desire to serve God;because many of the a have tasted of his love, and some retain it insimplicity; because they love one another; because they have somuch of the truth of the gospel, and so far abstain from outwardsin. And lastly, because their discipline is, in most respects, so truly excellent; notwithstanding that visible blemish, the paying toomuch regard to their great patron and benefactor, CountZinzendorf.’

10. ‘But I must observe,’ you say, ‘that you fall not only into inconsistencies, but into direct contradictions. You commend them for “loving one another in a manner the world knoweth not of;” and yet you charge them with being “in the utmost confusion, biting and devouring one another.” You say, “They caution us against natural love of one another; and had well-nigh destroyed brotherly love from among us.”’ ‘You praise them for “using no diversions, but such as become saints;” and for “not regarding outward adorning:” Yet you say they “conform to the world in wearing gold and costly apparel; and by joining in worldly diversions, in order to do good.”’ ‘You call their discipline, “in most respects, truly excellent.” I wish you had more fully explained yourself. I am sure it is no sign of good discipline, to permit such abominations. And you tell themyourself, “I can show you such a subordination as answers all Christian purposes, and yet is as distant from that among you as the heavens are from the earth.”’ ‘You mention it as a good effect of their discipline, that “every one knows and keeps his proper rank.” Soon after; as if it were with a design to confute yourself, you say, “Our brethren have neither wisdom enough to guide, nor prudence enough to let it alone.”’ ‘And now, Sir, how can you reconcile these opposite descriptions’ (pages 21-3). Just as easily as those before, by simplydeclaring the thing as it is. ‘You commend them’(the Moravians) ‘for loving one another [See letter of June 24, 1744.]; and yet charge them with biting and devouring one another’ (Journal, ii. 310, 328) ‘Them’! Whom Not the Moravians; but the English brethren of Fetter-Lane, before their union with the Moravians. Here, then, is no shadow ofcontradiction. For the two sentences do not relate to the same persons. ‘You say, “They had well-nigh destroyed brotherly love fromamong us;” partly by “cautions against natural love.”’ (ii. 494)It is a melancholy truth; so they had. But we had then no connection with them. Neither, therefore, does this contradict their ‘loving one another in a manner the world knoweth not of.’

12. You need not therefore ‘imagine, that either the strongpretences or warm professions of the Moravians,’ or their ‘agreeing with me on some favorite topics,’ (for my love to them was antecedent to any such agreement,) ‘induce me to overlook their iniquity, and to forgive their other crimes.’ (Remarks, p. 23.) No. Ilove them upon quite different grounds; even because I believe, notwithstanding all their faults, they ‘love the Lord Jesus insincerity,’ and have a measure of ‘the mind that was in him.’ AndI am in great earnest when I declare once more, that I have a deep, abiding conviction, by how many degrees thegood which is among them overbalances the evil; that I cannotspeak of them but with tender affection, were it only for thebenefits I have received from them; and that, at this hour, I desire union with them (were those stumbling-blocks once put away,which have hitherto made that desire ineffectual) above all things under heaven. II. 1. Your second charge is, ‘That I hold, in common with them,principles from which their errors naturally follow.’ You meanjustification by faith alone. To set things in the clearest light I can, Iwill first observe what I hold, and what you object; and then inquire what the consequences have been. First. As to what I hold. My latest thoughts upon justification are expressed in the following words: -- ‘Justification sometimes means our acquittal at the last day. But this is out of the present question; that justification whereof ourArticles and Homilies speak, meaning present pardon andacceptance with God; who therein declares his righteousness and mercy, by or for the remission of the sins that are past. ‘I believe, the condition of this is faith: I mean, not only, thatwithout faith we cannot be justified; but also, that, as soon as anyone has true faith, in that moment he is justified. ‘Good works follow this faith, but cannot go before it. Much less can sanctification, which implies a continued course of good works,springing from holiness of heart. But -- entire sanctification goesbefore our justification at the last day.

Let it be repeated ever so often, it is good for nothing. For, far otherqualifications are required in order to our standing before God inglory, than were required in order to his giving us faith andpardon. In order to this, nothing is indispensably required, butrepentance, or conviction of sin. But in order to the other it isindispensably required, that we be fully ‘cleansed from all sin;’ that the ‘very God of peace sanctify us wholly,’ even t , ‘our entire body, soul, and spirit.’ It is notnecessary, therefore, (nor indeed possible,) that we should, beforejustification, ‘patiently wait upon God, by lowliness, meekness, and resignation, in all the ways of his holy law.’ And yet it isnecessary, in the highest degree, that we should thus wait uponhim after justification: Otherwise, how shall we be "meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light’ 5. Soon after, you add: ‘In the passages last cited, you plead for thenecessity of a good life: But in others, the force of your principlesshows itself. An answer approved by you, is, “My heart is desperately wicked; but I have no doubt or fear; I know mySavior loves me, and I love him.” Both these particulars areimpossible, if the Scripture be true.’ (Page 29.) You amaze me! Is it possible you should be ignorant that your ownheart is desperately wicked Yet I dare not say, either that God does not love you, or that you do not love him. ‘Again: You say, you described the state of those who haveforgiveness of sins, but not a clean heart;’ (page 30); not in the full, proper sense. Very true; but even then they had power over both inward and outward corruptions; far from being, as you suppose, ‘still wedded to their vices, and resolved to continue in them.’

16. You proceed: ‘Kingswood you call your own house: And whenone Mr. C. opposed you there, you reply to him, “You should nothave supplanted me in my own house, stealing the hearts of thepeople.” The parochial Clergy may call their several districts theirown houses, with much more propriety than you could call Kingswood yours. And yet how have you supplanted them therein,and labored to steal the hearts of the people! You have sufferedby the same ways you took to discharge your spleen and maliceagainst your brethren. ‘Your brother's words to Mr. Cennick are, -- ‘Whether his doctrine is true or false, is not the question. But you ought first to have fairly toldhim, I preach contrary to you. Are you, willing, notwithstanding,that I should continue in your house, gainsaying you Shall I stayhere opposing you, or shall I depart ‘Think you hear this spokento you by us. What can you justly reply -- Again, if Mr. Cennick hadsaid thus to you, and you had refused him leave to stay; I ask you,whether in such a case he would have had reason to resent such arefusal I think you cannot say he would. And yet how loudlyhave you objected our refusing our pulpits to you!’ (Remarks, pp. 15-16.) So you judge these to be exactly parallel cases. It lies therefore uponme to show that they are not parallel at all; that there is, in manyrespects, an essential difference between them. (1.) ‘Kingswood you call your own house.’ So I do, that is, theschool-house there. For I bought the ground where it stands, andpaid for the building it, partly from the contribution of my friends, (one of whom contributed fifty pounds,) partly from the income of my own Fellowship. No Clergyman therefore can call his parish his own house with more propriety than I can call this house mine. (2.) ‘Mr. Cennick opposed you there.’ True; but who was Mr. Cennick One I had sent for to assist me there; a friend that was as my own soul; that, even while he opposed me, lay in my bosom. What resemblance then does Mr. Cennick, thus opposing me, bear to me opposing (if I really did) a parochial minister

To Mrs. Jones, of Fonmon Castle Date: ST. GENNYS, June 18, 1745. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1745) Author: John Wesley --- On Thursday, July 18 (if God permit), Mr. Thompson [George Thompson, Vicar of St. Gennys.] will come with me to Minehead. From whence, if your brother's sloop was ready, we could cross over to Fonmon. I sent word before, both that you may have time to let me know if the sloop cannot come, and that Mr. Hodges (with whom I hope to spend Sunday, July 21) may order his affairs so as to be able to go with me to Garth on Monday, and from thence to our yearly Conference at Bristol. I have been much disappointed since I left London last, expecting to meet with nothing but difficulties, and finding none at all, or such as did but just appear and then vanish into nothing. So it shall always be, if our whole care be cast on Him who careth for us. The rough places shall in due time be all made smooth, and the mountain become a plain. What have we, then, to do but to stand still and see the salvation of God I commend you and yours to His ever-waking love; and am Your affectionate friend and brother. We are to set out toward St. Ives to-morrow.

But you say, ‘They hereby cut off the most essential recommendation to heaven, virtue.’ What virtue That of self-murder; that of casting their own infants to be devoured by beasts or wolves; that of dragging at their chariot-wheels those whose only crimes were the love of their parents, or children, or country These Roman virtues our religion does cut off; it leaves no place for them. And a reasonable Deist will allow that these are not ‘the most essential recommendation to heaven.’ But it is far from cutting off any sort, degree, or instance of genuine virtue; all which is contained in the love of God and man, producing every divine and amiable temper. And this love we suppose (according to the Christian scheme) to flow from a sense of God’s love to us; which sense and persuasion of God’s love to man in Christ Jesus, particularly applied, we term faith -- a thing you seem to be totally unacquainted with. For it is not the faith whereof we speak, unless it be a ‘faith working by love,’ a faith ‘zealous of good works,’ careful to maintain, nay, to excel in them. Nor do we acknowledge him to have one grain of faith who is not continually doing good, who is not willing ‘to spend and be spent in doing all good, as he has opportunity, to all men.’ Whoever, therefore, they are that ‘throw aside good works, that suspend’ (as you prettily phrase it) ‘the hand of industry, become inactive, and leave all to Providence, without exercising either their heads or hands,’ they are no more led into this by any doctrine of ours than by the writings of Paul of Tarsus.

17. I think your following objections do not properly come under any of the preceding heads: ‘Your doctrine of Momentaneous Illapse, &c., is represented by your adversaries as singular and unscriptural; and that these singularities are your most beloved opinions and favorite tenets, more insisted upon by you than the general and uncontroverted truths of Christianity: this is their charge.’ And so, I doubt, it will be to the end of the world; for, in spite of all I can say, they will represent one circumstance of my doctrine (so called) as the main substance of it. It nothing avails that I declare again and again, ‘Love is the fulfilling of the law.’ I believe this love is given in a moment. But about this I contend not. Have this love, and it is enough. For this I will contend till my spirit returns to God. Whether I am singular or no in thinking this love is instantaneously given, this is not my ‘most beloved opinion.’ You greatly wrong me when you advance that charge. Nay, I love, strictly speaking, no opinion at all. I trample upon opinion, be it right or wrong. I want, I value, I preach the love of God and man. These are my ‘favorite tenets’ (if you will have the word), 'more insisted on' by me ten times over, both in preaching and writing, than any or all other subjects that ever were in the world. 18. You will observe, I do not say (and who is there that can) that I have no singular opinion at all; but this I say -- that, in my general tenor of preaching, I teach nothing as the substance of religion more singular than the love of God and man; and it was for preaching this very doctrine (before I preached or knew salvation by faith) that several of the clergy forbade me their pulpits. ‘But if it be notorious that you are frequently insisting on controverted opinions.’ If it be, even this will not prove the charge--namely, ‘that those are my most beloved opinions, and more insisted upon by me than the uncontroverted truths of Christianity.’ ‘No singularities’ is not my answer: but that no singularities are my most beloved opinions; that no singularities are more, or near so much, insisted on by me as the general, uncontroverted truths of Christianity.

To the Mayor of Newcastle-upon-Tyne Date: NEWCASTLE, October 26, 1745. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1745) Author: John Wesley --- SIR, -- The fear of God, the love of my country, and the regard I have for His Majesty King George constrain me to write a few plain words to one who is no stranger to these principles of action.[See letter of Sept. 21.] My soul has been pained day by day, even in walking the streets of Newcastle, at the senseless, shameless wickedness, the ignorant profaneness, of the poor men to whom our lives are entrusted. [Fifteen thousand troops were encamped on Newcastle Moor] The continual cursing and swearing, the wanton blasphemy of the soldiers in general, must needs be a torture to the sober ear, whether of a Christian or an honest infidel. Can any that either fear God or love their neighbor hear this without concern especially if they consider the interest of our country, as well as of these unhappy men themselves. For can it be expected that God should be on their side who are daily affronting Him to His face And if God be not on their side, how little will either their number or courage or strength avail! Is there no man that careth for these souls Doubtless there are some who ought so to do. But many of these, if I am rightly informed, receive large pay and do just nothing. I would to God it were in my power in any degree to supply their lack of service. I am ready to do what in me lies to call these poor sinners to repentance, once or twice a day (while I remain in these parts), at any hour or at any place. And I desire no pay at all for doing this, unless what my Lord shall give at His appearing.

To the Moravian Synod Date: LONDON, December 8, 1745. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1745) Author: John Wesley --- MY BRETHREN, -- Is it not the will of our great Shepherd to gather together in one all His sheep that are scattered abroad Our earnest desire is that this His will may be done. And we are ready to do anything in our power that may in any degree contribute thereto. If you are willing any of your brethren should confer with us, we are ready, and should rejoice therein.Might we not, in a free and brotherly conference,-- 1. See in what points we do already agree together; 2. Consider what points (wherein we do not yet agree) we might suffer to sleep on either side; and 3. Settle how far we might unite, what kind or degree of fellowship we might preserve with each other, even if there should be some points wherein we cannot avoid speaking contrary to each other We desire your answer to this proposal, which is made in simplicity of heart by Your affectionate brethren,

[Under Thy guidance I entered into my inward self: and this I could do, because Thou wast my Helper. I entered, and saw with the eye of my soul (such as it is) the unchangeable light of the Lord above this very eye of my soul, and above my mind. The light was not of this common kind, which is obvious to all flesh: neither was it as if it was a larger light of the same kind. It was not a light of this kind, but of another; a light that differed exceedingly from all these. Nor was it above my mind, as the heavens are above the earth: but it was superior, because it made me. He who knows the truth knows this light; and he who knows it knows eternity. Love knows it. ‘O eternal Truth! Thou art my God! Day and night I sigh after Thee. And when I first knew Thee, Thou didst take hold of me that I might see that there was something to be seen. Thou didst likewise beat back the weakness of my own sight, and didst Thyself powerfully shine into me. I trembled with love and with horror; and I found myself far from Thee. I said, “Is truth therefore nothing” And Thou didst reply from afar, “No, indeed! I AM THAT I AM I” I heard this, as we are accustomed to hear in the heart; and there was no ground whatever for doubting. Nay, I could more easily doubt of my existence itself than that it was not the Truth.’ See letter of June 25, 1746, sect. 6.] 9. From many such passages as these, which I have occasionally read, as well as from what I have myself seen and known, I am induced to believe that God’s ordinary way of converting sinners to Himself is by ‘suddenly inspiring them with an immediate testimony of His love, easily distinguishable from fancy.’ I am assured thus He hath wrought in all I have known (except, perhaps, three or four persons), of whom I have reasonable ground to believe that they are really turned from the power of Satan to God.

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.

3. Fear, indeed, is one cause of my declining this; fear, as I said elsewhere, [In the Preface to The Principles of a Methodist; an Answer to Josiah Tucker, Vicar of All Saints, Bristol. See Works, viii. 359; Green's Bibliography, No. 35; and letter of June 8, 1750.] not of my adversary, but of myself. I fear my own spirit, lest ‘I fall where many mightier have been slain.’ I never knew one (or but one) man write controversy with what I thought a right spirit. Every disputant seems to think, as every soldier, that he may hurt his opponent as much as he can: nay, that he ought to do his worst to him, or he cannot make the best of his own cause; that, so he do not belie or willfully misrepresent him, he must expose him as much as he is able. It is enough, we suppose, if we do not show heat or passion against our adversary. But not to despise him, or endeavor to make others do so, is quite a work of supererogation. 4. But ought these things to be so (I speak on the Christian scheme.) Ought we not to love our neighbor as ourselves And does a man cease to be our neighbor because he is of a different opinion nay, and declares himself so to be Ought we not, for all this, to do to him as we would he should do to us But do we ourselves love to be exposed or set in the worst light Would we willingly be treated with contempt If not, why do we treat others thus And yet, who scruples it Who does not hit every blot he can, however foreign to the merits of the cause Who in controversy casts the mantle of love over the nakedness of his brother Who keeps steadily and uniformly to the question, without ever striking at the person Who shows in every sentence that he loves his brother only less than the truth

However, since you persist to affirm that I am guilty of the contradictions you charged upon me (page 87), I think there cannot be a sufficient reply without reciting the several instances. 12. (1) ‘You commend them (the Moravians) for loving one another; and yet charge them with biting and devouring one another.’ I answered, ‘Them! Whom Not the Moravians, but the English brethren of Fetter Lane before their union with the Moravians. Herein, then, is no shadow of contradiction; for the two sentences do not relate to the same persons.’ You reply, 'Would you, then, have us to think that so much anger and contradiction reigned among your Methodists' I 'would have you think' this is nothing to the purpose. Prove the contradiction, and you speak to the point. 'It is plain they had before this been perverted by the Moravians, and that they were unwilling to be taught by any others.' They--that is, nearly half of the Society. But here is no proof of the contradiction still. (2) ‘You say, “They had wellnigh destroyed brotherly love from among us, partly by cautions against natural love, partly by occasioning almost continual disputes.”’ So they had; but we had then no connection with them. Neither, therefore, does this contradict their loving one another. You reply, ‘As if they can truly love each other who teach you not to do it and stir up divisions and disturbances among you.’ You should say, if you would repeat after me, ‘Who caution you against natural love and occasion many disputes among you.’ Well; allowing they do this (which is utterly wrong), yet where is the contradiction Yet they may love one another. (3) ‘You praise them for using no diversions but such as become saints; and yet say’ (I recite the whole sentence), '"I have heard some of you affirm that Christian salvation implies liberty to conform to the world, by joining in worldly diversions in order to do good."' And both these are true. The Moravians in general 'use no diversions but such as become saints'; and yet I have heard some of them affirm, in contradiction to their own practice, that 'one then mentioned did well when he joined in playing at tennis in order to do good.' To this you make no reply. Silence, then, consents that there is no contradiction here.

I would only add: If I am in Orders, if I am a minister still, and yet not a minister of the Church of England, of what Church am I a minister Whoever is a minister at all is a minister of some particular Church. Neither can he cease to be a minister of that Church till he is cast out of it by a judicial sentence. Till, therefore, I am so cast out (which I trust will never be), I must style myself a minister of the Church of England. 6. Your next objection is: ‘You not only erect bands, which, after the Moravians, you call the United Society, but also give out tickets to those that continue therein.’ These bands, you think, ‘have had very bad consequences, as was to be expected when weak people are made leaders of their brethren and are set upon expounding Scripture.’ (Ibid.) You are in some mistakes here. For: (1) The bands are not called the United Society. (2) The United Society was originally so called, not after the Moravians, but because it consisted of several smaller Societies united together. (3) Neither the bands nor the leaders of them as such are ‘set upon expounding Scripture.’ (4) The good consequences of their meeting together in bands I know; but the ‘very bad consequences’ I know not.

‘Again: “One was just going to beat his wife (which he frequently did), when God smote him in a moment; so that his hand dropped, and he fell down upon the ground, having no more strength than a new-born child.” Have we any warrant, either from Scripture or the common dispensations of Providence, to interpret misfortunes of this nature as judgments' (Remarks, p. 67.) I answered, ‘Can you, sir, consider this as one of the common dispensations of Providence Have you known a parallel one in your life But it was never cited by me (as it is by you) as an immediate punishment on a man for opposing me.’ [Ibid.] You reply, ‘As if what is not common, or what I have not known, must be a miraculous judgement.’ I believe it was, whether miraculous or no, a judgment mixed with mercy.

9. You go on: ‘It is the most charitable supposition we can make, that many of the cases you have mentioned in your Journals, and some of which have been represented above, are of this kind’ -- that is, instances of madness (ibid.). Oh tender charity! But cannot your charity reach one hair's breadth farther than this No: for ‘otherwise’ (that is, if those persons were not mad) ‘the presumption and despair are terrible indeed.’ But what if you were to suppose John Haydon (to instance in one) was not mad, but under a temporary possession, and that others were deeply convinced of sin and of the wrath of God abiding on them I should think this supposition (be it true or false) was full as charitable as the other. I said, ‘I cannot find one such instance to this day.’ You reply, ‘Yet once you could not but be under some concern with regard to one or two persons, who seemed to be indeed lunatic as well as sore vexed.’ So they seemed; but it soon appeared they were not. The very next paragraph mentions that one of these within a few hours was ‘filled with the spirit of love and of a sound mind.’ (Journal, ii. 291.) But you are resolved, come what will, to carry this point; and so add, ‘Toward the end of your Farther Appeal, [Part I. See Works, viii. 131-2.] you say you have seen one instance of real, lasting madness. This was one whom you took with you to Bristol, who was afterwards prejudiced against you, and began a vehement invective both against your person and doctrines. In the midst of this he was struck raving mad.’ Add, ‘And so he continued till his friends put him into Bedlam; and probably laid his madness to my charge.’ If they did not, it is now done to their hands. 10. ‘As to the cure of these fits, I observed’ (so you, Second Letter, p. 139, proceed) ‘that you had frequently represented them as miraculous, as the instantaneous consequences of your prayers.’ My former answer to this was, ‘I have set down the facts just as they were, passing no judgment upon them myself, and leaving every man else to judge as he pleases.’

And what use is it of, what good end does it serve, to term England a Christian country (Although it is true most of the natives are called Christians, have been baptized, frequent the ordinances; and although a real Christian is here and there to be found, ‘as a light shining in a dark place.’) Does it do any honor to our great Master among those who are not called by His name Does it recommend Christianity to the Jews, the Mahometans, or the avowed heathens Surely no one can conceive it does. It only makes Christianity stink in their nostrils. Does it answer any good end with regard to those on whom this worthy name is called I fear not; but rather an exceeding bad one. For does it not keep multitudes easy in their heathen practice does it not make or keep still greater numbers satisfied with their heathen tempers does it not directly tend to make both the one and the other imagine that they are what indeed they are not -- that they are Christians while they are utterly without Christ and without God in the world To close this point: If men are not Christians till they are renewed after the image of Christ, and if the people of England in general are not thus renewed, why do we term them so The god of this world hath long blinded their hearts. Let us do nothing to increase that blindness, but rather labor to recover them from that strong delusion, that they may no longer believe a lie. 4. Let us labor to convince all mankind that to be a real Christian is to love the Lord our God with all our heart and to serve Him with all our strength, to love our neighbor as ourselves, and therefore do unto every man as we would he should do unto us. Nay, you say, ‘Had you confined yourselves to these great points, there would have been no objection against your doctrine. But the doctrines you have distinguished yourselves by are not the love of God and man, but many false and pernicious errors’ (page 104).

6. Religion itself (I choose to use the very words wherein I described it long ago) we define, ‘The loving God with all our heart and our neighbor as ourselves; and in that love abstaining from all evil, and doing all possible good to all men.’ The same meaning we have sometimes expressed a little more at large, thus, -- ‘Religion we conceive to be no other than love: the love of God and of all mankind; the loving God “with all our heart and soul and strength,” as having “first loved us,” as the fountain of all the good we have received and of all we ever hope to enjoy; and the loving every soul which God hath made, every man on earth, as our own soul. ‘This love we believe to be the medicine of life, the neverfailing remedy for all the evils of a disordered world, for all the miseries and vices of men. Wherever this is, there are virtue and happiness going hand in hand. There is humbleness of mind, gentleness, longsuffering, the whole image of God, and at the same time a peace that passeth all understanding and joy unspeakable and full of glory. ‘This religion we long to see established in the world, -- a religion of love and joy and peace; having its seat in the heart, in the inmost soul, but ever showing itself by its fruits; continually springing forth, not only in all innocence (for love worketh no ill to his neighbor), but likewise in every kind of beneficence, spreading virtue and happiness all around it.’ [An Earnest Appeal. See Works, viii. 3-4.] If this can be proved by Scripture or reason to be enthusiastic or erroneous doctrine, we will then plead guilty to the indictment of ‘teaching error and enthusiasm.’ But if this be the genuine religion of Christ, then will all who advance this charge against us be found false witnesses before God in the day when He shall judge the earth.

7. However, with regard to the fruits of our teaching, you say, ‘It is to be feared the numbers of serious men who have been perplexed and deluded are much greater than the numbers of notorious sinners who have been brought to repentance and good life’ ( page 113). ‘Indeed, if you could prove that the Methodists were in general very wicked people before they followed you, and that all you have been teaching them is the love of God and their neighbor, and a care to keep His commandments, which accordingly they have done since, you would stop the mouths of all adversaries at once. But we have great reason to believe that the generality of the Methodists, before they became so, were serious, regular, and well-disposed people.’ (Page 103.) If the question were proposed, ‘Which are greater, the numbers of serious men who have been perplexed and deluded, or of notorious sinners who have been brought to repentance and good life, by these preachers throughout England within seven years’ it might be difficult for you to fix the conclusion. For England is a place of wide dimensions; nor is it easy to make a satisfactory computation, unless you confine yourself within a smaller compass. Suppose, then, we were to contract the question, in order to make it a little less unwieldy. We will bound our inquiry for the present within a square of three or four miles. It may be certainly known by candid men, both what has been and what is now done within this distance; and from hence they may judge of those fruits elsewhere, which they cannot be so particularly informed of.

Sir, I willingly put the whole cause on this issue: What are the general consequences of this preaching Are there more tares or wheat more ‘good men destroyed’ (that is the proper question) or ‘wicked men saved’ The last place where we began constant preaching is a part of Wiltshire and Somersetshire, near Bath. Now, let any man inquire at Road, Bradford, Wrexal, [Wraxhill Green, five miles south of Shepton Mallet.] or among the colliers at Coleford, (1) what kind of people were those ‘before they followed these men’ (2) what are the main doctrines they have been teaching for this twelvemonth (3) what effect have these doctrines upon their followers what manner of lives do they lead now And if you do not find (1) that three in four of these were two years ago notoriously wicked men; (2) that the main doctrines they have heard since were, ‘Love God and your neighbor, and carefully keep His commandments’; and (3) that they have since exercised themselves herein, and continue so to do; -- I say, if you, or any reasonable man, who will be at the pains to inquire, does not find this to be an unquestionable fact, I will openly acknowledge myself an enthusiast or whatsoever else you shall please to style me. Only one caution I would give to such an inquirer. Let him not ask the colliers of Coleford: ‘Were not the generality of you, before you followed these men, serious, regular, well-disposed people’ Were you not ‘offended at the profaneness and debauchery of the age’ and ‘Was it not this disposition which at first made you liable to receive these impressions’ (Page 103.) Because, if he talk thus to some of those who do not yet ‘follow these men,’ perhaps he will not live to bring back their answer.

2. But may not love itself constrain us to lay before men ‘the terrors of the Lord’ And is it not better that sinners ‘should be terrified now than that they should sleep on and awake in hell’ I have known exceeding happy effects of this, even upon men of strong understanding; yet I agree with you that there is little good to be done by ‘the profuse throwing about hell and damnation,’ and the best way of deciding the points in question with us is cool and friendly argumentation. I agree, too, ‘that scheme of religion bids fairest for the true which breathes the most extensive charity.’ Touching the charity due to those who are in error, I suppose we both likewise agree that really invincible ignorance never did nor ever shall exclude any man from heaven; and hence I doubt not but God will receive thousands of those who differ from me, even where I hold the truth. But still, I cannot believe He will receive any man into glory (I speak of those under the Christian dispensation) ‘without such an inspiration of the Holy Ghost as fills his heart with peace and joy and love.’ 3. In this Mr. Whitefield and I agree; but in other points we widely differ. And therefore I still apprehend it is inexcusably unjust to link us together, whether we will or no. For by this means each is constrained to bear not only his own but another’s burthen. Accordingly I have been accused an hundred times of holding unconditional predestination. And no wonder; for, wherever this charge is advanced, -- ‘The Methodists preach sundry erroneous doctrines; in particular three, Unconditional Predestination, Perceptible Inspiration, and Sinless Perfection,’ -- the bulk of mankind will naturally suppose that the Methodists in general hold these three doctrines. It will follow that, if any of these afterwards hears ‘Mr. Wesley is a Methodist,’ he will conclude, ‘Then he preaches unconditional predestination, perceptible inspiration, and sinless perfection.’ And thus one man is made accountable by others, if not by you, for all the errors and faults of another.

8. The ‘living soberly, righteously, and godly’ in this present world, or the uniform practice of universal piety, presupposes some degree of these ‘fruits of the Spirit,’ nor can possibly subsist without them. I never said men were too apt to rest on this practice. But I still say I know abundance of men who quiet their conscience, without either faith or love, by the practice of a few outward works; and this keeps them as easy and contented, though they are without hope and without God in the world, as either the doctrine of Irresistible Decrees could do or any theory whatsoever. Now, what is this but using outward works as commutations for inward holiness For (1) These men love not inward holiness; they love the world; they love money; they love pleasure or praise: therefore the love of God is not in them; nor, consequently, the Christian love of their neighbor. Yet (2) They are in no wise convinced that they are in the broad way which leads to destruction. They sleep on and take their rest. They say, ‘Peace, peace,’ to their soul, though there is no peace. But on what presence Why, on this very ground -- because (3) They do such and such outward works; they go to church, and perhaps to the Lord’s Table; they use in some sort private prayer; they give alms; and therefore they imagine themselves to be in the high road to heaven. Though they have not ‘the mind that was in Christ,’ yet they doubt not but all is safe, because they do thus and thus, because their lives are not as other men’s are. This is what I mean by using outward works as commutations for inward holiness. I find more and more instances every day of this miserable self-deceit. The thing is plain and clear. But if you dislike the phrase, we will drop it and use another.

As I have little time, I must beg you to read and consider what I have already spoken upon this subject, in the First Part of the Farther Appeal, at the thirty-eighth and following pages [Works, viii. 76-111]; and then to let me know what kind of proof it is which you expect in a question of this nature, over and above that of Scripture, as interpreted by the writers of the earliest Christian Church. I have not studied the writings of the Quakers enough (having read few of them beside Robert Barclay [See letter of Feb. 10, 1748.]) to say precisely what they mean by perceptible inspiration, and whether their account of it be right or wrong. And I am not curious to know, since between me and them there is a great gulf fixed. The sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper keep us at a wide distance from each other; insomuch that, according to the view of things I have now, I should as soon commence Deist as Quaker. [‘Smith’ had said: ‘The son of a Wesley and an Annesley is in no danger of lukewarmness, but ought to take great care on the side of impetuosity and zeal. The tempter will never make you a saunterer or a sluggard, but, if you are not upon your guard, may possibly, before you are aware, make you a Quaker.’] I would just add that I regard even faith itself not as an end but a means only. The end of the commandment is love, of every command, of the whole Christian dispensation. Let this love be attained, by whatever means, and I am content; I desire no more. All is well, if we love the Lord our God with all our heart and our neighbor as ourselves.

I have often replied: (1) It were better for me to die than not to preach the gospel of Christ; yea, and in the fields, either where I may not preach in the church or where the church will not contain the congregation. (2) That I use the Service of the Church every Lord's Day, and it has never yet appeared to me that any rule of the Church forbids my using extemporary prayer on other occasions. But methinks I would go deeper. I would inquire, What is the end of all ecclesiastical order Is it not to bring souls from the power of Satan to God, and to build them up in His fear and love Order, then, is so far valuable as it answers these ends; and if it answers them not, it is nothing worth. Now, I would fain know, where has order answered these ends Not in any place where I have been; -- not among the tinners in Cornwall, the keelmen at Newcastle, the colliers in Kingswood or Staffordshire; not among the drunkards, swearers, Sabbath-breakers of Moorfields, or the harlots of Drury Lane. They could not be built up in the fear and love of God while they were open, barefaced servants of the devil; and such they continued, notwithstanding the most orderly preaching both in St. Luke’s and St. Giles’s Church. [See letter of March 25, 1747, sect. 12.] One reason whereof was, they never came near the church, nor had any desire or design so to do, till, by what you term ‘breach of order,’ they were brought to fear God, to love Him, and keep His commandments. It was not, therefore, so much the want of order as of the knowledge and love of God which kept those poor souls for so many years in open bondage to an hard master. And, indeed, wherever the knowledge and love of God are, true order will not be wanting. But the most apostolical order, where these are not, is less than nothing and vanity.

To Howell Harris Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1747) Author: John Wesley --- NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, March 3, 1747. MY DEAR BROTHER, -- I was glad to receive a letter from you, though sorry for some of the contents of it. I believed Brother Cownley would labor for peace and simply preach the gospel. I wrote pressingly to Brother Richards (who, I suppose, was at Plymouth since, in his return from Cornwall) to tread in the same steps. By degrees I trust these unkind affections will subside and brotherly love revive and increase. My brother said (this I know) ‘he had no more design to have a Society at Plymouth than a palace’; and he had not neither then nor when he desired John Trembath to call there. Nor, indeed, does he now concern himself therewith. The burthen lies upon me, and I am in a strait between two. I am much solicited to suffer those who press for it to be under my care. But what to do I know not. May God make plain my way before my face. From the day I saw him first, I never found the least shadow of double dealing in James Wheatley. I scarce know his fellow upon earth for simplicity and godly sincerity. His preaching in the street I cannot blame; but I should not have advised him to do it at that hour. I will take particular care that those who may hereafter call at Plymouth be of a mild and peaceable spirit. Those who are warm I will desire to go into Cornwall and return another way. I had fully determined to have gone or sent to Portsmouth; but on hearing Brother Jenkins had been there already, I gave up the design. Remember me, my dear brother, in all your prayers, who am Your affectionate brother and fellow laborer.

18. Your Lordship seems in some measure sensible of this, when you very gently condemn their opinion who think the Methodists ‘might better be disregarded and despised than taken notice of and opposed, if it were not for the disturbance they give to the parochial ministers, and their unwarrantable endeavors to seduce the people from their lawful pastors’ (Charge, p. 22). The same complaint with which your Lordship opened your Charge: ‘They give shameful disturbances to the parochial clergy; they annoy the Established ministry, using very unwarrantable methods, first to prejudice their people against them, and then to seduce their flocks from them’ (page 4). Whether we seduce them or no (which will be presently considered), I am sorry your Lordship should give any countenance to that low, senseless, and now generally exploded slander that we do it for a maintenance. This your Lordship insinuates by applying to us those words of Bishop Sanderson: [Robert Sanderson (1587-1663), Fellow of Lincoln College 1606; Regius Professor of Divinity, Oxford, 1642; Bishop of Lincoln 1660. Izaak Walton in his Lives calls him ‘This pattern of meekness and primitive innocence.’] ‘And all this to serve their own belly, to make a prey of the poor deluded proselytes; for by this means the people fall unto them, and thereout suck they no small advantage’ (page 15). Your Lordship cannot but know that my Fellowship and my brother's Studentship afford us more than sufficient for life and godliness, especially for that manner of life which we choose, whether out of ostentation or in sincerity. [Charles Wesley’s Studentship yielded 4 a year paid quarterly, and 16s. 8d. annually for ‘livery,’ i.e. clothes. Had he been resident he would have had free rooms and ‘commons,’ or diet. Both Fellowship and Studentship were terminable on marriage. For Wesley's income, see Works, vii. 36.]

To John Cennick Date: March 14, 1748. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1748) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--I have heard much since I came to Dublin of the affair of Skinner's Alley. I am unwilling to do anything which may appear contrary to brotherly love, and therefore, if you desire it and can procure Mr. Edwards' consent, I am willing to give up the house into your hands this day. I wish you much light and love of God; and am Your affectionate brother.

To John Toltschig Date: CORK STREET March 29, 1748. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1748) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--I don't think Mr. Cennick has used me well. He ought to have let me hear from him before he left the kingdom. It would have been only common civility, to say nothing of brotherly love. Since he has left all things undetermined (whether on purpose or no I leave to the Searcher of Hearts) my conscience is satisfied, and I think it would not be right to let the house lie empty any longer. I therefore design to preach there tomorrow. But whenever Mr. Cennick will indemnify me as to the bonds and covenants I am under, I will relinquish it to him at a month's warning.--I am Your affectionate brother.

To his Brother Charles Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1748) Author: John Wesley --- [10] DUBLIN, Saturday, April 16, 1748. DEAR BROTHER,--We returned hither last night. But I must (as you observe) make another journey into the country. Our Societies there already consist of 350 members. But they are most of them raw, undisciplined soldiers, and, without great care, will desert to their old master. The Conference must be in London this year, in order to the meeting of the Stewards from all the Societies. I hope to be there about Wednesday in Whitsun week. Skinner's Alley house is now, as it ever was, a millstone about my neck. I shall shake it off as soon as possible, and do as I would be done to. I can never get over 'We laid out so much money and have not had a penny returned.'[See letter of March 14.] T. Alsop is not equal to Reading, nor can John Jones ride long journeys.[John Jones was a medical man who became one of Wesley's trusted preachers. He was a master at Kingswood. See Journal, iii. 530; and letter of Sept. 3, 1756, to Nicholas Norton.] I am glad you are returned.

To William Horne Date: CORK STREET, April 22, 1748. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1748) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--Mr. Meriton designs to call upon Mr. Edwards to-morrow and try whether he will accept of you for tenants. If he will, I shall be free from all encumbrances, and you will have the house by a common lease. If he will not, it will not hinder me; but I will meet you, if you please, at Mr. Watts' at six on Monday morning.--I am Your affectionate brother.

23. If you proceed in this manner, with mildness and love, exceeding few will be offended. 'But you ought,' say some, 'to give up an indifferent thing, rather than give an offence to any. So St. Paul: "I will eat no flesh whilst the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend."' I reply: This is not an indifferent thing, if it affects the health either of myself or my brethren. Therefore that rule relating wholly to things indifferent is not applicable to this case. Would St. Paul have said, 'I will drink drams while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend' 'But tea is not so hurtful as drams.' I do not believe it is. But it is hurtful; and that is enough. The question does not turn on the degree of hurtfulness. 'However, it is but a small thing.' Nay, nothing is small if it touches conscience; much less is it a small thing to preserve my own or my brother's health, or to be a faithful steward even of the mammon of unrighteousness. O think it not a small thing whether only one for whom Christ died be fed or hungry, clothed or naked! To conclude the head of offence: You must at least allow that all this is no plea at all for your drinking tea at home. 'Yes, it is; for my husband or parents are offended if I do not drink it.' I answer: (1) Perhaps this in some rare cases may be a sufficient reason why a wife or a child should use this food--that is, with them, but nowhere else. But (2) Try, and not once or twice only, if you cannot overcome that offence by reason, softness, love, patience, longsuffering, joined with constant and fervent prayer. 24. Your next objection is, 'I cannot bear to give trouble; therefore I drink whatever others drink where I come, else there is so much hurry about insignificant me.'

To Mrs. Jones, of Fonmon Castle Date: LONDON, December 22, 1748. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1748) Author: John Wesley --- For the time to come, I purpose going from Bristol to Cork, if I can procure a convenient passage; and returning from Dublin to Holyhead, and so through North and South Wales. So that once a year (as long as my life is prolonged) I hope to have the pleasure of seeing you at Fonmon. When I leave London next (probably about a month hence), I am to spend some time at Kingswood, and then embark for Ireland. I am glad Mr. Meriton [Wesley's estimate of his ability is not flattering. See letter of March 28, 1749.] is of use. He should have told me whither he was going. We must always use openness toward each other. If I find any one using cunning or subtlety with me, I set a mark upon that man. There was no guile found in our Lord's mouth; nor can it be in the mouth of any true Christian. Shall not all our afflictions work together for good They must, if God is true. To His care I commit you; and am Your affectionate brother and servant.

5. One and another and another came to us, asking what they should do, being distressed on every side; as every one strove to weaken and none to strengthen their hands in God. We advised them: 'Strengthen you one another. Talk together as often as you can. And pray earnestly with and for one another, that you may " endure to the end and be saved."' Against this advice we presumed there could be no objection; as being grounded on the plainest reason, and on so many scriptures, both of the Old Testament and New, that it would be tedious to recite them. 6. They said, 'But we want you likewise to talk with us often, to direct and quicken us in our way, to give us the advices which you well know we need, and to pray with us as well as for us.' I asked, Which of you desire this Let me know your names and places of abode. They did so. But I soon found they were too many for me to talk with severally so often as they wanted it. So I told them, 'If you will all of you come together every Thursday in the evening, I will gladly spend some time with you in prayer and give you the best advice I can.' 7. Thus arose, without any previous design on either side, what was afterwards called a Society; a very innocent name, and very common in London, for any number of people associating themselves together. The thing proposed in their associating themselves together was obvious to every one. They wanted to 'flee from the wrath to come' and to assist each other in so doing. They therefore united themselves 'in order to pray together, to receive the word of exhortation, and to watch over one another in love, that they might help each other to work out their salvation.' 8. There is only one condition previously required in those who desire admission into this Society,--'a desire to flee from the wrath to come, to be saved from their sins.' *[ See the Rules of the United Societies (Works, viii. 269-71).] They now likewise agreed that as many of them as had an opportunity would meet together every Friday, and spend the dinner hour in crying to God, both for each other and for all mankind.

9. It quickly appeared that their thus uniting together answered the end proposed therein. In a few months the far greater part of those who had begun to 'fear God and work righteousness,' but were not united together, grew faint in their minds, and fell back into what they were before. Meanwhile the far greater part of those who were thus united together continued 'striving to enter in at the strait gate' and to 'lay hold on eternal life.' 10. Upon reflection, I could not but observe, This is the very thing which was from the beginning of Christianity. In the earliest times those whom God had sent forth 'preached the gospel to every creature.' And the oiJ ajkroataiv 'the body of hearers,' were mostly either Jews or heathens. But as soon as any of these were so convinced of the truth as to forsake sin and seek the gospel salvation, they immediately joined them together, took an account of their names, advised them to watch over each other, and met these kathcouvmenoi, 'catechumens' (as they were then called), apart from the great congregation, that they might instruct, rebuke, exhort, and pray with them and for them according to their several necessities. 11. But it was not long before an objection was made to this, which had not once entered into my thought: 'Is not this making a schism Is not the joining these people together gathering Churches out of Churches'

It was easily answered: If you mean only gathering people out of buildings called churches, it is. But if you mean dividing Christians from Christians, and so destroying Christian fellowship, it is not. For (1) These were not Christians before they were thus joined. Most of them were barefaced heathens. (2) Neither are they Christians from whom you suppose them to be divided. You will not look me in the face and say they are. What! drunken Christians! cursing and swearing Christians! lying Christians! cheating Christians! If these are Christians at all, they are devil Christians, as the poor Malabarians term them. (3) Neither are they divided any more than they were before, even from these wretched devil Christians. They are as ready as ever to assist them and to perform every office of real kindness towards them. (4) If it be said, 'But there are some true Christians in the parish, and you destroy the Christian fellowship between these and them,' I answer: That which never existed cannot be destroyed. But the fellowship you speak of never existed. Therefore it cannot be destroyed. Which of those true Christians had any such fellowship with these Who watched over them in love Who marked their growth in grace Who advised and exhorted them from time to time Who prayed with them and for them as they had need This, and this alone, is Christian fellowship; but, alas! where is it to be found Look east or west, north or south; name what parish you please: is this Christian fellowship there Rather, are not the bulk of the parishioners a mere rope of sand What Christian connexion is there between them What intercourse in spiritual things What watching over each other's souls What bearing of one another's burthens What a mere jest is it, then, to talk so gravely of destroying what never was! The real truth is just the reverse of this: we introduce Christian fellowship where it was utterly destroyed. And the fruits of it have been peace, joy, love, and zeal for every good word and work.

5. It is the business of a Leader (1) To see each person in his class, once a week at the least, in order to inquire how their souls prosper; to advise, reprove, comfort, or exhort, as occasion may require; to receive what they are willing to give toward the relief of the poor. (2) To meet the Minister and the Stewards of the Society, in order to inform the Minister of any that are sick, or of any that are disorderly and will not be reproved; to pay to the Stewards what they have received of their several classes in the week preceding. 6. At first they visited each person at his own house; but this was soon found not so expedient. And that on many accounts: (1) It took up more time than most of the Leaders had to spare. (2) Many persons lived with masters, mistresses, or relations, who would not suffer them to be thus visited. (3) At the houses of those who were not so averse, they often had no opportunity of speaking to them but in company. And this did not at all answer the end proposed, of exhorting, comforting, or reproving. (4) It frequently happened that one affirmed what another denied. And this could not be cleared up without seeing them together. (5) Little misunderstandings and quarrels of various kinds frequently arose among relations or neighbours; effectually to remove which, it was needful to see them all face to face. Upon all these considerations it was agreed that those of each class should meet all together. And by this means a more full inquiry was made into the behaviour of every person. Those who could not be visited at home or no otherwise than in company had the same advantage with others. Advice or reproof was given as need required, quarrels made up, misunderstandings removed; and after an hour or two spent in this labour of love, they concluded with prayer and thanksgiving.

7. It can scarce be conceived what advantages have been reaped from this little prudential regulation. Many now happily experienced that Christian fellowship of which they had not so much as an idea before. They began to 'bear one another's burthens,' and naturally to 'care for each other.' As they had daily a more intimate acquaintance with, so they had a more endeared affection for, each other. And 'speaking the truth in love, they grew up into Him in all things, who is the Head, even Christ; from whom the whole body, fitly joined together, and compacted by that which every joint supplied, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, increased unto the edifying itself in love.' 8. But, notwithstanding all these advantages, many were at first extremely averse to meeting thus. Some, viewing it in a wrong point of light, not as a privilege (indeed an invaluable one) but rather a restraint, disliked it on that account, because they did not love to be restrained in anything. Some were ashamed to speak before company. Others honestly said, 'I do not know why, but I do not like it.' 9. Some objected: 'There were no such meetings when I came into the Society first; and why should there now I do not understand these things, and this changing one thing after another continually.' It was easily answered: It is a pity but they had been at first. But we knew not then either the need or the benefit of them. Why we use them, you will readily understand, if you read over the Rules of the Society. That with regard to these little prudential helps we are continually changing one thing after another is not a weakness or fault, as you imagine, but a peculiar advantage which we enjoy. By this means we declare them all to be merely prudential, not essential, not of divine institution. We prevent, so far as in us lies, their growing formal or dead. We are always open to instruction; willing to be wiser every day than we were before, and to change whatever we can change for the better.

X. 1. But long before this I felt the weight of a far different care--namely, care of temporal things. The quarterly subscriptions amounted, at a mean computation, to above three hundred pounds a year. This was to be laid out, partly in repairs, partly in other necessary expenses, and partly in paying debts. The weekly contributions fell little short of eight pounds a week; which was to be distributed as every one had need. And I was expected to take thought for all these things: but it was a burthen I was not able to bear; so I chose out first one, then four, and after a time seven, as prudent men as I knew, and desired them to take charge of these things upon themselves, that I might have no encumbrance of this kind. 2. The business of these Stewards is,--To manage the temporal things of the Society. To receive the subscriptions and contributions. To expend what is needful from time to time. To send relief to the poor. To keep an exact account of all receipts and expenses. --To inform the Minister if any of the rules of the Society are not punctually observed. To tell the preachers in love if they think anything amiss either in their doctrine or life. 3. The rules of the Stewards are,--(1) Be frugal. Save everything that can be saved honestly. (2) Spend no more than you receive. Contract no debts. (3) Have no long accounts. Pay everything within the week. (4) Give none that asks relief either an ill word or an ill look. Do not hurt them, if you cannot help. (5) Expect no thanks from man.

2. In this (commonly called the Poorhouse) we have now nine widows, one blind woman, two poor children, two upper servants, a maid and a man. I might add, four or five preachers; for I myself, as well as the other preachers who are in town, diet with the poor on the same food and at the same table; and we rejoice herein, as a comfortable earnest of our eating bread together in our Father's kingdom. 3. I have blessed God for this house ever since it began; but lately much more than ever. I honour these widows; for they 'are widows indeed.' So that it is not in vain that, without any design of so doing, we have copied after another of the institutions of the apostolic age. I can now say to all the world, 'Come and see how these Christians love one another!' *[This has been since dropped for want of support.] XIV. 1. Another thing which had given me frequent concern was the case of abundance of children. Some their parents could not afford to put to school; so they remained like 'a wild ass's colt.' Others were sent to school, and learned at least to read and write; but they reamed all kind of vice at the same time: so that it had been better for them to have been without their knowledge than to have bought it at so dear a price. 2. At length I determined to have them taught in my own house, that they might have an opportunity of learning to read, write, and cast accounts (if no more), without being under almost a necessity of learning heathenism at the same time: and after several unsuccessful trials, I found two such Schoolmasters as I wanted; men of honesty and of sufficient knowledge, who had talents for and their hearts in the work.

5. But, for fear any--considering how 'frank and open' your nature is, and how 'warmly disposed to speak what you take to be true' (page 7)--should fancy you meant what you said in this declaration, you take care to inform them soon after: 'The whole which the wit of man can possibly discover, either of the ways or will of the Creator, must be acquired by attending seriously'--to what to the Jewish or Christian revelation No; but 'to that revelation which He made of Himself from the beginning in the beautiful fabric of this visible world.' (Page 22.) 6. I believe your opponents will not hereafter urge you either with that passage from St. Mark or any other from Scripture--at least I will not, unless I forget myself; as I observe you have done just now. For you said but now, 'Before we proceed to examine testimonies for the decision of this dispute, our first care should be to inform ourselves of the nature of those miraculous powers which are the subject of it as they are represented to us in the history of the Gospel' (page 10). Very true; 'this should be our first care.' I was therefore all attention to hear your account of 'the nature of those powers as they are represented to us in the Gospel,' But, alas! you say not a word more about it; but slip away to those 'zealous champions who have attempted' (bold men as they are) 'to refute the Introductory Discourse' (page 11). Perhaps you will say, 'Yes, I repeat that text from St. Mark.' You do; yet not describing the nature of those powers, but only to open the way to 'one of your antagonists' (page 12); of whom you yourself affirm that 'not one of them seems to have spent a thought in considering those powers as they are set forth in the New Testament' (page 11). Consequently the bare repeating that text does not prove you (any more than them) to have 'spent one thought upon the subject.'

I was not aware that you had begun 'to throw together all which the Fathers have delivered concerning the persons said to have been endued with those extraordinary gifts.' And it seems you have made an end of it! And accordingly you proceed to sum up the evidence, to 'observe, upon the whole, from these characters of the primitive wonder-workers, as given both by friends and enemies, we may fairly conclude that the gifts of those ages were generally engrossed by private Christians who travelled about from city to city to assist the ordinary preachers in the conversion of Pagans by the extraordinary miracles they pretended to perform' (page 24). 8. 'Characters given both by friends and enemies' I Pray, sir, what friends have you cited for this character or what enemies, except only Celsus the Jew (And you are a miserable interpreter for him.) So, from the single testimony of such a witness, you lay it down as an oracular truth that all the miracle-workers of the first three ages were 'mere vagabonds and common cheats,' rambling about from city to city to assist in converting heathens by tricks and imposture! And this you ingeniously call 'throwing together all which the Fathers have delivered concerning them'!

2. Of this you seem not insensible already, and therefore fly away to your favourite supposition that 'they were not cured at all, that the whole matter was a cheat from the beginning to the end.' But by what arguments do you evince this The first is, 'The heathens pretended to do the same'; nay, and 'managed the imposture with so much art, that the Christians could neither deny nor detect it, but insisted always that it was performed by demons or evil spirits' (ibid.). But still the heathens maintained, 'the cures were wrought by their gods--by Aesculapius in particular.' And where is the difference seeing, as was observed before, 'the gods of the heathens were but devils.' 3. But you say, 'Although public monuments were erected in proof and memory of these cures at the time when they were performed, yet it is certain all those heathen miracles were pure forgeries' (page 79). How is it certain If you can swallow this without good proof, you are far more credulous than I. I cannot believe that the whole body of the heathens for so many generations were utterly destitute of common sense any more than of common honesty. Why should you fix such a charge on whole cities and countries You could have done no more, if they had been Christians!

5. Above all, remembering that God is love, he is conformed to the same likeness. He is gull of love to his neighbour, of universal love, not confined to one sect or party, not restrained to those who agree with him in opinions or in outward modes of worship, or to those who are allied to him by blood or recommended by nearness of place. Neither does he love those only that love him or that are endeared to him by intimacy of acquaintance. But his love resembles that of Him whose mercy is over all His works. It soars above all these scanty bounds, embracing neighbours and strangers, friends and enemies--yea, not only the good and gentle, but also the froward, the evil, and unthankful. For he loves every soul that God has made; every child of man, of whatever place or nation. And yet this universal benevolence does in no wise interfere with a peculiar regard for his relations, friends, and benefactors, a fervent love for his country, and the most endeared affection to all men of integrity, of clear and generous virtue. 6. His love, as to these, so to all mankind, is in itself generous and disinterested; springing from no view of advantage to himself, from no regard to profit or praise--no, nor even the pleasure of loving. This is the daughter, not the parent, of his affection. By experience he knows that social love, if it mean the love of our neighbour, is absolutely different from self-love, even of the most allowable kind--just as different as the objects at which they point. And yet it is sure that, if they are under due regulations, each will give additional force to the other till they mix together never to be divided.

7. And this universal, disinterested love is productive of all right affections. It is fruitful of gentleness, tenderness, sweetness, of humanity, courtesy, and affability. It makes a Christian rejoice in the virtues of all, and bear a part in their happiness, at the same time that he sympathizes with their pains and compassionates their infirmities. It creates modesty, condescension, prudence, together with calmness and evenness of temper. It is the parent of generosity, openness, and frankness, void of jealousy and suspicion. It begets candour, and willingness to believe and hope whatever is kind and friendly of every man, and invincible patience, never overcome of evil, but overcoming evil with good. 8. The same love constrains him to converse, not only with a strict regard to truth, but with artless sincerity and genuine simplicity, as one in whom there is no guile. And, not content with abstaining from all such expressions as are contrary to justice or truth, he endeavours to refrain from every unloving word, either to a present or of an absent person; in all his conversation aiming at this, either to improve himself in knowledge or virtue, or to make those with whom he converses some way wiser or better or happier than they were before. 9. The same love is productive of all right actions. It leads him into an earnest and steady discharge of all social offices, of whatever is due to relations of every kind--to his friends, to his country, and to any particular community whereof he is a member. It prevents his willingly hurting or grieving any man. It guides him into an uniform practice of justice and mercy, equally extensive with the principle whence it flows. It constrains him to do all possible good of every possible kind to all men; and makes him invariably resolved in every circumstance of life to do that, and that only, to others which, supposing he were himself in the same situation, he would desire they should do to him.

And I apprehend this would be no loss at all, but rather an advantage to the Christian cause; nay, perhaps it would be the speediest, yea the only effectual, way of bringing all reasonable Deists to be Christians. 7. May I be permitted to speak freely May I without offence ask of you that are called Christians, What real loss would you sustain in giving up your present opinion that the Christian system is of God Though you bear the name, you are not Christians: you have neither Christian faith nor love. You have no divine evidence of things unseen; you have not entered into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. You do not love God with all your heart; neither do you love your neighbour as yourself. You are neither happy nor holy. You have not learned in every state therewith to be content; to rejoice evermore, even in want, pain, death; and in everything to give thanks. You are not holy in heart; superior to pride, to anger, to foolish desires. Neither are you holy in life; you do not walk as Christ also walked. Does not the main of your Christianity lie in your opinion, decked with a few outward observances For as to morality, even honest, heathen morality (O let me utter a melancholy truth!), many of those whom you style Deists, there is reason to fear, have far more of it than you. 8. Go on, gentlemen, and prosper. Shame these nominal Christians out of that poor superstition which they call Christianity. Reason, rally, laugh them out of their dead, empty forms, void of spirit! of faith, of love. Convince them that such mean pageantry (for such it manifestly is, if there is nothing in the heart correspondent with the outward show) is absolutely unworthy, you need not say of God, but even of any man that is endued with common understanding. Show them that, while they are endeavouring to please God thus, they are only beating the air. Know your time; press on; push your victories, till you have conquered all that know not God. And then He, whom neither they nor you know now, shall rise and gird Himself with strength, and go forth in His almighty love, and sweetly conquer you all together.

To John Bennet Date: LONDON January 23, 1750. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1750) Author: John Wesley --- There ties before me a transcript from a letter of yours sent lately to John Haughton in Ireland. Some of the words are: ‘I was married to Grace Murray on Tuesday by the advice of Mr. C. Wesley and G. Whitefield. But when Mr. Wesley came to hear it and saw us, he was so enraged as if he had been mad, for he himself was inflamed with love and lust unto her.’ I saw you first at William Shents. [In Leeds on Oct. 6, 1749, three days after the marriage, when he kissed him and uttered no word of reproach. See letter of Nov. 3, 1749.] Was I then so enraged as if I had been mad Or was it when I saw her and you together in the chamber at Mr. Towers [See Journal, iii. 330.] How came you to know that I ‘was inflamed with lust’ Did your wife tell you so If she did not, you would not have so roundly affirmed it. If she did, she has made me a fair return. If you only, after having robbed me, had stabbed me to the heart, I might have perhaps endeavored to defend myself But I can now only cover my face and say, ‘Art thou also among them Art thou! my daughter!’

11. You cite as a fourth instance of my enthusiasm that I say, ‘A Methodist (a real Christian) cannot adorn himself on any pretence with gold or costly apparel’ (page 21). If this be enthusiasm, let the Apostle look to it. His words are clear and express. If you can find a pretence to set them aside, do. I cannot; nor do I desire it. 11. My ' seeming contempt of money' (page 26) you urge as a fifth instance of enthusiasm. Sir, I understand you. You was obliged to call it seeming, lest you should yourself confute the allegation brought in your title-page. But if it be only seeming, whatever it prove besides, it cannot prove that I am an enthusiast. 12. Hitherto you have succeeded extremely ill. You have brought five accusations against me, and have not been able to make one good. However, you are resolved to throw dirt enough that some may stick. So you are next to prove upon me ‘a restless impatience and insatiable thirst of traveling and undertaking dangerous voyages for the conversion of infidels; together with a declared contempt of all dangers, pains, and sufferings; and the designing, loving, and praying for ill usage, persecution, martyrdom, death, and hell’ (page 27). In order to prove this uncommon charge, you produce four scraps of sentences (page 31), which you mark as my words, though, as they stand in your book, they are neither sense nor grammar. But you do not refer to the page or even the treatise where any one of them may be found. Sir, it is well you hide your name, or you would be obliged to hide your face from every man of candor or even common humanity. 13. ‘Sometimes indeed,’ you say, ‘Mr. Wesley complains of the scoffs both of the great vulgar and the small’ (page 32); to prove which you disjoint and murder (as your manner is) another of my sentences. ‘But at other times the note is changed, and “till he is despised no man is in a state of salvation.”’ ‘The note is changed’! How so When did I say otherwise than I do at this day -- namely, ‘that none are children of God but those who are hated or despised by the children of the devil’

But ‘Mr. Wesley says, “A poor old man decided the question of disinterested love. He said, I do not care what place I am in: let God put me where He will or do, with me what He will, so I may set forth His honor and glory.”’ (Page 35.) He did so. And what then Do these words imply ‘an ardent desire of going to hell’ I do not suppose the going to hell ever entered into his thoughts. Nor has it any place in my notion of disinterested love. How you may understand that term I know not. But you will prove I have this desire, whether I will or no. You are sure this was my ‘original meaning (page 36), in the words cited by Mr. Church [See letter of June 17, 1746, sect. II. 8.] -- Doom, if Thou canst, to endless pain, Or drive me from Thy face. ‘God’s power or justice,’ you say, ‘must be intended; because he speaks of God's love in the very next lines -- But if Thy stronger love constrains, Let me be saved by grace.’ Sir, I will tell you a secret. Those lines are not mine. However, I will once more venture to defend them, and to aver that your consequence is good for nothing: ‘If this love is spoken of in the latter lines, then it is not in the former.’ No! Why not I take it to be spoken of in both; the plain meaning of which is, ‘If Thou art not love, I am content to perish. But if Thou art, let me find the effects thereof; let me be saved by grace.’ 16. You next accuse me of maintaining a stoical insensibility. This objection also you borrow from Mr. Church. You ought likewise to have taken notice that I had answered it and openly disowned that doctrine: I mean, according to the rules of common justice. But that is not your failing.

Accordingly twenty-eight depositions were taken (from the foul copies of some of which the preceding account is mostly transcribed), and laid before the Grand Jury, August 19. But they did not find any one of these bills. Instead of this, they made that memorable presentment which is worthy to be preserved in the annals of Ireland to all succeeding generations: ‘We find and present Charles Wesley to be a person of ill fame, a vagabond, and a common disturber of His Majesty's peace; and we pray he may be transported. ‘We find and present James Williams, &c, ‘We find and present Robert Swindle, &c. ‘We find and present Jonathan Reeves, &c. ‘We find and present James Wheatly, &c. ‘We find and present John Larwood, &c. ‘We find and present Joseph M'Auliff, &c. ‘We find and present Charles Skelton, &c. ‘We find and present William Tooker, &c. ‘We find and present Daniel Sullivan, &c.’ 12. Mr. Butler and his mob were now in higher spirits than ever. They scoured the streets day and night, frequently hallooing as they went along, ‘Five pounds for a Swaddler's [A name first given to John Cennick, from his preaching on those words, ‘Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling-clothes, lying in a manger.’ See Journal, iii. 472; C. Wesley's Journal, i. 457; and letter of July 3, 1756.] head!’ their chief declaring to them all he had full liberty now to do whatever he would, even to murder, if he pleased; as Mr. Swain, of North Abbey, and others are ready to testify. 13. The Sessions, held at Cork on the 5th of October following, produced another memorable presentment: ‘We find and present John Horton to be a person of ill fame, a vagabond, and a common disturber of His Majesty's peace; and we pray that he may be transported.’ But, complaint being made of this above as wholly illegal, it vanished into air.

5. Again: will not some say, ‘Master, by thus acting, thou reproachest us’ by preaching sixteen or eighteen times a week, and by a thousand other things of the same kind Is not this in effect reproaching us, as if we were lazy and indolent as if we had not a sufficient love to the souls of those committed to our charge 6. May there not likewise be some (perhaps unobserved) envy in the breast even of men that fear God How much more in them that do not, when they hear of the great success of these preachers, of the esteem and honor that are paid to them by the people, and the immense riches which they acquire! What wonder if this occasions a zeal which is not the flame of fervent love 7. Add to this a desire in some of the inferior clergy of pleasing their superiors; supposing these (which is no impossible supposition) are first influenced by any of these motives. Add the imprudence of some that hear those preachers, and perhaps needlessly provoke their parochial ministers. And when all these things are considered, none need be at a loss for the motives on which many of the clergy have opposed us. 8. But from what motives can any of the Corporation oppose us I must beg the gentlemen of this body to observe that I dare by no means lump them all together, as their awkward defender has done. But this I may say without offence, there are some even among you who are not so remarkably loyal as others, not so eminently well-affected to the present Government. Now, these cannot but observe (gentlemen, I speak plain, for I am to deliver my own soul in the sight of God) that, wherever we preach, many who were his enemies before became zealous friends to His Majesty. The instances glare both in England and Ireland. Those, therefore, who are not so zealously his friends have a strong motive to oppose us; though it cannot be expected they should own this to be the motive on which they act.

15. Ought these things so to be Are they right before God or man Are they to the honor of our nation I appeal unto Caesar -- unto His gracious Majesty King George, and to the Governors under him, both in England and Ireland. I appeal to all true, disinterested lovers of this their native country. Is this the way to make it a flourishing nation happy at home, amiable and honorable abroad Men of Ireland, judge! Nay, and is there not some weight in that additional consideration--that this is not a concern of a private nature Rather, is it not a common cause If the dams are once broken down, if you tamely give up the fundamental laws of your country, if these are openly violated in the case of your fellow subjects, how soon may the case be your own! For what protection then have any of you left for either your liberty or property what security for either your goods or lives, if a riotous mob is to be both judge, jury, and executioner 16. Protestants! What is become of that liberty of conscience for which your forefathers spent their blood Is it not an empty shadow, a mere, unmeaning name, if these things are suffered among you Romans, such of you as are calm and candid men, do you approve of these proceedings I cannot think you yourselves would use such methods of convincing us, if we think amiss. Christians of all denominations, can you reconcile this to our royal law, ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself’ O tell it not in Gath! Let it not be named among those who are enemies to the Christian cause, lest that worthy name whereby we are called be still more blasphemed among the heathen!

6. Your Lordship cannot but discern how the whole tenor of his hook tends to destroy the Holy Scriptures, to render them vile in the eyes of the people, to make them stink in the nostrils of infidels. For instance: after reading his labored ridicule of the sorrow and fear which usually attend the first repentance (called by St. Chrysostom as well as a thousand other writers ‘the pangs or throes of the new birth’), what can an infidel think of those and the like expressions in Scripture’ I have roared for the very disquietness of my heart; fearfulness and trembling are come upon me and an horrible dread hath overwhelmed me’ After his flood of satire on all kind of conflicts with Satan, what judgment can a Deist form of what St. Paul speaks concerning the various wrestlings of a Christian with the wicked one Above all, how will his bringing the lewd heathen poets to expose the pure and spiritual love of God naturally cause them to look with the same eyes on the most elevated passages of the inspired writings! What can be more diverting to them than to apply his p ’t ‘bitter-sweet of love,’ to many expressions in the Canticles (On which undoubtedly he supposes the fair Circassian to be a very just paraphrase!) ‘Aye,’ say they, ‘the very case: “Stay me with apples; for I am sick of love.”’ 7. Probably the comparer will reply: ‘No; I do not ridicule the things themselves --repentance, the new birth, the fight of faith, or the love of God; all which I know are essential to religion, -- but only the folly and the enthusiasm which are blended with these by the Methodists.’ But how poor a pretence is this! Had this ready been the case how carefully would he have drawn the line under each of these heads -- between the sober religion of a Christian and the enthusiasm of a Methodist! But has he done this Does he take particular care to show under each what is true as well as what is fake religion where the former ends and the latter begins what are the proper boundaries of each Your Lordship knows he does not so much as endeavor it or take any pains about it, but indiscriminately pours the flood out of his unclean mouth upon all repentance, faith, love and holiness.

15. The comparer, doubtless, would answer: ‘Yes; for it would prevent the horrid consequences of your preaching.’ My Lord, give me leave to say once more, I willingly put the whole cause upon this issue. What are the general consequences of our preaching Are there more tares or wheat more good men destroyed (as Mr. Church once supposed) or wicked men saved The last places in your Lordship's diocese where we began constant preaching are near Liskeard in Cornwall and at Tiverton in Devonshire. Now, let any man inquire here (1) what kind of people were those a year ago who now constantly hear this preaching (2) what are the main doctrines the Methodists have been teaching this twelvemonth (3) what effect have these doctrines had upon their hearers And if you do not find (1) that the greater part of these were a year or two ago notoriously wicked men; (2) yet the main doctrines they have heard since were, ‘Love God and your neighbor, and carefully keep His commandments'; and (3) that they have since exercised themselves herein and continue so to do; -- I say, if any reasonable man, who will be at the pains to inquire, does not find this to be an unquestionable fact, I will openly acknowledge myself an enthusiast or whatever rise he shah please to style me.

2. I do not admire their dose, dark, reserved behavior, particularly toward strangers. The spirit of secrecy is the spirit of their community, often leading even into guile and dissimulation. One may observe in them much cunning, much art, much evasion and disguise. They often appear to be what they are not, and not to be what they are. They so study to become all things to all men, as to take the color and shape of any that are near them directly contrary to that openness, frankness, and plainness of speech so manifest in the Apostles and primitive Christians. 3. I do not admire their confining their beneficence to the narrow bounds of their own Society. This seems the more liable to exception as they boast of possessing so immense riches. In his late book the Count particularly mentions how many hundred thousand florins a single member of their Church has lately expended and how many hundred thousand crowns of yearly rent the nobility and gentry only of his Society enjoy in one single country. Meantime do they, all put together, expend one hundred thousand, yea, one thousand or one hundred, in feeding the hungry or clothing the naked of any sorry but their own 4. I do not admire the manner wherein they treat their opponents. I cannot reconcile it either to love, humility or sincerity. Is utter contempt or settled disdain consistent with love or humility And can it consist with sincerity to deny any charge which they know in their conscience is true to say those quotations are unjust which are literally copied from their own books to affirm their doctrines am mis-represented when their own sense is given in their own words to cry, ‘Poor man! He is quite dark; he is utterly blind; he knows nothing of our doctrines!’ though they cannot point out one mistake this blind man has made or confute one assertion he has advanced Fourthly. I least of all admire the effects their doctrine has had on some who have lately begun to hear them. For -

To his Wife Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1751) Author: John Wesley --- [Leeds, May 15 1751] MY DEAR MOLLY, -- Love is talkative. Theref[ore I can't wait] any longer. For it is two w[eeks since] the former part of my last [letter] for you but [one]. And I found [such] nearness to you, that I could [not wait]. I hope, my Dear Love, that [you go] in the morning, and that you will dispatch all the [business] that nothing may hinder. [But] if God sees it will be [not so, may we] both say, Not as I will. . . . I suppose you kn[ow] . . . Dearest Love, adieu. Pray enclose Brother Armitage’s [letter]. Frank, and send it immediate[ly].

‘He represents them,’ you say, ‘in the blackest colors; yet declares in the main they are some of the best people in the world. His love and esteem for them increases more and more. His own disciples among the Methodists go over to them in crowds. But still Methodism is the strongest barrier against the Moravian doctrines and principles.’ Sir, I bear you witness you have learned one principle at least from those with whom you have lately conversed -- namely, that no faith is to be kept with heretics; of which you have given us abundant proof. For you know I have fully answered every article of this charge, which you repeat as if I had not opened my lips about it. You know that there is not one grain of truth in several things which you here positively assert. For instance: ‘His love and esteem of them increases more and more.’ Not so; no more than my love and esteem for you. I love you both; but I do not much esteem either. Again: ‘His own disciples among the Methodists go over to them in crowds.’ When Where I know not that ten of my disciples, as you call them, have gone over to them for twice ten months. O sir, consider! How do you know but some of your disciples may tell your name 17. With the same veracity you go on: ‘In the Character of a Methodist those of the sect are described as having all the virtues that can adorn the Christian profession. But in their Journals you find them waspish, condemning all the world except themselves; and among themselves perpetual broils and confusions, with various other irregularities and vices.’ I answer: (1) The tract you refer to (as is expressly declared in the Preface) does not describe what the Methodists are already; but what they desire to be, and what they will be then when they fully practice the doctrine they hear. (2) Be pleased to point the pages in my Journals which mention those ‘various irregularities and vices.’ Of their ‘perpetual broils and confusions’ I shall speak under their proper head.

24. The second passage (written January 24, 1738) is this: ‘In a storm I think, What if the gospel be not true Then thou art of all men most foolish. For what hast thou given thy goods, thy ease, thy friends, thy reputation, thy country, thy life For what art thou wandering over the face of the earth -- A dream, a cunningly-devised fable.’ (i. 418.) I am here describing the thoughts which passed through my mind when I was confessedly an unbeliever. But even this implies no skepticism, much less Atheism, no ‘denial of the truth of Revelation,’ but barely such transient doubts as, I presume, may assault any thinking man that knows not God. The third passage (which you tack to the former as if they were one and the same) runs thus: ‘I have not such a peace as excludes the possibility either of doubt or fear. When holy men have told me I had no faith, I have often doubted whether I had or no. And those doubts have made me very uneasy, till I was relieved by prayer and the Holy Scriptures.’ (if. 91.) Speak frankly, sir: does this prove me guilty of skepticism, infidelity, or Atheism What else does it prove Just nothing at all, but the ‘pertinacious confidence’ of him that cites it. 25. You recite more at large one passage more. The whole paragraph stands thus: ‘St. Paul tells us the “fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, meekness, temperance.” Now, although by the grace of God in Christ I find a measure of some of these in myself--namely, of peace, longsuffering, gentleness, meekness, temperance; yet others I find not. I cannot find in myself the love of God or of Christ. Hence my deadness and wanderings in public prayer. Hence it is that even in the Holy Communion I have rarely any more than a cold attention. Hence, when I hear of the highest instance of God's love, my heart is still senseless and unaffected. Yea, at this moment (October 14, 1738) I feel no more love to Him than one I had never heard of.’ [See letters of Nov. 22, 1758 (to Isaac Lelong), and June 27, 1766.] (ii. 91.)

You quote, fifthly, these words: ‘I spent an hour with Stonehouse. Oh what paa, “persuasiveness of speech,” is here! Surely all the deceivableness of unrighteousness.’ (Journal. ii. 394.) But there was no fierceness or rancor on either side. The passage, a fragment of which you produce as a sixth argument, stands thus: ‘A few of us had a long conference together. Mr. Cennick now told me plainly he could not agree with me, because I did not preach the truth, particularly with regard to Election.’ He did so; but without any rancor. We had a long conference; but not a fierce one. (ii. 408-9.) You, seventhly, observe, ‘What scurrility of language the Moravians throw out against Mr. Wesley!’ Perhaps so. But this will not prove that ‘the Methodists quarrel with each other.’ ‘And how does he turn their own artillery upon them!’ This is your eighth argument. But if I do, this no more proves the ‘mutual quarrels of the Methodists’ than my turning your own artillery upon you. 33. Having, by these eight irrefragable arguments, dearly carried the day, you raise your crest, and cry out, ‘Is this Methodism And reign such mortal feuds in heavenly minds’ Truly, sir, you have not yet brought one single proof (and yet I dare say you have brought the very best you have) of any such feuds among the Methodists as may not be found among the most heavenly-minded men on earth. But you are resolved to pursue your victory, and so go on: ‘What are we to think of these charges of Whitefield and Wesley and the Moravians one against another’ The Moravians, sir, are out of the question; for they are no Methodists: and as to the rest, Mr. Whitefield charges Mr. Wesley withholding Universal Redemption, and I charge him with holding Particular Redemption. This is the standing charge on either side. And now, sir, ‘what are we to think’ Why, that you have not proved one point of this charge against the Methodists. However, you stumble on: ‘Are these things so Are they true, or are they not true If not true, they are grievous calumniators; if true, they are detestable sectarists. Whether true or false, the allegation stands good of their fierce and rancorous quarrels and mutual heinous accusations.’

Sir, has your passion quite extinguished your reason Have fierceness and rancor left you no understanding Otherwise, how is it possible you should run on at this senseless, shameless rate These things are true which Mr. Whitefield and Wesley object to each other. He holds the decrees; I do not: yet this does not prove us ‘detestable sectarists.’ And whether these things are true or false, your allegation of our ‘fierce and rancorous quarrels and mutual heinous accusations’ cannot stand good without better proof than you have yet produced. 34. Yet, with the utmost confidence, quasi re bene gesta, [‘As though you had accomplished some mighty affair.’] you proceed: ‘And how stands the matter among their disciples They are altogether by the ears, embroiled and broken with unchristian quarrels and confusions.’ How do you prove this Why thus: ‘Mr. Wesley's Fourth Journal is mostly taken up in enumerating their wrath, dissensions, and apostasies.’ No, sir, not a tenth part of it; although it gives a full and explicit account of the greatest dissensions which ever were among them. But to come to particulars, You first cite these words: ‘At Oxford, but a few who had not forsaken them.’ My words are: ‘Monday, October 1, 1739. I rode to Oxford; and found a few who had not yet forsaken the assembling themselves together.’ This is your first proof that ‘the Methodists are all together by the ears.’ Your second is its very twin brother: ‘Tuesday, 2. I went to many who once heard the word with joy; but “when the sun arose, they withered away.” ‘ (ii. 283-4.) Your third is this: ‘Many were induced (by the Moravians) to deny the gift of God, and affirm they never had any faith at all’ (ii. 315). You are at liberty to enjoy this argument also; and let it prove what it can prove. You, fourthly, cite these words: ‘Many of our sisters are shaken, grievously torn by reasonings. But few come to Fetter Lane, and then after their names are called over they presently depart. Our brethren here (those who were proselytes to the Moravians) have neither wisdom enough to guide nor prudence enough to let it alone. They (the Moravians) have much confounded some of our sisters, and many of our brothers are much grieved.’ (ii. 326-7.)

This proves thus much, that one Society was at that time divided; but not that the Methodists in general were even then ‘altogether by the ears.’ The passage you quote, in the fifth place, is: ‘I believe . . . are determined to go on according to Mr. Molther's direction, and I suppose (says the writer of the letter) above half our brethren are on their side. But they are so very confused, they do not know how to go on; and yet are unwilling to be taught, except by the Moravians.' (if. 327.) Add to this (I recite the whole passages in order; not as you had mangled, and then jumbled them together): ‘Wednesday, December 19. I came to London, though with an heavy heart. Here I found every day the dreadful effects of our brethren’s reasoning and disputing with each other. Scarce one in ten retained his first love; and most of the rest were in the utmost confusion ‘(they were so more or less for several months),’ biting and devouring one another.’ (ii. 328.) This also proves so much, neither more nor less, that some of the Methodists were then in confusion. And just so much is proved by your sixth quotation: ‘Many were wholly unsettled’ (by the Moravians taking advantage of my absence) ‘and lost in vain reasonings and doubtful disputations; . . . not likely to come to any true foundation.’ (ii. 331.) Your seventh quotation (I recite the whole sentence) runs thus: ‘April 19. I received a letter iforming me that our poor brethren at Fetter Lane were again in great confusion.’ This quotation proves just as much as the preceding, or as the following: ‘The plague’ (of false stillness) ‘was now spread to them also’ --namely, to the ‘little Society at Islington.’ (ii. 345.) Your ninth is this: ‘I went to the Society; but I found their hearts were quite estranged. Friday, 4. I met a little handful of them who still stand in the old paths.’ (ii. 363.)

Thus far you have been speaking of the Methodists in London. And what have you proved concerning them Only that the Moravians, mixing with them twelve years ago, while they were young and unexperienced, set them a-disputing with each other, and thereby occasioned much confusion for several months. But you have not proved that the Methodists in general were even then ‘all together by the ears,’ and much less that they have been so ever since and that they are so now. 35. I now attend you to Kingswood. Not to ‘Bristol and Kingswood,’ which you artfully join together. The Society at Bristol was no more concerned with the disputes in Kingswood than with those in London. Here the first quotation, though containing but two lines, is extracted from three different paragraphs; in one of which I say: ‘I had many unpleasing accounts (in December 1740) concerning our little Society in Kingswood.’ In the second: ‘I went to Kingswood, if haply I might repair the breaches which had been made’ by the Predestinarian preachers. In the third: ‘I laboured to heal the jealousies and misunderstandings which had arisen.’ (ii. 406-7.) The second passage, part of which you quote, is this: ‘I returned early in the morning to Kingswood; but my congregation was gone to hear Mr. Cermick, so that I had not above two or three men and as many women’ (ii. 410). The third is: ‘January 1. I explained, “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.” But many of our brethren had no ears to hear, having disputed away both their faith and love.’ (ii. 412.) The fourth: ‘February 21. I inquired concerning the divisions and offences which began afresh to break out in Kingswood. In the afternoon I met a few of the bands; but it was a cold, uncomfortable meeting.’ (ii. 426.) You have picked out here and there a word from several pages in order to furnish out a fifth quotation. The most material part of it is this: ‘Saturday, 28. I read the following paper at Kingswood: “For their scoffing at the Word and ministers of God, for their backbiting and evil-speaking, I declare the persons above-mentioned to be no longer members of this Society.”’ (ii. 430.) ‘And we had great reason to bless God that, after fifty-two were withdrawn, we had still upwards of ninety left’ (if. 433).

50. These things being so, what must all unprejudiced men think of you and your whole performance You have advanced a charge, not against one or two persons only, but indiscriminately against an whole body of people, of His Majesty's subjects, Englishmen, Protestants, members, I suppose, of your own Church; a charge containing abundance of articles, and most of them of the highest and blackest nature. You have prosecuted this with unparalleled bitterness of spirit and acrimony of language; using sometimes the most coarse, rude, scurrilous terms, sometimes the keenest sarcasms you could devise. The point you have steadily pursued in thus prosecuting this charge is first to expose the whole people to the hatred and scorn of all mankind, and next to stir up the civil powers against them. And when this charge comes to be fairly weighed, there is not a single article of it true I The passages you cite to make it good are one and all such as prove nothing less than the points in question; most of them such as you have palpably maimed, corrupted, and strained to a sense never thought of by the writer; many of them such as are flat against you, and overthrow the very point they are brought to support. What can they think, but that this is the most shocking violation of the Christian rule 'Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself,' the most open affront to all justice and even common humanity, the most glaring insult upon the common sense and reason of mankind, which has lately appeared in the world If you say, ‘But I have proved the charge upon Mr. Whitefield’: admit you have (which I do not allow), Mr. Whitefield is not the Methodists; -- no, nor the Societies under his care; they are not a third, perhaps not a tenth, part of the Methodists. What, then, can excuse your ascribing their faults, were they proved, to the whole body You indict ten men. Suppose you prove the indictment upon one, will you therefore condemn the other nine Nay, let every man bear his own burthen, since every man must give an account of himself to God.

I hope my brother puts forth all his strength among you, and that you have many happy opportunities together. Our best service attends both Mrs. Blackwell and you. We are now going round Lincolnshire, and hope to be at York in less than ten days. Have we any time to lose in this span of life --I am, dear sir, Your very affectionate servant.

The doctrine of Pure Love as it is stated in the fourth book and elsewhere (the loving God chiefly is not solely for His inherent perfections) I once firmly espoused. But I was at length unwillingly convinced that I must give it up or give up the Bible. And for near twenty years I have thought, as I do now, that it is at least unscriptural, if not anti-scriptural; for the Scripture gives not the least intimation, that I can find, of any higher, or indeed any other, love of God than that mentioned by St. John - ‘We love Him, because He first loved us.’ And I desire no higher love of God till my spirit returns to Him. Page 313: ‘There can be but two possible ways of curing moral evil -- the sensation of pleasure in the discovery of truth, or the sensation of pain in the love of error.’ So here is one who has searched out the Almighty to perfection! who knows every way wherein He can exert His omnipotence! I am not clear in this. I believe it is very possible for God to act in some third way. I believe He can make me as holy as an archangel without any sensation at all preceding. Page 324: ‘Hence it is that the chaos mentioned in the 1st chapter of Genesis cannot be understood of the primitive state of nature.’ Why not, if God created the world gradually as we are assured He did In the fifth book (page 334) I read a more extraordinary assertion than any of the preceding: ‘The infusion of such supernatural habits by one instantaneous act is impossible. We cannot be confirmed in immutable babes of good but by a long-continued repetition of free acts.’ I dare not say so. I am persuaded God can this moment confirm me immutably good. Page 335: ‘Such is the nature of finite spirits that, after a certain degree of good habits contracted, they become unpervertible and immutable in the love of order.’ If so, ‘after a certain degree of evil habits contracted, must they not become unconvertible and immutable in the hatred of order’ And if Omnipotence cannot prevent the one, neither can it prevent the other.

O brother, pretend no longer to the thing that is not. You do not, will not act in concert with me. Not since I was married only (the putting it on that is a mere finesse), but for ten years last past and upwards you have no more acted in connection with me than Mr. Whitefield has done. I would to God you would begin to do it now; or else talk no more as if you did. My love to my sister. Adieu. You told W. Briggs ‘that you never declined going to any place because my wife was there.’ I am glad of it. If so, I have hope we may some time spend a little time together. Why do you omit giving the sacrament in Kingswood What is reading prayers at Bristol in comparison of this I am sure, in making this vehement alteration, you never consulted with me. My love to my sister. Adieu! To A. B. LONDON November 9, 1753. SIR, -- Partly business and partly illness prevented my acknowledging your favor of October the 11th. I have not yet had leisure to read the book. When I have, I will trouble you with a few lines more. I have always approved of the German method of practicing physic far beyond the English, which (so far as I can see) is in numberless respects contrary both to experience, common sense, and common honesty. -- I am, sir, Your obliged servant. A. B., At the Essex Coffee House, In Whitechappel

I will order a little box of books to Portsmouth, whence you may be farther supplied at Newport. But take care to keep a clear account of what are sold; otherwise the Stewards [The first Book Stewards were appointed in April of this year.] will send no more. If Brother Williams sees good, you might preach sometimes at the Common. Mr. Larwood [Samuel Larwood traveled with Wesley in Lincolnshire in 1747 and did good service in England and Ireland. He became an Independent minister at Zoar Chapel, Southwark, where he died of fever. Wesley buried him on Nov. 5, 1755. See Journal, iii. 281, iv. 140; Atmore’s Memorial, p. 239; Wesley’s Veterans i. x82, iii. 86, iv. 130; and next letter.] intended to call there in his return from Bristol; but the illness of his horse prevented. I hope he will be able to come in a little time. If we can spare Sister Aspernell [Bilhah Aspernell found peace with God in 1738, and soon after purity of heart. Wesley’s Diary for 1740 shows that he often visited her in London and had ‘tea, conversed, prayer.’ Thomas Walsh in Aug. 1754 said the reason why he was not ‘as serious as Sister Aspernell’ was ‘not because I do not bear so high a character, but because I am not so high in the grace of God.’ On Jan. 28, 1774, Wesley buried ‘the remains of that venerable mother in Israel.’ See Journal ii. 372-460& vi. 9-10; Arminian Mag. 1798, p. 360.] to visit her sister at Portsmouth for a few days, her conversation will do more good than all our preaching has yet done. Be mild; be patient toward all men. See that none return railing for railing. Be much in private prayer. Live in peace, and the God of peace shall be with you. -- I am, with love to all the brethren, Your affectionate brother.

To Mrs. Hall Date: LEEDS May 9, 1755. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1755) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR SISTER, -- I suppose my brother has informed you of our conversation together. The poor child will, I hope, be no farther burthensome to you. But then you must not interfere, but leave him to our disposal, who consider him just as if he were our own. Nether will you want the things we have needful for life and godliness. At the same time I doubt not but you will endeavor to be as frugal as may be. I am glad you and my sister Harper are to live together and to come nearer the Foundry. O bear with one another! Pray for the spirit of peace and love. -- I am Your very affectionate Brother. [Hall added to this letter the following message to his wife:] MY DEAR, -- I hope ere this you may have heard from my brother, and that he will pay you the twenty pounds due on his draught. Mr. Allen owes me about fifty pound, as I believe you will find by the account as settled with my brother; and before that sum be expended, if you use the necessary economy, you will hear perhaps of my arrival at Barbados and the measures I am taking to provide for all, and how to direct to your best friend,

To his Brother Charles Date: LONDON, June 28 1755. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1755) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR BROTHER, -- Let G. Stonehouse [On May 28 Charles Wesley wrote to his wife from ‘George Stonehouse’s other lodgings’ in London and gives their route for the journey towards Bristol. He expects to ‘rest my beast' at Dornford, where Stonehouse lived. See Jackson's Charles Wesley, ii. 80-1, 87.] write and welcome. When we are both together, I trust we may read safely. Go to Ireland if you think so, and save Ireland. Wherever I have been in England, the Societies are far more firmly and rationally attached to the Church than ever they were before. I have no fear about this matter. I only fear the preachers’ or the people’s leaving not the Church but the love of God and inward or outward holiness. To this I press them forward continually. I dare not in conscience spend my time and strength on externals. If (as my lady [Charles Wesley had stayed at Donnington Park after the Leeds Conference, and was expecting to meet Lady Huntingdon at Clifton in July.] says) all outward establishments are Babel, so is this Establishment. Let it stand for me. I nether set it up nor pulled it down. But let you and I build up the City of God. I have often desired our preachers to bury a corpse at Wapping. I mean to give an exhortation, closed with a prayer. I do not know that this is any breach of the sacerdotal office. None of our Societies have received James Wheatley yet. I suppose none will. Yet we may give a caution wherever we write. T. Walsh [See Tyerman's Wesley, ii. 200; and letter of June 20.] (I will declare it on the housetop) has given me a~ the satisfaction I desire, and all that an honest man could give. I love, admire, and honor him, and wish we had six preaches in all England of his spirit.

I should wonder if Wales or Margate or something did not hinder your taking any step which I desire or which might save my time or strength. Then I will go to Cornwall [Wesley set out for Cornwall on Aug. 18.] myself; that is all. For a wife and a partner you and I may challenge the world together. But love is rot. Adieu.

Oh rare darkness! ‘Nature has seven chief properties, and can have neither more nor less, because it is a birth from the Deity in nature.’ Is nature a birth from the Deity in nature Is this sense If it be, what kind of proof is it Is it not ignoturn per aeque ignotum [‘To prove an unknown proposition by one equally unknown.’] ‘For God is triune, and nature is triune.’ ‘Nature is triune’! Is not this flat begging the question ‘And hence arise properties, three and three.’ Nay, why not nine and nine’ And that which brings these three and three into union is another property.’ (Part II. p. 64.) Why so Why may it not be two, or five, or nine Is it not rather the will and power of God ‘The first three properties of nature are the whole essence of that desire which is, and is called, “nature”’ (page 69). How Are the properties of a thing the same as the essence of it What confusion is this! But if they were, can a part of its properties be the whole essence of it ‘The first three properties of nature are attraction, resistance, and whirling. In these three properties of the desire you see the reason of the three great laws of matter and motion, and need not be told that Sir Isaac ploughed with Jacob Behmen’s heifer.’ (Page 37.) Just as much as Milton ploughed with Francis Quarles's heifer. How does it appear that these are any of the properties of nature, if you mean by ‘nature’ anything distinct from matter And how are they the properties of desire What a jumbling of dissonant notions is here! ‘The fourth property’ (you affirm, not prove) ‘is called “fire”; the fifth, “the form of light and love.”’ What do you mean by the form of love Are light and love one and the same thing ‘The sixth, “sound or understanding.”’ Are, then, sound and understanding the same thing’ The seventh, “a life of triumphing joy”’ (page 58). Is, then, a life of triumphing joy ‘that which brings the three and three properties into union’ If so, how can it be ‘the result of that union’ Do these things hang together

How shall we reconcile this with the Mosaic account - ‘And God said, Let the earth bring forth cattle, and creeping thing, and beast. And God made the beast of the earth; and God saw that it was good.’ (Gen. i. 24-5.) Does anything here intimate that beasts or serpents literally crept out of the womb of sin And what have serpents in particular to do with covetousness, or indeed with envy, unless in poetic fables 4. Of the fall of man. ‘Adam had lost much of his perfection before Eve was taken out of him. “It is not good,” said God, “that man should be alone.” This shows that Adam had now made that not to be good which God saw to be good when He created him.’ (Spirit of Prayer, p. 74.) Nay, does it show either more or less than this--that it was not conducive to the wise ends God had in view for man to remain single ‘God then divided the human nature into a male and female creature: otherwise man would have brought forth his own likeness out of himself, in the same manner as he had a birth from God. But Adam let in an adulterous love of the world: by this his virginity was lost, and he had no longer a power of bringing forth a birth from himself.’ (Page 75.) We have no shadow of proof for all this. ‘This state of inability is called his failing into a deep sleep’ (page 76). How does this agree with, ‘The Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam’ (Gen. ii. 21) ‘God took his Eve out of him, as a lesser evil, to avoid a greater. For it was a less folly to love the female part of himself than to love things lower than himself.’ (Page 77.)

Who can extract this out of the words of Moses Who can reconcile it with the words of our Lord -- He who made them at the beginning ‘(not a word of any previous fall) ‘made them male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and cleave unto his wife’ (Matt. xix. 4-5). Is here any intimation that for a man to love his wife is only less folly than to love the world ‘A man ought so to love his wife, even as Christ the Church.’ Is there any folly in the love of Christ to the Church ‘Marriage came in by Adam's falling from his first perfection’ (page 88). Does this account do honor to that institution, any more than that memorable saying of an eminent Mystic, ‘Marriage is but licensed whoredom’ ‘Had Adam stood, no Eve would have been taken out of him. But from Eve God raised that angelic man whom Adam should have brought forth without Eve, who is called the Second Adam, as being both male and femme.’ (Page 79.) Many things here want proof. How does it appear (1) that Eve would not have been had Adam stood, (2) that had he stood he would have brought forth the Second Adam without Eve, (3) that Christ was both male and female, and (4) that He was on this account called the Second Adam ‘The Second Adam is now to do that which the first should have done’ (page 84). Is He to do no more than that no more than a mere creature should have done Then what need is there of His being any more than a creature What need of His being God ‘Our having from Him a new heavenly flesh and blood, raised in us by His spiritual power, is the strongest proof that we should have been born of Adam by the same spiritual power’ (page 85). Had Adam then the very same spiritual power which Christ had And would he, if he had stood, have transmitted to us the very same benefit Surely none that believes the Christian Revelation will aver this in cool blood!

‘Of the tree of knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat: in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die' (Gen. ii. 17). ‘And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not die’ (iii. 4). ‘And the woman, being deceived,’ did eat (1 Tim. ii. 14); ‘and gave unto her husband, and he did eat’ (Gen. iii. 6). ‘And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed; dust thou shalt eat all the days of thy life’ (verse 14); ‘and I will put enmity between thee and the woman’ (verse 15). ‘Unto the woman He said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and’ (that is, in) ‘thy conception’ (verse 16). ‘And unto Adam He said, Because thou hast eaten of the tree, cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life’ (verse 17). ‘Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return’ (verse 19). Can any man read this and affirm, ‘God did not inflict the least punishment of any kind either on Eve or Adam or the serpent’ With what eyes or understanding, then, must he read! But you say, ‘All that came on Adam was implied in what he chose to himself’ (page 25). It was. He chose it to himself in the same sense that he who robs chooses to be hanged. But this does not at all prove that the death which one or the other suffers is no punishment. You go on: ‘Fire and brimstone or manna rained on the earth are only one and the same love. It was the same love that preserved Noah, burned up Sodom, and overwhelmed Pharaoh in the Red Sea.’ (Spirit of Love, Part II. pp. 72, 78.) Surely nothing can equal this, unless you add (which indeed you must do, to be consistent with yourself), ‘It is one and the same love which will say, “Come, ye blessed,” and “Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire.”’

To Ebenezer Blackwell Date: MARLBOROUGH, March 1, 1756. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1756) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR SIR, -- I hope the enclosed [See next letter, which was probably enclosed to Blackwell to be forwarded to James West.] will do, for I have not leisure to alter it any more. To make professions does not belong to me; it is quite foreign to my character. Let those who mean nothing talk like Goneril and Regan in King Lear. [Wesley knew his Shakespeare, and annotated the fine quarto copy presented to him by a gentleman in Dublin. The two unworthy daughters make great professions: Goneril: Sir, I love you more than words can wield the matter; Dearer than eye-sight, space, and liberty. Regan: I . . . find I am alone felicitate In your dear highness’s love.] By God’s help I will do what a good subject ought. Wishing Mrs. Blackwell and you all health of soul and body, I am, dear sir, Your affectionate servant.

To Mr. ---- Date: CORK, May 14, 1756. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1756) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, -- I have consulted the preachers that are with me here, and they have no objection to your proposal; only it might be well if you delayed the putting it in execution till there is another traveling preacher in the Round, because otherwise many of the other Societies will suffer great loss. You should wherever you are take care of one thing: do not puzzle people about the Church. Those that are there, let them continue there, elsee the gain will not countervail the damage. Take care likewise that you do not buy the favor of the world too dear. -- I am Your affectionate brother.

To James Clark Date: CASTLEBAR July 3, 1756. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1756) Author: John Wesley --- REVEREND SIR, -- I am obliged to you for the openness and candor with which you write, and will endeavor to follow the pattern which you have set me. [I did not know of John Langston’s affair till you gave me an account of it. He is no preacher allowed of by me; I do not believe that God ever called him to it; neither do I approve his conduct with regard to you: I fear he is, or at least was, a real enthusiast. The same character, I fear, may be justly given to poor Mr. Bermingham.] I sent you that sermon with no particular view, but as a testimony of love to a fellow laborer in the gospel. From the text of that sermon I do not infer that Christians should not inquire into each other’s opinions. Indeed, from the text I infer nothing; I use it to illustrate, not to prove. I am very sensible ‘Jehu had more regard to State policy than to religion’ (page 15); and have no objection to the very fair explication you have made of his words. Accordingly I say (page 13), ‘I do not mean what Jehu implied therein, but what a follower of Christ should understand by it when he proposes it to any of his brethren’: of these only I speak. My general proposition, you may please to remember, was this (page 5): ‘All the children of God may unite in love, notwithstanding their differences in opinion or modes of worship.’ From this persuasion, when I meet with any whom I have reason to believe to be children of God, I do not ask of him (never at our first meeting, seldom till we are better acquainted), ‘Do you agree with me in opinion or modes of worship, particularly with regard to Church Government, Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper’ I let these stand by till we begin to know and confirm our love to each other. Then may come a more convenient season for controversy. My only question at present is, ‘Is thy heart fight with my heart, &c.’

To Thomas Olivers Date: ATHLOE, July 10, 1756. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1756) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR TOMMY, -- I cannot imagine how a letter of yours written March 9 should come to me on the 9th of July. Certainly you should write to me a little oftener, once a month at the least. Now there are several preachers in town, you should take care to supply Portsmouth, Bedford, Norwich, Leigh, and Canterbury by turns. O Tommy, how precious are these days! We must not always have this sunshine. But make the best of the present calm [See letters of Jan. 10 March 1 and 4, and April 19.]; and then, if a storm comes, you are ready. Your affectionate brother.

But is it immoral It is immoral to think, speak, or act contrary to the love which ‘thinketh no evil.’ Now, of this both Charles and you are palpably guilty in thinking the body of the Methodists (either preachers or people) are fallen from the simplicity and uprightness of the gospel. Whatever seven or eight of the preachers may be who have warmly debated this point with you, whatever two or three hundred of the people may be who have been hurt by the disputants on either side, the main body of the Methodists never were more simple or upright than at this day. Therefore your thinking so ill of both preachers and people is a manifest breach of the law of love. And whoever is or is not fallen from the spirit of the gospel, it is certain you are for one. But after all this pother, what is the persecution concerning which you make so loud an outcry Why, some of our lay preachers did what we thought was both ill in itself and likely to do much harm among the people. Of this, complaint was made to me. And what did I do Did I expel those preachers out of our community Not so. Did I forbid them to preach any more Not so neither. Did I degrade them from itinerant to local preachers Net so much as this. I told them I thought the thing was wrong and would do hurt, and therefore advised them to do it no more. Certainly this is a new species of persecution! I cannot but think you might as well call it murder. ‘Oh, but you would have done more if they had persisted.’ That is, I would have persecuted. Whatever I would have done if things had been which were not, I have not done it yet. I have used no arbitrary, no coercive power -- nay, no power at all in this matter but that of love. I have given no man an ill word or an ill look on the account. I have not withdrawn my confidence or my conversation from any. I have dealt with every man as, if the tables were turned, I should desire he would deal with me.

That Methodism (so called) -- that is, vital religion, loving faith, in the hearts of those who are vulgarly termed Methodists -- should seem to you, sitting snug at London or Bristol, to be ‘very much in its decline,’ is no wonder. But I, who see things in every place with my own eyes, know it is very much in its increase. Many are daily added to them that believe; many more are continually awakened: so that the Societies from east to west, from north to south, in both kingdoms, increase in grace as well as number. ‘I wish the argument’ (which is no argument at all, as being grounded on a palpable mistake) ‘Be not too home to bear a dispute among honest men.’ Very well! Another clear proof of the love that thinketh no evil. ‘If you had consented.’ This is the very point. I could not consent (which implies some degree of approbation) to what I judged to be totally wrong. Yet nether did I persecute. I inflicted no penalty of any kind on those whom I judged to have done wrong; because I believed they acted from conscience though erroneous: I only mildly advised them to desist. ‘I never will be again united with any who will not let others choose their own religion.’ Then you will never unite with any but knaves; for no honest men who preside over any community will let the members of it do what they judge to be wrong and hurtful to that community without endeavoring to prevent it, at least, by mild, loving friendly advice. ‘I go away, not of choice, but of necessity.’ So you must think till God opens your eyes. ‘Your kindness at our first acquaintance, the Providence that brought us together, and the keeping up that acquaintance after so many snares of the enemy to destroy it, make it sacred as well as dear to me.’ And yet for such a reason as this, -- because I advise you to abstain from doing what I think you have no fight to do, what I judge to be both evil in itself and productive of ill consequences, --for this reason you burst all the bonds asunder and cast away the cords from you. The Lord God enlighten the eyes of your understanding and soften and enlarge your heart!

The question I would propose is this: Is it prudent, is it just, is it humane, to jumble whole bodies of people together and condemn them by the lump Is it not a maxim now almost universally received that there are good and bad in every society Why, then, do you continually jumble together and condemn by the lump the whole body of people called Methodists Is it prudent (just to touch even on so low a consideration) to be constantly insulting and provoking those who do you no wrong and had far rather be your friends than your enemies Is it consistent with humanity to strike again one who gives no provocation and makes no resistance Is it common justice to treat with such contempt as you have done in the last month’s Review those who are by no means contemptible writers Be persuaded, gentlemen, to give yourselves the pains of reading either Mr. Herbert’s ‘Providence,’ [Wesley was familiar with Herbert, six of whose poems he had turned into hymns for his Hymn-Book published in Charlestown: O sacred Providence, who from end to end, Strongly and sweetly movest! shall I write, And not of Thee, through whom my fingers bend, To hold my quill Shall they not do Thee right (The Temple)] or the verses which Norris entitles ‘The Meditation’ [John Norris (1657-1711), Rector of Bemerton, English Platonist and poet, an idealist of the purest type, sustained by the loftiest inspiration. Professor Sorley says (Cambridge History of English Literature, viii. 348) that ‘he was the only English writer of note who adopted the views of Malebranche. He had thought out -- one may even say he had lived -- the theory for himself.’ Mr. Osmond thinks ‘The Meditation,’ ‘though perhaps a better piece of work technically, is more morbid and low-toned than “The Prophet”’ (Mystical Poets of the English Church, p. 228). See letter of March 14.]; and you will find them scarce inferior either in sense or language to most compositions of the present age. To speak more freely still: where is the justice of coupling the hymns of Methodists and Moravians together Lay prejudice aside, and read with candor but the very first hymn in our first Hymn-Book [Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1739.

To the Monthly Reviewers Date: LONDON, October 5, 1756. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1756) Author: John Wesley --- Really, gentlemen, you do me too much honor. I could scarce expect so favorable a regard from those who are professed admirers of Mr. Aaron Hill’s verse and Mr. Caleb Flemings prose. Nevertheless I cannot but observe a few small mistakes in the eight lines with which you favor me. You say, ‘We suppose the specimen of Mr. Wesley’s Hymns’ (the false spelling is of little consequence) ‘was sent us for this purpose’ - namely to publish. Truly it was not: it never entered my thought; as, I apprehend, may appear from: the whole tenor of the letter wherein those lines were inserted. ‘And if the Moravians please to select a like sample of what has been done by them, they may expect from us the same justice.’ [See letters of Oct. 24, 1755, and Sept. 9, 1756.] Another little mistake: those lines are not selected, but are found in the very first hymn (as I observed in my last) that occurs in the first verses which my brother and I have ever published. ‘We have received a letter complaining of our having jumbled the poetry of the Methodists and Moravians in an indiscriminate censure.’ Not so. The Chief thing complained of was, (1) Your ‘jumbling whole bodies of people together and of condemning them by the lump without any regard either to prudence, justice or humanity.’ (2).Your ‘treating with such contempt those who by no means contemptible writers - Mr. Norris and Mr. Herbert.’ The last and least thing was your ‘coupling the hymns of Moravians and Methodists together.’ It was here I added, ‘As probably you have a never few seen the books which you condemn, I will transcribe a few lines’; but neither did I give the least intimation of ‘appealing hereby to the public in proof of our superiority over the Moravians.’ This is another mistake. At first I was a little inclined to fear a want of integrity had occasioned this misrepresentation; but, upon reflection, I would put a milder construction upon it, and only impute it to want of understanding. Even bodies of men do not see all things; and are then especially liable to err, when they imagine themselves hugely superior to their opponents, and so pronounce ex cathedra.

To Captain Richard Williams Date: LONDON November 16. 1756. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1756) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, -- You do me too much honor. Yet I do not think you flatter; for you speak out of the sincerity of your heart. But love is apt to make us a little blind, so that we cannot see clearly. However, I am obliged to you for your good intention. I wish you may be more and more zealous for God; and am, dear Richard. Your affectionate brother.

To his Wife Date: 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.] Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1757) Author: John Wesley --- I see plainly, my dear Molly, you are resolved to make me love you better and better. Be as careful as ever you will (only not so as to make yourself sick) and as diligent as ever you can. This is one of the talents which God has given you. O use it to the uttermost! Put forth all your strength in things temporal as well as in things spiritual. Whatsoever your hand findeth to do, do it with your might. What a blessed rule is that of Kempis. ‘Do what is in thee, and God will supply what is lacking’! Only, my love, watch over your own spirit! Take heed that it be not sharpened. Fret not thyself because of the ungodly, but in quietness and patience possess your own soul. I believe my letter to the Stewards will stir them up. What if you gave it to T. Butts [See letter of March 27, 1751.] and desired him and John Matthews [John Matthews died of consumption on Dec. 28, 1764. During twenty years Wesley did not remember his saying or doing anything he would wish to have been unsaid or undone. See Journal v. 93, 103; and letter of April 24, 1761.] to second it If they speak to William Atkinson [See letter of March 9, 1765.] in good earnest, it will certainly do good, one way or the other. [Mrs. Wesley had evidently made some suggestion for business arrangements.] Now I have burnt your letter. My health continues to a miracle. Ten days hence I shall probably see John Haime [See letter of March 1744, and June 21, 1748.]; and Joseph Jones [Joseph Jones was for some time one of Wesley’s preachers. He married, and settled in Somersetshire as a farmer. See Atmore’s Memorial pp. 225-6; Journal, iv. 328; and for Bilbrook, Staffordshire, iii. 519 iv. 14.] if he finds his way back from Bilbrook. It grows late: but I could not persuade myself to lose one post; though I cannot tell you how much I am, dear Molly, Your affectionate Husband, Lover and Friend.

To Mrs. Crosby Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1757) Author: John Wesley --- NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, June 14, 1757. MY DEAR SISTER, -- I was concerned at not hearing from you for so long a time, whereas I would not willingly pass a fortnight without it. Whenever you have leisure write, whether any one else does or not. I shah be here near three weeks, and then at York. It comforts me to hear that your love does not decrease: I want it to increase daily. Is there not height and depth in Him with whom you have to do, for your love to rise infinitely higher and to sink infinitely deeper into Him than ever it has done yet Are you fully employed for Him, and yet so as to have some time daily for reading and other private exercises If you should grow cold, it would afflict me much. Rather let me always rejoice over you. As for me, I seem only to be just beginning to aim feebly at God; though I have found more liberty in the respects you mention lately than of a long season. Dear Sally, never forget to pray for Your affectionate brother.

To Dorthy Furly Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1757) Author: John Wesley --- NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, June 14, 1757. You have reason to praise God for what He has done and to expect all that He has promised. Indeed, if it were required that you should work this in yourself, your impotence might be a bar to your expectations; and so might your unworthiness, if God required any merit of yours in order to His working in you. But what impotence in you can be a bar to the almighty power of God And what unworthiness can hinder the free love of God His love in and through Christ Jesus So that all the promises lie fair before you. The land flowing with milk and honey, the Canaan of His perfect love, is open. Believe, and enter in! It is an observation of one of the ancients that it is far easier not to desire praise than not to be pleased with it. A bare conviction that it is, generally speaking, deadly poison may prevent our desiring it; but nothing less than humble love filling the heart will prevent our being pleased with it, for the sense of honor is as natural to man as the sense of tasting or feeling. But when that which is spiritual is fully come, this which is corruptly natural shall be done away. Whatever enemies you have, it is enough that you have a Friend who is mightier than them all. O let Him reign in your heart alone! Do not spare to speak with all freedom to, dear Miss Furly, Your affectionate brother and servant.

To Mrs. Crosby Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1757) Author: John Wesley --- NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, July 1, 1757. MY DEAR SISTER, -- Certainly you judge right. Do not entangle yourself with the things of this world; neither give occasion to any to speak reproachfully. Therefore accept of no deed or writing whatsoever which should tie her down to do anything for you one day longer than she would do without it. [Probably Miss Bosanquet, whom she had met in May. See letter of June 14.] What she will do day by day without hurting herself or any one else is liable to no exception. O stand fast in glorious liberty; and be subject to no creature, only so far as love constrains. By this sweetest and strongest tie you are now subject to, dear Sally, Your affectionate friend and brother. I shall look for a letter at York.

So you have brought matters to a fine conclusion; confuting an hundred of your own assertions, and doing the very thing for which you have been all along so unmercifully condemning other. You yourself here teach another ‘requisite to our acceptance beside the bare work of Christ’ -- namely, the knowing that work, the finding it true. Therefore by your own word ‘Christ shall profit you nothing.’ In one page you say, ‘Nothing is required in order to our acceptance with God’; in another, ‘Divine righteousness brought to view is requisite to our acceptance.’ ‘Brought to view’! What self-righteousness is this! Which of ‘the popular preachers’ could have done worse ‘Men are justified by a knowledge of the righteousness of Christ.’ ‘Knowledge’! What! our own knowledge! Knowledge in us! Why, this is the very thing which we call faith. So you have fairly given up the whole question, justified your opponents, and condemned yourself as ‘damnably criminal’! I object, fourthly, that you have no charity and that you know not what charity is. That you know not what it is manifestly appears from the wonderful definition you give of it. (1) ‘Charity,’ you say, ‘is fellowship with God in His blessedness’ (page 453). Muddy, confused, ut nihil sgpra! [“So as nothing can exceed it.] We know he that loveth hath fellowship with God. But yet the ideas of one and of the other are widely different. We know ‘God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him.’ But yet loving Him is not the same thing with dwelling in Him. If it were, the whole sentence would be flat tautology. You say (2): Charity is ‘the love of the truth’ (page 456). Not at all; no more than it is the love of the sun. It is the love of God, and of man for God’s sake; no more and no less. You say (3): ‘Christ is known to us only by report.’ That is not granted. ‘And charity is the love of that report’ (page 455). Every intelligent reader will want no farther proof that you know not what chatty is.

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 Matthew Lowes Editor's Introductory Notes: 1759 Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1759) Author: John Wesley --- [4] NORWICH, March 6, 1759. MY DEAR BROTHER,--Lawrence Coughlan, [Lawrence Coughlan was an Irishman who was afterwards ordained by the Bishop of London and sent to Newfoundland as a missionary. He had done fruitful service in Colchester. He died in 1785. See Journal, iv. 297; Atmore's Memorial, pp.80-3; and letter of March 6, 1763.] who was at first appointed for Whitehaven, is to set out from Colchester on Monday, and to stay at Whitehaven till the Conference in the beginning of August. Till he comes I desire you diligently to inquire whether the bulk of the Society are for or against W. Wilson's preaching. If they are against it, he had better not preach at Whitehaven (but he may preach anywhere else) till I come. If the bulk of them are for it, let him preach at some times: at others Brother Browning [Wilson and Browning were probably laymen beginning to preach.] may read a sermon. But if he does speak, let him take care to conclude the whole service within the hour. Certainly, rather than any flame should have arisen concerning it, Brother Hodgson and the rest ought to have dropped their opposition. What would not one do (except sin) that brotherly love may continue!--I am Your affectionate brother. To Mr. Matthew Lowes, At the Methodist Preaching-house, In Whitehaven.

To his Wife Editor's Introductory Notes: 1759 Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1759) Author: John Wesley --- [15] COLEFORD, October 23, 1759. DEAR MOLLY,--I will tell you simply and plainly the things which I dislike. If you remove them, well. If not, I am but where I was. I dislike (1) Your showing any one my letters and private papers without my leave. This never did any good yet, either to you or me or any one. It only sharpens and embitters your own spirit. And the same effect it naturally has upon others. The same it would have upon me, but that (by the grace of God) I do not think of it. It can do no good. It can never bring me nearer, though it may drive me farther off. And should you do as you often threaten, then the matter is over. I know what I have to do. In all this you are fighting against yourself. You are frustrating your own purpose, if you want me to love you. You take just the wrong way. No one ever was forced to love another. It cannot be: love can only be won by softness; foul means avail nothing. But you say, 'I have tried fair means, and they did not succeed.' If they do not, none will. Then you have only to say, 'This evil is of the Lord: I am clay in His hand.'

To John Berridge Editor's Introductory Notes: 1760 Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1760) Author: John Wesley --- [8] DUBLIN, April 18, 1760. DEAR SIR,--Disce, docendus adhuc quae censet amiculus [Horace's Epistles, I. xvii. 3:'To the instruction of an humble friend, Who would himself be better taught, attend.']; and take in good part my mentioning some particulars which have been long on my mind, and yet I knew not how to speak them. I was afraid it might look like taking too much upon me or assuming some superiority over you. But love casts out, or at least overrules, that fear. So I will speak simply, and leave you to judge.

I have had much conversation with Mons. Cavenac, who speaks Latin pretty readily. He is a Lieutenant-Colonel in the King's Guards and a Knight of the Order of St. Louis. (Indeed, all the soldiers were picked men drafted out of the Guards, and more like officers than common men.) I found him not only a very sensible man but throughly instructed even in heart religion. I asked him 'if it was true that they had a design to burn Carrick and Belfast.' (After one General was wounded and the other killed, the command had devolved upon him.) He cried out, 'Jesu, Maria! We never had such a thought! To burn, to destroy, cannot enter into the head or the heart of a good man.' One would think the French King sent these men on purpose to show what officers he has in his Army. I hope there are some such in the English Army. But I never found them yet.--I am, dear sir, Your affectionate servant.

To Mrs. Abigail Brown LONDON, November 21, 1760. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1760) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR ABBY,--I cannot advise. You must follow your own conscience. Act as you are fully persuaded in your own mind. Consider first what is best with regard to eternity, and then take your measures accordingly. Mr. Fisher [See letter of Sept. 28.] will assist you in whatever you would have done; and if you want money, I have desired him to help you to it. Speak freely to me, if you love me; and believe me to be, dear Abby. Your sincere friend and affectionate brother.

To Samuel Furly LONDON, December 9, 1760. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1760) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR SAMMY,--I am determined to publish nothing against Mr. Hervey unless his answer to my letter is published. Indeed, it is not his; it is Mr. Cudworth's, [See letter of Nov. 29, 1758.] both as to matter and manner. So let it pass for the present. Richard Tompson (who lives in Prince's Square, Ratcliff Highway) told me honestly, 'Sir, I want a little money, and I can have it by printing the letters which passed between you and me.' I answered, 'You know I never designed my letters for public view, but you may print them if you please. I am quite indifferent about it.'[See letter of Aug. 22, 1759, to Tompson.] When I say 'I have no time to write largely in controversy,' I mean this; every hour I have is employed more to the glory of God. Therefore, if short answers to opponents will not suffice, I cannot help it; I will not, I cannot, I dare not spend any more time in that kind of writing than I do. 'Well, but many think you ought.' Undoubtedly they do; but I am to be guided by my own conscience. I am laying another plot for you. Mr. Fletcher is rector of Madeley, in Shropshire. [Fletcher became vicar in 1760. See letter of Jan. 25, 1762, to Furly.] If he takes you to be his curate, probably you may be ordained priest. I will write to him about it.--I am, with love to Nancy, Your affectionate friend and brother.

(1) 'But it is said they are all good subjects. Perhaps they are; because under a Protestant Government they have all the indulgence they can wish for.' And do you seriously wish for a Popish Government to abridge them of that indulgence? 'But has not a bad use been made of this? Has not the decency of religion been perverted?' Not in the least: the decency of religion is never so well advanced as by advancing inward and outward religion together. (2) 'Have not the minds of the vulgar been darkened to a total neglect of their civil and social duties?' Just the contrary. Thousands in London as well as elsewhere have been enlightened to understand and prevailed on to practice those duties as they never did before. (3) 'Has not the peace of many families been ruined?' The lost peace of many families has been restored. In others a furious opposition to true religion has occasioned division, as our Lord foretold it would. (4) 'Have not the circumstances of many industrious tradesmen been hurt?' I believe not. I know no instance; but I know an hundred tradesmen in London who began to be industrious since they began to fear God, and their circumstances, low enough till then, are now easy and affluent. I am almost ashamed to spend time upon these threadbare objections, which have been answered over and over. But if they are advanced again, they must be answered again, lest silence should pass for guilt. 'But how can the Government distinguish between tenderness of conscience and schemes of interest?' Nothing more easy. 'They may withdraw the licenses of such.' Sir, you have forgot the question. Before they withdraw them they are to distinguish whether they are such or no. And how are they to do this? 'Oh, it is very easy'! So you leave them as wise as they were before.

'They ought to discover the whole ingredients of which their nostrum is composed; and have it enrolled in the public register, to be perused by all the world.' It is done. The whole ingredients of Methodism (so called) have been discovered in print over and over; and they are enrolled in a public register, the Bible, from which we extracted them at first. 'Else they ought not to be tolerated.' We allow it, and desire toleration on no other terms. 'Nor should they be suffered to add or alter one grain different from what is so registered.' Most certainly. We ought neither to add or diminish, nor alter whatever is written in that Book. I wish, sir, before you write concerning the Methodists again, you would candidly read some of their writings. Common report is not a sure rule of judging; I should be unwilling to judge of you thereby. To sum up the matter. The whole ingredients of our religion are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, fidelity, meekness, temperance. Against these, I think, there is no law; and, therefore, I still apprehend they may be tolerated --at least, in a Christian country. --I am, sir, Your sincere well-wisher.

To Mrs. Booth Date: SUNDERLAND, May 29, 1761. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1761) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--It is a long time to the 1st of August. Before that time many of us may be in Abraham's bosom. If I am at Sheffield that morning, very probably I may be at Woodseats the same day at noon. I do not know but George Tizard [Tizard became a preacher in 1759, and was afterwards a clergyman.] may be on that Round some time longer. Oh what cause have we to praise God for all the wonders He has wrought!--I am, with love to Brother Booth, Your affectionate brother. I return to Newcastle in a day or two.

To George Merryweather Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1761) Author: John Wesley --- NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, June 7, 1761. MY DEAR BROTHER,--I had allotted two nights for Yarm; but by the advice of our brethren here I have made a little alteration in my plan. On Wednesday and Thursday the 18th instant I am to be at Stockton. On Friday evening and Saturday noon I purpose (with God's leave) to preach at Yarm. [He preached at Yarm on the Friday evening at seven, and on Saturday at noon 'applied those words, "Now abide faith, hope, love; but the greatest of these is love."' See Journal, iv. 464; and letter of Jan. 24, 1760.] On Saturday evening I am to be at Hutton Rudby, which is nearer the centre of our Societies.--I am Your affectionate brother.

To Ebenezer Blackwell Date: BRADFORD, July 16, 1761. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1761) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR SIR,--Methinks it is a long time since I saw or heard anything of you. I hope, however, that Mrs. Blackwell and you are not only alive, but more alive than ever, seeking and enjoying something more than King George is likely to find either at his wedding or his coronation. [George III was married to Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz on Sept. 8, and crowned on Sept. 22.] And can you likewise give me a comfortable account of Miss Freeman, both as to her health and her spirit? I often think of her, and sometimes have a mind to send her another letter, though she is one in my debt already. Mr. Venn was so kind as to come over hither yesterday and spend the evening with us. [This visit of Henry Venn is not mentioned in the Journal, but another is noticed on July 24. See next letter.] I am a little embarrassed on his account, and hardly know how to act. Several years before he came to Huddersfield some of our preachers went thither, carrying their lives in their hands, and with great difficulty established a little, earnest Society. These eagerly desire them to preach there still; not in opposition to Mr. Venn (whom they love, esteem, and constantly attend), but to supply what they do not find in his preaching. It is a tender point. Where there is a gospel ministry already, we do not desire to preach; but whether we can leave off preaching because such an one comes after is another question, especially when those who were awakened and convinced by us beg and require the continuance of our assistance. I love peace, and follow it; but whether I am at liberty to purchase it at such price I really cannot tell.

To Elizabeth Hardy Date: LONDON, December 26, 1761. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1761) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR SISTER,--The path of controversy is a rough path. But it seems smoother while I am walking with you; so that I could follow you through all its windings, only my time will not permit. The plain fact is this: I know many who love God with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength. 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 plain, sound, scriptural experience; and of this we have more and more living witnesses. But these souls dwell in a shattered, corruptible body, and are so pressed down thereby that they cannot exert their love as they would by always thinking, speaking, and acting precisely right. For want of better bodily organs, they sometimes inevitably think, speak, or act wrong. Yet I think they need the advocacy of Christ, even for these involuntary defects; although they do not imply a defect of love, but of understanding. However that be, I cannot doubt the fact. They are all love; yet they cannot walk as they desire. 'But are they all love while they grieve the Holy Spirit?' No, surely; they are then fallen from their steadfastness; and this they may do even after they are sealed. So that, even to such, strong cautions are needful. After the heart is cleansed from pride, anger, and desire, it may suffer them to re-enter; therefore I have long thought some expressions in the Hymns are abundantly too strong, as I cannot perceive any state mentioned in Scripture from which we may not, in a measure at least, fall.

To Samuel Furly LONDON, January 25, 1762. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1762) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR SAMMY,--But that I have pretty near attained to the happiness nil admirari, I should have a little wondered at your long silence. But it is not strange, if 'Time changes Thought,' and it would not surprise me much, if in a year or two more, you should wonder at the strange man's face as one you ne'er had known. If you entangled yourself with no kind of promise to the Archbishop, I doubt not but your ordination will prove a blessing. [Wesley hoped to get him ordained as Fletcher's curate. See letter of Dec. 9, 1760.] The care of a parish is indeed a weighty thing, which calls for much and earnest prayer. In managing it you must needs follow your own conscience, whoever is pleased or displeased. Then, whether your success be less or more, you will by-and-by give up your account with joy. I myself hear frequently unscriptural as well as irrational expressions from those at whose feet I shall rejoice to be found in the day of the Lord Jesus; but blasphemy I never heard from one of them, either teacher or hearer. What is wide of Scripture or reason I mildly reprove; and they usually receive it in love. Generally they are convinced; when I cannot convince, I can bear them, yea, and rejoice at the grace of God which is in them. Sammy, beware of the impetuosity of your temper! It may easily lead you awry. It may make you evil affected to the excellent ones of the earth. Don't expect propriety of speech from uneducated persons. The longer I live the larger allowances I make for human infirmities. I exact more from myself and less from others. [A beautiful sign of mellowing character.] Go thou and do likewise!-- I am, with love to Nancy, Your ever affectionate friend and brother. Take nothing, absolutely nothing, at second hand.

To Christopher Hopper LONDON, March I, 1762. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1762) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--Public commotions fill the minds and hands of those who might otherwise employ themselves in hindering the course of the gospel. And probably they are of great use to give more seriousness and thoughtfulness to a young and inexperienced Prince. [See letter of Jan. 18.] I am glad you are in the Orphan House, were it only that you may drop a word in season to T. Olivers. This day fortnight I am to set out for Ireland. When will you set out for Scotland They want you sadly at Aberdeen. Shall I send you two or three guineas for your journey James Kershaw [See letter of Feb. 17, 1759.] may spend a month or two in Newcastle Circuit to supply your place. I think it is of importance. Much good may be done, by you in particular. We join in love to you all.--I am Ever yours.

2. 'That works are a necessary condition of our justification may be proved, secondly, from scripture examples; particularly those recited in the 11th chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews. These all 'through faith wrought righteousness: without working righteousness, they had never obtained the promises.' (Page 13.) I say the same thing: none are finally saved but those whose faith 'worketh by love.' 'Even in the thief upon the cross faith was attended by repentance, piety, and charity.' It was: repentance went before his faith; piety and charity accompanied it. 'Therefore he was not justified by faith alone.' Our Church, adopting the words of St. Chrysostom, expressly affirms in the passage above cited he was justified by faith alone. And her authority ought to weigh more than even that of Bishop Bull, or of any single man whatever. Authority, be pleased to observe, I plead against authority, reason against reason. It is no objection that the faith whereby he was justified immediately produced good works. 3. How we are justified by faith alone, and yet by such a faith as is not alone, it may be proper to explain. And this also I choose to do, not in my own words, but in those of our Church: 'Faith does not shut out repentance, hope, love, and the fear of God, to be joined with faith in every man that is justified; but it shutteth them out from the office of justifying. So that although they be all present together in him that is justified, yet they justify not all together. Neither doth faith shut out good works, necessarily to be done afterwards, of duty towards God. That we are justified only by this faith in Christ speak all the ancient authors; specially Origen, St. Cyprian, St. Chrysostom, Hilary, Basil, St. Ambrose, and St. Augustine.' (Homily on the Salvation of Man.)

I should be glad to see Mr. Nitchman. [David Nitschmann, who had sailed with the Wesleys to Georgia as bishop in charge of the Moravian emigrants. See Journal, i.111, ii.37.] What is all beside loving faith! We join in love to Sally and you. Adieu!

To his Brother Charles Date: LONDON, February 8, 1763. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1763) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR BROTHER, -- I think now the sooner you could be here the better; for the mask is thrown off. George Bell, John Dixon, [John and Elizabeth Dixon resigned their membership on Jan. 28 (Journal, v. 5).] Joseph Calvert, Benjamin Biggs, [Benjamin Biggs, whom John Murlin met at Whitehaven, was for three or four years his inseparable companion. He embarked with him in July 1758 for Liverpool; but the captain took them to the Isle of Man. Biggs was the only person present when his master, Sir James Lowther, died. The next heir, Sir William, gave him 50 a year for life, which he spent in doing good. On July 18, 1761, John Fletcher was at a meeting in Biggs’s house. See Wesley’s Veterans, ii. 161; Moore’s Mrs. Fletcher, p. 373; and letter of May 16, 1759.] &c. &c., have quitted the Society and renounced all fellowship with us. I wrote to Thomas, [Maxfield. See letters of Jan. 5 and 7.] but was not favored with an answer. This morning I wrote a second time, and received an answer indeed! The substance is, ‘You take too much upon you. We will not come up.’ I know all the history of the Turk. [See letters of Jan. 5 and Feb. 26.] I must leave London on Friday to bury Mrs. Perronet. [Wesley had ‘paid the last office of love’ (administered the Holy Communion) to her on Jan. 10. See Journal, v. 4, 8.] She died on Saturday morning. The answer to the Bishop (who has broke his leg) is forthcoming. [Wesley’s letter to Bishop Warburton had just been published.] Mr. Madan wrote the Queries. I let him have the last word. I should not wonder if a dying saint were to prophesy. Listen to Sally Colston’s [Charles Wesley prayed by Mr. Colston, ‘desirous to be with Christ,’ at Bristol on Sept. 2, 1739. A letter from Sarah Colston is given in the Journal, iii. 197-8, dated Bristol, June 6, 1745, describing the happy death of ‘another of my charge,’ and closing with the words, ‘Oh that when He comes He may find me watching!’] last words! Molly Westall died last week in huge triumph.

J. Jones does good. I have seen the Colonel. [Colonel Gallatin. See letter of July 19, 1750.] James Morgan [Morgan was closely associated with Maxfield. See letter of Jan. 8, 1757.] has lately been in a violent storm, and is scarce alive. I advise him to retire to Kingswood for a season. We need all your prayers. God is preparing thoroughly to purge His floor. O let us be instant eukairws akairws. [2 Tim. iv. 2: ‘in season, out of season.’] We join in love to Sally. Adieu! [Charles wrote at the back of this letter: ‘Himself confirming my prophecy of the Ranters.’]

To his Brother Charles Date: LONDON, March 6, 1763. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1763) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR BROTHER, -- To-morrow I set out for Norwich, which I have delayed as long as possible. I am likely to have rough work there; but the turbulent spirits must bend or break. [He spent ‘a few quiet, comfortable days . . . without any jar or contention.’ See Journal, v. 10.] That story of Thomas Maxfield is not true. But I doubt more is true than is good. He is a most incomprehensible creature. I cannot convince him that separation is any evil, or that speaking in the name of God when God has not spoken is any more than an innocent mistake. I know not what to say to him or do with him. He is really mali caput et fons.[See letter of Dec. 23, 1762.] Mr. Neal has grievously peached his associates. But I shall not hastily saddle myself with him and his seven children. The week after Easter week I hope to visit the classes in Bristol, or the week following. James Morgan is love-sick, John Jones physic-sick: so that I have scarce one hearty helper but La. Coughlan. [Lawrence Coughlan. See letters of March 6, 1759 (to Matthew Lowes), and Aug. 27, 1768.] We join in love to you both. Adieu!

4. He was by me (by those who did it at my instance) recommended to the Bishop of Derry to be ordained priest, who told him then (I had it from his own mouth), ‘Mr. Maxfield, I ordain you to assist that good man, that he may not work himself to death.’ 5. When a few years ago many censured him much, I continually and strenuously defended him; though to the disgusting several of the preachers and a great number of the people. 6. I disgusted them, not barely by defending him, but by commending him in strong terms from time to time, both in public and private, with regard to his uprightness as well as usefulness. 7. All this time Mr. Maxfield was complaining (of which I was frequently informed by those to whom he spoke) that he was never so ill persecuted by the rabble in Cornwall as by me and my brother. 8. Four or five years since, a few persons were appointed to meet weekly at the Foundry. When I left London, I left these under Mr. Maxfield’s care, desiring them to regard him just as they did me. 9. Not long after I was gone some of these had dreams, visions, or impressions, as they thought from God. Mr. Maxfield did not put a stop to these; rather he encouraged them. 10. When I returned, I opposed them with my might, and in a short time heard no more of them. Meanwhile I defended and commended Mr. Maxfield as before, and, when I left the town again, left them under his care. 11. Presently visions and revelations returned: Mr. Maxfield did not discourage them. Herewith was now joined a contempt of such as had them not, with a belief that they were proofs of the highest grace. 12. Some of our preachers opposed them roughly. At this they took fire, and refused to hear them preach, but crowded after Mr. Maxfield. He took no pains to quench the fire, but rather availed himself of it to disunite them from other preachers and attach them to himself. He likewise continually told them they were not to be taught by man, especially by those who had less grace than themselves. I was told of this likewise from time to time; but he denied it, and I would not believe evil of my friend.

To Ann Foard Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1763) Author: John Wesley --- NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, June 3, 1763. MY DEAR SISTER, -- I take your writing exceeding kindly, particularly at this time; you have refreshed my bowels in the Lord. Sometimes I thought there was a kind of strangeness in your behavior. I am now persuaded it sprung only from caution, not from want of love. When you believed you had the pure love of God, you was not deceived: you really had a degree of it, and see that you let it not go; hold the beginning of your confidence steadfast till the end. Christ and all He has is yours! Never quit your hold! Woman, remember the faith! The Lord is increasing in you sevenfold! How wonderfully does He often bring to our remembrance what we have read or heard long ago! And all is good which He sanctifies. My dear sister, continue to love and pray for Your affectionate brother.

To Christopher Hopper Date: WELLING, November 2, 1763. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1763) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, -- ‘Dundee,’ you say, ‘would be thankful for a preacher.’ But who would give him things needful for the body He cannot live upon air; and we now expect that Scotland should bear its own burthen. John Hampson [Hampson was a popular preacher. He remained in Manchester, where the account-book for Dec. 27, 1762, and March 28, 1763, notes payments of 3 3s. to him; in Dec. it is 2 2s. In April and Dec. 1764, 3 3s.; in July 3 13s. 6d.] you must think of no more. But I doubt our Newcastle friends are out of all patience for want of R. Roberts. [See letter of Sept. 3.] In spring you will need a fourth preacher. But what would he have to do Why, then, I think you must get the plat without Cannongate. ‘The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof.’ Sevenpence halfpenny! Pshaw! Let it be eightpence, even money. By-and-by we may give Mr. Trail more work. O let us work in this fruitful season! We join in love to Sister Hopper and you. -- I am Yours affectionately.

To Mrs. Freeman Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1764) Author: John Wesley --- [2] LONDON, March 2, 1764. MY DEAR SISTER,--Such love as yours is need not be ashamed. You must make me amends for anything past that looks unkind by altering it for the time to come. You have no reason to doubt of the work of God. It partly shines by its own light. And when that is not sufficient (as in times of temptation), a clear witness shall be superadded. And see that you strengthen your brethren, particularly those who are tempted to give up their confidence. O lift up the hands that hang down! Help those especially who did once taste of pure love. My will has nothing to do in my coming over this spring. If a ship be ready, I shall embark. O Jenny, look up and receive more!--I am Your affectionate brother. To Mrs. Jane Freeman.

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.

But ought this to be Ought not those who are united to one common Head and employed by Him in one common work to be united to each other I speak now of those labourers who are ministers of the Church of England. These are chiefly: Mr. Perronet, Romaine, Newton, Shirley; Mr. Downing, Jesse, Adam; Mr. Talbot, Riland, Stillingfleet, Fletcher; Mr. Johnson, Baddiley, Andrews, Jane; Mr. Hart, Symes, Brown, Rouquet; Mr. Sellon, [Cooper, Harmer, Gwen]; Mr. Venn, Richardson, Burnett, Furly; Mr. Conyers, Bentley, King; Mr. Berridge, Hicks, John Wesley, Charles Wesley, John Richardson, Benjamin Colley [The first edition includes Mr. Crook, Mr. Eastwood, and 'G. W.' Edward Perronet adds, 'Cooper Harmer, Gwen.' ]: not excluding any other clergyman who agrees in these essentials,-- I. Original Sin. II. Justification by Faith. III. Holiness of Heart and Life, provided their life be answerable to their doctrine. 'But what union would you desire among these' Not an union in opinions: they might agree or disagree touching absolute decrees on the one hand and perfection on the other. Not an union in expressions: these may still speak of the imputed righteousness and those of the merits of Christ. Not an union with regard to outward order: some may still remain quite regular, some quite irregular, and some partly regular and partly irregular. But, these things being as they are, as each is persuaded in his own mind, is it not a most desirable thing that we should 1. Remove hindrances out of the way not judge one another, not despise one another, not envy one another not be displeased at one another's gifts or success, even though greater than our own not wait for one another's halting, much less wish for it or rejoice therein Never speak disrespectfully, slightly, coldly, or unkindly of each other never repeat each other's faults, mistakes, or infirmities, much less listen for and gather them up never say or do anything to hinder each other's usefulness either directly or indirectly Is it not a most desirable thing that we should 2. Love as brethren think well of and honour one another wish all good, all grace, all gifts, all success, yea greater than our own, to each other expect God will answer our wish, rejoice in every appearance thereof, and praise Him for it readily believe good of each other, as readily as we once believed evil

To his Brother Charles HADDINGTON, May 25, 1764. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1764) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR BROTHER,--Is there any reason why you and I should have no farther intercourse with each other I know none; although possibly there are persons in the world who would not be sorry for it. I hope you find peace and unity in the South, as we do in the North. Only the Seceders and Mr. Sandeman's friends are ready to eat us up. And no wonder; for these, as well as Deists and Socinians, I oppose ex professo. But how do Thomas Maxfield and his friends go on Quietly, or gladiatorio animo And how are John Jones, Downes, and Richardson and my best friend, [His wife.] and yours The frightful stories wrote from London had made all our preachers in the North afraid even to mutter about perfection; and, of course, the people on all sides were grown good Calvinists in that point. 'Tis what I foresaw from the beginning --that the devil would strive by T. Maxfield and company to drive perfection out of the kingdom. O let you and I hold fast whereunto we have attained, and let our yea be yea and our nay be nay! I feel the want of some about me that are all faith and love. No man was more profitable to me than George Bell while he was simple of heart. Oh for heat and light united! My love to Sally. Adieu.

You need not lose the benefit of those prayers which experience shows are attended with a peculiar blessing. 'But I do not care to meet a class; I find no good in it.' Suppose you find even a dislike, a loathing of it; may not this be natural, or even diabolical In spite of this, break through, make a fair trial. It is but a lion in the way. Meet only six times (with previous prayer), and see if it do not vanish away. But if it be a cross, still bear it for the sake of your brethren. 'But I want to gain my friends and relations.' If so, stand firm. If you give way, you hurt them and they will press upon you the more. If you do not, you will probably gain them; otherwise you confirm both their wrong notions and wrong tempers. Because I love you I have spoken fully and freely; to know that I have not spoken in vain will be a great satisfaction to Your affectionate brother.

The usual preaching may be at Combe on Saturday evening, and at the Grove on Sunday morning. I bear the rich, and love the poor; therefore I spend almost--all my time with them!--My dear sister, adieu! Write to me at London, and write freely.

To Christopher Hopper BRISTOL, September 29, 1764. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1764) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--My judgement is this,--that it is best for you to be at Edinburgh (but in a more airy lodging, if it can be had for love or money) before the end of next month, James Kershaw at Dundee, and Tommy Hanby at Aberdeen. If you have either love or pity for him, let him not stay too long at Dundee. His mind is by no means strong enough to bear that weight of applause. At any rate, take him out of the furnace, or he will be consumed. And you well know a change is best for the people as well as best for him. Is it not easiest for him and you to change at a day appointed, and then for you to stay at Dundee till you are relieved by James Kershaw Peace be with your spirits!--I am Your affectionate friend and brother. I hope you have been at Sir Archibald's. [Sir Archibald Grant. See Journal, iv. 451.]

To Thomas Rankin Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1764) Author: John Wesley --- [22] LONDON, November 2, 1764. MY DEAR BROTHER,--At the request of several of our preachers I have at length abridged Goodwin's Treatise on Justification. I trust it will stop the mouths of gainsayers concerning imputed righteousness, and teach them (at least the most candid) to speak as the oracles of God. I desire you to read the proposal and preface in every Society within your circuit; then enforce it, as you see best, both in public and private conversation. Spare no pains. Exert yourself. See what you can do. Give this proof of your love for the truth, for the people, and for Your affectionate friend and brother. N.B.--Be careful to keep an exact list of all the subscribers' names in each Society, and also to leave a copy thereof with the person who takes care of the books.

To his Brother Charles Date: LONDON, December 7, 1764. DEAR BROTHER,--Be so kind as to show this to T. Lewis and M. Davis: so I may answer theirs and yours together. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1764) Author: John Wesley --- What need of a formal petition Would it not be just as effectual for me to write a letter to the Corporation, in the name of all the Bristol Methodists, urging, first, Mr. Witherspoon's argument against the English theatre; secondly, the matter of fact, the actual mischief done thereby; and then gently and respectfully making the application What think you Ecquid novisti rectius ['Do you know any better way'] Send me word without delay. Sister Suky was in huge agonies for five days, and then died in the full assurance of faith. Some of her last words (after she had been speechless for some time) were, 'Jesus is come! Heaven is here!' I am like Simonides. The more I think, the less able I am to answer the King's question: to prove the necessity, expediency, or propriety of an atonement to an unconvinced sinner. [See letter of Dec. 31.] Indeed, you ought to have said something to Thomas Maxfield's letter, had it been only what you say now. He is Thomas Maxfield still. Cerebrum non habet. ['He has no brains.'] Mr. Richardson is better and better. James Wheatley (the jewel!) has given me warning to quit the Tabernacle in spring: so I am preparing to build at Norwich; for no place already built can be procured for love or money. I think verily there is no need that you and I should be such strangers to each other. Surely we are old enough to be wiser. Come, I will give you a little work. Translate for me into good English the Latin verses that occur in the Earnest Appeal; and why not those three Greek ones-- 'H, kai kuanehsin ep ofrusi neuse Kroviwnhr &c. [The three lines are given in A Farther Appeal, Part II., Works, viii. 150. Homer's Iliad, i. 528-30: 'Jove spake, and nodded his sable brow, &c.'] I have answered poor Mr. Hervey's last tract so far as it is personal. My love to Sally. Vivamus! Adieu! You should send Charles Perronet's book immediately. [An Extract of the 'Life of Armelle Nicholas,'1763.] The tax of the Apostolic Chamber.

To Thomas Rankin OVINGTON, January 13, 1765. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1765) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR TOMMY,--I will give you a month from this day to make a fair trial of William Darney whether he will walk according to our Rules or no; if not, we must part. But if he had rather, he may go into the Wiltshire Round, [Darney went to the London Circuit in September.] where a preacher is now wanting. T. Bryant is not now in connexion with us. [See previous letter.] I am glad you give me warning concerning Richard Austen. I trust that you will soon set them right at the Dock. Gentleness, added to plainness of speech, will have influence upon honest Brother Jones. [See letter of June 9.] I advise you gradually to remove all such leaders and stewards as do not cordially love the Methodist doctrine and discipline.--Dear Tommy, Your affectionate friend and brother. Pray give my love to Brother Mallon, of Mary Week Society. I thank him for his letter, and exhort him to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made him free. To Mr. Rankin, At Mr. John Andrews', In Redruth, Cornwall. Per Gloucester,

As to your main objection, convince me that it is my duty to preach on controverted subjects, Predestination in particular, and I will do it. At present I think it would be a sin. I think it would create still more divisions. And are there not enough already I have seen a book written by one who styles himself Ecclesiae direptae et gementis Presbyter. ['A Presbyter of a torn-asunder and groaning Church.'] Shall I tear ecclesiam direptam et gementem ['A Church torn asunder and groaning.'] God forbid! No: I will so far as I can, heal her breaches. And if you really love her (as I doubt not you do), why should you hinder me from so doing Has she so many friends and helpers left, that you should strive to lessen their number Would you wish to turn any of her friends, even though weak and mistaken, into enemies If you must contend, have you not Arians, Socinians, Seceders, infidels to contend with; to say nothing of whoremongers, adulterers, Sabbath-breakers, drunkards, common swearers O ecclesia gemens! And will you pass by all these, and single out me to fight with Nay, but I will not. I do and will fight with all these, but not with you. I cannot; I dare not. You are the son of my Father, my fellow labourer in the gospel of His dear Son. I love your person; I love your character; I love the work wherein you are engaged. And if you will still shoot at me (because Mr. Hervey has painted me as a monster), even with arrows drawn from Bishop Warburton's quiver (how unfit for Mr. Erskine's hand!), I can only say, as I always did before, the Lord Jesus bless you in your soul, in your body, in your relations, in your work, in whatever tends to His own glory!--I am, dear sir, Your affectionate brother.

To John Newton Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1765) Author: John Wesley --- [7] LONDONDERRY, May 14, 1765. DEAR SIR,--Your manner of writing needs no excuse. I hope you will always write in the same manner. Love is the plainest thing in the world: I know this dictates what you write; and then what need of ceremony You have admirably well expressed what I mean by an opinion contradistinguished from an essential doctrine. Whatever is 'compatible with a love to Christ and a work of grace' I term an opinion. And certainly the holding Particular Election and Final Perseverance is compatible with these. 'Yet what fundamental error,' you ask, 'have you opposed with half that frequency and vehemence as you have these opinions' So doubtless you have heard. But it is not true. 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 particulars' Not one, best or worst, good or bad, was ever thrust out on this account. There has been not a single instance of the 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 withdrew, and pretended 'they did not hold our doctrine.' Set a mark, therefore, on him who 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 Church-man, I advise him to continue so; and that for many reasons, some of which are mentioned in the tract upon that subject.

In January 1738 I expressed my desire in these words: 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! [Gerhardt's hymn, translated by Wesley (Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1739). In his Plain Account of Christian Perfection he says: 'In the beginning of the year 1738, as I was returning from Savannah, the cry of my heart was, O grant that nothing in my soul May dwell but Thy pure love alone!' See Works, xi. 369.] And I am still persuaded this is what the Lord Jesus hath bought for me with His own blood. Now, whether you desire and expect this blessing or not, is it not an astonishing thing that you or any man living should be disgusted at me for expecting it Is it not more astonishing still 'that wellnigh all the religious world should be up in arms concerning it,' and that they should persuade one another that this hope is 'subversive of the very foundations of Christian experience' Why, then whoever retains it cannot possibly have any Christian experience at all I then my brother, Mr. Fletcher, and I, and twenty thousand more, who seem both to fear and to love God, are in reality children of the devil and in the road to eternal damnation! In God's name I entreat you make me sensible of this! Show me by plain, strong reasons what dishonour this hope does to Christ, wherein it opposes Justification by Faith or any fundamental truth of religion. But do not wrest and wiredraw and colour my words as Mr. Hervey (or Cudworth) has done in such a manner that when I look in that glass I do not know my own face I 'Shall I call you,' says Mr. Hervey, 'my father or my friend For you have been both to me.' So I was, and you have as well requited me! It is well my reward is with the Most High. Wishing all happiness to you and yours, I am, dear sir, Your affectionate brother and servant. To the Rev. Mr. Newton, At Mr. Clunies', Harp Lane, Thames Street, London.

To Peggy Dale KILKENNY, July 5, 1765. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1765) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--Although it is certain the kind of wandering thoughts which you mention are consistent with pure love, yet it is highly desirable to be delivered from them, because (as you observe) they hinder profitable thoughts. And why should not you be delivered Indeed, in what manner this will be done we do not know. Sometimes it pleases our Lord to work a great deliverance even of this kind in a moment. Sometimes He gives the victory by degrees. And I believe this is more common. Expect this and every good gift from Him. How wise and gracious are all His ways! Do you commonly find in yourself the witness that you are saved from sin And is it usually clear Or do you frequently lose it I do not know why you should ever lose any good gift. For is not He the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever And yet you have known but a little of Him. You are to sink a thousand times deeper into Him: That sea of light and love unknown, Without a bottom or a shore. I hope Miss Lewen and you speak to each other, not only without disguise, but without reserve. How is your lot cast in a fair ground! How well are you situated for making the best of a short life! Secluded from the world and all its care, Hast thou to joy or grieve, to hope or fear That is, with regard to present things No: God has given you a nobler portion. You have nothing to care for but how you may most entirely and effectually present yourself a living sacrifice to God. When I reflect upon your earnest desire to do this and upon your simplicity of heart, it gives an unspeakable pleasure to, my dear sister, Your affectionate brother. I expect to be at Dublin till the end of this month. I send Miss Lewen's letter by Portpatrick to try which comes soonest. [The letter to Miss Lewen is missing.] To Miss Peggy Dale, At the Orphan House, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

To Thomas Rankin Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1765) Author: John Wesley --- [14] ST. JOHN'S, September 11, 1765. DEAR TOMMY,--There is a good work in Cornwall. But where the great work goes on well we should take care to be exact in little things. I will tell you several of these just as they occur to my mind. Grace Paddy at Redruth met in the select society, though she wore a large glittering necklace and met no band. They sing all over Cornwall a tune so full of repetitions and flourishes that it can scarce be sung with devotion. It is to those words, Praise the Lord, ye blessed ones. Away with it! Let it be heard no more. They cannot sing our old common tunes. Teach these everywhere. Take pains herein. The Societies are not half supplied with books; not even with Jane Cooper's Letters, or the two or three Sermons which I printed last year; no, not with the shilling Hymn--Book or Primitive Physick. They almost universally neglect fasting. The preaching-houses are miserable, even the new ones. They have neither light nor air sufficient; and they are far, far too low and too small. Look at Yarm house. Recommend the Notes on the Old Testament in good earnest. Every Society as a Society should subscribe. Remind them everywhere that two, four, or six might join together for a copy, and bring the money to their leader weekly. We have need to use all the common sense God has given us as well as all the grace.--I am, dear Tommy, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Lady Maxwell Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1765) Author: John Wesley --- [18] LONDON, December 1, 1765. MY DEAR LADY,--Perhaps there is scarce any child of man that is not at some time a little touched by prejudice, so far at least as to be troubled, though not wounded. But it does not hurt unless it fixes upon the mind. It is not strength of understanding which can prevent this. The heart, which otherwise suffers most by it, makes the resistance which only is effectual. I cannot easily be prejudiced against any person whom I tenderly love till that love declines. So long, therefore, as our affection is preserved by watchfulness and prayer to Him that gave it, prejudice must stand at a distance. Another excellent defence against it is openness. I admire you upon this account. You dare (in spite of that strange reserve which so prevails in North Britain) speak the naked sentiments of your heart. I hope my dear friend will never do otherwise. In simplicity and godly sincerity, the very reverse of worldly wisdom, have all your conversation in the world. Have you received a gleam of light from above, a spark of faith O let it not go! Hold fast, by His grace, that token of His love, that earnest of your inheritance. Come just as you are, and come boldly to the throne of grace. You need not delay! Even now the bowels of Jesus Christ yearn over you. What have you to do with to-morrow I love you to-day. And how much more does He love you! He Pities still His wandering sheep, Longs to bring you to His fold! To-day hear His voice--the voice of Him that speaks as never man spake, the voice that raises the dead, that calls the things which are not as though they were. Hark! What says He now 'Fear not; only believe! Woman, thy sins are forgiven thee! Go in peace; thy faith hath made thee whole.' Indeed, I am, my dear Lady, Your ever affectionate servant.

To Mrs. Wyndowe LONDON, January 7, 1766. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1766) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SALLY,--From the time that I first took acquaintance with you at Earl's Bridge, [Wesley spent an hour at Byford on March 16, 1789. The Diary note is, '11 Byford, tea, within; 12 chaise' (Journal, vii. 478d).] I have still retained the same regard for you. Therefore I am always well pleased with hearing from you, especially when you inform me that you are pursuing the best things. And you will not pursue them in vain if you still resolutely continue to spend some time in private every day. It is true you cannot fix any determinate measure of time because of numberless avocations. And it is likewise true that you will often find yourself so dead and cold that it will seem to be mere labour lost. No; it is not. It is the way wherein He that raises the dead has appointed to meet you. And we know not how soon He may meet you, and say, 'Woman! I say unto thee, Arise!' Then the fear of [death] which has so long triumphed over you shall be put under your feet. Look up! my friend! Expect that He who loves you will soon come and will not tarry! To His care I commit you; and am, my dear Sally, Yours most affectionately. Mrs. Wyndowe, Byford, Near Stroud, Gloucestershire.

REVEREND SIR,--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, [Terence's Phormio, 1. iv. 19: 'With authority enough.']--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! And blind enough; so that you blunder on through thick and thin, bespattering all that come in your way, according to the old, laudable maxim, 'Throw dirt enough, and some will stick.' 2. I hope, I say, that this is the case, and that you do not knowingly assert so many palpable falsehoods. You say: 'If I am mistaken, I shall always be ready and desirous to retract my error' (page 56). A little candour and care might have prevented those mistakes; this is the first thing one would have desired. The next is that they may be removed; that you may see wherein you have been mistaken, and be more wary for the time to come. 3. You undertake to give an account, first, of the rise and principles, then of the practices, of the Methodists.

I am almost ashamed (having done it twenty times before) to answer this stale calumny again. But the bold, frontless manner wherein you advance it obliges me so to do. Know then, sir, that you have no authority, either from Scripture or reason, to judge of other men by yourself. If your own conscience convicts you of loving money, of 'casting a sheep's eye at the unrighteous mammon,' humble yourself before God, if haply the thoughts and desires of your heart may be forgiven you. But, blessed be God, my conscience is clear. My heart does not condemn me in this matter. I know, and God knoweth, that I have no desire to load myself with thick clay; that I love money no more than I love the mire in the streets; that I seek it not. And I have it not, any more than suffices for food and raiment, for the plain conveniences of life. I pay no court to it at all, or to those that have it, either with cunning or without. For myself, for my own use, I raise no contributions, either great or small. The weekly contributions of our community (which are freely given, not squeezed out of any) as well as the gifts and offerings at the Lord's Table never come into my hands. I have no concern with them, not so much as the beholding them with my eyes. They are received every week by the stewards of the Society, men of well-known character in the world; and by them constantly distributed within the week to those whom they know to be in real necessity. As to the 'very large oblations wherewith I am favoured by persons of better figure and fortune,' I know nothing of them. Be so kind as to refresh my memory by mentioning a few of their names. I have the happiness of knowing some of great figure and fortune, some right honourable persons. But if I were to say that all of them together had given me seven pounds in seven years I should say more than I could make good. And yet I doubt not but they would freely give me anything I wanted; but, by the blessing of God, I want nothing that they can give. I want only more of the spirit of love and power and of an healthful mind.

But you say, '"Good sort of men," as they are called, are "the bane of all religion"' (pages 179-80). And I think so. By this 'good sort of men' I mean persons who have a liking to but no sense of religion, no real fear or love of God, no truly Christian tempers. 'These steal away the little zeal he has--that is, persuade him to be peaceable.' No; persuade me to be like themselves-- without love either to God or man. 'Again, speaking of one, he says, "Indulging himself in harmless company"' (vulgarly so called), '"he first made shipwreck of his zeal, then of his faith." In this I think he is right. The zeal and faith of a fanatic are such exact tallies that neither can exist alone. They came into the world together to disturb society and dishonour religion.' By zeal I mean the flame of love or fervent love to God and man; by faith, the substance or confidence of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Is this the zeal and faith of a fanatic Then St. Paul was the greatest fanatic on earth. Did these come into the world to 'disturb society and dishonour religion' 'On the whole, we find Mr. Wesley by his own confession entirely destitute of prudence. Therefore it must be ascribed to the want of this if his preaching be attended with tumult and disorder.' (Page 181.) 'By his own confession' Surely no. This I confess, and this only: what is falsely called prudence I abhor; but true prudence I love and admire. However, 'You set at naught the discipline of the Church by invading the province of the parochial minister' (page 182). Nay, if ever I preach at all, it must be in the province of some parochial minister. 'By assembling in undue places and at unfit times.' I know of no times unfit for those who assemble; and I believe Hanham Mount and Rose Green were the most proper places under heaven for preaching to the colliers in Kingswood. 'By scurrilous invectives against the governors and pastors of the national Church.' This is an entire mistake. I dare not make any 'scurrilous invectives' against any man. 'Insolences of this nature provoke warm men to tumult.' But those insolences do not exist; so that, whatever tumult either warm or cool men raise, I am not chargeable therewith.

'The common opinion is that this respects another life, as he enforces his argument by this observation: "Now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face: now we know in part; but then shall we know, even as also we are known"' (page 99). 'But the Apostle means charity is to accompany the Church in all its stages, whereas prophecy and all the rest are only bestowed during its infant state to support it against the delusions and powers of darkness' (page 100). 'The Corinthians abounded in these gifts, but were wanting in charity. And this the Apostle here exposes by proving charity to be superior to them all both in its qualities and duration. The first three verses declare that the other gifts are useless without charity. The next four specify the qualities of charity. The remaining six declare its continuance,--"Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away." In the next verse he gives the reason,--"For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away": that is, when that Christian life, the lines of which are marked out by the gospel, shall arrive to its full vigour and maturity, then the temporary aids, given to subdue prejudice and to support the weak, shall, like scaffolding, be removed. In other words, when that Christian life, wherein the Apostles and first Christians were but infants, shall arrive to its full vigour and maturity in their successors, then miracles shall cease.' (Page 102.) But I fear that time is not yet come. I doubt none that are now alive enjoy more of the vigour and maturity of the Christian life than the very first Christians did.

'But when that which is perfect is come,' at death and in the last day, 'that which is in part shall be done away.' Both that low, imperfect, glimmering light, which is all the knowledge we can now attain to; and these slow and unsatisfactory methods of attaining, as well as of imparting it to others. 'When I was a child, I talked as a child, I understood as a child, I reasoned as a child.' As if he had said, In our present state we are mere infants compared to what we shall be hereafter. 'But when I became a man, I put away childish things'; and a proportionable change shall we all find when we launch into eternity. 'Now we see' even the things which surround us by means of 'a glass' or mirror, in a dim, faint, obscure manner, so that everything is a kind of riddle to us; 'but then' we shall see, not a faint reflection, but the objects themselves' 'face to face,' directly and distinctly. 'Now I know but in part.' Even when God reveals things to me, great part of them is still kept under the veil. 'But then shall I know even as I also am known'--in a clear, full, comprehensive manner; in some measure like God, who penetrates the centre of every object, and sees at one glance through my soul and all things. 'And now,' during the present life, 'abide these three, faith, hope, love; but the greatest of these,' in its duration as well as the excellence of its nature, 'is love.' Faith, hope, love, are the sum of perfection on earth; love alone is the sum of perfection in heaven. 'It appears, then, that the miraculous powers of the Church were to cease upon its perfect establishment' (page 107). Nothing like it appears from this scripture. But supposing it did, is Christianity perfectly established yet even nominal Christianity Mr. Brerewood took large pains to be fully informed; and, according to his account, [Enquiries touching the Diversity of Languages and Religions through the chiefe parts of the World (1614), p. 118. ] five parts in six of the known world are Mahometans or Pagans to this day. If so, Christianity is yet far from being perfectly established, either in Europe, Asia, Africa, or America.

To Ann Foard Date: LONDON, January 15, 1767. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1767) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR MISS ANN,--Time changes thought, especially in youth and amidst variety of company. So that it would be nothing strange if you should forget those for whom you once had a regard; but you need not. Every reasonable affection is intended to last to eternity. And the true affection for our friends is, as Milton says, a scale whereby to heavenly love thou may'st ascend. [Paradise Lost, viii. 589-92.'Love refines/ The thoughts, and heart enlarges: hath his seat/ In reason, and is judicious; is the scale/ By which to heavenly love thou may'st ascend,'] For the present you seem to be in your place, the place which the wisdom of God has assigned you; and the crosses you now meet with, as they are not of your own choosing, will surely work together for good. Your want of more public opportunities may in a good measure be supplied by private exercises. Let no day pass without more or less private prayer, reading, and meditation. And does not God see in secret Does He not now read your heart, and see if it pants for His pure love If so, are not all things ready May you not now find what you never did before Ask Him that loves you, whose nature and whose name is Love!--I am Your affectionate brother.

To Mrs. Bennis Date: DUBLIN, July 25, 1767. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1767) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR SISTER BENNIS,--When you write to me, you have only to 'think aloud,' just to open the window in your breast. When we love one another, there is no need of either disguise or reserve. I love you, and I verily believe you love me; so you have only to write just what you feel. The essential part of Christian holiness is giving the heart wholly to God; and certainly we need not lose any degree of that light and love which at first attend this: it is our own infirmity if we do; it is not the will of the Lord concerning us. Your present business is not to reason whether you should call your experience thus or thus, but to go straight to Him that loves you, with all your wants, how great or how many soever they are. Then all things are ready; help, while you ask, is given. You have only to receive it by simple faith. Nevertheless you will still be encompassed with numberless infirmities; for you live in an house of clay, and therefore this corruptible body will more or less press down the soul, yet not so as to prevent your rejoicing evermore and having a witness that your heart is all His. You may claim this: it is yours; for Christ is yours. Believe, and feel Him near.--My dear sister, adieu. Yours affectionately.

To Joseph Benson Date: LONDON, January 31, 1768. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1768) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR JOSEPH,--Tommy Taylor we have tried. Therefore I do not desire to part with him. But was T. Dancer out of his wits How was it possible he could write to me about another master without first consulting you I understood what he wrote to be wrote by you all, and therefore immediately spoke to the young man and desired him to give warning where he was that he might be at liberty in March. Perhaps there is a Providence in this blunder. For if Mr. Williams is what he appears to be, he is deeply devoted to God. You shall have what money you want; if T. Lewis will draw upon Mr. Franks for it, not only sixty pounds, but (if need be) sixty to that. You should write to me often and not too briefly. I am, with love to Brother and Sister Hindmarsh and T. Taylor, dear Joseph, Your affectionate brother. If T. Lewis will not, do you draw on Mr. Franks. To Mr. Joseph Benson, At Kingswood School, Near Bristol.

To Mrs. Woodhouse Date: LONDON, February 3, 1768. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1768) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--You did not willingly omit anything that was in your power. [See letters of May 17, 1766, and Nov. 12, 1768, to her] Therefore you have no reason to be uneasy on that account. Your father went to God in a good old age as a ripe shock of corn. Be you also ready; that, whenever our Lord cometh, He may find you watching! Undoubtedly God does sometimes show His children things to come in dreams or visions of the night. And whenever they bring us nearer to Him, it is well, whenever they are means of increasing our faith and holiness. Only we must take care not to depend upon them too much, and to bring all to the standard--the law and the testimony. I believe it would be a trial to you if you should hear I was called away. But you have a strong Helper in all trials. It might please God to calm your troubled mind by that particular outward representation; and let Him work in whatever manner He pleases. Peace and love are blessings, come how they will. These I hope you find increasing in you. Let your soul be all love, and it suffices.--I am, my dear sister, Your affectionate brother.

To Ann Bolton Date: LONDON, February 13, 1768. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1768) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--The best and most desirable thing of all is that you should live and die wholly devoted to God, waiting upon Him without distraction, serving Him without carefulness, and studying one thing--to be holy both in body and spirit, an whole burnt sacrifice of love. If you have not steadiness and resolution for this, the next thing to be desired is that you may marry a man of faith and love, who has a good temper and a good understanding. The temptation you are now in was perhaps the most dangerous one you ever had in your life. God deliver you from that almost certain destruction which attends the being unequally yoked to an unbeliever! If you could come up to London before I leave it, which is to be the 7th of March, and had time and resolution to converse with those who are most alive to God, it might be an unspeakable help to you. If you do come, let me know exactly when and how and where you purpose to lodge. And may the God of love 'cover with His wings your head' and keep you from all evil!--I am, my dear sister, Your affectionate brother.

To John Fletcher Date: BIRMINGHAM, March 20, 1768. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1768) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR SIR,--Yesterday Mr. Easterbrook informed me that you are sick of the conversation even of them who profess religion, 'that you find it quite unprofitable if not hurtful to converse with them three or four hours together, and are sometimes almost determined to shut yourself up as the less evil of the two.' I do not wonder at it at all, especially considering with whom you have chiefly conversed for some time past--namely, the hearers of Mr. Madan and Mr. Romaine (perhaps I might add of Mr. Whitefield). The conversing with these I have rarely found to be profitable to my soul. Rather it has damped my desires, it has cooled my resolutions, and I have commonly left them with a dry, dissipated spirit.

As to the conference at Worcester on lay-preaching, do not you observe almost all the lay preachers (1) are connected with me (2) are maintainers of universal redemption Hinc illae lacrymae! [Horace's Epistles, 1. xix. 41:'Hence these tears.'] These gentlemen do not love me, and do love particular redemption. If these laymen were connected with them, or if they were Calvinists, all would be well. Therefore I should apprehend you will have two things to do: (1) urge the argument the strength of which I believe is in the second Appeal, and above all in the Letter to a Clergyman [See Works, viii. 136-200; and letter of May 4, 1748.]; (2) apply to the conscience, You do not love Mr. Wesley enough, you dove your opinions too much; otherwise this debate would never have arisen. For it is undeniable these quacks cure whom we cannot cure, they save sinners all over the nation. God is with them, God works by them, and has done so, for near these thirty years. Therefore the opposing them is neither better nor worse than fighting against God.--I am Your ever affectionate brother.

To Peggy Dale Date: LIVERPOOL, April 7, 1768. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1768) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR PEGGY,--I do not well understand what letter you mean. I have answered (if I do not forget) every letter which I have received. And I commonly answer either of you [Herself or Miss Molly Dale.] within a day or two. In this respect I do not love to remain in your debt. In others I must always be so; for I can never pay you the affection I owe. Accept of what little I have to give. Mr. Law does well to insist on those sister graces, lowliness, meekness, and resignation. [A Serious Call to a Holy Life, xvi.- xxii.] These one would most importunately ask of God. And, indeed, without them love is only a name. Let your faith thus work by love, and it will make you fruitful in every good temper and word and work. I hope to be at Glasgow on Wednesday the 19th instant; at Aberdeen the 28th; at Edinburgh May 5; at Newcastle on Friday, May 20. Peace be with your spirit!--I am, my dear Peggy, Your affectionate brother.

To Ann Bolton Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1768) Author: John Wesley --- NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, June 7, 1768. MY DEAR SISTER,--As there is nothing new in your disorder only an increase of the same symptoms, I believe, if you will observe the directions I formerly gave, this will help you more than an hundred medicines. Oily medicines would kill you quickly; so would anything that loads your stomach. You must take care to have air enough at night: it would not hurt you to have the window a little open. When you have that tickling cough, chew a small bit of bark (as big as half a peppercorn), swallow your spittle four or five times, and then spit out the wood. So much bark as this I can allow you, but no more, at the peril of your life. Try if red currants agree with you; if they do, eat as many as you can. O Nancy, I want sadly to see you: I am afraid you should steal away into paradise. A thought comes into my mind which I will tell you freely. If you go first, I think you must leave me your seal for a token: I need not say to remember you by, for I shall never forget you. Experience shows what is the best means of grace to you. Read and think of the love of God. That is your point. Jesus loves you! He is yours. Be not so unkind as to distrust Him! Cast your soul at His feet! Prisoner of hope, be bold! Come unto Him now and take the water of life freely! If you are able to write, write to me soon, directing to me at Mrs. Hudson's in York. I want to know everything that concerns you. For you are exceeding near to, my dear Nancy, Your affectionate brother.

To John Mason Date: PEMBROKE, August 6, 1768. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1768) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--I would advise to make a longer trial of Kinsale. I am still in hope that good will be done there. And there has been considerable good done at Bandon; and will be more if the preachers do not coop themselves up in the house. But no great good will be done at any place without field-preaching. I hope you labour to keep the bands regular in every place, which cannot be done without a good deal of care and pains. Take pains likewise with the children and in visiting from house to house; else you will see little fruit of your labour. I believe it will be best to change the preachers more frequently.--I am Your affectionate friend and brother

To George Merryweather Date: BRISTOL, September 26, 1768. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1768) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--I have appointed Richard Boardman [Boardman was Assistant in the Dales, and took the place of Rowell at Yarm.] to supply (for the present at least) the place of Jacob Rowell. I desire John Heslop [Heslop was second preacher at Yarm in 1767. He had evidently been paying attention to a lady there. See letter of Oct.1.] may preach at Yarm no more. Quietly let him sink into nothing. And the less he preaches in other places the better till he comes again to his senses. Indeed, if anything of so notorious a kind occurs, I will thank any steward for preventing such a preacher from doing any more hurt till he has an answer from me.--I am, with love to Sister Merryweather, Your affectionate brother.

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 Mrs. Hall Date: KINGSWOOD, October 6, I 768. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1768) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR PATTY,--You do not consider, money never stays with me: it would burn me if it did. I throw it out of my hands as soon as possible, lest it should find a way into my heart. Therefore you should have spoken to me while I was in London, and before Miss Lewen's money flew away. [Wesley had settled some disputed points with Miss Lewen's father, and received on Nov. 2, 1767, the 1,000 legacy which she left him. See Journal, v. 226-7; Stamp's Orphan House, pp. 111-112; Tyerman's Wesley, ii. 589-90.] However, I know not but I may still spare you five pounds, provided you will not say, 'I will never ask you again,' because that is more than you can tell; and you must not promise more than you can perform. I scarce know what to say with regard to the other affair. It is a delicate point. Is she sure of her temporal affairs Remember her whom Lawrence Coughlan [See letters of Aug. 27, 1768, and Feb. 25, 1785 (to John Stretton).] married and ruined. Let me not have another blot of the same kind. Let her take care to tread upon firm ground. Oh how busy are mankind! and about what trifles! Things that pass away as a dream! Vanity of vanities, all is vanity, but to love and serve God.--I am, dear Patty, Your ever affectionate.

To Joseph Benson Date: WYCOMBE, November 7, 1768. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1768) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR JOSEPH,--You have now twenty more volumes of the Philosophical Transactions. Dr. Burton's Latin and Greek Poems you have in the study.[At Kingswood School.] Malebranche [Included in the list of studies for fourth year. See History of Kingswood School, p. 66.] and some other books are coming. Logic you cannot crack without a tutor: I must read it to Peter and you, if we live to meet. It would not be amiss if I had a catalogue of the books at Kingswood; then I should know the better what to buy. As fast as I can meet with them at sales, I shall procure what are yet wanting. But beware you be not swallowed up in books: an ounce of love is worth a pound of knowledge.--I am, dear Joseph, Your affectionate brother.

To Hannah Ball Date: LONDON, November 12, 1768. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1768) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--You may always direct to me in London, and the letter will be sent to me wherever I am. There is at present a better prospect at Henley than there has been for several years; and I trust you will see more fruit at Wycombe than there has lately been. Stir up the gift of God that is in you! Willingly catch all opportunities of warning every one and exhorting every one, if by any means you may save some! Cast off every weight! Beware of everything that damps or deadens your soul! If you may be free from the cares and entanglements of another state of life, use it rather.[Referring to an offer of marriage from an ungodly young man which she had refused.] Surely you are happier if you so abide. Now you have but one care: keep yourself in the love of God, in His pure love, by growing therein. Rejoice, pray, give thanks evermore. Cleave closer to Him that loves you; and for His sake love, my dear sister, Your affectionate brother.

To Jane Hilton Date: LONDON, November 26, 1768. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1768) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--There seems to have been a particular providence in Hannah Harrison's coming to Beverley, especially at that very time when a peace-maker was so much wanting; and it was a pledge that God will withhold from you no manner of thing that is good. The words of our Lord Himself show us what we are to expect from 'those of our own household.' But all this likewise shall be for good. 'It is given to you to suffer' for Him; and all will turn to your profit, that you may be more largely a partaker of His holiness. Do you feel, when you are tried in a tender point, no temper contrary to love Grief there may be; but is there no resentment or anger Do you feel invariable calmness of spirit Do you perceive nothing but pity and tender goodwill both at the time and afterwards Write to me of the trials you meet with. You may always direct to London, and the letter will come safe. Expect more faith and love daily. Your affectionate brother.

To Christopher Hopper Date: LONDON, December 3, 1768. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1768) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--Regard not custom, but reason.[Hopper was the preacher in the Birstall Circuit.] I wish you would (1) Nowhere begin preaching later than seven in the evening; (2) Preach nowhere unless they can and will procure you a tolerable lodging; (3) Change the stewards as soon as may be, whoever is pleased or displeased; (4) Execute our discipline in every point without fear or favour; (5) Expect no thanks from Richard Taylor nor any man else for doing him good.--I am, with love to Sister Hopper, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To George Merryweather Date: LEWISHAM, December 10, 1768. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1768) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--The matter is short: all things in divine worship must 'be done decently and in order.' Two must never pray at the same time, nor one interrupt another. Either Alice Brammah must take advice or the Society must be warned to keep away from her. These are the very things which were the beginning of poor George Bell's fall.--I am, with love to Sister Merryweather, Your affectionate brother.

To Ann Bolton Date: LONDON, February 4, 1769. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1769) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--You may be assured it is not want of inclination which keeps me from calling at Witney. [He had been kept in London.] But my time falls short. On Monday, March 6, I am to leave London to preach at Bath on Tuesday evening; in the residue of the week to visit the classes at Bristol; and on the Monday following to set out for Ireland. So that my time is little enough for my work, though I go the shortest way I can. With regard to yourself, you make me say more than I intended to say. I could not but admire your behaviour in London [See letter of Jan. 12.]: so affectionate, and yet so prudent. If we live till the latter end of the year, I hope we shall spend a little more time together. And surely it will be useful, not hurtful. But in the meantime take care of your health. Colds [See letter of Feb. 12.] are dangerous things to you, particularly at this time of the year. Ride as much as possible. Drink the bran water, and follow the other advices I have given you from time to time. I hope your having a convenient place for preaching will be much for the furtherance of the gospel. A blessing is ready for many; for you in particular. I say still, Dare to believe! Believe, and feel Him near! Put forth your hand and touch Him! Is He not standing at the door of your heart And do not forget, my dear Nancy, Your affectionate brother. PS.--Don't think of sending me anything; your love is sufficient.

To Mrs. Woodhouse Date: LONDON, February 15, 1769. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1769) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--You are not incapable of speaking just what you feel, just what nature and grace dictate. And you need never think of any difference between us; for we love one another. And it is a true observation, Love, like death, makes all distinctions void. [Prior's Solomon, ii. 242. See letter of Aug. 9, 1772.] Think we are just sitting by each other as when I saw you last at Owston. And write just as you would speak to me-- as free, or, if you can, more freely. Meantime stand fast in that liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free. Let temptations come as they will. Let them fly all round you. But they cannot enter unless you please. What temptations do you find the most troublesome Sometimes the most troublesome are not the most dangerous. But no danger can hurt you while you watch and pray: so long you are unconquerable. I know not why your name is not in the paper, if you are not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. O be bold for a good Master!--I am, my dear sister, Your affectionate brother. Mrs. Woodhouse, Owston, Lincolnshire.

To John Furz () Date: ATHLONE, June 25, 1769. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1769) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--Brother Langdon and you are not much mistaken concerning Thomas Wride. A great part of the accusation against Thomas Wride is owing to prejudice. But it is only his own zeal and activity and patiently blameless behaviour which can effectually speak for him. He may, if he has an horse, come to the Conference, and I will try him another year.--I am, my dear brethren, Your affectionate brother. To an Irish Lady [13] TULLAMORE, June 27, 1769. DEAR MADAM,--When I had the pleasure of conversing with you some years since, you had a regard both for me and the people called Methodists. If I am rightly informed, you are now of another mind. May I ask, When did that change begin Was it at your last journey to Dublin Whenever it was, suffer me to ask, What were the reasons of it I will tell you what I conjecture, and I do it in writing because I may not have an opportunity of talking with you; because I can write more freely than I could speak; because I can now say all I have to say at once; whereas, if we were talking together, I might probably forget some part; and because you may by this means have the better opportunity of calmly considering it.

To Mrs. Barton Date: BIRSTALL, August 6, 1769. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1769) Author: John Wesley --- Indeed, Jenny, I began to be jealous of you. I began to be almost afraid that a new situation in life and worldly cares had cooled the affection which you once had. I am glad to find the case is not so, but that you still retain your former friendship. Indeed, why should not the word 'Love never faileth' have place in this as in other instances In your last you said something which I did not understand. Last year you certainly was saved from sin. And this you testified for several months. Have you since then doubted of it Do you suppose you never received that blessing If you did, when or how did you lose it [See letter of Sept. 9.] Send me as particular an account as you can, that I may be able to form a more certain judgement. Wherever I am, you need only direct to the Foundery. Peace be with your spirits!--My dear Jenny, Your affectionate brother.

To Mrs. Bennis Date: BRISTOL, September 18, 1769. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1769) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--I wrote a longer letter to you than I usually do before I set out from Dublin: where or how it stopped I cannot imagine. [She evidently received it. See letter of July 24.] I think of you every day; indeed, I do not know that I ever loved you so well as since I was at Limerick last. [June 5-8. See note in letter of May 30 to her.] The more we are acquainted with each other the more we ought to love one another. I hope Brother Bourke and you faithfully endeavour to help each other on. Is your own soul all alive, all devoted to God Do you find again what you found once And are you active for God Remember you have work to do in your Lord's vineyard; and the more you help others the more your soul will prosper.--I am, my dear sister, Your affectionate brother.

To Peggy Dale Date: LONDON, November 17, 1769. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1769) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not. That particular branch of wisdom, readiness of thought, he is as willing to give as any other; yea, and ready utterance whenever it will be for His glory and the furtherance of His kingdom. And if you want more courage and boldness in His cause, make your requests known to Him with thanksgiving. Perhaps He will first answer you by giving you a deeper sense of want, with an increase of desire and resignation together. And afterwards you shall have the petition which you asked of Him. But there is one rule which our Lord constantly observes,--'Unto him that hath shall be given.' 'Unto him that uses what he hash.' Speak, therefore, as you can; and by-and-by you shall speak as you would. Speak, though, with fear; and in a little time you shall speak without fear. Fear shall be swallowed up in love!--I am, my dear Peggy, Your affectionate brother.

To Christopher Hopper Date: LONDON, November 20, 1769. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1769) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--If she will return of her own accord, I will receive her with open arms. But I will not hire her to return. I think that would be foolish, nay sinful. [Mrs. Wesley often left him and returned again in answer to his entreaties. She was with her daughter in Newcastle. See letters of Dec. 17, 1768, and Jan. 15, 1770.] Brother Fazzard was a good man, though for some years his head was a good deal wrong. I hope Brother Greenwood continues right, and is no longer puzzled by the smooth speakers. If you love the souls or bodies of men, recommend everywhere the Primitive Physick and the small tracts. It is true most of the Methodists are poor; but what then Nine in ten of them would be no poorer if they were to lay out an whole penny in buying a book every other week in the year. By this means the work of God is both widened and deepened in every place.--I am, with love to Sister Hopper, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To John Valton Date: LONDON, November 21, 1769. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1769) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--It is a great thing to be open to the call of God. It really seems as if He were now calling you. When I wrote last, you was not willing to go out; and probably He is now thrusting you out into His harvest. If so, take care you be not disobedient to the heavenly calling. Otherwise you may be permitted to fall lower than you imagine.--I am Your affectionate brother.

To Robert Bell Date: LONDON, December 2, 1769. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1769) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--Upon the first moving of the thing, Mr. Ball seemed cold, saying he had just procured the same favour for another. But he added, 'Do you make a point of this' I told him I did. 'Then,' said he, 'I will do what I can.' So I hope there is little reason to doubt but the thing will soon be accomplished. You have cause to bless God upon many accounts; particularly for the friendliness of your collector and supervisor; above all, for His revealing His love in your heart and giving you a word to speak in His name.--I am Your affectionate brother.

To Joseph Benson Date: LONDON, December 3, 1769, Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1769) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR JOSEPH,--You must not expect that I should answer particularly a letter of a sheet long. I have only time to take notice briefly of two or three of the mistakes it contains. [See letter of Nov. 19.] 1. I have been told an hundred times, 'You love those that flatter you, and hate all that deal plainly and honestly with you.' [See letters of March 25, 1764, and Sept. 12, 1766.] For J. Oliver told Jo. Hilton, who (with many others) cordially believed it. But nothing under heaven can be more false. What man did I ever love like T. Walsh What woman do I now regard like Miss Bosanquet And what human creatures have dealt so plainly and honestly with me What preacher now deals so plainly with me as John Fenwick and whom do I love and trust more 2. The first spring of the reproach cast on Kingswood School was not any mismanagement there. It was the hatred of good which is in the devil and his children. Therefore even Mr. Parkinson never did or could escape it. Therefore a fresh flood of it has been poured out even since you was there. 3. This you had reason to expect, and therefore ought not to have been surprised, much less discouraged at it. For this I gently reproved you in my first letter. That reproof you took heinously ill, and reproached me for unmercifulness and want of sympathy. This I should think was extremely wrong. 4. 'Is this all the thanks I receive for serving you' Nay, I think the thanks are due to me. When I first sent you to Kingswood, it was to serve you at least as much as myself. Nay, it was not to serve myself at all. For what is the school to me It has been and may be of use to many. But it is no more to me than to you or Lady Huntingdon. There are other mistakes in your letter (which is all wrote in a spirit of discontent), but I have no time to point them out. You told me you would stay at the school till March. Till then you should be as much at Kingswood as you can.-- I am 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 Christopher Hopper Date: LONDON, January 16, 1770. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1770) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--There is reason to believe that this has been indeed a festival time all over the kingdom. While a Sacheverell madness has spread far and wide, God gives us the spirit of love and of a sound mind. I think verily, if we could procure those premises upon reasonable terms, together with such a servitude or security (are these synonymous terms?) as you mention, it would be a noble acquisition, and might tend much to the furtherance of the work of God in Edinburgh. If all the Assistants would exert themselves with regard to the Yearly Collection as heartily as Christopher Hopper, a great deal might be done. We must have farther proof of William.--I am, with love to Sister Hopper, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Ann Bolton Date: LEWISHAM, January 25, 1770. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1770) Author: John Wesley --- Nancy, Nancy! I had almost said, I wish I could be angry at you; but that would not be an easy thing. I was wondering that you never wrote. I doubt your love is grown cold. Let it not be six weeks before I hear from you again. You find I can chide if you provoke me. You surprise me with regard to the books. I have spoke to Mr. Franks twice; and twice he told me he had sent them. I doubt he sent them among the other books without directing them particularly to you. I shall see that matter set right. You must not leave off riding [See letter of Feb. 12, 1769.] if you would have tolerable health. Nothing is so good for you as exercise and change of air. It was upon that as well as other accounts that I wanted you to come up to London. I do not know whether the objection of 'giving offence' need to affright you from it. I wish you had a week to spare before I go out of town. [She had once before come up to London to meet him. See letter of April 7, 1768.] If I should be called to America [See letters of Dec. 30, 1769, and See Feb. 17, 1770.] (though I determine nothing yet), it might be a long time before we meet again. In every temptation there will be a way made to escape that you may be able to bear it. Do not stay a month longer before you write to, my dear Nancy, Your affectionate brother. I have a room or two to spare now.

To John Whitehead Date: LONDON, January 27, 1770. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1770) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--Tell John Hilton 'wherever Mr. Wesley is he labours to strengthen the hands of the Assistant and does nothing without advising with him.' So I do nothing here without advising with John Pawson. [Pawson was the Assistant in London and Hilton at Bristol.] I believe his doing otherwise was chiefly through inadvertence. Therefore come to an explanation as soon as possible. Brother Hitchens [William Hitchens, a native of Bisveal near Redruth, was for some time an itinerant preacher; but he married and settled as a hatter in Bristol. He laboured as a local preacher for many years. See Atmore's Memorial, pp. 190-1.] complains you broke through the plan of preaching which I fixed and did not allow him his turn. But, however this was, Wick must not lose its turn. I solemnly promised Mr. Haynes it should not, and allowed the preacher the use of my mare once a fortnight. Neglect another place rather than that. Give my kind love to Brother and Sister Thomas. [Barnabas Thomas, the second preacher at Bristol, a Cornishman, had become a preacher in 1764. see letter of March 25, 1785.] I thank him for his letter. You should give Mr. Shirley [The Hon. Walter Shirley, Rector of Loughrea, and cousin to Lady Huntingdon, had evidently been teaching Calvinism in Wesley's preaching house. See letter of Nov. 27.] an hint not to contradict me when he preaches in my house. I hope you spend a little time (you and Brother Thomas) with our children at Kingswood. Who are your new class-leaders? --I am, with love to Sister Whitehead, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Mrs. Marston Date: BROADMARSTON, March 16, 1770. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1770) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--I want to ask you several questions. At what time and in what manner was you justified? Did you from that time find a constant witness of it? When and how was you convinced of the necessity of sanctification? When did you receive it, and in what manner? Did you then find the witness of it? Has it been clear ever since? Have you not found any decay since that time? Do you now find as much life as ever you did? Can you give God your whole heart? In what sense do you 'pray without ceasing and in everything give thanks'? Do you find a testimony in yourself that all your words and actions please Him? You have no need to be nice or curious in answering these questions. You have no occasion to set your words in order; but speak to me just as you would do to one of your sisters. The language of love is the best of all. One truly says,-- There is in love a sweetness ready penned: Copy out only that, and save expense. [George Herbert's The Temple, 'Jordan.'] You have love in your heart; let that teach you words. Out of the abundance of the heart let the mouth speak. I shall then know better how to advise you. I have a great concern for you, and a desire that you should never lose anything which God has wrought, but should receive a full reward. Stand fast in the name of the Lord and in the power of His might!-- I am Your affectionate brother. You may direct to me at the preaching-house in Manchester

To Mrs. Barton Date: ARBROATH, May 8, 1770. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1770) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--Two things are certain: the one, that it is possible to lose even the pure love of God; the other, that it is not necessary, it is not unavoidable--it may be lost, but it may be kept. Accordingly we have some in every part of the kingdom who have never been moved from their steadfastness. And from this moment you need never be moved: His grace is sufficient for you. But you must continue to grow if you continue to stand; for no one can stand still. And is it not your Lord's will concerning you that you should daily receive a fresh increase of love? And see that you labour so much the more to comfort the feeble-minded, to support the weak, to confirm the wavering, and recover them that are out of the way. In June I hope to see you. Peace be with your spirits! --I am Your affectionate brother.

To George Merryweather Date: YORK, June 24, 1770. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1770) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--Mr. Augustus Toplady I know well. But I do not fight with chimney-sweepers. He is too dirty a writer for me to meddle with. I should only foul my fingers. I read his title-page, and troubled myself no farther. I leave him to Mr. Sellon. He cannot be in better hands. [See letter of Feb. 21 to Walter Sellon.] As long as you are seeking and expecting to love God with all your heart, so long your soul will live.--I am Your affectionate brother.

To George Merryweather Date: LONDON, August 7, 1770. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1770) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--I have the credit of stationing the preachers. But many of them go where they will go for all me. For instance, I have marked down James Oddie and John Nelson for Yarm Circuit the ensuing year. Yet I am not certain that either of them will come. They can give twenty reasons for going elsewhere. Mr. Murlin says he must be in London. 'Tis certain he has a mind to be there. Therefore so it must be: for you know a man of fortune is master of his own notions.--I am, with love to Sister Merryweather and Mr. Waldy, [See letter of Jan. 24, 1760.] Your affectionate brother.

To James Freeman Date: BRISTOL, August 19, 1770. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1770) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR JEMMY,--It is lost labour. It will not do. It is vain for any man to attempt it, to make me think any ill of James Freeman [See letter of June 7, 1762.] or Tho. Garrett. [Thomas Garrett, a native of Holland, was one of the oldest members in Dublin. He died in 1776. See Crookshank's Methodism in Ireland, i. 123, 303.] I know them too well. I did hear reports of that kind; but I regarded them not. I would fain hope that Mr. Townsend [Rector of Pewsey. See letter of Aug. 1-3, 1767. He preached against Arminianism.] will behave better in Dublin than he did in Edinburgh. However, he will do little hurt, if you stand fast in one mind, striving together for the hope of the gospel.--I am, dear Jemmy, Your affectionate brother. Letter addressed to Mrs. Jane Freeman, Near the Linen Hall, In Lisburn, Ireland.

To Matthew Lowes Date: LONDON, October 13, 1770. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1770) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--Health you shall have, if health be best: if not, sickness will be a greater blessing. I am glad you have Dr. Wilson near. A more skilful man, I suppose, is not in England. If you should continue weak (as I did from November to March), good is the will of the Lord. You are not a superannuated preacher; but you are a supernumerary. I believe one of your boys is rejoicing in the love of God.--I am, with love to Sister Lowes, dear Matthew, Your affectionate brother.

To Mrs. Crosby Date: BEDFORD, October 26, 1770. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1770) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--I congratulate you both upon your sickness and your recovery from it. Do not all things work together for good to them that love God? Now redeem the little uncertain time that is given you; perhaps fifteen years, perhaps not so many months. Deal very faithfully and freely with my dear M. Bosanquet and with Your affectionate brother.

To Mrs. Barton Date: NORWICH, November 5, 1770. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1770) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--For many years I had a kind of scruple with regard to praying for temporal things. But three or four years ago I was throughly persuaded that scruple was unnecessary. Being then straitened much, I made it matter of prayer; and I had an immediate answer. It is true we can only ask outward blessings with reserve, 'If this is best; if it be Thy will.' And in this manner we may certainly plead the promise, 'All these things shall be added to you.' I hope the little debates which were some time since in the Society at Beverley are at an end, and that you all now continue in love and bear one another's burthens. You had for a long time an hard part to act between the contending parties; but as God preserved you from anger and from a party spirit, you suffered no loss thereby. Beware of suffering loss from another quarter, from worldly care. This is a dangerous enemy. You had need steadily to cast your care on Him that careth for you. To Him I commit you and yours; and am Your affectionate brother.

To Mary Bishop Date: NORWICH, November 5, 1770. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1770) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR MISS BISHOP,--I am glad you had such success in your labour of love. In all things you shall reap if you faint not. And the promise is, 'They shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.' I hope the building is begun, [See letter of Nov. 27.] and will be finished as soon as possible. What temper are your neighbours in? Do they bear with you? And do you confirm your love toward them? How does our little Society prosper? Are you all united in love? And are you all aware of that bane of love, tale-bearing and evil-speaking? Are the congregations as large as they have been for some time? Herein we may well say, What hath God wrought! See, I ask you many questions, because I have a mind you should say a great deal to me. How does your own soul prosper? Do you retain that little spark of faith? Are you going forward, and have you as strong a desire as ever to increase with all the increase of God? See the Lord, thy Keeper, stand, Omnipotently near! Lo, He holds thee by thy hand, And banishes thy fear! O trust Him, love Him, and praise Him! And for His sake love, my dear Miss Bishop, Your affectionate brother.

To Mrs. Marston Date: LONDON, December 14, 1770. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1770) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--If I live till spring, and should have a clear, pressing call, I am as ready to embark for America [See letters of Feb. 21, 1770 (to Whitefield), and July 13, 1771 (to Miss March).] as for Ireland. All places are alike to me; I am attached to none in particular. Wherever the work of our Lord is to be carried on, that is my place for to-day. And we live only for to-day; it is not our part to take thought for to-morrow. You expect to fight your way through. But I think the preachers understand you and can receive your report; and so do most of your sisters. What forces, then, can Satan raise up against you? You can speak to me without reserve; for you know I love you much. Abundance of deficiencies must remain as long as the soul remains in this house of clay. So long the corruptible body will more or less darken and press down the soul. But still your heart may be all love, and love is the fulfilling of our law. Still you may rejoice evermore; you may pray without ceasing and in everything give thanks. Peace be multiplied unto you!--I am, dear Molly, Your affectionate brother.

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 Mary Bishop Date: BRISTOL, March 8, 1771. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1771) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR MISS BISHOP,--The advice which Mr. Mather gave you was good; and, indeed, the very best that could be given. Bear your cross, and it will bear you; but still deal faithfully with your sisters. And warn them all, both together and singly, of that snare into which they have so often fallen. If need be, Mr. Mather too must speak to them and enlarge upon the same head. In praying with the children, you have only to ask for those things which you are sensible they most want, and that in the most plain, artless, and simple language which you can devise. You will have other trials when that well-meaning (though not always well-judging) woman [See letters of Nov. 27, 1770, and May 27, 1771.] comes to Bath. If she continues to show scraps of my letters, I shall be obliged to give you a copy of the whole. Be humble, zealous, active.-- I am, my dear Miss Bishop, Your affectionate brother. PS.--On Monday I am to set out towards Dublin. A letter directed thither will be sent to me in any part of the kingdom.

To Joseph Benson Date: BRISTOL, March 9, 1771. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1771) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR JOSEPH,--I must write a few lines, though I can ill spare time. You seem to be providentially thrust out into the harvest. But consider what you do. Read the Minutes of the Conference, and see whether you can conform thereto. Likewise think whether you can abstain from speaking of Universal Salvation and Mr. Fletcher's late discovery. The Methodists in general could not bear this. It would create huge debate and confusion. I wish you would read over that sermon in the first volume on The Spirit of Bondage and of Adoption. [Works, v. 98-111.] Invenio te corde simplicem, as the Count speaks, sed turbatis ideis. [I found thee simple in heart, but troubled in your ideas.' See Journal, ii. 488.] My love to Mr. Hallward.--I am, dear Joseph, Yours affectionately.

To Elizabeth Briggs Date: CHESTER, March 17, 1771. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1771) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BETSY,--You do well to break through that needless fear. Love me more, and fear me less; then you will prove, Love, like the grave, makes all distinctions vain. ['Love, like death, hath all destroyed.' See Poetical Works of J. and C. Wesley, i. 362; also letter of Feb. 15, 1769.] You have great reason to praise Him who hath done great things for you already. What you now want is to come boldly to the throne of grace, that the hunger and thirst after His full image which God has given you may be satisfied. Full salvation is nigh, even at the door. Only believe, and it is yours. It is a great blessing that at your years you are preserved from seeking happiness in any creature. You need not, seeing Christ is yours. O cleave to Him with all your heart!--I am, my dear Betsy, Yours affectionately.

To Ann Bolton Date: TULLAMORE, April 15, 1771. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1771) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--You are a little unkind. Why do you not send me, as I desired, a particular account of all that concerns you Where you are How you are in soul and in body Do you stand fast in that glorious liberty wherewith Christ has made you free Has He bruised the reasoning devil under your feet and taught you simply to hang upon Him Are you not ashamed to confess Him before men Are you bold, are you active in His cause Where have you been and what have you done since you left that lovely family at Shoreham [The Perronets. See letter of March 30 to Damaris Perronet] You did love me a little. Do you still Do you think of me sometimes If so, do not delay writing. Let me be an helper of your joy. And I pray take care of your health. In this respect I am often jealous over you. I think you never will neglect your soul; but I am afraid lest you should neglect your body. And you know not how great pain anything befalling you gives to, my dear Nancy, Your ever affectionate brother.

To Mr.- Date: BANDON, May 1, 1771. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1771) Author: John Wesley --- My DEAR BROTHER,--The case being so, I do not see how you could act otherwise than you did. If he had been throughly penitent, it would have been proper to show all possible lenity. But as his heart does not seem to be at all broken, you could not have any fellowship with him. Spare no pains with regard to the Yearly Collection.--I am Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Philothea Briggs Date: BANDON, May 2, 1771. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1771) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR PHILLY,--There is no fear I should forget you; I love you too well for that, and therefore love to hear from you, especially at this critical time, when all the powers of hell are engaged against you. But let them come about you like bees, they shall be extinct as the fire among the thorns. Tempted you are, and will be; otherwise you could not know your own weakness and the strength of your Master. But all temptations will work together for good; all are for your profit, that you may be partaker of His holiness. You may always have an evidence both of God's love to you and of yours to Him. And at some times the former may be more clear, at other times the latter. It is enough if, in one case or the other, you simply stay your soul upon Him. Sister Harper's is the ordinary experience of those who are renewed in love. [Charles Wesley met Mrs. Harper at Mr. Sims's on July 2, 1738; and as they sang, Who for me, for me hath died,, she burst out into tears and outcries, "I believe, I believe!" and sunk down. She continued, and increased in the assurance of faith, full of peace and joy and love., Wesley printed an extract from her Journal in 1769. see c. Wesley's Journal, i. 115.] Sister Jackson's [See letter of March 26, 1770.] experience is quite extraordinary, and what very few of them have yet attained. There is a danger of every believer's mistaking the voice of the enemy or of their own imagination for the voice of God. And you can distinguish one from the other, not by any written rule, but only by the unction of the Holy One. This only teaches Christian prudence, consistent with simplicity and godly sincerity. The four volumes of Sermons, the Appeals, the Notes, and the Extracts from Mr. Law's Works and from Dr. Young, might best suit you now: meddle with nothing that does not suit your present temper. When you feel you are led to it, write verses; do not bury your talent in the earth. Meet with them that meet on a Friday, and speak in God's name without fear or shame.

To Christopher Hopper Date: CORK, May 5, 1771. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1771) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--The work is to be delivered in weekly and monthly numbers; but it is of most use to have portable volumes. [The first collected edition of Wesley's Works, published in thirty-two 12mo vols. 1771-4. see Green's Bibliography, No. 276.] I have corrected as much as will make nine or ten out of the thirty volumes. All the verse works I have corrected in conjunction with the preachers, and left the corrected copy at London. If I live to finish the correction of my own works, I shall then revise the Christian Library. If ever you should spend a twelvemonth in this kingdom, you would not repent of your labour. Here is a people ready prepared for the Lord.--I am, with love to Sister Hopper, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To John Hallam Date: BRISTOL, August 10, 1771. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1771) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--Mr. Olivers [Thomas Olivers was Assistant in Derbyshire.] is able and willing to instruct you more particularly as to any doubts than I can do by letter. I advise you do not on any account stay from those that love God. Meantime you may see many who neither love nor fear Him in their own houses, either single or more of them together. If any refrain from our preaching because you do not go to it, it is a good reason why you should. Meantime do all the good you can to all. Any of the practical books which we have published might be of use to yourself and give you a farther opportunity of being useful to others. [See letter to Samuel Bardsley on Jan. 29, 1773: 'John Hallam is a good man, though a queer one; I am in hopes he will do good.'] Perhaps it might answer your design if you taught school six or seven hours a day.--I am Your affectionate brother.

To Ann Bolton Date: PEYBROKE, August 25, 1771. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1771) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--Now you make me amends. Your affectionate letter gave me unspeakable satisfaction. I am glad you have been with Sister Iles. She is a jewel. Is she going to be married or not I am glad likewise that you have better health; surely He will withhold from you no good thing! But I cannot tell you how glad I am that your love is not grown cold. Perhaps our wise Lord may sometimes make that love a balance against the temptations you speak of. You certainly have need to watch in all things; otherwise you would suffer loss. And you have need to be always active and zealous for God, forgetting yourself and simply following Him. But one caution I would give my dear friend. Do not spend too much time at once in any company. An hour at a time is generally enough; and if we spend more, it is less useful. O how I long for patience to have its perfect work in you, that you may be perfect in Him, and lacking nothing! I will pardon your past delay only on one condition, that you quickly write again. Let not your works of mercy rob you of time for private prayer; and fail not then especially to remember, my dear Nancy, Yours affectionately.

To Christopher Hopper Date: BRISTOL, September 22, 1771. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1771) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--You and I differ a little in our judgement. I take Yarm Circuit to be a very comfortable one. But I see an evil growing among us: preachers claim to be two years together in the same round, because it has been suffered sometimes; but if it be so, I must suffer it no more. Every preacher shall change every year; unless they will leave it to my judgement to make an exception now and then when I may see sufficient cause. However, for the present, if Thomas Hanson is willing, you may change circuits with him. To a request which I did not approve of silence was the mildest answer. Nevertheless I had rather you had been at Leeds. I believe you would have done more good. But others had spoke first. Pray let them not be beforehand with you, if we live to another year.--I am, with love to Sister Hopper, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To John Fletcher Date: LONDON, October 12, 1771. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1771) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR SIR,--Returning from Bedfordshire this evening, I received your two letters and the bill. I do not propose saying anything to Mr. Shirley, at least not for the present. I am glad mine came too late to prevent your writing me the Sixth Letter, which I trust will be as useful as the others have been. Certainly it is possible to reconcile meekness, yea and kindness, with the utmost plainness of speech. But this will infallibly be termed bitterness by those who do not receive it in love. Their returning us hatred for goodwill is the cross we are called to bear. I can hardly believe what he says of Mr. Spencer, [See letter of June 20, 1770.] whose love, I verily think, is without dissimulation. But Calvinism I know to be a deadly enemy to all Christian tempers. Peace be with your spirit!--I am, dear sir, Ever yours.

To Matthew Lowes Date: NORWICH, November 10, 1771. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1771) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR MATTHEW,--I am glad you was able to do so much. You should do all you can, otherwise want of exercise will not lessen but increase your disorder. It may be travelling a little may restore your strength, though as yet you are not able to travel much. Certainly there is no objection to your making balsam while you are not considered as a travelling preacher. --I am, with love to Sister Lowes, Your affectionate brother.

To James Hutton Date: December 26, 1771. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1771) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR JAMES,--It really seems the time is come when our Lord will roll away our reproach, and Ephraim shall no more vex Judah, nor Judah vex Ephraim. Frank Okeley and you, with my brother and me, so many at least, are lovers of peace. After having seen above half a century of years, we are sick of strife and contention. If we do not yet think alike, we may at least love alike. And, indeed, unity of affection is a good step forward toward unity of judgement. We need not despair of getting farther by-and-by: the right hand of the Lord bringeth mighty things to pass. Nothing will be wanting that is in the power of, dear James, Your old friend and brother.

To Philothea Briggs Date: LONDON, January 5, 1772. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1772) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR PHILLY,--It is not always a defect to mind one thing at a time. And an aptness so to do, to employ the whole vigour of the mind on the thing in hand, may answer excellent purposes. Only you have need to be exceeding wary, lest the thing you pursue be wrong. First, be well assured not only that it is good but that it is the best thing for you at that time; and then, whatsoever your hand findeth to do, do it with your might. But you have all things in one, the whole of religion contracted to a point, in that word, 'Walk in love, as Christ also loved us and gave Himself for us.' All is contained in humble, gentle, patient love. Is not this, so to speak, a divine contrivance to assist the narrowness of our minds, the scantiness of our understanding Every right temper, and then all right words and actions, naturally branch out of love. In effect, therefore, you want nothing but this--to be filled with the faith that worketh by love. You take no liberties that are not agreeable to, my dear Philly, Yours affectionately.

To John Mason Date: LONDON, January 26, 1772. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1772) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--Two old members recovered I make more account of than three new ones. I love to see backsliders return. I was afraid there was no more place for us in Workington.[Mason was now Assistant at Whitehaven, which Circuit included Workington, Cockermouth and Carlisle.] scarce any one came to hear. It is well the people are now of a better mind. You cannot expect to do good at Carlisle till you either procure a more comfortable place or preach in the open air. For many years Cockermouth has been the same, and will be till you can preach abroad. You will observe the letter which I desired Brother Mather [Alexander Mather was in London. See letter of Feb. 27, 1773.] to write to you concerning the books; and make all the haste which the nature of the thing will admit. I shall endeavour to see you in summer; and am Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Ann Bolton Date: LONDON, January 29, 1772. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1772) Author: John Wesley --- Nancy, Nancy! What is the matter Not a line yet! Are you trying whether I can be angry at you Or are you fallen into your old temptation, and so care not whether I am pleased or displeased You give me concern. I have many fears concerning you. Tell me without delay how your soul prospers. Adieu!

To Miss Sparrow Date: LEWISHAM, February 26, 1772. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1772) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--From the whole of your account it appears plain beyond all reasonable doubt that you have tasted once and again of the pure love of God. Why, then, did you not abide therein It was your own infirmity. You was moved from your steadfastness by those evil reasonings, which I am of opinion were chiefly diabolical. What you seem to want above all things is simplicity, the spirit of a little child. Look, and take it from Him that knows you! Take this and whatsoever else you stand in need of. Do you say 'you need a guide' Why will you not accept of me Do you know any that loves you better All the advices I would give you now centre in one--Now, to-day, look unto Jesus! Is He not waiting to be gracious Give Him your heart! And if you love me, speak all you think to, my dear sister, Yours affectionately.

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 Ann Foard Date: NEWCASTLE, June 7, 1772. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1772) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--Do I flatter myself in judging of you by myself Am I mistaken in thinking we feel alike I believe we do: I believe in this your heart is as mine. But if so, it is not so easy for you to part. Indeed, I judged before, this was only a sudden start, arising from a misapprehension of my meaning. That was really the case. I did not, could not compare one I so tenderly love (with a love of esteem as well as complacence) with him: only with regard to one circumstance. Well, now you have made me amends for the pain you gave me before. And see that you make me farther amends by swiftly advancing in lowliness, in meekness, in gentleness towards all men. So fulfil the joy of, my dear Nancy, Yours affectionately.

To Mrs. Bennis Date: YARM, June 16, 1772. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1772) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--As often as you can I hope you will converse with Mrs. Dawson, as her heart is much united to you; and when you are at a distance from each other, you may converse by letters. And I believe you are particularly called to be useful to those whom the riches or the grandeur of this world keep at a distance from the pure word of God. When you are at Waterford, see that you be not idle there. You should gather up and meet a band immediately. If you would meet a class too, it would be so much the better: you know, the more labour the more blessing. You did well to send me the last enclosure; it is absolutely needful that I should be acquainted with all such matters; the contrary would be false delicacy. Mr. Goodwin is a valuable young man; he has much grace and a good understanding. I have wrote to Mr. Glassbrook and the leaders, if James Deaves should come to Limerick in the same spirit wherein he has been for some time, to take care that he do no mischief. If he should proceed in that impetuous manner, we shall be obliged to take harsher measures. This I should be sorry for; one would not cut off a limb while there is any hope of recovering it. I expect John Christian will be an useful labourer; he has a zeal according to knowledge. Nothing is sin, strictly speaking, but a voluntary transgression of a known law of God. Therefore every voluntary breach of the law of love is sin; and nothing else, if we speak properly. To strain the matter farther is only to make way for Calvinism. There may be ten thousand wandering thoughts and forgetful intervals without any breach of love, though not without transgressing the Adamic law. But Calvinists would fain confound these together. Let love fill your heart, and it is enough!--I am, dear sister, Your affectionate brother.

To Mrs. Turner Date: THE DEVIZES, September 18, 1772. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1772) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--You have prevented me. I had designed to write to you if you had not wrote to me. I take knowledge of your spirit. 'Love without dissimulation is easy to be discerned.' I am the more pleased to find this in you, because you are acquainted with many whose love does not abound, who are not so kindly affectioned to those who do not exactly subscribe to their opinions. They do not seem sufficiently to consider that the kingdom of God is not opinions (how right so ever they be), but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. I love you for being of a more excellent spirit. My soul takes acquaintance with you. Shall we for opinions destroy the work of God, or give up love, the very badge of our profession Nay, by this shall men know that we belong to the Lover of Souls, to Him who loved us and gave Himself for us.

His letters (as vilely as they have been misrepresented) breathe the very spirit of the gospel. You might read them, to learn how to return good for evil, to bless them that curse you. O beware that no bitter spirits infuse bitterness into you I Keep all the love that God has given you! and never rest till all your heart is love! Peace be with your spirits!--I am, my dear sister, Your affectionate brother.

To Penelope Newman Date: WYCOMBE, October 23, 1772. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1772) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--I am glad to hear that you found benefit by your little journey to Bristol. I did not doubt but the conversation of those experienced Christians would be of service to you, and would enable you to be of more service to the little flock at Cheltenham. In one point only our friends at Bristol have been once and again in some danger. They have been in danger of being a little hurt by reading those that are called Mystic authors. [For Mysticism, see next letter.] These (Madame Guyon in particular) have abundance of excellent sayings. They have many fine and elegant observations; but in the meantime they are immeasurably wise above that is written. They continually refine upon plain Christianity. But to refine religion is to spoil it. It is the most simple thing that can be conceived: it is only humble, gentle, patient love. It is nothing less and nothing more than this; as it is described in the 13th chapter of the [First Epistle to the] Corinthians. O keep to this! Aim at nothing higher, at nothing else! Let your heart continually burn with humble love. If you have an opportunity to be electrified, that would remove the pain in your eye, should it return. I am glad my dear sisters did not suffer in your absence. This is another token that your journey was pleasing to God. I was much delighted, when I saw you, with your artless, simple love; and love you the more on that account. As freely as you would talk to me if we were together, so freely write to, my dear Penny, Yours affectionately. From time to time you should tell me just what God works in you and by you.

To Ann Bolton Date: October 25, 1772. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1772) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--The subject on which we were lately talking requires to be a little farther explained. You cannot imagine what trouble I have had for many years to prevent our friends from refining upon religion. Therefore I have industriously guarded them from meddling with the Mystic writers, as they are usually called; because these are the most artful refiners of it that ever appeared in the Christian world, and the most bewitching. There is something like enchantment in them. When you get into them, you know not how to get out. Some of the chief of these, though in different ways, are Jacob Behmen and Madame Guyon. My dear friend, come not into their secret; keep in the plain, open Bible way. Aim at nothing higher, nothing deeper, than the religion described at large in our Lord's Sermon upon the Mount, and briefly summed up by St. Paul in the 13th chapter [of the First Epistle] to the Corinthians. I long to have you more and more deeply penetrated by humble, gentle, patient love. Believe me, you can find nothing higher than this till mortality is swallowed up of life. All the high-sounding or mysterious expressions used by that class of writers either mean no more than this or they mean wrong. O beware of them! Leave them off before they are meddled with. I had much satisfaction in your company when I saw you last. Be more and more filled with humble love. Yours most affectionately.

To Ann Bolton Date: LONDON, December 5, 1772. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1772) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--I know not that ever you asked me a question which I did not readily answer. I never heard any one mention anything concerning you on that account; but I myself was jealous over you. [See letter of Nov. 28.] Perhaps I shall find faults in you that others do not; for I survey you on every side. I mark your every motion and temper, because I long for you to be without spot or blemish. What I have seen in London occasioned the first caution I gave you. George Bell, William Green, [See Journal, iii. 265, iv. 94; C. Wesley's Journal, i. 429; and letter of Nov. 26, 1762, sect. I. 6, to Bishop Warburton.] and many others, then full of love, were favoured with extraordinary revelations and manifestations from God. But by this very thing Satan beguiled them from the simplicity that is in Christ. By insensible degrees they were led to value these extraordinary gifts more than the ordinary grace of God; and I could not convince them that a grain of humble love was better than all these gifts put together. This, my dear friend, was what made me fear for you. This makes me remind you again and again. Faith and hope are glorious gifts, and so is every ray of eternity let into the soul. But still these are but means; the end of all, and the greatest of all, is love. May the Lord just now pour it into your heart as He never has done before. By all means spend an hour every other day in the labour of love, even though you cannot help them as you would. Commending you to Him who is able to make you perfect in every good word and work, I am Yours affectionately.

To Christopher Hopper Date: LONDON, February 6, 1773. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1773) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--I agreed last year (though contrary to my judgement that we would have no more weekly subscriptions. I purposed likewise in my own mind to concern myself with the debt no more. But upon reflection it seemed to me there was one way still -- namely, not to apply to the poor at all (though I would not reject any that offered), but to take the burthen on myself and try my personal interest with the rich. I began at London, where about five hundred pounds are subscribed. Afterwards I wrote to many in the country. Liverpool Circuit has subscribed about an hundred pounds; Bradford Circuit an hundred and thirty. It must be now or never. I do not know that I shall concern myself with this matter any more. Till now we have never had a rational prospect of clearing the whole debt in one year [See letter of Jan. 29 to Samuel Bardsley]. Now it may be done. It certainly will if our brethren in other circuits do as those above mentioned have done. What I desire of you is to second the letters I have wrote, encouraging each man of property in your circuit to exert himself--at least, to send me an answer; this, you know, is but common civility. Now do what you can; and show that you, my old friend are not last and least in love towards Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Philothea Briggs Date: LONDON February 20, 1773. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1773) Author: John Wesley --- I often heard my own mother make the same complaint with you. She did not feel for others near so much as my father did; but she did ten times more than he did. You must labor to do so much the more, and pray that God may supply whatever is wanting. One degree of forgiveness is due to every one, though impenitent; still I love him as I love all men. But the other degree, whereby I should again receive him as a friend, is only due to one who says, ‘ I repent ‘--that is, convinces me that he does really repent and is entirely changed. It is certain God has given you a talent, and I still think it ought to be used. I grant, indeed, to be hid and to be still is more agreeable to flesh and blood; but is it more agreeable to Him ‘ who hath left us an example that we might tread in His steps’ Yours affectionately.

To Mrs. Barton, Hull Date: LIVERPOOL, March 22, 1773. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1773) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--I am glad you are removed to Hull [See letter of Jan. 21.]. Probably Brother Barton and you will have an advantage with regard to business. Certainly you have the advantage of such fellow travelers in the way to heaven as you could not find at Beverley. Yet I do not doubt a few names are left there that will not easily be moved from their steadfastness. And when two or three such are gathered together, we know our Lord is in the midst of them. Now make full use of the advantages you enjoy. And expect all the residue of the promises He has given you to taste of His pure love. What remains but that you should be filled therewith--I am, with love to Brother Barton, dear Jenny, Your affectionate brother.

To Mrs. Bennis Date: DUBLIN, April 1, 1773. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1773) Author: John Wesley --- I fear you are too idle: this will certainly bring condemnation. Up, and be doing! Do not loiter. See that your talent rust not: rather let it gain ten more; and it will, if you use it [On March 16 she had written of herself as ‘the same poor, tottering, feeble creature’]. You are permitted to be in heaviness to humble and prove you yet more. Then you shall come forth as gold. If you love me, you will both write and speak freely to, my dear sister, Your affectionate.

To his Brother Charles LONDONDERRY, May 30, 1773. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1773) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR BROTHER,--I have had no letter from any of our preachers to stop Mr. Davis coming to help us [See letter of July 10, 1772, to his brother]. But I easily foresaw there would be objections to the largeness of the salary. If a few of our brethren would asset herein, that matter will be quite easy. I really believe his heart is with us and that God will make him useful to the people. He is given to us, and we should take care to be as useful to him as we can. Nay, but you have intended again and again to stand by me at this and that Conference, and then left me to stand by myself [Charles Wesley was keeping aloof from the work of Methodism, to his own loss and his brother’s. See letter of Dec. 15, 1772]. It is certain we two can turn the tide. I alone can only stem it. I have been in two mobs since I came into Ireland, one in the South and one in the North. The Protestant mob was far the worst. But I am still in an whole skin [For the riot at Waterford on April 25, and the more serious one at Enniskillen on May 24-5, see Journal, v. 503-4, 507-9]. Durn vivimus vivamus [‘Whilst we live let us live’]. Peace be with you and yours. Adieu.

A Christian (though perhaps he never heard the name of a Methodist) has power over all sin. Have you If not, it is certain you may; for God is no respecter of persons. Whatsoever He has given to any other He is willing to give to you also. O let your heart cry to Him, ‘ What I know not teach Thou me. Let me not die before I long to die! Give me the wisdom that sitteth by Thy throne, and reject me not from among Thy children!’ To His care I tenderly commit you; and am, my dear Miss Cummins, Yours affectionately. If you love me, hear Mr. Saunderson preach.

Believe! Expect! ! I know it to be so.’ Go on in this humble, gentle love, that you may abound therein more and more. Aim at nothing higher than this. And may the God of love still possess you whole, and guide your every thought and word and work. Continue to pray for Your affectionate brother.

To John Fletcher Date: LEWISHAM, July 21, 1773. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1773) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR SIR,--It was a great satisfaction to me that I had the opportunity which I so long desired of spending a little time with you [Wesley got to Madeley on Friday, the 9th, preached twice in the church on Sunday, and left on Monday. See Journal, v. 517], and I really think it would answer many gracious designs of Providence were we to spend a little more time together. It might be of great advantage both to ourselves and to the people who may otherwise soon be as sheep without a shepherd. You say, indeed, ‘Whenever it pleases God to call me away, you will do all you can to help them.’[See letter on Jan. 15 to him.] But will it not then be too late You may then expect grievous wolves to break in on every side, and many to arise from among themselves speaking perverse things. Both the one and the other stand in awe of me, and do not care to encounter me. So that I am able, whether they will or no, to deliver the flock into your hands. But no one else is. And it seems this is the very time when it may be done with the least difficulty. Just now the minds of the people in general are on account of the Checks greatly prejudiced in your favor. Should we not discern the providential time Should we stay till this impression is worn away Just now we have an opportunity of breaking the ice, of making a little trial. Mr. Richardson [John Richardson, Wesley’s clerical assistant. Conference met on Aug. 3 in London] is desirous of making an exchange with you and spending two or more weeks at Madeley. This might be done either now or in October, when I hope to return from Bristol. And till something of this kind is done you will not have that * [Affection] for the people which alone can make your labor light in spending and being spent for them. Methinks ‘tis pitty we should lose any time. For what a vapor is life! Could not you spare a few days to be with us at the Conference Probably it would be a means of strengthening you.--I am, dear sister, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Mrs. Savage, Date: LEWISHAM, July 31, 1773. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1773) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--I did receive a letter from you while I was in Ireland; but whether I answered it or no I cannot tell. It gives me pleasure to hear that you still stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free, and that His blessed work still continues to widen and deepen among you. It will do so as long as you walk in love and strive together for the hope of the gospel. As God has made Mr. Wolfe an instrument of promoting this among you, I think it will be well for him to stay another year [Francis Wolfe and Richard Seed were the preachers in Gloucestershire. Wolfe was appointed to Bristol by the Conference of 1773, and Seed to Derryshire]. When I was at Worcester [He was there on March 16], a young woman had just joined the Society who had her fortune in her own hands. Is she with you still And is she married or single I have a particular reason for asking. How has Mr. Seed behaved Is he serious, zealous, active And has God prospered his word--I am, my dear sister, Your affectionate brother.

To Christopher Hopper Date: LONDON, August 7, 1773. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1773) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--Before any more money is paid for Dundee house security must be given that the house shall be settled according to our plan as soon as the debt upon it is paid. As to Edinburgh house, you say, ‘ If they pay the interest and the out-rent, it is no mater whether you pay one shilling more.’ No matter! What becomes then of the Preaches' Fund Blessed committee, who lent near two hundred pounds out of it! We have gone a few steps farther towards a general trust; but that matter goes on very slowly. You are to cure Robert Swan of preaching too long. We all judge it best that the four preachers should follow one another through the whole circuit.--I am, with love to Sister Hopper, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To the Countess of Huntingdon Date: BRISTOL, September 16, 1773. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1773) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR LADY,--Your last favor gave me unspeakable satisfaction and occasioned much thankfulness to God. Indeed, I could not look upon it in any other view than as an answer to many prayers which I have been led to offer up from time to time, particularly when I have heard of your Ladyship’s meeting with any difficulty or affective providence of any kind. I have then let my heart melt within me, and have longed to tell your Ladyship either by word or writing what part I have in your sufferings. This lay the weightier upon me when I considered how few are now left below of those who many years ago rejoiced to see the undaunted fervor with which your Ladyship left the quiet pleasant shades to come abroad and espouse in open day the cause of a despised Saviour. What a blessing is it that His love and guardian care have preserved you from those early days in known and unknown dangers, and carried you through honor and dishonor, evil report and good report! O may you still (like that man of God that is gone before us into Abraham’s bosom) Stand like an iron pillar strong And steadfast as a wall of brass! It is extremely remarkable that the gentleman of the province should undertake to build the Orphan House. Surely this is the Lord’s doing! Will your Ladyship permit me just to mention a thought which has passed through my mind: might it not be for the glory of God to adhere in part to the original design --to have some orphans there (a glorious charity) as well as an academy I just take the liberty to mention this, and leave it to your Ladyship’s mature consideration. Wishing your Ladyship a continual increase of faith and loving zeal, I remain, my dear Lady, Your Ladyship’s most affectionate servant.

To Christopher Hopper Date: LONDON, October 7, 1773. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1773) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--I came hither last night. For two or three weeks I was not well, but am now recovering daily [See letter of Oct 17]. In town or country Brother Swan [Swan was two years at Haworth after leaving Newcastle. See letter of Oct. 7] must conclude in an hour, or else he cannot be a travelling preacher after this year. His daughter must go to service: you observe well, it will not be safe to keep her at the Orphan House. I am glad to hear that you have but one circuit; that will be most for the glory of God. The case of Brother Hilton [See letters of Oct 9, 1767, and Nov. 12, 1773, to Hopper] exceedingly delicate. Shall I tell you my thoughts freely They are the same with yours. I think he is pursuing what will never come to pass. But which of us can convince him of this How easily we believe what we desire! However, it is the part of a friend to try: you love him well, and you will give him still more cause to love you if you can persuade him to drop the whom affair and put it out of his head for ever. That is a good point carried, the persuading the classes to meet at their own houses. The fruit of this will soon appear both by the increase of their grace and their number. If I was in Joseph Benson’s place, I would not be buried at Dunbar--no, nor at Edinburgh, nor any one place whatever. Who hath required this at his hands The Lord go before him! Why should we not call sinners to repentance in every market town [See letter of Oct. 23]. Peter Jaco [Peter Jaco, now in Dublin, was tall and handsome. He dies in 1781. See letter of Sept. 3, 1756, n, to Samuel Walker] would willingly travel. But how Can you help us to an horse that will carry him and his wife What a pity we could not procure a camel or an elephant! I do not despair of the salvation of a lunatic.--I am, with love to Sister Hopper, Your affectionate friend and brother. PS.--My wife sends her love; she has her old companion the gout.

To Walter Churchly Date: LONDON, December 23, 1773. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1773) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--You and I love one another; therefore we speak freely. (1) 'They have thrown themselves on Providence.' Not at all. From a very low state most of them had thrown themselves into plenty and honor. (2) ' It is possible they may do good.' True; but it is probable they may do harm. They have everywhere done our Societies all the harm they could. (3) 'The place they now have is a cold place.' I see no good of their having any at Hay. The land is wide enough. (4) They have no inclination to peace. (5) 'Our neighbors will see our professions true.' I do not profess any coalition with Calvinism. I see the mischievousness of it more and more. (6) 'Their preaching would not lessen the number of our hearers.' Indeed it would if the people minded what they say. And besides, it would puzzle and perplex those that still hear us, and probably set many an one’s sword against his brother. (7) 'They do not intend Antinomianism.' But they preach it continually. (8) 'And our people will not hear Calvinists.' Indeed they will if they play with the fire. You forget my brother’s verses: What my soul does as hell-fire reject, A Pope--a Count--a leader of a sect. [Poetical Works of J. and C. Wesley, vi. 62]. I am of no sect, but the Church of England. If James Barry or Stephen Proctor [The preacher at Brecon] is faulty in the Article you mention, tell them of it, and I am persuaded they will mend. You will do well to remind them in particular of teaching the children and visiting the sick. I believe they will take it kindly.--I am Your affectionate brother.

To James Hutton Date: December 31, 1773. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1773) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR JEMMY,--I am of the same mind still. I love you well; and I love to talk with you. But I have an awkward disorder, commonly called an hydrocele; on account of which I shall be next week in the surgeon’s hands [Dr. Samuel Wathen removed it on Jan. 4, 1774. See Journal, v. 474, vi. 8]. Any time after that I shall be glad to meet you either at John Folgham’s [Folgham was a member of the Foundery Society and one of the trustees of City Road Chapel. Wesley dined with him on Dec. 31, 1782, and at other times. See Journal Index] or anywhere.--I am, dear Jemmy, Yours affectionately.

To John Mason Date: LONDON, January 10, 1774. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1774) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--It is nothing strange that those who love the world should not love to continue with us. Our road is too strait. Down the stream of nature driven, They seek a broader path to heaven. However, let us keep in the good old way; and we know it will bring us peace at the last. If you press all the believers to go on to perfection and to expect deliverance from sin every moment, they will grow in grace. But if ever they lose that expectation, they will grow flat and cold. Last week I was under the surgeon’s hands; but am now (blessed be God) better than I have been for some years.--I am Your affectionate friend and brother.

To John Atlay Date: WHITEHAVEN, May 6, 1774. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1774) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--Send no books till you have the accounts. I have desired T. Lewis to send you fifty pounds for Mr. Hawes to pay Mr. Nind the papermaker fifty, and (when he has his general accounts) two hundred pounds to Mr. Pine; so I hope you will soon be able to answer your other demands and to keep your head above water. I am not sorry that Robert Yates cannot come. It seems it might be well either to take in that little room or some other spot you agree upon. For the present you must not go out of town or be from the Foundery on Tuesday or Thursday evenings. But what think you Could you be my clerk for a twelvemonth (as much longer as you please). Instead of the f22 a year which you have for Sister Atlay and you, I would willingly give you fifty.--I am, with love to Sister Atlay, Yours affectionately.

To Elizabeth Ritchie Date: WHITEHAVEN, May 8, 1774. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1774) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BETSY,--It is not common for me to write to any one first; I only answer those that write to me. But I willingly make an exception with regard to you; for it is not a common concern that I feel for you. You are just rising into life; and I would fain have you not almost but altogether a Christian. I would have you just such an one as Miranda. And you cannot be content with less: you cannot be satisfied with right notions; neither with harmlessness; no, nor yet with barely external religion, how exact so ever it be. Nay, you will not be content with a taste of inward religion. This it has pleased God to give you already. You know in whom you have believed; you have tasted of the powers of the word to come; but A taste of love cannot suffice; Your soul for all His fullness cries! Cry on, and never cease! Mind not those who rebuke you that you should hold your peace. Cry so much the more, 'Jesus of Nazareth, take away all my sins! Leave none remaining! Speak the word only, and I shall be healed!' Write freely to Yours affectionately.

To Ann Bolton Date: GLASGOW, May 13, 1774. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1774) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--You give me a pleasing account of the work of God which seems to be dawning about Tavistock. It is probable you was sent thither for this. Redeem the time; buy up every opportunity; and never be discouraged, although many fair blossoms should fall off and never ripen into fruit. How gladly should I pay you a visit there! But I know not how I can do it this summer, unless I was to miss Stroud and come directly from Cheltenham. But I will say no more of it yet. I hope to hear from you again and again before that time. Take care you do not forget poor Witney! Be mindful of your eldest care! I am not content that you should be pinned down to any one place. That is not your calling. Methinks I want you to be (like me) here and there and everywhere. Oh what a deal of work has our Lord to do on the earth! And may we be workers together with Him! What mighty wonders love performs That puts such dignity on worms. Don’t forget me. I think few love you better than, my dear Nancy, Yours affectionately. [On leaf after the letter:] Now you write like a woman of business. They commonly leave out the I, and say, 'Shall come. Shall do so,’ not I shall.

To Christopher Hopper Date: GLASGOW, May 14, 1774. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1774) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--Ought such a man as John Horner to starve God forbid that we should suffer it. I beg of you to do these two things: (I) Procure a friend to call his creditors together and state his case. His integrity will easily be shown; and surely, when he has given up his all, they will be willing to clear him. (2) When he is clear, then set on foot a subscription for him. We must needs set him above want. Here are many people in North Britain that ask, Will Mr. Hopper never come to see us again In several places the work of God both widens and deepens. Oh for zealous and active laborers!--I am, with love to Sister Hopper, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Walter Churchey Date: GLASGOW, May 15, 1774. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1774) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--I cannot but agree with you entirely in respect of John Prickard. Unless he has a clearer call than I apprehend, he ought not to go to America. The reason is plain: there is a greater call for him in Wales than in the Province of New York or Pennsylvania. And there is no call at all in the Northern or Southern Provinces. To go thither is stark, staring madness. But if John has a mind, he may come to the Conference at Bristol and talk with me about it. T. Judson, at No. 11, in Carey Court, Gray's Inn, is a Christian attorney. I ordered the third epistle to be sent to your sister, and I suppose it was. Your friend Joseph Benson sits at my elbow and is much at your service.--I am, with love to Sister Churchey, Your affectionate brother. PS.--I have seen an exceeding well-wrote book, an Introduction to the Study of the Law, published eleven or twelve years ago, I think, by one Simpson. It is a thin octavo. You should have it if you have it not already. The Conference begins the second week in August. Immediately after it I hope to see you in Brecon.

To his Wife Date: EDINBURGH, May 18, 1774. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1774) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR LOVE,--I am just now come hither from Glasgow, and take this opportunity of writing two or three lines. I desire you would let Mr. Pine have an hundred pounds of that money which is in your hands, provided he gives you his full account first: which I must beg of you to send to London to John Atlay, together with fifty pounds for Mr. Nind, the paper-maker, and fifty pounds for Robert Hawes. There is no use in letting the money lie dead. If I do not administer, I can but pay this again. I am just going to preach, and am in great haste.--My dear Molly, Your affectionate Husband.

To his Wife Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1774) Author: John Wesley --- NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, June 10, 1774. MY DEAR LOVE,--Last night Billy Smith gave me your letter. I had some time since had an account from John Pawson of what occurred in Bristol between him and you. Your behavior as to the money was admirable. You did yourself much honor thereby. You behaved like a woman of honor, sense, and conscience. O why shoed not you behave so in everything If it were possible for you to observe but one thing, 'Commit your cause unto the Lord, and speak nothing against me behind my back,' the people in general will love you. Till then they cannot.--I am, my dear Love, Your affectionate Husband. It is believed John Fenwick cannot last twelve hours

To Miss March Date: SUNDERLAND, June 17, 1774. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1774) Author: John Wesley --- I am glad you think of me when you do not see me; I was almost afraid it was otherwise. Air and exercise you must have; and if you use constant exercise with an exact regimen, it is not improbable that you will have vigorous health if you live to four- or five-and-thirty. About that time the constitution both of men and women frequently takes an entire turn. At present you are certainly in your place, and you need take no thought for the morrow. The praying much for those we love much is doubtless the fruit of affection, but such an affection as is well pleasing to God and is wrought in us by His own Spirit. Therefore it is certain the intercession that flows from that affection is according to the will of God. That is an exceedingly nice question. 'How far may we desire the approbation of good men' I think it cannot be proved that such a desire is anywhere forbidden in Scripture. But it requires a very strong influence of the Holy Spirit to prevent its running into excess. Friendship is one species of love; and is, in its proper sense, a disinterested reciprocal love between two persons Wicked persons are, it seems, incapable of friendship. For 'he who fears no God can love no friend.' Nor, indeed, is every one that fears God capable of friendship. It requires a peculiar turn of mind, without which it can have no being. The properties of Christian friendship are the same as the properties of love; with those which St. Paul so beautifully describes in the 13th chapter of the First Epistle to the Corinthians. And it produces as occasions offer, every good word and work. Many have laid down the rules whereby it should be regulated; but they are not to be comprised in a few lines. One is, 'Give up everything to your friend except a good conscience toward God.'

To Ann Bolton Date: LEEDS, July 13, 1774. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1774) Author: John Wesley --- 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. You try me when you delay to write; it makes me almost fear your love is grown cold. It is on Monday, August 1, I have appointed to be at Worcester, on Tuesday at Broadmarston, on Thursday at Cheltenham, on Friday at Stroud, on Saturday at Bristol; and I know not how I can see you, unless at one of these places. My love to Neddy.--I am, my dear Nancy, Yours affectionately.

8. Some time after you took offence at my being so much with Mrs. Blackwell, and was 'sure she did me no good.' But this blew over, and you was often in a good humor for a week together, till October 1757. Sarah Ryan, the housekeeper at Bristol, then put a period to the quarrel between my brother and you. Meantime she asked me once and again, 'Sir, should I sit and hear Mrs. Wesley talk against you by the hour together' I said, 'Hear her, if you can thereby do her any good.' A while after, she came to me and said, 'Indeed, sir, I can bear it no longer. It would wound my own soul.' Immediately you was violently jealous of her, and required me not to speak or write to her. At the same time you insisted on the 'liberty of opening and reading all letters directed to me.' This you had often done before: but I still insisted on my own liberty of speaking and writing to whom I judged proper; and of seeing my own letters first, and letting you read only those I saw fit. 9. Sunday, February 25, 1758, you went into my study, opened my bureau, and took many of my letters and papers. But on your restoring most of them two days after, I said, 'Now, my dear, let all that is past be forgotten; and if either of us find any fresh ground of complaint, let us tell it to Mr. Blackwell, or Jo. Jones, or Tho. Walsh, but to no other person whatever.' You agreed; and on Monday, March 6, when I took my leave of you to set out for Ireland, I thought we had as tender a parting as we had had for several years.

To Mrs. Woodhouse Date: BRISTOL, August 12, 1774. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1774) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER--It was the particular desire of William Thom that he might labor a little longer with Mr. Robertshaw. He judged it might be of great advantage to his soul; and I believe he was not mistaken. Therefore I have appointed him to be with Mr. Robertshaw in the east of Lincolnshire. I know not whether I had ever so much satisfaction with you before as in my last journey. Indeed, we have not before had such opportunities of conversing together. I was well pleased with your seriousness and your openness. Indeed, why should we hide anything from each other I doubt you have but few near you with whom you can converse to any real advantage. You have need, therefore, to make the best of those, and whenever you meet to provoke one another to love and to good works. The time is short! There is but one step between us and death.--I am, my dear sister, Your ever affectionate brother.

To Mr. -------- Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1774) Author: John Wesley --- BRISTOL, August, 28, 1774. DEAR BILLY,--I beg of you to go without delay to the Isle of Purbeck for a week or two. You are to go to Mr. William Ingram's at Corfe; where, if you go soon, you will meet Brother Saunderson. He writes me word that a door is opened all over the island, although there are many adversaries, but the bridle is in their mouth. Perhaps it would be best for you to go by Salisbury, and to tell John Undrell I desire he would follow you. Take particular care of the little, weak infant Societies. And see what books they want--I am, dear Billy, Your affectionate brother.

To Ann Bolton Date: BRISTOL, October 1, 1774. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1774) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--I hope to be at Wallingford on Monday the 17th instant; Tuesday, the 18th at noon, in Oxford; at five or six in the evening at Finstock; and on Wednesday evening at Witney. There is no exercise more profitable to the soul than that of the presence of God. It is likewise of great use constantly and invariably to attend to His inward voice. And yet there is a danger even in this --nay, there is a twofold danger: it is very possible, on the one hand, that you may insensibly slide into Quietism, may become less zealous of good works; on the other hand, that you may slide into Stoicism, may suffer loss as to the love of your neighbor, particularly as to that tender affection towards your friends, which does not weaken but strengthen the soul. Shall I speak freely I must when I speak to you: it is quite natural. I am afraid lest you have already suffered some loss with regard to this amiable temper. Otherwise whence arises this general complaint of your not answering their letters Oh who can be sufficiently upon their guard against Satan coming with his angel face! I want you to be exactly right in all things. You have often been a great comfort to me; but you have scarce given any pain (unless by your own pain) to, my dear Nancy, Yours affectionately.

To Miss March Date: REIGATE, November 30, 1774. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1774) Author: John Wesley --- You are in the safer extreme. When I formerly removed from one college to another, I fixed my resolution not to be hastily acquainted with any one; indeed, not to return any visit unless I had a reasonable hope of receiving or doing good therein. This my new neighbors generally imputed to pride; and I was willing to suffer the imputation. I 'sum up the experience' of persons, too, in order to form their general character. But in doing this we take a different way of making our estimate. It may be you chiefly regard (as my brother does) the length of their experience. Now, this I make little account of; I measure the depth and breadth of it. Does it sink deep in humble, gentle love Does it extend wide in all inward and outward holiness If so, I do not care whether they are of five or five-and-thirty years’ standing. Nay, when I look at Miss Betsy Briggs or Miss Philly Briggs, I am ready to hide my face: I am ashamed of having set out before they were born. Undoubtedly Miss Johnson is deep in grace, and lives like an angel here below. Yet some things in her character I do not admire; I impute them to human frailty. Many years ago I might have said, but I do not now, Give me a woman made of stone, A widow of Pygmalion. And just such a Christian one of the Fathers, Clemens Alexandrinus describes; but I do not admire that description now as I did formerly. I now see a Stoic and a Christian are different characters; and at some times I have been a good deal disgusted at Miss Johnson's apathy. When God restores our friends to us, we ought to rejoice; it is a defect if we do not. In that and several other instances I take knowledge of Sarah Ryan's littleness of understanding: and this, as well as our temper, we ought to improve to the utmost of our power; which can no otherwise be done than by reading authors of various kinds as well as by thinking and conversation. If we read nothing but the Bible, we should hear nothing but the Bible; and then what becomes of preaching

To Christopher Hopper Date: LONDON, December 3, 1774. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1774) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--The case of Liverpool house has puzzled us all. But I know you have a little common sense. Therefore I give you a carte blanche. Settle it how you please, and I will subscribe to it. I know no married preacher that [was] sent from Liverpool into the North of Ireland. I suppose Brother Sweeny is in the South; but on that express condition that neither his wife nor children shall be any expense to us at all. But still there will be growing families, unless we forbid to marry. Five-and-twenty years ago ten pounds a year was more than twelve now. We are really a company of poor gentlemen. But we have food and raiment and content.--I am, with love to Sister Hopper, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Hannah Ball Date: LONDON, December 19, 1774. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1774) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--I do not see any valid objection against inoculation either from prudence or religion. But I wonder to hear you talk of preparation. It is now quite out of use. Experience has shown in ten thousand instances that all preparation is needless, if not hurtful. Only the preparation of the heart, prayer, and self-devotion, this is now peculiarity needful. I commend you and your dear nieces (whom I love for your sake and for their own) to Him that is able to save both their souls and bodies; and am, my dear sister. Your very affectionate brother.

To Thomas Rutherford Date: LONDON, December 24, 1774. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1774) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR TOMMY,--I think you acted exactly right with regard to Peter Mill. If we live till another Conference, I purpose transplanting him into England. I judge he will be an useful preacher. My new coachman is dead; so Joseph Bradford cannot persuade himself to leave me. And your Scots are such terrible critics that few of our preachers care to venture among them. I do not despair of Mrs. Greig yet. She is not incurable. I am glad you are gone to Aberdeen. Take care of the country Societies.--I am, dear Tommy, Yours affectionately.

To Elizabeth Briggs Date: LONDON, December 28, 1774. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1774) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BETSY,--You have done what you could in this matter and 'angels can do no more.' I am glad you tried; by-and-by she may see more clearly. I am always glad to hear from you, whether you have time to write accurately or not. And I love that you should tell me both what you feel and what you do; for I take part in all. I doubted not but you would find a blessing at this solemn season: see that you strengthen each other’s hands in God. I should be glad to see both or either of you when it is convenient.--I am, my dear Betsy, Yours affectionately.

To Francis Wolfe Date: LUTON, January 11, 1775 Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1775) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--Be zealous and active for a good Master, and you will see the fruit of your labor. But watch over Joseph Moore. If he falls in love, there is an end of his usefulness. Ever since that madman took away her office in Witney from Nancy Bolton, Witney Society has drooped; such as Wycombe Society would do if you took away Hannah Ball from them. She has all Hannah's grace, with more sense. See that she be fully employed. You have not such another flower in all your gardens. Even Patty Chapman does not equal her. --I am, with love to Sister Wolfe, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Christopher Hopper Date: LONDON, February 1, 1775. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1775) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--I am glad to hear so good an account with regard to the preaching-houses at Liverpool and Warrington. Indeed, it may be doubted whether we should contribute toward those houses which are not settled according to our plan. It pleases God to continue my strength hitherto, and my disorder gives me little uneasiness. I expect to be at Stroud (from Bristol), Monday, March 13; Tuesday, 14, at Worcester; Thursday, 16, Birmingham; Friday, 17, Newcastle; Saturday, 18, Macclesfield; Monday, 20, Manchester; Tuesday, 21, Northwich. Whether it will be more advisable then to steer by Chester or Liverpool I do not see clearly. Let us work while the day is.--I am, with love to Sister Hopper, Your affectionate friend and brother. Surely it cannot be that you should find in the house at Newcastle an account which John Fenwick sent me, and that you should send it back to him!

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.

MY DEAR BROTHER,--To spare you the expense, I delayed answering your letter; but I bear you always on my heart, and rejoice when the Lord blesses you with success. He giveth grace, more grace, to the humble; therefore wrestle with Him for deep humility. As to the public affairs, I wish you to be like-minded with me. I am of neither side, and yet of both; on the side of New England and of Old. Private Christians are excused, exempted, privileged, to take no part in civil troubles. We love all and pray for all with a sincere and impartial love. Faults there may be on both sides; but such as neither you nor I can remedy: therefore let us and all our children give ourselves unto prayer, and so stand still and see the salvation of God. My love to Captain Webb when you see him, and to Mr. Bowden, to whom I owe letters, and much love. Show yours for me by praying more for me and mine. Yours in the old love.

To Thomas Wride Date: DUBLIN, July 22, 1775. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1775) Author: John Wesley --- The present question concerns not John Floyd but Thomas Wride. The words which I heard you speak at Limerick were such as no civilized Turk or heathen would have suffered to come out of his mouth. I hoped this would have been the last time; but you now repeat the same in cool blood. Your letter was read at the Conference, and our brethren desired me to inform you are no longer fit for our Connection. Such a foul-mouthed rafter (upon whatever provocation) is quite unfit for a Methodist preacher. Such base language is too bad for the fishwives of Billingsgate. It is such as an archangel would not use to the devil. You must have done with it for ever if you desire to have any farther fellowship with John Wesley.

To his Brother Charles Date: LONDON, August 10, 1775. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1775) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR BROTHER,--I would do everything to oblige those on either side, except speaking evil of the other. My route is this: Monday, August 14, Witney; Tuesday, 15, Gloucester; Wednesday, 16, The Hay; Thursday and Friday, Brecon; Saturday, Carmarthen (Deo vo/.); Monday, 28, Bristol. I sent your order to Sam. Heaton. I believe it will be best to accept of Mr. Castleman's invitation at Bristol, and to go straight to his house. I come back through Cardiff; if you could get thither, I could bring you home. It is not safe to live or die without love. Peace be with you all! Adieu. I wish Sammy Lewis would meet me on the 28th at the Old Passage.

To his Brother Charles Date: RAMSBURY PARK, October 17, 1775. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1775) Author: John Wesley --- 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. I find a danger now of a new kind--a danger of losing my love for the Americans: I mean for their miserable leaders; for the poor sheep are 'more sinned against than sinning,' especially since the amazing informations which I have received from James Ireland. Yet it is certain the bulk of the people both in England and America mean no harm; they only follow their leaders, and do as they are bid without knowing why or wherefore. On Friday I hope to be in London and to talk with the committee about building a new Foundery. This is a lovely spot and a lovely family. 'Tis pity but you could call here. It is four miles from Marlborough, and only a mile north of the London road. Peace be with you and yours! Adieu!

To William Pine Date: LONDON, November 14, 1775. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1775) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--Take care you be not carried away with the torrent. You stand on slippery ground. I have wrote more largely to Mr. Rouquet, and refer you to his letter for particulars. Let no warm man persuade you to take any step which you may repent as long as you live.--I am, with love to Sister Pine, Your affectionate brother.

To the Editor of 'Lloyd's Evening Post' Date: NORWICHCH, November 29, 1775. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1775) Author: John Wesley --- SIR,--I have been seriously asked, From what motive did you publish your Calm Address to the American Colonies I seriously answer, Not to get money. Had that been my motive, I should have swelled it into a shilling pamphlet and have entered it at Stationers' Hall. Not to get preferment for myself or my brother's children. I am a little too old to gape after it for myself; and if my brother or I sought it for them, we have only to show them to the world. Not to please any man living, high or low. I know mankind too well. I know they that love you for political service love you less than their dinner, and they that hate you hate you worse than the devil. Least of all did I write with a view to inflame any; just the contrary. I contributed my mite toward putting out the flame which rages all over the land. This I have more opportunity of observing than any other man in England. I see with pain to what an height this already rises in every part of the nation. And I see many pouring oil into the flame by crying out, ' How unjustly, how cruelly the King is using the poor Americans, who are only contending for their liberty and for their legal privileges! '

To Walter Churchey Date: LONDON, December 21, 1775. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1775) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--A few days ago my brother gave me a letter of yours dated November 24. I am surprised that one who has passed a winter in Scotland should complain of cold in Wales. It is not a good sign. I advise no one above twenty to think of learning Greek or Latin; he may employ his time abundantly better. But if John Broadbent has a turn for learning languages, by all means let him learn Welsh. This will turn to good account. And now is his time; you can direct and assist him herein. Meantime persuade him to refrain from screaming, and he will do well. I may speak in confidence to you; take care it do not transpire. Put no confidence either in T---- or his wife. I stand in doubt of them both. The printer is hastening on with the History; yet still I think him slow.--I am, with love to Sister Churchey, Your affectionate brother.

this I rejoiced ; but I was grieved to find that Ralph Mather's falling into Mysticism and Quakerism hadwell nigh put an end to that uncommon awakening which he had before occasioned among the children. But the nextday I found, the little maids at Publow, who found peace by his means, had retained all the life which they had received ; and had indeed increased therein . Tues. 15. I beganmynorthernjourney, and wentby Stroud, Gloucester, and Tewkesbury, to Worcester. Thursday, 17. I preached in the Town-Hall at Evesham, to a numerous and serious congregation. Friday, 18. I returned to Worcester. The society here continues walking together in love, and are not moved by all the efforts of those who would fain teach them another Gospel. I was much comforted by their steadfastness March, 1774 ] 9 and simplicity. Thus let them " silence the ignorance of foolish men!" Sat. 19. In the evening I preached at Birmingham, and at eight in the morning. At noon I preached on Bramwick-Heath ; and, the Room being far too small, stood in Mr. Wiley's court- yard, notwithstanding the keen north-eastwind. At Wednes- bury, likewise, I was constrained by the multitude of people to preach abroad in the evening. I strongly enforced upon them the Apostle's words, " How shallwe escape, ifwe neglect so great salvation ? " If we do not " go on to perfection," how shall we escape lukewarmness, Antinomianism, hell-fire ? Mon. 21. I preached at nine in Darlaston, and about noon at Wolverhampton. Here I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Fletcher, and we took sweet counsel together. Tuesday, 22. At five I explained that important truth, that God trieth us every moment, weighs all our thoughts, words, and actions, and is pleased or displeased with us, according to our works. I see more and more clearly, that "there is agreat gulffixed" between us and all those who, by denying this, sap the very foundation both of inward and outward holiness . At ten I preached at Dudley, and in the afternoon spent some time in viewing Mr. Bolton's works, wonderfully ingeni- ous, but the greater part of them wonderfully useless. Wed- nesday, 23. I preached at Ashby-de-la-Zouch ; and Thursday, 24,went on to Markfield. The church was quickly filled. I preached on those words in the Second Lesson, " Lazarus, come

with decency. At six I preached at the end of our House in Barnard-Castle. I was faint and feverish when I began ; but the staying an hour in a cold bath (for the windwas very high and sharp) quite refreshed me ; so that all my faintness was gone, and I was perfectly well when I concluded. Wed. 15. I went on by Durham to Sunderland. Saturday, 18, I preached at Biddick. It was fair while I was preaching, but rained very hard both before and after. Sunday, 19. I preached at the east end of the town, I think, to the largest congregation I ever saw at Sunderland. Theraindid not begin till I had concluded. At two I preached at the Fell, at five in the Orphan-House. Mon. 20. About nine I set out for Horsley, with Mr. Hopper and Mr. Smith. I took Mrs. Smith and her two little girls, in the chaise with me. About two miles from the town just on the brow of the hill, on a sudden both the horses set [June, 1774. out, without any visible cause, and flew down the hill, like an arrow out of a bow. In a minute John fell off the coach-box. The horses then went on full speed, sometimes to the edge of the ditch on the right, sometimes on the left. A cart came up against them : They avoided it as exactly as if the man had been on the box. A narrow bridge was at the foot of the hill, They went directly over the middle of it. They ran up the next hill with the same speed ; manypersons meeting us, but getting out of theway. Near the top of the hill was agate, which led into a farmer's yard. It stood open. They turned short, and run through it, without touching the gate on one side, or the post on the other. I thought, " However, the gate which is on the other side of the yard, and is shut, will stop them : " But they rushed through it as if it had been a cobweb, and galloped on through the corn-field. The little girls cried out, " Grandpapa, save us ! " I told them, " Nothing will hurt you : Do not be afraid ;" feeling no more fear or care,

(blessedbeGod!) than if I had been sitting in my study. The horses ran on, till they came to the edge of a steep precipice. Just then Mr. Smith, who could not overtake us before, galloped in between. They stopped in a moment. Had they gone on ever so little, he and we musthave gone down together ! I am persuaded both evil and good angels had a large share in this transaction : How large we do not know now ; but we shall know hereafter. I think some of the most remarkable circumstances were, 1 . Both the horses, which were tame and quiet as could be, starting out in amomentjust at the top of the hill, and running down full speed. 2. The coachman's being thrown on his head with such violence, and yet not hurt at all. 3. The chaise running again and again to the edge of each ditch, and yet not into it. 4. The avoiding the cart. 5. The keeping just the middle of the bridge. 6. The turning short through the first gate, in a manner that no coachman inEngland could have turned them, when in full gallop. 7. The going through the second gate as if it had been but smoke, without slackening their pace at all. Thiswould have been impossible, had not the end of the chariot- pole struck exactly on the centre of the gate ; whence the whole, by the sudden impetuous shock, was broke into small pieces. 8. That the little girl, who used to have fits, on my saying, "Nothing will hurtyou," ceased crying, and was quite composed. June, 1774. ] JOURNAL. 21 Lastly, that Mr. Smith struck in just then: In aminute more we hadbeendown the precipice ; and had not the horses then stop- ped at once, they must have carried him and us down together. " Let those give thanks whom the Lord hath redeemed, and delivered from the hand of the enemy ! " Fri. 24. I read over Dr. Wilson's tract on the Circulation of the Blood. What are we sure of but the Bible ? I thought nothing had been more sure, than that the heart is the grand moving power, which both begins and continues the circulation. But I think the Doctor has clearly proved, that it does not

and another at eight, while I enforced those words on a nume- rous congregation, " How shall we escape, if we neglect so great alvation ? " While we were at church, a poor man would needs divert himself by swimming ; but he sunk, and rose no more. The Minister preached in the afternoon a sermon suited to the occa- sion, on, " Be ye likewise ready ; for ye know not the hour when the Son of Man cometh." At five I preached in the market-place, on, " Though I speak with the tongues of men and angels," &c., " and have not charity, I am nothing." I spoke exceeding plain, and the people were attentive : Yetfew of them, I doubt, understood what was spoken. The society, however, are well established, and adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour. Mon. 4. At eleven I preached in the little Square at Robin Hood's Bay. At six I preached to a numerous congregation, in the new House at Scarborough. It is plain ; andyet is one of the neatest and most elegant preaching-houses in England. Now let the people walk worthy of their calling, and there will be a good work in this place. Wed. 6.-I went on to Bridlington-Quay; and in the evening preached in the town, to as stupid and ill-mannered a congregation as I have seen for many years. Thursday, 7. I preached at Beverley and Hull, where the House would not near contain the congregation. How is this town changed since I preached on the Car ! Saturday, 9. I preached at Pocklington and York. Sun. 10. Some of Tadcaster informing me that the Minister was willing I should preach in the church, I went thither in the morning. But his mind was changed : So I preached in the street, to a listening multitude, from the Lesson for the day, on the righteousness which exceeds that of the Scribes and Pharisees ; in the morning and evening at York. Tuesday, 12, was the Quarterly Meeting. It was a busy, and yet a comfortable, day. Many were refreshed, both at the love-feast, and while I was describing the " hundred forty and . 23 July, 1774. ] JOURNAL four thousand," standing "with the Lamb on mount Sion." Who is ambitious to be of that number ?

resolved, never to rest till I find again the rest that remains for the people of God. I am, dear Sir, A vile backslider from the pure love of Jesus, and from the society at Gwennap, Mon. 5. I preached at Cubert ; Tuesday, 6, at Port- Isaac. Wednesday, 7. Having preached at Camelford and Launceston, I did not think of preaching at Tavistock ; but finding a congregation waiting, I began without delay. I had scarce half finished my discourse in the Square at Plymouth- Dock, when the rain began. At first I did not regard it : But as it grew heavier and heavier, I thought it best to shorten my sermon . It seems, after a long interval ofdeadness, God is again visit- ing this poor people. The society is nearly doubled within this year, and is still continually increasing. And many are athirst for full salvation ; particularly the young men. Friday, 9. I set Oct. 1774. ] out early from the Dock ; and the next afternoon reached Bristol. Fri. 16. We had asolemn watch-night at Kingswood. It seemed, every one felt thatGodwas there ; so that hardly any went away till the whole service was concluded. Inthe followingweek I visited manyofthe country societies. At Frome I learned the remarkable case of sister Whitaker. Last Sunday she met her class as usual ; and after saying, " I know that my Redeemer liveth," dropped down, and in a few minutes, without any struggle or pain, expired. Tues. 27.-I preached at Freshford and Bradford ; Wed- nesday, 28, at Bath, where many of the people seemed much moved; chiefly those who had long imagined they were " built on a rock," and now found they had been " building upon the sand." Thur. 29. I preached at Pill, on the "worm" that "diethnot, and the fire " that " is not quenched : " If haply some of these drowsy ones might awake, and escape from everlasting burnings. Mon. OCTOBER 3, and on Tuesday and Wednesday, I exa- mined the society. Thur. 6.-I met those of our societywho had votes in the ensuing election, and advised them, 1. To vote, without fee or reward, for the person they judged most worthy : 2. To speak no evil ofthe person they voted against: And, 3. To take care

Wednesday, 29. I rode to Witney, and found more life than I expected, both in the congregation and the society. Thursday, 20. I preached at Wattleton, at the front of Mr. Stonehill's house. The whole congregation was seriously attentive. In the evening I preached at High-Wycomb, to many more than the Room would contain ; and I believe not in vain. Fri. 21. I preached in Chesham, and on Saturday returned to London. Mon. 24. I set out for Northamptonshire, and received a particular account of one that eminently adorned the Gospel :- " 1. SUSANNAH SPENCER was born at Whittlebury, in the year 1742. When she was young she contracted a very general acquaintance, and was exceedingly beloved by them, having an agreeable person, a good understanding, and much sweetness of temper; and, being modest and decent in her whole behaviour, she seemed, like others, to think she had religion enough. " 2. In 1760, Thomas Grover came down, and preached several times at Whittlebury and at Towcester. She went to hear him, but with a fixed resolution, ' not to be catched,' as she called it ; but her resolution was vain. In a sermon she heard at Towcester, she was cut to the heart. Her convictions grew deeper and deeper from that time, for about a year. She was then hearing him preach, but felt her heart as hard as the nether millstone. Yet at the love-feast which followed, it was suddenly broke in pieces, and she was all melted into tears, by 32 [Oct. 1774. those words applied to her inmost soul, in an inexpressible manner,- MyGod is reconciled, His pardoning voice I hear ! He owns me for his child ; I canno longer fear. " 3. The day following, being exercised with strong tempta- tion, she gave up her confidence; but the next night, wrestling withGod in prayer, she received it againwith double evidence : And though afterwards she frequently felt some doubts, yet it never continued long ; but she had, in general, a clear, abiding sense of the pardoning love ofGod. "4. From that time she walked steadily and closely with God, and was a pattern to all around her. She was particularly exact in reproving sin, and lost no opportunity ofdoing it. In her whole conversation she was remarkably lively, and yet gentle

She said, ' I feel my heart knit to you, in a manner I cannot express ; and I was thinking, if we love one another now, how will our love be enlarged when we meet in heaven! Andthe thought was too much for me to bear; it quite overcame me.' " 14. On Friday she seemed to be just upon the wing : We thought she was going almost every moment. So she continued till Tuesday. We were unwilling to part with her,but seeing the pain she was in,could not wish it should continue; and so gave her up to God. I sat upwithher thatnight, and the next day, June 7, she fell asleep." Monday, 31, and the following days, Ivisited the societies near London. Friday, NOVEMBER 5. In the afternoon John Downes (who had preached with usmany years) was saying, " I feel such a love to the people at West-Street, that I could be content to die with them. I do not find myself very well ; but I must be with them this evening." He went thither, and began preaching, on, " Come unto me, ye that are weary and heavy-laden." After speaking ten or twelve minutes, he sunk down, and spake no more, till his spirit returned to God. I suppose he was by nature full as great a genius as Sir Isaac Newton. I will mention but two or three instances of it :-When he was at school, learningAlgebra, he came oneday to his master, and said, " Sir, I can prove this proposition a betterway than it is provedinthe book." His master thought it could not be ; but upon trial, acknowledged it to be so. Some time after, his father sent him to Newcastle with a clock, which was to bemended. He observed the clockmaker's tools, and the manner how he took it in pieces, and put it together again ; and whenhe came home, first made himself tools, andthenmade a clock, which went as true as any in the town. I suppose such strength of genius as this, has scarce been known in Europe before. Anotherproofof it was this:-Thirty years ago, while I was shaving, he was whittling the top of a stick : I asked, "What Nov. 1774.1 JOURNAL. 35 are you doing ? " He answered, " I am taking your face, which

of faith. Thomas Vokins, a man of a sorrowful spirit, used always to hang downhis head like abulrush. But a few days since, as he was dying without hope,God broke in upon his soul; and from that timehehas beentriumphing over pain and death, and rejoicing withjoy full ofglory. Wed. 8-. I had a particularconversation with Mr. Ferguson on some difficulties in philosophy: He seemed throughly satis- fied himself; but he did not satisfyme. I still think both Mr. Kennedy and Mr. Jones have fully proved their several points. Wed. 22. I had an opportunity of seeing Mr. Gordon's curious garden at Mile-end, the like of which I suppose is hardly to be foundinEngland, if in Europe. One thing in particular I learned here, the real nature of the tea-tree. I was informed, 1. That the Green and the Bohea are of quite differ- ent species. 2. That the Boheais much tendererthan the Green. [March, 1775 3. That the Green is an evergreen ; and bears, not only in the open air, but in the frost, perfectly well. 4. That the herb of Paraguay likewise bears the frost, and is a species of tea. 5. And I observed that they are all species ofbay or laurel. The leaf ofGreen tea is both ofthe colour, shape, and size of abay leaf: That of Bohea is smaller, softer, and of adarker colour. So is the herb of Paraguay, which is of a dirty green ; and no larger than our common red sage. MARCH 1.-(BeingAsh-Wednesday.) I took a solemn leaveof our friends at London; and on Thursday, 2, met our brethren at Reading. Afew were awakened, and perhaps converted here, by the ministry of Mr. Talbot. But as he did not take any account of them, or join them together, we found no trace of them remaining. A large room was presently filled, and all the spaces adjoining. And I have hardly ever seen a people who seemed more eager to hear. Fri. 3. The mild weather changed into cold and blustering, with heavy showers of rain ; notwithstanding which, we had a very large congregation at Ramsbury Park. Saturday, 4. At noon I preached to a stilllarger congregation, in the new House at Seend: In the afternoon I went on to Bristol; whence, on Monday, 13, I set out for Ireland. Tues. 14. At noon I preached in Tewkesbury, now the live-

liest place in the Circuit. Many here have been lately convinced of sin, andmany converted to God. Some have been made par- takers of the greatsalvation,and their love and zeal have stirred up others. So that the flame now spreads wider andwider. 0 let none be able to quench it ! In the evening I preached at Worcester. Here also the flame is gradually increasing. While I was here, there was a very extraordinary trial at the assizes. A boy being beaten by his master, ran away ; and wandering about till he was half starved, was then allowed to lie in the hay-loft ofan inn. In the night he stole into the room wheretwo gentlemen lay ; (probably not very sober ; ) and, without waking them, picked the money out ofboth their pockets ; though their breeches lay under their head. In themorning, having confessed the fact, he was committed to gaol. Hemade no defence : So one of the Counsellors rose up, and said, " My Lord, as there is none to plead for this poor boy, I will do it myself," He did so, and then added, “ My Lord, it may be this bad boymay make a good man. And I humbly April, 1775.1 41 conceive, it might bebest to send him back to his master. I will give him a guinea towards his expenses." "And I will give him another," said the Judge. Which he did, with a mild and serious reproof. Sohewas sent back full ofgood resolutions. Fri. 17. In the evening, though it was cold, I was obliged to preach abroad at Newcastle. One buffoon laboured much to interrupt. But as he was bawling, with his mouth wide open, some arch boys gave him such a mouthful of dirt as quite satis- fied him. On Saturday and Sunday I preached at Congleton andMac- clesfield ; Monday, 20, at Stockport and Manchester. Tuesday, 21. I preached at Knutsford ; but the house would by nomeans contain the congregation. The street too was filled ; and even those which could not hear were silent. This is uncommon ; especially in a town little accustomed to this strange way of preaching : Those who cannot hear themselves usually taking care to hinder others from hearing. In the evening I opened the new House at Northwich, which

was sufficiently crowded both this night and the next. After preaching at many places in the way, on Saturday, 25, I came to Liverpool. The congregations here, bothmorning and even- ing, were so large, and so deeply attentive, that I could not be sorry for the contrary winds, which detained us till Thursday, the 30th, when we went on board the Hawk. We were scarce out of the river, when the wind turned against us, and blew hard- er and harder. Arolling seamade my companions sick enough. But so fine a ship I never sailed in before. She never shipped one sea, and went more steady than I thought was possible. On Friday morning it blew hard; but the next day we had a fair, small wind. So about six, on Sunday, APRIL 2, we landed at Dunleary; and between nine and ten reached White- friar-Street. On Monday and Tuesday I examined the society, in which, two years ago, there were three hundred and seventy-six persons. And I found three hundred and seventy-six still, not one more or less. But I found more peace and love among them, than I had done for many years. Thur. 6. I visited that venerable man, Dr. Rutty, just tot- tering over the grave; but still clear in his understanding, full of faith and love, and patiently waiting till his change should come. Afterwards I waited on Lady Moira; and was surprised [April, 1775, to observe, though not a more grand, yet a far more elegant room, than any I ever saw in England. It was an octagon, about twenty feet square, and fifteen or sixteen high ; having one window, (the sides of it inlaid throughout with mother-of- pearl,) reaching from the top of the room to the bottom. The ceiling, sides, and furniture of the room, were equally elegant. Andmust this too pass away like a dream ! Sun. 9. The good old Dean of St. Patrick's desired me to come within the rails, and assist him at the Lord's Supper. This alsowas a means of removing much prejudice from those who were zealous for the Church. Monday, 10. Leaving just four hundred members in the society, I began my tour through the kingdom. I preached at Edinderry in the evening ; on Tuesday and Wednesday, at Tyrrel's Pass. Thursday, 13. Sending my chaise straight to Athlone, I rode to Mullingar ;

Mon. 17-. After preaching at Durham, I went on to Dar- lington. The society here,lately consisting of nine members, is now increased to above seventy ; many ofwhom are warm in their first love. At the love-feast, many of these spoke their experience with all simplicity. Here will surely be a plentiful harvest, if tares do not grow up with the wheat. Wed. 19.-I preached to my old, loving congregation at Osmotherley ; and visited, once more, poor Mr. Watson, just quivering over the grave. Part of this week I read, as I travelled, a famous book, which I had not looked into for these fifty years. It was Lucian's " Dialogues." He has agood deal of humour, but wonderful little judgment. His great hero is Diogenes, the Cynic ; just such another brute as himself. Socrates (as one might expect) he reviles and ridicules with all his might. I think there is more sense in his " Timon," than in all his other Dialogues put July, 1776.1 79 together : And yet, even that ends poorly, in the dull jest of his breaking the heads of all that camenear him. How amaz- ing is it, that such abook as this should be put into the hands ofschool-boys ! Mon. 24. I went on to Scarborough. I think the preaching- house here is the most elegant of any square Room which we have inEngland; and wehad as elegant acongregation : But they were as attentive as ifthey had been Kingswood colliers. Tues. 25.-I visited apoor backslider, who has given great occasion to the enemy to blaspheme. Some time since, he felt a pain in the soles of his feet, then in his legs, his knees, his thighs. Now it has reached his stomach, and begins to affect his head. No medicines have availed at all. I fear he has sinned a sin unto death ; a sin which God has determined to punish bydeath. Fri. 28-. I am seventy-three years old, and far abler to preach than I was at three-and-twenty. What natural means hasGod used to produce so wonderful an effect ? 1. Continual exercise and change of air, by travelling above four thousand miles in a year : 2. Constant rising at four : 3. The ability, if ever Iwant, tosleep immediately : 4. The never losing a night's

against which nothing can prevail ; unless the ball of contention be thrown in among the plain people, by one or two that have lately embraced new opinions. In the evening I preached at York, on the fashionable religion, vulgarly calledmorality ; and showed at large, from the accounts given of it by its ablest patrons, that it is neither better nor worse than Atheism. Thur. 4.-I met the select society, and was a little surprised to find, that, instead of growing in grace, scarce two of them retained the grace they had two years ago. All of them seemed to be sincere ; and yet afaintness of spirit ran through them all. In the evening I showed, to a still more crowded audience, the nature and necessity of Christian love :-Aγαπη, vilely ren- dered charity, to confound poor English readers. The word was sharper than a two-edged sword, as many of the hearers felt. God grant the wound may not be healed, till he himself binds it up ! Fri. 5.-About eleven I preached at Foggathorp, a lone house, a few miles from Howden. Abundance of people were gathered together, notwithstanding heavy rain; and they received the truth in the love thereof. I came to Howden a little before three ; when a large congregationwas soon gathered. All were serious ; the more so, because of a few claps of thunder that rolled over our heads. I preached at Swinfleet in the evening. These are the most sensible and gentlemanlike farmers that I have seen anywhere ; July, 1776.1 JOURNAL. 81 and many of them are " rooted and grounded in love," and have adorned the Gospel many years . Sat. 6.-I went on to Epworth, and found my old friend, Mr. Hutton, in the deepest melancholy. I judged it to be partly natural, partly diabolical ; but I doubt not he will be saved, though as by fire. Tues. 9.-I preached atBrigg in the morning. All behaved well, but afew gentlemen, (so called,) who seemed to understand no more of the matter, than if I had been talking Greek. I went thence to Horncastle and to Spilsby, with Mr. Br . While he was at Cambridge, he was convinced of sin, though not by any outward means, and soon after justified. Coming to Hull, he met with one of our Preachers. By long and close

they are to give an account before men and angels ! In the evening I preached at York. Iwould gladly have rested the next day, feeling my breast much out of order. But notice having been given of my preaching at Tadcaster, I set out at nine in the morning. About ten the chaise broke down. I borrowed a horse ; but as hewas none of the easiest, in riding three miles I was so thoroughly electrified, that the pain inmy breastwas quite cured. I preached in the evening at York ; on Friday took the diligence ; and on Saturday afternoon came to London. MAY 18.-(Being Whit-Sunday.) Our Service at the Foun- dery began as usual at four. I preached in West-Street chapel *Afever produced by an incautious exposure to the sun. EDIT. May, 1777.1 JOURNAL. 99 in the forenoon ; and at the Foundery in the evening. In the afternoon I buried the body of Joseph Guilford, a holy man, and a useful Preacher. Surely never before did a man of so weak talents do so much good ! He died, as he lived, in the full triumph of faith, vehemently rejoicing and praising God. Tues. 20.-I met the Committee for building, which indeed was my chief business at London. We consulted together on several articles, and were confidently persuaded, that He who had incited us to begin, would enable us to finish . Sat. 24. Mybrother and I paid another visit to Dr. Dodd, and spent a melancholy and useful hour. He appears, so far as man canjudge, to be a true, evangelical penitent. To ease myjourney, I went to Stevenage, on Sunday even- ing. Monday, 26. I went on to Witham-Common; and on Tuesday reached Sheffield. The next day I went to Leeds ; and, after preaching in the evening, pushed on to Otley. Here I found E- R- weaker and happier than ever. Her life seemed spun out to the last thread. I spent half an hour with her, to Teach her, at once, and learn ofher, to die. I then rested two or three hours ; and took chaise at two, on Thursday, 29, hoping to reach Whitehaven in the evening ; but I could only get to Cockermouth. Friday, 30. I went on to Whitehaven, where I found a little vessel waiting for me.

place the next day. On Saturday the Conference ended. Sun. 9. I preached at eight in the market-place at Dews- bury, to somethousands of serious people ; as Mr. Pawleywould not permit me to preach in the church, because it would give offence! After visiting Bradford and Halifax, I struck across to Man- chester and Stockport ; and went on by moderate journeys to London. Having soon finished my business there, on Monday, 17, Dr. Coke, my brother, and I, took coach for Bristol ; and early on Thursday, 20, I set out for Cornwall. I preached at Taunton that evening ; Friday, 21, at Exon ; and on Saturday reached the Dock. Sun. 23. At seven I preached in ourRoom, and at one on the quay, at Plymouth. The common people behaved well ; [Aug. 1778. but I was shocked at the stupidity and ill-breeding of several Officers, who kept walking and talking together all the time with themost perfect unconcern. We had no such Gallios in the evening at theDock, though the congregation was four times as large. Surely this is an understanding people : May their love be equal to their knowledge ! Mon. 24. In the way to Medros, Mr. Furz gave me a strange relation, which was afterwards confirmed by eye and ear witnesses :-In July, 1748, Martin Hoskins, of Sithney, being in a violent passion, was struck raving mad, and obliged to be chained down to the floor. Charles Sk went to see him. He cried out, " Who art thou ? Hast thou faith ? No; thou art afraid." Charles felt an inexpressible shock, and was raving mad himself. He continued so for several days, till some agreed to keep a day of fasting and prayer. His lunacy then ended as suddenly asitbegan. But whatwas peculiarly remark- able was, whilehewas ill, Martin was quite well : As soon as he was well, Martin was as ill as ever. Thence I went on to Redruth, Helstone, and Penzance. On Thursday, 27, in the evening I preached in the market-place, at St. Just. Very few ofour old society are now left : The far greater part of them are in Abraham's bosom. But the new generation are of the same spirit ; serious, earnest, devotedtoGod; and particularly remarkable for simplicity and Christian sincerity. Fri. 28. The Stewards of the societies met at St. Ives,-а

more lively, but more innumber, than ever they were before. Tues. 27.-I saw amelancholy sight indeed! One that ten years ago was clearly perfected in love ; but was worried by Mr. , day and night, threaping him down he was in a delusion, that at length it drove him stark mad. And so he continues to this day. Observe ! it was not Perfection drove this manmad, but the incessant teasing him with doubtful dis- putations. Wed. 28.-I had promised to preach at six in the morning, to the poor prisoners at Whiteley. Though the ground was covered with snow, so many people flocked together, that Iwas constrained to preach in the court of the prison. The snow continued to fall, and the north wind to whistle round us ; but I trust God warmed many hearts. I preached at Wakefield in the evening ; Thursday, 29, at Rothwell and Leeds ; and on Friday noon, at Harewood. In the afternoon we walked to Mr. Lascelles's house. It is finely situated on a little eminence, commanding a most delightful prospect of hill anddale, and wood and water. It is built of a fine white stone, with two grand and beautiful fronts. I was not much struck with anything within. There is too much sameness in all the great houses I have seen in England; two rows of large, square rooms, with costly beds, glasses, chairs, and tables. But here is a profusion of wealth ; every pane of glass, we were informed, cost six-and-twenty shillings. One looking-glass cost five hundred pounds, and one bed, six hundred. The whole floor was just on the plan of Montague-House : now the British Museum. The grounds round the house are plea- sant indeed, particularly the walks on the river-side, and through May, 1779.1 the woods. But what has the owner thereof, savethe beholding them with his eyes ? Sat. MAY 1.-I looked over the first volume of Mr. Bryant's "Ancient Mythology." He seems to be a person of immense reading, and indefatigable industry. But I have two objections to thewhole work : 1. That his discoveries, being built chiefly on etymologies, carry no certainty in them. 2. That were they ever so certain, they are of no consequence. For instance, Whether Chiron was a man or a mountain, and whether the Cyclops were giants or watch-towers,-are points of no manner

ful disputations, set every one's sword against his brother. One of these has just crept into Grimsby, and is striving to divide the poor little flock ; but I hope his labour will be in vain, and they will still hold " the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Sun. 4.-I had designed to preach abroad at Louth ; but the raindrove us into the House. In the evening I expounded, and strongly applied, the story of Dives and Lazarus. The whole congregation, except a few poor gentlemen, behaved with decency. Mon. 5.-I preached about eleven, at Langham-Row, to a congregation gathered from many miles round, on, " How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of Hosts !" As a great part of them were athirst for perfect love, they drank in every word. In the afternoon we went to Raithby. It is a small [July, 1779. village on the top of a hill. The shell of Mr. Brackenbury's house was just finished, near which he has built a little chapel. It was quickly filled with deeply serious hearers. I was much comforted among them, and could not but observe, while the landlord and his tenants were standing together, how Love, like death, makes all distinctions void. Tues. 6. After an absence of near twenty years, I once more visited poor Coningsby, and preached at eleven in their new preaching-house, to a plain, simple people. In the evening I took my usual stand in the market-place at Horncastle. The wild men were more quiet than usual ; I suppose, because they saw Mr. Brackenbury standing by me ; whom they knew to be in Commission for the Peace, for this part of the county. Wed. 7.-I preached at Sturton and Gainsborough ; and Thursday, 8, at Scotter, where the poor people walk " in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost." In the evening I preached at Ouston ; and on Friday, 9, went on to Epworth. How true is this trite remark,- Nescio quá natale solum dulcedine cunctos Ducit, et immemores non sinet esse suâ ! Thenatal soil to all how strangely sweet ! Theplace where first he breathed who can forget ! In the evening I took my usual stand in the market-place ; but had far more than the usual congregation. Saturday, 10.

I preached in the evening at Derby to many genteel and many plain people. Saturday, 17. I preached at noon in Castle. Donnington ; but in the open air, for there wasno enduring the House. Yet they persuaded me to preach within at Notting- ham in the evening ; but the House was as hot as an oven. Sunday, 18. I made shift to preach in the Room at eight ; but at five I went to the Cross. We had a London congregation ; and all as well behaved as if they had been in Moorfields. One who had left us, to join the Quakers, desired to be present at the love-feast ; in the close of which, being able to contain himself no longer, he broke out and declared, he must join us again. I went home with him ; and, after spending some time in prayer, left him full of love and thankfulness. Mon. 19. At five our House was quite filled with people, and with the presence of God. Farewell, ye loving, lovely followers of the Lamb ! May ye still adorn the doctrine of God your Saviour ! About nine I preached in the market-place at Loughborough ; about noon, at Griffy-Dam; and in the evening, at Ashby. Tuesday, 20. I preached in Markfield church about noon ; and in the evening at Leicester ; where we had an exceeding solemn time, while I described the Son ofman coming in his glory. Wed. 21. The House was filled at five, and we had another solemn opportunity. About eight, calling at Hinckley, I was desired to preach : As also at Forcell, ten or twelve miles far- ther. When I came to Coventry, I found notice had been given for my preaching in the park ; but the heavy rain pre- vented. I sent to the Mayor, desiring the use of the Town- Hall. He refused ; but the same day gave the use of it to a dancing-master. I then went to the women's market. Many soon gathered together, and listened with all seriousness. I preached there again the next morning, Thursday, 22, and again in the evening. Then I took coach for London. Iwas nobly attended; behind the coach were ten convicted felons, loudly blaspheming and rattling their chains ; by my side sat a

Mon. 18.-I set out for Sussex ; and after visiting the societies there, returned to London on Saturday, 23. I was in hopes, by bringing her with me, to save the life of Miss A., of Ewhurst, far gone in a consumption. But shewas too far gone: So that though that journey helped her for awhile, yet she quickly relapsed, and soon after died in peace. Sun. 24. I preached a charity sermon in Shadwell church. I spoke with all possible plainness. And surely some, out of an immense multitude, will receive the truth, and bring forth fruit withpatience. Mon. 25.-I set out for Norwich. Tuesday, 26. I went on toYarmouth; on Wednesday to Lowestoft; on Friday to Loddon. Saturday, 30. I came to Norwich again. Mon. NOVEMBER 1.-I crossed over to Lynn, and settled the little affairs there ; on Wednesday, 3, went on to Colchester ; and on Friday, to London. Saturday, 6. I began examining the society, which usually employs me eleven or twelve days. Sat. 13.-I had the pleasure of an hour's conversation with Mr. G. , one of the members of the first Congress in America. He unfolded a strange tale indeed ! How has poor K. G. been betrayed on every side ! But this is our comfort : There is One higher than they. And He will command all things to work together for good. The following week I examined the rest of our society ; but Nov. 1779.1 171 did not find such an increase as I expected. Nay, there was a considerable decrease,plainly owing to a senseless jealousy that had crept in between our Preachers ; which had grieved the Holy Spirit ofGod, and greatly hindered his work. Mon. 22. My brother and I set out for Bath, on a very extraordinary occasion. Some time since Mr. Smyth, a Cler- gyman, whose labours God had greatly blessed in the north of Ireland, brought his wife over to Bath, who had been for some time in a declining state of health. I desired him to preach every Sunday evening in our chapel, while he remained there. But as soon as I was gone, Mr. M'Nab, one of our Preachers, vehemently opposed that ; affirming it was the common cause of all the Lay Preachers ; that they were appointed by the

went on to Bolton, where the work ofGod is continually increas [April, 1780. ing. On Easter-Day I set out for Warrington. Mr. Harmer read Prayers both morning and afternoon. We had a large congregation in the morning ; as many as the church could well contain in the afternoon ; and more than it could contain in the evening. At last there is reason to hope, that God will have a steady people even in this wilderness. The next evening, when afew of the societywere met together, the power ofGod came mightily upon them. Some fell to the ground; some cried aloud for mercy ; some rejoiced with joy unspeakable. Two or three found aclear sense of the love of God; onegay youngwoman, in particular, who was latelymuch prejudiced against this way,but is nowfilled withjoyunspeakable. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, I spent at Liverpool, being undetermined whether to proceed or not. At length I yielded to the advice ofmy friends, and deferred my journey to Ireland. So I preached at Northwich about noon, and in the evening at Alpraham, in the midst of all the old Methodists. Wehad a very different congregation at Nantwich in the even- ing. But as many as could get into the House, or near the door, behaved very seriously. Sat. APRIL 1.-I returned to Chester, and found many alive to God, but scarce one that retained his pure love. Sunday, 2. I reached Warrington about ten. The chapel was well filled with serious hearers ; and I believe God confirmed the word of his grace. Hastening back to Chester, I found a numerous congregation waiting, and immediately began, "This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." Mon. 3.-I returned to Manchester, and, Tuesday,4, strongly applied, " What could I have done more to my vineyard, that Ihave not done ? " At present there are many here that "bring forth good grapes : But many swiftly increase in goods ; and I fear very few sufficiently watch and pray that they may not set their hearts upon them. Wed. 5. I preached at Bolton ; Thursday, 6, about noon, at Bury ; and at Rochdale in the evening. Friday, 7. I went to Delph, a little village upon the mountains, where a remarkable work of God is just broke out. Iwasjust set down, when the

two at Pudsey. Afterwards I walked to Fulneck, the German settlement. Mr. Moore showed us the house, chapel, hall, lodging-rooms, the apartments of the widows, the single men, and single women. He showed us likewise the workshops of various kinds, with the shops for grocery, drapery, mercery, hardware, &c., withwhich, aswellaswith bread from their bake- house, they furnish the adjacent country. I see not what but the mighty power of God can hinder them from acquiring mil- [April,1780. lions ; as they, 1. Buy all materials with readymoney at the best hand : 2. Have above a hundred young men, above fifty young women, many widows, and above a hundred married per- sons ; all of whom are employed from morning to night, without any intermission, in various kinds ofmanufactures, not for jour- neymen's wages, but for no wages at all, save a little very plain food and raiment : As they have, 3. Aquick sale for all their goods, and sell them all for ready money. But can they lay up treasure on earth, and at the same time lay up treasure inheaven ? In the evening I preached at Bradford, where I was well pleased to find many, both men andwomen, who had never suf- fered any decay since they were perfected in love. Wednes- day, 19. I went to Otley ; but Mr. Ritchie was dead beforel came. But he had first witnessed a good confession. One "י telling him, " You will be better soon ; he replied, " I cannot be better ; for I have God inmy heart. I am happy, happy, happy in his love." Mr. Wilson, the Vicar, after a little hesitation, consented that I should preach his funeral sermon : This I did to-day. The text he had chosen was, " To you that believe, he is precious." Perhaps such a congregation had hardly been in Otley church before. Surely the right hand of the Lord bringeth mighty things to pass ! Sun. 23. Mr. Richardson being unwilling that I should preach anymore in Haworth church, Providence opened ano- ther : I preached in Bingley church,both morning and after- noon. This is considerably larger than the other. It rained hard in the morning : This hindered many ; so that those who did come, got in pretty well in the forenoon ; but in the afternoon

sailing for the Isle of Man the next morning, as a little vessel was waiting for us ; but the wind then turned full against us. By this means I had an opportunity given me of meeting the select society. Iwas pleased to find, that none of them have lost the pure love of God, since they received it first. I was particularly pleased with apoorNegro. She seemed to be fuller of love than any of the rest. Andnot only her voice had an unusual sweetness, but her words were chosen and uttered with a peculiar propriety. I never heard, either in England or America, such a Negro speaker (man or woman) before. Tues. 9. Finding no hopesof sailing, after preaching morn- ing and evening, I went to Cockermouth. Wednesday, 10. At eight I preached in the Town-Hall ; but to the poor only : The rich could not rise so soon. In the evening I preached in the Town-Hall at Carlisle ; and from the number and seriousness May, 1780.1 JOURNAL. of the hearers, I conceived a little hope, that even here some good willbe done. Thur. 11. I reached Newcastle ; and on Friday, 12, went to Sunderland. Many of our friends prosper in the world. I wish their souls may prosper also. Sunday, 14. I preached at Gateshead-Fell at two o'clock, andhoped to preach at the Garth- Heads at five ; but the rain drove us into the House. But all was well ; for many found God was there. Mon. 15-. I set out for Scotland ; and Tuesday, 16, came to Berwick-upon-Tweed. Such a congregation I have not seen there for many years. Perhaps the seed which has so long seemed to be sown in vain, may at length produce agoodharvest. Wed. 17.-I went on to Dunbar. Ihave seldom seen such acongregation here before. Indeed some of them seemed at first disposed to mirth ; but they were soon as serious as death. Andtruly the power of the Lord was present to heal those that werewilling to come to the throne of grace. Thursday, 18. I read, with great expectation, Dr. Watts's " Essay on Liberty ;" but I wasmuch disappointed. It is abstruse and metaphysical. Surely he wrote it either when he was very young or very old. Inthe evening I endeavoured to preach to the hearts of a large

town, who has laid out walks hanging over the sea, and winding among the rocks. One of them leads to the Castle, wherein that poor injured woman, Mary Queen of Scots, was confined. But time has well nigh devoured it : Only a few ruinous walls are now standing. Thur. 25. We went on to Berwick. Friday, 26. In return- ing to Alnwick we spent an hour at H., an ancient monastery. Part of it the Duke of Northumberland has repaired, furnished it in a plainmanner, and surrounded it with a little garden. An old inscription bears date 1404,when partof it was built by the fourth Earl of Northumberland. How many generations have had their day since that time, andthen passed away like a dream ! Wehad ahappy season at Alnwick with a large and deeply attentive congregation. Sat. 27. At noon I preached in the Town-Hall at Morpeth ; and God applied his word to many hearts. In the afternoon I preached to the loving colliers at Placey, and then went on to Newcastle. Sun. 28.-Between eight and nine in the morning I preached at Gateshead-Fell, on Fellowship withGod; a subject which not a few of them understand by heart-felt experience. The con- gregation at Sheephill about noon was far too large for any House to contain. Such was the power of God that I almost June, 1780.1 183 wondered any couldhelp believing. At five I preached at the Garth-Heads, to a still more numerous congregation ; but there were few among them who remembered my first preaching near that place in the Keelman's Hospital. For what reason the wise managers of that place forbade my preaching there any more, I am yet still to learn. Wed. 31.-Taking my leave of this affectionate people, I went to Mr. Parker's, at Shincliff, near Durham. The congre- gation being far too large to get into the House, I stood near his door. It seemed as if the whole village were ready to receive the truth in the love thereof. Perhaps their earnestness may provoke the people ofDurham to jealousy. In the afternoon we took a view of the Castle at Durham, the residence of the Bishop. The situation is wonderfully fine, surrounded by the river, and commanding all the country ; and many of the apartments are large and stately ; but the furniture

able hope that they wouldnot be scattered any more. About noon I preached in the market-place at Wainfleet, once a large sea-port town, till the harbour was blocked upby sand. The congregation behaved exceeding well. We now passed into Marshland, a fruitful and pleasant part of the county. Such is Langham-Row in particular, the abode of honest George Robinson and his fourteen children. Although it was a lone house, yet such a multitude of people flocked together, that I was obliged to preach abroad. It blew a storm, and we had several showers of rain; but no one went away. I do not wonder that this society is the largest, as well as the liveliest, in these parts of Lincolnshire. Mon. 19. I preached at Louth, where the people used to be rough enough ; but now were serious and calmly attentive. Such a change in awhole town, I have seldom known in the compass of one year. Tues. 20. Afterpreaching at Tealby, I went on to Grimsby, where I am still more at home than at any place in the east of Lincolnshire ; though scarce any of our first members remain : They are all safe lodged in Abraham's bosom. But here is still a loving people, though a little disturbed bythe Calvinists, who seize on every halting soul as theirown lawful prey. Wed. 21. I preached at Scotter, to a lovely, simple-hearted people ; and at Epworth in the evening. Thur. 22.-I preached once more at Crowle, to a numerous and deeply serious congregation. Every one thought, " Can any good come out of Crowle ? י" But God's thoughts were not as our thoughts. There is now such a work ofGod in this, as is in few of the places round about it. Sat. 24. I preached about noon at Belton. There was the dawn of ablessed work here ; but " My Lady's Preachers," so called, breaking in, set every one's sword against his brother. Some of them revive a little ; but I doubt whether they will ever recover their first love. July, 1780.1 JOURNAL . 187 Sun. 25. Sir William Anderson, the Rector, having sent an express order to his Curate, he did not dare to gainsay. So at ten I began reading Prayers to such a congregation as I apprehend hardly ever assembled in this church before. I

in Israel ; a pattern of all good works. Saturday, 7. At noon, I preached at Preston-on-the-Hill ; and in the evening at War- rington. Sunday, 8. The service was at the usual hours. I [April, 1781 came just in time to put a stop to a bad custom, which was creeping in here : A few men, who had fine voices, sang a Psalm which no one knew, in a tune fit for an opera, wherein three, four, or five persons, sung different words at the same time! What an insult upon common sense. What aburlesque upon public worship ! No custom can excuse such a mixture ofpro- faneness and absurdity. Mon. 9.-Desiring to be in Ireland as soon as possible, I hastened to Liverpool, and found a ship ready to sail; but the wind was contrary, till on Thursday morning, theCaptain came in haste, and told us, the windwas come quite fair. So Mr. Floyd, Snowden, Joseph Bradford, and I, with two of our sis- ters, went on board. But scarce were we out at sea,when the wind turned quite foul, and rose higher and higher. In an hour I was so affected, as I had not been for fortyyears before. For two days I could not swallow the quantity ofa pea ofanything solid, and very little of anyliquid. Iwas bruised and sore from head to foot, and ill able to turn me on the bed. All Friday, the storm increasing, the sea of consequence was rougher and rougher. Early on Saturdaymorning, the hatches were closed, which, together with the violent motion, made our horses so tur- bulent, that I was afraid we must have killed them, lest they should damage the ship. Mrs. S. now crept to me, threw her arms over me, and said, " O Sir, we will die together ! " We had by this time three feet water in the hold, though it was an exceeding light vessel. Meantimewe were furiously driving on alee-shore ; and when the Captain cried, " Helm a lee," she would not obey the helm. I called our brethren to prayers ; and we found free access to the throne of grace. Soon after we got, I know not how, into Holyhead harbour, after being suffi- ciently buffeted by the winds andwaves, for twodays and two nights. Themore I considered, the more I was convinced, it was not

miles. However, taking fresh horses at the Hay, I just reached it in time, finding a large companywaiting. Wednesday, 25 . I set out for Carmarthen. But Joseph Bradfordwas so ill, that, after going six miles, I left him at a friend's house, and went only myself. I came in good time to Carmarthen, and enforced those solemn words on a serious congregation, " Now he com- mandeth all men everywhere to repent." Thur. 26.-I went on to Pembroke, and in the evening preached in the Town-Hall. Friday, 27. I preached at Jeffer- son, seven miles from Pembroke, to a large congregation of honest colliers. Inthe evening I preached in Pembroke Town- Hall again, to an elegant congregation ; and afterwards met the 202 REV. J. WESLEY'S [May, 1781. society, reduced to a fourth part of its ancient number. But as they are now all in peace and love with each other, I trust they will increase again. Saturday, 18. We had, in the evening, the most solemn opportunity which I have had since we came into Wales : And the society seemed all alive, and resolved to be altogether Christians. Sun. 29. At seven I preached in the Room, on, “ Lazarus, come forth ; " and about ten, began at St. Daniel's. The church was filled as usual ; and the Second Lesson gave me a suitable text, " Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian." I applied the words as closely as possible ; and I doubt not, some were more than almost persuaded. In the evening I preached at Haverfordwest, to the liveliest congregation I have seen in Wales. Mon. 30.-I met about fifty children ; such acompany as I have not seen for manyyears. Miss Warren loves them, and they love her. She has taken true pains with them, and her labour has not been in vain. Several ofthem are much awak- ened ; and the behaviour of all is so composed, that they are a pattern to the whole congregation. Tues. MAY 1.-I rode to St. David's, seventeen measured miles from Haverford. Iwas surprised to find all the land, for the last nine or ten miles, so fruitful and well cultivated. What adifference is there between the westernmost parts of England, and the westernmost parts of Wales ! The former (thewest of Cornwall) so barren and wild; the latter, so fruitful and well

So that we have now rather too little, than too much, reproach ; the scandal of the cross being, for the present, ceased. The natives are a plain, artless, simple people ; unpolished, that is, unpolluted ; few of them are rich or genteel ; the far greater part, moderately poor ; and most of the strangers that settle among them are men that have seen affliction. The Local Preachers are men of faith and love, knit together in one mind and one judgment. They speak either Manx or English, and follow a regular plan, which the Assistant gives them monthly. The isle is supposed to have thirty thousand inhabitants. Allowing half of them to be adults, and our societies to contain one or two and twenty hundred members, what a fair proportion is this ! What has been seen like this, in any part either of Great Britain or Ireland ? Sat. 9. We would willingly have set sail ; but the strong north-east wind prevented us. Monday, 11. It being moderate, we put to sea: But it soon died away into a calm ; so I had time to read over and consider Dr. Johnson's " Tour through Scotland." I had heard that he was severe upon the whole nation ; but I could find nothing ofit. He simply mentions (but without any bitterness) what he approved or disapproved ; and many of the reflections are extremely judicious ; some of them very affecting. Tues. 14. The calm continuing, I read over Mr. Pennant's " Tour through Scotland." How amazingly different from Dr. Johnson's ! He is doubtless a man both of sense and learning. Why has he then bad English in almost every page ? No man should be above writing correctly. Having several passengers on board, I offered to give them a sermon ; which they willingly accepted. And all behaved with [June, 1781. the utmost decency, while I showed, " His commandments are not grievous." Soon after, a little breeze sprung up, which, early in the morning, brought us to Whitehaven. Tues. 14. I had a design to preach at noon in the Town- Hall at Cockermouth; but Mr. Lothian offeringme his meeting- house, which was far more convenient, I willingly accepted his offer. By this means I had a much more numerous audience ; most of whom behaved well.

The poor American, though not pretending to be a Christian, knew better than this. When the Indian was asked, " Why do July, 1781.1 JOURNAL. 211 you think the beloved ones take care of you ?" he answered, "When I was in the battle, the bullet went on this side, and on that side; and this man died, and that man died; and I am alive ! So I know, the beloved ones take care of me." It is true, the doctrine of a particular Providence (and any but a particular Providence is no Providence at all) is absolutely out of fashion in England: And a prudent author might write this to gain the favour ofhis gentle readers. Yet I will not say, this is real prudence ; because he may lose hereby more than hegains; as the majority, even of Britons, to this day, retain some sort of respect for the Bible. If it was worth while to mention a little thing, after things of so much greater importance, I would add, I was surprised that so sensible a writer, in enumerating so many reasons, why it is so much colder in the southern hemisphere than it is in the northern; why it is colder, for instance, at forty degrees south, than at fifty north latitude ; should forget the main, the primary reason, namely, the greater distance of the sun ! For is it not well known, that the sun (to speak with the vulgar) is longer on the north side the line than the south ? that he is longer in the six northern signs than the southern, so that there is a dif- ference (says Gravesande) ofnine days ? Now, if the northern hemisphere be obverted to the sun longer than the southern, does not this necessarily imply that the northern hemisphere will be warmer than the southern? And is not this the primary reason of its being so ? Sat. 7-. I designed to go from hence to Boston ; but a mes- sage from Mr. Pugh, desiring me to preach in his church on Sunday, mademe alter my design. So, procuring a guide, I set out for Rauceby. We rode through Tattershall, where there are large remains of a stately castle ; and there was in the chan- cel of the old church, the finest painted glass (so it was

After preaching in the evening to a crowded audience, and exhorting the society to brotherly love, I took chaise with Dr. Coke; and, travelling day and night, the next evening came to London. We observed Friday, 17, as a fast-day, and con- cluded it with a solemn watch-night. Having finished my busi- ness in town for the present, on Sunday, 19, at eight in the evening, I took coach with my new fellow-traveller, George Whitfield; and on Monday evening preached at Bath. Tues- day, 21. I went on toBristol ; and after resting a day, on Thurs- day, 23, set out for Cornwall. Finding, after breakfast, that I was within amile ofmy old friend, G. S., I walked over, and spent an hour with him. He is all-original still, like no man in the world, either in senti- ments or any thing about him. But perhaps if I had his immense fortune, I might be as great an oddity as he. [Aug. 1781. About six in the evening I preached at Taunton, to a numerous congregation. I found the Letters concerning Popery hadmuch abated prejudice here. Friday, 24. I preached at Collumpton about noon, and at Exeter in the evening. Satur- day, 25. I preached in the Square at Plymouth-Dock, to a quieter congregation than usual. Sunday, 26. Between one and two, I began in the new House in Plymouth. The large congregation was all attention; and there seemed reason to hope that even here we shall find some fruit of our labour. In the evening I preached again in the Square, on the story of the Pharisee and Publican, to such a congregation, for number and seriousness together, as I never saw there before. Mon. 27.-I was desired to preach at Trenuth at noon, a little way (they said) out of the road. The little way proved six or seven miles through a road ready to break our wheels in pieces. However, I just reached St. Austle time enough to preach ; and God greatly comforted the hearts ofhis people. Tues. 28.-Between nine and ten we had such a storm of rain, as I do not remember to have seen in Europe before. It seemed ready to beat in the windows of the chaise, and in three minutes drenched our horsemen from head to foot. We reached Truro, however, at the appointed time. I have not for many

On Monday, 24, and the following days, I met the classes at Bristol, andwas not a little surprised to find that the society is still decreasing. Certainly we have all need to stir up the gift ofGod that is in us, and with all possible care to " strengthen the things that remain." Thur. 27. I preached atBath andBradford; and onFriday, at Trowbridge. How long did we toil here and take nothing ! Fri- At length, it seems, the answer ofmany prayers is come. day, 28. About noon I preached at Keynsham ; and not without hopes ofdoing good even here. Since Miss Owen has removed from Publow , Miss Bishop has set up a school here ; and it is worthy to be called a Christian school. It is what the school at Publow was ! Sat. 29. I spent an hour with Mr. Henderson at Hannam, and particularly inquired into his whole method ; and I am persuaded there is not such another house for lunatics in the threekingdoms . He has a peculiar art ofgoverning his patients ; not by fear, but by love. The consequence is, many of them speedily recover, and love him ever after. Thur. OCTOBER 4.-I was importuned to preach the con- demned sermon at Bristol. I did so, though with little hope of doing good; the criminals being eminently impenitent. Yet they were, for the present, melted into tears ; and they were not out of God's reach . Sun. 7-. I took my leave of the congregation in the new [Oct. 1781. Square, in a calm, delightful evening. Monday, 8. I preached at the Devizes about eleven ; at Sarum in the evening. Tues. 9.-I preached at Winchester, where I went with great expectation to see that celebrated painting in the cathe- dral, the raising of Lazarus. But I was disappointed. I observed, 1. There wassuch a huddle of figures, that, had I not been told, I should not ever have guessed what they meant. 2. The colours in general were far too glaring, such as neither Christ nor his followers ever wore . When will painters have common sense ? Wed. 10. I opened the new preaching-house just finished at Newport in the Isle of Wight. After preaching, I explained the nature of a Methodist society ; ofwhich few had before the

five persons did so ; about as many men as women. explained to them the nature of a Christian society, and they willingly joined therein. Mon. 25. I spent an agreeable hour at the Boarding-School April, 1782. ] in Sheriff- Hales. I believe the Misses Yeomans are well qualified for their office. Several of the children are under strong drawings. We then went on to Newcastle-under-Lyne. (This is the name of a little river which runs near the town.) Tuesday, 26. I found many at Burslem, too, under sad appre- hensions of the public danger : So I applied to these also those comfortable words, " I will not destroy it for ten's sake." Thur. 28. Coming to Congleton, I found the Calvinists were just breaking in, and striving to make havoc of the flock. Is this brotherly love? Is this doing as we would be done to ? No more than robbing on the highway. But if it is decreed, they cannot help it : So we cannot blame them. MARCH 29.-(Being Good-Friday.) I came to Macclesfield just time enough to assist Mr. Simpson in the laborious service of the day. I preached for him morning and afternoon ; andwe administered the sacrament to about thirteen hundred persons. While wewere administering, I heard a low, soft, solemn sound, just like that of an Eolian harp. It continued five or six mi- nutes, and so affected many,that theycould not refrainfrom tears. It then gradually died away. Strange that no other organist (that I know) should think of this. In the evening, I preached at our Room. Herewas that harmony which artcannot imitate. Sat. 30.-As our friends at Leek, thirteen miles from Mac- clesfield, would take no denial, I went over, and preached about noon to alovely congregation. God bore witness to his word in an uncommon manner, so that I could not think much ofmy labour. MARCH 31.-(Being Easter-Day.) I preached inthe church, morning and evening, where we had about eight hundred com- municants. In the evening, we had a love-feast ; and such an one as I had not seen for many years. Sixteen or eighteen per- sons gave a clear, scriptural testimony of being renewed in love. Andmany others told what God had done for their souls, with inimitable simplicity. Mon. APRIL 1.-We set out in the morning for Chapel-en-

were turned to praise. Those three I visited to-day, and found religion had taken deep root in them. No trifling word was heard among them, and they watch over each other in love. I found it exceeding good to be there, and we rejoiced together in the God of our salvation. Wed. 15.-I set out for the other side of Lincolnshire. Thursday, 16. I preached in the new House at Barrow. Iwas well pleased to meet with my old fellow-traveller, Charles Dela- motte, here. He gave me an invitation to lodge at his house, which I willingly accepted of. He seemed to be just the same as when we lodged together, five-and-forty years ago. Only he complained of the infirmities of old age, which, through the mercy of God, I know nothing of. Hence I wentby Hull, Beverley, Bridlington ; and then hastened to Newcastle-upon-Tyne,where I preached on Sunday, 26. Monday, 27. I set out for Scotland, and Wednesday, 29, reachedDunbar. Theweather was exceeding rough and stormy. Yetwe had a large and serious congregation. Thursday, 30. Finding the grounds were so flooded, that the common roads were not passable, we provided a guide to lead us a few miles round, by which means we came safe to Edinburgh. Fri. 31. As I lodged with LadyMaxwell at Saughton-Hall, (agood old mansion-house, three miles from Edinburgh,) she desired me to give a short discourse to a few of her poor neigh- bours. I did so, at four in the afternoon, on the story ofDives and Lazarus. About seven I preached in our House at Edin- burgh, and fully delivered my own soul. Saturday, JUNE 1. I spent a little time with forty poor children, whom LadyMax- June, 1782.] JOURNAL. 229 wellkeeps at school. They are swiftlybrought forward in reading andwriting, and learn the principles of religion. But I observe inthem all the ambitiosa paupertas. * Be they ever so poor, theymust have a scrap of finery. Many of them have not a shoe to their foot: Butthe girl in rags is not without her ruffles. Sun. 2.-Mr. Collins intended tohave preached on the Castle- hill, at twelve o'clock : But the dull Ministerkept us in the kirk tillpast one. At six the House was well filled: And I did not shun to declare the whole counsel of God. I almost wonder at myself. I seldom speak anywhere so roughly as in Scotland.

to hire a wagon also, to carry a box which one of us could have carried on his shoulders. At Briel we took a boat to Rotterdam. We had not been long there, when Mr. Bennet, a bookseller, who had invited me to his house, called uponme. But as Mr. " Loyal, the Minister ofthe Scotch congregation,had invited me, he gave up his claim, andwent with us to Mr. Loyal's. I found a friendly, sensible, hospitable, and, I am persuaded, a pious man. We took a walk together round the town, all as clean as agentleman's parlour. Many of the houses are as high as those in the main street at Edinburgh; and the canals, running through the chief streets, make them convenient, as well as plea- sant ; bringing the merchants' goods up to their doors. Stately trees grow on all their banks. The whole town is encompassed with a double row of elms ; so that onemaywalk all round it in the shade. Sat. 14. I had much conversation with the two English Ministers, sensible, well-bred, serious men. These, as well as Mr. Loyal, were very willing I should preach in their churches ; but they thought it would be best for me to preach in the Epis- copal church. By our conversing freely together, many prejudices were remove,d and all our hearts seemed to be united ! together. June, 1783. ] JOURNAL. 249 In the evening we again took a walk round the town, and I observed, 1. Many ofthe houses are higher than most in Edin- burgh. It is true they have not so many stories; but each story is far loftier. 2. The streets, the outside and inside of their houses in every part, doors, windows, well-staircases, furniture, even floors, are kept so nicely clean thatyou cannot find a speck of dirt. 3. There is such agrandeur and elegance in the fronts of the large houses, as I never saw elsewhere ; and such apro- fusion of marble within, particularly in their lower floors and staircases, as I wonder other nations do not imitate. 4. The women and children (which I least of all expected) were in general the most beautiful I ever saw . They were surprisingly fair, and had an inexpressible air of innocence in their counte- nance. 5. This was wonderfully set off by their dress, which

and Colonel V. after me. I believe this hour was well employed. Tues. 17. As we walked over the Place we saw the Swiss Guards at their exercise. They are a fine body of men, taller, I suppose, than any English regiment; and they all wear large whiskers, which they take care to keep as black as their boots Afterwards we saw the gardens at the Old Palace, beautifully laid out, with alarge piece of water in the middle, and a canal at each end : The open walks in it are pleasant, but the shady serpentine walks are far pleasanter. Wedined at Mrs. L's, in such a family as I have seldom seen. Her mother, upwards of seventy, seemed to be continu- ally rejoicing inGod her Saviour : The daughter breathes the same spirit ; and her grandchildren, three little girls and aboy, seem to be all love. I have not seen four such children together in all England. Agentleman coming in after dinner, I found a particular desire to pray for him. In alittle while he melted into tears, as indeed did most of the company. Wednesday, 18. In the afternoon Madam de Vassenaar invited us to a meeting at a neighbouring lady's house. I expoundedGal. vi. 14, and Mr. M. interpreted as before. Thur. 19.-We took boat at seven. Mrs. L. and one of her relations, being unwilling to part so soon, bore us company to Leyden ; a large and populous town, but not so pleasant as Rotterdam . In the afternoon we went on to Haerlem, where a plain, good man and his wife received us in amost affectionate manner. At six we took boat again. As itwas filled from end to end, I was afraidwe should not have a very pleasantjourney. After Mr. Ferguson had told the people who we were, we made a slight excuse, and sung anhymn. They were all attention We then talked a little, by means of our interpreter, and desired that any of them who pleasedwould sing. Four persons did so ; and sung well. After awhile we sung again: So did one or two of them ; and all our hearts were strangely knit together, so that when we came to Amsterdam they dismissed us with abundance of blessings. 1 . [June, 1783 Fri. 20. We breakfasted at Mr. Ferguson's, near the heart

About two we called upon Mr. V -n, and immediately fell into close conversation. There seems to be in him a pecu- liar softness and sweetness of temper; and a peculiar liveliness in Mrs.Vn. Our loving dispute, concerning deliverance from sin, was concluded within anhour: And we parted, ifthat June, 1783.] 253 could be, better friends than we met. Afterwards we walked to Mr. J's house inthe Plantations, a large tract of ground, laid out in shadywalks. These lie within the city walls : But there are other walks, equally pleasant, without the gates. Indeed nothing is wanting but the power of religion, to make Amsterdam a paradise. Sun. 22.-I went to the new church, so called still, though four or five hundred years old. It is larger, higher, and better illuminated, than most of our cathedrals. The screen that divides the church from the choir is of polished brass, and shines like gold. I understood the Psalms that were sung, and the text well, and a little of the sermon ; which Mr. de H. delivered with great earnestness. At two I began the Service at the English church, an elegant building, about the size of West-Street chapel. Only it has no galleries ; nor have any of the churches in Holland. I preached on Isaiah lv. 6, 7; and I am persuaded many received the truth in the love thereof. After service I spent another hour at Mr. V-'s. Mrs. V- again asked me abundance of questions, concerning deliverance from sin ; and seemed a good deal better satisfied, with regard to the great and precious promises. Thence we went to Mr. B., who had lately found peace with God. He was full offaith and love, and could hardly mention the goodness of God without tears. His wife appeared to be exactly of the same spirit, so that our hearts were soon knit together. From thence we went to another family, where alarge company were assembled. But all seemed open to receive instructions, and desirous to be altogether Christians. After dinner Mrs. J took me in acoach to the Mere, andthence round the country to Zeeburgh. Inever saw such a country before : I suppose there is no such summer country in Europe. From Amsterdam to Mere is all a train of the most delightful gardens. Turning upon theleft, youthen openupon

the Texel, which spreads into a sea. Zeeburgh itself is a little house built on the edge of it, which commands both a land and sea prospect. What iswanting to makethe inhabitants happy, butthe knowledge and love ofGod ? Tues. 24. We took a view of the new Workhouse, which stands on one side ofthe Plantations. It much resembles Shore- ditchWorkhouse : Onlyit is considerablylarger. And the front of it is so richly ornamented, that it looks like a royal palace. 254 REV. J. WESLEY'S [June,1783. About four hundred are now in the house, which is to receive four hundred more : Just half as many as are in the Poorhouse at Dublin, which now contains sixteen hundred. We saw many of the poor people, all at work,knitting, spinning, pickingwork, orweaving. And the women in one room were all sewing, either fine or plain work. Many of these had been women of the town : For this is a Bridewell and Workhouse in one. The head keeper was stalking to and fro, with a large silver-hilted sword by his side. The bed-chambers were exceeding neat : The beds are better or worse as are those that use them. We saw both the men in one long room, and the women in another, at dinner. In both rooms, they sung a Psalm and prayed, before and after dinner. I cannot but think the managers in Amsterdam wiser than those in Dublin : For certainly a little of the form of religion is better than none at all ! Afterwards we spent an hour at Mrs. V's, a very extra- ordinary woman. Both from her past and present experience, I can have no doubt but she is perfected in love. She said, " I was born at Surinam; and came from thence when I was about ten years old. But when I came hither, my guardian would not let me have my fortune, unless I would go back to Surinam. However, I got acquainted with some pious people, andmade shift tolive, till I was about sixteen : I then embarked for Surinam ; but a storm drove us to the coast of England, where the ship was stranded. I was in great distress, fearing I haddonewrong in leaving the pious people : But just thenGod revealed himselfto my soul. I was filled withjoy unspeakable ;

those that came could get in. Those that could hear, did not lose their labour ; for God " satisfied the hungry with good things." Mon. 27-. I talked at largewith M. F. Such a case I have not known before. She has been in the society nearly from the begin- ning. She found peace with God five-and-twenty years ago ; and [Nov. 1783. the pure love of God afewyears after. Above thirty years she has been a Class and aBand Leader, and of very eminent use. Ten months since she was accused of drunkenness, and of reveal- ing the secret of her friend. Being informed of this, I wrote to Norwich, (as I then believed the charge,) that she must be no longer a Leader, either ofa band or a class. The Preacher told her further, that, in his judgment, shewas unfit to be a member of the society. Upon this she gave up her ticket, together with the band and her class-papers. Immediately all her friends (of whom she seemed to have a large number) for- sook her at once. No one knew her, or spoke to her. She was as a dead thing out ofmind ! Onmaking a more particular inquiry, I found that Mrs. W (formerly a common woman) had revealed her own secret, to Dr. Hunt, and twenty people besides. So the first accusation vanished into air. As to the second, I verily believe, the drunkenness with which she was charged,was, in reality, the falling down in a fit. Sowe have thrown away one of the most useful Leaders we ever had, for these wonderful reasons ! Wed. 29.-I crossed over to Lynn, and found things much i better than I expected. The behaviour of Mr. G-, which one would have imagined would have done much harm, had rather done good. People in general cried, " Let that badman go, they will do better without him." And the House was suffi- ciently crowded with serious hearers. NOVEMBER 1. I returned to London. In the two following weeks I visited the classes both in Lon- don and the neighbouring societies. Sunday, 16. Being much importuned, I preached in the evening at Mr. Maxfield's chapel. But I dare not do so again, as it cannotcontainone third ofthat congregation at the new chapel. Mon. 17-. I preached at Sevenoaks, and on Tuesday, 18,

Gowry, the fruitfullest valley in the kingdom. And I observe a spirit of improvement prevails in Dundee, and all the country round about it. Handsome houses spring up on every side. Trees are planted in abundance. Wastes and commons are con- tinually turned into meadows and fruitful fields. There wants only a proportionable improvement in religion, and this willbe one of the happiest countries in Europe. In the evening I preached in our own ground to a numerous congregation : But the next afternoon to one far more numerous ; onwhom I earnestly enforced, "How long halt ye between two opinions ? " Many of them seemed almost persuaded to halt no longer : But God only knows the heart. Mon. 3.-I was agreeably surprised at the improvement of the land between Dundee and Arbroath. Our preaching-house atArbroath was completely filled. I spoke exceeding plain on the difference of building upon the sand, and building upon the rock. Truly these " approve the things that are excellent," whether they practise them or no. I found this to be a genuine Methodist society : They are all thoroughly united to each other. They love and keep our Rules ; they long and expect to be perfected in love : If they continue so to do, they will and must increase in number as well as in grace. Mon. 4. I reached Aberdeen between four and five in the afternoon. Tuesday, 5. I found the morning preaching had been long discontinued: Yet the bands and the select society were kept up. But many were faint and weak for want of morning preaching and prayer-meetings, ofwhich I found scarce any traces in Scotland. In the evening I talked largely with the Preachers, and showed them the hurt it did both to them and the people, for any one Preacher to stay six or eight weeks together in one place. Neither can he find matter for preaching every morning and evening, nor will the people come to hear him. Hence he grows coldby lying in bed, and so do the people. Whereas, if he never stays more than a fortnight together in one place, he may find matter enough, and the people will gladly hear him. They immediately drew up such a plan for this Circuit, which they determined to pursue. 274 REV. J. WESLEY'S [May, 1784.

Who knows but some of these schools may become nurseries for Christians ? Tues. 20.-Though it rained all day, in the morningwe had agood congregation at five. Wednesday, 21. I met the society, and found but one or two of the original members, most of them being gone to Abraham's bosom. Iwas a little surprised to find that only two or three of the rest had stood fast in the glorious Aug. 1784.1 JOURNAL. liberty. But, indeed, most of them recovered their loss four years ago. Thur. 22. Although it rained, yet I met the congregation in the morning, and most of them were athirst for full salvation. Friday, 23. Abundance of people were present at five in the morning, and such acompany ofchildren as I have hardly seen inEngland. Sat. 24.-In the evening I went to Hanging-Heaton, a little village near Dewsbury. Some months since, an uncommon work of God broke out here ;-the whole town was in aflame. There are now about two hundred in the society, and very few that donot know God. I was obliged to preach abroad, by the multitude that flocked together ; and many of them found that Godwas there, to their unspeakable comfort. Sun. 25. I preached to several thousands at Birstal, and to, at least, as many at Leeds. Tuesday, 27. Our Conference began; at which four of our brethren, after long debate, (in which Mr. Fletcher took much pains,) acknowledged their fault, and all that was past was forgotten. Thursday, 29, being the public ThanksgivingDay, as there was not room for us in the old church, I read Prayers, as well as preached, at our Room. I admired the whole Service for the day. The Prayers, Scrip- tures, and every part of it, pointed at one thing: " Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another." Having five Clergymen to assist me, we administered the Lord's Supper, as was supposed, to sixteen or seventeen hundred persons. Sun. AUGUST 1.-We were fifteen Clergymen at the old church. Tues. 3.-Our Conference concluded in much love, to the great disappointment of all. This evening I went as far as Halifax, and the next day to Manchester. Thursday, 5. We set out early, but, being obliged to go round about, could not reach Shrewsbury till half-past seven. I began preaching immediately, in memory of good John Appleton, lately called

ably happy ; but, not longafter, suddenly fell intoblack despair, and afterwards into melancholy madness, wherein she continued about two years. Here was an occasion of offence for them that sought occasion, which they took care to improve. Wed. 6.-About eleven I preached at Winchester ; and in the evening at Portsmouth-Common. Thosewho could notget in, at first made a little noise ; but in a short time all was quiet. Thursday, 7. I crossed over to the Isle of Wight. In the afternoon I preached at Newtown, once the largest town in the Isle ; but now not having six houses together. In the evening all the Ministers, and most ofthe Gentry at Newport, attended the preaching. Who hath warned them to flee from the wrath to come? Omay many " bring forth fruit with patience! " Friday, 8. We returned to Portsmouth-Common ; and Satur- day, 9, to London. Mon. 18.-I set out for Oxfordshire ; and in the evening preached at Wallingford. Tuesday, 19. I spent an hour at Lord Harcourt's seat, near Newnham ; one of the pleasantest spots I have seen . It stands on a gently rising hill, and com- mands amost delightful prospect. The rooms are not sogrand as some, but elegant in the highest degree. So is also the front of the house, andwhat is called the flower-garden; a small inclosure, surrounded by lofty trees, and filled with all the beauties that nature and art can give. The House at Oxford was thoroughly filled; and students as i Nov. 1784.1 JOURNAL. 291 well as townsmen were deeply serious. Thursday, 21. I preached at Witney, on, "As thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. " Wehad a large congregation at five in the morn- ing; at twelve I met the children, and was pleased to find that the impression which was made on them by the storm last year, isnotyet worn out ; and the whole society, still double to what it was, appears to be much in earnest. After preaching in the evening, I met the select society, and foundmany of them who for several years have lost nothing of what they had received, but do still love God with all their heart ; and, in consequence, " rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks." Tuesday, 22. I

religion. Monday, 29. In the evening I preached at Hinxworth, in Miss Harvey's new House. Tuesday, 30. I visited my old friends at Bedford; but found Mr. Hill was gone to rest, and Mr. Parker was just quivering on the verge of life. However, I rejoiced to find him clearly possessed of that perfect love which he had so long opposed. Wed. DECEMBER 1.-I preached at St. Neot's, to the largest congregation I ever sawhere ; and I know notthat ever I knew them so affected ; it seemed as if God touched all their hearts. Thursday, 2. I preached about noon at Bugden ; and in the evening to a crowded congregation at Binlington. I wondered that I saw nothing here of a young Clergyman, who last year professed much love and esteem ; but I soon heard that his eyes were opened to see the decrees . So he knows me no more. Fri. 3-. Partly riding, and partly walking, through wind and rain, and water and dirt, we got at last to Luton, where I found alarge congregation ; andwe greatly rejoiced in God our Saviour. Saturday, 4. I went on to London. Mon. 6.-I went to Tunbridge-Wells, but not without diffi- culty; part of the road being made scarce passable, through the abundance of rain. I preached in the large Presbyterian meeting-house ; but the violent rain thinned the congregation. Yet on Tuesday, 7, we set out in a lovely morning ; but in about an hour, just as a pack of hounds came on in full cry, a furious storm ofhail met them in the teeth, and utterly silenced them. It soon turned snow ; which so covered the road, that we could scarce get on, though we walkedgoodpart of the way ; so that we could not get to Robertsbridge till after the time appointed. The snow likewise so retarded us in our journey to Rye, that we were above an hour in the night. However, the House was well filled with serious hearers ; so that I did not repent of my labour. Wed. 8.-With great difficulty, with two pair ofgood horses, we got on fifteen miles in five hours ; but we could not reach Sevenoaks till the congregation had been long waiting. Thurs 294 REV. J. WESLEY'S [Dec. 1784- day, 9. Going on to Shoreham, we found that venerable man,

Mr. Perronet, ninety-oneyears of age, calmly waiting for the conclusion of a good warfare. His bodily strength is gone, but his understanding is little impaired; and he appears to have more love than ever. After preaching to an earnest congrega- tion in the evening, and to great part ofthem in the morning, I returned to London. Monday, 13, and the two days following, I preached at Can- terbury, Dover, and Sittingbourne. Thursday, 16. I went to Sheerness ; where Mr. Fox read Prayers, and I preached on those words in the Second Lesson, " If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear ? " I hardly ever spoke stronger words. MayGodmake the applica- tion! I never before found this society in such a state as they were now ; being all, in general, athirst for God, and increasing in number as well as in grace. Friday, 17. I preached at Chatham, where likewise I found only peace and love ; and on Saturday, 18, cheerfully returned to London. Mon. 20.-I went to Hinxworth, where I had the satisfaction ofmeeting Mr. Simeon, Fellow of King's College, in Cambridge. He has spent some time with Mr. Fletcher, at Madeley ; two kindred souls ; much resembling each other, both in fervour of spirit, and in the earnestness of their address. He gave me the pleasing information, that there are three parish churches in Cambridge, wherein true scriptural religion is preached ; and several young gentlemen who are happy partakers of it. I preached in the evening on Gal. vi. 14. Tuesday, 21. I spent a little time with the children at Miss Harvey's school, whom she likewise carefully instructs herself. After dinner we set out for Wrestlingworth ; and having a skilful guide, who rode before the chaise, and picked out the best way, we drove four miles in only three hours. Wednesday, 22. I returned to Lon- don, and concluded myjourneys for the present year. Sat. 25. We met, as usual, in the new chapel, at four : At ten, and in the afternoon, I preached in West-Street ; and afterwards spent a comfortable hour in meeting the society. Sun. 26. I preached the condemned criminals' sermon in Newgate. Forty-seven were under sentence ofdeath. While they were coming in, therewas something very awful in the clink of their chains. Butno soundwas heard, either from them

they did likewise at five in the morning. About fifty of them are already joined in a society. Fair blossoms ! Butwhat will the fruit be ? Aremarkable circumstance, we were informed, occurred near this place, about three weeks before :-Apoor woman, who owed her landlord fourteen pounds, scraped seven together, which she brought him. But he absolutely refused to take less than the whole, yet detained her in talk till evening. She then set out on a car. When she was within a mile of home, she over- took a soldier, who said he was exceedingly tired, and earnestly entreated her to let him ride with her on the car, to which she at length consented. When they came to her house, finding there was no town within two miles, he begged he might sit by the fire-side till morning. She told him she durst not suffer it, as hers was alone house, and there was none in it but herself and her girl : But at last she agreed he should lie in the girl's bed, and she and the girl would lie together. At midnight, two men, who had blackened their faces, broke into the house, and demanded her money. She said, " Then let me go into the next room and fetch it." Going in, she said to the soldier, " You have requited mewell for my kindness, by bringing your comrades to rob my house." He asked, " Where are they ?" She said, " In the next room." He started up, andran thither. The men ran away with all speed. He fired after them, and shot one dead; who, being examined, appeared to beher landlord ! So that a soldier was sent to protect an innocent woman, and pun- ish anhardened villain ! Tues. 19. I preached at ten to an uncommonly large and serious congregation at Edinderry. In the evening I preached at Tyrrel's Pass, where a small, dead society is all that now remains. Such another I found at Coolylough, on Wednesday, 20. Thursday, 21. Going to Athlone, I found the scene entirely changed ; there has not been for many years so much April, 1785.] life in the society. Many of the old dead members are quick- ened again. Many are added to them ; and there is no jar of

Wed. 18.-Learning that a little girl had sat up all night, and then walked two miles to see me, I took her into the chaise ; andwas surprised to find her continually rejoicing in God. The person with whom the Preachers lodge, informed me, that she has been two years possessed of his pure love. We breakfasted at Athenry, once a populous city. But now seges est ubi Troja fuit. In the afternoon we went on to Ballinrobe. Having heard a remarkable account of the Charter-School here, I resolved to see it with my own eyes. I went thither *Corn is now growing on the spot where Troy formerly stood.- EDIT. * 308 REV. J. WELSEY'S [May, 1785. about five in the afternoon, but found no master or mistress . Seven or eight boys, and nine orten girls, (the rest beingramb- ling abroad,) dirty and ragged enough, were left to the care of a girl, half the head taller than the rest. She led us through the house. I observed first the school-room, not much bigger than a small closet. Twenty children could not be taught there at once, with any convenience. When we came into the bed- chamber I inquired, " How many children now lodge in the house ? " andwas answered, " Fourteen or fifteen boys, and nine- teen girls ." For these boys, there were three beds, and five for the nineteen girls. For food I was informed, the master was allowed a penny-farthing aday foreach ! Thus they are clothed, lodged, and fed. Butwhat are they taught ? As far as I could learn, just nothing ! Of these things I informed the Commis- sioners for these schools in Dublin. But I do not hear of any alteration. If this be a sample of the Irish Charter-Schools, what good can we expect from them ? Inmyway from Limerick hither, I read and carefully con- sidered Major Vallance's Irish Grammar, allowed to be the best extant. And supposing him to give a true account of the Irish language, it is not only beyond all comparison worse than any ancient language I know any thing of; but below English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, or any other modern lan- guage. The difficulty of reading it is intolerable, occasioned chiefly by the insufferable number of mute letters, both of

gregation, 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 nowonder somany 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, andwent on to Ballymoney ; where I preached in the Court-House, to a very civil, and avery dull, congregation. From hence we went to Ballymena. In the after- noon I walked over to Gracehill, the Moravian settlement. Beside many little houses for them that are married, they have three large buildings ; (on the same planwith that at Fulneck ;) having the chapel in the middle, the house for the single men onthe left hand, that for the single women on the right. We spent one or two agreeable hours in seeing the several rooms. Nothing can exceed the neatness of the rooms, or the courtesy of the inhabitants: But ifthey have most courtesy, we have more love. We do not suffer a stranger, especially a Christian brother, to visit us, without asking him either " to bite or sup." "But it is their way." Iam sorry to say, so itis When I June, 1785.1 called on Bishop Antone, in Holland, an old acquaintance, whom I had not seen for six-and-forty years, till both he and I were grown grey-headed, he did not ask me so much as to wet my lips . Is not this ashameful way ? Away, contrary not only to Christianity, but to common humanity ? Is it not a way that a Jew, a Mahometan, yea, an honest Heathen, would be ashamed of? Having now finished an ingenious book,LeVrayer's "Animad- versions on the Ancient Historians," I thought a few passages

the last. We had a glorious opportunity. He poured the dew of his blessing on many souls ; and caused many mourners to rejoice withjoy unspeakable. Wed. 29. We came to our old, steady friends at Burslem ; but he with whom I used to lodge is no more seen. He trusted the Americans with all his substance ; and they cheated him out of all : So he came home anddied; leaving an amiablewidow, and six or seven children. Cold as it was, the multitude of people constrained me to preach abroad ; but I believe nonewent away. I preached on, " Truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." We have scarce seen such a time since we came from London. The place seemed to be filled with his glory. After visiting Newcastle and Congleton, on Saturday, APRIL 1, I came to Macclesfield. Here again I had the satisfaction to find a people much alive toGod. Sunday, 2. We had a April, 1786. ] JOURNAL . large and serious congregation at the new church, both morning and afternoon. The organ is one of the finest-toned I ever heard ; and the congregation singing with it make a sweet harmony. Monday, 3. About eleven I preached to a crowded congregation in the new House near Chapel-en-le-Frith. Many of these lively people came from among the mountains, and strongly reminded me of those fine verses wherein Dr. Burton paraphrases those plain words, " The hills are a refuge for the wild goats ; and so are the stony rocks for the conies : "- Te, domine, intonsi montes, te saxa loquentur Summa Deum, dum amatjuga pendulus hircus, Sarorumque colit latebrosa cuniculus antra. It is chiefly among these enormous mountains that somany have been awakened, justified, and soon after perfected in love ; but even while they are full of love, Satan strives to push many ofthem to extravagance. This appears in several instances :- 1. Frequently three or four, yea, ten or twelve, pray aloud all together. 2. Some of them, perhaps many, scream all together as loud as they possibly can. 3. Some of them use improper, yea, indecent, expressions in prayer. 4. Several drop down as dead; and are as stiff as a corpse ; but in awhile they start up,

hour, four o'clock. The wind being again quite contrary, we were obliged to tack continually ; but about nine were brought safe to Harwich. After resting about anhour, we took chaise, and about one came to Colchester ; where, Mr. Brackenbury being exceedingweak, we thoughtit best to stay till the morning. In the evening the House was throughly filled ; andmany received the truth in the love thereof; so that I did not at all regret my stopping here. Setting out early in the morning, Tuesday, 5, I reached London before one o'clock, and trans- acted most ofmy business in the afternoon. In the evening I preached on Psalm xxix. 9, 10 ; and the voice of the Lord was indeed with power. Wednesday, 6. I answered my letters ; and on Thursday, 7, set out for Bristol. In the evening I preached at Newbury. It rained and blew vehemently ; yet the Housewas throughly filled ; and I found uncommon liberty in pushing the inquiry, "Who of you are building on the sand, and who upon a rock ? " Friday, 8. In the evening I preached at Bath, to a more numerous congrega- tion than I expected ; and more serious, for I do not find there were any careless or inattentive hearers. Saturday, 9. We had agood congregation at five ; although the weather continued stormy. Afterward I searched to the bottom a story I had heardinpart ; and found it another tale of real woe :-Two of our society had lived together in uncommon harmony ; when onewho met in Band with E. F., to whom she had mentioned that she had found atemptation toward Dr. F., went and told her husband she was in love with him ; and that she had it from her own mouth. The spirit of jealousy seized him in a 350 REV. J. WESLEY'S [Sept. 1786. moment, and utterly took awayhis reason ; and some one telling him his wife was at Dr. F.'s, (on whom she hadcalledthat after- noon,) he took a great stick, and ran away ; andmeeting her in the street, called out, " Strumpet, strumpet !" and struck her twice or thrice. He is now throughly convinced ofher innocence ; but the water cannot be gathered up again ! He sticks there, " I do throughly forgive you ; but I can neverloveyou more."

Sun. 10. Our service began at ten. Mr. Creighton (whose health is a little recovered by rest, and drinking the mineral waters) read Prayers and assisted at the sacrament. I preached on, " The children are brought to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth." At half an hour past two we had a far larger congregation, and I think equally serious ; on whom I enforced the exhortation, " Come unto me, all ye that are weary andheavy-laden." In the evening I opened and largely applied those words in the Gospel for the day, “ Verily I say unto you, Many Prophets andKings have desired to see the ; things which ye see, and have not seen them ; and to hear those things that yehear, and have not heard them." Mon. 11.-Leaving the society here well united together, I went on, and preached at Bristol in the evening ; and on Tues- day, 12, retired to a friend's house, where I went on with Mr. Fletcher's Life without interruption ; but on Wednesday, 13, Icould not resist the desire ofmy friends, to preach at Temple church in the evening. I never saw it so full in an evening before, nor felt so much ofthe power of God there. Fri. 15. I had much satisfaction in the evening at the chapel in Guinea-Street. It was throughly filled ; and most of i the people seemed much affected, while (from Heb. xii. 1) I described what I take tobe the chiefbesetting sins ofBristol,- love of money, and love of ease. Indeed God has already i wrought a great deliverance for many ofthem ; and we hope a far greater will ensue. Sun. 17.-I preached morning and evening at the Room; and in the afternoon at Kingswood, where the work of God seems to stand nearly at one stay ; not sensibly increasing or decreasing. On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, I met the classes at Bristol; and on the remaining days of the week transcribed the society, considerably increased since last year; and I hope in grace as well as in number. i Sat. 23.-I read the general plan of Monsieur Gebalin's vast Oct. 1786.1 JOURNAL. 351 work, designed to consist of twelve very large quarto volumes ; eightofwhichare published :-"The Primitive WorldAnalyzed, andcomparedwith the Modern." He is a man of strong under-

as profane as before. Although it rained, and the people had no notice till we came, yet the preaching-house was quickly filled; and many, I believe, were filled with peace and joy in theHoly Ghost. Tues. 13.-Leaving the society here much alive to God, I went on to Coventry. Here finding places vacant in the Liver- pool mail-coach, we set out in the evening, and reached London the next morning, Wednesday, 14. Thursday, 15. I preached at Deptford, and was agreeably surprised to find the threatening storm blown over, and all our brethren in peace and love with each other. From hence, on Friday, 16, I went to Rotherhithe, which used to be one of the most uncomfortable places in Eng- land. Butitwas far otherwise now. Many ofthe peopleseemed much alive to God; and his presence was manifested in the con- gregation, in a very uncommon manner. Sat. 17-. I went on in reading that odd book, entitled, " A Chinese Fragment." As to the Chinese themselves, I believe they are almost as religious, but nothing near so honest, as the Turks ; so that I account the contrasting them with the Christ- ians, to be a mere pious fraud. Du Halde's word I will not take for a straw ; but there are many and just remarks in the treatise, to which few impartial menwould have any objection, inwhatever form they were proposed. Sun. 18. The power ofGod was, as usual, eminentlypresent during the service at Spitalfields. In the evening I met the single women ofthe society, and advised them to make full use of the advantages they enjoy: But I doubt, not many had ears tohear ; Forwhenhad youth the leisure to be wise ? [March 1787. Fri. 23.-I met our family, and was pleased to find that we are a family of love. There is not at present onejarring string, but we all hold the unity of the Spirit in the bond ofpeace. Sun. 25. After taking asolemn leave ofour friends, both at West-Street and the new chapel, I took the mail-coach, andthe next evening reached Exeter, a little after ten o'clock. Tues- day, 27. We went on to Plymouth-Dock. The large, new House, far the best in the west of England, was well filled, though on so short a warning ; and they seemed cordially to receive the exhortation," Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous."

receive the word with all readiness, and I trust will bring forth fruit with patience. Tues. 27. I went on to Wednesbury. As it rained great part of the afternoon, most of the congregation could get into the House ; and I took knowledge of the ancient spirit, although most of our first hearers are gone to rest. Wed. 28. About ten Mr. Horne (from Madeley)read Prayers in the church, at Darlaston ; and I preached on those words of Ruth, in the First Lesson, " Thy people shall be my people, : March, 1787.] and thy God shall be my God." We have had no such time since I left Bristol. The flame of love seemed to melt many hearts. What has God done for Darlaston ! How are the last become first ! In the evening I opened the new House at Wolverhampton, nearly as large at that at Newcastle-upon-Tyne. It would not near contain the people, though they were wedged together as close as possible. I believe such acongregation was never seen in Wolverhampton before; not only so serious, but so well- behaved. I hope this is a token for good. Thur. 29. About twelve I preached at Lane-End. It being too cold to stand abroad, the greater part of the earnest congre- gation squeezed into the preaching-house. Here we entered into the countrywhich seems to be all on fire, that which borders on Burslem on every side: Preachers andpeople provoking one another to love and good works, in such a manner as was never seen before. In the evening I preached at Burslem. Observing the people flocking together, I began half an hour before the appointed time. But, notwithstanding this, the House would not contain one half of the congregation : So, while I was preaching in the House to all that could get in, John Broad- bent preached in ayard to the rest. The love-feast followed ; but such a one as I have not known for many years. While the two or three first spoke, the power ofGod so fell upon all that were present, some praying, and others giving thanks, that their voices could scarce be heard : And two or three were speaking at a time, till I gently advised them to speak one at a time ; and they did so, with amazing energy. Some of them had found

Our Conference began, and ended as usual on Tuesday, 10. Wehadnojarring string, but all, from the beginning to the end, was love and harmony. Sun. 8.-I preached at our Room at seven. At eleven the Service began at Bethesda. The congregation was exceeding large. I preached on part of the Second Lesson, Luke xx. 34 ; and many had alarge taste of the powers of the world to come. At the love-feast in the evening,many spoke freely, who were deeply experienced in the ways of God. Indeed they have fairly profited in the divine life. I have rarely heard such a conversation even in England. On Tuesday evening likewise, many spoke with equal fire, tempered with meekness of wisdom. Wed. 11. At five I took an affectionate leave of this loving people ; and, having finished all my business here, in the after- noon I went down with myfriends,having taken the whole ship, and went on board the Prince of Wales, one of the Parkgate packets. At seven we sailed with afair, moderate wind. Between nine and ten I lay down, as usual, and slept till near four, when Iwaswaked by an uncommon noise, and found the ship lay beating upon a large rock, about a league from Holyhead. The Captain, who had not long lain down, leaped up ; and, running upon the deck, whenhe saw how the ship lay, cried out, " Your lives may be saved, but I am undone ! " Yet no sailor swore, and nowoman cried out. We immediately went to prayer ; and presently the ship, I know not how, shot off the rock, and pur- sued her way, without any more damage, than the wounding a few of her outside planks. About three in the afternoon we came safe to Parkgate ; and in the evening went on to Chester. Fri. 13. I spent aquiet day; and in the evening enforced •This quotation from Juvenal is thus translated by Gifford :- Now all the evils of long peace are ours ; Luxury, moreterrible than hostile powers.-EDIT . 388 REV. J. WESLEY'S [July, 1787- to a crowded audience the parable of the Sower. I know not 1 that ever I had so large a congregation . Sun. 15. I preached at the new church in the morning, on Matt. v. 20 ; inthe afternoon, on 1 Cor. xv. 55; Mr. Broadbent

Thur. 27.-About noon I preached at Castle-Carey. How are the times changed ! The first of our Preachers that came hither, the zealous mob threw into the horse-pond : Now high and low earnestly listen to the word that is able to save their souls . In the evening I preached at Ditcheat. Friday, 28. I preached at Ditcheat again, at Shepton-Mallet ; and at Pensford to such a congregation as I have not seen there formanyyears ; and on Saturday returned to Bristol. Sun. 30-I read Prayers, and my brother preached. I preached in the avenue at Kingswood about two; and at five near King's Square ; probably the last time this year that I shall preach in the open air. Monday, OCTOBER 1, and the three following days, I spoke to the society one by one, and was much refreshed; as the love of manywas not growncold, and theirnumberconsiderably increased. Oct. 1787.1 Fri. 5.-I preached at noon in Keynsham ; and the power of Godwas present in an uncommon degree : So it was when I met the children at Miss Bishop's, and afterwards those at Mr. Simpson's. I verily think, the spirit and behaviour ofthese two sets of children gradually affect the whole place ; which now retains scarce anything of the brutality and savageness for which itwas eminentsome years ago. In the eveningwe had awatch- night at Kingswood. The weather was exceeding rough : Yet the House was filled ; and few went away till after the noon of night. Sun. 7.-I preached morning and evening, and took a solemn leave of the affectionate people. Monday, 8. Having taken the whole mail-coach on Saturday, Iwent to it on Monday between three and four ; andfound, to mygreat surprise,it was filled with other passengers ; and the clerk faced me down, I had taken the coach for Sunday : But some of our friends speaking strong words, they thought good to provide us another coach ; only itdid not reach town quite so soon. Iwas, however, soon enough to meet a large congregation on Tuesday evening, and praise the Lord together . Wed. 10.-1 retired, and spent the rest of the week in answer- ing letters, and preparing matter for the Magazine. Sun. 14. I preached in West-Street chapel morning and afternoon ; and at St. Swithin's church in the evening. Mon-

love, to remember from whence they had fallen, to repent, and to do their first works. Sun. 27. I preached at Haworth church in the morning, crowded sufficiently ; as was Bingley church in the afternoon : But, as verymanycould not get in, Mr. Wrigley preached to them in the street ; so that they did not come in vain. In the evening we went on to Halifax. Mon. 28. The House in the evening was throughly filled with hearers that devoured the word. Tuesday, 29. I was desired to preach in the church at Sowerby, four miles from Halifax. It stands on the brow of ahigh and steep mountain. Rich and poor flocked together to it ; whom I exhorted to acquaint themselves with God, and be at peace. I found much liberty of spirit among them ; and still more at Halifax in the evening, when it seemed as if the windows of heaven were opened ; as also at five in the morning, when I took a solemn leave of this affectionate people. Wed. 30.-About eleven the Service began at Honley. After the Curate had read Prayers to a large and serious congrega- tion, I preached, on, " It is appointed unto men once to die." I believe many felt as well as heard the word. About six I preached at Huddersfield ; where our brethren are now all at peace and unity with each other. In the evening I went to our quiet and delightful retreat at Longwood-House. Thur. MAY 1.-The congregation at five was exceeding large, coming from many miles round; but that at Shelly, a [May, 1788, lone place, six or seven miles from Huddersfield, where I was constrained to preach in the open air at nine, was six or seven times larger ; indeed, the largest I have seen since I left Man- chester; and the power of Godwas eminently present, both to wound and to heal. I believe the congregation at Wakefield in the evening was larger even than this ; and the verdure of the trees, the smoothness of the meadow, the calmness ofthe evening, and the stillness ofthe whole congregation,made it a delightful sight. Fri. 2.-I went on to Bradford. I feared the jars which had been here would have lessened the congregation; but it was

2. To my never having lost a night's sleep, sick or well, at land or at sea, since I was born ? 3. To my having sleep at command ; so that whenever I feel myself almost worn out, I call it, and it comes, day or night ? 4. To my having constantly, for above sixty years, risen at four in the morning ? 5. To my constant preaching at five inthe morning, for above fifty years ? [June, 1788. 6. To my having had so little pain in my life; and so little sorrow, or anxious care ? Even now, though I find pain daily in my eye, or temple, or arm; yet it is never violent, and seldom lasts many minutes at atime. Whether or not this is sent to give mewarning that I am shortly to quit this tabernacle, I do not know ; but be it one way or the other, I have only to say, My remnant of days I spend to his praise Who died the whole world to redeem : Be they many or few, My days are his due, Andthey all are devoted to Him ! I preached in the morning on Psalm xc. 12 ; in the evening on Acts xiii. 40, 41 ; and endeavoured to improve the hours between to the best advantage. Sun. 29. At eight I preached at Misterton, as usual ; about one to a numerous congregation at Newby, near Haxey ; and about four at my old stand in Epworth market-place, to the great congregation. Here there used to be a few mockers ; but there were none now : All appeared serious as death, while I applied those solemn words. " When the breath of man goeth forth, " &c. We concluded with a love-feast, at which many declared, with an excellent spirit, the wonderful works of God. Mon. 30.-About eight I preached in Scotter ; and found it good to be there. About eleven I preached in Scowby, two miles from Brigg, to a very numerous and serious congregation. In the afternoon, going just by that curious building, Mr. Pelham's Mausoleum, I alighted, and took aview of it within and without. The like, I suppose, is not to be found in England. : It is exactly round, fifty-two feet in diameter, and will be sixty-

This inflamed Mr. F. beyond measure, of which Mr. M'D. was frequently informed. This continued, however, to the close of the year 1785 ; when Mr. MD., being at Castlebar one night, [May, 1789. a blunderbuss, charged with eight or nine bullets and slugs, was discharged through the window of the room where he used to sit. Immediately after Christmas, the witness, Mr. R. G. ,was sitting in Mr. M.'s cellar, bottling some wine,when he heard a very uncommon sound ofamusket, and a loud shriek following it. Going out, the first thing he saw was Mr. M'D. , wounded in the leg. On his cry, three men ran out of the little house of Mr. F., whence the gun had been fired from ahole through the wall, which had been made on purpose. He then took a lodging in Castlebar ; but on the 20th of February, 1786, accompanied by Mr. G. , Mr. H. , and M., went to his house in the country. They had been but a while there, when they found it surrounded by many armed men ; on which Mr. M'D.'s friends made their escape to a neighbouring village. Meantime they broke into his house; and, not finding him, broke into several houses. At length they came to the house where he was, and fired several balls through the doors and windows : Then theybroke in, and made M'Donald, Gallagher, andHipson, prisoners ; and one Fulton said he had a warrant against them. They desired he would bring them before Sir NealO'Donnel , a Magistrate, then within five miles ; but, instead of this, they were tied, and dragged to F.'s house, in Turlogh, wherethey continued all night. Tuesday, February 21. About six they were marched out with a large company, under pretence ofcarrying them before a Magistrate. Gallagher and Hipson were tied together, M'Don- ald being suffered to ride, because ofhis wound ; a ruffian hold- ing his bridle. When theygot about halfa milefrom Turlogh, a shot was fired from the rear, which wounded one ofthe ruffians ; F -dcontriving it so, thatthey might cry a rescue ; on hearing of which they were ordered instantly to dispatch the prisoners. Immediately several shot were fired at the prisoners. Hipson was shot dead, and Gallagher wounded : M'Donald had both his arms broke ; but his horse took fright, and broke from the

a little to recollect them. What I should be afraid of, is, if I : took thought for the morrow, that my body should weigh down mymind ; and create either stubbornness, by the decrease ofmy understanding ; or peevishness, by the increase ofbodily infirmi- ties: But Thou shalt answer for me, O Lord myGod. Fri. JULY 3. Our little Conference began in Dublin, and ended Tuesday, 7. On this I observe, 1. I never had between forty and fifty such Preachers together in Ireland before ; all of them, we had reason to hope, alive to God, and earnestly devoted to his service : 2. I never saw such anumber of Preach- ers before, so unanimous in all points, particularly as to leaving the Church ; which none of them had the least thought of. It is no wonder, that there has been this year so large an increase of the society. Sun. 5. I desired as many as chose it of our society, to go to St. Patrick's, being the first Sunday in the month. The Dean preached a serious, useful sermon ; and we had such a company of communicants as, I suppose, had scarce been seen there together for above a hundred years. Our House would not contain them that came in the evening ; many ofwhom being little awakened, I preached on, " It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." On Monday and Tues- day we settled the rest of our business ; and on Wednesday morning we parted in the same love that we met. Ihad much satisfaction in this Conference ; in which, convers- ! ing with between forty and fifty Travelling Preachers, I found such a body ofmen as I hardly believed could have been found together in Ireland ; men of so sound experience, so deep piety, and so strong understanding. I am convinced, they are noway inferior to the English Conference, except it be in number. Friday, 10, we observed as a day of fasting and prayer, chiefly for the increase of the work of God. This was concluded with a very solemn watch-night, wherein the hearts ofmany were greatly comforted. Sun. 12.-At seven I preached in Marlborough-Street, where (though it rained all the morning) we had afullcongregation of July, 1789. ] JOUR 4

other end of the town, where I preached under the Coinage- Hall, to twice as many people, rich and poor, as the preaching- house would have contained ; andmany ofthemwouldnot have come thither at all. How wise are all the ways of God ! In the afternoon, as we could not pass by the common road, we procured leave to drive round by some fields, and got to Fal- mouth in good time. The last time I was here, above forty years ago, I was taken prisoner by animmensemob,gaping and roaring like lions: But how is the tide turned ! High and low now lined the street, from one end ofthe town to the other, out of stark love and kindness, gaping and staring as if the King were going by. In the evening I preached on the smooth top of the hill, at a small distance from the sea, to the largest con Aug. 1789.1 469 gregation I have ever seen in Cornwall, except in or nearRed- ruth. And such a time I have not known before, since I returned from Ireland. God moved wonderfully on the hearts of the people, who all seem to know the day of their visitation. Wed. 19. I preached at noon in the High-Street in Helstone, to the largest and most serious congregation which I ever remember to have seen there. Thursday, 20. I went on to St. Just, and preached in the evening to a lovely congregation, many ofwhom have not left their first love. Friday, 21. About eleven I preached at Newlyn, and in the evening at Penzance ; at both places I was obliged to preach abroad. Saturday, 22. I crossed over to Redruth, and at six preached to a huge mul- titude, as usual, from the steps of the market-house. The word seemed to sink deep into every heart. I know not that ever I spent such a week in Cornwall before. Sun. 23. I preached there again in the morning, and in the evening at the amphitheatre ; I suppose, for the last time ; for my voice cannot now command the still increasing multitude. It was supposed they were now more than five-and-twenty thousand. I think it scarce possible that all should hear. Mon. 24.-Calling at Marazion, in myway to Penzance, where Ihad promised to preach once more, the House was filled in a

than ever before. I spoke exceeding closely the next evening at Hinxworth, which the people are now able to bear ; and at Dec. 1789.1 475 length that excellent woman that has so tenderly cared for them sees some fruit of her labour. Mon. 9. I returned to London ; and the four following days I employed in visiting the classes. Sunday, 15. We had, as usual, a large congregation, and asolemn opportunity, at Spital- fields ; and another at Shoreditch church ; where I preached a charity sermon, after the Prayers had been read in such aman- ner as I never heard before. At five I preached at the new chapel, and met the society ; but it was too much for me. Mon. 16. After an intermission ofmany weeks, through the dryness of my mouth, I resolved to try if I could not preach at five in the morning ; anddid so with not much difficulty ; and I now hope to hold on a little longer. Wednesday, 18. I found much life in the society at Brentford : So little cause have we to despair of any people, though for the present ever so dead ! Thursday, 19. I preached to a large congregation at Lambeth. On Friday and Saturday I answered my letters. Sun. 22. We had large congregations and a comfortable opportunity, both morning and evening, at West-Street chapel. Monday, 23. I set out for Northamptonshire ; and in the even- ing preached at Whittlebury ; but the House would ill contain the congregation, which were all serious as death. So they were the next evening. Wednesday, 25. The Dissenting Min- ister at Towcester offering me the use of his meeting-house, it was well filled; and I believe our Lord was in the midst. Thence we went on to Northampton, where I spent two even- ings with very great satisfaction; although the greatmanwhowas so affected at Bath last year was, as I expected hewould, ashamed to seeme. Friday, 27. We hada pleasantjourney to London. Sun. 29. I preached at the new chapel in the morning, on, " Love is the fulfilling of the law ; " and in the evening, on, "Owe noman anything, but to love one another : " And each time God was eminently present. Monday, 30. I went to Deptford, and

our Saviour. I preached at Tewkesbury about twelve ; buthere also the House would not contain the congregation. We went on to Worcester in the afternoon, and found much comfort among awell-established people. They have nojars now, but all hold the unity of the Spirit in the bond ofpeace. Thursday, 18. We went on to Stourport, which is now full twiceas large as it was two years ago. The first chapel was built about three years ago, by the joint contributions of Arminians and Calvinists, agreeing that theyshould preach by turns. Butin a short time the poor Arminians were locked out. On this one or two gen- tlemen built another, far larger and more commodious. But it was not large enough to contain them in the evening, to whom I explained that solemn passage in the Revelation, " I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God." They seemed to be all serious and attentive as long as I was speaking; but the moment I ceased, fourscore or one hundred began talking all at once. I do not remember ever to have been present at such a scene before. This must be amended ; otherwise (if I should live) I will see Stourport no more. Fri. 19.-About eleven,coming to Quinton, I found a con- gregationwaiting for me. So, that Imight not disappoint them, I preached immediately, on, "We love him, because he first loved us ; " and then went on to Birmingham, which I think is thrice as large as when I saw it fifty years ago. The congregation in the evening were well squeezed together, and most ofthem got in. The behaviour of the rich and poor is such, as does honour to their profession; sodecent, so serious, so devout, from the beginning to the end ! It was the same the next evening. Sunday, 21. The Prayers began at the new House about half an hour after ten. It is a little larger than the new House at Brompton, and admirably well constructed. But several hundreds, I suppose, could not get in. I think all who did, found thatGodwasthere. Thegreat Houselikewise in the evening was utterly insufficient to contain the congregation. But God is able to supply this want also ; and his time is best. March, 1790.] Mon. 22.-I went on to our old friends at Wednesbury,

call there, (it being but about thirty miles out of the way,) I set out early, to prevent the heat of the day. Calling at Pickering, some of the society soon found me out, with whom I went to the preaching-house ; whichwas full enough in a few minutes' time. So was the House at Malton,in the evening; where I found the society more loving and united together than they had been for many years. Tues. 22.-I crossed over to Scarborough. The congregation in the evening was unusually small, being notyet recovered from the blessed fruits of the election. This was the hottest day we have had this year : And about one in the afternoon, the thun- der, which had long lain at adistance, came near, with thick flashes of lightning,and impetuous rain: The thunder continued in one roll, for an hour and a quarter. I never heard the like before, since my return from America. Thursday, 24. The DissentingMinister offering me the use of his chapel in Bridling- ton, twice as large as ourown, (the wind being too high for me to stand abroad,) I willingly accepted his offer. Friday, 25. About noon I preached at Beverley, to a serious, well-behaved congregation ; and in the evening to one equally serious, and far more numerous, at Hull. ! July, 1790. Saturday, 26, was aday of satisfaction. I preached at seven inthe morning, and at six in the evening, to as many as our House could contain ; the ground being too wet for the congre- gation to stand abroad. Monday, 28. This day I enter intomy eighty-eighth year. For above eighty-six years, I found none of the infirmities of old age ; my eyes did not wax dim, neither was my natural strength abated : But last August I found almost a sudden change. My eyes were so dim, that no glasses would help me. My strength likewise now quite forsook me ; and probably will not return in this world. But I feel no pain from head to foot ; only it seems nature is exhausted ; and, humanly speaking, will sink more and more, till Theweary springs of life stand still at last. Tues. 29.-I crossed over through Epworth toOwstone, and passed a comfortable day with many of the Preachers. This, which was one of the last societies in the Circuit, is now become

the said Trust Deeds, and to declare what persons are mem- bers of the said Conference, and how the succession and iden- tity thereof is to be continued :- Now therefore these presents witness, that, for accomplishing the aforesaid purposes, the said John Wesleydoth hereby declare, that the Conference of the people called Methodists, in Lon- don, Bristol, or Leeds, ever since there hath been any yearly Conference of the said people called Methodists in any ofthe said places, hath always heretofore consisted of the Preachers and Expounders of God's Holy Word, commonly called Methodist Preachers in connexion with, and under the care of, the said John Wesley, whom he hath thought expedient year after year to summons to meet him, in one or other of the said places, of London, Bristol, or Leeds, to advise with them for the promotion of the Gospel of Christ, to appoint the said persons so summoned, and the other Preachers and Expounders of God's Holy Word, also in connexion with, and under the care of, the said John Wesley, not summoned to the said yearly Conference, to the use and enjoyment of the said chapels and premises so given and conveyed upon trust for the said John Wesley, and such other person and persons as he should appoint during his life as aforesaid, and for the expulsion of unworthy and admission of new persons under his care, and into his connexion, to be Preachers and Expounders as aforesaid, and also of other persons upon trial for the like purposes ; the names of all which persons so sum- moned by the said John Wesley, the persons appointed, with the chapels and premises to which they were so appointed, together with the duration of such appointments, and of those expelled or admitted into connexion or upon trial, with all other matters transacted and done at the said yearly Confer- ence, have, year by year, been printed and published under the title of " Minutes of Conference. " And these presents further witness, and the saidJohnWesleydoth hereby avouch and further declare, that the several persons herein-after named, to wit, the said John Wesley and Charles Wesley ; Thomas Coke, of the city of London, Doctor of Civil Law ; James Creighton, of the same place, Clerk ; Tho- mas Tennant, of the same place ; Thomas Rankin, of the

To Mary Bishop Date: LONDON, February 4, 1776. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1776) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--If you never wrote, if you forgot me quite, I should still love you with a love of esteem. But I am not content with this. I want to come nearer. Meet me half-way, and I shall still love you with a love of friendship. Although I am thoroughly persuaded that those reasonings are in a great measure from a preternatural cause, and therefore chiefly to be resisted by continuing instant in prayer, yet I think Christian prudence not only permits but requires you to add other means to this. That which I would especially recommend is reading, particularly Pascal's Thoughts (in the Christian Library) and the first two tracts in the Preservative against Unsettled Notions in Religion. These temptations are permitted to give you a deep and lasting conviction of the littleness and weakness of your own understanding, and to show you the absolute need wherein you stand of continual light as well as power from on high. That ' the regulation of social life is the one end of religion' is a strange position indeed. I never imagined any but a Deist would affirm this. If that good man Mr. D---- did, I suppose it must be a slip of the pen; for he could not but know that the love, without which, St, Paul affirms, all we do profits us nothing, is that humble, meek, patient love of our neighbor, which supposes and flows from the love of God. A degree of reasoning you certainly may and ought to use, only joined with humility and prayer. But what you more immediately want is faith. Believe, and thou shalt be saved into perfect peace.--I am, my dear sister, Yours affectionately.

To Christopher Hopper Date: LONDON, February 7, 1776. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1776) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--One sin is wanting to fill up the measure. The English in general have not persecuted the Gospel. Therefore we have still reason to hope that God will interpose, when all human help fails. If we build a New Foundery this Summer, I shall spend most of it in London, and only just make a flying journey through England, and look at our friends in the capital places. Possibly I may touch at Edinburgh or Aberdeen. You 'received but one book.' True: but I desired you to enquire after the other, which is far more valuable. It must be either at Bolton or Liverpool. I am, with love to Sister Hopper. Your affectionate friend and brother.

To John Mason Date: LONDON, February 17, 1776. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1776) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--The uncertainty of a passage from Liverpool is a weighty objection; as is also the uncertainty of the passage to Whitehaven, so I must lay that thought aside. A little fatigue I do not regard, but I cannot afford to lose time. Supply the poor people with all our small books, with money or without, and exhort them to keep a love to the Church as well as to their brethren. If we do not build a new Foundery this summer, I hope to see you at the usual time--I am Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Mrs. Hall Date: OTLEY, April 24, 1776. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1776) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR PATTY,--Since I recovered my strength after my late fever, I have scarcely known what pain or weakness or weariness meant. My health is far better and more uninterrupted than it was when I was five-and-twenty. I was then much troubled with a shaking hand. But all that is over. I am glad Peter Hare has a little care for his mother. You may call upon Mr. Atlay, and desire him to give you two guineas for her. And whatever her son will allow her quarterly, I will allow her the same. I much approve of her being with you.' It may prove a great blessing to her. It is not improbable a voyage will save Betty Appleton's life. I think it will either kill or cure. Let us live to-day!--I am, dear Patty, Your affectionate friend and Brother.

To James Barry Date: COLNE, April 30, 1776. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1776) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR JAMES,--Five or six years ago the Dales Circuit was quite out of debt. How come they in debt now Why, at this rate we shall never have done. If they now collect only for themselves, how does this help me to carry on the general work This is nothing for the purpose of the Yearly Subscription toward a common stock. But be this as it may, you know the rule in the Minutes--that all the money thus collected is to be produced at the Conference. If I am not called back to London to superintend the building/I hope to be in your circuit in June.--I am, dear James, . Your affectionate friend.

To Mrs. Freeman Date: EDINBURGH, May 27, 1776. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1776) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--If you forget me, I shall not easily forget you; I love you too well for that. I hear not from my dear Sister Gayer; surely she has not forgotten me too. If you would take up your cross, and at a proper opportunity gently tell John Bredin what you think, certainly it would do no harm, and probably it would do good. I am glad Mr. Smyth had the courage to preach in the Linen Hall, and still more so that Mr. Abraham is with him. His being pushed out of his house is a good sign: he must be like me, a wanderer upon earth. I hope you as well as my dear Miss Gayer (that sat by my bedside when I was just going away) still hold fast your confidence that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses from all sin.--I am, my dear Jenny, Your affectionate brother.

To William Severn Date: WHITBY, June 23, 1776. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1776) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR BILLY,--I had some thoughts of your remaining another year in Bristol, where I know your labor has not been in vain; but first one, then a second, and afterwards a third preacher desired to be stationed there, and each of them gave such reasons for desiring it as appeared to be of weight. You judge right concerning George Snowden: he is ' a sensible and upright man,' ' and you justly observe the Wiltshire circuits are not so convenient for him. I agree with you, too, that Gloucestershire will suit him well--it will be a comfortable situation for him, provided you will bear him company; for you will go hand in hand. Next year, if we live and you desire it, you may be in Nottinghamshire. But I must lay one burthen more upon you (if a labor of love may be termed so); observe, I speak in your ear! Sister Snowden is good-natured, but is a consummate slut: explain with her largely on this head; convince her that it is both a sin and a shame. She came into a clean house at Stroud; let her take care to keep it clean for the honor of God--for the honor of her husband--for the honor of her country!--I am, dear Billy, Your affectionate brother. If Christopher Walker is willing to go into Gloucestershire, you may take his place in Nottinghamshire.

To Mrs. Dickinson Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1776) Author: John Wesley --- LONDON, Monday, August 5, 1776. Although I hope to see you to-morrow se'nnight, yet I cannot but write a few lines. None that are in the Excise incur any danger by being a member of our Society; but several officers have been made supervisors, and Mr. Ball is now a collector. So that Mr. Dickinson has nothing to fear from any quarter, but may just do as he is persuaded in his own [mind]. When I was at Taunton' I was much pleased with the account I heard of you, and should have been glad to talk with you myself. If you have leisure, I can talk with you a little after dinner in Mrs. Pond's chamber. I hope you will never be weary or faint in your mind, nor ever be ashamed when it concerns your soul. If you have God on your side, nothing can hurt you. O consecrate your early days to Him! To His care I commit you; and am, my dear Suky, Yours affectionately.

To Thomas Rutherford Date: LONDON, December 6, 1776. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1776) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR TOMMY,--I am glad that you was in the neighborhood to pay the last office of love to Billy Minethorp. I had no doubt but he would die in peace, and it was good that he should die among those peculiar friends, who took care that everything should be done which possibly could be done for him. He was an honest, upright man. Now, Tommy, let us redouble our diligence! Let us do everything just as we would wish to have done it when we are stepping into eternity.--I am, dear Tommy, Yours affectionately;

To Robert Costerdine Date: LONDON, December 27, 1776. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1776) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--I think, as soon as you conveniently can, you should have full explanation with Thomas Warwick in the presence of two or three witnesses. Show him that his proceedings have been contrary to reason as well as to brotherly love. If you can convince him of this, all that is past should die and be forgotten. If not, you cannot give him another ticket.--I am, dear Robert, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Christopher Hopper Date: BRISTOL, March 16, 1777. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1777) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--Madmen have often a deal of cunning; and this frequently puzzles the cause, so that sometimes we can hardly say whether the man is more fool or knave. Right precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints; and much good is usually done at their funerals. You do well to improve all those opportunities. Our friends are about laying the foundation of the new chapel; so that in a few days I must return to London. Then I shall consider what time I can spare from thence, and shall fix my spring and summer journeys accordingly.--I am, with love to Sister Hopper, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Lady Maxwell Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1777) Author: John Wesley --- NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, May 3, 1777. MY DEAR LADY,--The new chapel which we are now building in London requires much of my attendance there, so that I cannot conveniently be absent more than two Sundays together. Accordingly, when I set out, I fixed Saturday, the 19th instant, for my return; and ordered notice to be given of my design to meet the classes the week following. I cannot therefore have the pleasure of seeing you now; which, if it could be, I should greatly desire. I love your spirit; I love your conversation; I love your correspondence: I have often received both profit and pleasure thereby. I frequently find a want of more light; but I want heat more than light. And you have frequently been an instrument of conveying this to my soul, of animating me to run the glorious race. I trust you find no decay in your own soul, but a still increasing rigor. Some time since, you enjoyed a measure of that great salvation, deliverance from inbred sin. Do you hold fast whereunto you had attained, and still press forward, to be filled with all the fullness of God? There is the prize before you l Look up, believe, and take all you want! Wishing you the whole gospel blessing, I remain, my dear Lady, Your ever affectionate servant. I hear Sister Gow is gone hence. Did she go in triumph or only in peace?

To Thomas Wride Date: DARLINGTON, May 7, 1777. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1777) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR TOMMY,--I am resolved to make one fair trial of the island. So I have desired Brother Empringham and Joseph Bradford to go over immediately together and preach in every town and village. Now the summer is before us, and let us try what can be done; and let Brother Seed and you exert yourselves in England.--I am Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Hannah Ball Date: COLNE, June 11, 1777. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1777) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,---From the many unforeseen hindrances you have met with, it does indeed seem reasonable to infer that God's time is not yet fully come. It is your present business to tarry the Lord's leisure. When His time is come that He will work, then who shall hinder? I have lately made diligent inquiry into the experience of many that are perfected in love. And I find a very few of them who have had a clear revelation of the several Persons in the ever-blessed Trinity. It therefore appears that this is by no means essential to Christian perfection. All that is necessarily implied therein is humble, gentle, patient love: love regulating all the tempers, and governing all the words and actions.--I am, my dear sister, Your affectionate brother.

To Mrs. Barton Date: BRISTOL, July 29, 1777. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1777) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--It is well that you have learned to say, ' The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away.' Your child is gone but a little before you. How soon shall we overtake her! It is no way inconsistent with Christian resignation to ask conditionally, ' Let this cup pass from me '; only with the addition,' Nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou writ.' Rapturous joy, such as is frequently given in the beginning of justification or of entire sanctification, is a great blessing; but it seldom continues long before it subsides into calm, peaceful love. I believe, if Miss Hurrell [See letter of Oct. 28.] were to spend a little time with you, it might be of great use to many.--I am, with love to Brother Barton, Your affectionate brother.

To Alexander Clark Date: BRISTOL, September 11, I777. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1777) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,--I received your last letter this afternoon, and one at the same time wherein are these words: Last Sunday morning the two Clarks in a very indecent and unbecoming manner persisted to meet their classes, and peremptorily refused to admit the appointed leader, who it is said with all Christian meekness endeavored to reason with them. But they were inflamed, and had so kindled and irritated the spirits of their classes that with a mob-like anarchy they declared they would have none else to meet them. What could be done? Was it not necessary to disband such unsubdued and inflammatory spirits? In the most tender, gentle, awful, and affecting manner Mr. Hampson at the Society last night showed the consequences of such proceedings and the necessity of order and good government, and then declared the two Clarks to be no longer members of this Society. This is not wrote or dictated by either of the preachers, but by (I believe an impartial) bystander. I am sorry both for the thing and for the occasion of it. But in very deed I know not what to say or do. For many years I have had a particular regard for Alexander Clark, and I have so still. I love him as a plain, honest man that wishes to do all things well. But what can I advise you to in the present case? in this trying hour? I would really advise you to sit still for a little while. Very soon you may expect to see Mr. Boardman. And as he will be the Assistant, he will be able, if anything is wrong, to set it right. Commending you and our brethren to the God of peace and love, I remain Your affectionate brother.

To Ann Bolton Date: BRISTOL, September 15, 1777. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1777) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,---You know how nearly I am concerned in whatever relates to you. My regard for you has been invariable ever since you was with me in London. I then set you-down for my inalienable friend, and such I trust you will always be, until the union of our spirits will be complete where our bodies part no more. Why, then, should I not speak (as I have done hitherto) in all simplicity. Why should I not tell you just what rises in my heart even on the most delicate occasion! I cannot once suppose you will take it amiss. I speak plainly because I love you. God has lately delivered you out of imminent danger, that of being unequally yoked with an unbeliever. That he is so now will admit of no dispute. And it is not plain that ever he was otherwise. It is highly probable that he never was: that he either wore the appearance of religion for a time, or deceived himself as well as others by mistaking good desires, transient desires for good tempers, whether those desires were real----. But it is certain they were not deep; and as they were chiefly from love to you, it is scarce possible they could have been lasting.

To Mrs. Barton Date: STONY STRATFORD, October 28, 1777. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1777) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--I am glad that in spite of all discouragement’s your little Society still keep together. There is undoubtedly a fairer prospect now than there has been for some time. I believe good will result from Miss Hurrell's visit. [See letter of July 29 to Mrs. Barton.] She has been of use to many. And it is certain both T. Hanson [The ministers in the Hull Circuit.] and James Hudson [The ministers in the Hull Circuit.] are workmen that need not be ashamed. They are good preachers and (what is more) good men; and their heart is in the work. I wish when opportunity serves you would speak freely to them. Men of this kind are not always to be found. You have been long led in a rough and thorny way. But as your day so your strength has been. He that loves you gives you help for to-day, and you need not take thought for to-morrow. You have His love and truth and promise on your side, and He hath never failed them that seek Him. Peace be with your spirit!--I am, dear Jenny, Your affectionate brother.

To Thomas Rutherford Date: LONDON, November 22, 1777. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1777) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR TOMMY,--You send me a pleasing account of the isle; just such an one as I expected. For I did not doubt but the work of God would prosper in your hands. They talk, but they can do nothing. If the Act of Toleration does not extend to the isle, neither does the Conventicle Act. So they have no ground to stand upon. It is soon enough to take the oaths when you are required so to do. If any one actually molests you, then apply to the Governor, telling him, ' I desired you so to do.' He will likewise do you justice in case of riots.--I am, dear Tommy, Your affectionate friend and brother. My kind love to Mr. Corlett. [See heading to letter of Jan. 17.] You may sell many of the penny tracts, and they will do much good.

To Ann Bolton Date: LONDON, January 24, 1778. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1778) Author: John Wesley --- It is surely a wise and gracious Providence which has detained you so long at Withey. You was sent thither and still remain there for the good of the poor people. I wish you could meet all the women of the Society either in band or class. Lay yourself out among them as much as ever your strength and leisure will permit. You was formerly the nursing mother of the Society; they grew and prospered under your hand, and they have not prospered since. They have pined away like poor orphans ever since you was removed from them. [See letter of Jan. 11, 1775, to Francis Woffe.] Possibly now they may spring up and flourish again; and then you will not think much of your labor. It would undoubtedly be of use if a few of you were to meet together for this very purpose, to improve one another in Christian knowledge as well as in love. And you cannot insist too much on that point - that, whatever our past experience has been, we are now more or less acceptable to God as we more or less improve the present moment. But it is no wonder that many are so angry at this assertion, for it strikes at the very root of Calvinism. That you are tempted to peevishness, to discontent, or to anything else will be no loss as long as you are conqueror over all, yea more than conqueror through Him that loveth you. And so, I doubt not, you will always be; because your trust is not in yourself but in Him. - My dear Nancy, Yours most affectionately.

To Thomas Maxfield Date: February 14, 1778. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1778) Author: John Wesley --- I was a little surprised to read in a late publication of yours the following assertions: - 1. Thomas Maxfield was 'some of the firstfruits of Mr. Whitefield's ministry' (page 18). 2. 'When he went abroad, he delivered me and many thousands more into the hands of those he thought he could have trusted them with, and who would have given them back to him again at his return. But, alas! it was not so.' (Ibid.) 'I heard Mr. Whitefield say at the Tabernacle, in the presence of five or six ministers, to Mr. Wesley, a little before he left England for the last time: "I delivered thirty thousand people into the hands of your brother and you when I went abroad. And by the time I came back you had so turned their hearts against me that not three hundred of them would come to hear me." I knew this was true.' (Ibid.) 3. 'I heard Mr. Whitefield say: "When I came back from Georgia, there was no speaking evil of each other. Oh what would I not give or suffer or do to see such times again! But oh that division! that division! What slaughter it has made 'It was doctrine that caused the difference; or, at least, it was so pretended.' (Ibid.) 'He preached a few times in connection with his old friends. But, ah! how soon was the sword of contention drawn!' (Page 19.) 4. 'where can you now find any loving ones of either party They have no more love to each other than Turks.' (Ibid.) 'Read their vile contentions, and the evil characters they give of each other, raking the filthiest ashes to find some black story against their fellow preachers' (page 20). They 'slay with the sword of bitterness, wrath, and envy. Still more their shame is what they have sent out into the world against each other on both sides about five or six years ago, and till this very day.' (Page 21.) To satisfy both friends and foes I propose a few queries' on each of these four heads.

With what view, then, can you charge me with that perfidy which I am no more guilty of than of high treason For what end can you affirm, 'When he went abroad, he delivered many thousands into the hands of those he thought he could have trusted them with' Delivered! when where how What can you mean I flatly deny that ever he delivered one thousand or one hundred souls into my hands. Do you mean, 'He spoke honorably of you to them at Kennington Common and Rose Green' True; but not so honorably as I spoke of you even at London - yea, as late as the year 1763 I Yet was this the same thing with 'delivering the people' at London 'into your hands' Nay, but 'Mr. Whitefield trusted that you would have given them back at his return.' Them! whom His Society at London or Bristol I had them not to give. He never entrusted me with them. Therefore I could not 'give them back.' But how melancholy is the exclamation that follows: 'Alas ! it was not so.' Was not how Why, I did not give back what I never had received, but went straight on my way, taking the best care I could of those who entrusted themselves to me. III. So much for the second article. As to the third, your words are, 'I heard Mr. Whitefield say, "Oh that division! that division! What slaughter it has made!"' But who made that division It was not I. It was not my brother. It was Mr. Whitefield himself; and that notwithstanding all admonitions, arguments, and entreaties. Mr. Whitefield first wrote a treatise against me by name. He sent it to my brother, who endorsed it with these words: 'Put up again thy sword into its place.' It slept a while; but after a time he published it. I made no reply. Soon after Mr. Whitefield preached against my brother and me by name. This he did constantly both in Moorfields and in all other public places. We never returned railing for railing, but spoke honorably of him at all times and in all places. But is it any wonder that those who loved us should no longer choose to hear him Meantime was it we that 'turned their hearts against him' Was it not himself

Some of these I find (and much rejoice to find) in Mr. Whitefield's Societies. And I pray God they may increase a thousand-fold both in number and in strength. Nay, they have no more love to each other than Turks.' They! who This is not the case with our Societies. They not only love each other, but love their enemies, even those that still despitefully use them. But 'read their vile contentions, and the evil character they give each other, raking the filthiest ashes to find some black story.' I will answer for one. I give no 'evil character' of my 'fellow preachers.' I ' rake into no filthy ashes for black stories.' Let him who does take it to himself. 'They slay with the sword of bitterness, wrath, and envy.' I do not. I plead, Not guilty. As I envy no man, so neither my wrath nor bitterness slays any human creature. 'Still more to their Shame is what they have sent out into the world against each other on both sides about five or six years ago, and till this very day.' 'What they have sent out against each other on both sides about five or six years ago.' Within five or six years I have been vehemently called to answer for myself: twice by Mr. Richard Hill, and afterwards by his brother. [See Green's Anti-Methodist Publications.] Have you read what we 'have sent out into the world against each other on both sides' If you have not, how can you so peremptorily affirm what 'both sides' have done You cannot possibly be a judge of what you have not read; and if you had read, you could not have passed such a sentence. Three tracts I have wrote; but in none of these do I 'slay with the sword of bitterness or wrath or envy.' In none of them do I speak one bitter or passionate or disrespectful word. Bitterness and wrath, yea low, base, virulent invective, both Mr. Richard and Mr. Rowland Hill (as well as Mr. Toplady) have poured out upon me in great abundance. But where have I in one single instance returned them railing for railing I have not so learned Christ. I dare not rail either at them or you. I return not cursing, but blessing. That the God of love may bless both them and you is the prayer of

To Christopher Hopper Date: LONDON, February 21, 1778. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1778) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, - Many angry opponents we are to expect; but they may say just what they please. It is my determination to answer none, but to go straight on my way. [Hopper was in Bradford. Wesley was severely attacked in the press. See Tyerman's Wesley, iii. 261-7; and previous letter.] On Sunday evening, March 1, I am to leave London. After spending a few days at Bristol, I purpose making the best of my way to Chester in order to embark for Ireland. I hope to be in Dublin about the end of March. If so, I shall be able to visit all the Societies before July. - I am, with love to Sister Hopper, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Alexander Knox Date: LONDON, February 26, 1778. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1778) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR ALLECK, - In the latter end of March I hope to be in Dublin, and about the 28th of May in Londonderry. [preached on May 28 in Londonderry, and stayed till June 4.] It is a place I always loved; but I shall love it more than ever if I have the pleasure of lodging with you. With regard to your health, both of body and mind, if you could take one advice it would have a surprising effect. It is this: 'Take no thought for the morrow.' You know not how much even your body suffers by this. To-day only is yours. Look up, and He will bless you all to-day. - I am, my dear Alleck, Very affectionately yours.

To Cornelius Bayley Date: NEAR LONDON, October 12, 1778. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1778) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, - I will read over and consider your MS. the first opportunity. Before I read it I cannot but mention a little remark which I have frequently made. There are many good-natured creatures among the Methodists who dearly love to make matches; and we have many other good-natured creatures who dearly love to make authors. Whereas it is the glory of the Methodists to have few authors. And a young man can hardly be too slow in this matter. To save her postage I write a line or two in yours to poor Sister Bastable. [The widow of Cornelius Bastable, See letter of Dec. 15, 1763.] Peace be with your spirits! - I am Your affectionate brother.

To Christopher Hopper Date: LONDON, October 31, 1778. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1778) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, - At a General Conference David Evans [Hopper was at Bradford. Evans 'desists from traveling' at the Conference of 1776, and is readmitted in 1779.] was judged unqualified for a traveling preacher. At the last Conference we determined to receive no more married preachers. For what reason For an exceeding plain one - because we cannot keep them. I cannot: if you can, you may. But the people cannot or will not keep any more. James Kershaw's prophecies are very ingenious, and as authentic as Jacob Behmen's. [See heading to letter of March 1777.] I really think the French will burn their fingers. [See letter of July 10, 1779, to Samuel Bradburn.] We are much obliged to them for making our countrymen friends with each other. I am glad the knotty affair at Bolton is concluded, and hope the sour man is now in a good humor. - I am, with love to Sister Hopper, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Hannah Ball Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1778) Author: John Wesley --- [ROBERTSBRIDGE], December 2, 1778. MY DEAR SISTER, - Little things contrary to our will may be great blessings. We have need to apply the general word, 'Take up thy cross, and follow Me,' to a thousand little particulars: a smoky room, a cold morning, a rainy day, the dullness or perverseness of those we are with-these and innumerable little crosses will help us onward to the kingdom. But the most profitable of all crosses to your own soul may be the unfaithfulness or unfruitfulness of your sisters, without one or other of which they never could have lost any blessing which God had given them. Nothing can exercise and therefore increase your faith and love like the seeming to spend all your strength for naught. Oh how this increases, my dear Hannah, my love to you! How much more does it increase His love for whom you labor! We do not thoroughly understand the meaning of that word, 'The times anti seasons God hath reserved in His own power.' Undoubtedly He has wise reasons for pouring out His Spirit at one time rather than another; but they lie abundantly too deep for human understanding to fathom. To us He says, 'What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter!' - I am, my dear Hannah, Your affectionate brother.

To Mrs. Crosby Date: DOVER, December 9, 1778. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1778) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER, - It is no new thing for the temple to be built in troublous times. And in the end all the fierceness of man shall turn to His praise. Meantime we know the Lord sitteth above the water-floods and will give His people the blessing of peace. He is pleased to ghre lite just the same health and strength that I had forty years ago. Fire and water cannot well dwell together, nor warm Calvinists and Arminians. Let us love them and help them all we can. But the less intercourse our people have with them the better. It is well you spent a little time at pool Beverley. The little flock there stand in need of all the help we can give them. Hardly any Society in England has been as they have been from the very beginning. It is almost a miracle that two of them are left together. The work of God 1orospers well in London. A new chapel brings almost a new congregation, and hereby the old is greatly stirred up. Let us all work while the day is! - I am, with love to both Brother Robinsons, [Thomas and William Robinson, of Bridlington Quay. See letter of May 22, 1770.] dear Your affectionate brother.

To Jasper Winscom Date: LONDON, January 14, 1779. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1779) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, - Ours are traveling preachers; therefore I can never consent that any of them should remain for a month together in the island. [The Isle of Wight.] If you can contrive that the additional preacher have full employment, then we can inquire where one can be found. It seems to me that you take the matter exactly right with regard to the Portsmouth preaching-house, and that the only thing to be done is to get the mortgage out of Mr. Pike's hands. - I am Your affectionate brother.

To Elizabeth Morgan Date: LONDON, January 17, 1779. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1779) Author: John Wesley --- It gives me much pleasure to hear that my dear Miss Morgan is still studious of redeeming the time, and that you have had so fair an opportunity of improving it while you were absent from Bristol. I was indeed full of fears concerning you lest you should be less usefully employed than you might. But the account you give me of the help provided for you in your retirement has dispelled my fears, and I have a strong hope you will improve to the uttermost all the talents which God has entrusted you with. But on how slippery ground do you tread I It is unquestionably your duty to cultivate your understanding in the best manner you are able. And yet how difficult is it to do this without either thinking of yourself more highly than you ought to think, or laying too great a stress upon knowledge, as if it is a road upon a level with love. We allow it is of great value in its place - that is, in subordination to holiness as the handmaid of love. But still, I trust your heart says: To love is all my wish! I only live for this! To this let everything minister! This one thing let us do! Let us follow after pure and spotless love! What a blessing is it that God has given you a measure of it already! But does not your soul cry out, - A glimpse of love cannot suffice; My soul for all Thy presence cries That He may give you an whole desire is the continual wish of, my dear Miss Morgan, Yours most affectionately.

To Mrs. Knapp Date: NEAR LONDON, February 19, 1779. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1779) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER, - I hope to be at Tewkesbury on Wednesday, April [He probably meant March, when on the 17h he 'preached at Tewkesbury about noon, and at Worcester in the evening.'] 19, so as to preach at noon, and to be at Worcester to preach either at six or half-hour after, as you judge best. It would not be so agreeable to me to be at Worcester unless I was to be at your house. I love the house for the sake of its inhabitants, particularly my dear Suky. On Thursday at noon I am willing to preach at Stourport, of which timely notice should be sent to Mr. Cowan. You are all, I hope, pressing on to the mark! ee! the prize is before you am, my dear sister, Your affectionate brother.

To Hannah Ball Date: LONDON, February 24, 179. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1779) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER, - I am in great hopes that the manner of your mother's death, together with her dying exhortations, will make a deep and lasting impression on some (at least) of her children. Brother Tunney [William Tunney, the second preacher in Oxfordshire, became an itinerant in 1774, and desisted from traveling in 1781.] did well to make a full use of so solemn an occasion. It is not improbable that from this very time a good work may commence, which, if you build a large and commodious chapel, will greatly and swiftly increase. I advise you whenever you build to build exactly on the model of our new chapel [City Road Chapel, London. A Mr. Jacques at Wycombe had frequently disturbed them by beating a drum during the whole hour of meeting. A site had been found, and Mr. Batting had subscribed handsomely and undertaken to superintend the erection of the chapel. See letter of Oct. 23.]; only reducing the dimensions, perhaps, from eighty by sixty to fifty or sixty by forty feet, according as your ground will allow. Surely He will withhold from us no manner of thing that is good. - I am, my dear sister, Your affectionate brother.

To Thomas Rankin Date: KINGSWOOD, March 12, 1779. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1779) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR TOMMY, - It is well that Mr. Varde understands and enters into your proposal. When things are a little brought to bear, I shall hope to hear from him. I desire you to accept of two hundred of the Narrative, and of any other book you have occasion for. It gives me pleasure to hear that Sister Rankin and you are happy in each other, and that there are no jealousies or misunderstanding among the, preachers. Stand fast, striving together for the hope of the gospel! Does not John Atlay know that he should always send me a franked letter as it is The Duke of Beaufort's for instance. Half the letter costs something; the whole would cost nothing. Peace be with you and yours! - I am, dear Tommy, Yours affectionately. You may have my plan from Brother Pearson. Pray tell Mr. Atlay he did not send one quarter enough of the American Narrative [For A Brief Narrative of the Revival of Religion in Virginia and Popery Calmly Considered, see Green's Bibliography, Nos. 330, 336.] either to Birstall or Bristol. Let three or four hundred of Popery Calmly Considered be sent hither directly. Why does not he send the books to the Isle of Man They want [two] sets of the Short Hymns.

To Mrs. Gair Date: NEAR DUNBAR, May 26, 1779. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1779) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER, - It Was not your own desire to miss me at Alnwick as well as at Newcastle; otherwise I might have blamed you, and supposed that your love was grown cold, But I do not believe that is the case; and it is still your desire to love God. What, then, should hinder your recovering His love, if you still walk in all His appointed ways if you still contrive all the opportunities you can of hearing His word. of communicating, of prayer, reading, and meditation It cannot be, if you seek Him, but you will soon find. He will return and abundantly pardon. Who knows how soon Perhaps to-day; and why not at this hour You ask what I think of that strange book. I think the writer was distracted otherwise she could have no excuse. - I am, dear Becky, Your affectionate brother.

To Samuel Bradburn Date: EDINBURGH, June 19, 1779. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1779) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR SAMMY, - I hear what angry men say or write, but I do not often regard it. I think Sister Ward and Malenoir counsel you well. I love you the better for loving them. You do well to spread the prayer-meetings up and down. They seldom are in vain. - I am, with kind love to my dear Betsy, dear Sammy, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Duncan McAllum Date: EPWORXH, July 10, 1779. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1779) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR DUNCAN, - This is the circumstance which puzzles the case: who can preach in Erse but you Cannot you, then, think of any preacher, whom you love, and who is a zealous, active man Inverness should by all means be a circuit by itself, including as many towns as you please, north and south. I wish you would think of it, and send me the plan to London. Did not Sister Anderson receive my letter I wonder she did not answer. Joseph Moore utterly denies he ever offered her marriage. [Inverness was separated from Aberdeen at the Conference of 1779, and McAllum made superintendent. Moore was the second preacher at Edinburgh. He desisted from traveling at this Conference.] I desired her to tell me the very words he spoke or wrote.-I am, dear Duncan, Yours affectionately.

To Alexander Knox Date: LONDON, July 31, 1779. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1779) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR ALLECK, - Come when they will, whether I am more or less busy, your letters are always welcome.... If you had firm and constant health, I do not see how you could have been saved; you would have been so admired, caressed, and applauded by your well-meaning relations, and perhaps by others, that it would have been next to impossible for you to have escaped the depths of pride and the height of vanity. But God was merciful to you, and sent this affliction to humble and prove you and show you what was in your heart. In the meantime nothing is more sure than that all these things will work together for some good. Far, far beyond thy thought His counsel shall appear, When fully He the work has wrought Which caused thy needless fear! Doubtless He may give you an earnest of it now. Does not a beam of hope break into your soul Can you help saying, God is love I I know, I feel! Jesus weeps, but loves me still Peace be with all your spirits! - I am, dear Alleck, Yours affectionately.

To Thomas Wride Date: LYNN, November 1, 1779. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1779) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR TOMMY, - You will never disoblige me by telling me anything that you think or fear. No preacher in our Connection ever dealt more plainly with me than Thomas Walsh did. And there never was any that I loved better or put more confidence in. So that it is a mere groundless imagination which some of our friends have entertained that 1 love persons less for their plain-dealing. - I am, dear Tommy, Your affectionate brother. I expect to be at London on Friday.

To the Society in Margate Date: DOVER, November 30, 1779. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1779) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BRETHERN, - I have no connection at all with Thomas Coleman. I am not satisfied with his behavior. I desire Mr. Wrigley, [Francis Wrigley, James Perfect were preachers in Kent.] Booth, and Perfect to act as if there was no such person in the world. [Coleman opened a school at Margate about 1767, and used the room for preaching. See Journal, vii. 128; W.H.S. xvii. 73] As many of our Society in Margate as [choose] to remain under my care I desire to receive these as they would myself. Commending you all to the God of peace and love, I am, my dear brothers and sisters, Your affectionate brother.

To Robert Cart Date: LONDON, December 28, 1779. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1779) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR ROBERT, - As God has once more given you your life for a prey, see that all be directed to Him I Let no sin have any more dominion over you. Watch and pray, and you shall not enter into temptation. I make no doubt but a collection made in the circuit will supply what is wanting with regard to that little preaching-house, especially as there are no others building in that circuit. By this time both our preachers and people should be well aware of the warm Predestinarians. They will do us no good. And they can do us no harm if we love them - at a distance. Peace be with you and yours! - I am, dear Robert, Your affectionate brother.

To Sarnuel Bradburn Date: LONDON, December 29, 1779. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1779) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR SAMMY, - Joseph Benson has explained himself at large, and in a very satisfactory manner. Dr. Coke wrote also to John Hampson; but I believe he has received no answer. All the real lovers of Ireland will now love King George for removing those vile restraints upon the Irish trade. But still incendiaries will not be wanting who will do all the mischief they can. I am not sure that the loudest bawlers are not in French pay. If one class does not suit Mrs. Bruce, let her meet in another. But I understand there is one whole class (Brother Brewer's) which contributes nothing weekly. If so, give no ticket either to him or any of them. They break a fundamental rule of the Society. You may read in the Society that part of the Large Minutes relating to my power. I find by your last you have done it. In our last Conference it was agreed that a change of stewards should be made directly throughout England and Ireland. I do not thoroughly approve myself of G. Dobbyn remaining i~ the house. I do not forget his base treatment of Sister Malenoir, whom none had authority to put out of the house without my consent. I refer that to you. If you judge that Brother Laffan and Howe would be more unexceptionable, let them be stewards for the ensuing year. Were there no other objection, that behavior of Brother Large and Sweeny in the Society would be a sufficient reason why they could bear no office among the Methodists. Beware of heat! Beware of returning railing for railing! - I am, dear Sammy, Your affectionate friend and brother. Pray give my kind love to Sister Bruce, and tell her I will consider her letter.

Love me still, my dear Nancy, and know me to be Yours invariably.

To Abraham Brames Date: LONDON, January 16, 1780. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1778) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, - You have done exceeding well in setting that little collection on foot. [See letter of Dec. 12, 1779.] I trust it will be productive of much good. On February 6 you may expect a preacher from hence. Tell the traveling preachers whatever you think or hear concerning them, if you love either them or Your affectionate brother.

To Thomas Taylor () Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1778) Author: John Wesley --- LONDON, January [18], 1780. MY DEAR BROTHER, - You seem to me not to have well considered the Rules of an Helper or the rise of Methodism. It pleased God by me to awaken, first my brother, and then a few others; who severally desired of me as a favor that I would direct them in all things. After my return from Georgia many were both awakened and converted to God. One and another and another of these desired to join with me as sons in the gospel, to be directed by me. I drew up a few plain rules (observe, there was no Conference in being!), and permitted them to join me on these conditions. Whoever, therefore, violates the conditions, particularly that of being directed by me in the work, does ipso facto disjoin himself from me. This Brother M'Nab has done (but he cannot see that he has done amiss); and he would have it a common cause-that is, he would have all the preachers do the same. He thinks 'they have a right so to do.' So they have. They have a right to disjoin themselves from me whenever they please. But they cannot, in the nature of the thing, join with me any longer than they are directed by me. And what if fifty of the present preachers disjoined themselves! What should I lose thereby Only a great deal of labor and care, which I do not seek, but endure, because no one else either can or will.

You seem likewise to have quite a wrong idea of a Conference. For above six years after my return to England there was no such thing. I then desired some of our preachers to meet me, in order to advise, not control me. And you may observe they had no power at all but what I exercised through them. I chose to exercise the power which God had given me in this manner, both to avoid ostentation and gently to habituate the people to obey them when I should be taken from their head. But as long as I remain with them the fundamental rule of Methodism remains inviolate. As long as any preacher joins with me he is to be directed by me in his work. Do not you see, then, that Brother M'Nab, whatever his intentions might be, acted as wrong as wrong could be and that the representing of this as the common cause of the preachers was the way to common destruction, the way to turn all their heads and to set them in arms It was a blow at the very root of Methodism. I could not therefore do less than I did; it was the very least that could be done, for fear that evil should spread. I do not willingly speak of these things at all; but I do it now out of necessity, because I perceive the mind of you and some others is a little hurt by not seeing them in a true light. - I am Your affectionate brother.

To Samuel Bardsley Date: LONDON, January 30, 1780. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1778) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR SAMMY, - I am glad to hear that your people love one another: then neither Mr. -- nor Mr. -- can hurt them. They may make a bustle and a noise for a season; but it will be only a nine days' wonder. If you take up your cross, and visit all the Societies, whenever you have time, from house to house, their profiting will appear to all men; and none will be able to stand against you. Take a little pains likewise, both Brother Shadford [George Shadford, his superintendent at Norwich.] and you, in recommending the Magazine. Urge it from love to me and to the preachers; and whatever you do do it with your might. - I am, dear Sammy, Yours affectionately. PS.-Everywhere exhort the believers to expect full salvation now by simple faith.

To John Valton Date: LONDON, February 9, 1780. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1778) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, - From that ill-advised step of poor Brother M'Nab a smoke had issued from the bottomless pit, which darkened and has bled the minds of many as well as yours, and filled them with needless doubts and fears. I am glad you are now emerged out of that darkness, and hope you will feel it no more. I am in hope likewise that those at Bath who deeply sinned on the occasion have now humbled themselves before God; and I trust He will enable you to do far more good than you have done yet at Bath as well as at Bristol. I hope to be at Bath on Tuesday the 29th instant and at Bristol a day or two after. But I cannot and dare not suffer them to be leaders any longer who will not deign to attend the preaching. On Monday, March 13, I expect to be at Stroud; on Tuesday noon at Tewkesbury, Tuesday evening Worcester. Take care you do not preach more than your health allows. You must not offer murder for sacrifice. Pray give my kind love to Sister Newman, whom I thank for her letter, and hope to see at Stroud or Tewkesbury if it be convenient for her. - I am Your affectionate friend and brother. Why should you not give me a short account of the life of John Valton [See letter of April 21.]!

To Samuel Bradburn Date: LONDON, February 26, 1780. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1778) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR SAMMY, - I think you have reason to be exceeding thankful for an honest and sensible fellow laborer. [John Bredin was his colleague at Cork. See letter of Nov. 9, 1779, to him.] The good fruit of it appears already in your deliverance from that troublesome man. If your opponents cannot provoke you to return evil for evil, they can do you no harm. In patience possess ye your soul, and all those things shall work together for good. I hope to be in Dublin about the end of March, [He did not get there till April 13, I783.] and probably in Cork before the middle of May. If you are at Bristol by-and-by (to which I have no great objection), we must hire a lodging for you near the room. [See letter of April 2.] Peace be with your spirits! - I am, with kind love to Betsy, dear Sammy, Your affectionate friend and 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 Alexander Knox Date: LONDON, November 18, 1780. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1780) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR ALLECK,--My mind is exactly the same towards you as it has been for several years; with this only difference (which is very natural), that the longer I know you the more I love you. I am not soon tired of my friends. My brother laughs at me, and says, ' Nay, it signifies nothing to tell you anything; for whomsoever you once love you will love on through thick and thin.'... As I have frequently observed to you, I am still persuaded it is chiefly your body which presses down your soul; and if it please God to heal your body, I doubt not your mind will be far easier. I do not at all despair of seeing you an happy man, full of joy and peace in believing. Look up, and expect Him that is mighty to save.--I am, dear Alleck, Yours most affectionately.

To Mary Bosanquet Date: LONDON, December 18, 1780. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1780) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER,--I am glad to hear that the work of God is going on in your own soul and in those about you. That young woman's dream is very remarkable, and gives us good encouragement to press on to the mark. I believe Mr. D was the better for his journey; but he has very little fellowship with the Methodists. We have many here who have the same experience with honest George Clark, and far more clear ideas of the life of faith than he has. Such are George Hufflet in the chapel at Spiralfields, Mary Landers in the Tower, Sister Calcut in Bishopsgate Street, Sister Cayley at G. Clark's, Jenny Thornton [See letters of April 14, 1771 (to Miss March), and Feb. 4, 1787.] and some others in the City, Sister Peters in the Curtain, Molly Monk in Moorfields, Sister Garston and Charles Wheeler in Old Street. Joseph Bradford would introduce any one you sent, to these, or to our select society. It will be well to advertise the tracts now. I remember you daily; and am, my dear sister, Your ever affectionate brother.

To Samuel Bardsley Date: NEAR LONDON, February 10, 1781. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1781) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR SAMMY, -- I did not doubt but you would agree with the people of Sheffield. [Rogers was Assistant at Sheffield, with Bardsley as third preacher.] They are a lively and affectionate people. I am glad you were so successful in your labor of love for them. That assistance was very seasonable. That misunderstanding, which was troublesome for a season, may now be buried for ever. I am perfectly well satisfied, both of the honesty and affection, both of Brother Woodcroft and Brother Birks. [Samuel Birks, of Thorpe. See for portrait of him, aged ninety-five, Methodist Mug. 1825, p. 718; and Everett’s Methodism in Sheffield.] So Satan’s devices are brought to naught. I doubt not but James Rogers and you recommend our books in every place, and the Magazines in particular, which will be a testimony for me when I am no more seen. -- I am, dear Sammy, Your affectionate brother.

To Ann Bolton Date: LONDON. February 20, 1781. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1781) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR NANCY, -- Yesterday I returned from a little tour through Norfolk, and had the pleasure of finding your letter. You know I feel with you and for you. But I am almost at a loss to understand what trials can sit so heavy upon you! You are with those whom you love and who love you. You have in general tolerable health. You have no husband, no children to perplex you. How came you to be so weighted down with care Think aloud, my dear, my much-loved friend. Explain yourself. Be as particular as you please. You need not fear my telling others. You have known me since you were little more than a child. Has Neddy [Her brother. See letters of May 8, 1774, and Sept. 9, 1781, to her.] no hope of getting out of his trouble Is his farm rented above its value Is it on his sake only that you grieve Or are other trials added to this By all means accept the providential invitation to Bristol. My dear Nancy, adieu. On Monday se’nnight I set out for Bath and Bristol. On Monday, March 8 [5], I hope to be at Newbury; on Monday, 15th, [Monday was March 19, and that evening he preached at Stroud, and on the 20th at Worcester. See next letter.] at Stroud; on Tuesday the x6th at Worcester. You will contrive to be with me where you can. I do not find any fault with you at present. Only I am afraid you are not careful enough of your health. Otherwise I rejoice that I have confidence in you in all things. -- I am, my dear Nancy, Your ever affectionate brother.

To Thomas Rutherford Date: LONDON, February 20, 1781. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1781) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR TOMMY, -- I am glad to hear so good an account of Mr. Abraham. [See letters of Nov. 4, 1780, and May 8, 1781.] I hope to be at Dublin in April; and if he goes on well till then, it is not improbable he and you and I may return to England together. A few days in March (till Monday the 19th) I purpose to spend in and about Bristol. I then go slowly through Gloucestershire and Staffordshire to Manchester, which I hope to reach on March the 29th. Do all the good you can to our poor brethren in Ireland while you stay among them.~I am, dear Tommy, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Ann Loxdale Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1781) Author: John Wesley --- [March 27, 1781.] MY DEAR MISS LOXDALE, -- You remind me of my dear Miss Ritchie, and seem to breathe the same spirit. Both Miss Eden and our friends at Broadmarston have spoken to me concerning you, so that I promised myself a great deal of satisfaction in conversing with you; but I find it cannot be. To-morrow we are appointed to preach at Burslem, then Congleton, Macclesfield, Stockport, and Manchester, where I am to stop till Tuesday; when I go forward, God permit, to Chester, Liverpool, and Ireland. As we cannot yet have an opportunity of being together, I wish you would write freely. Your heart is toward me as mine is toward thee: there need be no reserve between us. I hope you will always ‘think aloud’ whenever you speak or write to me. -- My dear Miss Loxdale, Yours in tender affection.

To Miss Clarkson Date: NEAR CHESTER, April 5, 1781. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1781) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR MISS CLARKSON, -- Mr. Floyd [John Floyd. See letter of March 31.] informs me that you had sent me a letter, and wondered that I did not answer. You might well wonder, for it is a rule with me to answer every letter I receive. It would be particularly strange if I had not answered you, because I have so peculiar a regard for you. I love you because I believe you are upright of heart and because you are a child of affliction. I felt a near union of [heart] with you when I saw you last. I love to hear of you and to hear from you. Mr. Floyd tells me you have finished. the Six Letters; if you have, I shall be glad to see them. He tells me, too (if I understand him right), that you are attempting to turn the Death of Abel into verse. This will be an heavy work, such as will require a deal of time and patience. Yet if you begin, I trust our Lord will give you resolution to bring it to a conclusion. If I live to return to England, [He was not able to go to Ireland. See letter of Feb. 20.] I shall hope for the pleasure of a farther acquaintance with you. Wishing you an heart wholly devoted to God, I remain, my dear sister, Yours affectionately.

To John Valton Date: WARRINGTON, April 9, 1781. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1781) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, -- As I have. made a beginning, as the men and women are already separated in the chapel at Manchester, I beg that Brother Brocklehurst [See letter of Oct. 1, 1780, to Valton.] and you will resolutely continue that separation. This is a Methodist rule, not grounded on caprice, but on plain, solid reason; and it has been observed at Manchester for several years: neither upon the whole have we lost anything thereby. By admitting the contrary practice, by jumbling men and women together, you would shut me out of the house; for if I should come into a Methodist preaching when this is the case, I must immediately go out again. But I hope this will never be the case; I think you have more regard for Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Mary Bishop Date: WARRINGTON, May 21, 1781. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1781) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER, -- I have wrote to Mr. Pawson, [The Assistant at Bristol.] and am in hopes that Keynsham will be neglected no more. I did not expect you would meet with any trial of this kind; but it is well to be prepared for all. When Molly Maddern taught a few children at Kingswood, [John Maddern was English master at Kingswood School in 1760.] I saw a truly Christian school. To make the children Christians was her first care; afterwards they were taught what women need to learn. I saw another Christian school at Leytonstone, under the care of Miss Bosanquet. I do not remember I discovered any defect either in the former or the latter; I observed nothing done which I wished to be omitted, nothing omitted which I wished to have done. May I speak without reserve I verily think I may. I hoped to see a third Christian school at Publow [The Owens’ School. See Journal, vi. 335-6; and letter of July 17 to Miss Bishop.]; and I did so for a season. But I cannot say that for some years it has quite answered my expectations. ‘What, then, was the matter’ I can hardly tell. I do not know how to express it. I did not see the simplicity which I saw at first. More of the world seemed to be crept in. Good breeding I love; but how difficult is it to keep it quite clear of affectation and of a something which does not well agree with that mind which was in Christ! I want your children to be trained up quite in the manner that Miss Bosanquet's were. Although they were very genteel, yet there was something in their whole manner which told you they belonged to another world. Mrs. Castleman [See letter of Aug. 4, 1775.] was one of Molly Maddern's scholars. You see, she is genteel; yet she is a Christian.

To Samuel Bradburn Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1781) Author: John Wesley --- NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, June 16, 1781. DEAR SAMMY, -- Brother Sharp's proposal is reasonable; I have no objection at all to it. We have no supernumerary preachers: except John Furz, who is so from old age. If John Oliver lives till the Conference, and desires it, I suppose he may be upon the same footing. The more exercise he uses, winter or summer, the more health he will have. I can face the north wind at seventy-seven better than I could at seven-and-twenty. But if you moan over him, you will kill him outright. John Booth is fixed in his own circuit. A word in your ear! I am but half pleased with Christopher Hopper's proceedings. I do not admire fair-weather preachers. You must stop local preachers who are loaded with debt. There are few healthier places in England than Keighley. Neither Dublin nor Cork is to compare to it. But have a care, or you will kill Betsy! Do not constrain God to take her away! -- I am, dear Sammy, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Ambrose Foley Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1781) Author: John Wesley --- NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, June 19, 1781. DEAR SIR, -- I am glad Mrs. Foley and you join hand in hand, striving together for the hope of the gospel. Undoubtedly your way will lie through honor and dishonor, through evil report and good report. But I trust you will not be ashamed of the gospel of Christ, the power of God unto salvation. He that shall come will come, and will not tarry; and He will bruise Satan under your feet. It may be I shall be able about the middle of August to spend one night at Birmingham. Fight on and conquer! -- I am, with love to Mrs. Foley, Your affectionate brother.

To Hannah Ball Date: THORNE, June 28, 1781. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1781) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER, -- Is it not a true saying (though in an Apocryphal writer) that ‘a friend is made for adversity’ If, then, you found ‘troublesome times,’ [Her journal for 1781 speaks of ‘painful trials’ and ‘many bitters.’ See letter of Nov. 17.] were not those the very times when you should have wrote to me Perhaps the troubles then would have soon been over, which for want of this lasted so much longer. If you do not love all the children of God, you are wrong; but it is also wrong to love them all equally. We ought to love with a far more endeared affection those to whom we are united in Christian fellowship, even though ten to fifty of these walk unworthy their profession or even draw back as a dog to his vomit. Let each of these bear his own burden. But do not love the rest ever the less, for His sake. If you judge it would be a means of easing or strengthening your mind, you may tell me what has tried you. You know I love you and put the best construction upon every word you say. See that you be not weary of well doing. In due time you shall reap if you faint not! -- I am, my dear sister, Your affectionate brother.

To Robert Cart Brackenbury Date: LEEDS, August 12, 1781. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1781) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR SIR, -- I shah not soon forget the agreeable conversation I had with dear Mrs. Brackenbury at Raithby. The sweetness of her temper, and the open, artless account she gave of her experience, increased my love for her. I trust you shall not die, but live to strengthen each other's hands in God and provoke one another to love and to good works. Who is so great a God as our God To His care I commit Mrs. Brackenbury and you. Peace be with your spirits! I commend myself to your prayers; and am, dear Your affectionate friend and brother.

To John Fletcher Date: LONDON, November 24, 1781. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1781) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR SIR, There is not a person to whom I would have wished Miss Bosanquet joined besides you. But this union, I am thoroughly persuaded, is of God; and so are all the children of God with whom I have spoken. Mr. Bosanquet’s being so agreeable to it I look upon as a token for good; and so was the ready disposing of the house and the stock, which otherwise would have been a great encumbrance. From the first day which you spend together in Madeley I hope you will lay down an exactly regular plan of living, something like that of the happy family at Leytonstone. Let your light shine to all that are round about you. And let Sister Fletcher do as much as she can for God and no more. To His care I commit you both; and am, my dear friends, Your very affectionate brother.

To Duncan Wright Date: LONDON, November 24, 1781. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1781) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR DUNCAN, -- Surely you and I may speak freely to each other; for we love one another. If George Holder [George Holder and James Bogie were admitted on trial at the next Conference.] goes out, either you must keep his mother or she must go to the workhouse. You must not give an exhortation to the bands, but encourage them to speak. I would be much obliged to you if you would (1) accept the key of the book-room and immediately take the books into your own care; (2) clip the wings of the local preachers, stewards, and leaders, changing them as need requires; (3) fix bands where they are wanting; (4) if James Bogie is willing to remain single, let him travel; (5) do not receive the blind man hastily, let him be thoroughly tried first; (6) lastly, be of good courage, and conquer everything! -- I am, dear Duncan, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Hester Ann Roe Date: LONDON, December 9, 1781. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1781) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR HETTY, -- We may easily account for those notices which we frequently receive, either sleeping or waking, upon the scriptural supposition that ‘He giveth His angels charge over us to keep us in all our ways.’ How easy is it for them, who have at all times so ready an access to our souls, to impart to us whatever may be a means of increasing our holiness or our happiness! So that we may well say with pious Bishop Ken, O may Thy angels, while we sleep, Around our beds their vigils keep, Their love angelical instill, Stop every avenue of ill! Without needing to use any other arguments, you have a clear proof in your own experience that our blessed Lord is both able and willing to give us always what He gives once; that there is no necessity of ever losing what we receive in the moment of justification or sanctification. But it is His will that all the light and love which we then receive should increase more and more unto the perfect day. If you are employed to assist the children that are brought to the birth, that groan either for the first or the pure love, happy are you l But this is not all your work. No, my Hetty; you are likewise to watch over the new-born babes. Although they have much love, they have not yet either much light or much strength; so that they never had more need of your assistance, that they may neither be turned out of the way nor hindered in running the race that is set before them. I should not have been willing that Miss Bosanquet should have been joined to any other person than Mr. Fletcher; but I trust she may be as useful with him as she was before. [See letter of Dec, 1.]

To Mrs. Knapp Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1782) Author: John Wesley --- LONDON, February 27, 1782. MY DEAR SISTER, -- If ever I observe you in any fault, I shall certainly tell you of it, because I love you much; and I am persuaded you would not be angry but rather pleased with my plain dealing. I wrote word to Brother Knapp that I hoped to be with you on the 20th of March. I am pleased with any opportunity of spending a little time with you; and when I am at Worcester, let me have a few minutes with you alone, that you may be able to speak freely. I want you to be ‘all praise, all meekness, and all love.’ You know that’s your calling. -- I am, my dear sister, Your affectionate brother.

To Hannah Ball Date: BRISTOL, March 10, 1782. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1782) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER, -- I would not willingly grieve you. I love you too well, and have done for many years. I was disappointed both last year and this. Last year your preachers did less than I expected, and this year they have done more than I expected. [1780-1, George Story, John Accutt; 1781-1, Richard Rodda, Thomas Warwick. See letter of Nov. 17, 1781.] Yes, and I trust you shah see greater things than these. The work of God has wonderfully revived in many parts of the nation. And I do not know why it should not revive among you also. Certainly you should look and ask for it. I am glad to hear so good an account of your sister; the more active she is the more her soul will live. I wanted to know what was become of those little maidens, [Her Sunday scholars. She began her Sunday school in 1769. See Memoir, p. 84.] and trust some of them will bring forth fruit to perfection. As you have a peculiar love for children and a talent for assisting them, see that you stir up the gift of God which is in you. If you gain but one of them in ten, you have a good reward for your labor. -- I am, my dear sister, Yours affectionately.

To John Atlay Date: STOCKPORT, April 4, 1782. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1782) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, -- I think two thousand more of the Hymns for the Nation may be printed as soon as is convenient, leaving out the 2nd, 3rd, 8th, 12th, 16th, 21st, and 22nd. When these seven are omitted (which are not of so general use), the remainder will be large enough for a threepenny book. Five hundred of these I would have sent to Sheffield (over and above the five hundred sent to Leeds), and five hundred to Newcastle-upon-Tyne. I hope they will be at Sheffield before the 9th of May. I am poorly provided with fellow travelers. To save John Broadbent’s life I take him with me for a month while George Whitfield supplies his place. But he and T. Simpson together are but half a man. So that it is well I have learnt to serve myself. Do not boast of your riches to T. Olivers. It is enough to make him stark mad. [See letter of April 13.] -- I am Your affectionate brother. [On the back of the letter Wesley adds:] If you print 2,000 Estimates of the Manners of the Times for ed. and send me 500 of them to Leeds as soon as you can, and 500 to Sheffield with the Hymns, I can sell them. [Atlay endorses the latter, ‘Mr. Wesley, April 8, 1782.’]

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 Thomas Taylor Date: LIVERPOOL, April 12, 1782. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1782) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR TOMMY, -- I find the difference between us is very small, for most of what you say I subscribe to. That ‘the war has been ill-conducted,’ that ‘millions of money and thousands of lives have been thrown away,’ that ‘numerous families have been ruined, trade much hurt,’ that we are ‘in danger of losing all North America, if not the East Indies too,’ ‘that our commanders both by sea and land love robbing and plundering far better than fighting,’ are melancholy truths which no man that has any knowledge of public affairs can deny. But you do not know half yet. If we live to meet, I can tell you stranger things than all these. I have changed the plan of my journeys: from Leeds I go to Lincolnshire, and thence by Hull and Scarborough to Newcastle. So that I shall not be at York [Taylor was Assistant there.] till the latter end of June. -- I am, with love to Sister Taylor, dear Tommy, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Mrs. Clark Date: NEAR EDINBURGH, June 1, 1782. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1782) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER, -- I am glad to hear that the Select Society increases, and that you meet it constantly. The prosperity of the whole society greatly depends on that little number. If these continue steadfast and alive to God, they will enliven the rest of their brethren. I love your little maidens, and wish they knew how well our Savior loves them. If they did, they would certainly love Him ! And then, how happy they would be! -- I am, my dear sister, Your affectionate brother.

To Samuel Bradburn Date: ABERDEEN, June 7, 1782. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1782) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR SAMMY, -- Cannot you give part of J. Hodgson’s class to the other leader Let each person meet with which he chooses. Let Henry Atkinson and Thomas Haigh be the stewards for the ensuing year. I see no reason why Brother Proctor should not remain in the circuit till the Conference. [Stephen Proctor, the Assistant at Glamorgan, ceased to ‘travel’ at the Conference in August.] But whenever you have the opportunity earnestly exhort him to be serious and to be jealous for God. Whoever is pleased or displeased, the preaching at Greetland and at Halifax must remain as it is. Our yea is yea, and our nay is nay. I have little objection to John Oliver’s [The preachers at Bradford were Samuel Bradburn, John Floyd, and John Oliver, who moved to Chester in August.] request -- it seems reasonable enough. I am glad to hear my poor Betsy [See letter of Feb. 28.] gathers strength. I love her well. Peace be with both your spirits! -- I am, dear Sammy, Your affectionate friend and brother.

This afternoon I was agreeably surprised by a letter from our dear Miss Ritchie. It seems as if God, in answer to many prayers, has lent her to us yet a little longer. ‘He bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up again. Wise are all His ways!’ Take particular care, my dear Hetty, of the children: they are glorious monuments of divine grace; and I think you have a particular affection for them and a gift to profit them. -- I always am, my dear friend, Yours most affectionately.

To John Bredin Date: BIRMINGHAM, July 9, 1782. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1782) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, -- Your letter reached me this morning. I know not whether it would not be best for you to spend the ensuing year in London. There you might have the best medical advice, and might preach more or less as your strength allowed. [See letters of Oct. 19, 1781, and Aug. 4, 1782, to him.] Adam Clarke may easily get over to Liverpool or Chester; but ships sometimes go from Newry to Bristol, and very frequently from Dublin, especially at this time of the year. My kind love to Alleck Knox. -- I am Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Hannah Ball Date: LONDON, August 4, 1782. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1782) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER, -- I almost wondered that I did not receive a line from you for so long a season. I could not easily believe that your love was grown cold; and I am glad to hear it is not. But it is a discouragement to see one month pass after another without any perceptible fruit of our labor, without any discernible outpouring of the Spirit, either in His convincing or converting influences. But beware you do not cast away hope! ‘He will come, and will not tarry.’ You know not how soon He may send on all around you A kindly gracious shower Of heart-reviving love! Look for it, my dear Hannah! Pray for it! Expect it soon! And you will not be disappointed. Peace be with all your spirits! -- I am, my sister and friend, Your affectionate brother.

To Ellen Gretton Date: BRISTOL, September 7, 1782. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1782) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER, -- It pleases God to lead you in a rough path for the present; but it is enough that all will end well. I never knew any disorder in the bowels which might not be speedily cured by drinking plentifully of lemonade; unless in a few peculiar constitutions, which could not bear lemons. And the drinking nettle-tea (instead of common tea) will commonly perfect the cure. If occasion require, she should certainly return to some place where she is not known. And I hope God will incline his heart to allow her what is necessary. The fearing lest we should be called hence before we are perfected in love is one species of taking thought for the morrow. You have nothing to do with this. Live to-day I And Be now willing to receive What His goodness waits to give. -- I am, my dear Nelly, Yours affectionately.

To Richard Rodda Date: BRISTOL, September 9, 1782. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1782) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR RICHARD, -- You should take particular care that your circuit be never without an assortment of all the valuable books, especially the Appeals, the Sermons, Kempis, and the Primitive Physick, which no family should be without. Send for these, and, according to the rule of Conference, take them into your own keeping. You are found to be remarkably diligent in spreading the books: let none rob you of this glory. If you can spread the Magazine, it will do good: the letters therein contain the marrow of Christianity. Your affectionate friend and brother. It is very remarkable that you should have a prospect of doing good at Oxford I And it is certainly a token for good that you should find a magistrate willing to do you justice.

To Zachariah Yewdall Date: LONDON, December 7, 1782. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1782) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, -- I do not see that you can fix upon a more proper person than either George Howe or Laren Wright. [Howe was one of the most devoted Methodists in Cork. He led the party of thirty horsemen who met Wesley as he was coming to the city in May 1785. See Journal, vii. 74-5n.] You should endorse it on the back of the deed, only taking care to have fresh stamps. Those who will not meet in class cannot stay with us. Read the Thoughts upon a Single Life, and weigh them well. You will then feel the wisdom of St. Paul’s advice (especially to a preacher, and to a Methodist preacher above all), ‘If thou mayest be free, use it rather.’ [See letter of May 26, 1781, to him.] I hope Andrew Blair is now with you. Brother Swindells is dead, and John Trembath is alive again. [For Robert Swindells, see letter of Feb. 28, 1748; and for Trembath, Sept. 21, 1755.] -- I am Your affectionate friend and brother.

To John Valton Date: LONDON, January 16, 1783. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1783) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTRER, -- Here are two questions: (1) Whether I have acted right I answer, No. I ought to have resolutely withstood all importunity. (2) Whether trustees [See letter of Dec. 3, 1782.] should place and displace preachers (This is the essential question.) I say No again; otherwise intolerable consequences will follow. -- I am Your affectionate friend and brother. Pray send my love to George Brown, and tell him I have his letter.

To Zachariah Yewdall Date: LONDON, February 9, 1785. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1783) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, -- I am glad you have given another trial to Inishanmon. And why not to Hinscla I am a good deal of your mind. I hope those are only drops before a shower of grace. Over and above the general reasons contained in that tract, a preacher, and above all others a Methodist preacher, has particular reasons for valuing a single life. I am glad Brother Blair [Andrew Blair, his new colleague.] and you converse freely together: it will preserve you from many snares. There can be no properer person for a trustee than Andrew Laffan. [One of Whitefield’s converts at Cork in 1751. Wesley appointed him a steward in 1785, and stayed with him in 1787. See Journal, vii. 74d, 271n; Crookshank’s Methodism in Ireland, i. 83, 399, 429; and letter of Feb. 9, 1789.] I have hope that Robert Blake [See letters of Dec. 31, 1782 (to Yewdall), and Feb. 23, 1783.] will be more useful than ever. -- I am Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Thomas Rutherford Date: LONDON, February 23, I783. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1783) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR TOMMY, -- I am glad you have wrote to Brother Blake [Robert Blake. See letters of Feb. 9, 1783, and Dec. 24, 1784 (to Blake).] to go into Ballyconnell Circuit. He has wrote me a very proper letter. If you can bring William West to make any concessions, I am willing to try him again. [West had been admitted on trial in 1782, and was appointed to Enniskillen. He moved from there to Limerick at the next Conference.] I believe the books in Dublin were confused enough; for I doubt Joseph [Joseph Pilmoor was Assistant there. The books were Wesley’s publications, including the Arminian Magazine. He afterwards returned to America. See letter of March 27, 1771.] did not take much better care of them than he did of the people. If Brother Moore and his wife should stay awhile in Dublin, I think the two sisters [Henry Moore had been appointed to Londonderry; but when Andrew Blair moved to Cork, he went to Dublin, where he had family business to settle. For ‘the two sisters,’ see letter of July 4, 1781.] will not quarrel with each other. I scarce know which of them I love best. Peace be with all your spirits! -- I am, dear Tommy, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Joseph Benson Date: MANCHESTER, May 19, 1783. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1783) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR JOSEPH, -- I do not, and never did, consent that any of our preachers should baptize [Compare letter of Jan. 6, 1784.] as long as we profess ourselves to be members of the Church of England. Much more may be said for burying the dead; to this I have no objection. One of the preachers in every circuit usually stays two years; this is generally the Assistants. But when you were at Manchester [In 1779 John Valton, who relieved him at Manchester, had written to Wesley as though some were kept in class who were not worthy members. ‘But he afterwards wept bitterly for what he had said; and therefore I never mentioned the matter to him; nor do I love him any less on that account.’] you quite disappointed me. You were not exact at all; you let things go as they would: therefore you have not been an Assistant since. I will mend or end T. Olivers as a corrector. [Benson had found fault with some articles of his in the Magazine incorrectly printed. Wesley bore it for twelve years, till 1789.] Next week I hope to be in London; and am, with love to Sister Benson, dear Joseph, Your affectionate brother.

To Mrs. Barton Date: LONDON, July 5, 1783. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1783) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER, -- Last month I made a little journey to Holland, from whence I returned yesterday. [He arrived in London about eleven on Friday night, July 4. For the visit, see Journal, vi. 416-30.] There is a blessed work at the Hague, Amsterdam, Utrecht, and many other of the principal cities; and in their simplicity of spirit and plainness of dress the believers vie with the old English Methodists. In affection they are not inferior to any. It was with the utmost difficulty we could break from them. I am glad to hear so good an account of my two little maids. [Mrs. Barton’s daughters (see letter of Nov. 6). He was there in May 1782.] I found much love to them when I was at Beverley. Now is the time for them to choose that better part which shall never be taken from them. Now is the time for them to choose whether they will seek happiness in God or in the world. The world never made any one happy, and it is certain it never will. But God will. He says, -- Love shall from Me returns of love obtain; And none that seek Me early seek in vain. -- I am, with love to Brother Barton, Your affectionate brother.

To William Robarts Date: BRISTOL, August 3, 1783. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1783) Author: John Wesley --- I have taken your advice, and reunited the Taunton and Tiverton Circuits. [The Devon Circuit had been divided into the Taunton and Tiverton Circuits in 1778, which were reunited in 1783.] At the same time that I wrote to you I wrote to Mr. Jaques at Wallingford, who was barely a member of our Society. I wrote to the same effect as I wrote to you, and indeed nearly in the same words. He was so far from being offended that he immediately wrote me the most affectionate letter I ever received from him in my life; not only thanking me heartily, but (what I never expected) telling me what his income was and how he laid it out. Why did not Billy Robarts answer me in the same manner Had he less love than Mr. Jaques or more pride Consider, Billy, consider! You have certainly got out of the way which you and I walked in many years ago! [The reply sent by Robarts is so much to the point that it is given in full.] TIVERTON, August 6, 1783.

DEAR SIR, -- You are my father; as such I have loved and honoured you. Forty years I have been in your Connection; thirty-six I have been admitted an helper in the gospel thirty of which my labor have been without charge to my brethren, but not so to myself. Ten pounds a year upon an average (I think) have not discharged my various expense with the Connection, which I am fully conscious was as much as I ought at any time, and for seven years past more than my ability required. I have informed you again and again that I have exceeded my ability. Why would you not believe me If you were not satisfied, why did you not ask me in person You never found me concealed or disguised. Was it right, upon your own suspicion or any vague information, to upbraid me before the congregation and before company at table, and even then refuse to be set right Was it kind, was it common candor, after the plain answer I gave you in person last year to write me as you did Had my conduct at any time merited that you should put a negative upon all I could say or write even when I appealed to my God for the truth of it When I was informed after all this that you censured me in various companies at Bristol and in its vicinity as a man worth thousands and eat up of covetousness and love of this world, I was astonished, and could not avoid exclaiming, What is become of charity are justice and truth also fled from the earth where is the man that doeth to another as he would be done by Whether I have less love or more pride than Mr. Jaques I do not determine; but I hope he have not been treated with so much severity and so totally without cause as your injured

To John Atlay Date: LEEDS, September 3, 1783. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1783) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, -- The schoolmasters for Kingswood are fixed, and are expected there every day. Mr. Simpson’s sister is the housekeeper, who is come hither in her way to Bristol. Let no man or woman go to West Street Chapel without my appointment. It is a matter of deep concern. The building or not building at Birstall does not depend upon me, but the trustees. [The day after this letter was written Wesley met the Bitstall trustees about building another chapel, ‘as near the present as may be,’ on ground bought by Dr. Coke for the purpose. See Minutes, 1783; Coke’s An Address to the Inhabitants of Birstall, 1782; and letter of Nov. 27 to Mrs. Bradburn.] J. Fenwick is to correct the press chiefly, in the absence of Dr. Coke, and to transcribe tracts for me. And he may receive his tittle salary (at least) till I return to London. I never expected the ten pounds to be returned. Take the dock if you can get it.--I am, with love to Sister Atlay, Your affectionate brother.

To Mrs. Howton Date: BRISTOL, October 3, 1783. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1783) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER, -- There will never be any trouble about the child, whether anything is paid or not; you need not be apprehensive of any demand upon that account. Those which I saw at your house were a company of lovely children both in their persons and in their behavior. Some of them I am in hopes of meeting there again if I should live till spring. The account you gave of that sick maiden is very remarkable; and her spirit must, I trust, influence others. It is the glory of the people called Methodists that they condemn none for their opinions or modes of worship. They think and let think, and insist upon nothing but faith working by love.--I am, with love to Sister Price, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To the Preachers in America Date: BRISTOL, October 3, 1783. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1783) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR BROTHER, -- 1. Let all of you be determined to abide by the Methodist doctrine and discipline published in the four volumes of Sermons and the Notes upon the New Testament, together with the Large Minutes of the Conference. 2. Beware of preachers coming from Great Britain or Ireland without a full recommendation from me. Three of our traveling preachers have eagerly desired to go to America; but I could not approve of it by any means, because I am not satisfied that they thoroughly like either our discipline or our doctrine. I think they differ from our judgment in one or both. Therefore, if these or any other come without my recommendation, take care how you receive them. 3. Neither should you receive any preachers, however recommended, who will not be subject to the American Conference and cheerfully conform to the Minutes both of the American and English Conferences. 4. I do not wish our American brethren to receive any who make any difficulty of receiving Francis Asbury as the General Assistant. Undoubtedly the greatest danger to the work of God in America is likely to arise either from preachers coming from Europe, or from such as will arise from among yourselves speaking perverse things, or bringing in among you new doctrines, particularly Calvinism. You should guard against this with all possible care; for it is far easier to keep them out than to thrust them out. I commend you all to the grace of God; and am Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Elizabeth Padbury Date: LONDON, October 29, 1783. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1783) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BETSY, -- I love to see anything that comes from you, although it be upon a melancholy occasion. Nothing can be done in the Court of King's Bench till the latter end of next week at the soonest, and till then I am trying all milder means which may possibly avail. If nothing can be done this way, we can but fight at Sharp’s. But prayer and fasting are of excellent uses; for if God be for us, who can be against us Probably I may visit you this winter. -- I always am, dear Betsy, Yours most affectionately.

To Isaac Twycross Date: LONDON, November 29, 1783. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1783) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR ISAAC, -- I love you well, and would be glad to do you any service that is in my power. If I should find any person that has need of a serious curate, I would not fail to recommend you. -- I am Your affectionate brother. Rev. Mr. Twycross, In Dagenham, Essex.

To Joseph Taylor Date: LONDON, January 12, 1784. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1784) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR JOSEPH, - I am sorry that so useful a man as Brother Lewly [Taylor had moved from Cornwall West to Gloucester, where he appears in the Minutes for 1784. See letter of Jan. 12, 1791, to Edward Lewly.] was constrained to leave Worcester. But I am not sorry that the books are delivered into your hands, as I am clearly persuaded a far greater number of them will be disposed of. Take care of the select societies as well as the bands. - I am, dear Joseph, Your affectionate friend and 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 Arthur Keene Date: BATH, March 3, 1784. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1784) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR ARTHUR, - It is a true saying, 'There is in love a sweetness ready penned.' Copy out only that, and save expense. You mean what you speak, and that is enough. I am glad the school is begun, and am in great hope that it will be continued. Those that are frequently apt to weary of well doing might be frequently stirred up; otherwise the love of many, both in England and Ireland, will in process of time wax cold. I am in hopes that Dr. Coke has spoke to my brother concerning writing a few hymns for the poor widows. [The Widows' Alms House in Dublin.] But, because the Doctor is apt to forget, I have this morning desired Mr. Whitfield to remind him of it. You did well in sending me an account of the widows themselves, living or dead. There is one (if she be yet alive) whom I visited in Cuffe Street several times. Rachael Davis I never recommended before; but I should be glad if she could be admitted - when there is a vacancy. As yet I do not know any reason why Mr. Blair may not spend the next year at Dublin. I agree with you that a year is generally quite enough for a preacher to spend in one place. When he stays longer, both the people and the preacher usually grow flat and dead together. This year, if God prolong my life and health, I am to visit Scotland; otherwise I should have willingly accepted your kind invitation. Peace be with you and yours! - I am, dear Arthur, Your affectionate brother.

To James Rogers Date: ABEEDEEN, May 5, 1784. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1784) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR JEMMY, - All letters to any part of Scotland must go through Edinburgh. Therefore it is sufficient to direct thither till the 15th instant, and then to Newcastle-on-Tyne. I objected to nothing in that sermon but a few tart expressions concerning the clergy. When these are altered, I believe it will be of use; and the more of them you can sell the better. You have done well in restoring the meetings at five in the morning. These are the glory of the Methodists. My kind love to Hetty Roe. [Whom he married on Aug. 19. See letters of June 5, 1783 (to John Valton), and Nov. 7, 1784.] - I am, dear Jemmy, Your affectionate brother and friend.

To Zachariah Yewdall Date: DARLINGTON, June 13, 1784. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1784) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR ZACHARY, - I really think it is a critical case; and as we shall all (if God permit) meet together at the Conference in Leeds, I agree to what you say of referring the full consideration of the matter till that time. Meanwhile I am Your affectionate brother.

To Mrs. Christian Date: BRIDLINGTON, June 21, 1784. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1784) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER, - The summer is already so far spent that I shall have little time to spend in Lincolnshire. I hope to be at Epworth on Saturday the 26th instant, and after visiting Gainsborough (on Monday the 28th) and Owston on Tuesday, at Epworth again on Wednesday, and in the neighboring towns the rest of the week. On Monday I am to Be at Rotherham: so that I shall not see Mr. Dodwell, [See letters of Aug. 14, x782, and July 17, 1785.] unless I could have the pleasure of seeing him at Epworth. My work is great, and my time is short. 'I would my every hour redeem.' Why should any time be spent in vain - I am, with kind love to your husband, my dear sister, Your affectionate brother.

To Arthur Keene Date: NEAR LEEDS, July 23, 1784. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1784) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, - It is strange! Two or three weeks ago I was observing,' I have exactly the same strength and more health at eighty-one than I had at twenty-one.' This hath God wrought. The Irish preachers have shown both their understanding and their uprightness. I am glad they and you are satisfied with the Declaration, and. see Mr. Hampson's wonderful Appeal [John Hampson, sen., issued a printed Appeal against the Deed of Declaration which Wesley had executed on Feb. 28 giving a legal constitution to the Conference.] in its true light. Humanly speaking it must do abundance of mischief. But God is over all. I am in great hopes Mr. Rogers will be useful. He is an Israelite indeed. I think a cupboard, secured as you intend, will do full as well as an iron chest. Now, Arthur, I will try if you do love me. If you do, serve my friend, poor Sister Hyden. ['Hide' in letter of Feb. 17, 1785; probably ' Hyde.'] Exert yourself to procure employment for her son, who is capable of almost anything. Send me word 'it is done.'-I am, with kind love to Sister Keene, dear Arthur Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Elizabeth Ritchie Date: TRACWN, PEMBROKESHIRE, August 19, 1784. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1784) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BETSY, - I was a little surprised at a letter from Sister D----, in which she seems to approve of all that Mrs. Crosby has done; and speaks as if it were just and right and done in obedience to the order of Providence ! I could not help saying, 'There is but one advice which I can give her upon the present occasion: "Remember from whence thou art fallen. Repent, and do thy first works."' Some years ago I committed a little company of lovely children to the care of one of our sisters at Haverford. [To Miss Warren in 1781. See letter of Oct. 19, 1779.] I was concerned yesterday to find she was weary of well-doing and had totally given up her charge. I hope, my dear Betsy, this will never be your case! You will never leave off your labor of love; though you should not always (not immediately at least) see the fruit of your labors. You may not immediately see Mrs. H - so established in grace as you desire and hope. But in this, as well as many other instances, in due time you shall reap if you faint not.

To Christopher Hopper Date: BRISTOL, August 31, 1784. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1784) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, - It was your part to write to me of the behavior of William Eels, particularly at Warrington, without waiting till I heard of it from so many other persons. Seeing I find I cannot overcome him by love, I am at length constrained to let him drop. Pray inform him he is no longer in the number of our itinerant preachers. I shall to-day send another preacher to supply his place in the Bolton Circuit. I have done all I could to save him; but it is. in vain; so I must at length give him up. - I am Your affectionate brother and friend.

To his Niece Sarah Wesley Date: BRISTOL, September 8, 1784. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1784) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR SALLY, - You do well to let me know when there is anything wherein it is my power to serve you. But I find you are not much acquainted with poor folks. You must make a little money go a great way among them unless you had a thousand a year. In common I myself gave but sixpence or a shilling to one person (nay, and a nobleman generally does no more). The case must be very peculiar; otherwise I do not rise so high as half a crown, else my stock would soon be exhausted. 'Why is that agreeable young woman,' one asks me, 'so pale and sickly' Why, she eats trash; and while she does this, she can't have health. Is it not your case Do you eat trash - novels, romances, and the like How can you then expect spiritual health And I doubt you eat (that is - read) too much. - I am, dear Sally, Yours very affectionately.

To Mrs. Johnson Date: BRISTOL, September 26, 1784. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1784) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER, - How wise are all the ways of God! Just before His providence called you to leave Dublin He sent Sister Rogers thither, in the same spirit of faith and love, to step into your place and prevent that scattering of the little flock which might otherwise have ensued; and if He sees it best, after you have finished the work He is preparing for you to do in Lisburn, you will see Dublin again. Meanwhile redeem the time, catch the golden moments as they fly, and continue to love and pray for, my dear sister, Your affectionate brother.

To Martha Chapman Date: NEAR LONDON, November 3, 1784. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1784) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER, - I was a little disappointed at your not seeing me at Wallingford, as you used to do, before I went away. [He preached at Wallingford on Oct. 18, and left next morning at 7.30.] But I took it for granted there was some circumstance which I did not know; so I did not blame you, as I am not ready to condemn those I love. I am glad you do not let go your confidence or lose the witness of your sanctification. Take care that you lose not any of the things that you have gained, but that you receive a full reward. Certainly it is a most uncomfortable thing to lose any part of what God hath wrought in us. I wonder how any that have lost the love of God can find any rest in their souls till they have regained it. It was well for you that God did not suffer you to find rest in any creature. He had better things in store for you. One more degree of His love makes you large amends even in the present world for every other loss. - I am, dear Patty, Your affectionate brother.

To Henry Moore Date: LONDON, November 4, 1784. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1784) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER,-I am glad you spoke freely to Mr. Collins. He is a good man, but not very advisable. [Brian Bury Collins. Edward Smyth was about to enter on his work at Bethesda Chapel, Dublin] If he should declare open war in England, he will do little or no harm. Mr. Smyth will not be fond of him if he preaches at Plunkett Street. There will not soon be a coalition between Arminianism and Calvinism. This we found even in Holland. If James Rogers and you keep to the Church still, a few, I doubt not, will follow your example. We made just allowance enough for leaving the Church at the last Conference. - I am, with kind love to Nancy, Yours affectionately.

To Jonathan Hern Date: LONDON, December 11, 1784. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1784) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR JONATHAN, - I am heartily glad that our brethren have come to that noble resolution of enlarging the chapel, and also that by removing those pews they will make more room for the poor. I am persuaded this will be greatly for the advancement of the work of God. But when they are about it let it be done thoroughly, in such a manner as will be a credit to them. - I am, with love to Sister Hem, Your affectionate friend and brother. I hope to see you in spring if I live.

To John Broadbent Date: LONDON, February 23, 1785. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1785) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, - Take care you do not scream again, unless you would murder yourself outright. It is very probable we must take in some married preachers if we live to see another Conference. The week after next I set [out] for Bristol. From thence (after stopping there a few days) I must make the best of my way to Ireland. Concerning dividing the circuit, [Dewsbury was divided from Birstall at the Conference of 1785. See letter of March 4, 1786, to Samuel Bardsley about division of circuits.] I may answer you and our brother together. I like the proposal well, especially as it would give our preachers a little more walking. But I very rarely divide circuits, unless at a Conference; because I am willing to hear what can be said on both sides. - I am Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Roger Crane Date: CONWAY, April 9, 1785. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1785) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR ROGER,-What you observe is true. The new places ought not to be neglected. Therefore it is not expedient to remove William Bramwell yet. So I have sent to Derbyshire, and hope Nathaniel Ward will speedily remove to Chester to assist Mr. Wright. Meantime take care that you be not weary of well-doing. In due time you shall reap if you faint not. - I am, dear Roger, Your affectionate brother.

To Zachariah Yewdull Date: NEAR DUBLIN, June 22, 1785. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1785) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR ZACHARY, - Let him not be afraid; I will take care that not one word of that affair shall be mentioned at the Conference. Let him come up thither in the name of God, and it will be a blessing to him. Let Brother Foster likewise come that he may have the advice of Dr. Whitehead. I shall have no objection, unless some particular objection arise, to your going to Sunderland. I think you will do well to bring Brother Adamson with you to the Conference. You will both be acceptable to, dear Zachary, Your affectionate brother.

To Thomas Wride Date: DUBLIN, July 8, 1785. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1785) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR TOMMY, - I wonder at nothing in poor Nicholas, but I wonder much at James .Kershaw. Unless our preachers had already left their preaching-house, surely he would not have let it to any others! I love John Fenwick well; but I know he was a faulty man that once or twice. However, if there be no fresh matter of complaint, what is past shall go for nothing. I desire you to come to the Conference. A Conference while I live is 'The preachers whom I invite to confer with me.' Many years ago one informed me at London, ' The stewards have discovered they are not your stewards, but the people's, and are to direct, not be directed by you.' The next Sunday I let them drop, and named seven other stewards. No contentious persons shall for the future meet in any Conference. [The Deed of Declaration had disturbed some of the preachers. See letter of July 17.] They may dispute elsewhere if they please. - I am, dear Tommy, Yours affectionately. I never said a word of publishing that account.

You give me pleasure by talking of my dear Isabella. I love to see her, and I love to hear of her. I love likewise to hear of her twin soul, my precious Amelia. [See letter of July 16.] I was afraid she would grieve too much when I went away, especially as she did not shed a tear - I mean while I was in the room. I rejoice so much the more to hear that our blessed Lord undertook her cause and sent her help in time of need. It would give me pain, indeed, if one that is as my own soul should receive hurt from me. O may we always meet for the better and not for the worse. May we always' love one another with a pure heart fervently.' I hope both she and you and my Isabella will not forget to pray for, dear Arthur, Yours most affectionately. Amelia does well in spending a little time in the country. Nothing will restore her like air and exercise. When is Mrs. Blachford [See letter of Oct. 15, 1777.] to come hither I had forgot to mention that that excellent woman Sister Cox desired, when there is room, to be admitted to the Widows' House [See Journal, v. 406, vii. 484. It had about twenty-four inmates.]; I think no one is more worthy.

To Mrs. Fletcher Date: BRISTOL, September 16, 1785. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1785) Author: John Wesley --- My DEAR SISTER, - I wanted much to hear from you, being desirous to know whether you have thought where you should settle if God should please to prolong your life. I should love to be as near you as I could; and on that account should be glad if you chose Bristol or London. I expect to be in town on Monday fortnight, October the 1st. Mr. Ireland has printed a thousand or two of your Letters, [About her husband's last illness.] with some little variations, I think for the worse! Peace be with your spirit! - I am, my dear sister, Ever yours. I am glad the people desire to join us. I shall reprint your letter when I come to London.

To Thomas Wride Date: LONDON, October 8, 1785. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1785) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR TOMMY, - On Monday se'nnight, the 17th instant, I hope to be at Norwich (coming by the mail-coach); on Tuesday at Yarmouth; on Wednesday and Thursday at Lowestoft, preaching everywhere at half-hour past six in the evening. On Friday noon at Beecham, or where you please; in the evening at Loddon; and on Saturday evening at Norwich. The verses [See letters of Sept. 16 and Dec. 14.] must be effaced some way before I come down. Be as exact in discipline as you please. Luke Houlton [See letter Sept. 16.] was on the road; but one met him and told him he was not wanted. I always lodge in our own houses. I think those sermons may stop bottles. - I am, with love to Sister Wride, dear Tommy, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Charles Atmore Date: LONDON, October 15, 1785. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1785) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR CHARLES, - If God gives you and your fellow laborers union of spirit, He will surely bless you together. When you build at Blackburn, do not build a scarecrow of an house. But take either Keighley or Colne House for your pattern. Observe in this and in all things the Large Minutes of the Conference. If I live till spring, I shall probably spend more time there than I have done hitherto. As long as you feel your own weakness and helplessness you will find help from above. - I am, dear Charles, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Thomas Wride Date: LONDON, November 8, 1785. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1785) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR TOMMY, - I suppose James Byron is now in the Circuit, as he set out from Thirsk on the 3rd instant. He is an amiable young man, at present full of faith and love. If possible guard him from those that will be inclined to love him too well. [Byron was admitted on trial at the next Conference. See letter of Nov. 17.] Then he will be as useful a fellow laborer as you can desire. And set him a pattern in all things. - I am, dear Tommy, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Walter Churchey Date: LONDON, December 6, 1785. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1785) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, - If affliction drives you nearer to God, it will prove an unspeakable blessing. You are welcome to send your children to Kingswood, and to pay for them when and as it is convenient for you.--I am, with love to Sister Churchey, Your affectionate brother.

My best service attends Mr. L----, who I hope will be holier and happier by means of his late union. He certainly will if Mrs. L---- and he provoke one another to love and to good works. I do not despair of having the pleasure to wait on them at the Devizes. My best wishes wait likewise on Miss S----. I hope you two are one. Indeed, I am, my dear Miss Cooke, Yours in tender affection.

To Mrs. Bradburn Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1785) Author: John Wesley --- [December 31, 1785.] MY DEAR BETSY, - I write you a few lines because I think you stand in need of comfort; and I would give you all in my power, as I know you would me on a like occasion. I will tell you how to do it then: Look kindly on them that have wronged you most. Speak civilly, yea affectionately, to them; they cannot stand it long: Love melts the hardness that in rocks is bred; A flint will break upon a feather-bed. I have set my heart upon your being a happy woman and overcoming all your enemies by love; and then I shall be more than ever, my dear Betsy, Your affectionate brother.

To Mrs. Fletcher Date: LONDON, December 31, 1785. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1785) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER, - I thank you for the papers. It was not needful that you should copy them over again, as they are very legibly written and I am well acquainted with your hand. I love to see it. Indeed, I love everything that belongs to you, as I have done ever since I knew you. A few more materials I have procured from Mr. Vaughan and some more from Joseph Benson. I am willing to glean up all I can before I begin putting them together. But how am I to direct to Mr. Ireland Or would your writing a line be of more weight to induce him to give me what assistance he can by the first opportunity I thank you for mentioning that mistake in the Sermon. I doubt not but you and Mr. Ireland may set me right in many other particulars wherein I have hitherto been mistaken. But it would be pity to stay till next year. Was it in London he met with the honest Jew That is a very remarkable circumstance. Do you know any particulars of his ill usage at the Custom House Where was this Custom House Tenderly commending you to Him who will make all things work together for your good, I am, my dear sister, Your ever affectionate brother.

To Samuel Bradburn Date: LONDON, February 14, 1786. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1786) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR SAMMY,-It is well we know that trouble springeth not out of the dust, but that the Lord reigneth. But still, even when we can say, 'It is the Lord,' it is hard to add, 'Let Him do what seemeth Him good.' I remember formerly, when I read these words in the church at Savannah, 'Son of man, behold, I take from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke.' [See letters of Dec. 23, 1782, and Feb. 12, 1789.] I was pierced through as with a sword, and could not utter a word more. But our comfort is, He that made the heart can heal the heart. Your help stands in Him alone. He will command all these things to work together for good. To His tender care I commend you; and am, dear Sammy, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Adam Clarke Date: LONDON, February 21, 1786. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1786) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, - I like the extract from Mr. Bridaine's Sermon well. Probably it may have a place in the Magazine. It is well you have broken into Stonhouse. Now enlarge your borders while I am with you. Probably you will have rougher weather when I am gone. You may come to the Conference. You and your fellow laborers should spend some time in consulting together how you may enlarge your borders. This mild weather is almost as good as summer; I preached abroad last Monday. Oh let us snatch every means of redeeming the time! Eternity is at hand! - I am, dear Adam, Your affectionate brother. In a few days I shall set out for Bristol.

To Mrs. Moon Date: LONDON, February 22, 1786. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1786) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER, - I expect (if it pleases God to continue my health and strength) to be at York from the 4th to the 8th; of May. On Monday the 8th I shall probably be at Thirsk, and the next day (Tuesday) at Potto and Hutton. [See Journal, vii. 159-60.] My business is continually increasing, [See letter of Feb. 25.] so that I am obliged to hasten along. It is a satisfaction to me to think of our meeting once more on earth, for I sincerely love you; and am glad you have not forgotten, my dear sister, Your affectionate brother.

To Hannah Ball Date: LIVERPOOL, April 13, 1785. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1786) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER, - I am glad to hear that your Society prospers and that the work of God continues to increase in the town. It always will if prayer-meetings are kept up (without interfering with the classes and bands). These have been and still are attended with a blessing in every part of England. And Sister Coussins, [Jonathan Coussins was now Assistant in Oxfordshire.] joining heart and hand with you, may greatly forward the work of God. See that there never be any shyness or coldness between you, Still provoke one another to love and to good works. But I am sorry that you do not love me. You did once, or I am much mistaken. But if you did so still, you would not barely tell me, and that in general terms only, that you had been in distress, but you would have enlarged upon it and told me all the particulars. [Miss Ball's journal shows that she was passing through much anxiety and spiritual struggle at this time. See Memoir, p. 156.] What! Do you think I do not care for you that my love to my dear friend is grown cold! Nay; surely I am as much interested in your happiness now as I was ten years ago. Therefore use as a friend, my dear sister, Yours as ever. My kind love to Nancy. [Her sister Ann. See letter of Aug. 14, 1771.]

To his Brother Charles Date: LEEDS, May 3, 1786. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1786) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR BROTHER, - If there be a man in England who understands Mrs. Horton's case, it is Dr. Wilson. I advise John Horton to find him out if he be above ground. [Mary, daughter of Henry Durbin, a chemist in Bedminster and a Bristol preacher, whom Wesley married to John Horton, of Highbury Place, London, on Sept. 21, 1780. Her husband was a merchant and on the Common Council. He was one of the executors of Wesley's Will. Mrs. Horton died on May 26, 1786, at the age of thirty-four. Charles Wesley wrote a long poem on his friend: And through a blameless life expressed The tempers of the Lamb. See Journal, vii. 295; C. Wesley's Journal, if. 412-18; letter of May 18, 1786; and for Dr. Andrew Wilson, Oct. 13, 1770, to Lowes.] I do not know that anyone opens your letters. They come to me with the seal unbroken. As you observe, one may leave a church (which I would advise in some cases) without leaving the Church. Here we may remain in spite of all wicked or Calvinistical ministers. [See letter of April 18.] Commonly, when I am in London, I am so taken up, that I cannot often spare time to go three miles backward and forward. That was the πρώτον ψεύδος, ['The first false step.' Charles lived in Marylebone, where Mrs. Gumley had given him the lease of her house in Chesterfield Street. See letter of May 18.] the getting you an house so far from me as well as hr from both the chapels. I cannot help it if people have no docity. Seven guineas Patty has had from me within this month, besides ten or eleven which she has worried me to give Nancy Jervas this winter. [Mrs. Hall had a small income of her own, but was a good deal dependent on her brother. See Stevenson's Wesley Family, pp. 380-1.]

To Mrs. Brisco () Date: RICHMOND, May 10, 1786. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1786) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR SISTER, - The work of God is, I am afraid, much hindered in Thirsk by the misunderstanding between Mr. Oastler and Mr. Taylor. If it be possible, an end should be put to this. They should in any wise meet and compromise matters. That things should stand as they are is a scandal to religion. I have known you for many years. You love to do good. Forward this reconciliation, and you will oblige many, as well as, my dear sister, Yours affectionately.

To Lancelot Harrison Date: NEWCASTLE, June 4, 1785. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1786) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, - I hope to be at Epworth on Wednesday, the 21st instant, at Grimsby on Thursday the 22d, at Horncastle on Friday 23d, and at Gainsborough on Saturda the 24th. You will take care that timely notice be given every place. Strongly and explicitly exhort all the believers to go on perfection: then their soul will live. - I am, with love to Sister Harrison, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Kitty Warren Date: SUNDERLAND, June 8, 1785. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1786) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER, - I am glad our brethren are aware, that bold, bad man who has bid adieu both to conscience and shame. Their wisdom is now not to think of him or talk of him at all. I am afraid he would turn Calvinist, Turk, or anything for food and idleness. Mr. Valton has not been able to preach in two years so much as he used to do in eight or ten months. Every year I have many applications for the continuance of profitable preachers more than two years in a circuit. I have had several such within these two or three months: as well as the continence of two preachers in the same circuit. But I dare not comply. I advise Mr. Cole [The second preacher in the Pembroke Circuit. He remained there Assistant at the next Conference.] to instruct the next preachers thoroughly in the nature of the case, and to encourage them to persist in the whole Methodist discipline. I hope you are not weary of well-doing, and that you will never bury your talent in the earth. Your labor has not been in vain, [See letter of July 31, 1782.] and in due time you will reap if you faint not. It is always a pleasure to me to see you, and I love to converse with you. But sometimes it has been a concern to me that I could see you so seldom. There is something in your spirit that is exceedingly agreeable to me. I find in you sprightliness and sweetness joined together. May you be filled, my dear Kitty, with the whole fruit of the Spirit! This is the constant wish of Yours most affectionately.

To Henry Brooke Date: WHITBY, June 14, 1786. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1786) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR HARRY, - I will give you an answer to your heart's content. In the year 1729 four young gentlemen joined together at Oxford, all zealous members of the Church of England, and all determined to be Bible Christians. In six years they increased to sixteen, and were exactly of the same mind still. In 1738, only two of these were left together; but a few more joined them, who continually increased till some hundreds were joined together. But they still constantly attended the Church; only if any Dissenter desired to unite with them they had no objection to his attending that worship to which he had been accustomed. But in 1740 Dr. Gibson, then Bishop of London, said, 'Cannot Messrs, Wesleys leave the Church Then they could do no more harm.' This we well understood. It meant,' They could do no more good; for not one in ten of their present hearers would hear them.' [See letter of Feb. 21 to Thomas Taylor.] But, whether they would or no, we would not leave it; our conscience would not permit. In 1743, the Rules of our Society were published; one of which was, 'to attend the Church and Sacrament.' This all our members (except Dissenters) were required to do, or they could not remain with us. In 1744, at our first Conference, we considered ourselves (Methodist preachers), as extraordinary messengers whom God had raised up to provoke to jealousy the ordinary messengers, the clergy; to preach the gospel to the poor, and to call all men of every denomination to worship Him in spirit and in truth. But it did not once come into our mind to separate from the Church or form ourselves into a distinct party. And herein was a new phenomenon in the earth, a thing never seen before - a body of men highly favored of God, who yet chose to abide in their own religious community, and not to separate themselves, from this very motive, that they might be servants of all.

To Mr. Torry Date: BRISTOL, July 30, 1786. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1786) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, - We [Conference met in Bristol on July 25 and closed on Aug. 1.] entirely disapprove of such a division of the Hull Circuit as has been sent to us. We totally reject the thought of a preacher staying a fortnight together in one place. There is no precedent of this in England, nor shall be as long as I live. I have desired those of our Brethren who are acquainted with this and the neighboring county to draw up a Methodist Plan. [The following is the Plan, with the original spelling: Hull, Wednesday. Shorley, Thursday. Wo'thering, Week Friday. Ross or Remswell, Saturday. Paterington, Sunday. Melton, Munday. Cave, Tuesday. Gilberdike, Wednesday. Laxton, Thursday. Esterington, Friday. Newbold, Saturday. Beverley, Sunday & Munday. Theton, Tuesday. Hull, he that is in Hull. Skitby, Tuesday. Cottingham, Wednesday. Newland, Thursday. Hasel, Friday. Pocklington, Saturday & Sunday. Br. Wilton,} Munday. Grimston,} Tuesday. Acklam, Wednesday. Bugthorp, Thursday. Fankioss, Friday. Assalby, Saturday. Howden, Sunday noon. Spanden, Sunday night. Hoggerthorp, Munday. Seetown, Tuesday. Holm, Wednesday & Thursday. Numberaura, Friday. Shipton, Saturday. Weigton, Sunday noon & night. Drifteld, Monday. Gatton, Tuesday. Frodingham, Wednesday. Nafferton, Thursday. Reeston, Friday. Burlington, Saturday, Sun. Mony. Hunmanby or Rudston, Tuesday. Kilham, Wednesday. Witewand, Thursday Huggitt, Friday. Millington, Saturday.] They have done so, and I like it well. No one of our preachers must be still while I live. - I am, my dear brother, Your affectionate brother.

To Josiah Dornford Date: BRISTOL, August 1, 1786. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1786) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR SIR, - Go on in the name of God and in the power of His might. If He sees, and when lie sees best, He will put more talents into your hands. In the meantime, it is your wisdom to make the full use of those which you have, only taking care not to trust in yourself but in Him that raiseth the dead. - I am Your affectionate brother.

To Samuel Bradburn Date: HARWICH, August 8, 1786. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1786) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR SAMMY, - I beg there may be no preaching at Deptford in church hours before my return. What need of any innovation there The case does not fall under any of those four that were allowed at the Conference. And pray give an hint to Benj. Rhodes. I do not take it kindly that he should run his head against me. I fear he has underhand abetted the malcontents there. If he loves me, he should bid them 'know when they are well.' We expect to sail in a few hours. [See letter of July 7.] - I am, with kind love to Sophy, dear Sammy, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Mrs. Fletcher Date: LONDON, September 6, 1786. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1786) Author: John Wesley --- MY VERY DEAR SISTER AND FRIEND, - Excuse me if write just as I feel. I have not of a long season felt so tender an affection for you as I have done in reading your last. If love you much for the care you have taken of my dear Miss Ritchie. If she is worse, send me word to Bristol, where I hope to be on Monday. I would travel day and night to see her before she is called home. But as God has already heard the prayer, I trust He will permit her to stay a little longer with us. If the vomiting returns, apply half a slit onion warmed to the pit of her stomach. The children of traveling preachers only are sent to Kingswood School. David Evans has had uncommon help. I gave him five-and-twenty pounds at once. Peace be with your spirit! - I am, my dear Sister, Yours most affectionately. Tuesday afternoon. I have just received your last, and am glad to hear that my dear sister Ritchie is not worse. My dear friend, Adieu.

To Mary Cooke Date: BATH, September 9, 1786. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1786) Author: John Wesley --- It gives me much satisfaction, my dear friend, to observe you are happier than when you wrote last. I do not doubt but you have at some times a rich foretaste of the state which your soul pants after. And even These wandering gleams of light And gentle ardors from above Have made you sit, like seraph bright, Some moments on a throne of love. But you know you are not to rest here; this is but a drop out of the ocean. Only this has been known again and again, that one of those happy moments has been the prelude of pure love. It has opened into the full liberty of the children of God. Who knows but this may be your happy experience - but the next time your soul is so caught up He that loves you may touch your nature clean, and so take you into the holiest, that You may never leave the skies, Never stoop to earth again I am now intent upon my own work, finishing the Life of Mr. Fletcher. This requires all the time I have to spare; so that, as far as it is possible, I must for two or three months shut myself up. Two weeks I give to Bristol; after that time I return to London. I cannot, therefore, have the happiness of seeing Trowbridge this autumn. But might I not see you or your sisters at Bristol If I am invisible to others, I would not be so to you. You may always command everything that is in the power of, my very dear friend, Yours in life and in death.

To Elizabeth Briggs Date: BRISTOL, September 24, 1786. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1786) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BETSY, - I thank you for the letters which you sent, and shall be glad to see those which you mention. There is no doubt but Shoreham is the place which God at present points out for your residence, and it is well that you have such an assistant there as honest Sampson Staniforth. Great care should be taken to preserve a perfect good understanding between him and the traveling preachers. I know not who in Shoreham is able to give me a night's lodging now. Tomorrow I expect to set out for London. - I am, my dear Betsy, Yours affectionately.

To George Merryweather Date: LONDON, October 9, 1786. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1786) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR GEORGE, - Do not wish to have a grain less of sensibility than you have. I love you the better for it; and so does He that is greater than all. That family I know and love well; we will help them all we can. I have no access to Mr. Thornton: the Calvinists take care to keep him to themselves. [John Thornton, of Clapham, the friend of Wilberforce and the Venns.] But ff you will give them five pounds from me, John Atlay will answer your draft here. - I am, with best wishes to all the family, dear George, Your affectionate brother.

To John Valton Date: LONDON, October 29, 1786. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1786) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, - Striking a woman in the street, and crying amain, Strumpet, strumpet! was enough to enrage a woman, even to madness. It had not been strange if, instead of scolding, she had shot her husband or herself. I wonder she can sustain life. Do not cast water upon a drowning man; and take care of receiving anything upon Joseph Brundrell's testimony. Speaking is not the thing, but revealing what is spoken in band, had it been true. Unless Sister Pitt [See letter of Oct. 9 to Valton.] be convinced of this sin, I will expel her the Society the first time I come to Bath. I must do justice if the sky falls. I am the last resort. A word to the wise! I am sure Michael Griffith [See letter of Dec. 22.] is good enough for the place, if he is not too good. I hope Mr. Jones is set out for Brecon. [Thomas Jones had been appointed there.] See that Michael have fair play. John Atlay knows nothing about the hundred pounds; neither do I. I am afraid it is a castle in the air, I am glad to hear you have so fair a prospect in the circuit. You will find all things work together for good. - I am Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Henry Moore Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1786) Author: John Wesley --- LONDON, Novernber 4, 1786. MY DEAR BROTHER, - I am glad you spoke freely to Mr. Collins. He is a good man, but not very advisable. If he should declare open war in England, he will do little or no harm. Mr. Smyth will not be fond of him if he preaches at Plunkett Street. There will not soon be a coalition between Arminianism and Calvinism. This we found even in Holland. If Brother Rogers and you keep to the Church still, a few, I doubt not, will follow your example. We made just allowance enough for leaving the Church at the last Conference. At all hazards let there be a free and open correspondence between Jeremy Rogers and you. I hope your Sister Becky is gaining ground, and that Nancy is not losing any. I have an affectionate letter from Mrs. Slack at Annadale. To save expense I send a few lines which you will forward to her. I hope your lawsuit is almost or quite at an end. - I am, with kind love to Nancy, dear Henry, Yours affectionately.

To William Simpson Date: NEAR LONDON, November 11, 1785. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1786) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR BILLY, - Busy as I am, I snatch time to write a few lines, as I judge you had rather see my handwriting than John Broadbent's. You must in any wise write a few loving lines to Brother Inglis, and tell him I desired you so to do. It may induce him to be a little more careful for the time to come. The Sunday preaching may continue at Jervas for the present. I suppose the Society at Jervas is as large as that at Northallerton; and this is a point which is much to be considered. You must needs expel out of the Society at Knaresborough those that will be contentious. [See letter of Nov. 23.] - I am, with love to Nancy, dear Billy, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Freeborn Garrettson Date: LOWESTOFT, November 30, 1786. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1786) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, - You have great reason to be thankful to God that He lets you see the fruit of your labors. Whenever any are awakened you do well to join them together immediately. But I do not advise you to go on too fast. It is not expedient to break up more ground than you can keep, to preach at any more places than you or your brethren can constantly attend. To preach once in a place and no more very seldom does any good; it only alarms the devil and his children, and makes them more upon their guard against a first assault. Wherever there is any church service, I do not approve of any appointment the same hour; because I love the Church of England, and would assist, not oppose, it all I can. How do the inhabitants of Shelburne, Halifax, and other parts of the province go on as to temporal things Have they trade Have they sufficiency of food and the other necessaries of life And do they increase or decrease in numbers It seems there is a scarcity of some things - of good ink, for yours is so pale that many of your words are not legible. As I take it for granted that you have had several conversations with Dr. Coke, I doubt not you proposed all your difficulties to him, and received full satisfaction concerning them. Commending you to Him who is able to guide and strengthen you in all things, I am Your affectionate friend and brother. PS.-Probably we shall send a little help for your building if we live till Conference. Observe the rules for building laid down in the Minutes. I see nothing of your Journal yet. I am afraid of another American Revolution. I do not know how to get the enclosed safe to Dr. Coke; probably you know. On second thoughts I think it best not to write to him at present.

To Samuel Bradburn Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1786) Author: John Wesley --- December, 1786. DEAR SAMMY, - You know I love you. Ever since I knew you I have neglected no way of showing it that was in my power. And you know how I esteem you for .your zeal and activity, for your love of discipline, and for your gifts which God has given you - particularly quickness of apprehension, and readiness of utterance, especially in prayer. Therefore I am jealous over you, lest you should lose any of the things you have gained, and not receive a full reward; and the more so because I fear you are wanting in other respects. And who will venture to tell you so You will scarce know how to bear it from me unless you lift up your heart to God. If you do this, I may venture to tell you what I fear without any further preface. I fear you think of yourself more highly than you ought to think. Do not you think too highly of your own understanding of your gifts, particularly in preaching, as if you were the very best preacher in the Connection of your own importance, as if the work of God here or there depended wholly or mainly on you and of your popularity, which I have found, to my surprise, far less, even in London, than I expected May not this be much owing to the want of brotherly love With what measure you mete, men will measure to you again. I fear there is something unloving in your spirit - something not only of roughness, but of harshness, yea of sourness! Are you not also extremely open to prejudice, and not easy to be cured of it so that whenever you are prejudiced you commence bitter, implacable, unmerciful If so, that people are prejudiced against you is both the natural and the judicial consequence. I am afraid lest your want of love to your neighbors should spring from want of love to God, from want of thankfulness. I have sometimes heard you speak in a manner that made me tremble; indeed, in terms that not only a weak Christian but even a serious Deist would scruple to use.

To Zachariah Yewdall Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1786) Author: John Wesley --- LONDON, Deeember 20, 1786. MY DEAR BROTHER, - You do well to tell me where you are and what you are doing. Do not you know that several envy you, because, they say, you are one of my favorites I am glad to hear that you find some fruit again even at poor Musselburgh. I expect more from the new than the old hearers, most of whom are as salt that has lost its savor. Possibly some good may be done at Dalkeith too; but you will have need of patience. I do not despair even of Preston Pans if you can procure a tolerable place. [See letter of Nov. 1, 1787.] It is a great point gained if Mr. Coilis is diligent in attending his lectures. If he has likewise resolution to refrain from gay company, there is reason to hope that he will be a valuable man. [See letter of May 30, 1787. This was apparently his stepson, though his wife's first husband was a Mr. Mackrill. See also Methodist Magazine, 1930, p. 43.] You cannot have a better adviser than Mr. Pawson. [Yewdull was at Betwick, John Pawson at Edinburgh.] Take care to husband your time. Peace be with you and yours! - I am Your affectionate brother.

To Mrs. Howton () Date: MANCHESTER, August 5, 1787. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1787) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISWER, -- It would have given me pleasure to spend a little time with you. But since it could not be, we are to submit. I am glad you are placed, at least for a season, among them that love and fear God. As you are naturally of an easy, flexible temper, you have great need to converse as often as possible with those that are truly alive to God; which may be a counterbalance to the conversation you will .be obliged to have with those of a different character. [See letter of Oct. 3, 1783.] But perhaps Mr. H. will not always be of the same spirit that he has been in time past. What has hitherto been may have been permitted for the trial of your faith. And if you are like Him ‘Who ne’er forsook His faith for love of peace,’ the God of peace will in His own time do great things for you. To His tender care I commit you; and am, my dear sister, Yours in much affection.

To Ann Bolton Date: BRISTOL, September 18, 1787. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1787) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR NANCY, -- Yesterday I received yours of August 24 at my return from a little tour to the islands of Alderney, Jersey, and Guernsey, where we were long shut up by contrary winds. At length a ship returning from France and touching at Guernsey took us in and carried us to Penzance, where we were received as if we had just risen from the dead, and found God was with us wherever we went.[ See letter of Sept. 7.] So I pressed on and will be with you. My Nancy, look up ! The Lord of Hosts is at hand! He has delivered, He does deliver, and He will yet deliver ! He chastens you long for your profit, that you may be a partaker of His holiness. He chastens you also for your profit that you may be more holy and consequently more happy. But His ways are in the deep waters and His footsteps are not known. It is probable I shall see you at Witney in about a month. If I do, remember you are to tell me all your trials that we may both grieve and rejoice together. I cannot well tell you how much I love you; you are e1ceeding near and dear to me. But I am sometimes ready to think that you do not love me so well as you did once. However, I believe you have still some regard for me. Let us still provoke one another to love and to good works. The good Lord be ever with you and unite you more and more to Himself! Then you will not forget, my dear Nancy, Yours in tender affection.

To Henry Moore Date: BRISTOL, September 30, 1787. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1787) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR HENRY, -- I know you are a man of feeling. You can sympathize with the afflicted. Therefore I employ you in a labor of love. Dear John Bull [See letter of July 1, 1789.] is now in the Marshalsea Prison. How far he was formerly to blame is not now the question. But what can be done for him now for one who through a course of many years deserved well of the Methodists We cannot deliver him from his confinement. That is too hard for us. But possibly something might be done to make it a little easier to him. I desire you would go and talk with him. You will find acceptable words. Tell him I desired you to call upon him in consequence of his letter, and try to make him sensible of the hand of God in all this. Now especially he stands in need of such a friend. -- I am, dear Henry, with kind love to Nancy, Your affectionate friend and brother. Pray give him a guinea on my account, and another whenever you see proper.

To John King Date: NEAR LONDON, October 31, 1787. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1787) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, -- Both in Jersey, Alderney, and Guernsey the fields are white to the harvest. Hitherto there is an open door into many places without any considerable opposition. And I am not sorry we were detained there by contrary winds longer than we intended. There is no need at all that Thirsk Circuit should ever be in debt. You have several persons there that are of considerable ability and that love the cause of God. Represent things to them in a proper manner, and nothing will be wanting. If any of the class-leaders teaches strange doctrine, he can have no more place among us. Only lovingly admonish him first. -- I am Yours affectionately.

To James Ridall Date: LONDON, December 17, 1787. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1787) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR JAMES, -- If you would not murder yourself, take particular care never to preach too loud or too long. Always conclude the service within the hour. Then preaching will not hurt you. [See letters of March 25, 1787, and April 18, 1789.] The doubt whether you are called to preach or not springs wholly from the temptation of the devil. Give not place to his voice -- no, not for an hour! Do not reason with him, but look unto Jesus. He will supply all your wants. -- I am Your affectionate brother.

To Adam Clarke Date: LONDON, December 18, 1787. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1787) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR ADAM, -- I thank you for the use of your books. They contain many ingenious observations; but I think very few of them are solid. Much may be said on both sides. I am afraid you have been too severe with Mr. Walker. [Clarke says in a letter to Wesley on Dec. 20, 1786, that George Walker furnished his board gratis. See Dunn’s Clarke, p. 32; and letters of Oct. 2o, 1787, and Jan. 8, 1788.] I am persuaded there is much good in him, otherwise he would have washed his hands of the Methodists. -- Take care you do not contract something of Brother De Queteville's temper! [See letter of Dec. 8.] -- I am, dear Adam, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Henry Moore Date: NEAR LONDON, February 19, 1788. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1788) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, -- I am glad the house is opened in Marlborough Street, [The house had been a Lutheran church; but they removed to Poolbeg Street about 1725. See W.H.S. v. 68; and letter of Jan. 18 to Moore.] and that the work of God still prospers among you, particularly among the poor soldiers. [See letter of April 6.] You send me likewise good news concerning George Dice. [Dice had retired in 1786. See letter of Jan. 14 of that year.] Nurse him tenderly, and he will come to good. Dr. Coke will not fail to rejoice over him. Not only the devices of the Evangelical Society, but no weapon formed against us shall prosper. Is Bethesda full on the Sunday evenings or half full on week days If it had been in full union with the Methodists, I am inclined to think it would have prospered. But it was not likely to stand alone -- I do not see how we can go further than to be friends at a distance. I have referred to Dr. Coke himself in what manner he shall proceed in Dublin, and whatever he and you agree upon I shall not condemn. With my tender love to my dear Nancy, nay, and Becky, [Moore's sister. See letters of Jan. 18 and June 7.] I am, dear Henry, Your affectionate friend and brother.

However, you have one Friend that never fails and that is always near. What a comfort it is that He is about your bed and about your path, still laying His hand upon you! Does He speak to you in dreams and visions of the night or wholly in your waking hours I love to hear and to read your experience of His goodness. As soon as you have opportunity, write without reserve to, my very dear sister, Yours most affectionately.

To Samuel Bradburn Date: BRISTOL, March 13, 1788. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1788) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR SAMMY, -- With regard to my brother, I advise you: (1) Whether he will or no (at least, if not done already), carry Dr. Whitehead [See letter of March 7.] to him. (2) If he cannot go out, and yet must have exercise or die, persuade him to use [the wooden horse [See letters of July 17, 1785, and Aug. 18, 1790.] twice or thrice a day, and procure one for him. (3) I earnestly advise him to be electrified; not shocked, but only filled with electric fire. (4) Inquire if he has made his will, though I think it scarcely possible he should have delayed it. The tunes which Brother Rhodes left with you should be immediately printed in the cheap form. Kind love to Sophy. -- I am, dear Sammy, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Adam Clarke Date: STROUD, March 17, 1788. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1788) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR ADAM, -- I immediately answered the letter which brought the account of Sister Horne's case. [See letter of Jan. 8.] I am afraid they will make willful mistakes and carry your letters to the Isle of Wight. I am glad you have spread yourselves through the islands and that Mrs. de Saumarez has had the courage to join you. I believe she has very good uprightness of heart and (if she goes on) will be a burning and shining light. You have reason likewise to praise God on account of Alderney. [See letter of Nov. 9, 1787.] There is a seed which shall not easily be rooted up. Drink largely when need be of warm lemonade, and no bilious complaint will remain long. Our Conference Deed provided for what Dr. Jersey desires. I desire the very same thing; nay! I observe Mr. Walker too. The sooner it is done the better. Send your translation [Clarke had offered on Oct. 29 to send a translation of part or the whole of Conference de la, Fable avec L'Histoire Sainte for the January Magazine if Wesley wished.] to London. My kind love to Miss Lempriere, Jenny Bisson (who owes me a letter), and the dear family at Mont Plaisir. [The De Jerseys.] Peace be with your spirits. -- I am, dear Adam, Your affectionate friend and brother. Direct to me at London, and your letter will come safe.

To Henry Moore Date: GLASGOW, May 16, 1788. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1788) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR HENRY, -- I allow two points: (1) that while Dr. Coke is in Dublin he may have service at eleven on Sunday as before; (2) that, on condition that our brethren will attend St. Patrick's one Sunday in four, you may read prayers the other three in the room. [] When Dr. Coke returns from Dublin, he should immediately send me word who is proper to succeed you there. I shall be glad, if I can contrive it, to have Nancy and you at Bristol next year. It is not unlikely I may finish my course there; and if so, I should love to have her to close my eyes. My brother said I should 'follow him within the year.' But, be that as it may, by God's help I will live to-day. Love to Nancy. -- I am, dear Henry, Ever yours. See previous letter and that of May 20 (to William Whitestone).

To Henry Moore Date: NEAR NEWCASTLE, June 7, 1788. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1788) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR HENRY, -- I incline to think the battle's over, [See letter of May 28 to Mrs. Rogers.] and you will have peace, provided that none of you return railing for rafting, but contrariwise blessing. Beware of showing any coolness to Arthur Keene. You must conquer him by love. I am glad you have not lost Mrs. Blachford. [See letter of June 3.] She is one of our jewels. I love her much. Only you will excuse me if I do not love her so well as Nancy and Becky Moore. [See letter of Feb. 19 to Moore.] Now use all your influence in prevailing on our people to attend on the sacrament at St. Patrick's monthly. -- I am, dear Henry, yours and my Nancy's Affectionate friend and brother.

To Mr. ------ Date: WHITBY, June 14, 1788. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1788) Author: John Wesley --- SIR, -- I am afraid there will not be much contributed by the poor congregation at Derby. However, I propose to do what I can in favor of so excellent a charity. Therefore I hope to preach there for the benefit of the General Hospital in my return to London--namely, at five in the evening, on Friday, the 11th of July. That morning I am to come from Sheffield, and on Saturday to be at Nottingham. -- I am, sir, Your obedient servant.

To Walter Churchey Date: YORK, June 26, 1788. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1788) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, -- I answered your last. By what means my letter miscarried I cannot tell. [See letters of June 14 and July 22 to him.] Above half of that paragraph (which has traveled over most of the kingdom) is very true. The other half is a blunder. What I spoke was a citation from Bengelius, who thought, not that the world would end, but that the Millennium would begin about the year 1836. [See letter of June 3 to Christopher Hopper.] Not that I affirm this myself, nor ever did. I do not determine any of these things: they are too high for me. I only desire to creep on in the vale of humble love. Peace be with you and yours I -- I am Your affectionate brother.

To John Mann Date: LONDON, June 30, 1788. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1788) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER -- I am greatly concerned for the prosperity of the work of God in Nova Scotia. It seems some way to lie nearer my heart than even that in the United States. Many of our brethren there are, we may hope, strong in the Lord and in the power of His might; but I look upon those in the northern provinces to be younger and tender children, and consequently to stand in need of our most anxious care. I hope all of you that watch over them are all of one mind and of one judgment; that you take care always to speak the same things and to watch over one another in love. Mr. Wray is a workman that need not be ashamed. I am glad to hear of his safe arrival. Although he has not much learning, he has (which is far better) uprightness of heart and devotedness to God. I doubt not but he and you will be one and go on your way hand in hand. Whatever opposers you meet with--Calvinists, Papists, Antinomians, and any other--have a particular care that they do not take up too much either of your time or thoughts. You have better work: keep to your one point, Christ dying for us and living in us. So will you fulfill the joy of, my dear brethren, Your affectionate friend and brother.

MY DEAR BROTHER, -- I am glad to receive a letter from you on any account; because I love you, and always did. I think you will have reason to praise God for your preachers [Conference began on July 29. The Norwich appointments were John Poole, Richard Reece, and Thomas Kelk.] the ensuing year. And we shall not be unwilling to help you a little further. By-and-by you will be able to help yourselves. Only love one another and serve God in earnest--I am Your affectionate brother.

To John Crook Date: LONDON, July 27, 1788. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1788) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, -- Is it not enough that I am alive to-day Let God take thought for what is to come. Ten pounds will be allowed for Brother Barrowclough and you; six for you, and four for him. You did well in sending the collections to the Conference according to our rules. You see you are no loser by it. If my life is prolonged, I shall probably set out for Ireland at the usual time--namely, the latter end of March. But how much grace may we receive and how much good may we do before that time! -- I am, with kind love to Sister Crook, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Frances Godfrey Date: LONDON, August 5, 1788. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1788) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER, -- YOU have indeed escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowler; the snare is broken, and you are delivered. Certainly you have great reason to praise Him who has brought you to the knowledge of His truth; and not only given you to know but to experience the truth as it is in Jesus. I felt a love for you from the first time I saw you, when you was under those grievous trials. [See letters of July 31, 1784, and Aug. 2, 1789.] Now that you have recovered some measure of health and strength, employ it all to the glory of Him that gave it. Now go on to perfection! Hunger and thirst after righteousness, till you are satisfied therewith; then you will be more and more near to, my dear Fanny, Yours affectionately. My love to your mother.

To Mrs. Charles Wesley Date: NORTH GREEN, August 7, 1788. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1788) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR SISTER, -- As the Conference ended yesterday afternoon, my hurry is now a little abated. I cannot blame you for having thoughts of removing out of that large house. If you could find a lodging to your mind, it would be preferable on many accounts, and perhaps you might live as much without care as you did in the great mansion at Garth. I was yesterday inquiring of Dr. Whitehead whether Harrogate would not be better for Sally than the sea water. [Sally went to Ramsgate. See letter of Sept. 1.] He seems to think it would; and I should not think much of giving her ten or twenty pounds to make a trial. But I wish she could see him first, which she might do any day between seven and eight in the morning. Some of the first moneys I receive I shall set apart for you [See letter of Dec. 21.]; and in everything that is in my power you may depend upon the willing assistance of, dear Sally, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Walter Churchey Date: LONDON, August 8, 1788. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1788) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTER, -- I think you know that I love you and that I should rejoice to do anything for you that is in my power. And one allowed proof of love is plain dealing. Therefore I will speak to you without any reserve. There are many good lines, and some very good, both in the ode and in the translation of The Art of Painting. And I really think you improve in versifying: you write a good deal better than you did some years ago. You express your sense with more perspicuity than you used to do, and appear to have greater variety of words as well as more strength. But there is nothing (to use the modern cant word) sentimental in either the ode or the translation. There is nothing of tender or pathetic, nothing that touches the passions. Therefore no bookseller would venture to buy them, as knowing they will not sell. And they lie utterly out of the way of the Methodists, who do not care to buy or even to read (at least the generality of them) any but religious books. I do not believe all my influence would induce them to buy as many copies as would suffice to pay for the printing. I have not yet seen my brother's translation of the Psalms. Neither, indeed, could I as yet have time to read it, were it put into my hands. If any had asked my advice, they would not have thrust out the account of George Lukins [Lukins had been exorcised in the Vestry of Temple Church, Bristol. See Journal, vii. 362.] into the world so prematurely. It should have been fully authenticated first. I am, with love to Sister Churchey, Your affectionate brother. I expect to be at Brecon on Sunday se'nnight.

To Arthur Keene Date: LONDON, August 8, 1788. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1788) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR ARTHUR, -- Even at this busy time I must snatch a few minutes to write. You have now an easy way to show your affection for me and your willingness to be advised by me. It is the belief of many that you will see me in Ireland no more. But if I should live till spring, I shall endeavor to visit Dublin at the usual time, about the end of March. [He arrived in Dublin for his last visit on March 29, 1789.] If then you have a real regard for me, see that your preaching-house [In Whitefriar Street. See letter of June 16.] be enlarged without delay. Forward the building that it may be ready when I come. Do this, and I shall know that you have a love for, my dear Arthur, Your ever affectionate brother. My kind love attend Bella and all the little ones.

To Ann Bolton Date: BRECON, August 15, 1788. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1788) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR NANCY, -- Last night I received yours at Monmouth. The same complaint which you make of not receiving an answer to your letter another person had just been making. But I had answered you both. I cannot therefore but conclude that both my letters had some way or other miscarried. Since I saw you a young slender girl just beginning to seek salvation I do not remember that you ever offended in anything. But you was always exceeding dear to me. So you are still. And I would show it effectually if my power were equal to my will. I love you the more because you are a daughter of affliction. I suppose you are still in God's school. But you still remember He loveth whom He chasteneth. If you love me still, write freely to, my dear Nancy, Yours very affectionately.

To John Atlay Date: PEMBROKE, August 23, 1788. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1788) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, -- If you are persuaded that such a promise (which is the whole and sole cause of the breach at Dewsbury) is binding, &c., you must follow your persuasion. You will have blame enough from other persons; my hand shall not be upon you. If I can do you good, I will; but I shall certainly do you no harm. George Whitfield is the person I choose to succeed you. I wish you would teach him as much as you can without delay. -- I am, with kind love to Sister Atlay, Your affectionate brother.

To Elizabeth Baker Date: CARMARTHEN, August 26, 1788. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1788) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BETSY, -- Since I had the pleasure of seeing you I have been thinking much on what you said concerning your loving others too much. In one sense this cannot be; you cannot have too much benevolence for the whole human race: but in another sense you may; you may grieve too much for the distresses of others, even so much as to make you incapable of giving them the relief which otherwise you should give them. So I know one that, when he sees any one in strong pain, directly faints away. [See letter of Aug. 8 to Lady Maxwell.] It is something like this which you mean by feeling too much for others You can give me two or three instances of it, and then I shall be better able to judge. Have you a constant witness of the pardoning love of God And do you find an abiding love to Him Have you yet been enabled to give Him your whole heart If so, at what time and in what manner did you receive this blessing I think you can speak with all freedom to Yours very affectionately.

To Henry Moore Date: BRISTOL, September 20, 1788. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1788) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, -- I have taken place in the mail coach for Sunday se'nnight in the afternoon, so that I shall probably be with you on Monday morning. Pray tell George Whitfield to settle himself in the Book-Room without delay, as John Atlay has appointed to leave it on the 25th instant. [See letters of Sept. 4 and 24.] I beg of Brother Rankin and you to advise and assist him to the uttermost of your power. Many croakers, no doubt, will strive to discourage him; therefore strengthen his hands all you can.--I am, with much love to my Nancy, dear Henry, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Walter Griffith () Date: LONDON, October 10, 1788. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1788) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, -- It is certain you cannot preach the truth without offending those who preach the contrary. Nevertheless, you must preach it, only in the mildest and [most] inoffensive manner the thing will admit of. And beware that you never return evil for evil or railing for railing, but contrariwise blessing. You cannot constrain any one to go to church; you can only advise them to it, and encourage them by your example. My kind love to your wife. -- I am Your affectionate friend and brother.

To John Valton Date: LONDON, October 31, 1788. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1788) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, -- Whoever they were written by the rules are excellent rules; and I should have no objection to your printing them in the manner you mention. One thing is certain, that it would be some advantage to the poor printer; and it is probable that the rules would be useful to a serious reader. I think if you used decoction of nettles every morning (if you have not done it already) it might restore your strength. --I am, with love to Sister Valton, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Thomas Carlill Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1788) Author: John Wesley --- [Noveraber 1788.] DEAR TOMMY, -- We have suffered much inconvenience by taking in more preachers than we were able to keep, or indeed to employ, without their staying in one place longer than was good either for them or for the people. And this is a wrong time of year to send out young preachers, especially into the fens of Lincolnshire. You must therefore make the best shift that you can till towards spring. I am glad to hear that you go on in love and peace with each other. All our brethren should pray fervently and continually for the King. Nothing but the mighty power of God can restore him. -- I am, dear Tommy, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Peter Mill Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1788) Author: John Wesley --- LONDON, November [3 or 4], 1788. MY DEAR BROTHER, -- My humor was as much out of the question as my stature. My objection to the chanting the Psalms was, we have no such thing among the Methodists. But when I was informed they were not the reading Psalms which were chanted but only the hymns in the morning and evening service, my objections of course fell to the ground. But as this little dispute is now at an end, there will be no need of saying any more, only that courtesy and brotherly love require it. -- I am Your affectionate brother.

To Benjamin Rhodes Date: LONDON, November 6, 1788. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1788) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, -- I am glad to hear that Sister Rhodes begins to recover her strength. It has been observed for many years that some at Redruth were apt to despise and very willing to govern their preachers. But I commend you for standing in your place, and changing both general and particular stewards. [See letter of Jan. 7, 1789.] The case of Rd. Phillips I refer wholly to you. But if his gifts be tolerable (as we at London thought), let him not be oppressed. [Benjamin Rhodes, Samuel Bardsley, and Richard Phillips (who had been admitted on trial at the London Conference in August) were appointed at Redruth.] -- I am, with love to Sister Rhodes, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Jasper Winscom Date: LONDON, November 8, 1788. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1788) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR JASPER, -- William Cashman [Probably William Ashman, who was now at Tiverton. See letter of Oct. 23, 1786.] advised you like an heathen. Mr. Valton deserves pay as well as you do. [Valton was now a supernumerary at Bristol, and was able to accept invitations to preach in other circuits. See Wesley's Veterans, vi. 104.] But he does not want it, and therefore scorns to take it, knowing the poverty of the land. I am glad to hear so good an account of the isle. The work of God will flourish there if it be steadily pursued. No preacher ought to stay either at Portsmouth, or Sarum, or any other place a whole week together. That is not the Methodist plan at all. It is a novel abuse. I hope you have finished the matter with the attorney [See letter of Sept. 30.]; and am, dear Jasper, Your affectionate brother.

To Peter Mill Date: LONDON, December 20, 1788. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1788) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, -- It does not appear to me that you have taken any wrong step with regard to North Shields. I think (as you do) that our friend whom you mention is prejudiced in favor of those warm men. As to T. Gibson, you are a little prejudiced against him. He is not a turbulent man. But he sees blots, and would fain cure them if he could. I pray, talk with him alone. You do not know him. However, for the present, the General Stewards may stand as they are. But see that they do their duty.--I am, with love to Sister Mill, dear Peter, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Benjamin Rhodes Date: NEAR LONDON, January 7, 1789. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1789) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, -- You have done exactly right. Observe the rules of the Conference, both in changing the stewards or in any other point, whoever is pleased or displeased. [See letters of Nov. 6, 1788, and April 26, 1789.] And do not fail mildly to expostulate the case, either with George [George Shadford at St, Ives.] or any other Assistant who does not observe them. The trustees and leaders will soon trample them under-foot if you will let them. But I think you can be mild, and yet firm. -- I am, with love to Sister Rhodes, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Duncan McAllum Date: LONDON, January 20, 1789. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1789) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR DUNCAN,--By all means choose trustees without delay; and let them be such as belong to the circuit, only such as you can depend upon both for judgment and honesty. I think it is by prayer that you must alter the purpose of the Earl of Findlater. [For the late Earl's care for his estates around Banff, see Journal, vi. 10.] I am not at all surprised at the behavior of John Atlay. In a year or two he will find whether he has changed for the better. He was the first occasion of the division at Dewsbury by sending word to the trustees that, if the Conference would not supply them with preachers, he would come himself and settle among them. [See letter of Aug. 25, 1788.] I am, with love to Sister McAllum, Your affectionate friend and brother. To the Rev. Mr. McAllum, Inverness,

To Ann Bolton Date: NEAR LONDON, February 20, 1789. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1789) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR NANCY, -- We have conversed together a fair number of years; and I never was tired of you yet. From the time of its birth to this day my love to you never grew cold; though I have often observed yours to vary, being sometimes warmer and sometimes colder. But it can never be quite cold in this region of sorrow and care. It has seemed good to our Lord for many years to lead you in a rough and thorny way. But still His hand has held you up, and His care. Therefore you have no need to take [thought] for to-morrow, but trust in Him to-day. But how does poor Neddy Bolton go on Does he go forward or backward Has he an hard bargain still Or is he likely to keep his head above water [See letter of Jan. 5, 1783.] He has need of patience as well as you; and when you have been tried you shall both come forth as gold. The young woman who has foretold that I should follow my brother before the end of March added that I should be incapable of preaching for two months before my death. But if so, how shall we reconcile one part of the prophecy with the other For at present I am as capable of preaching as ever I was in my life. But be that as it may, while we live let us live to Him that died for us. -- I am, my dear Nancy, Affectionately yours. On Wednesday, March 4, I expect to be at Bristol; and on Monday, March T7, at Stroud.

To Peard Dickinson Date: DUBLIN, April 11, 1789. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1789) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, -- As soon as ever Sister Dickinson is able to go abroad let her enter upon her labor of love. In things of this kind particularly delays are dangerous. Every good purpose will cool and die away if it is not as soon as possible put in execution. Only let us not undertake too much at a time. Generally one visit will be enough for one day, and that should not last above half an hour, or an hour at farthest. I wrote a few days since to Mr. Hanby concerning his baptizing and administering the Lord's supper wherever he goes. He answers me, 'He intends to do still, for he believes it to be his duty.' I wish Brother Creighton and Moore and Rankin and you would spend an hour together, as it is a point of the utmost importance, and consider what steps are to be taken in this matter. Can this be connived at If so, I fear it is a blow at the very root of Methodism. And if not, you see the consequence: he will join John Atlay. Consider likewise another point: ought we to suffer Dr. Coke to pick out one after another the choicest of our young preachers [Evidently for his missionary work.] Peace be with your spirits! -- I am Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Mrs. Armstrong Date: TULLAMORE, April 22, 1789. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1789) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER, -- You told me 'I forgot you once in not answering your letter'; but if I did, I shall not be in much danger of forgetting you again. I love you too well to forget you, and the more because I find you still looking upward and endeavoring to secure a better portion than this short-enduring world can give. I am glad you are in Athlone at this season, because peacemakers are wanted there, and I know you love making peace. I hope you will comfort your sister Rutledge. She has been sadly distressed; and a word spoken in season, how good it is I I think you will lose no opportunity of doing good to her or to any one. That you and yours may be a pattern to all is the sincere wish of, my dear sister, Yours affectionately.

To Alexander Surer Date: KILLASHANDRA, May 21, 1789. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1789) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, -- It was affirmed to me that you gave one of the first occasions of disagreement by 'refusing to read the Prayers and speaking contemptuously of them.' Conversing with so many Presbyterians in Scotland might easily lead you into such a prejudice. I have lying by me a very warm letter from one Edward Thomas, who seems ready to swallow up all that speak a word against Lawrence Kane. [Kane was Assistant at Plymouth. Thomas acknowledged his faults, and was restored to the Society. See letters of June 9 and Aug. 29.] I hear nothing from Nehemiah Janes. You are blamed for not preaching as often as you can; I hope there is no ground for this charge. [See letter of July 23, 1788.] Take care your own spirit is not sharpened! -- I am Your affectionate brother.

To Walter Churchey Date: CLONES, May 25, 1789. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1789) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, -- I am afraid of delay. I doubt we shall not be able to be as good as our word, although in the last proposals I have protracted the time of delivery till the 1st of August. As you are not a stripling, I wonder you have not yet learned the difference between promise and performance. [See letters of May 4 and Aug. 26.] I allow at least five-and-twenty per cent.; and from this conviction I say to each of my subscribers (which, indeed, you cannot so decently say to yours), 'Sir, down with your money.' I know Dr. [Ogilvie] well [Probably Dr. John Ogilvie, an extract from whose poem 'Solitude, or The Elysium of the Poets,' in favor of Ossian, appears in Churchey's volume.]: he is a lovely man, and an excellent poet. I commend you for inoculating the children. I believe the hand of God is in our present work; therefore it must prosper. Indeed, I love Sister Churchey; and am Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Anne Moore Date: RATHFRILAND, June 11, 1789. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1789) Author: John Wesley --- Has my dear Nancy quite forgotten me If you have, I have not forgotten you; and if you think I ever shall, you will be mistaken: I shall remember and love you till we meet in a better place.

To President Heath Date: ROXANNA, NEAR WICKLOW, June 26, 1789. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1789) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR SIR, -- I exceedingly wanted to hear from you. I thought Mrs. Heath and you had not forgotten me, although it would not be strange if you had, as (in youth especially) '.... thought.' .... [Five lines erased.] If that had been the case, if you had taken no care to fulfill the engagement, I should have judged the engagement between you and Dr. Coke would have stood good. But if (as I suppose) you was able and willing to teach, did in fact teach the children, then I should judge the engagement between him and you should be let fall on both sides. To which (I will take upon me to say) Dr. Coke will very willingly consent. I would go a good way to take you and your dear family by the hand; but the price of traveling by sea is now.... When I crossed the Atlantic, a cabin passenger paid five pounds for his passage. Now they have swelled it to above twice as much. I should willingly give fifty pounds toward your passage; and Eternal Providence, exceeding thought, When none appears, can make itself a way. I am glad of the information you gave me concerning the state of things in America. I shall be better able to understand the accounts which Dr. Coke will probably give me. O what a comfort it is to think that the Lord reigneth and will order all things well! I commit you and dear Mrs. Heath (how I love her 1) to His keeping and arms. -- Dear sir, Your affectionate friend and brother. The Rev. Mr. Heath, At Burlington, New Jersey.

To Anna and Maria Heath Date: June 26, 1789. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1789) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR ANNA AND MARIA, -- I love to see your names, and I . . . the paper. Perhaps I may live to see those that wrote them. If not, I shall see you in a better place. -- My dear children, adieu!

To Mr. ----- Date: LEEDS, July 30, 1780. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1789) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, -- I will take care to give a true view of the affairs of Worcester both to John Leech (as good-natured a man as lives) and Brother Kane. [Leech and Lawrence Kane were the new preachers. Leech, a zealous and successful preacher, died in 1810.] I will order J. Leech to change the stewards without delay, and to execute the orders which I gave when at Worcester. Brother Kane will show you the letter Mr. [York] wrote to me, at whose request I send him to your circuit. -- I am Your affectionate brother. (To Mrs. Knapp see page 271[Appendix])

To Sarah Mallet Date: LEEDS, August 3, 1789. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1789) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR SALLY, -- I did not receive any letter from you but that which you wrote the last month. You may be assured of my answering every letter which I receive from you, because I have a real regard for you. I love you with a tender affection. You do well, therefore, whenever you write, to unbosom your whole soul to me. You may tell me any trial you meet with, and that with all simplicity. And tell me, on the other hand, whatever manifestations of the ever-blessed Trinity you find, and whatever uncommon degree of faith or hope or love you are favored with from time to time. I hope you speak freely to Mr. Tattershall. [See letter of Dec. 15 to Miss Mallet.] He is an excellent man and deeply acquainted with the things of God. You may learn much from him, and the more because you are willing to learn; you are glad to be instructed. To do you any service that is in my power will always be a pleasure to, dear Sally, Yours affectionately.

To William Thom Date: PLYMOUTH DOCK, August 30, 1789. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1789) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, -- The case of Mr. Holmes of all others ought to have been fully discussed at the Conference. It has been mentioned, I know, once and again, but not clearly determined. Several of our brethren did not think it proper to burden ourselves with an old man and his family. Surely it is not proper for me single to overrule their judgment. I do not see what I can do. I would be willing to serve him any way I can; but I do not see what way it can be done. -- I am, with kind love to Sister Thom, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Mrs. Warwick Date: BATH, September 10, 1789. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1789) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER, -- I know not what to do or what to say. This untoward man so perplexes me It is not my business to find houses for the preachers' wives. I do not take it upon me. I did not order him to come to Burslem. I only permitted what I could not help. I must leave our brethren to compromise these matters among themselves. They are too hard for me. A preacher is wanted in Gloucester circuit. One of them may go thither. -- I am, with love to Brother Warwick, [Someone has written across the letter, To Mrs. Warwick concerning Michael Moorhouse. See letter of July 7, 1786.] my dear sister, Your affectionate brother.

4. Observe, here is no dispute about the right of houses at all. I have no right to any preaching-house in England. What I claim is a right of stationing the preachers. This these trustees have robbed me of in the present instance. Therefore only one of these two ways can be taken: either to sue for this house, or to build another. We prefer the latter, being the most friendly way. I beg, therefore, my brethren, for the love of God; for the love of me, your old and wellnigh worn-out servant; for the love of ancient Methodism, which, if itinerancy is interrupted, will speedily come to nothing; for the love of justice, mercy, and truth, which are all so grievously violated by the detention of this house; that you will set your shoulders to the necessary work. Be not straitened in your own bowels. We have never had such a cause before. Let not, then, unkind, unjust, fraudulent men have cause to rejoice in their bad labor. This is a common cause. Exert yourselves to the utmost. I have subscribed fifty pounds. So has Dr. Coke. The preachers have done all they could. O let them that have much give plenteously! Perhaps this is the last labor of love I may have occasion to recommend to you. Let it, then, stand as one more monument of your real gratitude to, my dear brethren, Your old, affectionate brother.

To Henry Moore Date: BRISTOL, September 15, 1789. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1789) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR HENRY, -- I am glad you delayed the making of the collection for Dewsbury. I suppose you have now my second paper, [See letter of Sept. 11.] which should be printed and sent to every Assistant. Herewith I show them more plainly what my sentiments are than I have ever done. Geo. Paramore writes to desire his brother and sister may succeed Brother and Sister Shropshire at Spiralfields. I have no objection. I refer that matter to you, who are upon the spot. All in our house are in great peace. We are a family of love. I love Sister Clarke, only not as much as my dear Nancy; and am, dear Henry, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Henry Moore Date: BRISTOL, September 22, 1789. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1789) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR HENRY, -- We will let Sally Brown's affair sleep till we meet. I am afraid that pain in your back portends a fever. If so, I hope Dr. Whitehead has seen you. In autumn especially delays are dangerous. We had an epidemic deafness here. It seized me last night while I was preaching abroad at Jacob's Wells, and lasted almost eighteen hours. To save postage I desire you to tell Mr. Rankin that I hope to be at Cobham [See previous letter.] at or before noon on Saturday se'nnight, and that I am perfectly satisfied with his letter. The point of reading Prayers at the Chapels shall be fixed if I live to see London; the design of such was sufficiently explained at the Conference. Whether I shall go straight to Oxfordshire I have not yet determined. -- I am, with kindest love to Nancy, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Adam Clarke Date: LONDON, October 12, 1789. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1789) Author: John Wesley --- My DEAR BROTHER, -- I took away this by mistake, which I suppose to be the key of your bureau. I must desire you to send me a copy of those three letters on hops which I published in the Bristol Gazette. I intend to print them both in Lloyd's Evening Post and in the Magazine. I am rather better than worse since I came to London. So to-morrow I am to set out for Norfolk, from whence I hope to return hither in nine or ten days' time. Let us work while the day is! -- I am, with much love to Sister Clarke, dear Adam, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To His tender care I commend you with all the family; and am, my dear Molly, Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1789) Author: John Wesley --- Affectionately yours.

To William Black Date: LONDON, November 21, 1789. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1789) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, -- Your letter has given me great satisfaction. My fears are vanished away. I am persuaded Brother Wray, Stretton, and you will go on hand in hand, and that each of you will take an equal share in the common labor. I do so myself. I labor now just as I did twenty or forty years ago. By all means proceed by common consent, and think not of separating from the Church of England. I am more and more confirmed in the judgment which our whole Conference passed on that head in the year 1758. -- I am, my dear brother, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Thomas Rutherford Date: LONDON, December 24, 1789. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1789) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR TOMMY, -- I thank you for your account of Jane Newland, which I trust will be of use to many. A short extract from it I shall probably send you in a day or two. A larger will be inserted in the Magazine. There is no great probability that her brother will be so foolish as to print anything on the occasion. -- I am, with love to Sister Rutherford, dear Tommy, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Edward Jackson Date: LONDON, January 2, 1790. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1790) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, -- It is no wonder many of the Societies should be in poor condition, considering what poor care has lately been taken of them. They will soon find the difference. The books that are damaged you may give away as you judge proper. None ought to have made a collection for any place before the house at Dewsbury was built. However, do what you can, and you do enough. -- I am, with love to Sister Jackson, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Daniel Jackson Date: NEAR LONDON, January 19, 1790. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1790) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, -- You send me an agreeable account of the work of God in Stockport. Many were afraid that it would have been greatly hindered by Thomas Smith in particular. But it is plain they feared where no fear was; for our Lord took care of His own work. I am glad Tommy Farrant [Probably Thomas Tennant, Jackson's colleague.] continues to exert himself. The more he does the more he may; for to him that hath (even what he hath) shall be given, and he shall have more abundantly.--I am, with love to Sister Jackson, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Thomas Rutherford Date: LONDON, January 22, 1790. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1790) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR TOMMY, -- You do well to exclude all that will not regularly meet their class. I am glad you were so unanimous at the Yearly Meeting and that Brother [Erckbarn] made that excellent proposal. The sooner it is carried into execution the better. Dr. Coke hopes to visit you in summer. He is in an excellent spirit. But he must take Scotland in the way to Ireland. You send me good news indeed concerning Sister Cox. [See letter of July 31, 1785.] See the work of the Lord. She should immediately meet in a lively band. And our friends will take care that she does not want. My kind love to her and to Sister Rutherford. -- I am, dear Tommy, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To William Horner Date: LONDON, February 8, 1790. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1790) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR BILLY, -- I am determined there shall be no circuits in England with more than four preachers whilst I live. Four are too many if I could help it. I should have no objection to have pews at Oxford under the gallery, but not elsewhere. I wish to have our preaching-houses different from all others. Do not seek to be honorable; be content to be despised. I am glad you are all friends at Witney and that you prosper at High Wycombe. -- I am, with love to Sister Horner, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Mrs. Cock Date: LONDON, February 13, 1790. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1790) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER, The tender affection which I bear you makes me love to see your name at the bottom of a letter; but especially when it brings me the good news that your spirit is still rejoicing in God your Savior. My sight is so far decayed that I cannot well read a small print by candlelight; but I can write almost as well as ever I could: and it does me no harm but rather good to preach once or twice a day. I love to hear the particulars of your experience, and I had a letter a few days ago from one of our sisters in Scotland whose experience agrees much with yours; only she goes further. She speaks of being 'taken up into heaven, surrounded with the blessed Trinity, and let into God the Father.' I commend you to His care; and am Yours most affectionately.

To Joseph Benson Date: NEAR LONDON, February 16, 1790. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1790) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR JOSEPH, -- On Monday se'nnight the 1st I hope to be at Bath; on the Thursday following at Bristol; on Monday the I5th I expect to be at Stroud, and on the Friday following at Birmingham. In a few days you will see the remaining part of my treatise [Was this The Rules of the Strangers' Friend Society in Bristol, dated Bristol, March 12, 1790 See Journal, viii. 49; Miles's Chronological History (4th edition), p. 180; Tyerman's Wesley, iii. 253; and letter of Dec. 31, 1785, to John Gardner.] in one of the public papers. It is probable Dr. Priestley himself may be at length sated with controversy, and may choose to have a little interval between fighting and death. It may be such a contrast as you mention between the Doctor and the inspired writers may convince some gainsayers. -- I am, with love to Sister Benson, dear Joseph, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Henry Moore Date: BRISTOL, March 14, 1790. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1790) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR HENRY, -- I have received the parcel by the coach. I quite approve of your sending the note to all our Assistants, and hope it will have a good effect. I would do anything that is in my power toward the extirpation of that trade which is a scandal not only to Christianity but humanity. [Slavery in the abolition of which Wesley took the keenest interest. See letter of Oct. 11, 1787.] It will require both time and thought and much patience to bring into execution the other design which we see at a distance. We go on well in this circuit; and no wonder, since John Valton and Adam Clarke and Miss Johnson are here. -- I am, with kind love to Nancy, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To his Niece Sarah Wesley Date: BOLTON, April 11, 1790. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1790) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SALLY, -- Persons may judge I am not so well as I was once because I seldom preach early in the morning. But I have been no otherwise indisposed than by the heat and dryness of my mouth, which usually begins between one and two and ends between seven and eight. [See letter of June 1 to Henry Moore.] In other respects I am no worse but rather better than I was six months ago. How much care must we take of these houses of clay that they sink not into the dust before the time! All the advice which the art of man can give, my sister will hear from Dr. Whitehead. But, indeed, in most chronical cases vain is the help of man! Our steward, Mr. Taylor, [Edward Taylor. See Journal, viii, 115d, 126d; and for the Charity School at West Street, Seven Dials, Telford's Two West End Chapels, p. 72.] is one of the School Stewards. If you tell him I desire it, he will have that girl admitted into West Street School. I am glad Sammy is diligent in study. It will save him from many temptations; and if he strictly follows the method of Kingswood School, he will profit much. Peace be with all your spirits.--I am, my dear Sally, Ever yours.

To Mr. Andrews, near Hertford. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1790) Author: John Wesley --- To the care of Mr. Whitfield, New Chapel, London.

To Henry Moore Date: PARKGATE, April 25, 1790. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1790) Author: John Wesley --- I thank you, my dear Harry, for giving me another proof that you are a man to be depended on. You keep your love and you keep your integrity even among weathercocks, But who was it that turned Dr. Coke from east to west and (much more strange!) Dr. Hamilton But how is the fact Is the Society in Dublin quiet or no Is contention forgot or does it continue Are a majority of the people for retaining or for abolishing the eleven o'clock service [See letters of May 6, x788, and May 12, 1790.] Surely Dr. Coke is not well in his senses. I have wrote a loving but plain letter to Arthur Keene [See next letter, and that of July 6, 1789.] (without saying a word of the forenoon service) to this effect: 'You would not have been justified in removing such a friend as me even if I had turned Papist or Mahometan.' -- I am, with kind love to Nancy, dear Henry, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Arthur Keene Date: PARKGATE, LEEDS, April 28, 1790. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1790) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR ARTHUR, -- Many years you and I loved as brethren. We were united by no common ties. We took sweet counsel together and walked to the house of God as friends. On a sudden you renounced all intercourse with me, because, you said, I had left the Church. Alas! what a cause! Are such friends as I was to be thrown away for such a reason as this Truly I think such a step would not have been justifiable if I had turned Papist or Mahometan, much less for my turning Presbyterian, if it only had been so. And to your example chiefly was owing the unjust, unkind behavior which I met with from many when I was in Dublin last! Well, I cannot help it; I am to be guided by my own conscience, not that of another man! Many a weary journey have I had to Ireland; I seem now to be fairly discharged. May the peace of God be with you and yours! I do not depend on seeing you any more till we meet in the world of spirits. Dear Arthur, adieu!

To his Niece Sarah Wesley Date: PARKGATE, April 28, 1790. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1790) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SALLY, -- Now if you was but sitting at my elbow you would see one of the pleasantest spots in the world. A round, clear fishpond is at a small distance surrounded by a smooth, green meadow which has a gently rising hill on one side and is surrounded with trees. After breakfast we are going to Miss Ritchie at Otley, [He had breakfast at 8, and reached Otley at 10.15. He got back to London on Oct. 2. See Journal, viii. 62, 100-1.] who will not be sorry to hear I have been writing to you. I shall now soon be moving northward; but must shorten my journey through Scotland as the work increases on all sides. If I am brought back into England, I shall then be able to judge whether I can take London in my way to Bristol. But I doubt I shall not be able to reach it before my usual time (if I live), the beginning of October. I am glad to find you have not forgotten your way to the City Road. You should always look on our house as one of your homes; and when you are there, you will not forget Mrs. Dickinson--no, nor poor George Whitfield. There is a little knot of people that love you well. What a blessing it is to have a few sincere friends! Surely they that fear the Lord can want no manner of thing that is good! I wish Charles and Sammy [See next letter and that of June 12.] could find their way thither. Well, the time is coming when we shall meet and part no more. My kind love attends you all.--I am, my dear Sally, Ever yours. Miss Ritchie writes:

Your dear Uncle gives me leave to add a few lines to the other side; therefore I cannot omit this opportunity of wishing my dear Miss Wesley multiplied blessings while visiting our dear City Road friends. My kind love awaits them, your aunt, [Mrs. Hall.] &c. Oh that the spirit of the Lord may be poured out upon you all! I love my London friends, and rejoice in hope of soon spending a happy eternity with them and all who by patient continuance in well doing seek for honor, immortality, eternal life. Let us, my dear sister, be all for God, and His love shall change, renew, and sanctify. May much of the inward kingdom, the spiritual kingdom, faith... [Pieces torn away.] And may you walk in the corn[fort]... [Pieces torn away.] -- My dear friend, Yours affecy., ELIZ. RITCHIE.

To Henry Moore Date: ALNWICK, May 12, 1790. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1790) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR HENRY, -- I think of the Dublin affair [See letter of April 25. Rutherford was the Assistant in Dublin.] just as you do. But it seems our small friends have half converted T. Rutherford. That bill was for the share of a lottery ticket. The remaining money you may pay to George Whitfield. Good John Atlay has just published a curious paper, in which he flatly affirms that 'Mr. Charles Wesley wrote those verses in his room after we had relinquished Dewsbury House on that occasion.' I want, therefore, Brother Sammy Brad-burn to clear up this matter, which he may do, especially by certifying the day which was appointed for meeting at Mr. Hunter's, where they sang those very verses. Should not this certificate be as strong and as explicit as may be, that if possible it may stop the mouth of the blatant beast [See Spenser's Faerie Queene, Book vi, canto xii.] Love to dear Sammy and you; but let this be done without delay. -- I am, my dear Henry, Ever yours.

To Peard Dickinson Date: DURHAM, June 12, 1790. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1790) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, -- I am exceedingly pleased that you have made a little tour to Portsmouth and the adjoining places; and cannot doubt but it has been a blessing to many there as well as to your own soul. I seem to remember that I had a letter from you some time since; but I do not remember whether I answered it or not. If the good impressions which Sammy Wesley frequently feels could be changed, he would probably be a real Christian. You should contrive to see him as often as you can. Who knows but you may save a soul alive. [See letter of April 28 to Sarah Wesley.] To take a little journey (were it but for a week) now and then would be of service both to your mind and body. -- I am, with kind love to Betsy, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To John King Date: EPWORTH, July 3, 1790. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1790) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, -- Mr. Mather said nothing to me about you; nor did Brother Hopkins say anything more than you heard. Have a care of evil surmising. If you can provide preaching for the Sundays during the Conference, you may come to Bristol. -- I am Your affectionate brother.

To his Niece Sarah Wesley Date: LONDON, July 13, 1790. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1790) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SALLY, -- As my friends would take no denial I stole two or three days to see them, only by adding an hundred and fifty miles to my journey. If my life is prolonged till October, I hope we shall meet then. If not, we shall meet in a better place. It is remarkable that you should be at that gentleman's house. I do not remember I ever saw him but once. That was when I was at Temple Church, and he was laughing and making sport most of the time. [Mr. L-----. See letter of July 31 to her.] If you had covered the wound with white paper wetted with spittle, it would have stuck on till you was well. 'Perhaps it might still. But if not, the coal poultice will cure you in a few days. Pound common coal at fire; sift it through a sieve; mix this powder with warm water; put this poultice, half an inch thick, into a linen between on the sore, changing it every four-and-twenty hours. But you will have need of patience. -- I am, my dear Sally, Yours most affectionately.

To Sarah Rutter Date: BRISTOL, July 27, 1790. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1790) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SISTER, -- I thank you for forwarding me the account of your brother's death. There is something in it very remarkable. You do well in taking care of the lambs of the flock. See that you never be weary of that labor of love. [See letters of Dec. 5, 1789, and Oct. 18, 1790.] Mr. Jenkins will stay with you another year. I hope you can now give God your whole heart. O let not your sisters stay behind you. -- I am, dear Sally, Yours affectionately.

To Thomas Taylor Date: NORWICH, October 14, 1790. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1790) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR TOMMY, -- It is a pity that good and useful man should be torn away from the people. But we know no way to help it. So 'what can't be cured must be endured.' According to your account, Brother Shaw [Thomas Shaw, his colleague in Hull, was 'remarkable for dis- interestedness and zeal'; he died in 1801.] and his wife have seventeen pounds a year. My judgment is, and yours was, that . . . out of the common stock. But I think one that has as much or more already cannot honestly demand or receive anything out of it. Peace be with you and yours! -- I am, dear Tommy, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To his Niece Sarah Wesley Date: HINXWORTH, October 27, 1790. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1790) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR SALLY, -- I am glad you have found benefit at Margate; and am persuaded the sea and the journey together will help you, not only as to your particular complaint but as to your health in general. On Saturday I am to return to London, and to remain a fortnight before I begin my next journey. So you should contrive to be with us when you can. You know you are always welcome. I [stay] here to write two or three lines before I set out for Bedford, [He left Hinxworth at twelve that morning for Bedford.] lest you should fear your letter had miscarried. -- Dear Sally, adieu!

To George Holder Date: LONDON, October 30, 1790. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1790) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR GEORGE, -- The Assistant in every circuit (not the leaders) is to determine how each Preacher is to travel. If Jonathan Hern [His colleague in the Dales Circuit. See letter of Nov. 8.] will not or cannot take his turn with his fellow laborers, I must send another that will. I do not like dividing circuits. Could not three or more of the northern places be added to the Sunderland or Newcastle circuits, in order to lessen yours and bring it into a six weeks' circuit Pray send me the manner of your traveling through your circuit. I think I shall order it better. -- I am, with love to Sister Holder, dear George, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Sarah Mallet Date: NEAR LONDON, December 13, 1790. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1790) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR SALLY,--I am glad you put me in mind of the books. Brother George Whitfield had quite forgotten them. I will refresh his memory. Tell me of anything you want, and I love you too well to let you want long. Some time ago it seems you had suffered that word to slip out of your mind, 'My child, if thou wilt serve the Lord, prepare thy soul for temptation.' Particularly if thou wilt exhort others to serve Him then expect a flood of temptation. That which you mention is common to man; but when Satan attacks us so violently, he provokes to jealousy One that is stronger than he. I am glad that you have been at and about Diss, and there is a good understanding between you and your sister. [Elizabeth Reeve. See letter of July 31.] Let that be the only contention between you, which shall be most zealous and most humble. I was well pleased when together to find that you could speak to me without reserve, as I trust you will always do. For has not God given me to you for a tender guard of your youth And I believe you will find few that will watch over you more tenderly than, dear Sally, Yours affectionately.

To Richard Rodda Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1791) Author: John Wesley --- LONDON [January]. 1791. DEAR RICHARD, -- It was madness to make that matter up. I would rather have thrown it into Chancery. [See letter of Nov. 20, 1789, to him.] Charles Bond is determined, it is plain, to sell the Methodists for a wife. I do not see how you can help it. Sammy and you have done your pain. His blood is not upon your head. [Samuel Bradburn was Rodda's colleague. Bond, fourth preacher in the Manchester Circuit, was stationed at Coventry in 1791, at Norwich in 1791, and in 1793 'desisted from traveling.' See letter of July 7, 1786.] Perhaps greater consequences than yet appear may follow from the dissentions at Mr. Bayley's chapel. [Dr. Cornelius Bayley. See letter of Oct. 12, 1778.] However, it is your duty to go straight forward, breathing nothing but peace and love. I do not depend upon taking any more journeys. But if my life is prolonged I shall probably be at Manchester about the usual time. Peace be with you all! -- I am, dear brother, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To John Fry Date: CITY ROAD, January 1, 1791. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1791) Author: John Wesley --- MY FRIEND, -- The sum of what I said to you and to Dr. Hamilton was this: 'I will revise that part of the Ecclesiastical History; and if I am convinced any of it is wrong, I will openly retract it.' I have revised it again and again, but I am not convinced that any part of it is wrong; on the contrary, I am fully persuaded it is all the naked truth. What the Quakers (so called) are or do now is nothing to the purpose, I am thoroughly persuaded they were exactly such as they are described in this History. Your present summary exactly answers the account Barclay's Apology given in the 135th page of the History. O be content! I love you well; do not constrain me to speak. I do not want to say anything of George Fox; but I hope he was stark mad when he wrote that medley of nonsense, blasphemy, and scurrility styled his 'Great Mystery.' But I love and esteem you and many of the present Quakers; and am Your real friend.

To Adam Clarke Date: LONDON, January 3, 1791. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1791) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR ADAM, -- I suppose the account sent to Mr. Mather concerning your running so much in debt was not sent out of love. I am glad you have cleared up the matter. So let it die and be forgot. But you startle me when you talk of grieving so much for the death of an infant. [His eldest girl died on Dec. 16, and he was suffering from rheumatic affection in the head. See letter of Jan. 18 to Mrs. Clarke.] This was certainly a proof of inordinate affection; and if you love them thus all your children will die. How did Mr. De Renty behave when he supposed his wife to be dying This is a pattern for a Christian. Be firm and duly attend St. Patrick's once a month. But you forgot to send me your thoughts on Magnetism. [See letters of April 14, 1790, and Feb. 9, 1791.] John Bredin is a weak brother. Let him not complain. He behaved ill both at Jersey and Guernsey. Pray let him behave well now; the past will be forgotten. -- I am, dear Adam, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To James Macdonald Date: LONDON, January 18, 1791. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1791) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, -- I am glad to hear that the work of God is so prosperous at Newry. Continue to seek Him by fasting, and you shall see still greater things than these. Take care to keep as exact an account as you can of everything that occurs. The verses are worthy to be inserted in the Arminian Magazine. I should be glad to be acquainted with the author of them; but I hardly think either she or you will see me any more in this world. [See letter of Oct. 23, 1790.] Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Robert Dull Date: LONDON, January 19, 1791. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1791) Author: John Wesley --- DEAR ROBERT, -- Certainly Calvinism is the direct antidote to Methodism -- that is, heart religion, and I think it would not be amiss if you presented, where you see proper, the Dialogue between a Predestinarian and his Friend. I am glad you have wrote to Joseph Cole. His visit to Melrose will not be in vain. And it is a good omen that God has provided you with an able curate. Although my health is better now for several days than it has been for several months, yet I much doubt whether I shall attempt to cross the sea any more; my last voyage discomposed me so much. But if I cannot reach Ireland, I am in hope my strength will suffice for visiting Scotland. Probably we shall have a little conference at Edinburgh in spring. -- I am, with love to Sister Dall, dear Robert, Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Ezekiel Cooper, of Philadelphia Date: NEAR LONDON, February 1, 1791. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1791) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR BROTHER, -- Those that desire to write or say anything to me have no time to lose; for time has shaken me by the hand and death is not far behind. But I have reason to be thankful for the time that is past: I felt few of the infirmities of old age for fourscore and six years. It was not till a year and a half ago that my strength and my sight failed. And still I am enabled to scrawl a little, and to creep, though I cannot run. Probably I should not be able to do so much did not many of you assist me by your prayers. I have given a distinct account of the work of God which has been wrought in Britain and Ireland for more than half a century. We want some of you to give us a connected relation of what our Lord has been doing in America from the time that Richard Boardman accepted the invitation and left his country to serve you. See that you never give place to one thought of separating from your brethren in Europe. Lose no opportunity of declaring to all men that the Methodists are one people in all the world; and that it is their full determination so to continue, Though mountains rise, and oceans roll, To sever us in vain. To the care of our common Lord I commit you; and am Your affectionate friend and brother.

To Henry Moore Date: LONDON, February 6, 1791. Source: The Letters of John Wesley (1791) Author: John Wesley --- MY DEAR HENRY, -- So good Mr. Easterbrook has got the start of us. Let us follow him as he followed Christ. Let the service begin at [ten or eleven] if the leaders think it best. I hope to be in Bath the first Monday in March (to-morrow three weeks); and am, with love to my dear Nancy, Your affectionate friend and brother.

Both at eight, at eleven, at two, and at five, God was eminently present in the congregation; filling their hearts with love, and their mouths with praise. In some of the following days I visited the country societies. Friday, 30. After preaching at the Foundery in the evening, I met the Bands as usual. While a poor woman was speaking a few artless words out of the fulness of her heart, a fire kindled, and ran, as flame among the stubble, through the hearts of almost all that heard: So, when God is pleased to work, it matters not how weak, or how mean, the instrument. Sat. 31.--I spent an hour with one who was as hot as any of the lambs at the Tabernacle; but she is now a calm, reason able woman. Indeed God has now breathed a spirit of love and peace into all that remain united together. Those who are otherwise minded have left us. Sun. FEBRUARY 1.--Many were comforted and strength ened both at the Lord’s Supper, and at the evening service. I think all jealousies and misunderstandings are now vanished, and the whole society is well knit together. How long will they continue so, considering the unparalleled fickleness of the people in these parts? That God knows. However, he does work now, and we rejoice therein. Mon. 2.--I left them with a cheerful heart, and rode on to Lakenheath. The congregation was large, but to this day there was no society. So, after preaching, I explained the nature of a society, and examined those who were willing to join together. Near half of them had known the love of God, and seemed alive to him. Tues. 3.--About noon I preached at Harston, five miles beyond Cambridge. Here Mr. Berridge's labour has not been in vain. Several have found peace with God; and a more artless, loving people I have seldom seen. They were gathered from all parts. It pleased God to give a manifesta tion of his love to one woman in the midst of the sermon. She praised God aloud, and inflamed many hearts with love and thankfulness. In the evening I preached at Melbourn, another small town, 40 REv. J. WESLEY’s [Feb. 1761. about four miles from Harston.

I believe many were wounded, and some much comforted. Perhaps this town will not be quite so furious as it has been. In the evening we had abundance of genteel people at Manchester, while I described faith as “the evidence of things not seen.” I left Manchester in the morning, APRIL 1, in a better condition than ever I knew it before; such is the shaking, not only among the dry bones, but likewise among the living souls. About noon I preached at Little-Leigh and at Chester in the evening. Thursday, 2. I rode over to Tattenhall, eight or nine miles from Chester. When we came, the town seemed to be all in an uproar; yet when I began preaching, (in the open air, the House not being large enough to contain one quarter of the congregation,) none opposed, or made the least 50 REv. J. wesLEY’s [April, 1761. disturbance, the fear of God falling upon them. I think Tattenhall will be less bitter for the time to come. Well may Satan be angry with field-preaching ! Fri. 3.--I preached, about one, at Mould, in Flintshire, and was again obliged to preach abroad, though the wind was exceeding rough. All were deeply attentive. I preached in the evening at Chester, and in the morning set out for Liverpool: I came thither (preaching at Warrington by the way) in the evening. The election seemed to have driven the common sort of people out of their senses. But on Sunday they were tolerably recovered, and the town looked like itself. I heard two useful sermons at our parish church: One upon, “Follow peace with all men, and holiness;” the other on, “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord.” I pity those who “can learn nothing at church.” Mon. 13.--I left them at Liverpool, a little increased in number, but very considerably in strength; being now entirely united together in judgment, as well as in affection. About noon, I preached to a serious congregation at Downham-Green, near Wigan; but to a far more serious one in the evening, at Bolton. I find few places like this; all disputes are forgot; and the Christians do indeed love one another. When I visited the classes, on Wednesday, 15, I did not find a disorderly walker among them; no, nor a trifler. They appeared to be, one and all, seriously seeking salvation. Thur.

Thur. 16.--After preaching at noon, I rode to Lower Darwen, near Blackburn, where a large congregation behaved with deep seriousness. Leaving honest Mr. Grimshaw to preach in the morning, I set out early, and in the evening reached a little quiet house a few miles beyond Kendal, to which, I believe, we did not come in vain. The man of the house, having been long ill, was thankful for advice with regard to his bodily disorder. And his guests appeared right willing to receive some advice with respect to their souls. Sat. 18.--We were soon lost on the mountains; but in an hour we found a cottage, and a good woman, who bade her son “take the galloway and guide them to the fell foot.” There we met a poor man just coming from a Doctor, who, I think, had quite mistaken his case. Perhaps his meeting us may save his life. He piloted us over the next mountain, the like to which I never beheld either in Wales or Germany. As we April, 1761.] JOURNAL, 51 were climbing the third, a man overtook us, who was going the same road. So he accompanied us till we were in a plain, level way, which in three hours brought us to Whitehaven. Sun. 19.--I preached morning and evening at the Gins, to far more people than the house would have contained. At one I preached in the assembly-room at Workington. The whole congregation behaved well; though I could not perceive that the greater part of them understood any thing of the matter. Wed. 22.--About noon I preached at Branthwayte, and in the evening at Lorton. Who would imagine that Deism should find its way into the heart of these enormous moun tains? Yet so it is. Yea, and one who once knew the love of God is a strenuous advocate for it. Sat. 25.--As the people at Whitehaven are usually full of zeal, right or wrong, I this evening showed them the nature of Christian zeal. Perhaps some of them may now distinguish the flame of love, from a fire kindled in hell. Sun. 26.--I preached in the morning at the Gins; in the Room at one; and about five at Cockermouth, on the steps of the market-house. Even the genteel hearers were decent; many of the rest seemed deeply affected. The people of the town have never been uncivil.

10.--I had designed to preach near the Infirmary; but some of the managers would not suffer it. So I preached in our Room, morning and evening, even to the rich and honourable. And I bear them witness, they will endure plain dealing, whether they profit by it or not. Mon. 11.--I took my leave of Edinburgh for the present. The situation of the city, on a hill shelving down on both sides, as well as to the east, with the stately castle upon a craggy rock on the west, is inexpressibly fine. And the main street, so broad and finely paved, with the lofty houses on either hand, (many of them seven or eight stories high,) is far beyond any in Great Britain. But how can it be suffered, that all manner of filth should still be thrown even into this street continually? Where are the Magistracy, the Gentry, the Nobility of the land? Have they no concern for the honour of their nation? How long shall the capital city of Scotland, yea, and the chief street of it, stink worse than a common-sewer? Will no lover of his country, or of decency and common sense, find a remedy for this? Holyrood-House, at the entrance of Edinburgh, the ancient Palace of the Scottish Kings, is a noble structure. It was rebuilt and furnished by King Charles the Second. One side of it is a picture-gallery, wherein are pictures of all the Scottish Kings, and an original one of the celebrated Queen Mary: It is scarce possible for any who looks at this to think her such a monster as some have painted her; nor indeed for any who considers the circumstances of her death, equal to that of an ancient martyr. I preached in the evening at Musselburgh, and at five in the morning. Then we rode on to Haddington, where (the rain driving me in) I preached between nine and ten in Provost Dickson's parlour. About one I preached at North-Berwick, a pretty large town, close to the sea-shore; and at seven in the evening, (the rain continuing,) in the House at Dunbar. May, 1761.] JOURNAL. 55 Wed. 13.--It being a fair, mild evening, I preached near the quay to most of the inhabitants of the town, and spoke full as plain as the evening before.

Here we were under a difficulty again: Not half the people could come in, and the rain forbade my preaching without. But at one (the hour of preaching) the rain stopped, and did not begin again till past two; so the people stood very conveniently in the yard; and many did not care to go away. When I went in, June, 1761.] JOURNAL, 63 they crowded to the door and windows, and stayed till I took horse. At seven I preached at Yarm, and desired one of our brethren to take my place in the morning. Sat. 20.--At noon I applied those words, “Now abide faith, hope, love; but the greatest of these is love.” This evening also it rained at Hutton-Rudby, till seven, the hour of preaching: But God heard the prayer; and from the time I began we had only some scattering drops. After sermon the society alone filled the new preaching-house; so mightily has the word of God prevailed since Alexander Mather laboured here. Sun. 21.--I preached to a larger congregation than in the evening, on, “Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the children of God!” I then rode to Osmotherley, where the Minister read Prayers seriously, and preached an useful sermon. After service I began in the church-yard: I believe many were wounded and many comforted. After dinner I called on Mr. Adams, who first invited me to Osmotherley. He was reading the strange account of the two Missionaries who have lately made such a figure--in the newspapers. I suppose the whole account is just such another gross imposition upon the public as the man’s gathering the people together to see him go into the quart bottle. “Men seven hundred years old !” And why not seven yards high? He that can believe it, let him believe it. At five I preached at Potto, a mile from Hutton. When I began I was extremely weak; but God renewed my strength, and so applied his word, that it seemed as if every one must believe it. But the Scripture cannot be broken: Some seed will still fall “by the way side,” and some “on stony ground.” Mon. 22.--I spoke, one by one, to the society at Hutton Rudby. They were about eighty in number; of whom near seventy were believers, and sixteen (probably) renewed in love.

2.--I set out early for North-Cave, twenty computed miles from York. I preached there at nine to a deeply serious congregation, and was much refreshed. At two I preached to such another congregation at Thorpe, and concluded the day by preaching and meeting the society at Pocklington. Fri. 3.--We returned to York, where I was desired to call upon a poor prisoner in the Castle. I had formerly occasion to take notice of an hideous monster, called, a Chancery Bill; I now saw the fellow to it, called, a Declara tion. The plain fact was this: Some time since a man who lived near Yarm assisted others in running some brandy. His share was worth near four pounds. After he had wholly left off that bad work, and was following his own business, that of a weaver, he was arrested, and sent to York gaol; and, not long after, comes down a Declaration, “that Jac. Wh had landed a vessel laded with brandy and Geneva, at the port of London, and sold them there, whereby he was indebted to His Majesty five hundred and seventy-seven pounds and upwards.” And to tell this worthy story, the Lawyer takes up thirteen or fourteen sheets of treble stamped paper. O England, England! will this reproach never be rolled away from thee? Is there any thing like this to be found, 66 REv. J. wrsLEY’s [July, 1761. either among Papists, Turks, or Heathens? In the name of truth, justice, mercy, and common sense, I ask, 1. Why do men lie for lying sake? Is it only to keep their hands in 7 What need else, of saying it was the port of London, when every one knew the brandy was landed above three hundred miles from thence? What a monstrous contempt of truth does this show, or rather hatred to it ! 2. Where is the justice of swelling four pounds into five hundred and seventy-seven ? 3. Where is the common sense of taking up fourteen sheets to tell a story that may be told in ten limes? 4. Where is the mercy of thus grinding the face of the poor? thus sucking the blood of a poor, beggared prisoner?

thus sucking the blood of a poor, beggared prisoner? Would not this be execrable villany, if the paper and writing together were only six-pence a sheet, when they have stripped him already of his little all, and not left him fourteen groats in the world? Sun. 5.--Believing one hinderance of the work of God in York, was the neglect of field-preaching, I preached this morning at eight, in an open place, near the city walls. Abundance of people ran together, most of whom were deeply attentive. One or two only were angry, and threw a few stones; but it was labour lost; for none regarded them. Mon. 6.--I rode to Tadcaster, and preached within, the rain not suffering us to be abroad, as I intended. In the evening I preached at Otley, and afterwards talked with many of the society. There is reason to believe that ten or twelve of these are filled with the love of God. I found one or two more the next day at Fewston, a few miles north of Otley, (where I preached at noon,) whom God had raised up to witness the same good confession. And, indeed, the whole congregation seemed just ripe for receiving all the promises. Wed. 8.--I rode to Knaresborough, where it was expected we should not meet with so friendly a reception. But the Lord is King. Our own House being too small, I preached in the assembly-room. Most of the people looked wild enough when they came in; but they were tame before they went out; and behaved as decently and seriously as the congregation at Otley. Indeed, the mob never was so furious here, as they were formerly at Otley; where the good Magistrate directed, “Do what you will to them, so you break no bones.” But may not a man cut his neighbour's throat without breaking his bones? July, 1761.] JOURNAL, 67 The remaining part of this week I preached at Guiseley, Bingley, and Keighley. Sunday, 12. I had appointed to be at Haworth; but the church would not near contain the people who came from all sides: However, Mr. Grimshaw had provided for this by fixing a scaffold on the outside of one of the windows through which I went after Prayers, and the people likewise all went out into the church-yard. The afternoon congregation was larger still.

Saturday, JULY 3. I met the society, and inquired what July, 1762.] JOURNAL. 99 each was willing to subscribe: A considerable sum was subscribed immediately. Sunday, 4, was a day of solemn joy, equal to any I had seen in Dublin. At the love-feast in the evening, it appeared that God had now visited Limerick also. Five persons desired to return thanks to God, for a clear sense of his pardoning love: Several others, for an increase of faith, and for deliverance from doubts and fears. And two gave a plain, simple account, of the manner wherein God had cleansed their hearts, so that they now felt no anger, pride, or self-will; but continual love, and prayer, and praise. Mon. 5.--I rode to Clonmell; and preached in the evening, near the barrack-gate, to a wild, staring multitude, many of whom would have been rude enough, but they stood in awe of the soldiers. Tues. 6.--I rode to Carrick-on-Suir. Having been informed there was one family here also, wherein both the man and his wife feared God, I immediately sent to the house: The woman presently came, from whom I learned, that her husband died the Saturday before, and left her with nothing but four little children, and an unshaken confidence in God. Her words, her look, her whole carriage, were of a piece, and showed the dignity of Christian sorrow. I could not but admire, that God should send me just at such a time ! And her tears were turned into tears of joy. In the evening I preached at Waterford, in a court adjoining to the main street. Wednesday, 7. Four of the Whiteboys, lately condemned for breaking open houses, were executed. They were all, notwithstanding the absolution of their Priest, ready to die for fear of death. Two or three of them laid fast hold on the ladder, and could not be persuaded to let it go. One in particular gave such violent shrieks, as might be heard near a mile off. O what but love can cast out the fear of death ! And how inexpressibly miserable is that bondage | On this, and the two following days, God remembered poor Waterford also. Several backsliders were healed; many awoke out of sleep; and some mightily rejoiced in God their Saviour. Sat.

One of them already rejoices in God; the other mourns and will not be comforted: But the women are gone: They put away the accursed thing immediately. “I had much fear about the children, lest our labour should July, 1762.] JOURNAL. 105 be lost upon them; but I find we shall reap if we faint not. Margaret Roper, about cight years old, has been thoughtful for some time. The other day, while they were at family prayer, she burst into tears and wept bitterly. They asked, what was the matter. She said she was a great sinner, and durst not pray. They bade her go to bed. She no sooner came into the chamber, than she began crying, and clapping her hands, so that they heard her across the street; but God soon bound up her broken heart. Being asked how she felt herself, she said, “Ten times better. Now I can love God. I wish you would sit up and sing with me all might. She has been happy ever since, and as serious as one of forty.” “July 3.--Our joy is now quite full. The flame rises higher and higher. Since Saturday last, eight sinners more are freely justified, and two more renewed in love. Our House was once large enough; now it is scarce able to contain us: And we have not many in the society, who are not either wrestling with God for his love, or rejoicing therein.” Thus far the account of John Manners, quite unadorned, but plain and sensible. Upon farther examination I found three or four and forty in Dublin, who seemed to enjoy the pure love of God: At least forty of these had been set at liberty within four months. Some others, who had received the same blessing, were removed out of the city. The same, if not a larger number, had found remission of sins. Nor was the hand of the Lord shortened yet: He still wrought as swiftly as ever. In some respects the work of God in this place was more remarkable than even that in London. 1. It is far greater, in proportion to the time, and to the number of people. That society had above seven-and-twenty hundred members; this not a fifth part of the number. Six months after the flame broke out there, we had about thirty witnesses of the great salvation.

I see, wherever this is not done, the believers grow dead and cold. Nor can this be prevented, but by keeping up in them an hourly expectation of being perfected in love. I say an hourly expectation; for to expect it at death, or some time hence, is much the same as not expecting it at all. Fri. 17.--At one I preached in Illogan; at six near Red ruth, at a gentleman’s house, in a large court, shaded with trees. It was so calm that hardly a leaf moved. Saturday, 18. I preached once more in the street at Redruth, and in St. Agnes in the evening. I preached again at eight in the morning, and afterwards heard an excellent sermon at church, preached by the Rector, Mr. Walker, elder brother to the late Mr. Walker of Truro. He likewise gave notice of his design to preach, in the afternoon, a funeral sermon for Mr. Phelps, his late Curate, a man eminently humble, serious, and zealous for God. He was snatched away by a fever three weeks since, 114 REv. J. weslEY’s [Sept. 1762. as was his predecessor, Mr. Vowler, three or four years before; another upright, zealous servant of God, and indefatigable in his labour. How strange a providence is this ! Who can account for it? Did the God of love take them away, that they might not, out of zeal for him, continue to oppose their fellow-labourers in the Gospel? Mr. Walker gave him his due praise, in a strong and pathetic sermon, well wrote and well pronounced; concluding with, “God grant me, (and I believe you will all join in the petition,) like him to live, like him to die.” Just as the Service was ended, it began to rain. The wind also was exceeding high; this created some difficulty. No house could contain the people, neither could I preach, as before, on the top of the hill. I therefore made a halt at the bottom. The congregation gathered round me in a few minutes. We were tolerably sheltered from the wind, and the rain ceased till I had done. I particularly advised all that feared God to confirm their love to each other, and to provoke each other, not to doubtful disputations, but to love, and to good works.

“4. He was by me (by those who did it at my instance) recommended to the Bishop of Derry, to be ordained Priest, who told him then, (I had it from his own mouth,) ‘Mr. M , I ordain you to assist that good man, that he may not work himself to death.’- “5. When, a few years ago, many censured him much, I continually and strenuously defended him; though to the , disgusting several of the Preachers, and a great number of the people. “6. I disgusted them, not barely by defending him, but by commending him in strong terms, from time to time, both in public and private, with regard to his uprightness, as well as usefulness. “7. All this time Mr. M was complaining (of which I was frequently informed by those to whom he spoke) that he was never so ill persecuted by the rabble in Cornwall, as by me and my brother. “8. Four or five years since, a few persons were appointed to meet weekly at the Foundery. When I left London, I left these under Mr. M.'s care, desiring them to regard him just as they did me. “9. Not long after I was gone, some of these had dreams, visions, or impressions, as they thought, from God. Mr. M. did not put a stop to these; rather he encouraged them. “10. When I returned, I opposed them with my might, and in a short time heard no more of them. Meanwhile I defended and commended Mr. M., as before; and when I left the town again, left them again under his care. “ll. Presently visions and revelations returned: Mr. M. did not discourage them. Herewith was now joined a contempt of such as had them not, with a belief that they were proofs of the highest grace. “12. Some of our Preachers opposed them roughly. At this they took fire, and refused to hear them preach, but crowded after Mr. M. He took no pains to quench the fire, 132 REv. J. WESLEY’s [April, 1763. but rather availed himself of it to disunite them from other Preachers, and attach them to himself. He likewise continu ally told them they were not to be taught by man, especially by those who had less grace than themselves.

Soon after we had put off, I perceived it leaked on all sides, nor had we anything to lade out the water. When we came toward the middle of the river, which was three miles over, the wind being high, and the water rough, our boatmen seemed a little surprised; but we encouraged them to pull away, and in less than half an hour we landed safe. Our horses were brought after us; and the next day we rode on to Kinghorn-Ferry, and had a pleasant passage to Leith. Sun. 29.--I preached at seven in the High-School yard at Edinburgh. It being the time of the General Assembly, which drew together, not the Ministers only, but abundance of the Nobility and Gentry, many of both sorts were present; but abundantly more at five in the afternoon. I spake as plain as ever I did in my life. But I never knew any in Scotland offended at plain dealing. In this respect the North Britons are a pattern to all mankind. Mon. 30.--I rode to Dunbar. In the evening it was very June, 1763.] JOURNAL. 135 cold, and the wind was exceeding high: Nevertheless, I would not pen myself up in the Room, but resolved to preach in the open air. We saw the fruit: Many attended, notwithstanding the cold, who never set foot in the Room; and I am still persuaded much good will be done here, if we have zeal and patience. Tues. 31.--I rode to Alnwick, and was much refreshed among a people who have not the form only, but the spirit, of religion, fellowship with God, the living power of faith divine. Wednesday, JUNE 1. I went on to Morpeth, and preached in a ground near the town, to far the most serious congregation which I had ever seen there. At one I preached to the loving colliers in Placey, and in the evening at Newcastle. Sat. 4.--I rode, though much out of order, to Sunderland, and preached in the evening at the Room. I was much worse in the night, but toward morning fell into a sound sleep, and was refreshed. Sunday, 5. I designed to preach abroad this morning; but the wind and rain hindered. So at eight I preached in the Room again, purposing to preach in the street at noon; but Mr.

I have no right so to judge, nor authority so to speak. I will rather say, “She was unfaithful to the grace of God, and so cast away what was really given.” Therefore that way of talking which has been very common, of staying “to see if the gift be really given,” which some take to be exceeding wise, I take to be exceeding foolish. If a man says, “I now feel mothing but love,” and I know him to be an honest man, I believe him. What then should I stay to see? Not whether he has such a blessing, but whether he will keep it. There is something remarkable in the manner wherein God revived his work in these parts. A few months ago the generality of people in this Circuit were exceeding lifeless. Samuel Meggot, perceiving this, advised the society at Barnard-Castle to observe every Friday with fasting and prayer. The very first Friday they met together, God broke in upon them in a wonderful manner; and his work has been increasing among them ever since. The neigh bouring societies heard of this, agreed to follow the same rule, and soon experienced the same blessing. Is not the neglect of this plain duty (I mean, fasting, ranked by our Lord with almsgiving and prayer) one general occasion of deadness among Christians? Can any one willingly neglect it, and be guiltless? In the evening I preached at Yarm; but I found the good doctrine of Christian Perfection had not been heard of there for some time. The wildness of our poor brethren in London has put it out of countenance above two hundred miles off; so these strange advocates for perfection have given it a deeper wound than all its enemies together could do! June, 1763.] JOURNAL, 137 Wed. 8.--Just as I began preaching (in the open air, the Room being too small even for the morning congregation) the rain began; but it stopped in two or three minutes, I am persuaded, in answer to the prayer of faith.

Clare, intending to lodge there; but the inn was quite full: So we concluded to try for Larn, though we knew not the way, and it was now quite dark. Just then came up an honest man who was riding thither, and we willingly bore him company. Sun. 21.--It rained almost all the morning. However, we reached Tenby about eleven. The rain then ceased, and I preached at the Cross to a congregation gathered from many miles round. The sun broke out several times and shone hot in my face, but never for two minutes together. About five I preached to a far larger congregation at Pembroke. A few gay people behaved ill at the beginning; but in a short time they lost their gaiety, and were as serious as their neighbours. Wed. 24.--I rode over to Haverfordwest. Finding it was the Assize week, I was afraid the bulk of the people would be too busy to think about hearing sermons. But I was mistaken; 144 REv. J. wesley’s [Aug. 1763. I have not seen so numerous a congregation since I set out of London; and they were, one and all, deeply attentive. Surely some will bring forth fruit. Thur. 25.--I was more convinced than ever, that the preaching like an Apostle, without joining together those that are awakened, and training them up in the ways of God, is only begetting children for the murderer. How much preaching has there been for these twenty years all over Pembrokeshire! But no regular societies, no discipline, no order or connexion; and the consequence is, that nine in ten of the once-awakened are now faster asleep than ever. Fri. 26.--We designed to take horse at four, but the rain poured down, so that one could scarce look out. About six, however, we set out, and rode through heavy rain to St. Clare. Having then little hopes of crossing the sands, we determined to go round by Carmarthen; but the hostler told us we might save several miles, by going to Llansteffan's Ferry. We came thither about noon, where a good woman informed us the boat was aground, and would not pass till the evening: So we judged it best to go by Carmarthen still. But when we had rode three or four miles, I recollected that I had heard speak of a ford, which would save us some miles’ riding.

John. How plain, how full, and how deep a compendium of genuine Christianity Sat. 3.--I described the one undivided “fruit of the Spirit; ” one part of which men are continually labouring to separate from the other; but it cannot be ; none can retain peace or joy without meekness and long-suffering; nay, nor without fidelity and temperance. Unless we have the whole, we cannot long retain any part of it. Sun. 4.--I preached on the quay, where multitudes attended who would not have come to the other end of the city. In the afternoon I preached near the new Square. I find no other way to reach the outcasts of men. And this way God has owned, and does still own, both by the conviction and conversion of sinners. Wed, 7.--I preached at Pensford about eight, and it began raining almost as soon as I began preaching; but I think none went away. At noon I preached at Shepton-Mallet, to a numerous, nay, and serious, congregation; and about six in a meadow at Wincanton. I suppose this was the first field-preaching which had been there. However, the people were all quiet, and the greater part deeply attentive. Thur. 8.--At nine I preached in the same place, to a far more serious audience. Between eleven and twelve I preached at Westcomb, and in the evening at Frome. How zealous to hear are these people; and yet how little do they profit by hearing ! I think this will not always be the case. By and by we shall rejoice over them. Wed. 14.--I preached at Bath, on, “Now is the day of salvation.” I was afterwards not a little refreshed by the conversation of one lately come from London, notwith standing an irregularity of thought, almost peculiar to herself. How much preferable is her irregular warmth, to the cold wisdom of them that despise her ! How gladly would I be as she is, taking her wildness and fervour together | In the evening the congregation at Coleford was all alive, and great part of them were present again in the morning. Sept. 1763.] JOURNAL, 147 The next evening we had a love-feast, at which many were not able to contain their joy and desire, but were constrained to cry aloud, and praise God for the abundance of his mercies. Sat. 17.--I preached on the Green at Bedminster.

1764.] JOURNAL, 159 water was like a sea on both sides. I asked the ferryman, “Can we ride the causeway?” He said, “Yes, Sir; if you keep in the middle.” But this was the difficulty, as the whole causeway was covered with water to a considerable depth. And this in many parts ran over the causeway with the swift ness and violence of a sluice. Once my mare lost both her fore feet, but she gave a spring, and recovered the causeway: Otherwise we must have taken a swim; for the water on either side was ten or twelve feet deep. However, after one or two plunges more, we got through, and came safe to Witney. The congregation in the evening, as well as the next day, was both large and deeply attentive. This is such a people as I have not seen,--so remarkably diligent in business, and, at the same time, of so quiet a spirit, and so calm and civil in their behaviour. Thur. 19.--I rode through Oxford to Henley. The people here bear no resemblance to those of Witney. I found a wild, staring congregation, many of them void both of common sense and common decency. I spoke exceeding plain to them all, and reproved some of them sharply. Friday, 20. I took (probably my final) leave of Henley, and returned to London. Mon. 23.--I rode to Sundon, and preached in the evening to a very quiet and very stupid people. How plain is it, that even to enlighten the understanding is beyond the power of man After all our preaching here, even those who have constantly attended no more understand us than if we had preached in Greek. Thur. 26.--Returning from Bedford, I tried another way to reach them. I preached on, “Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched;” and set before them the terrors of the Lord, in the strongest manner I was able. It seemed to be the very thing they wanted. They not only listened with the deepest attention, but appeared to be more affected than I had ever seen them by any discourse whatever. IVed. FEBRUARY 1.--I buried the remains of William Hurd, a son of affliction for many years, continually struggling with inward and outward trials. But his end was peace. Thur. 2.--I preached again in the Foundery, which had been repairing for several weeks.

That you may comply with this proposal, whether any other does or not. I myself have endeavoured so to do for many years, though I have been almost alone therein, and although many, the more earnestly I talk of peace, the more zealously make themselves ready for battle. I am, Reverend Sir, “Your affectionate Brother, “IT has pleased God to give you both the will and the power to do many things for his glory; although you are often ashamed you have done so little, and wish you could do a thousand times more. This induces me to mention to you what has been upon my mind for many years, and what I am persuaded would be much for the glory of God, if it could once be effected; and I am in great hopes it will be, if you heartily undertake it, trusting in him alone. “Some years since God began a great work in England; but the labourers were few. At first those few were of one heart; but it was not so long. First one fell off, then another and another, till no two of us were left together in the work, besides my brother and me. This prevented much good, and occasioned much evil. It grieved our spirits, and weakened our hands; it gave our common enemies huge occasion to blaspheme. It perplexed and puzzled many sincere Christians; it caused many to draw back to perdition; it grieved the Holy Spirit of God. “As labourers increased, disunion increased. Offences were multiplied; and instead of coming nearer to, they stood farther and farther off from, each other; till, at length, those who were not only brethren in Christ, but fellow-labourers in his Gospel, had no more connexion or fellowship with each other, than Protestants have with Papists. “But ought this to be? Ought not those who are united to one common Head, and employed by Him in one common work, to be united to each other ! I speak now of those labourers who are Ministers of the Church of England. These are chiefly,-- “Mr. Perronet, Romaine, Newton, Shirley; “Mr. Downing, Jesse, Adam; “Mr. Talbot, Riland, Stillingfleet, Fletcher; “Mr. Johnson, Baddily, Andrews, Jane; “Mr. Hart, Symes, Brown, Rouquet; 170 REv. J. wesDEY’s [April, 1764. “Mr. Sellon; “Mr. Venn, Richardson, Burnet, Furly; “Mr. Conyers, Bently, King; “Mr. Berridge, Hicks, J. W., C.

He showed us all his improvements, which are very considerable in every branch of husbandry. In his gardens manythings were more forward than at Aberdeen, yea, or Newcastle. And how is it, that none but one Highland gentleman has discovered that we have a tree in Britain, as easily raised as an ash, the wood of which is of full as fine a red as mahogany? namely, the laburnum. I defy any mahogany to exceed the chairs which he has lately made of this. Tues. 12.--We rode through the pleasant and fertile county of Murray to Elgin. I never suspected before that there was any such country as this near an hundred and fifty miles beyond Edinburgh; a country which is supposed to have generally six weeks more sunshine in a year than any part of Great Britain. At Elgin are the ruins of a noble cathedral; the largest that I remember to have seen in the kingdom. We rode thence to the Spey, the most rapid river, next the Rhine, that I ever saw. Though the water was not breast-high to our horses, they could very hardly keep their feet. We dined at Keith, and rode on to Strathbogie, much improved by the linen manufacture. All the country from Fochabers to Strathbogie has little houses scattered up and down; and not only the valleys, but the mountains themselves, are improved with the utmost care. There want only more trees to make them more pleasant than most of the mountains in England. The June, 1764.] JOURNAL, 183 whole family at our inn, eleven or twelve in number, gladly joined with us in prayer at night. Indeed, so they did at every inn where we lodged; for among all the sins they have imported from England, the Scots have not yet learned, at least not the common people, to scoff at sacred things. Wed. 13.--We reached Aberdeen about one. Between six and seven, both this evening and the next, I preached in the shell of the new House, and found it a time of much consolation. Friday, 15. We set out early, and came to Dundee just as the boat was going off. We designed to lodge at the house on the other side; but could not get either meat, drink, or good words; so we were constrained to ride on to Cupar.

3.--I was reflecting on an odd circumstance, which I cannot account for. I never relish a tune at first hearing, not till I have almost learned to sing it; and as I learn it more per fectly, I gradually lose my relish for it. I observe something similar in poetry; yea, in all the objects of imagination. I seldom relish verses at first hearing; till I have heard them over and over, they give me no pleasure; and they give me next to none when I have heard them a few times more, so as to be quite familiar. Just so a face or a picture, which does not strike me at first, becomes more pleasing as I grow more acquainted with 186 REv. J. Wesley’s [July, 1764. it; but only to a certain point: For when I am too much acquainted, it is no longer pleasing. O, how imperfectly do we understand even the machine which we carry about us! Thur. 5.--I had the comfort of leaving our brethren at Leeds united in peace and love. About one I preached in a meadow at Wakefield. At first the sun was inconvenient; but it was not many minutes before that inconvenience was removed by the clouds coming between. We had not only a larger, but a far more attentive, congregation than ever was seen here before. One, indeed, a kind of gentleman, was walking away with great unconcern, when I spoke aloud, “Does Gallio care for none of these things? But where will you go, with the wrath of God on your head, and the curse of God on your back?” He stopped short, stood still, and went no farther till the sermon was ended. In the evening I preached on the top of the hill near Dewsbury, one of the pleasantest towns in England. The congregation was larger than ever before. They filled the preaching-house at five in the morning. I had purposed to take horse early, to avoid the heat; but was detained till between nine and ten. It was then warm enough, there being no wind, and the sun shining full in our face. However, before one we got to Heptonstall, where I preached in the shell of the new House. After service one brought his daughter to me, who had been ill some months, just like those near Brechin.

There is something not easily explained in the fellowship of the Spirit, which we enjoy with a society of living Christians. You have no need to give up your share therein, and in the various blessings that result from it. You have no need to exclude yourself from the benefit of the advice and exhortations given from time to time. These are by no means to be despised, even supposing you have yourself more understanding than him that gives them. You need not lose the benefit of those prayers which experience shows are attended with a peculiar blessing. “But I do not care to meet a class; I find no good in it.’ Suppose you find even a dislike, a loathing of it; may not this be natural, or even diabolical? In spite of this, break through, make a fair trial. It is but a lion in the way. Meet only six times, (with previous prayer) and see if it do not vanish away. But if it be a cross, still bear it for the sake of your brethren. “But I want to gain my friends and relations. If so, stand firm. If you give way, you hurt them, and they will press upon you the more. If you do not, you will probably gain them; otherwise you confirm both their wrong notions and wrong tempers. Because I love you I have spoken fully and freely; to know that I have not spoken in vain, will be a great satisfaction to “Your affectionate brother, fg J. W.” In the evening I preached at Liverpool, and the next day, Sunday, 15, the House was full enough. Many of the rich and fashionable were there, and behaved with decency. Indeed, I have always observed more courtesy and humanity at Liverpool, than at most sea-ports in England. Mon. 16.--In the evening the House was fuller, if possible, than the night before. I preached on the “one thing needful;” and the rich behaved as seriously as the poor. Only one young gentlewoman (I heard) laughed much. Poor thing! Doubtless she thought, “I laugh prettily.” Tues. 17.--I preached at Warrington. But what a change | No opposer, nor any trifler now !

I stand amazed ! Have landlords no common sense, (whether they have common humanity or no,) that they will suffer such tenants as these to be starved away from them? In the evening I preached at Newmarket, to a larger congregation of Papists as well as Protestants, both in the evening and morning, than I remember to have seen there before. For the present, many were full of good resolutions; and “why should ye revolt any more?” Sunday, 16, was a Sabbath indeed. Both in the morning and afternoon many were filled with consolation. Few were absent at five, Monday, 17, when I cheerfully commended them to the grace of God. Two or three of them were desirous to bear me company for a day’s journey. Before noon we were met by a violent shower, which drove us into a little cabin, where were a company of children, with their mother, grandmother, and great-grand June, 1765.] JOURNAL. 225 mother. They seemed much frighted; but one of our com pany, who spoke Irish, soon took away their fears. We then sang a hymn, and went to prayer. They gaped and stared abundantly; and when we went away, after giving them a small piece of money, followed us with a thousand blessings. At seven I preached in the market-house at Kilfinnan. Well nigh all the town, Irish, English, and Germans, Protestants and Papists, presently gathered together. At first, most of the Papists stood aloof, and so did several of the genteeler people; but by degrees they drew in and mixed with the congregation; and I believe all of them felt that God was there. When I went to my lodging, they crowded after me, so that the house was quickly filled. I exhorted and prayed again, till I found it was full time both for them and me to go to rest.1. To-day I received from Prudence Nixon herself the strange account of her late husband:--In November last, on a Sunday evening, he was uncommonly fervent in prayer, and found such a desire as he never had before, “to depart, and to be with Christ.” In the night she awaked, and found him quite stiff, and without either sense or motion. Supposing him to be either dying or dead, she broke out into a vehement agony of prayer, and cried for half an hour together, “Lord Jesus!

The frozen road being exceeding rough, our machine broke down before day. However, it was patched up, so as to carry us to Budsdale; and in the evening I preached at Yarmouth. The work of God was increasing here, when poor B. W. was converted to Calvin ism. Immediately he declared open war, tore the society in. Feb. 1766.] JOURNAL, 241 pieces, took all he could to himself, wholly quitted the Church, and raised such a scandal as will not soon be removed. Yet doubtless he who turned the young man’s head thinks he has done God service. Thur. 16.--I rode to Norwich, and preached at seven in a large place, called the Priory. The room, I suppose, was formerly the chapel: I like it the better on that account. After spending three days here more agreeably than I had done for many years, on Monday, 20, I left a society of an hundred and seventy members, regular, and well united together. In the evening the machine put up at the White Elm. On Tuesday morning I reached Colchester. I found the society here slowly recovering from the mischief done by offence and disputing together. I had great liberty of speech, both morning and evening; and God seemed strongly to apply his word. Surely they will at length learn to bear one another’s burdens; then will “the desert rejoice, and blossom as the rose.” Fri. 24.--I returned to London. Tuesday, 28. Our brethren met together to consider our temporal affairs. One proposed that we should, in the first place, pay off the debt of the society, which was five hundred pounds. Towards this an hundred and seventy were subscribed immediately. At a second meeting this was enlarged to three hundred and twenty. Surely God will supply the rest. Fri. 31.--Mr. Whitefield called upon me. He breathes nothing but peace and love. Bigotry cannot stand before him, but hides its head wherever he comes. Sun. FEBRUARY 2.--I dined with W. Welsh, the father of the late Society for Reformation of Manners. But that excellent design is at a full stop. They have indeed convicted the wretch who, by wilful perjury, carried the cause against them in Westminster-Hall; but they could never recover the expense of that suit. Lord, how long shall the ungodly triumph? Wed.

Sun. 9.--In the evening I went to Knightsbridge; and in the morning took the machine for Bristol, where I preached (as I had appointed) on Tuesday evening, and met the society. Wednesday, 12. I rode over to Kingswood; and, having told my whole mind to the Masters and servants, spoke to the children in a far stronger manner than ever I did before. I will kill or cure: I will have one or the other, --a Christian school, or none at all. Sun. 16.--I preached in Princes-Street at eight, on, “Awake, thou that sleepest;” and at the Square in the even ing, to a listening multitude, on, “Come, Lord Jesus!” At Kingswood we had such a congregation at ten as has not been there for several years: And I had the satisfaction to find four of our children again rejoicing in the love of God. Mon. 17.--I rode to Stroud, the sun shining as in May. Seventeen such days in the beginning of March, I suppose, few men have known. But on Tuesday the weather entirely 244 REv. J. wesLEY’s [March, 1766. changed; and the piercing north-east wind, this and the two following days, was scarce supportable. At seven I preached in the Room at Painswick, and about ten came to Cheltenham. Here I was in a strait; the House would not hold half the people; and the wind was keen enough. However, I thought this the less evil of the two, and so preached abroad, where we were tolerably sheltered. And I did not observe that any, rich or poor, went away till I concluded. I reached Evesham about five in the evening, and preached about six with tolerable quiet. But as we returned, the mob, encouraged by the wretched Magistrate, were rude and noisy enough. Yet as they neither saluted us with stones, nor dirt, we were well contented. Wed. 19.--We called at a little inn, about sixteen miles from Evesham. But as Duncan Wright and I had our hoods on, the good woman was frighted, and did not care to take us in: So we rode a mile or two farther to another house, where we came in season. After a little talk, the woman of the house said, “I fear it is not so well with me as it was once.

24.--In the afternoon, notice having been given a week before, I went to the Room at Preston-Pans. And I had it all to myself; neither man, woman, nor child, offered to look me in the face: So I ordered a chair to be placed in the street. Then forty or fifty crept together; but they were mere stocks and stones; no more concerned than if I had talked Greek. In the evening I preached in the new Room at Edinburgh, a large and commodious building. Mon. 26.--I spent some hours at the meeting of the National Assembly. I am very far from being of Mr. Whitefield's mind, who greatly commends the solemnity of this meeting. I have seen few less solemn: I was extremely shocked at the behaviour of many of the members. Had any Preacher behaved so at our Conference, he would have had no more place among us. Wed. 28.--I preached at Leith, and spoke exceeding plain. A few received the truth in the love thereof. Sun. JUNE 1.--Many of the Ministers were present at seven, with a large and serious congregation. In the afternoon June, 1766.] JOURNAL, 251 I heard a thundering sermon in the new kirk, occasioned by Mr. Jardin's (a Minister) dropping down dead in the Assembly a day or two before. I preached in the evening on “The Spirit and the Bride say, Come!” A few, I trust, closed with the invitation. Mon. 2.--I came to Dundee, wet enough. But it cleared up in the evening, so that I preached abroad to a large congrega tion, many of whom attended in the morning. Tuesday, 3. The congregation was still larger in the evening, but on Wednesday the rain kept us in the House. Thursday, 5. It being fair, we had a more numerous congregation than ever; to whom, after preaching, I took occasion to repeat most of the plausible objections which had been made to us in Scotland. I then showed our reasons for the things which had been objected to us, and all seemed to be throughly satisfied. The sum of what I spoke was this:-- “I love plain-dealing. Do not you? I will use it now. Bear with me. “I hang out no false colours; but show you all I am, all I intend, all I do.

At one, Robert Williams preached in the market place, to some thousands of people, all quiet and attentive. About five I preached near the town to a willing multitude, many of whom seemed to be cut to the heart. Mon. 30.--About two we reached Penrith. Two of our friends guided us thence to Appleby, a county-town worthy of Ireland, containing, at least, five-and-twenty houses. I was desired to preach here; but, being very wet, I chose to ride on to Arthur Johnson's, near Brough. July, 1766.] JOURNAL, 255 I would willingly have preached, (though we had rode upwards of seventy miles,) but it was a lone house, and there was not time to gather a congregation. Tuesday, JULY 1. The neighbours soon came together, to whom I preached at seven, and then rode on to Barnard-Castle, and met the Stew ards of the societies, greatly increased since I was here before. At six I preached in an open space, adjoining to the preaching house. As the militia were in town, the far greater part of them attended, with a large congregation from town and country. It rained most of the time I was speaking; but, I believe, hardly six persons went away. At the love-feast which fol lowed, several spoke their experience with all simplicity. One poor mourner was set at liberty, and many greatly comforted. Wed. 2.--About noon I preached in Teesdale, and in Weardale at six in the evening. Here a poor woman was brought to us, who had been disordered several years, and was now raving mad. She cursed and blasphemed in a terrible manner, and could not stand or sit still for a moment. However, her husband constrained her to come to the place where I was going to preach; and he held her there by main strength, although she shrieked in the most dreadful manner; but in a quarter of an hour she left off shrieking, and sat motionless and silent, till she began crying to God, which she continued to do, almost without intermission, till we left her. Thur. 3.--We rode through a pleasant vale to Wolsing ham, where I began singing near the middle of the town. A few soon gathered together, and their number increased all the time I was preaching.

Sun. 26.--I preached at West-Street in the morning to a crowded audience, and in the evening at the Foundery. How pleasing would it be to play between Bristol and London, and preach always to such congregations as these ! But what account then should I give of my stewardship when I can “be no longer steward?” Mon. 27.--I rode to Wycombe. The Room was much crowded, and yet could not contain the congregation. In the morning, too, they flocked together in such a manner as had not been seen here before. In the evening I preached at 268 REv. J. wesLEY’s [Nov. 1766. Witney, (where a little company stand fast together,) and thrice the next day, endeavouring to lay “line upon line, and precept upon precept.” Thur. 30.--At one I preached in Wattleton, and thence rode with some difficulty, the wind being exceeding high, over the mountain to Wycombe. The congregation was as before, both for number and earnestness. So, at length we see the fruit of our labour. Fri. 31.--At my return to London, I found it needful to hasten to Leytonstone; but I came too late. Miss Lewen died the day before, after an illness of five days. Some hours before, she witnessed that good confession, Nature's last agony is o'er, And cruel sin subsists no more. Awhile after, she cried out earnestly, “Do you not see him? There he is ! Glory ! glory ! glory ! I shall be with him for ever,-for ever,-for ever !” So died Margaret Lewen | a pattern to all young women of fortune in England: A real Bible Christian. So she “rests from her labours, and her works do follow her.” Sat. NoveMBER 1.--“God, who hath knit together his elect in one communion and fellowship,” gave us a solemn season at West-Street (as usual) in praising him for all his Saints. On this day in particular, I commonly find the truth of these words: The Church triumphant in his love, Their mighty joys we know ; They praise the Lamb in hymns above, And we in hymns below. Mon. 3.--I rode to Brentford, where all was quiet, both in the congregation and the society. Tuesday, 4. I preached at Brentford, Battersea, Deptford, and Welling, and examined the several societies. Wednesday, 5. I rode by Shoreham to Sevenoaks.

I purposed staying only a night; but, observing the number and deep attention of the congregation, I stayed another day, and on Tuesday, 9, 282 REv. J. wesDEY’s [June, 1767. preached in the Exchange again. The hearers were much increased, and all but a few gentlemen, so called, behaved with great seriousness. Wednesday, 10. After preaching to a multitude of people, I took horse, and in the evening of a very hot day reached Waterford. Here I found a small, poor, dead society, and but an handful of even dull, careless hearers. However, I preached in the yard, and found more life among them than I expected. In the morning I spoke to the several members of the society, some of whom seemed much devoted to God. I desired Mr. Morgan to preach at noon. God gave him acceptable words; and the whole congregation, rich and poor, appeared to be greatly moved. They seemed to be still more affected in the evening. What pity, that this should pass away like a cloud! Fri. 12.--We rode to Kilkenny. The sun was exceeding hot; but did not incommode us much, as we had the wind in our face all the way. The congregation at the Town-Hall in the evening was large and tolerably serious; a few of the Gentry excepted, who seemed neither to understand, nor care for any of these things. We had great part of them at five in the morning. At noon, when Mr. Morgan preached, I expected to have seen the largest company of all; but I was mistaken: The ladies could not rise so soon; at least they could not huddle on their clothes fit to be seen. In the evening I spoke exceeding plain, both to the rich and poor: And a few, at least, received the truth in love. But who will endure to the end? Sun. 14.--In the evening I preached at Birr, to a wilder congregation than I ever saw at Kilkenny. However, as I stood near the barracks, the number of soldiers that attended kept them so far in awe, that they durst only laugh and make a little noise, till the whole body of the Papists ran away together. The rest were then tolerably attentive, and grew more and more serious till I concluded. Mon. 15.--I rode through a pleasant and well-cultivated country to Aghrim.

She then went to bed, but could not sleep. While she was meditating on what she had heard, those words were brought to her mind, ‘Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no Physician there?” With the words the Lord spoke peace to her soul; and in one and the same moment all pain and sorrow fled away, and she was entirely healed, both body and mind. Early in the morning she came to the house of one of our friends, and, clapping her hands together, cried out in an ecstasy of joy, ‘O my Jesus, my Jesus, my Jesus! What is it that he has done for me? I feel he has forgiven all my sins. Taking up an hymn book, she opened it on those words:-- I the chief of sinners am, But Jesus died for me ! She was quite transported, being overwhelmed with peace and joy unspeakable. At the same time she was restored to the full use of her reason, and in a little while was strong and healthy as ever. She immediately desired to be admitted into the society, and for about a year enjoyed unspeakable happiness. She then received a call from her Beloved, and died full of faith and love.” Tues. 23.--About one I preached in the market-place at Clara. I admired the seriousness of the whole congregation. Indeed, one or two gentlemen appeared quite unconcerned; but the presence of the greater gentlemen kept them within bounds: So they were as quiet as if they had been--at the play-house. This and the following evening I preached in the market place at Tullamore. Thursday, 25. I was desired to look at the monument lately erected for the Earl of Charleville. It observes, that he was the last of his family, the great Moores of Croghan. But how little did riches profit either him, who died in the strength of his years, or his heir, who was literally overwhelmed by them; being so full of care, that sleep departed from him, and he was restless day and night, till, after a few months, life itself was a burden, and an untimely death closed the scene ! In the evening I preached at Mount-Mellick, near the market-house. The congregation was exceeding large; and 286 REv. J. wesLEY’s [July, 1767. God made his word “quick and powerful, and sharper than a two-edged sword.” Fri.

In field-preaching, more than any other means, God is found of them that sought him not. By this, death, heaven, and hell, come to the ears, if not the hearts, of them that “care for none of these things.” Friday, October 2, and some days in the following week, I visited the other societies round Bristol. Sunday, ll. I preached at eight in Princes-Street, and, a little before five, near the new Square; where, notwithstanding the keenness of the wind, the congregation was exceeding large. I permitted all of Mr. Whitefield's society that pleased, to be present at the love-feast that followed. I hope we shall “not know war any more,” unless with the world, the flesh, and the devil. Mon. 12.--I preached at Bradford; on Tuesday, at Salis bury; on Wednesday, about one, at Romsey; whence I rode to Southampton; and, the wind being so high that I could not well preach abroad, I sent a line to the Mayor, requesting leave to preach in the Town-Hall. In an hour he sent me word, I might; but in an hour more he retracted. Poor Mayor of Southampton | So I preached in a small room, and did not repent my labour. Thur. 15.--About noon I preached at Fareham, then went on to Portsmouth Common. I sent to desire the use of the Tabernacle, but was answered, Not unless I would preach the Perseverance of the Saints. At six I preached in our own Room, which was sufficiently crowded both within and without. Resolving there should be room for all that would come, I preached the next afternoon on the side of the Common; and the whole congregation was as quiet as that in the Square at Bristol. Saturday, 17. I set out early, and in the evening came to London. Tues. 20.--I went to Colchester, and spent three days very agreeably, among a quiet and loving people. All their little misunderstandings are now at an end. Yet they had not the life which they had once: A loss of this kind is not easily recovered. Saturday, 24. I returned to London. Mon. 26.--I began my little tour through Northampton shire and Bedfordshire. I preached at Whittlebury in the 302 REv. J. WESLEY’s [Nov. 1767. evening. Tuesday, 27.

On the road, I read over Dr. Campbell’s excellent answer to David Hume's insolent book against miracles; and Dr. Brown's keen “Animadversions on the Characteristics of Lord Shaftesbury,”--another lively, half-thinking writer. In the evening my brother read Prayers, and I preached, in the Countess of Huntingdon’s chapel. The congregation was very large and very attentive. Let us despair of nothing. Wed, 8.--I preached at Bristol, and met the society. The next three days I examined them, as usual, one by one, and found some increase in number, with much increase in peace and love.- Mon. 13.--I set out northward. We had fine weather for a while; then the wind rose, and the rain came down amain. We were thoroughly wet before we came to Stroud, but took no cold at all. At six the House was, as usual, March, 1769.] JOURNAL• 355 quite filled, though the wind and rain kept many strangers away. The people appeared to be all alive, and ready to devour the word. Afterwards we had a love-feast, at which many, both men and women, spoke, with all simplicity, what God had done for their souls. Tues. 14.--After preaching to a large congregation at five, we rode toward Tewkesbury: Notice having been given Qf my preaching about noon at a house a mile from the town. But we could not get to it; the floods were so high ; so I intended to go straight to Worcester. But one informing me a congregation from all parts was waiting, we set out another way, and waded through the water. This congregation too seemed quite earnest; so that I did not regret my labour. But the going and coming was hard work, so that I was a little tired before we came to Worcester. I began preaching about six in the riding-house. Abundance of people were deeply attentive. But toward the close, a large number of boys made a great noise. When we came out, men and boys joined together, in shouting and pushing to and fro. Many were frighted, but none hurt. Hitherto could Satan come, but no farther. Wed. 15.--My horse being lame, and part of the road very bad, I did not reach Mr. Lee's, of Coton, till noon. The house is delightfully situated in his park, at the top of a fruitful hill. His Chaplain had just begun reading Prayers.

Saturday, 23. I rode to Pill, and preached in the street, (the only way to do much good there,) to a more numerous and more attentive congregation than I have seen there for many years. Thur. OCTOBER 5.--I had the satisfaction to find, that two of our brethren, with whom I had taken much pains, had at length put an end to their Chancery suit, and closed their debate by a reference. Sun. 8.--I permitted all of Mr. Whitefield's society that desired it, to be present at our love-feast. I suppose there were a thousand of us in all. And we were not sent empty away. Mon. 9.--I preached at Bristol, Pensford, Shepton Mallet; and in the evening at Wincanton. The people here had just as much feeling as the benches on which they sat. Tuesday, 10. I preached in Shaftesbury at noon; and in the evening at Salisbury. Here I was as in a new world. The congregation was alive, and much more the society. How pleasing would it be, to be always with such ! But this is not our calling. Wed. 11.--I preached in Romsey, at noon: In the evening at Winchester. Thursday, 12. I preached at Fareham about one; and at Portsmouth Common in the evening. Friday, 13. I very narrowly missed meeting the great Pascal Paoli. He landed in the dock but a very few minutes after Ileft the water side. Surely He who hath been with him from his youth up, hath not sent him into England for nothing. Lord, show Oct. 1769.] JOURNAL. 381 him what is thy will concerning him, and give him a kingdom that cannot be moved ! Sat. 14.--Setting out at two in the morning, I came to London in the afternoon. Sunday, 15. My brother and I had such a congregation at Spitalfields, as has not been there since the covenant-night. The Foundery was equally crowded in the evening: Is God about to work here, as he did some years ago? If so, having learned experience by the things we have suffered, I trust we shall not quench the Spirit as we did before. Mon. 16.--I began my journey into Oxfordshire, and in the evening preached at Henley. A great part of the congregation was perfectly void both of sense and modesty.

Sure a more consummate coxcomo never saw the sun How amazingly full of himself! Whatever he speaks he pronounces as an oracle. But many of his oracles are as palpably false, as that “young children never love old people.” No ! Do they never love grandfathers and grandmothers? Frequently more than they do their own parents. Indeed they love all that love them, and that with more warmth and sincerity than when they come to riper years. But I object to his temper more than to his judgment: He is a mere misanthrope; a cynic all over. So indeed is his brother-infidel, Voltaire; and well nigh as great a coxcomb. Feb. 1770.] JOURNAL, 387 But he hides both his doggedness and vanity a little better; whereas here it stares us in the face continually. As to his book, it is whimsical to the last degree; grounded neither upon reason nor experience. To cite particular passages would be endless; but any one may observe concerning the whole, the advices which are good are trite and common, only disguised under new expressions. And those which are new, which are really his own, are lighter than vanity itself. Such discoveries I always expect from those who are too wise to believe their Bibles. Thur. 8.--I went to Wandsworth. What a proof have we here, that God’s “thoughts are not as our thoughts!” Every one thought no good could be done here; we had tried for above twenty years. Very few would even give us the hearing; and the few that did, seemed little the better for it. But all on a sudden, crowds flock to hear; many are cut to the heart; many filled with peace and joy in believing; many long for the whole image of God. In the evening, though it was a sharp frost, the Room was as hot as a stove. And they drank in the word with all greediness; as also at five in the morning, while I applied, “Jesus put forth his hand and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean l’’ Tues. 13.--I read, with all the attention I was master of, Mr. Hutchinson's Life, and Mr. Spearman's Index to his Works. And I was more convinced than ever, 1. That he had not the least conception, much less experience, of inward religion: 2.

I now feel his love in my heart, and he tells me he has forgiven my sins.” “Being asked how he did, he replied, ‘Happy in Jesus: Jesus is sweet to my soul.” “Do you choose to live, or die?’ He answered, “Neither. I hope, if I live, I shall praise God; and if I die, I am sure I shall go to him; for he has forgiven my sins, and given me his love.” “One asked Lucy, how long she had been in the triumph of faith. She answered, ‘Only this week: Before I had much March, 1770.] JOURNAL, 391 to do with Satan; but now Jesus has conquered him for me. While she was speaking, feeling great pain of body, she said, “O I want more of these pains, more of these pains, to bring me nearer to Jesus!’ “One speaking of knowing the voice of Christ, she said, “The voice of Christ is a strange voice to them who do not Know their sins forgiven: But I know it; for he has pardoned all my sins, and given me his love. And O what a mercy that such a hell-deserving wretch as me, as me, should be made to taste of his love!’ “Billy had frequent fits. When he found one coming, he, with a smile, laid down his head, saying, ‘O sweet love!’ or, ‘O sweet Jesus!’ And as soon as he came to himself, being asked how he did, he would reply, ‘I am happy in the love of Christ.’ “When a gentleman said, ‘My dear, you could praise God more, if it were not for those ugly fits, he replied, ‘Sir, they are not ugly; for my dear Jesus sent them; and he has given me patience to bear them; and he bore more for my sins.” “One night, a gentleman and his wife came to see them; and the gentlewoman, looking on Lucy, said, ‘She looks as if nothing was the matter with her; she is so pleasant with her eyes. She replied, ‘I have enough to make me look so; for I am full of the love of God.” While she spoke, her eyes sparkled exceedingly, and the tears flowed down her cheeks. At this Billy smiled, but could not speak; having been speechless for more than an hour.

This evening the Tolbooth contained the congregation, and at eight in the morning. The stormy wind would not suffer me to preach abroad in the evening; so we retired into the Court-House, as many as could, and had a solemn and comfortable hour. Monday, 23. I walked over to Scone, and took another view of that palace of ancient men of renown, long since mouldered into common dust. The buildings too are now decaying apace. So passes the dream of human greatness! Tues. 24.--I spent a few agreeable hours with Dr. O an upright, friendly, sensible man. Such, likewise, I found Mr. Black, the senior Minister at Perth, who, soon after, went to Abraham’s bosom. Wed. 25.--Taking horse at five, we rode to Dunkeld, the first considerable town in the Highlands. We were agreeably surprised: A pleasanter situation cannot be easily imagined. Afterwards we went some miles on a smooth, delightful road, hanging over the river Tay; and then went on, winding through the mountains, to the Castle of Blair. The mountains, for the next twenty miles, were much higher, and covered with snow. In the evening we came to Dalwhinny, the dearest inn I have met with in North-Britain. In the morning we were informed, so much snow had fallen in the night, that we could get no farther. And, indeed, three young women, attempting to cross the mountain to Blair, were swallowed up in the snow. However, we resolved, with God’s help, to go as far as we could. But about noon we were at a full stop: The snow, driving together on the top of the mountain, had quite 396 REv. J. WESLEY’s [April, 1770. blocked up the road. We dismounted, and, striking out of the road warily, sometimes to the left, sometimes to the right, with many stumbles, but no hurt, we got on to Dalmagarry, and before sunset, to Inverness. Benjamin and William Chappel, who had been here three months, were waiting for a vessel to return to London. They had met a few people every night to sing and pray together; and their behaviour, suitable to their profession, had removed much prejudice. Fri. 27.--I breakfasted with the senior Minister, Mr. M‘Kenzie, a pious and friendly man. At six in the evening I began preaching in the church, and with very uncommon liberty of spirit.

She said, “I was so overwhelmed with the power and love of God that I could not hide it.” When I questioned her farther, she said, “A quarter of a year ago, one Saturday night, I was quite convinced I was a sinner, and afraid of dropping into hell; but on Sunday I felt the pardoning love of God; yet I had many doubts till Monday evening, when they were all taken away in a moment. After this, I saw and felt the wickedness of my heart, and longed to be delivered from it; and on Sunday I was delivered, and had as clear a witness of this, as of my justification. But I was sometimes off my watch; then it was not so clear; and people commended me, till, by little and little, I lost it. Indeed I still feel the love of God, but not as I did before.” Mon. 18.--I preached at Robin Hood's Bay about noon; at Scarborough in the evening. Wednesday, 20. I rode to Burlington, and preached on the quay, to many plain and many genteel people. I preached at Hull in the evening; and the next at Beverley. Friday, 22. I went on to York, 402 REv. J. wesDEY’s [June, 1770. where there is now more life among the people than has been for several years. We found much of the presence of God this evening, and much more the next. One young man was in a violent agony, and could not refrain from crying aloud. Several continued with him in prayer till ten o’clock. He was then filled with joy unspeakable. Sun. 24.--I met the select society at six, and had the pleasure to find that some who had lost the great blessing for months or years, had recovered it with large increase. At eight I preached to a people ready prepared for the Lord. At nine I met the children. At five, by taking out the benches, we made room for the greatest part of the congre gation. Afterwards I spent an hour with the society, and so concluded the busy, happy day. Mon. 25.--I preached in Tadcaster at noon, and at Pateley Bridge in the evening. It rained, as usual, all the time; but the congregation stood as still as the trees; and God did satisfy the hungry with good things, many of whom have given him all their heart.

Here, too, the word of God runs swiftly: many are convinced, and many converted to God. -, * July, 1770.] JOURNAL, 405 Wed. 11.--I rode to Doncaster, and preached at noon in the new House, one of the neatest in England. It was sufficiently crowded, and (what is more strange) with serious and attentive hearers. What was more unlikely, some years since, than that such an House or such a congregation should be seen here ! In the evening I preached at Finningley. The church was filled; but I fear few felt the word. Thur. 12.--I preached at Epworth. Friday, 13. We rode through heavy rain to Newton-upon-Trent. The weather clearing up, I preached before the House to an earnest congre gation. A people more loving, more artless, or more athirst for God, I have seldom seen. Taking horse about eleven, we rode, broiling in the sun, through Lincoln to Horncastle. Our brethren desiring me to preach in the market-place, I cried to an unbroken multitude, “What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” The power of God was upon them, and they all calmly attended, till I commended them to God. This was the first day that I have been weary (the violent heat drinking up my spirits) since I set out from London. Saturday, 14. In another sultry day we rode to Louth, formerly another den of lions. At first great part of the congregation seemed to “care for mone of these things.” But God made them care; the Lord looked down from heaven, and “his arrows went abroad.” I have seldom seen persons more sensibly struck. They gathered closer and closer together, till there was not one inattentive hearer, and hardly one unaffected. In riding hence the heat was as intense as ever; so that I was again tired before we reached Grimsby. But I soon recovered, and preached to a congregation of good old Methodists, on, Daniel in the Den of Lions. Sun. 15.--I preached at eight, and again at two, and then hastened away to Barrow. The people here much resembled those at Horncastle. So I would not take them out of their depth, but explained and enforced these solemn words, “It is appointed unto men once to die.” Monday, 16. At nine I preached in Awkborough, to a people of quite another kind.

At five in the evening I went to the market-place in Nottingham. Thou sands upon thousands flocked together; and all were still as Aug. 1770.] JOURNAL, 407 night, while I opened and applied, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ.” We closed the day with a love-feast, during which four mourners found peace with God; two of them could not avoid declaring it in the presence of all their brethren. Mon. 30.--I preached at Bingham, ten miles from Notting ham. I really admired the exquisite stupidity of the people. They gaped and stared while I was speaking of death and judgment, as if they had never heard of such things before. And they were not helped by two surly, ill-mannered Clergy men, who seemed to be just as wise as themselves. The congregation at Houghton in the evening was more noble, behaving with the utmost decency. Tues. 31.--At nine I preached in the market-place at Loughborough, to almost as large a congregation as at Nottingham, and equally attentive. Thence I rode to Mark field. Notwithstanding the harvest, the church was quickly filled. And great was our rejoicing in our great High Priest, through whom we “came boldly to the throne of grace.” In the evening I preached in the Castle-yard at Leicester, to a multitude of awakened and unawakened. One feeble attempt was made to disturb them; a man was sent to cry fresh salmon at a little distance; but he might as well have spared the pains, for none took the least notice of him. Wed. AUGUST 1.--I rode to Northampton. It being still extremely hot, I determined not to be cooped up, but took my stand on the side of the Common, and cried aloud to a large multitude of rich and poor, “Acquaint thyself now with him, and be at peace.” Thur. 2.--Some friends from London met us at St. Alban’s. Before dinner we took a walk in the Abbey, one of the most ancient buildings in the kingdom, near a thousand years old; and one of the largest, being five hundred and sixty feet in length, (considerably more than Westminster Abbey,) and broad and high in proportion. Near the east end is the tomb and vault of good Duke Humphrey. Some now living remember since his body was entire.

On Tuesday I preached again at the new House, and many were greatly comforted. On Wednesday evening I read over to the Leaders the following paper: 1. That it may be more easily discerned whether the members of our societies are working out their own salvation, they are divided into little companies, called classes. One person in each of these is styled the Leader: It is his busi ness, 1. To see each person in his class once a week; to inquire how their souls prosper; to advise, reprove, comfort, or exhort them: 2. To receive what they are willing to give toward the expenses of the society: And, 3. To meet the Assistant and the Stewards once a week. April, 1771.] JOURNAL, 427 2. This is the whole and sole business of a Leader, or any number of Leaders. But it is common for the Assistant in any place when several Leaders are met together, to ask their advice, as to anything that concerns either the temporal or spiritual welfare of the society. This he may, or he may not do, as he sees best. I frequently do it in the larger societies; and on many occasions I have found, that in a multitude of counsellors there is safety. 3. From this short view of the original design of Leaders, it is easy to answer the following questions:-- Q. 1. What authority has a single Leader? He has authority to meet his class, to receive their contributions, and to visit the sick in his class. Q. 2. What authority have all the Leaders of a society met together? They have authority to show their class-papers to the Assistant; to deliver the money they have received to the Stewards, and to bring in the names of the sick. Q. 3. But have they not authority to restrain the Assistant, if they think he acts improperly? No more than any member of the society has. After mildly speaking to him, they are to refer the thing to Mr. W. Q. 4. Have they not authority to hinder a person from preaching? None but the Assistant has this authority. Q. 5. Have they not authority to displace a particular Leader? No more than the door-keeper has. To place and to displace Leaders belongs to the Assistant alone. Q. 6. Have they not authority to expel a particular member of the ciety?

He rose and said, “I am the Earl of Desmond.” The wretch, rejoicing that he had found so great a prize, cut off his head at once. Queen Elizabeth and King James allowed a pension to his relict for many years. I have seen a striking picture of her, in her widow’s weeds, said to be taken when she was an hundred and forty years old. At a small distance from the castle stands the old Abbey, the finest ruin of the kind in the kingdom. Not only the walls of the church, and many of the apartments, but the whole cloisters, are entire. They are built of black marble exquisitely polished, and vaulted over with the same. So that they are as firm now as when they were built, perhaps seven or eight hundred years ago; and if not purposely destroyed, (as most of the ancient buildings in Ireland have been,) may last these thousand years. But add these to the years they have stood already, and what is it to etermity? A moment! Fri. 24.--I spoke severally to the members of the society in Limerick. I have found no society in Ireland, number for number, so rooted and grounded in love. We observed this as a day of fasting and prayer, and were much comforted together. Sun. 26.--The rain obliged me to preach within, at five in the evening. It was a season of solemn joy and sorrow. I took horse immediately after preaching, and rode through continued rain to Snugborough, about fourteen Irish miles from Limerick. Mon. 27.--We pushed on through violent wind and rain, and reached Galway in the afternoon. About six I preached in the Court-House, by far the neatest which I have seen in the king June, 1771.] JOURNAL. 433 dom. Abundance of the soldiers, who were to march for Dublin the next day, willingly attended: And not a few of the townsfolk; but (what is rarely seen in Ireland) five or six men to one woman. I was enabled to speak exceeding close; and many were stunned, if not wounded. The next evening, the number of townsmen was doubled; among whom were the Mayor, and several other people of fashion. Again I spoke with the utmost plainness, and could not but hope there will be a work of God even in Galway. Wed. 29.--Heavy rain, with furious wind, accompanied us all day.

We have ever since continued our meetings, and God has continued his loving-kindness toward us. So that above an hundred and twenty are added to the society, above an hundred of whom are believers.” I left John Fenwick on Friday, 5, to examine the society one by one. This he did on Friday and Saturday. The account of what ensued he gave in the following words:-- “On Saturday evening God was present through the whole service, but especially toward the conclusion. Then one and another dropped down, till six lay on the ground together, roaring for the disquietude of their hearts. Observing many to be quite amazed at this, I besought them to stand still and see the salvation of God. But the cry of the distressed soon drowned my voice; so I dismissed the congregation. About half of them went away. I continued praying with the rest when my voice could be heard; when it could not, I prayed without a voice, till after ten o’clock. In this time, four of those poor mourners were clothed with the robes of praise. “The society now consists of an hundred and sixty-five members; of whom there are but twenty that have not found peace with God. Surely such a work of God has not been seen before in any part of the three kingdoms.” Such a work, it is true, in many respects, was that at Everton some years since; yet not in all, as will fully appear, if we consider a few more circumstances of this:-- “Forty-three of these are children, thirty of whom are rejoicing in the love of God. The chief instrument God has used among these is Jane Salkeld, a schoolmistress, a young woman that is a pattern to all that believe. A few of her children are, Phebe Teatherstone, nine years and an half old, a child of uncommon understanding; Hannah Watson, ten years old, full of faith and love; Aaron Ridson, not eleven years old, but wise and stayed as a man; Sarah Smith, eight years and an half old, but as serious as a woman of fifty: Sarah June, 1772.] JOURNAL, 471 Morris, fourteen years of age, is as a mother among them, always serious, always watching over the rest, and building them up in love. “Mention was made of four young men, who were affected on the second Wednesday in December.

Thur. 7.--I called where a child was dying of the small pox, and rescued her from death and the Doctors, who were giving her saffron, &c., to drive them out ! Can any one be so ignorant still? We observed Friday, the 8th, as a day of fasting and prayer, on account of the general want of trade and scarcity of pro visions. The next week I made an end of revising my letters; and from those I had both wrote and received, I could not but Feb. 1773.] JOURNAL, 487 make one remark,-that for above these forty years, of all the friends who were once the most closely united, and afterwards separated from me, every one had separated himself! He left me, not I him. And from both mine and their own letters, the steps whereby they did this are clear and undeniable. Mon. 18.--In my scraps of time this week, I read over “An Account of the European Settlements in America.” But some part of it I cannot receive; I mean, touching the manners of the native Americans: If it be true, that “they all nearly resemble each other,” then, from the knowledge I have of not a few American nations, I must judge a great part of that account to be pure, absolute, romance; and I suspect it to have been transcribed from some papers which I myself read before I embarked for America. Thur. 28.--I buried the remains of poor E.T., of whom, ever since she died, her husband speaks as a most excellent woman, and a most affectionate wife I have known many such instances: Many couples, who while they lived together spoke of each other as mere sinners; but as soon as either was dead, the survivor spake of the deceased as the best creature in the world. Tues. FEBRUARY 2.--Captain Webb preached at the Foundery. I admire the wisdom of God, in still raising up various Preachers, according to the various tastes of men. The Captain is all life and fire: Therefore, although he is not deep or regular, yet many who would not hear a better Preacher flock together to hear him. And many are convinced under his preaching; some justified; a few built up in love. Thur. 4.--I had much conversation with T. M. He said, his printing that wretched book against me, was owing to the pressing instances of Mr.

Some masons were at work on the first bridge, who gave us some coarse words. We had abundance more as we rode through the town; but many soldiers being in the street, and taking know ledge of me in a respectful manner, the mob shrunk back. An hour after, Mr. Watson came in the chaise. Before he came to the bridge, many ran together, and began to throw what ever came next to hand. The bridge itself they had blocked up with large stones, so that a carriage could not pass; but an old man cried out, “Is this the way you use strangers?” and rolled away the stones. The mob quickly rewarded him by plastering him over with mortar from head to foot. They then fell upon the carriage, which they cut with stones in several places, and well nigh covered with dirt and mortar. From one end of the town to the other, the stones flew thick about the coachman’s head. Some of them were two or three pounds’ weight, which they threw with all their might. If May, 1773.] JOURNAL. 495 but one of them had struck him, it would have effectually prevented him from driving any farther; and then, doubtless, they would have given an account of the chaise and horses. I preached at Sydore in the evening and morning, and then set out for Roosky. The road lay not far from Enniskillen. When we came pretty near the town, both men and women saluted us, first with bad words, and then with dirt and stones. My horses soon left them behind; but not till they had broke one of the windows, the glass of which came pouring in upon me; but did me no further hurt. About an hour after, John Smith came to Enniskillen. The masons on the bridge preparing for battle, he was afraid his horse would leap with him into the river; and therefore chose to alight. Immediately they poured in upon him a whole shower of dirt and stones. However, he made his way through the town, though pretty much daubed and bruised. At Roosky, Mr. Macburney, one of our Preachers, gave me the following account:--On Thursday, March 4, he went to Mr. Perry’s, a quarter of a mile from Achalun, a village six or seven miles from Enniskillen.

fit for a nobleman. He intends to carry away a bog which lies behind it, and have a large piece of water in its place. He intends also to improve the town greatly, and to execute many other grand designs; I doubt too many even for a Primate of Ireland, that is above seventy years old ! JUNE 6.--(Being Trinity-Sunday.) At nine I explained the great text of St. John to an exceeding large congregation. We had at church an anthem, which I know not that I have heard these fifty years, “Praise the Lord, O my soul;” and sung in a manner that would not have disgraced any of our English Cathedrals. The congregation in the evening was the largest I have seen in Ulster; and I believe, for the present, all were convinced that nothing will avail, without humble, gentle, patient love. On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, I preached at Hamilton’s Bahn, Clanmain, Legall, the Grange, and Cock hill. Thursday, 10. I rode to Derry-Anvil; [where are] some of the liveliest Christians I have seen in the king dom. Eight of them I examined closely, who testified that they had never lost the witness, nor felt any decay, since the hour they were perfected in love. On Friday and Saturday I preached at Portadown, Kill mararty, Dawson’s Grove, and Tanderagee. Sunday, 13. I preached at nine with great enlargement of heart. At half hour past eleven the Church Service began. The Curate read Prayers exceeding well, and the Rector preached with uncommon earnestness. But what I most admired was, 1. The cleanness of the church, equal to any I have seen in England. 2. The serious behaviour of the whole congre gation. And, 3. The excellent singing by forty or fifty voices, half men and half women. I have heard nothing like it in any church since I came into the kingdom. The Rector inviting me to dinner, I spent an agreeable hour with him and his Curate. The congregation at six was exceeding numerous, and exceeding serious. We concluded the day with the societies, gathered from all parts: And great was our rejoicing. Many were filled with consolation, and many feeble hands were strengthened. Mon. 14.--After preaching at Lurgan, I inquired of Mr. Miller, whether he had any thoughts of perfecting his speaking statue, which had so long lain by.

For five or six days, I think, the weather has been as hot as it is in Georgia. After preach ing, I went on to Exeter with Ralph Mather, then an humble, scriptural Christian. Saturday, 14. I went on to Plymouth-Dock, and in the evening preached in the Square. Sunday, 15. As I could not sleep (an uncommon thing with me) till near two in the morning, my companion was afraid I should not be able to go through the labour of the day; but I knew I did not go a warfare at my own cost. At seven I preached in Mr. Kinsman’s preaching-house, on, “Strive to enter in at the strait gate;” and I think many received the truth in the love thereof. Between one and two I preached in the Tabernacle at Plymouth; and in the evening declared in the Square, to a multitude of people, the nature of that love, without which all we say, know, believe, do, and suffer, profits nothing. Mon. 16.-In the evening I preached at St. Austle; Tuesday, 17, in the Coinage-Hall at Truro; at six, in the main street at Helstone. How changed is this town, since a Methodist Preacher could not ride through it without hazard of his life Wed. 18.--I preached in the Town-Hall in Penzance. It was soon filled from end to end; and it was filled with the Sept. 1773.] JOURNAL. 505 power of God. One would have thought every soul must have bowed down before Him. In the evening I preached at St. Just; Friday, 20, in Penzance and Marazion; and in the evening in the market-place at St. Ives, to the largest congregation I have yet seen in Cornwall. Sat. 21.--I preached in Illogan and at Redruth; Sunday, 22, in St. Agnes Church-town, at eight; about one at Red ruth; and at five, in the amphitheatre at Gwennap. The people both filled it, and covered the ground round about, to a considerable distance. So that, supposing the space to be four-score yards square, and to contain five persons in a square yard, there must be above two-and-thirty thousand people; the largest assembly I ever preached to.

I talked with them severally, and found they were all still rejoicing in the love of God. And they confirmed the account, that there was only one of their whole number who was unaffected on Monday: But all the rest could then say with confidence, “Lord, thou knowest that I love thee.” I suppose such a visitation of children has not been known in England these hundred years. In so marvellous a manner, “out of the mouth of babes and sucklings” God has “perfected praise!”

This is a reproduction of a library book that was digitized by Google as part of an ongoing effort to preserve the information in books and make it universally accessible. https://books.google.com 3.2/7 , 10% / ; 27 // Michigan State University o | \o soMETIME FELLOW of LINCOLN college, oxFord. 1872. [ENTERED AT STATIONERs' HALL.] HARMER & HARLEY, PRINTERs, 39-44, CowPER STREET, FINsBURY, E.C. r- ---- Mon. SEPTEMBER 13.--My cold remaining, I was ill able to speak. In the evening I was much worse, my palate and throat being greatly inflamed. However, I preached as I could ; but I could then go no farther. I could swallow neither liquids nor solids, and the windpipe seemed nearly closed. I lay down at myusual time, but the defluxion of rheum was so uninterrupted, that I slept not a minute till near three in the morning. On the following nine days I grew better. Friday, 17. I went to Kingswood, and found several of the children still alive to God. Sat. 18.--I gave them a short exhortation, which tired but did not hurt me. Sun. 19.--I thought myself able to speak to the congre gation, which I did for half an hour; but afterwards I found a pain in my left side and in my shoulder by turns, exactly as I did at Canterbury twenty years before. In the morning I could scarce lift my hand to my head; but, after being electrified, I was much better; so that I preached with tolerable ease in the evening; and the next evening read the letters, though my voice was weak. From this time I slowly recovered my voice and my strength, and on Sunday preached without any trouble. Wed. 29.--After preaching at Pensford, I went to Publow, and in the morning spent a little time with the lovely children. Those of them who were lately affected, did not appear to have lost anything of what they had received; and some of them were clearly gaining ground, and advancing in the faiti, which works by love. Sunday, October 3. I took a solemn leave of the society at Bristol, now consisting of eight hundred members. Mon. 4.--I went, by Shepton-Mallet, to Shaftesbury, and on Tuesday to Salisbury. Wednesday, 6. Taking chaise at two in the morning, in the evening I came well to London.

I thought, “However, the gate which is on the other side of the yard, and is shut, will stop them:” But they rushed through it as if it had been a cobweb, and galloped on through the corn-field. The little girls cried out, “Grandpapa, save us!” I told them, “Nothing will hurt you : Do not be afraid;” feeling no more fear or care, (blessed be God 1) than if I had been sitting in my study. The horses ran on, till they came to the edge of a steep precipice. Just then Mr. Smith, who could not overtake us before, galloped in between. They stopped in a moment. Had they gone on ever so little, he and we must have gone down together' I am persuaded both evil and good angels had a large share in this transaction : How large we do not know now ; but we shall know hereafter. I think some of the most remarkable circumstances were, 1. Both the horses, which were tame and quiet as could be, starting out in a moment just at the top of the hill, and running down full speed. 2. The coachman’s being thrown on his head with such violence, and yet not hurt at all. 3. The chaise running again and again to the edge of each ditch, and yet not into it. 4. The avoiding the cart. 5. The keeping just the middle of the bridge. 6. The turning short through the first gate, in a manner that no coachman in England could have turned them, when in full gallop. 7. The going through the second gate as if it had been but smoke, without slackening their pace at all. This would have been impossible, had not the end of the chariot pole struck exactly on the centre of the gate; whence the whole, by the sudden impetuous shock, was broke into small pieces. 8. That the little girl, who used to have fits, on my saying, “No thing will hurt you,” ceased crying, and was quite composed. June, 1774.] JOURNAL. 21 Lastly, That Mr. Smith struck in just then : In a minute more we had been down the precipice; and had not the horses then stopped at once, they must have carried him and us down together.

She answered them all with readiness and plainness, to his entire satisfaction. She told him abundance of temptations which she underwent from time to time; but still witnessed, that the blood of Christ had cleansed her from all sin. She often said to us, The race we all are running now ! And if I first attain, Ye too your willing heads shall bow; Ye shall the conquest gain “10. Commonly, when I came into her room, I was not able to speak for a time. She would then say, ‘Why do not you speak? Why do not you encourage me? I shall love you better when we meet in heaven, for the help you give me now.” “11. In the last week or two, she was not able to speak many words at a time; but as she could, with her feeble, dying voice, she exhorted us to go forward. Yet one day, some of her former companions coming in, her spirit seemed to revive; and she spoke to them, to our great surprise, for near an hour together. They seemed deeply affected; and it was some time before the impression wore off. * Elizabeth Padbury. 84 REv. J. wesln, o's [Nov. 1774. “12. Her father now frequently came, sat by her bedside, and expressed tender affection; weeping much, and saying he should now be quite alone, and have no one left to whom he could speak. She spoke to him without reserve. He received every word, and has never forgotten it since. “13. A few days before she died, after we had been praying with her, we observed she was in tears, and asked her the reason. She said, ‘I feel my heart knit to you, in a manner I cannot express; and I was thinking, if we love one another now, how will our love be enlarged when we meet in heaven' And the thought was too much for me to bear; it quite overcame me.” “J4. On Friday she seemed to be just upon the wing: We thought she was going almost every moment. So she con tinued till Tuesday. We were unwilling to part with her, but seeing the pain she was in, could not wish it should con tinue; and so gave her up to God.

We were unwilling to part with her, but seeing the pain she was in, could not wish it should con tinue; and so gave her up to God. I sat up with her that night, and the next day, June 7, she fell asleep.” Monday, 31, and the following days, I visited the societies near London. Friday, NoveMBER 4. In the afternoon John Downes (who had preached with us many years) was saying, “I feel such a love to the people at West-Street, that I could be content to die with them. I do not find myself very well; but I must be with them this evening.” He went thither, and began preaching, on, “Come unto me, ye that are weary and heavy-laden.” After speaking ten or twelve minutes, he sunk down, and spake no more, till his spirit returned to God. I suppose he was by mature full as great a genius as Sir Isaac Newton. I will mention but two or three instances of it:--When he was at school, learning Algebra, he came one day to his master, and said, “Sir, I can prove this proposi tion a better way than it is proved in the book.” His master thought it could not be; but upon trial, acknowledged it to be so. Some time after, his father sent him to Newcastle with a clock, which was to be mended. He observed the clockmaker's tools, and the manner how he took it in pieces, and put it together again; and when he came home, first made himself tools, and then made a clock, which went as true as any in the town. I suppose such strength of genius as this, has scarce been known in Europe before. Another proof of it was this:--Thirty years ago, while I was shaving, he was whittling the top of a stick: I asked, “What Nov. 1774.] JOURNAL. 35 are you doing?” He answered, “I am taking your face, which I intend to engrave on a copper-plate.” Accordingly, without any instruction, he first made himself tools, and then engraved the plate. The second picture which he engraved, was that which was prefixed to the “Notes upon the New Testament.” Such another instance, I suppose, not all England, or perhaps Europe, can produce.

MARch 1-03eing Ash-Wednesday.) I took a solemn leave of our friends at London; and on Thursday, 2, met our brethren at Reading. A few were awakened, and perhaps converted here, by the ministry of Mr. Talbot. But as he did not take any account of them, or join them together, we found no trace of them remaining. A large room was pre sently filled, and all the spaces adjoining. And I have hardly ever seen a people who seemed more eager to hear. Fri. 3.-The mild weather changed into cold and bluster ing, with heavy showers of rain; notwithstanding which, we had a very large congregation at Ramsbury Park. Saturday, 4. At noon I preached to a still larger congregation, in the new House at Seend: In the afternoon I went on to Bristol; whence, on Monday, 13, I set out for Ireland. Tues. 14.--At noon I preached in Tewkesbury, now the liveliest place in the Circuit. Many here have been lately convinced of sin, and many converted to God. Some have been made partakers of the great salvation, and their love and zeal have stirred up others. So that the flame now spreads wider and wider. O let none be able to quench it ! In the evening I preached at Worcester. Here also the flame is gradually increasing. While I was here, there was a very extraordinary trial at the assizes. A boy being beaten by his master, ran away; and wandering about till he was half starved, was then allowed to lie in the hay-loft of an inn. In the night he stole into the room where two gentlemen lay; (probably not very sober;) and, without waking them, picked the money out of both their pockets; though their breeches lay under their head. In the morning, having confessed the fact, he was committed to gaol. He made no defence: So one of the Counsellors rose up, and said, “My Lord, as there is none to plead for this poor boy, I will do it myself.” He did so, and then added, “My Lord, it may be this bad boy may make a good man. And I humbly April, 1775.] JOURNAL. 41 conceive, it might be best to send him back to his master. I will give him a guinea towards his expenses.” “And I will give him another,” said the Judge.

I will give him a guinea towards his expenses.” “And I will give him another,” said the Judge. Which he did, with a mild and serious reproof. So he was sent back full of good resolutions. Fri. 17.--In the evening, though it was cold, I was obliged to preach abroad at Newcastle. One buffoon laboured much to interrupt. But as he was bawling, with his mouth wide open, some arch boys gave him such a mouthful of dirt as quite satisfied him. On Saturday and Sunday I preached at Congleton and Macclesfield ; Monday, 20, at Stockport and Manchester. Tuesday, 21. I preached at Knutsford; but the house would by no means contain the congregation. The street too was filled; and even those which could not hear were silent. This is uncommon; especially in a town little accustomed to this strange way of preaching: Those who cannot hear themselves usually taking care to hinder others from hearing. In the evening I opened the new House at Northwich, which was sufficiently crowded both this night and the next. After preaching at many places in the way, on Saturday, 25, I came to Liverpool. The congregations here, both morning and evening, were so large, and so deeply attentive, that I could not be sorry for the contrary winds, which detained us till Thursday, the 30th, when we went on board the Hawk. We were scarce out of the river, when the wind turned against us, and blew harder and harder. A rolling sea made my companions sick enough. But so fine a ship I never sailed in before. She never shipped one sea, and went more steady than I thought was possible. On Friday morning it blew hard; but the next day we had a fair, small wind. So about six, on Sunday, APRIL 2, we landed at Dunleary; and between nine and ten reached Whitefriar-Street. On Monday and Tuesday I examined the society, in which, two years ago, there were three hundred and seventy-six per sons. And I found three hundred and seventy-six still, not one more or less. But I found more peace and love among them, than I had done for many years. Thur. 6.--I visited that venerable man, Dr. Rutty, just tot tering over the grave; but still clear in his understanding, full of faith and love, and patiently waiting till his change should come.

But a night's rest set me up again. On Monday and Tuesday I met the classes. I left three hundred and seventy-four in the society, and I found about four hundred : And I trust they are more established in the “faith that worketh by love.” While I was here, I talked largely with a pious woman, whom I could not well understand. I could not doubt of her being quite sincere, nay, and much devoted to God: But she had fallen among some well-meaning enthusiasts, who taught her so to attend to the inward voice, as to quit the society, the preaching, the Lord's Supper, and almost all outward means. I find no persons harder to deal with than these. One knows not how to advise them. They must not act contrary to their conscience, though it be an erroneous one. And who can convince them that it is erroneous? None but the Almighty. Mon. 17.--After preaching at Durham, I went on to Dar lington. The society here, lately consisting of nine members, is now increased to above seventy; many of whom are warm in their first love. At the love-feast, many of these spoke their experience with all simplicity. Here will surely be a plentiful harvest, if tares do not grow up with the wheat. Wed. 19.--I preached to my old, loving congregation at Osmotherley; and visited, once more, poor Mr. Watson, just quivering over the grave. Part of this week I read, as I travelled, a famous book, which I had not looked into for these fifty years. It was Lucian’s “Dialogues.” He has a good deal of humour, but wonderful little judgment. His great hero is Diogenes, the Cynic; just such another brute as himself. Socrates (as one might expect) he reviles and ridicules with all his might. I think there is more sense in his “Timon,” than in all his other Dialogues July, 1776.] JOURNAL. 79 put together: And yet, even that ends poorly, in the dull jest of his breaking the heads of all that came near him. How amazing is it, that such a book as this should be put into the hands of school-boys' Mon. 24.--I went on to Scarborough.

Many flocked to see it, from various parts, as long as it stood open: But after some days, Mr. P (he 80 REv. J. wesley’s [July, 1776. knew not why) ordered it to be covered again; and he would never after suffer any to open it, but ploughed the field all over. This is far more difficult to account for, than the sub terraneous buildings at Herculaneum. History gives us an account of the time when, and the manner how, these were swallowed up. The burning mountain is still assured, and the successive lavas that flowed from it still distinguishable. But history gives no account of this, nor of any burning mountains in our island. Neither do we read of any such earthquake in England, as was capable of working that effect. Tues. 2.--I went to York. The House was full enough in the evening, while I pointed the true and the false way of expounding those important words, “Ye are saved through faith.” Wednesday, 3. I preached about noon at Tadcaster, with an uncommon degree of freedom; which was attended with a remarkable blessing. A glorious work is dawning here, against which nothing can prevail; unless the ball of contention be thrown in among the plain people, by one or two that have lately embraced new opinions. In the evening I preached at York, on the fashionable religion, vulgarly called morality; and showed at large, from the accounts given of it by its ablest patrons, that it is neither better nor worse than Atheism. Thur. 4.--I met the select society, and was a little surprised to find, that, instead of growing in grace, scarce two of them retained the grace they had two years ago. All of them seemed to be sincere; and yet a faintness of spirit ran through them all. In the evening I showed, to a still more crowded audience, the nature and necessity of Christian love:-Ayatom, vilely rendered charity, to confound poor English readers. The word was sharper than a two-edged sword, as many of the hearers felt. God grant the wound may not be healed, till he himself binds it up ! Fri. 5.--About eleven I preached at Foggathorp, a lone house, a few miles from Howden. Abundance of people were gathered together, notwithstanding heavy rain; and they received the truth in the love thereof.

Abundance of people were gathered together, notwithstanding heavy rain; and they received the truth in the love thereof. I came to Howden a little before three; when a large congregation was soon gathered. All were serious; the more so, because of a few claps of thunder that rolled over our heads. I preached at Swinfleet in the evening. These are the most sensible and gentlemanlike farmers that I have seen anywhere; July, 1776.] v UU RNAL. 81 and many of them are “rooted and grounded in love,” and have adorned the Gospel many years. Sat. 6.-I went on to Epworth, and found my old friend, Mr. Hutton, in the deepest melancholy. I judged it to be partly natural, partly diabolical; but I doubt not he will be saved, though as by fire.o Tues, 9.--I preached at Brigg in the morning. All behaved well, but a few gentlemen, (so called,) who seemed to under stand no more of the matter, than if I had been talking Greek. I went thence to Horncastle and to Spilsby, with Mr. Bre While he was at Cambridge, he was convinced of sin, though not by any outward means, and soon after justified. Coming to Hull, he met with one of our Preachers. By long and close conversation with him, he was clearly convinced it was his duty to join with the people called Methodists. At first, indeed, he staggered at Lay Preachers; but, after weighing the matter more deeply, he began preaching himself; and found a very remarkable blessing, both on his own soul, and on his labours. After visiting a few more places in these parts, on Saturday, 13, I returned to Epworth. Sunday, 14. I preached in the morning at Gringley; about one, at Ouston; and at four, in Epworth market-place; where God “struck with the hammer of his word, and broke the hearts of stone.” We had after wards a love-feast, at which a flame was soon kindled; which was greatly increased while Mr. Cundy related the manner how God perfected him in love : A testimony which is always attended with a peculiar blessing. Mon. 15.--I preached at Doncaster, in one of the most elegant Houses in England, and to one of the most elegant congregations.

In the situa tion; being laid out on the sloping sides of a semicircular moun tain: 2. In the vast basin of water inclosed between them, covering, I suppose, sixty acres of ground: 3. In the delightful interchange of shady groves and sunny glades, curiously mixed together. Above all, in the lovely grottoes, two of which excel everything of the kind which I ever saw ; the fountain grotto, made entirely of rock-work, admirably well imitating nature; and the castle-grotto, into which you enter unawares, beneath a heap of ruins. This is within totally built of roots of trees, wonderfully interwoven. On one side of it is a little hermitage, with a lamp, a chair, a table, and bones upon it. Others were delighted with the temples, but I was not: 1. Because several of the statues about them were mean: 2. Because I cannot admire the images of devils; and we know the gods of the Heathens are but devils: 3. Because I defy all mankind to reconcile statues with nudities, either to common sense or common decency. Returning from thence through Maiden-Bradley, we saw the clumsy house of the Duke of Somerset; and afterwards 88 R E v. J. W E SLEY’s [Nov. 1776. the grand and elegant one of Lord Weymouth, beautifully situated in a lovely park. Fri. 13.--I went on to Midsummer-Norton, where the Rector, being applied to, cheerfully granted me the use of his church, and himself made one of the congregation. I preached on those words in the Second Lesson, “O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” About two I preached in the new House, at Paulton, to a plain, simple, loving people; and spent the evening at Kingswood, endeavouring to remove some little offences, which had arisen in the family. Wed. 18.--About one I preached at Bath, as usual, to a crowded audience; in the afternoon at Keynsham, where, at length, we see some fruit of our labours. Thursday, 19. Find ing few would come to the Room at Pill, I preached in the market-place. Many attended, and I am persuaded, God cut some of them to the heart. About six I preached at Pensford, and spent the evening with the lovely family at Publow. Sat. 21.-I preached in the Paddock, at Bedminster.

Gell’s “Essay toward an Amend ment of the last Translation of the Bible.” This part only takes in the Pentateuch; but many other texts are occasion ally explained. Surely he was a man mighty in the Scrip tures, and well acquainted with the work of God in the soul: And he plainly shows that the Antinomians and Anti Perfectionists were just the same then, as they are now. Monday, 21, was the day appointed for laying the foundation of the new chapel. The rain befriended us much, by keeping away thousands who purposed to be there. But there were still such multitudes, that it was with great difficulty I got through them to lay the first stone. Upon this was a plate of brass, (covered with another stone,) on which was engraved, “This was laid by Mr. John Wesley, on APRIL 1, 1777.” Probably this will be seen no more, by any human eye; but will remain there, till the earth and the works thereof are burned up. Sun. 27.--The sun breaking out, I snatched the oppor tunity of preaching to many thousands in Moorfields. All were still as night, while I showed how “the Son of God was manifested to destroy the works of the devil.” Mon. 28.--At one I took coach, and on Wednesday evening preached at Newcastle-upon-Tyne. I love our brethren in the southern counties; but still I find few among them that have the spirit of our northern societies. Saturday, MAY 3. I went May, 1777.] JOURNAL. 97 to Sunderland, and strongly enforced, “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s.” Mon. 5.--Having finished my business in these parts, I set my face southward again; and after preaching at Durham, about eleven went on to Darlington. I have not lately found so lively a work in any part of England as here. The society is constantly increasing, and seems to be all on fire for God. There is nothing among them but humble, simple love; no dis pute, no jar of any kind. They exactly answer the descrip tion that David Brainerd gives of his Indian congrega tion. I particularly desired both the Preachers and Leaders to have an especial care over them, and, if possible, to pre vent either the devil or his agents from poisoning their simplicity.

I particularly desired both the Preachers and Leaders to have an especial care over them, and, if possible, to pre vent either the devil or his agents from poisoning their simplicity. Many of them already know, that “the blood of Jesus Christ” hath “cleansed them from all sin.” Wed, 7-I went to Yarm. There I found a lovely young woman, in the last stage of a consumption; but such a one as I never read of, nor heard any Physician speak of, but Dr. Wilson. The seat of the ulcers is not in the lungs, but the wind-pipe. I never yet knew it cured. My housekeeper died of it last year. This young woman died in a few weeks. Thur. 8.-About eleven I preached at Osmotherley. I found my old friend Mr. Watson, who first brought me into this country, was just dead, after living a recluse life near fifty years. From one that attended him, I learned, that the sting of death was gone, and he calmly delivered up his soul to God. Fri. 9.--I went to Malton, hoping to meet Miss R y there: But instead of her, I found a letter which informed me that she was on the brink of the grave; but added, “Surely my Lord will permit me to see you once more in the hody.” I would not disappoint the congregation; but as soon as I had done preaching, set out, and about four in the morning came to Otley. I minutely inquired into the cir cumstances of her illness. She is dropped suddenly into the third stage of a consumption, having one or more ulcers in her lungs, spitting blood, having a continual pain in her breast, and a constant hectic fever, which disables her from either riding on horseback, or bearing the motion of a carriage. Meantime, she breathes nothing but praise and love. Short-lived flower, and ripe for a better soil Sat. 10.--After travelling between ninety and a hundred 98 Rev. J. Wesley’s [May, 1777. miles, I came back to Malton; and, having rested an hour, went on to Scarborough, and preached in the evening. But the flux which I had had for a few days so increased, that at first I found it difficult to speak. Yet the longer I spoke the stronger I grew. Is not God a present help? Sun.

May, 1777.] JOURNAL. 99 afternoon I buried the body of Joseph Guildford, a holy man, and a useful Preacher. Surely never before did a man of so weak talents do so much good! He died, as he lived, in the full triumph of faith, vehemently rejoicing and praising God. Tues. 20.--I met the Committee for building, which indeed was my chief business at London. We consulted together on several articles, and were confidently persuaded, that He who had incited us to begin, would enable us to finish. Sat. 24.--My brother and I paid another visit to Dr. Dodd, and spent a melancholy and useful hour. He appears, so far as man can judge, to be a true, evangelical penitent. To ease my journey, I went to Stevenage on Sunday even ing. Monday, 26. I went on to Witham-Common; and on Tuesday reached Sheffield. The next day I went to Leeds; and, after preaching in the evening, pushed on to Otley. Here I found E- R-- weaker and happier than ever. Her life seemed spun out to the last thread. I spent half an hour with her, to Teach her, at once, and learn of her, to die. I then rested two or three hours; and took chaise at two, on Thursday, 29, hoping to reach Whitehaven in the evening; but I could only get to Cockermouth. Friday, 30. I went on to Whitehaven, where I found a little vessel waiting for me. After preaching in the evening, I went on board about eight o'clock, and before eight in the morning landed at Douglas, in the Isle of Man. Douglas exceedingly resembles Newlyn in Cornwall; both in its situation, form, and buildings; only it is much larger, and has a few houses equal to most in Penzance. As soon as we landed, I was challenged by Mr. Booth, who had seen me in Ireland, and whose brother has been for many years a member of the society in Coolylough. A chaise was pro vided to carry me to Castletown. I was greatly surprised at the country. All the way from Douglas to Castletown it is as pleasant and as well cultivated as most parts of England, with many gentlemen’s seats. Castletown a good deal resem bles Galway; only it is not so large. At six I preached near the Castle, I believe, to all the inhabitants of the town.

J. wesley’s [Aug. 1778. but I was shocked at the stupidity and ill-breeding of several Officers, who kept walking and talking together all the time with the most perfect unconcern. We had no such Gallios in the evening at the Dock, though the congregation was four times as large. Surely this is an understanding people: May their love be equal to their knowledge | Mon. 24.--In the way to Medros, Mr. Furz gave me a strange relation, which was afterwards confirmed by eye and ear witnesses:-In July, 1748, Martin Hoskins, of Sithney, being in a violent passion, was struck raving mad, and obliged to be chained down to the floor. Charles Sk Went to See him. He cried out, “Who art thou? Hast thou faith? No; thou art afraid.” Charles felt an inexpressible shock, and was raving mad himself. He continued so for several days, till some agreed to keep a day of fasting and prayer. His lunacy then ended as suddenly as it began. But what was peculiarly remarkable was, while he was ill, Martin was quite well: As soon as he was well, Martin was as ill as ever. Thence I went on to Redruth, Helstone, and Penzance. On Thursday, 27, in the evening I preached in the market place, at St. Just. Very few of our old society are now left : The far greater part of them are in Abraham's bosom. But the new generation are of the same spirit; serious, earnest, devoted to God; and particularly remarkable for simplicity and Christian sincerity. Fri. 28.--The Stewards of the societies met at St. Ives, a company of pious, sensible men. I rejoiced to find that peace and love prevailed through the whole Circuit. Those who styled themselves My Lady’s Preachers, who screamed, and railed, and threatened to swallow us up, are vanished away. I cannot learn that they have made one convert; a plain proof that God did not send them. One was mentioning to-day a wonderful oration, which Mr. Rowland H. had lately made. I thought Mr. Toplady had not left behind him his fellow ; but see l-- --Primo avulso, non deficit alter Aureus, et simili frondescit virga metallo." Sat. 29.--I found the venerable old man at Cubert pale, * The following is Dryden's translation of these lines :- The first thus rent, a second will arise: And the same metal the same room supplies.--EDIT.

It was well we were in the shade; for the sun shone as hot as it usually does at Midsummer. We walked from thence to Coalbrook Dale, and took a view of the bridge which is shortly to be thrown over the Severn. It is one arch, a hundred feet broad, fifty-two high, and eighteen wide; all of cast-iron, weighing many hundred tons. I doubt whether the Colossus at Rhodes weighed much more. Sat. 27.--I preached at Newcastle-under-Lyne; Sunday, 28, at Burslem, morning and afternoon. Monday, 29. I went on to our loving brethren at Congleton, and preached on the nature of Christian zeal. A measure of this they have already; but they want much more. Tuesday, 30, and the next day, I preached at Macclesfield. The hearts of many were enlarged; and the society I found was increasing both in number and strength. Thur. APRIL 1.--About one, I preached at New-Mills, in Derbyshire. A commodious preaching-house, lately built, has proved a blessing to the whole country. They flock together from every quarter, and are thankful both to God and man. In the evening I preached at Stockport, where I received a strange account of poor William Hamilton, who left us to join the Quakers, and is as miserable as he can live, afraid to see any man lest he should kill him. O what a poor exchange has this unhappy man made Fri. 2.--About one I opened the new chapel at Davyhulme. APRIL 4, (being Easter-Day,) was a solemn festival. In the afternoon I preached at Oldham, to such a congregation as I have not seen since I was in the Cornish amphitheatre. And all, beside a few giddy children, were seriously attentive. Mon. 5.--I preached at Northwich. I used to go on from hence to Little-Leigh; but since Mr. Barker is gone hence, that place knows us no more. I cannot but wonder at the infatuation of men that really love and fear God, and yet leave great part of, if not all, their substance to men that neither April, 1779.] JOURNAL. 147 love nor fear him Surely if I did little good with my money while I lived, I would, at least, do good with it when I could live no longer. Tues. 6.--I went to Mr. S ’s at Nantwich, a nephew of Mr.

Wed. 21.--The House was filled at five, and we had another solemn opportunity. About eight, calling at Hinckley, I was desired to preach : As also at Forcell, ten or twelve miles far ther. When I came to Coventry, I found notice had been given for my preaching in the park; but the heavy rain pre vented. I sent to the Mayor, desiring the use of the Town hall. He refused ; but the same day gave the use of it to a dancing-master. I then went to the women's market. Many soon gathered together, and listened with all seriousness. I preached there again the next morning, Thursday, 22, and again in the evening. Then I took coach for London. I was nobly attended; behind the coach were ten convicted felons, loudly blaspheming and rattling their chains; by my side sat a man with a loaded blunderbuss, and another upon the coach. Sun. 25.--Both the chapels were full enough. On Monday, I retired to Lewisham to write. Tuesday, AUGUST 3. Our Conference began; which continued and ended in peace and love. Sunday, 8. I was at West-Street in the morning, and at the new chapel in the evening, when I took a solemn leave of the affectionate congregation. This was the last night which I spent at the Foundery. What hath God wrought there in one-and-forty years Mon. August 9.-I set out for Wales, with my brother and his family. In the evening I preached at Oxford; the next, at Witney. Wednesday. We went on to Gloucester, where I preached with much satisfaction to a crowded audience. Thursday, 12. We went on to Monmouth, where the late storm is blown over. I preached at six in the evening, but did not observe one inattentive person then, any more than at five in the morning. Fri. 13.--As I was going down a steep pair of stairs, my foot slipped, and I fell down several steps. Falling on the edge of one of them, it broke the case of an Almanack, which was in my pocket, all to pieces. The edge of another stair met my right buckle, and snapped the steel chape of it in two; but I was not hurt. So doth our good Master give his angels charge over us! In the evening I preached at Brecknock; and, leaving my brother there, on Saturday, 14, went forward to Carmarthen.

Having so lately seen Stourhead and Cobham gardens, I was now desired to take a view of the much more celebrated gardens at Stow. The first thing I observed was the beautiful water which runs through the gardens, to the front of the house. The tufts of trees, placed on each side of this, are wonderfully pleasant; and so are many of the walks and glades through the woods, which are disposed with a fine Oct. 1779.] JOURNAL. 169 variety. The large pieces of water interspersed give a fresh beauty to the whole. Yet there are several things which must give disgust to any person of common sense:--1. The build ings, called Temples, are most miserable, many of them both within and without. Sir John Vanbrugh's is an ugly, clumsy lump, hardly fit for a gentleman’s stable. 2. The temples of Venus and Bacchus, though large, have nothing elegant in the structure; and the paintings in the former, representing a lewd story, are neither well designed nor executed. Those in the latterare quite faded, and most of theinscriptions vanishedaway. 3. The statues are full as coarse as the paintings, particularly those of Apollo and the Muses, whom a person, not otherwise informed, might take to be nine cook-maids. 4. Most of the water in the ponds is dirty, and thick as puddle. 5. It is childish affectation to call things here by Greek or Latin names, as Styx, and the Elysian Fields. 6. It was ominous for My Lord to entertain himself and his noble company in a grotto built on the bank of Styx; that is, on the brink of hell. 7. The river on which it stands is a black, filthy puddle, exactly resembling a common sewer. 8. One of the stateliest monuments is taken down, the Egyptian Pyramid; and no wonder, considering the two inscriptions, which are still legible; the one,-- Linquenda tellus, et domus, et placems Uror : Neque harum, quas colus, arborum Te praeter invisas cupressos, Ulla brevem dominum sequetur ! The other, I,usisti satis, edisti satis, atque bibisti : Tempus abire tibi est: Ne potum largius acquo Rideat, et pulset lasciva decentius attas. * Upon the whole, I cannot but prefer Cobham gardens to those at Stow : For, 1.

Fri. 11.--The sultry heat continuing, I would not coop myself up in the chapel, but preached again near Radcliff Parade, with much comfort and peace. Mon. 14.--For fear of the violent heat, we set out for Cornwall very early in the morning. But we feared where no fear was ; for that very day the heat was at an end, and a mild rain began ; which, at intervals, followed us almost to the Land’s End. After preaching at South-Brent, Taunton, and Collumpton, on Wednesday, 16, we came to Exeter. It is still a day of small things here, for want of a convenient preaching-house. Thurs day, 17. I went on to Plymouth. Here I expected little com fort. A large preaching-house was built; but who was to pay for it? I preached in it at six, at five in the morning, and on Friday evening; and, from the number and spirit of the hearers, could not but hope that good will be done here also. Sat. 19.--I snatched the opportunity of a fair evening, to preach in the Square at Plymouth-Dock. Sunday, 20. At seven in the morning, and at five in the evening, I preached at the Dock; in the afternoon in Plymouth House. It was crowded sufficiently. After preaching I made a collection for the House, which amounted to above five-and-twenty pounds. When I had done, Mr. Jane said, “This is not all. We must have a weekly collection both here and at the Dock. Let as many as can subscribe sixpence a week for one year. I will subscribe five shillings a week. And let this be reserved for the payment of the debt.” It was done : And by this simple method, the most pressing debts were soon paid. Mon. 21.-I preached to a large and quiet congregation in the main street at St. Austle. Tuesday, 22. I preached at Mevagissey; in the evening at Helstone. Wednesday, 23. I went on to Penzance. It is now a pleasure to be here; the little flock being united together in love. I preached at a little distance from the preaching-house. A company of soldiers were in town; whom, toward the close of the sermon, the good Officer ordered to march through the congregation. But as they readily opened and closed again, it made very little disturbance. Thur. 24.--I preached near the preaching-house at St. Just.

Saturday, 7. At noon, I preached at Preston-on-the-Hill; and in the 200 REv. J. Wesley’s [April, 1781. evening at Warrington. Sunday, 8. The service was at the usual hours. I came just in time to put a stop to a bad custom, which was creeping in here: A few men, who had fine voices, sang a Psalm which no one knew, in a tune fit for an opera, wherein three, four, or five persons, sung different words at the same time ! What an insult upon common sense! What a burlesque upon public worship ! No custom can excuse such a mixture of profaneness and absurdity. Mon. 9.--Desiring to be in Ireland as soon as possible, I hastened to Liverpool, and found a ship ready to sail; but the wind was contrary, till on Thursday morning, the Captain came in haste, and told us, the wind was come quite fair. So Mr. Floyd, Snowden, Joseph Bradford, and I, with two of our sisters, went on board. But scarce were we out at sea, when the wind turned quite foul, and rose higher and higher. In an hour I was so affected, as I had not been for forty years before. For two days I could not swallow the quantity of a pea of any thing solid, and very little of any liquid. I was bruised and sore from head to foot, and ill able to turn me on the bed. All Friday, the storm increasing, the sea of consequence was rougher and rougher. Early on Saturday morning, the hatches were closed, which, together with the violent motion, made our horses so turbulent, that I was afraid we must have killed them, lest they should damage the ship. Mrs. S. now crept to me, threw her arms over me, and said, “O Sir, we will die together l’” We had by this time three feet water in the hold, though it was an exceeding light vessel. Meantime we were furiously driving on a lee-shore; and when the Captain cried, “Helm a lee,” she would not obey the helm. I called our brethren to prayers; and we found free access to the throne of grace. Soon after we got, I know not how, into Holyhead harbour, after being sufficiently buffeted by the winds and waves, for two days and two nights.

High and low, rich and poor, flocked together from all parts of the city; and truly God spoke in his word; so that I believe most of them were almost persuaded to be Christians. Were it only for this hour alone, the pains of coming to Worcester would have been well bestowed. Mon. 23.−Being informed it was fifty miles to Brecknock, we set out early : But, on trial, we found they were computed miles. However, taking fresh horses at the Hay, I just reached it in time, finding a large company waiting. Wednesday, 25. I set out for Carmarthen. But Joseph Bradford was so ill, that, after going six miles, I left him at a friend’s house, and went only myself. I came in good time to Carmarthen, and enforced those solemn words on a serious congregation, “Now he commandeth all men everywhere to repent.” Thur. 26.--I went on to Pembroke, and in the evening preached in the Town-Hall. Friday, 27. I preached at Jeffer son, seven miles from Pembroke, to a large congregation of honest colliers. In the evening I preached in Pembroke Town Hall again, to an elegant congregation; and afterwards met the 202 REv. J. W. Esley’s [May, 1781. society, reduced to a fourth part of its ancient number. But as they are now all in peace and love with each other, I trust they will increase again. Saturday, 28. We had, in the evening, the most solemn opportunity which I have had since we came into Wales: And the society seemed all alive, and resolved to be altogether Christians. Sun. 29.--At seven I preached in the Room, on, “Lazarus, come forth; ” and about ten, began at St. Daniel’s. The church was filled as usual; and the Second Lesson gave me a suitable text, “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.” I applied the words as closely as possible; and I doubt not, some were more than almost persuaded. In the evening I preached at Haverfordwest, to the liveliest congregation I have seen in Wales. Mon. 30.--I met about fifty children; such a company as I have not seen for many years. Miss Warren loves them, and they love her. She has taken true pains with them, and her labour has not been in vain.

I never saw in England so many stout, well-looking Preachers together. If their spirit be answerable to their look, I know not what can stand before them. In the June, 1781.] JOURNAL. 207 afternoon I rode over to Dawby, and preached to a very large and very serious congregation. Fri. 8.-Having now visited the island round, east, south, north, and west, I was thoroughly convinced that we have no such Circuit as this, either in England, Scotland, or Ireland. It is shut up from the world; and, having little trade, is visited by scarce any strangers. Here are no Papists, no Dissenters of any kind, no Calvinists, no disputers. Here is no opposition, either from the Governor, (a mild humane man,) from the Bishop, (a good man,) or from the bulk of the Clergy. One or two of them did oppose for a time; but they seem now to understand better. So that we have now rather too little, than too much, reproach; the scandal of the cross being, for the present, ceased. The natives are a plain, artless, simple people; unpolished, that is, unpolluted; few of them are rich or genteel; the far greater part, moderately poor; and most of the strangers that settle among them are men that have seen affliction. The Local Preachers are men of faith and love, knit together in one mind and one judgment. They speak either Manx or English, and follow a regular plan, which the Assistant gives them monthly. The isle is supposed to have thirty thousand inhabitants. Allowing half of them to be adults, and our societies to contain one or two and twenty hundred members, what a fair proportion is this What has been seen like this, in any part either of Great Britain or Ireland? Sat. 9.--We would willingly have set sail; but the strong north-east wind prevented us. Monday, 11. It being moderate, we put to sea: But it soon died away into a calm ; so I had time to read over and consider Dr. Johnson’s “Tour through Scotland.” I had heard that he was severe upon the whole nation; but I could find nothing of it. He simply mentions (but without any bitterness) what he approved or disapproved; and many of the reflections are extremely judicious ; some of them very affecting. Tues. 12.--The calm continuing, I read over Mr.

It seems as if good might at length be done here also; as an entire new generation is now come up, in the room of the dry, stupid stocks that were there before. On Monday, 24, and the following days, I met the classes at Bristol, and was not a little surprised to find that the society is still decreasing. Certainly we have all need to stir up the gift of God that is in us, and with all possible care to “strengthen the things that remain.” Thur. 27.--I preached at Bath and Bradford; and on Friday, at Trowbridge. How long did we toil here and take nothing ! At length, it seems, the answer of many prayers is come. Friday, 28. About noon I preached at Keynsham; and not without hopes of doing good even here. Since Miss Owen has removed from Publow, Miss Bishop has set up a school here ; and it is worthy to be called a Christian school. It is what the school at Publow was Sat. 29.--I spent an hour with Mr. Henderson at Hannam, and particularly inquired into his whole method; and I am persuaded there is not such another house for lunatics in the three kingdoms. He has a peculiar art of governing his patients; not by fear, but by love. The consequence is, many of them speedily recover, and love him ever after. Thur. October 4.--I was importuned to preach the condemned sermon at Bristol. I did so, though with little hope of doing good; the criminals being eminently impenitent. Yet they were, for the present, melted into tears; and they were not out of God’s reach. 218 REv. J. WESLEY’s [Oct. 1781. Sun. 7.--I took my leave of the congregation in the new Square, in a calm, delightful evening. Monday, 8. I preached at the Devizes about eleven ; at Sarum in the evening. Tues. 9.--I preached at Winchester, where I went with great expectation to see that celebrated painting in the cathe dral, the raising of Lazarus. But I was disappointed. I observed, 1. There was such a huddle of figures, that, had I not been told, I should not ever have guessed what they meant. 2. The colours in general were far too glaring, such as neither Christ nor his followers ever wore. When will painters have common sense? Wed.

Fletcher complained, that, after all the pains they had taken, they could not prevail on the people to join in society, no nor even to meet in a class. Resolving to try, I preached to a crowded audience, on, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ.” I followed the blow in the afternoon, by strongly applying those words, “Awake, thou that sleepest;” and then enforcing the necessity of Christian fellowship on all who desired either to awake or keep awake. I then desired those that were willing to join together for this purpose, to call upon Mr. Fletcher and me after Service. Ninety-four or ninety-five persons did so; about as many men as women. We explained to them the mature of a Christian society, and they willingly joined therein. Mon. 25.--I spent an agreeable hour at the Boarding-School in Sheriff-Hales. I believe the Misses Yeomans are well April, 1782.] journal. 223 qualified for their office. Several of the children are under strong drawings. We then went on to Newcastle-under-Lyne. (This is the name of a little river which runs near the town.) Tuesday, 26. I found many at Burslem, too, under sad appre hensions of the public danger: So I applied to these also those comfortable words, “I will not destroy it for ten’s sake.” Thur. 28.--Coming to Congleton, I found the Calvinists were just breaking in, and striving to make havoc of the flock. Is this brotherly love? Is this doing as we would be done to ? No more than robbing on the highway. But if it is decreed, they cannot help it: So we cannot blame them. MARch 29.--(Being Good-Friday.) I came to Maccles field just time enough to assist Mr. Simpson in the laborious service of the day. I preached for him morning and after noon; and we administered the sacrament to about thirteen hundred persons. While we were administering, I heard a low, soft, solemn sound, just like that of an AEolian harp. It continued five or six minutes, and so affected many, that they could not refrain from tears. It then gradually died away. Strange that no other organist (that I know) should think of this. In the evening, I preached at our Room. Here was that harmony which art cannot imitate. Sat.

I found the accounts I had received of the work of God here, were not at all exag gerated. Here is a little country town, containing a little more than eight or nine hundred grown people; and there has been such a work among them, as we have not seen in so short a time either at Leeds, Bristol, or London. Sun. 12.--About eight I preached at Misterton; about one at Overthorpe. Many of the Epworth children were there, and their spirit spread to all around them. But the huge congregation was in the market-place at Epworth, and the Lord in the midst of them. The love-feast which fol lowed exceeded all. I never knew such a one here before. As soon as one had done speaking, another began. Several of them were children; but they spoke with the wisdom of the aged, though with the fire of youth. So out of the mouth of babes and sucklings did God perfect praise. 228 REv. J. W. Esley’s [June, 1782. Mon. 13.−I preached at Thorne. Never did I see such a congregation here before. The flame of Epworth hath spread hither also: In seven weeks fifty persons have found peace with God. Tues. 14.--Some years ago four factories for spinning and weaving were set up at Epworth. In these a large number of young women, and boys and girls, were employed. The whole conversation of these was profane and loose to the last degree. But some of these stumbling in at the prayer-meeting were suddenly cut to the heart. These never rested till they had gained their companions. The wholc scene was changed. In three of the factories, no more lewdness or profaneness were found; for God had put a new song in their mouth, and blasphemies were turned to praise. Those three I visited to day, and found religion had taken deep root in them. No trifling word was heard among them, and they watch over each other in love. I found it exceeding good to be there, and we rejoiced together in the God of our salvation. Wed. 15.-I set out for the other side of Lincolnshire. Thursday, 16. I preached in the new house at Barrow. I was well pleased to meet with my old fellow-traveller, Charles Delamotte, here. He gave me an invitation to lodge at his house, which I willingly accepted of.

They are a fine body of men, taller, I suppose, than any English regiment; and they all wear large whiskers, which they take care to keep as black as their boots. Afterwards we saw the gardens at the Old Palace, beautifully laid out, with a large piece of water in the middle, and a canal at each end: The open walks in it are pleasant, but the shady serpentine walks are far pleasanter. We dined at Mrs. L 's, in such a family as I have sel dom seen. Her mother, upwards of seventy, seemed to be continually rejoicing in God her Saviour: The daughter breathes the same spirit; and her grandchildren, three little girls and a boy, seem to be all love. I have not seen four such children together in all England. A gentleman coming in after dinner, I found a particular desire to pray for him. In a little while he melted into tears, as indeed did most of the company. Wednesday, 18. In the afternoon Madam de Vassenaar invited us to a meeting at a neighbouring lady's house. I expounded Gal. vi. 14, and Mr. M. interpreted as before. Thur. 19.-We took boat at seven. Mrs. L. and one of her relations, being unwilling to part so soon, bore us company to Leyden; a large and populous town, but not so pleasant as Rotterdam. In the afternoon we went on to Haerlem, where a plain, good man and his wife received us in a most affectionate manner. At six we took boat again. As it was filled from end to end, I was afraid we should not have a very pleasant jour ney. After Mr. Ferguson had told the people who we were, we made a slight excuse, and sung an hymn. They were all attention. We then talked a little, by means of our inter preter, and desired that any of them who pleased would sing. Four persons did so; and sung well. After a while we sung again: So did one or two of them; and all our hearts were strangely knit together, so that when we came to Amsterdam they dismissed us with abundance of blessings. 252 REv. J. Wesley’s {June, 1783. Fri. 20.--We breakfasted at Mr. Ferguson’s, near the heart of the city. At eleven we drank coffee (the custom in Holland) at Mr.

V n, and immediately fell into close conversation. There seems to be in him a pecu liar softness and sweetness of temper; and a peculiar liveliness in Mrs. V m. Our loving dispute, concerning deliverance from sin, was concluded within an hour: And we parted, if that June, 1783.] JOURNAL. 253 could be, better friends than we met. Afterwards we walked to Mr. J 's house in the Plantations, a large tract of ground, laid out in shady walks. These lie within the city walls: But there are other walks, equally pleasant, without the gates. Indeed nothing is wanting but the power of reli gion, to make Amsterdam a paradise. Sun. 22.--I went to the new church, so called still, though four or five hundred years old. It is larger, higher, and better illuminated, than most of our cathedrals. The screen that divides the church from the choir is of polished brass, and shines like gold. I understood the Psalms that were sung, and the text well, and a little of the sermon ; which Mr. de H. delivered with great earnestness. At two I began the Ser vice at the English church, an elegant building, about the size of West-Street chapel. Only it has no galleries; nor have any of the churches in Holland. I preached on Isaiah lv. 6, 7; and I am persuaded many received the truth in the love thereof. After service I spent another hour at Mr. V. ’s. Mrs. V again asked me abundance of questions, concerning deliverance from sin; and seemed a good deal better satis fied, with regard to the great and precious promises. Thence we went to Mr. B., who had lately found peace with God. He was full of faith and love, and could hardly mention the goodness of God without tears. His wife appeared to be exactly of the same spirit, so that our hearts were soon knit together. From thence we went to another family, where a large company were assembled. But all seemed open to receive instructions, and desirous to be altogether Christians. After dinner Mrs. J took me in a coach to the Mere, and thence round the country to Zeeburg. I never saw such a country before: I suppose there is no such summer country in Europe. From Amsterdam to Mere is all a train of the most delightful gardens.

From Amsterdam to Mere is all a train of the most delightful gardens. Turning upon the left, you then open upon the Texel, which spreads into a sea. Zeeburg itself is a little house built on the edge of it, which commands both a land and sea prospect. What is wanting to make the inhabitants happy, but the knowledge and love of God? Tues. 24.--We took a view of the new Workhouse, which stands on one side of the Plantations. It much resembles Shore ditch Workhouse: Only it is considerably larger. And the front of it is so richly ornamented, that it looks like a royal palace 254 Rev. J. Wesley’s [June, 1783. About four hundred are now in the house, which is to receive four hundred more : Just half as many as are in the Poorhouse at Dublin, which now contains sixteen hundred. We saw many of the poor people, all at work, knitting, spinning, picking work, or weaving. And the women in one room were all sewing, either fine or plain work. Many of these had been women of the town : For this is a Bridewell and Workhouse in one. The head keeper was stalking to and fro, with a large silver-hilted sword by his side. The bed-chambers were exceeding neat: The beds are better or worse as are those that use them. We saw both the men in one long room, and the women in ano ther, at dinner. In both rooms they sung a Psalm and prayed, before and after dinner. I cannot but think the managers in Amsterdam wiser than those in Dublin : For certainly a little of the form of religion is better than none at all ! Afterwards we spent an hour at Mrs. V 's, a very extraordinary woman. Both from her past and present expe rience, I can have no doubt but she is perfected in love. She said, “I was born at Surinam ; and came from thence when I was about ten years old. But when I came hither, my guardian would not let me have my fortune, unless I would go back to Surinam. However, I got acquainted with some pious people, and made shift to live, till I was about sixteen: I then embarked for Surinam ; but a storm drove us to the coast of England, where the ship was stranded.

SEPTEMBER 1.--We clambered over the mountains to Buxton. In the afternoon I preached in Fairfield church, about half a mile from the town ; it was thoroughly filled with serious and attentive hearers. Tuesday, 2. We went to Leeds, where I was glad to find several Preachers. Wed. 3.−I consulted the Preachers, how it was best to proceed with the Trustees of Birstal House, to prevail upon them to settle it on the Methodist plan. They all advised me to begin by preaching there. Accordingly, I preached on Thursday evening, and met the society. I preached again in the morning. Friday, 5. About nine I met the nineteen Trustees; and, after exhorting them to peace and love, said, “All that I desire is, that this House may be settled on the Methodist plan; and the same clause may be inserted in your Deed which is inserted in the Deed of the new chapel in London; viz., “In case the doctrine or practice of any Preacher should, in the opinion of the major part of the Trustees, be not conformable to Mr. W. ’s Sermons and Oct. 1783.] JOURNAL. 261 Notes on the New Testament, on representing this, another Preacher shall be sent within three months.’” Five of the Trustees were willing to accept of our first proposals; the rest were not willing. Although I could not obtain the end proposed; and, in that respect, had only my labour for my pains; yet I do not at all repent of my journey: I have done my part; let others bear their own burden. Going back nearly the same way I came, on Saturday, 13, I reached Bristol. I had likewise good reward for my labour, in the recovery of my health, by a journey of five or six hundred miles. On Wednesday, 17, and the two following days, I visited several of the country societies; and found most of them, not only increasing in number, but in the knowledge and love of God. Fri. 26.--Observing the deep poverty of many of our brethren, I determined to do what I could for their relief. I spoke severally to some that were in good circumstances, and received about forty pounds. Next I inquired who were in the most pressing want, and visited them at their own houses.

Above twenty years she has been a Class and a Band Leader, and of very eminent use. Ten months since she was accused of drunkenness, and of revealing the secret of her friend. Being informed of this, I wrote to Norwich, (as I then believed the charge,) that she must be no longer a Leader, either of a band or a class. The Preacher told her further, that, in his judg ment, she was unfit to be a member of the society. Upon this she gave up her ticket, together with the band and her class papers. Immediately all her friends (of whom she seemed to have a large number) forsook her at once. No one knew her, or spoke to her. She was as a dead thing out of mind On making a more particular inquiry, I found that Mrs. W (formerly a common woman) had revealed her own secret, to Dr. Hunt, and twenty people besides. So the first accusation vanished into air. As to the second, I verily believe, the drunkenness with which she was charged, was, in reality, the falling down in a fit. So we have thrown away one of the most useful Leaders we ever had, for these wonderful reasons ! Wed. 29.--I crossed over to Lynn, and found things much better than I expected. The behaviour of Mr. G. , which one would have imagined would have done much harm, had rather dome good. People in general cried, “Let that bad man go, they will do better without him.” And the House was sufficiently crowded with serious hearers. November 1. I returned to London. In the two following weeks I visited the classes both in London and the neighbouring societies. Sunday, 16. Being much importuned, I preached in the evening at Mr. Maxfield's chapel. But I dare not do so again, as it cannot contain one third of that congregation at the new chapel. Mon. 17.-I preached at Sevenoaks, and on Tuesday, 18, at Mount-Ephraim, near Tunbridge-Wells. Wednesday, 19, I came once more to the lovely family at Shoreham. A little longer that vesserable old man is permitted to remain here, that the flock may not be scattered. When I was at Sevenoaks I made an odd remark. In the year 1769, I weighed an hundred and twenty-two pounds. In 1783, I weighed not a pound more or less.

Truly these “approve the things that are excellent,” whether they practise them or no. I found this to be a genuine Methodist society: They are all thoroughly united to each other. They love and keep our Rules; they long and expect to be perfected in love: If they continue so to do, they will and must increase in number as well as in grace. Tues. 4.--I reached Aberdeen between four and five in the afternoon. Wednesday, 5. I found the morning preaching had been long discontinued: Yet the bands and the select society were kept up. But many were faint and weak for want of morning preaching and prayer-meetings, of which I found scarce any traces in Scotland. In the evening I talked largely with the Preachers, and showed them the hurt it did both to them and the people, for any one Preacher to stay six or eight weeks together in one place. Neither can he find matter for preaching every morning and evening, nor will the people come to hear him. Hence he grows cold by lying in bed, and so do the people. Whereas, if he never stays more than a fortnight together in one place, he may find matter enough, and the people will gladly hear him. They immediately drew up such a plan for this Circuit, which they determined to pursue. 274 REv. W. wesley’s [May, 1784. Thur. 6.--We had the largest congregation at five which I have seen since I came into the kingdom. We set out immediately after preaching, and reached Old-Meldrum about ten. A servant of Lady Banff's was waiting for us there, who desired I would take post-horses to Fort-Glen. In two hours we reached an inn, which, the servant told us, was four little miles from her house. So we made the best of our way, and got thither in exactly three hours. All the family received us with the most cordial affection. At seven I preached to a small congregation, all of whom were seriously attentive, and some, I believe, deeply affected. Fri. 7.--I took a walk round about the town. I know not when I have seen so pleasant a place. One part of the house is an ancient castle, situated on the top of a little hill. At a small distance runs a clear river, with a beautiful wood on its banks.

I admired the whole Service for the day. The Prayers, Scrip tures, and every part of it, pointed at one thing: “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” Having five Clergymento assist me, we administered the Lord's Supper, as was supposed, to sixteen or seventeen hundred persons. Sun. AUGUST 1.-We were fifteen Clergymen at the old church. Tues. 3.-Our Conference concluded in much love, to the great disappointment of all. This evening I went as far as Halifax, and the next day to Manchester. Thursday, 5. We set out early, but, being obliged to go round about, could not reach Shrewsbury till half-past seven. I began preaching immediately, in memory of good John Appleton, lately called away, on, “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.” Friday, 6. I preached at Birmingham ; and on Saturday, 7, at Worcester. Sun. 8.-I preached in the afternoon in St. Andrew’s church, and was agreeably surprised to observe the congregation deeply attentive, while I applied the story of Dives and Lazarus. 286 Rev. J. wesley’s [Aug. 1784. Mon. 9.--I rode over Malvern-Hills, which affords one of the finest prospects in the kingdom, to Ledbury; then, through miserable roads, to Ross. I preached in the evening at Mon mouth, to a very quiet and civil congregation. Tumults were now at an end, as I lodged at the house of a gentleman whom none cared to oppose; and even in the morning we had a large congregation, both of rich and poor. Tues. 10.-I took a walk to what is called the Bowling Green House, not a mile from the town. I have hardly seen such a place before. A gravel-walk leads through the most beautiful meadows, surrounded on all sides by fruitful hills, to a gently-rising ground, on the top of which is a smooth Green, on which the Gentry of the town frequently spend the evening in dancing. From hence spread various walks, bordered with flowers; one of which leads down to the river, on the back of which runs another walk whose artless shades are not pene trated by the sun. These are full as beautiful in their kind, as even the hanging-woods at Brecknock. Wednesday, 11.

30.-I had a long conversation with John M*Geary, one of our American Preachers, just come to England. He gave a pleasing account of the work of God there continually increasing, and vehemently importuned me to pay one more 290 REv. J. WESLEY’s [Oct. 1784. visit to America before I die. Nay, I shall pay no more visits to new worlds, till I go to the world of spirits. Sat. October 2.--It pleased God once more to pour out his Spirit on the family at Kingswood. Many of the children were much affected. I talked particularly with some who desired to partake of the Lord's Supper. They did so the next morn ing. Afterwards I spent a little time with all the children; and easily observed an uncommon awe resting upon them all. In the evening we renewed our covenant with God in the new Room at Bristol. It was supposed we had a thousand communicants; and I believe none went empty away. Mon. 4.--I set out for London. About eleven I preached at the Devizes; and in the evening at Sarum. A grievous stumbling-block was lately thrown in the way of this poor people. A young gentlewoman, after being deeply convinced of sin, found peace with God in a glorious manner. She was unspeakably happy; but, not long after, suddenly fell into black despair, and afterwards into melancholy madness, wherein she continued about two years. Here was an occasion of offence for them that sought occasion, which they took care to improve. Wed. 6.--About eleven I preached at Winchester; and in the evening at Portsmouth-Common. Those who could not get in, at first made a little noise; but in a short time all was quiet. Thursday, 7. I crossed over to the Isle of Wight. In the afternoon I preached at Newtown, once the largest town in the Isle; but now not having six houses together. In the evening all the Ministers, and most of the Gentry at New port, attended the preaching. Who hath warned them to flee from the wrath to come? O may many “bring forth fruit with patience 1” Friday, 8. We returned to Portsmouth Common; and Saturday, 9, to London. Mon. 18.--I set out for Oxfordshire; and in the evening preached at Wallingford. Tuesday, 19. I spent an hour at Lord Harcourt’s seat, near Newnham; one of the pleasantest spots I have seen.

I spent an hour at Lord Harcourt’s seat, near Newnham; one of the pleasantest spots I have seen. It stands on a gently-rising hill, and commands a most delightful prospect. The rooms are not so grand as some, but elegant in the highest degree. So is also the front of the house, and what is called the flower-garden; a small inclosure, surrounded by lofty trees, and filled with all the beauties that nature and art can give. The House at Oxford was thoroughly filled; and students as Nov. 1784.] JOURNAL. 291 well as townsmen were deeply serious. Thursday, 21. I preached at Witney, on, “As thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee.” We had a large congregation at five in the morning; at twelve I met the children, and was pleased to find that the impression which was made on them by the storm last year, is not yet worn out; and the whole society, still double to what it was, appears to be much in earnest. After preaching in the evening, I met the select society, and found many of them who for several years have lost nothing of what they had received, but do still love God with all their heart; and, in consequence, “rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks.” Friday, 22. I preached at High-Wycomb about noon; and in the after noon went on to London. Sun. 24.--I preached at Shadwell church, which was exceed ingly crowded with rich and poor, who all seemed to receive the truth in love. In the evening I took coach, and the next evening preached at Norwich. Afterwards I advised the peo ple to go away in silence; and they did so: Neither man nor woman spoke till they were out of the House. The following days I visited the other societies in the Circuit; and on Tues day, November 2, returned to London. Fri. 5.--We had a solemn watch-night. Saturday, 6. I was an hour or two in conversation with that truly great man, Pascal Paoli; who is a tall, well-made, graceful man, about sixty years of age; but he does not look to be above forty. He appears to have a real regard for the public good, and much of the fear of God. He has a strong understanding, and seemed to be acquainted with every branch of polite literature.

The Presbyterian Minister offering me the use of his meeting, I willingly accepted his offer. It was, I believe, capable of containing near as many people as the chapel at West-Street; but it would not near contain the congregation: And God uttered his voice, yea, and that a mighty voice; neither the sorrow nor the joy which was felt that night will quickly be forgotten. Thur. 25.--I desired the people would sit below in the morning, supposing not many would be present; but I was much mistaken; notwithstanding the darkness and rain, the House was filled both above and below; and never did I see a people who appeared more ready prepared for the Lord. Returning through Brackley, I was informed that notice had been given of my preaching there at nine in the Town-Hall: So I began without delay. The congregation was large and attentive, but seemed to understand me no more than if I had been talking Greek; but the society seemed alive to God, and striving to enter in at the strait gate. In the evening I preached at poor, dead Towcester. But is not God able to raise the dead? There was a considerable shaking among the dry bones. And who knows but these dry bones may live? Dec. 1784.] JOURNAL. 293 Fri. 26.-I returned to London. Sunday, 28. I preached a charity sermon at St. Paul’s, Covent-Garden. It is the largest and the best-constructed parish church that I have preached in for several years; yet some hundreds were obliged to go away, not being able to get in. I strongly enforced the necessity of that humble, gentle, patient love, which is the very essence of true religion. Monday, 29. In the evening I preached at Hinxworth, in Miss Harvey’s new House. Tues day, 30. I visited my old friends at Bedford; but found Mr. Hill was gone to rest, and Mr. Parker was just quivering on the verge of life. However, I rejoiced to find him clearly possessed of that perfect love which he had so long opposed. Wed. DECEMBER 1.--I preached at St. Neot's, to the largest congregation I ever saw here; and I know not that ever I knew them so affected; it seemed as if God touched all their hearts. Thursday, 2. I preached about noon at Bugden; and in the evening to a crowded congregation at Binlington.

I preached about noon at Bugden; and in the evening to a crowded congregation at Binlington. I wondered that I saw nothing here of a young Clergyman, who last year professed much love and esteem; but I soon heard that his eyes were opened to see the decrees. So he knows me no InOre. Fri. 3.-Partly riding, and partly walking, through wind and rain, and water and dirt, we got at last to Luton, where I found a large congregation; and we greatly rejoiced in God our Saviour. Saturday, 4. I went on to London. Mon. 6.--I went to Tunbridge-Wells, but not without diffi culty; part of the road being made scarce passable, through the abundance of rain. I preached in the large Presbyterian meeting-house; but the violent rain thinned the congrega tion. Yet on Tuesday, 7, we set out in a lovely morning; but in about an hour, just as a pack of hounds came on in full cry, a furious storm of hail met them in the teeth, and utterly silenced them. It soon turned to snow; which so covered the road, that we could scarce get on, though we walked good part of the way; so that we could not get to Robertsbridge till after the time appointed. The snow likewise so retarded us in our journey to Rye, that we were above an hour in the night. However, the House was well filled with serious hearers; so that I did not repent of my labour. Wed. 8.--With great difficulty, with two pair of good horses, we got on fifteen miles in five hours; but we could not reach Sevenoaks till the congregation had been long 294 REv. J. wesley’s [Dec. 1784. waiting. Thursday, 9. Going on to Shoreham, we found that venerable man, Mr. Perronet, ninety-one years of age, calmly waiting for the conclusion of a good warfare. His bodily strength is gone, but his understanding is little im paired; and he appears to have more love than ever. After preaching to an earnest congregation in the evening, and to great part of them in the morning, I returned to London. Monday, 13, and the two days following, I preached at Can terbury, Dover, and Sittingbourne. Thursday, 16. I went to Sheerness; where Mr.

17.-We had such a mumber of communicants at the cathedral as was scarce ever seen there before. In the evening many were cut to the heart; and, I believe, not a few com forted. A love-feast followed; at which many spoke what God had done for their souls, with all plainness and simplicity. Mon. 18.-I went through a delightful country to Pros perous; a little town, begun five years ago by Captain Brooke, 302 Rev. J. Wesley’s [April, 1785. just returned from the East Indies. Here he introduced every branch of the cotton manufactory, on a most extensive plan. He built two rows of commodious houses, with all convenient appurtenances; and he now employs about two thousand men, women, and children, on the spot, beside near the same number in other places. They had a very large Room, but not near large enough for the congregation. All that got in seemed much affected, as they did likewise at five in the morning. About fifty of them are already joined in a society. Fair blossoms | But what will the fruit be? A remarkable circumstance, we were informed, occurred near this place, about three weeks before:-A poor woman, who owed her landlord fourteen pounds, scraped seven together, which she brought him. But he absolutely refused to take less than the whole, yet detained her in talk till evening. She then set out on a car. When she was within a mile of home, she over took a soldier, who said he was exceedingly tired, and earnestly entreated her to let him ride with her on the car, to which she at length consented. When they came to her house, finding there was no town within two miles, he begged he might sit by the fire-side till morning. She told him she durst not suffer it, as hers was a lone house, and there was none in it but herself and her girl: But at last she agreed he should lie in the girl’s bed, and she and the girl would lie together. At midnight, two men, who had blackened their faces, broke into the house, and demanded her money.

Wed. 18.--Learning that a little girl had sat up all night, and then walked two miles to see me, I took her into the chaise; and was surprised to find her continually rejoicing in God. The person with whom the Preachers lodge, informed me, that she has been two years possessed of his pure love. We break fasted at Athenry, once a populous city. But now seges est ubi Troja fuit.* In the afternoon, we went on to Ballinrobe. Having heard a remarkable account of the Charter-School here, I resolved to see it with my own eyes. I went thither * Corn is growing on the spot where Troy formerly stood.--EDIT. 308 REv. J. Wesley’s [May, 1785. about five in the afternoon, but found no master or mistress. Seven or eight boys, and nine or ten girls, (the rest being ram bling abroad,) dirty and ragged enough, were left to the care of a girl half the head taller than the rest. She led us through the house. I observed first the school-room, not much bigger than a small closet. Twenty children could not be taught there at once, with any convenience. When we came into the bed chamber, I inquired, “How many children now lodge in the house?” and was answered, “Fourteen or fifteen boys, and nineteen girls.” For these boys, there were three beds, and five for the nineteen girls. For food I was informed, the master was allowed a penny-farthing a day for each ! Thus they are clothed, lodged, and fed. But what are they taught? As far as I could learn, just nothing ! Of these things I informed the Commissioners for these schools in Dublin. But I do not hear of any alteration. If this be a sample of the Irish Charter-Schools, what good can we expect from them? In my way from Limerick hither, I read and carefully con sidered Major Wallance’s Irish Grammar, allowed to be the best extant. And supposing him to give a true account of the Irish language, it is not only beyond all comparison worse than any ancient language I know anything of; but below English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, or any other modern lan guage.

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. From hence we went to Ballymena. In the after moon I walked over to Gracehill, the Moravian settlement. Beside many little houses for them that are married, they have three large buildings; (on the same plan with that at Fulneck;) having the chapel in the middle, the house for the single men on the left hand, that for the single women on the right. We spent one or two agreeable hours in seeing the several rooms. Nothing can exceed the neatness of the rooms, or the courtesy of the inhabitants: But if they have most courtesy, we have more love. We do not suffer a stranger, especially a Christian brother, to visit us, without asking him either “to bite or sup.” “But it is their way.” I am sorry to say, so it is. When I June, 1785.] JOURNAL. 313 called on Bishop Antone, in Holland, an old acquaintance, whom I had not seen for six-and-forty years, till both he and I were grown grey-headed, he did not ask me so much as to wet my lips. Is not this a shameful way? A way, contrary not only to Christianity, but to common humanity? Is it not a way that a Jew, a Mahometan, yea, an honest Heathen, would be ashamed of 2 Having now finished an ingenious book, Le Vrayer’s “Ani madversions on the Ancient Historians,” I thought a few passages worth transcribing, as containing some uncommon remarks. He says more for the veracity of Herodotus than ever I saw before ; and convinces me that his authority is more to be relied on than that of Polybius; who, “ contrary to the truth of history, makes Scipio an example of continence, in giving up the fair captive to the Spanish Prince; whereas, in fact, he never would, nor did, restore her to her husband.” “There is not a more incredible relation in all the Roman History, than that Clelia, and all the Roman virgins who were hostages to the Hetrurians, swam over the river Tiber to Rome.

The place seemed to be filled with his glory. After visiting Newcastle and Congleton, on Saturday, APRIL 1, I came to Macclesfield. Here again I had the satisfaction to find a people much alive to God. Sunday, 2. We had a large and serious congregation at the new church, both morning and afternoon. The organ is one of the finest-toned I ever heard; and the congregation singing with it make a sweet harmony. Monday, 3. About eleven I preached to a crowded congregation in the new House near Chapel-en-le-Frith. Many of these lively people came from among the mountains, and strongly reminded me of those fine verses wherein Dr. Burton paraphrases those plain words, “The hills are a refuge for the wild goats; and so are the stony rocks for the conies:”-- Te, domine, intonsi montes, te sawa loquentur Summa Deum, dum amat juga pendulus hircus, Sarorumque colit latebrosa cuniculus antra. It is chiefly among these enormous mountains that so many have been awakened, justified, and soon after perfected in love; but even while they are full of love, Satan strives to push many of them to extravagance. This appears in several instances:--1. Frequently three or four, yea, ten or twelve, pray aloud all together. 2. Some of them, perhaps many, scream all together as loud as they possibly can. 3. Some of them use improper, yea, indecent, expressions in prayer. 4. Several drop down as dead; and are as stiff as a corpse; but in a while they start up, and cry, “Glory ! glory !” perhaps twenty times together. Just so do the French Prophets, and very lately the Jumpers in Wales, bring the real work into contempt. Yet whenever we reprove them, it should be in the most mild and gentle manner possible. Tues. 4.--In the evening I preached to a lovely congregation at Stockport. Friday, 7. I went on, as swiftly as I could, through Manchester, Wigan, and Bolton. APRIL 16. (Being Easter-Day.) I crossed over to Warrington; where, having read Prayers, preached, and administered the Lord's Supper, I hastened back to Bolton. The House was crowded the more, because of five hundred and fifty children, who are taught in our Sunday-Schools: Such an army of them got about me when I came out of the chapel, that I could scarce disengage myself from them. 330 REv. J. wesley's [May, 1786. Mon.

Wednesday, 6. I answered my letters; and on Thursday, 7, set out for Bristol. In the evening I preached at Newbury. It rained and blew vehemently; yet the House was throughly filled; and I found uncommon liberty in pushing the inquiry, “Who of you are building on the sand, and who upon a rock P” Friday, 8. In the evening I preached at Bath, to a more numerous congregation than I expected; and more serious, for I do not find there were any careless or inattentive hearers. Saturday, 9. We had a good congregation at five; although the weather continued stormy. Afterward I searched to the bottom a story I had heard in part; and found it another tale of real woe:--Two of our society had lived together in uncommon harmony; when one who met in Band with E. F., to whom she had mentioned that she had found a temptation toward Dr. F., went and told her husband she was in love with him, and that she had it from her own mouth. The spirit of jealousy seized him in a moment, and utterly took away his reason; and some one telling him his wife was at 350 REv. J. Wesley’s [Sept. 1786, Dr. F.'s, (on whom she had called that afternoon,) he took a great stick and ran away; and meeting her in the street, called out, “Strumpet, strumpet !” and struck her twice or thrice. He is now throughly convinced of her innocence; but the water cannot be gathered up again He sticks there, “I do throughly forgive you; but I can never love you more.” Sun. 10.--Our service began at ten. Mr. Creighton (whose health is a little recovered by rest, and drinking the mineral waters) read Prayers and assisted at the sacrament.

Creighton (whose health is a little recovered by rest, and drinking the mineral waters) read Prayers and assisted at the sacrament. I preached on, “The children are brought to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.” At half an hour past two we had a far larger congregation, and I think equally serious; on whom I enforced the exhortation, “Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy-laden.” In the evening I opened and largely applied those words in the Gospel for the day, “Verily I say unto you, Many Prophets and Kings have desired to see the things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things that ye hear, and have not heard them.” Mon. 11.--Leaving the society here well united together, I went on, and preached at Bristol in the evening; and on Tuesday, 12, retired to a friend's house, where I went on with Mr. Fletcher's Life without interruption; but on Wednesday, 13, I could not resist the desire of my friends, to preach at Temple church in the evening. I never saw it so full in an evening before, nor felt so much of the power of God there. Fri. 15.-I had much satisfaction in the evening at the chapel in Guinea-Street. It was throughly filled; and most of the people seemed much affected, while (from Heb. xii. 1) I described what I take to be the chief besetting sins of Bristol, love of money, and love of ease. Indeed God has already wrought a great deliverance for many of them; and we hope a far greater will ensue. Sun. 17.--I preached morning and evening at the Room; and in the afternoon at Kingswood, where the work of God seems to stand nearly at one stay; not sensibly increasing or decreasing. On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, I met the classes at Bristol; and on the remaining days of the week transcribed the society, considerably increased since last year; and I hope in grace as well as in number. Sat. 23.--I read the general plan of Monsieur Gebalin's vast work, designed to consist of twelve very large quarto volumes: Oct. 1786.] JOURNAL. * 351 eight of which are published :--“The Primitive World Analyzed, and compared with the Modern.” He is a man of strong understanding, boundless imagination, and amazing industry.

I preached at Deptford, and was agreeably surprised to find the threaten ing storm blown over, and all our brethren in peace and love with each other. From hence, on Friday, 16, I went to Rother hithe, which used to be one of the most uncomfortable places in England. But it was far otherwise now. Many of the people seemed much alive to God; and his presence was mani fested in the congregation, in a very uncommon manner. Sat. 17.-I went on in reading that odd book, entitled, “A Chinese Fragment.” As to the Chinese themselves, I believe they are almost as religious, but nothing near so honest, as the Turks; so that I account the contrasting them with the Chris tians, to be a mere pious fraud. Du Halde’s word I will not take for a straw ; but there are many and just remarks in the treatise, to which few impartial men would have any objection, in whatever form they were proposed. Sun. 18.-The power of God was, as usual, eminently pre sent during the service at Spitalfields. In the evening I met the single women of the society, and advised them to make full use of the advantages they enjoy: But I doubt, not many had ears to hear; For when had youth the leisure to be wipe f 360 REv. J. wesley’s [March, 1787. * Fri. 23.--I met our family, and was pleased to find that we are a family of love. There is not at present one jarring string, but we all hold the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Sun. 25.--After taking a solemn leave of our friends, both at West-Street and the new chapel, I took the mail-coach, and the next evening reached Exeter, a little after ten o’clock. Tues day, 27. We went on to Plymouth-Dock. The large, new House, far the best in the west of England, was well filled, though on so short a warning; and they seemed cordially to receive the exhortation, “Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous.” I had the satisfaction to find the society here in a more flourishing state than ever. Notwithstanding all the pains that have been taken, and all the art that has been used, to tear them asunder, they cleave close together; and con sequently increase in number as well as in strength. Wed.

The porter called us at two in the morning, on Thursday, but came again in half an hour, to inform us the coach was full; so they returned my money, and at four I took a post-chaise. We overtook the coach at Conway; and, crossing the ferry with the passengers, went forward with. April, 1787.] JOURNAL. 367 out delay. So we came to Holyhead an hour before them, and went on board the Le Despenser between eleven and twelve o’clock. At one we left the harbour; and at two the next day came into Dublin-Bay. On the road and in the ship I read Mr. Blackwell’s “Sacred Classics Illustrated and Defended.” I think he fully proves his point, that there are no expressions in the New Testament which are not found in the best and purest Greek authors. In the evening we had a Sunday’s congregation, and a blessing from on high : I then retired to my lodgings which were at Arthur Keene's, about half a mile out of town; a pleasant, healthy spot, where were peace and love, and plenty of all things. APRIL 8.--(Being Easter-Day.) I preached in Bethesda, Mr. Smyth's new chapel. It is very neat, but not gay; and I believe will hold about as many people as West-Street chapel. Mr. Smyth read Prayers, and gave out the hymns, which were sung by fifteen or twenty fine singers; the rest of the congre gation listening with much attention, and as much devotion, as they would have done to an opera. But is this Christian worship 2 Or ought it ever to be suffered in a Christian church? It was thought we had between seven and eight hun dred communicants; and indeed the power of God was in the midst of them. Our own Room in the evening was well filled with people, and with the presence of God. Afterward we had a love-feast, which I suppose might have continued till midnight, if all had spoken that were ready to speak.

wesley’s [May, 1787. made shift to stand on one side of it in a door-way, where I was pretty well sheltered: Although the poor people were exposed to heavy rain during the whole sermon, none of them seemed to regard it; and God did indeed send a gracious rain upon their souls, so that many rejoiced with joy unspeakable. Mon. 28.-Having all the parties together, I inquired into an odd affair which occurred here a few months ago. F. B., Leader of the class of single women, and always hitherto of an unblem ished character, was accused of immodesty by Mr. A , in whose house she had lived for several years. I found this accu sation to be totally groundless. 2. John Carr, one of our oldest members, with a few others, spent an hour in reading and prayer, while a Local Preacher was reading a sermon at the Room; this was represented to the Assistant as done in a spirit of opposition, and as an intention of leaving the society; (a thing which never entered into their thoughts;) and he was urged to read them out of the society. Accordingly, he read out four teen at once: I could not find, upon the strictest inquiry, that they had been guilty of any fault but meeting together that evening ; so I willingly received them all again, requiring only one condition of the contenders on both sides, to say not one word of anything that was past. The spirit of peace and love gloriously descended on them all, at the evening preach ing, while I was explaining the “fruit of the Spirit.” They were again filled with consolation at the Lord's Supper; and again in the morning, while Mr. Broadbent applied, “Com fort ye, comfort ye my people, saith the Lord.” Tues. 29.--The old murderer is restrained from hurting me; but, it seems, he has power over my horses. One of them I was obliged to leave in Dublin, and afterwards another, having bought two to supply their places; the third soon got an ugly swelling in his shoulder, so that we doubted whether we could go on; and a boy at Clones, riding (I suppose galloping) the fourth over stones, the horse fell and nearly lamed himself.

Our Conference began; and ended as usual on Tuesday, 10. We had no jarring string, but all, from the beginning to the end, was love and harmony. Sun. 8.--I preached at our Room at seven. At eleven the Service began at Bethesda. The congregation was exceeding large. I preached on part of the Second Lesson, Luke xx. 34; and many had a large taste of the powers of the world to come. At the love-feast in the evening, many spoke freely, who were deeply experienced in the ways of God. Indeed they have fairly profited in the divine life. I have rarely heard such a conversation even in England. On Tuesday evening likewise, many spoke with equal fire, tempered with meekness of wisdom. Wed. 11.--At five I took an affectionate leave of this loving people; and, having finished all my business here, in the afternoon I went down with my friends, having taken the whole ship, and went on board the Prince of Wales, one of the Parkgate packets. At seven we sailed with a fair, moderate wind. Between nine and ten I lay down, as usual, and slept till near four, when I was waked by .; , uncommon noise, and found the ship lay beating upon a large rock, about a league from Holyhead. The Captain, who had not long lain down, leaped up; and, running upon the deck, when he saw how the ship lay, cried out, “Your lives may be saved, but I am undone !” Yet no sailor swore, and no woman cried out. We immediately went to prayer; and presently the ship, I know not how, shot off the rock, and pursued her way, without any more damage, than the wounding a few of her outside planks. About three in the afternoon we came safe to Parkgate; and in the evening went on to Chester. * This quotation from Juvenal is thus translated by Gifford:- Now all the evils of long peace are ours; Luxury, more terrible than hostile powers. --EDIT. 388 REv. J. WESLEY’s [July, 1787. Fri. 13.--I spent a quiet day; and in the evening enforced to a crowded audience the parable of the Sower. I know not that ever I had so large a congregation. Sun. 15.-I preached at the new church in the morning, on Matt. v. 20; in the afternoon, on 1 Cor. xv. 35 ; Mr.

Sun. 30.--I read Prayers, and my brother preached. I preached in the avenue at Kingswood about two; and at five near King's Square; probably the last time this year that I shall preach in the open air. Monday, October 1, and the three following days, I spoke to the society one by one, and was much refreshed; as the love of many was not grown cold, and their number considerably increased. Oct. 1787.] JOURNAL. 401 Fri. 5.--I preached at noon in Keynsham; and the power of God was present in an uncommon degree : So it was when I met the children at Miss Bishop's, and afterwards those at Mr. Simpson's. I verily think, the spirit and behaviour of these two sets of children gradually affect the whole place; which now retains scarce anything of the brutality and savageness for which it was eminent some years ago. In the evening we had a watchnight at Kingswood. The weather was exceeding rough: Yet the House was filled; and few went away till after the noon of night. Sun. 7.-I preached morning and evening, and took a solemn leave of the affectionate people. Monday, 8. Having taken the whole mail-coach on Saturday, I went to it on Monday between three and four; and found, to my great surprise, it was filled with other passengers; and the clerk faced me down, I had taken the coach for Sunday: But some of our friends speaking strong words, they thought good to provide us another coach; only it did not reach town quite so soon. I was, however, soon enough to meet a large congregation on Tuesday evening, and praise the Lord together. Wed. 10.--I retired, and spent the rest of the week in answering letters, and preparing matter for the Magazine. Sun. 14.--I preached in West-Street chapel morning and afternoon; and at St. Swithin's church in the evening. Mon day, 15. I began a little tour through Oxfordshire. I preached at Wallingford in the evening, with much enlargement of heart. Mr. Pentycross called upon me in the morning. Tuesday, 16. Calvinism and bitterness are fled away together, and we will ingly gave each other the right hand of fellowship. About one I preached at Oxford, to a very quiet, deeply serious congrega tion.

I will never attempt to travel these roads again, till they are effectually mended ! A gentleman, no way connected with us, has built us a neat preaching-house here, desiring only three per cent. for what he has laid out, (about eight hundred pounds,) provided the seats let for so much, of which there is little doubt. It was well filled in the evening with serious people, lying in the midst May, 1788.] JOURNAL, 415 of many societies. Wednesday, 23. We hohbled on to Bury, through roads equally deplorable; but we met a lively congre gation, which made us forget our labour. In the evening I preached to another lively congregation at Rochdale. For merly we had much trouble here : But it is past; and they now hold the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Thur. 24.--About ten we began the Service in the church at Todmorden, crowded sufficiently. I found uncommon liberty among these poor mountaineers. We had a pleasant road from hence to Burnley, where a multitude of people were waiting; but we had no house that could contain them. Just then the rain ceased: So we went into the inn-yard, which contained them well; and it was an acceptable season, as indeed it was both the times before when I preached at Bury. Fri. 25.-In the evening I preached at Colne. This is the fifth rainy day we have had. However, the House was pretty well filled; and I strongly exhorted them that had left their first love, to remember from whence they had fallen, to repent, and to do their first works. Sun. 27.--I preached at Haworth church in the morning, crowded sufficiently; as was Bingley church in the afternoon: But as very many could not get in, Mr. Wrigley preached to them in the street; so that they did not come in vain. In the evening we went on to Halifax. Mon. 28.-The House in the evening was throughly filled with hearers that devoured the word. Tuesday, 29. I was desired to preach in the church at Sowerby, four miles from Halifax. It stands on the brow of a high and steep mountain. Rich and poor flocked together to it; whom I exhorted to acquaint themselves with God, and be at peace.

The Dean preached a serious, useful sermon; and we had such a company of communicants as, I suppose, had scarce been seen there together for above a hundred years. Our House would not contain them that came in the evening; many of whom being little awakened, I preached on, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” On Monday and Tuesday we settled the rest of our business; and on Wed nesday morning we parted in the same love that we met. I had much satisfaction in this Conference; in which, convers ing with between forty and fifty Travelling Preachers, I found such a body of men as I hardly believed could have been found together in Ireland; men of so sound experience, so deep piety, and so strong understanding. I am convinced, they are no way inferior to the English Conference, except it be in number. Friday, 10, we observed as a day of fasting and prayer, chiefly for the increase of the work of God. This was con cluded with a very solemn watch-night, wherein the hearts of many were greatly comforted. Sun. 12.-At seven I preached in Marlborough-Street, where (though it rained all the morning) we had a full congregation of July, 1789.] JOURNAL. 465 serious people. We met at the new Room at half-hour past nine; and truly God was with us. We had never so many communi cants before; but as my day, so was my strength. About two we left Dublin, and hastened down to the ship; the Princess Royal, of Parkgate; the neatest and most elegant packet I ever saw. But the wind failing, we did not get out of the bay till about twelve. We had exceeding agreeable company; and I slept as well as if I had been in my own bed. Monday, 13. The sea being smooth, I shut myself up in my chaise, and read over the life of the famous Mr. George F , one of the most extraordinary men (if we may call him a man) that has lived for many centuries. I never heard before of so cool, delibe rate, relentless a murderer And yet from the breaking of the rope at his execution, which gave him two hours of vehe ment prayer, there is room to hope he found mercy at last.

So we were obliged to retire to the other end of the town, where I preached under the Coinage Hall, to twice as many people, rich and poor, as the preaching house would have contained; and many of them would not have come thither at all. How wise are all the ways of God! In the afternoon, as we could not pass by the common road, we procured leave to drive round by some fields, and got to Fal mouth in good time. The last time I was here, above forty years ago, I was taken prisoner by an immense mob, gaping and roaring like lions: But how is the tide turned High and low now lined the street, from one end of the town to the other, out of stark love and kindness, gaping and staring as if the King were going by. In the evening I preached on the smooth top of the hill, at a small distance from the sea, to the largest con Aug. 1789.] JOURNAL, 469 gregation I have ever seen in Cornwall, except in or near Red ruth. And such a time I have not known before, since I returned from Ireland. God moved wonderfully on the hearts of the people, who all seem to know the day of their visitation. Wed. 19.-I preached at noon in the High-Street in Hel stone, to the largest and most serious congregation which I ever remember to have seen there. Thursday, 20. I went on to St Just, and preached in the evening to a lovely congrega tion, many of whom have not left their first love. Friday, 21. About eleven I preached at Newlyn, and in the evening at Penzance; at both places I was obliged to preach abroad. Saturday, 22. I crossed over to Redruth, and at six preached to a huge multitude, as usual, from the steps of the market house. The word seemed to sink deep into every heart. I know not that ever I spent such a week in Cornwall before. Sun. 23.--I preached there again in the morning, and in the evening at the amphitheatre; I suppose, for the last time; for my voice cannot now command the still increasing multitude. It was supposed they were now more than five-and-twenty thousand. I think it scarce possible that all should hear. Mon.

I set out for Northamptonshire; and in the evening preached at Whittlebury; but the House would ill contain the congregation, which were all serious as death. So they were the next evening. Wednesday, 25. The Dissenting Minister at Towcester offering me the use of his meeting-house, it was well filled; and I believe our Lord was in the midst. Thence we went on to Northampton, where I spent two evenings with very great satisfaction; although the great man who was so affected at Bath last year was, as I expected he would, ashamed to see me. Friday, 27. We had a pleasant journey to London. Sun. 29.--I preached at the new chapel in the morning, on, “Love is the fulfilling of the law;” and in the evening, on, “Owe no man anything, but to love one another:” And each time God was eminently present. Monday, 30. I went to Dept ford, and found the society in peace; but nearly at one stay. I endeavoured to stir up both them and the congregation, in the evening, to go on to perfection. Tuesday, DECEMBER 1. I called on Mr. Dornford, and found he kept his bed, being ill of a stubborn ague; but it came no more. At noon I preached in the new preaching-house at Mitcham; and examined the little earnest society, almost all rejoicing in the love of God. I then retired to the lovely family at Balham. 476 REv. J. WESLEY’s [Dec. 1789. Here I had leisure on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thurs day, to consider throughly the account of the Pelew Islands. It is ingenious; but I esteem it a dangerous book, which I cannot believe, if I believe the Bible; for the direct tendency of it is to show, that the Bible is quite needless; since if men may be as virtuous without revelation as with it, then it is quite superfluous; then the fable of Jesus Christ, and that of Mahomet, are equally valuable. I do not say that Mr. Keate, much less Captain Wilson, designed to inculcate this consequence; but it necessarily follows, if you believe the premises. I cannot believe there is such a Heathen on earth as Abba Thulle ; much less such a heathen nation as are here painted. But what do you think of Prince Lee Boo?

14. With regard to alterations, in what I take from Mr. Henry, I continually alter hard words into easy, and long sentences into short. But I do not knowingly alter the sense of any thing I extract from him, I only endeavour in several places, to make it more clear and determinate. I have here and there taken the liberty of altering a word in the text. But this I have done very sparingly, being afraid of venturing too far; as being conscious of my very imperfect acquaintance with the Hebrew tongue. I have added very largely from Mr. Pool, as much as seemed necessary for common readers, in order to their understanding those words or passages, which Mr. Henry does not explain. Nay, from the time that I had more maturely considered Mr. Pool's annotations on the Bible, (which was soon after I had gone thro' the book of Genesis) I have extracted far more from him than from Mr. Henry: it having been my constant method, after reading the text, first to read and weigh what Mr. Pool observed upon every verse, and afterwards to consult Mr. Henry's exposition of the whole paragraph. In consequence of this, instead of short additions from Mr. Pool to supply what was wanting in Mr. Henry, (which was my first design) I now only make extracts from Mr. Henry, to supply so far as they are capable, what was wanting in Mr. Pool. I say, so far as they are capable: for I still found in needful to add to both such farther observations, as have from time to time occurred to my own mind in reading or thinking on the scriptures, together with such as I have occasionally extracted from other authors.

The third day's work is related in these verses; the forming the sea and the dry land, and making the earth fruitful. Hitherto the power of the Creator had been employed about the upper part of the visible world; now he descends to this lower world, designed for the children of men, both for their habitation, and their maintenance. And here we have an account of the fitting of it for both; the building of their house, and the spreading of their table. Observe, 1. How the earth was prepared to be a habitation for man by the gathering of the waters together, and making the dry land appear. Thus, instead of that confusion which was, when earth and water were mixed in one great mass; now there is order, by such a separation as rendered them both useful. (1.) The waters which covered the earth were ordered to retire, and to gather into one place, viz. those hollows which were fitted for their reception. The waters thus lodged in their proper place, he called Seas; for though they are many, in distant regions, yet either above ground or under ground, they have communication with each other, and so they are one, and the common receptacle of waters, into which all the rivers run. (2.) The dry land was made to appear, and emerge out of the waters, and was called Earth. Observe, 2. How the earth was furnished for the support of man, Ge 1:11,12. Present provision was made, by the immediate products of the earth, which, in obedience to God's command, was no sooner made but it became fruitful. Provision was likewise made for time to come, by the perpetuating of the several species of vegetables, every one having its seed in itself after its kind, that during the continuance of man upon the earth, food might be fetched out of the earth, for his use and benefit. See note at "Ge 1:9 See note at "Ge 1:9 See note at "Ge 1:9 See note at "Ge 1:9 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19

God made but one male and one female, that all the nations of men might know themselves to be made of one blood, descendants, from one common stock, and might thereby be induced to love one another. God having made them capable of transmitting the nature they had received, said to them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth - Here he gave them, A large inheritance; replenish the earth, in which God has set man to be the servant of his providence, in the government of the inferior creatures, and as it were the intelligence of this orb; to be likewise the collector of his praises in this lower world, and lastly, to be a probationer for a better state. A numerous lasting family to enjoy this inheritance; pronouncing a blessing upon them, in the virtue of which, their posterity should extend to the utmost corners of the earth, and continue to the utmost period of time. That God gave to man a dominion over the inferior creatures, over fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air - Though man provides for neither, he has power over both, much more over every living thing that moveth upon the earth - God designed hereby to put an honour upon man, that he might find himself the more strongly obliged to bring honour to his Maker. See note at "Ge 1:26 See note at "Ge 1:26 29, 30

He was sent to the ground, not to the grave; to the work - house, not to the dungeon, not to the prison - house; to hold the plough, not to drag the chain: his tilling the ground would be recompensed by his eating its fruits; and his converse with the earth, whence he was taken, was improveable to good purposes, to keep him humble, and to mind him of his latter end. Observe then, That though our first parents were excluded from the privileges of their state of innocency, yet they were not abandoned to despair; God's thoughts of love designing them for a second state of probation upon new terms. And he placed at the east of the garden of Eden, a detachment of cherubim, armed with a dreadful and irresistible power, represented by flaming swords which turned every way, on that side the garden which lay next to the place whither Adam was sent, to keep the way that led to the tree of life.

What is this that thou hast done - What an ill thing; how unbecoming a wife and good man! Why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife - Intimating, that if he had known that, he would not have taken her. It is a fault, too common among good people, to entertain suspicions of others beyond what there is cause for. We have often found more of virtue, honour, and conscience in some people, than we thought there was; and it ought to be a pleasure to us to be thus disappointed, as Abram was here, who found Pharaoh to be a better man than he expected. And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him - That is, he charged them not to injure him in any thing. And he appointed them, when Abram was disposed to return home, after the famine, to conduct him safe out of the country, as his convoy.

In part fulfilled, that God would make his name great. We have here an account of the first war that ever we read of in scripture, in which we may observe. [1.] The parties engaged in it. The invaders were four kings; two of them no less than kings of Shinar and Elam - That is, Chaldea and Persia; yet probably not the sovereign princes of those great kingdoms, but rather the heads of some colonies which came out thence, and settled themselves near Sodom, but retained the names of the countries from which they had their original. The invaded were the kings of five cities that lay near together in the plain of Jordan, Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Zoar. [2.] The occasion of this war was, the revolt of the five kings from under the government of Chedorlaomer. Twelve years they served him - The Sodomites were the posterity of Canaan, whom Noah had pronounced a servant to Shem, from whom Elam descended. Thus soon did that prophecy begin to be fulfilled. In the thirteenth year, beginning to be weary of their subjection, they rebelled - Denied their tribute, and attempted to shake off the yoke. In the fourteenth year - After some pause and preparation, Chedorlaomer, in conjunction with his allies, set himself to reduce the revolters. See note at "Ge 14:1" (For [1.],[2.]) [3.] The progress of the war. The four kings laid the neighbouring countries waste, and enriched themselves with the spoil of them, Ge 14:5,6,7. Upon the alarm of which, the king of Sodom and his allies went out and were routed. We have here an account of the only military action we ever find Abram engaged in; and this he was not prompted to by avarice or ambition, but purely by a principle of charity. He armed his trained servants, born in his house - To the number of three hundred and eighteen: a great family, but a small army; about as many as Gideon's that routed the Midianites, Jud 7:7. He drew out his trained servants, or his catechized servants; not only instructed in the art of war, but instructed in the principles of religion; for Abram commanded his household to keep the way of the Lord. His brother Lot - That is, his kinsman.

Chapter XV In this chapter we have a solemn treaty between God and Abram, A general assurance of God's kindness and good - will to Abram, ver. 1. A particular declaration of the purposes of his love concerning him, in two things. That he would give him a numerous issue, ver. 2 - 7. That he would give him Canaan for an inheritance, ver. 7 - 16. After these things - After that act of generous charity which Abram had done, in rescuing his neighbours, God made him this gracious visit. After that victory which he had obtained over four kings; lest Abram should be too much elevated with that, God comes to tell him he had better things in store for him. The word of the Lord came unto Abram - That is, God manifested himself to Abram, in a vision - Which supposeth Abram awake, and some sensible token of the presence of the divine glory, saying, Fear not Abram - Abram might fear lest the four kings he had routed, should rally and fall upon him. No, saith God, fear not: fear not their revenge, nor thy neighbour's envy; I will take care of thee. I am thy shield - Or, emphatically, I am a shield to thee, present with thee, actually defending thee. The consideration of this, that God himself is, a shield to his people, to secure them from all destructive evils, a shield ready to them, and a shield round about them, should silence all perplexing fears. And thy exceeding great reward - Not only thy rewarder, but thy reward. God himself is the felicity of holy souls; He is the portion of their inheritance, and their cup. Behold to me thou hast given no seed - Not only no son, but no seed. If he had had a daughter, from her the promised Messias might have come, who was to be the Seed of the Woman; but he had neither son nor daughter. And he brought him forth - It seems, early in the morning, and said, look now toward heaven, and tell the stars: so shall thy seed be - So innumerable, for so the stars seem to a common eye. Abram feared he should have no child at all, but God tells him his descendents should be so many as not to be numbered.

Chapter XXIV The subjoining of Isaac's marriage to Sarah's funeral (with a particular reference to it, ver. 67.) shews us, that as one generation passeth away, another generation comes; and thus the entail of human nature is preserved. Here is, Abraham's care about the marrying of his son, and the charge he gave to his servant about it, ver. 1 - 9. The servant's journey into Abraham's country to seek a wife for his young master among his own relations, ver. 10 - 14. The kind providence which brought him acquainted with Rebekah, whose father was Isaac's cousin german, ver. 15 - 28. The treaty of marriage with her relations, ver. 29 - 49. Their consent obtained, ver. 50 - 60. The happy meeting and marriage between Isaac and Rebekah, ver. 61 - 67. Abraham's pious care concerning his son was, that he should not marry with a daughter of Canaan, but with one of his kindred because he saw, the Canaanites were degenerating into great wickedness, and knew, that they were designed for ruin: would not marry his son among them, lest they should be either a snare to his soul, or, at least, a blot to his name. Yet he would not go himself among his kindred, lest he should be tempted to settle there: this caution is given, Ge 24:6, and repeated, Ge 24:8. Parents, in disposing of their children, should carefully consult their furtherance in the way to heaven. His eldest servant - Probably Eliezer of Damascus, one whose conduct and affection he had had long experience of: he trusted him with this great affair, and not Isaac himself, because he would not have Isaac go at all into that country, but marry thither by proxy; and no proxy so fit as the steward of his house. This matter is settled between the master and the servant with a great deal of care and solemnity. The servant is bound by an oath to do his utmost to get a wife for Isaac among his relations, Ge 24:3,4. Abraham swears him to it, both for his own satisfaction, and for the engagement of his servant to all possible care and diligence. Thus God swears his servants to their work, that, having sworn, they may perform it.

Chapter XXIX This chapter gives us an account of God's providences concerning Jacob, pursuant to the promise made him in the foregoing chapter. How he was brought in safety to his journey's end, and directed to his relations there, who bid him welcome, ver. 1 - 14. How he was comfortably disposed of in marriage, ver. 15 - 30. How his family was built up in the birth of four sons, ver. 31 - 35. Providence brought him to the very field where his uncle's flock's were to be watered, and there he met with Rachel that was to be his wife. The Divine Providence is to be acknowledged in all the little circumstances which concur to make a journey or other undertaking comfortable and successful. If, when we are at a loss, we meet with those seasonably that can direct us; if we meet with a disaster, and those are at hand that will help us; we must not say it was by chance, but it was by providence: our ways are ways of pleasantness, if we continually acknowledge God in them. The stone on the well's mouth was either to secure their property in it, for water was scarce, to save the well from receiving damage from the heat of the sun, or to prevent the lambs of the flock from being drowned in it. She kept her father's sheep - She took the care of them, having servants under her that were employed about them when he understood that this was his kinswoman (probably he had heard of her name before) knowing what his errand was into that country, we may suppose it struck into his mind immediately, that this must be his wife, as one already smitten with an honest comely face (though it is likely, sun - burnt, and she in the homely dress of a shepherdess) he is wonderfully officious, and ready to serve her, ver.10, and addresses himself to her with tears of joy, and kisses of love, ver.11, she runs with all haste to tell her father, for she will by no means entertain her kinsman's address without her father's knowledge and approbation, ver.12. These mutual respects at their first interview were good presages of their being a happy couple.

These mutual respects at their first interview were good presages of their being a happy couple. Providence made that which seemed contingent and fortuitous to give a speedy satisfaction to Jacob's mind as soon as ever he came to the place he was bound for. Abraham's servant, when he came upon a like errand, met with the like encouragement. Thus God guides his people with his eye, Psa 32:8. It is a groundless conceit which some of the Jewish writers have, that Jacob when he kissed Rachel wept, because he had been set upon his journey by Eliphaz the eldest son of Esau, at the command of his father, and robbed him of all his money and jewels, which his mother had given him when she sent him away: it is plain it was his passion for Rachel, and the surprise of this happy meeting that drew these tears from his eyes. Laban, though none of the best humoured men, bid him welcome, was satisfied in the account he gave of himself, and of the reason of his coming in such poor circumstances. While we avoid the extreme on the one hand of being foolishly credulous, we must take heed of falling into the other extreme of being uncharitably jealous and suspicious. Laban owned him for his kinsman, ver.14. Thou art my bone and my flesh. Note, Those are hard - hearted indeed that are unkind to their relations, and that hide themselves from their own flesh, Isa 58:7. Because thou art my brother - That is, kinsman. Should thou therefore serve me for nought - No, what reason for that If Jacob be so respectful as to give him his service without demanding any consideration for it, yet Laban will not be so unjust as to take advantage either of his necessity, or of his good nature. It appears by computation that Jacob was now seventy years old when he bound himself apprentice for a wife; probably Rachel was young and scarce marriageable when Jacob came first, which made him the more willing to stay for her till his seven years were expired. They seemed to him but a few days for the love he had to her - An age of work will be but as a few days to those that love God, and long for Christ's appearing.

Laban called it in Syriac, and Jacob in Hebrew, The heap of witness. And Ge 31:49, it was called Mizpah, a watch - tower. Posterity being included in the league, care was taken that thus the memory of it should be preserved. The name Jacob gave this heap stuck by it, Galeed, not the name Laban gave it. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac - The God whom his father Isaac feared, who had never served other gods, as Abraham and Nahor had done. Chapter XXXII We have here Jacob still upon his journey towards Canaan. Never did so many memorable things occur in any march, as in this in Jacob's little family. By the way he meets, With good tidings from his God, ver. 1, 2. With bad tidings from his brother, to whom he sent a message to notify his return, ver. 2 - 7.

He directed Moses whither to go, appointed him to take of the elders of Israel with him, to be witnesses of what was done, ordered him to smite the rock, which he did, and immediately water came out of it in great abundance, which ran throughout the camp in streams and rivers, <cite>Psa 78:15</cite>,16, and followed them wherever they went in that wilderness: God shewed his care of his people in giving them water when they wanted it; his own power in fetching it out of a rock, and put an honour upon Moses in appointing the water to flow out upon his smiting of the rock. This fair water that came out of the rock is called honey and oil, <cite>Deu 32:13</cite>, because the people's thirst made it doubly pleasant; coming when they were in extreme want. It is probable that the people digged canals for the conveyance of it, and pools for the reception of it. Let this direct us to live in a dependance,

He hath himself blessed the sabbath day and sanctified it. He hath put an honour upon it; it is holy to the Lord, and honourable; and he hath put blessings into it which he hath encouraged us to expect from him in the religious observation of that day. Let us not profane, dishonour, and level that with common time, which God's blessing hath thus dignified and distinguished. We have here the laws of the second table, as they are commonly called; the six last commandments which concern our duty to ourselves, and one another, and are a comment upon the second great commandment, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. As religion towards God is, an essential branch of universal righteousness, so righteousness towards men is an essential branch of true religion: godliness and honesty must go together. The fifth commandment is concerning the duties we owe to our relations; that of children to their parents is only instanced in, honour thy father and thy mother, which includes,

Speaking falsely in any matter, lying, equivocating, and any way devising and designing to deceive our neighbour. Speaking unjustly against our neighbour, to the prejudice of his reputation; And (which is the highest offence of both these kinds put together) Bearing false witness against him, laying to his charge things that he knows not, either upon oath, by which the third commandment, the sixth or eighth, as well as this, are broken, or in common converse, slandering, backbiting, tale - bearing, aggravating what is done amiss, and any way endeavouring to raise our own reputation upon the ruin of our neighbor's. Thou shalt not covet - The foregoing commands implicitly forbid all desire of doing that which will be an injury to our neighbour, this forbids all inordinate desire of having that which will be a gratification to ourselves. O that such a man's house were mine! such a man's wife mine! such a man's estate mine! This is certainly the language of discontent at our own lot, and envy at our neighbour's, and these are the sins principally forbidden here. God give us all to see our face in the glass of this law, and to lay our hearts under the government of it! They removed and stood afar off - Before God began to speak, they were thrusting forward to gaze, but now they were effectually cured of their presumption, and taught to keep their distance. Speak thou with us - Hereby they obliged themselves to acquiesce in the mediation of Moses, they themselves nominating him as a fit person to deal between them and God, and promising to hearken to him as to God's messenger. Fear not - That is, Think not that this thunder and fire is, designed to consume you. No; it was intended,

Ye shall not afflict the widow or fatherless child - That is, ye shall comfort and assist them, and be ready upon all occasions to shew them kindness. In making just demands from them, their condition must be considered who have lost those that should protect them: they are supposed to be unversed in business, destitute of advice, timorous, and of a tender spirit; and therefore must be treated with kindness and compassion, and no advantage taken against them, nor any hardship put upon them, which a husband or a father would have sheltered them from. If thou lend -

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>.

Whosoever hath sinned, him will I blot out of my book - The soul that sins shall die, and not the innocent for the guilty. My angel shall go before them - Some created angel that was employed in the common services of his kingdom, which intimated that they were not to expect any thing for the future to be done for them out of the common road of providence. When I visit - Hereafter he shall see cause to punish them for other sins, I will visit for this among the rest. From hence the Jews have a saying, that from hence - forward no judgment fell upon Israel, but there was in it an ounce of the powder of the golden calf. And the Lord plagued the people - Probably by the pestilence, or some other infectious disease. Thus Moses prevailed for a mitigation of the punishment, but could not wholly turn away the wrath of God. Chapter XXXIII In this chapter we have a further account of the mediation of Moses between God and Israel.

This speaks plentiful goodness; it abounds above our deserts, above our conception. The springs of mercy are always full, the streams of mercy always flowing; there is mercy enough in God, enough for all, enough for each, enough for ever. It speaks promised goodness, goodness and truth put together, goodness engaged by promise. 5thly, He keepeth mercy for thousands. This speaks,

The place of the ashes - Where the ashes fell down and lay, whence they were afterwards removed without the camp. He shall cleave the bird through the whole length, yet so as not to separate the one side from the other. A sweet savour unto the Lord - Yet after all, to love God with all our hearts, and to love our neighbour as ourselves, is better than all burnt - offerings and sacrifices.

Chapter VI Further directions concerning trespass - offerings, ver. 1 - 7. Concerning the burnt - offerings, ver. 8 - 13. Concerning the meal - offerings, ver. 14 - 18. Particularly that at the consecration of the priests, ver. 19 - 23. Concerning the sin - offering, ver. 24 - 30. If a soul sin - This sin, though directly committed against man, is emphatically said to be done against the Lord, not only in general, for so every sin against man is also against the Lord, but in a special sense, because this was a violation of human society, whereof God is the author, and president, and defender: and because it was a secret sin, of which God alone was the witness and judge: and because God's name was abused in it by perjury. To keep - In trust. Or in fellowship - Heb. Or in putting of the hand: that is, commerce or fellowship in trading, which is very usual when one man puts any thing into another's hand, not to keep it, but to improve it for the common benefit of them both, in which cases of partnership it is easy for one to deceive the other, and therefore provision is made against it. And this is called a putting of the hand, because such agreements used to be confirmed by giving or joining their hands together. By violence - Secretly; for he seems to speak here of such sins as could not be proved by witness. Or hath deceived - Got any thing from him by calumny, or fraud, or circumvention; so the word signifies. Swear falsely - His oath being required, seeing there was no other way of discovery left. Is guilty - This guilt being manifested by his voluntary confession upon remorse, whereby he reapeth this benefit, that he only restores the principal with the addition of a fifth part; whereas if he were convicted of his fault, he was to pay double, Exo 22:9. In the day - It must not be delayed, but restitution to man must accompany repentance towards God. Wherever wrong has been done, restitution must be made, and till it is made to the utmost of our power we cannot look for forgiveness; for the keeping of what is unjustly got, avows the taking: And both together make but one continued act of unrighteousness.

Shall bear his sin - That is, the punishment of it; shall not go unpunished. He that blasphemeth the name of the Lord - This is a repetition of the same sin in other words, which is common. As this law is laid down in general terms, Lev 24:15, so both the sin and the punishment are particularly expressed, Lev 24:16. All the congregation - To shew their zeal for God, and to beget in them the greater dread and abhorrence of blasphemy. He that killeth - This law is repeated here, to prevent the mischievous effects of men's striving together, which as here it caused blasphemy, so it might in others lead to murder. One law - That is, in matters of common right, but not as to church privileges. Stone him with stones - This blasphemer was the first that died by the law of Moses. Stephen the first that died for the gospel, died by the abuse of the law. The martyr and the malefactor suffered the same death; but how vast the difference between them.

Chapter III In this chapter we have an account, Of the priests, ver. 1 - 4. The work of the Levites, taken instead of the first - born, ver. 5 - 13. Of the number, place and charge of each family; the Gershonites, ver. 14 - 26. The Kohathites, ver. 27 - 32. The Merarites, ver. 33 - 39. Of the first - born, ver. 40 - 51. These - Which follow in this chapter. The generations - The kindred or family. Moses his family and children are here included under the general name of the Amramites, Nu 3:27, which includes all the children and grand - children of Amram, the persons only of Aaron and Moses being excepted. And the generations of Moses are thus obscurely mentioned, because they were but common Levites, the priesthood being given solely to Aaron's posterity, whence Aaron is here put before Moses, who elsewhere is commonly named after him. In Sinai - Nadab and Abihu, were then alive, though dead at the time of taking this account. In the sight of Aaron - Under his inspection and direction, and as their father's servants or ministers in the priest's office. Present them - Offer them to the Lord for his special service. This was promised to them before, and now actually conferred. His charge - That is, Aaron's, or those things which are committed principally to Aaron's care and oversight. Of the congregation - That is, of all the sacrifices and services which are due to the Lord from all the people, because the people might not perform them, in their own persons, therefore they were to be performed by some particular persons in their stead; formerly by the first - born, Num 8:16, and now by the Levites. Before the tabernacle - Not within the tabernacle, for the care of the things within the holy place was appropriated to the priests, as the care of the most holy place was to the high - priest. Of the children of Israel - Those things which all the children of Israel are in their several places and stations obliged to take care of, though not in their persons, yet by others in their stead. Given to him - To attend upon him and observe his orders, and ease him of his burden.

Chapter XVI Korah, Dathan and Abiram, rise up against Moses, ver. 1 - 4. Moses reasons with them, ver. 5 - 11. Sends for Dathan and Abiram, who refuse to come, ver. 12 - 14. His proposal to Korah, ver. 15 - 19. The punishment of the rebels, ver. 20 - 35. Their censers preserved for a memorial, ver. 36 - 40. A new insurrection stopped by a plague, ver. 41 - 45. Aaron stays the plague, ver. 46 - 50. The son of Izhar - Amram's brother, Exo 6:18, therefore Moses and he were cousin germans. Moreover, Izhar was the second son of Kohath, whereas Elizaphan, whom Moses had preferred before him, and made prince or ruler of the Kohathites, Num 3:30, was the son of Uzziel, the fourth son of Kohath. This, the Jewish writers say, made him malcontent, which at last broke forth into sedition. Sons of Reuben - These are drawn into confederacy with Korah, partly because they were his next neighbours, both being encamped on the south - side, partly in hopes to recover their rights of primogeniture, in which the priesthood was comprehended, which was given away from their father. Rose up - That is, conspired together, and put their design in execution. Before Moses - Not obscurely, but openly and boldly, not fearing nor regarding the presence of Moses. They - Korah, Dathan and Abiram, and the rest, who were all together when Moses spake those words, Nu 16:5 - 7, but after that, Dathan and Abiram retired to their tents, and then Moses sent for Korah and the Levites, who had more colourable pretences to the priesthood, and treats with them apart, and speaks what is mentioned, Nu 16:8 - 11. Having dispatched them, he sends for Dathan and Abiram, Nu 16:12, that he might reason the case with them also apart. Against Aaron - To whom the priesthood was confined, and against Moses, both because this was done by his order, and because before Aaron's consecration Moses appropriated it to himself. For whatever they intended, they seem not now directly to strike at Moses for his supreme civil government, but only for his influence in the disposal of the priesthood. Ye take too much - By perpetuating the priesthood in yourselves and family, with the exclusion of all others from it.

And Moses did as the Lord commanded him - It had been little to resign his honour to a son of his own. But with his own hands, first to ordain Eleazar high - priest, and now Joshua chief ruler, while his own children had no preferment at all, but were left in the rank of common Levites: this was more to his glory than the highest advancement of his family could have been. This shews him to have had a principle which raised him above all other lawgivers, who always took care to establish their families in some share of the greatness themselves possessed. Chapter XXVIII Laws concerning the daily, ver. 1 - 8. Weekly, ver. 9 - 10. Monthly, ver 11 - 15. Yearly sacrifices, ver. 16 - 31. Command the children of Israel - God here repeats some of the former laws about sacrifices, not without great reason, partly because they had been generally discontinued for thirty eight years together; partly because the generation to which the former laws had been given about these things was wholly dead, and it was fit the new generation should be instructed about them, as their parents were; partly to renew their testimonies of God's grace and mercy, notwithstanding their frequent forfeitures thereof by their rebellion: and principally because they were now ready to enter into that land, in which they were obliged to put these things in practice. In the holy place - Upon the altar of burnt offerings, which was in the court of the priests, nigh to the entrance into the sanctuary. The feast - Namely, of unleavened bread. In the morning - And that in the evening too, as is evident from other scriptures; but the morning - sacrifice alone is mentioned, because the celebration of the feast began with it, and principally because this alone was doubtful, whether this might not be omitted when so many other sacrifices were offered in that morning, whereas there was no question but the evening sacrifice should be offered, when there were none other to be offered. The day of the first fruits - In the feast of pentecost, Acts 2:1. Your weeks - The seven weeks which you are to number from the passover.

Chapter XXXV Forty eight cities assigned to the Levites, of which six were cities of refuge, ver. 1 - 15. In what cases it was not allowed to flee to these, ver. 16 - 21. In what cases it was allowed, ver. 22 - 24. Laws concerning them, ver. 25 - 34. For the cattle - For pasturage for their cattle: where they might not build houses, nor plant gardens, orchards or vineyards, no nor sow corn, for which they were abundantly provided out of the first - fruits. And these suburbs did not belong to the Levites in common, but were distributed to them in convenient proportions. A thousand cubits - In the next verse it is two thousand. But this verse and the next do not speak to the same thing; this speaks of the space from whence the suburbs shall be measured, the next speaks of the space unto which that measure shall be extended; and the words may very well be read thus. And the suburbs - Shall be from the wall of the city and from without it, or, from the outward parts of it, even from a thousand cubits round about. Which are mentioned not as the thing measured, but as the space from which the measuring line should begin. And then it follows, Nu 35:5. And ye shall measure from without the city, (not from the wall of the city, as said before Nu 35:4, but from without it, that is, from the said outward space of a thousand cubits without the wall of the city round about) on the east side two thousand cubits. So in truth there were three thousand cubits from the wall of the city, whereof one thousand probably were for out - houses, stalls for cattle, gardens, vineyards and olive - yards, and the other two thousand for pasture, which are therefore called the field of the suburbs, Lev 25:34, by way of distinction from the suburbs themselves, which consist of the first thousand cubits from the wall of the city.

The Caphtorim - A people a - kin to the Philistines, Gen 10:14, and confederate with them in this enterprize, and so dwelling together, and by degrees uniting together by marriages, they became one people. Caphtor - Which is by the learned thought to be Cappadocia: whither these people might make an expedition out of Egypt, either because of the report of the great riches of part of that country which drew others thither from places equally remote, or for some other reason now unknown. Under heaven - The following words rest rain the sentence to those nations that heard of them. On my feet - Or, with my company who are on foot: which is added significantly, because if their army had consisted as much of horsemen as many other armies did, their passage through his land might have been more mischievous and dangerous. As the children of Esau did - They did permit them to pass quietly by the borders, though not through the heart of their land, and in their passage the people sold them meat and drink, being it seems more kind to them than their king would have had them; and therefore they here ascribe this favour not to the king, though they are now treating with a king, but to the people, the children of Esau. Hardened his spirit - That is, suffered it to be hardened. Utterly destroyed - By God's command, these being a part of those people who were devoted by the Lord of life and death, to utter destruction for their abominable wickedness. Of Jabbok - That is, beyond Jabbok: for that was the border of the Ammomites.

This he seems to call that mountain, emphatically and eminently, that which was much in Moses's thoughts, though not in his eye. He shall go over - It was not Moses, but Joshua or Jesus that was to give the people rest, Heb 4:8. 'Tis a comfort to those who love mankind, when they are dying and going off, to see God's work likely to be carried on by other hands, when they are silent in the dust.

To their face - That is, openly, and so as they shall see it, and not be able to avoid it. Slack - So as to delay it beyond the fit time or season for vengeance, yet withal he is long - suffering, and slow to anger. The covenant and the mercy - That is, the covenant of mercy, which he out of his own mere grace made with them. He will love thee - He will continue to love thee, and to manifest his love to thee. The diseases of Egypt - Such as the Egyptians were infected with, either commonly, or miraculously. It seems to refer not only to the plagues of Egypt, but to some other epidemic disease, which they remembered to have prevailed among the Egyptians, and by which God had chastised them for their national sins. Diseases are God's servants, which go where he sends them, and do what he bids them. The temptations - The trials and exercises of thy faith and obedience to my commands. No man shall stand - This promise is made upon condition of their performance of their duty, which they neglecting, justly lose the benefit of it. The silver or gold - Wherewith the idols are covered or adorned, nor consequently any other of their ornaments. This he commands to shew his utter detestation of idolatry, and to cut off all occasions of it.

Chapter XX The exhortation of the priest to them who were going to battle, ver. 1 - 4. The dismission of them who were engaged in business, or faint - hearted, ver. 5 - 9. How they were to treat distant cities, ver. 10 - 15. The cities of the Canaanites, ver. 16 - 18. Fruit - trees not to be destroyed, ver. 19, 20. Speak unto the people - Probably to one regiment of the army after another. What man - This and the following exceptions are to be understood only of a war allowed by God, not in a war commanded by God, not in the approaching war with the Canaanites, from which even the bridegroom was not exempted, as the Jewish writers note. A vineyard - This and the former dispensation were generally convenient, but more necessary in the beginning of their settlement in Canaan, for the encouragement of those who should build houses or plant vineyards, which was chargeable to them, and beneficial to the common - wealth. Eaten of it - Heb. made it common, namely, for the use of himself and family and friends, which it was not, 'till the fifth year. Make captains - Or rather, as the Hebrew hath it, they shall set or place the captains of the armies in the head or front of the people under their charge, that they may conduct them, and by their example encourage their soldiers. It is not likely they had their captains to make when they were just going to battle. Nothing - No man. For the beasts, some few excepted, were given them for a prey. Thou shalt not destroy - Which is to be understood of a general destruction of them, not of the cutting down some few of them, as the conveniency of the siege might require. Man's life - The sustenance or support of his life.

last mentioned. Among the cities of Manasseh - That is, are intermixed with their cities, which was not strange nor unfit, these two being linked together by a nearer alliance than the rest. His border - Manasseh's, whose portion is here described, and whose name was last mentioned. In Asher - That is, upon the tribe of Asher; for though Zebulon came between Asher and them for the greatest part of their land; yet it seems there was some necks of land, both of Ephraim's and of Manasseh's, which jutted out farther than the rest, and touched the borders of Asher. And it is certain there were many such incursions of the land of one tribe upon some parcels of another, although they were otherwise considerably distant one from the other. Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher - As Ephraim had some cities in the tribe of Manasseh, and as it was not unusual, when the place allotted to any tribe was too narrow for it, and the next too large, to give away part from the larger to the less portion; nay, sometimes one whole tribe was taken into another; as Simeon's was into Judah's portion, when it was found too large for Judah. Inhabitants of Dor - Not the places only, but the people; whom they spared and used for servants. Three countries - The words may be rendered, the third part of that country; and so the meaning may be, that the cities and towns here mentioned are a third part of that country, that is, of that part of Issachar's and Asher's portion, in which those places lay. Children of Joseph - That is, of Ephraim and Manasseh. Spake unto Joshua - That is, expostulated with him, when they went and saw that portion which was allotted them, and found it much short of their expectation. One portion - Either, because they really had but one lot, which was afterwards divided by the arbitrators between them. Or, because the land severally allotted to them, was but little enough for one of them. A great people - He retorts their own argument; seeing thou art a great and numerous people, turn thy complaints into action, and enlarge thy borders by thy own hand, to which thou mayest confidently expect God's assistance.

Zidon - Called great for its antiquity, and riches, and glory. The city either was not given to the Israelites, or at least was never possessed by them; not without a singular providence of God, that they might not by the opportunity of so good a port, be engaged in much commerce with other nations; from which, together with wealth, that great corrupter of mankind, they might contract their errors and vices. To Ramah - From the north southward. To Tyre - Exclusively, for this city was no part of the land given them. But this was not the same city we read of afterwards. For that was built on an island, this on the continent. Probably into these strong holds Tyre and Sidon, many of the Canaanites fled, when Joshua invaded them. Twenty two cities - Here are more named, but some of them were not within this tribe, but only bordering places. Their coast - Their northern border drawn from west to east, as appears, because when this coast is described and brought to its end, the coast is said to turn from the east westward, ver.34. The out - goings - The end of that coast. Cinnereth - Whence the lake of Cinnereth or Genesareth received its name. Of their inheritance - Which is here described only by its cities, not its borders, which are in part the same with Judah's, and their inheritance is in good part taken out of Judah's too large portion; as appears from divers of the cities here mentioned, which are also reckoned in Judah's portion. Went up to fight - This was done after Joshua's death, and seems to be here inserted, that all the chief places where the Danites dwelt, tho' far distant, might be mentioned together; and to give an account of this strange accident, why they removed from their appointed portion to so remote a place; which may be this, that being much molested by their bad neighbours, they thought fit to go to some place remote from them, which also they were in a manner constrained to do, because otherwise they must have taken some part of the portions of other tribes, whereas now going to the very utmost northern point of the land, they took that which did not belong to any other tribe.

This book contains the history of the Israelites under the Judges, which lasted two hundred and ninety nine years: under Othniel, forty, under Ehud, eighty, under Barak, forty, under Gideon, forty, under Abimelek, three, under Tola, twenty - three, under Jair, twenty - two, under Jephtha, six, under Ibzan, seven, under Elon, ten, under Abdon, eight, under Samson, twenty. As for the years of their servitude, they coincide with the years of some or other of the Judges. In the five last chapters we have an account of some memorable events, which happened in the days when the Judges ruled. As to the state of Israel during this period, They were miserably corrupted, and miserably oppressed. Yet we may hope, the tabernacle service was kept up, and that many attended it. It seems, each tribe had its government within itself, and acted separately, without any common head. This occasioned many differences among themselves. The government of the Judges was not constant but occasional. By their judging Israel is meant chiefly, their avenging Israel of their enemies, and purging them from their idolatries. During the government of the Judges, God was in an especial manner the king of Israel. It is not improbably supposed, that the prophet Samuel was the penman of this book.

This seems more probable. Judah took - It is only said, they took the cities, and probably contented themselves with making them tributary; but it is not said that they slew the people, as they ought to have done; and as it is said of the other cities here. And the people being thus spared, did by God's just judgment recover their strength, and expel the Jews out of their cities. It is farther observable, that Ekron here taken, was one of Dan's cities, Josh 19:43, and it was taken here by Judah and Simeon, partly out of love for their brother Dan, and partly to secure their new conquests, and other adjoining territories, from such potent neighbours. Could not drive - Because of their unbelief, whereby they distrusted God's power to destroy those who had chariots of iron, and so gave way to their own fear and sloth, whereby God was provoked to withdraw his helping hand. House of Joseph - That is, the tribe of Ephraim. The entrance - On which side it is weakest, that we might best invade and take it. His family - Together with his estate, as the following verse manifests. The Hittites - Where the Hittites seated themselves after they were driven out of Canaan, which seems to be northward from Canaan, and near upon it. Manasseh - That is, that half of this tribe which dwelt in Canaan. In Gezer - Which they possessed 'till Solomon's time, 1Kings 9:16. The valley - That is, into the plain country; which was the occasion of that expedition for the getting new quarters, of which we read Josh 19:47,48 and chap.Jud 18:1 - 31. House of Joseph - That is, of the Ephraimites, who helped their brethren the Danites against the Amorites. Akrabbim - Which was in the southern part of Canaan, Josh 15:2,3, from whence it went up towards the north. This is added to shew the great power and large extent of this people.

A message - To be delivered not in words, but by actions. He designedly uses the name Elohim, which was common to the true God, and false ones; and not Jehovah, which was peculiar to the true God; because Ehud not knowing whether the message came; not from his own false god, he would more certainly rise, and thereby give Ehud more advantage for his blow; whereas he would possibly shew his contempt of the God of Israel by sitting still to hear his message. He arose - In token of reverence to God. Went forth - With a composed countenance and gait, being well assured, that God, who by his extraordinary call had put him upon that enterprise, would by his special providence carry him through it. Upon him - Upon or after himself. Locked them - Either pulling it close after him, as we do when doors have spring locks; or taking the key with him. Covereth his feet - This phrase is used only here, and 1Sam 24:3. A late judicious interpreter expounds it, of composing himself to take a little sleep, as was very usual to do in the day - time in those hot countries. And when they did so in cool places, such as this summer parlour unquestionably was, they used to cover their feet. And this may seem to be the more probable, both because the summer parlour was proper for this use, and because this was a more likely reason of their long waiting at his door, lest they should disturb his repose. And this sense best agrees with Saul's case in the cave, when being asleep, David could more securely cut off the lap of his garment. Ashamed - Or, confounded, not knowing what to say or think; lest they should either disturb him, or be guilty of neglect towards him. A key - Another key, it being usual in princes courts to have divers keys for the same door. The children of Israel - Whom doubtless he had prepared by his emissaries gathered together in considerable numbers. Fords of Jordan - Where they passed over Jordan, that neither the Moabites that were got into Canaan, might escape, nor any more Moabites come over Jordan to their succour.

Melted - Or, flowed, with floods of water powered out of the clouds upon them, and from them flowing down in a mighty stream upon the lower grounds, and carrying down part of the mountains with it. Sinai - She slides into the mention of a more ancient appearance of God for his people in Sinai; it being usual in scripture repetitions of former actions, to put divers together in a narrow compass. The sense is, No wonder that the mountains of the Amorites and Canaanites melted and trembled, when thou didst lead thy people toward them; for even Sinai itself could not bear thy presence, but melted in like manner before thee. Jael - Jael, though an illustrious woman, effected nothing for the deliverance of God's people, 'till God raised me up. By - ways - Because of the Philistines and Canaanites, who, besides the public burdens which they laid upon them, waited for all opportunities to do them mischief secretly; their soldiers watching for travellers in common roads, as is usual with such in times of war; and, because of the robbers even of their own people, who having cast off the fear of God, and there being no king in Israel to punish them, broke forth into acts of injustice and violence, even against their own brethren. Ceased - The people forsook all their unfortified towns, not being able to protect them from military insolence. A mother - That is, to be to them as a mother, to instruct, and rule, and protect them, which duties a mother owes to her children. Chose - They did not only submit to idolatry when they were forced to it by tyrants, but they freely chose it. New gods - New to them, and unknown to their fathers, and new in comparison of the true and everlasting God of Israel, being but of yesterday. The gates - That is, in their walled cities, which have gates and bars; gates are often put for cities; then their strong holds fell into the hands of their enemies.

The people - Among the people of Benjamin, with whom these few Ephraimites united themselves in this expedition. Machir - That is, out of the tribe of Manasseh, which are elsewhere called by the name of Machir, namely, out of the half tribe which was within Jordan; for of the other she speaks, ver.17. Governors - Either civil governors, princes and great persons, who were as ready to hazard themselves, as the meanest: or military officers, valiant and expert commanders, such as some of Machir's posterity are noted to have been. Writer - That is, even the Scribes, who gave themselves to study and writing, whereby they were exempted from military service, did voluntarily enter into this service. With Deborah - Ready to assist her. Issachar - Heb. and Issachar, that is, the tribe or people of Issachar, following the counsel and example of their princes. Barak - That is, they were as hearty and valiant as Barak their general; and as he marched on foot against their enemies horses and chariots, and that into the valley, where the main use of horses and chariots lies; so did they with no less courage and resolution. Divisions - Or, separations, not so much one from another, (for they seem to be all so well agreed in abiding at home with their sheep) as all from their brethren, from whom they were divided no less in their designs and affections, than in their situation by the river Jordan: and they would not join their interests and forces with them in this common cause. Great thoughts - Or, great searchings, great and sad thoughts, and debates, and perplexities of mind among the Israelites, to see themselves deserted by so great and potent a tribe as Reuben was. Why abodest - Why wast thou so unworthy and cowardly, that thou wouldest not engage thyself in so just, so necessary, and so noble a cause, but didst prefer the care of this sheep, and thy own ease and safety, before this generous undertaking Reuben thought neutrality their wisest course; being very rich in cattle, Numb 32:1. They were loath to run the hazard of so great a loss, by taking up arms against so potent an enemy as Jabin: and the bleatings of their sheep were so loud in their ears, that they could not hear the call of Deborah and Barak.

Chapter VIII Gideon pacifies the Ephraimites, ver. 1 - 3. Pursues the Midianites, ver. 4 - 12. Chastises the men of Succoth and Penuel, ver. 13 - 17. Slays the two kings of Midian, ver. 18 - 21. Declines the government of Israel, ver. 22, 23. Makes an ephod, ver. 24 - 27. Keeps the country quiet forty years, ver. 28. Dies, leaving a numerous family, ver, 29 - 32. Israel quickly forget God and him, ver. 33 - 35. Why haft thou, &c. - Why hast thou neglected and despised us, in not calling us in to thy help, as thou didst other tribes These were a proud people, puffed up with a conceit of their number and strength, and the preference which Jacob gave them above Manasseh, of which tribe Gideon was, who by this act had seemed to advance his own tribe, and to depress theirs. What have I, &c. - What I have done in cutting off some of the common soldiers, is not to be compared with your destroying their princes; I began the war, but you have finished. The gleaning - What you have gleaned or done after me, Of Abiezer - That is, of the Abiezrites, to whom he modestly communicates the honour of the victory, and does not arrogate it to himself. Was abated - His soft and humble answer allayed their rage. Passed over - Or, had passed over. Are the hands, &c. - Art thou so foolish, to think with thy three hundred faint and weary soldiers, to conquer and destroy an host of fifteen thousand Men Thus the bowels of their compassion were shut up against their brethren. Were these Israelites! Surely they were worshippers of Baal, or in the interest of Midian. Penuel - Another city beyond Jordan; both were in the tribe of Gad. Your tower - Your confidence in which makes you thus proud and presumptuous. That drew sword - That is, persons expert and exercised in war, besides the retainers to them. That dwelt in tents - That is, of the Arabians, so fetching a compass, and falling upon them where they least expected it.

Let all, &c. - It matters not whether thou wantest nothing or everything, I will take care to supply all thy wants. Washed - As they used to do to travellers in those hot countries. Merry - That is, refreshing themselves with the provisions set before them. Sons of belial - Children of the devil, wicked and licentious men. Into my house - And therefore I am obliged to protect him by the laws of hospitality. Fell down - Namely, dead; killed partly with grief of heart, and partly with excessive abuse. Thus the sin she formerly chose, ver.2, is now her destruction; and though her husband pardoned her, God would punish her, at least as to this life. Sent - By several messengers, with a relation of the fact. Speak - Let us meet together, and seriously consider, and every one freely speak what is to be done in this case.

This language becomes us, when we are under affliction; tho' many others share in the trouble, yet we are to hear the voice of the rod, as if it spake only to us. But did not she wish to bring them to the worship of the God of Israel Undoubtedly she did. But she would have them first consider upon what terms, lest having set their hand to the plow, they should look back. Kissed - Departed from her with a kiss. Bade her farewell for ever. She loved Naomi, but she did not love her so well, as to quit her country for her sake. Thus many have a value for Christ, and yet come short of salvation by him, because they cannot find in their hearts, to forsake other things for him. They love him, and yet leave him, because they do not love him enough, but love other things better. To her gods - Those that forsake the communion of saints, will certainly break off their communion with God. This she saith, to try Ruth's sincerity and constancy, and that she might intimate to her, that if she went with her, she must embrace the true religion. There will I be buried - Not desiring to have so much as her dead body carried back into the land of Moab: but Naomi and she having joined souls, she desires they may mingle dust, in hopes of rising together, and remaining together for ever. Left speaking unto her - See the power of resolution! Those who are half - resolved, are like a door a - jar, which invites a thief. But resolution shuts and bolts he door, and then the devil flees from us. Is this - Is this she that formerly lived in so much plenty and honour How marvelously is her condition changed Naomi - Which signifies pleasant, and chearful. Mara - Which signifies bitter or sorrowful. Full - With my husband and sons, and a plentiful estate for our support. Testified - That is, hath borne witness, as it were, in judgment, and given sentence against me.

The Philistines send the ark back, ver. 1 - 12. The Israelites receive it, ver. 13 - 18. The people of Beth - shemesh, smitten for looking into the ark, desire those of Kirjath - jearim to fetch it, ver. 19 - 21. Seven months - So long they kept it, as loath to lose so great a prize, and willing to try all ways to keep it. It shall be known - You shall understand, what is hitherto doubtful, whether he was the author of these calamities, and why they continued so long upon you. Emerods - Figures representing the disease. These they offered not in contempt of God, for they fought to gain his favour hereby; but in testimony of their humiliation, that by leaving this monument of their own shame and misery, they might obtain pity from God. Mice - Which marred their land by destroying the fruits thereof; as the other plague afflicted their Bodies. Give glory - The glory of his power in conquering you, who seemed to have conquered him; of his justice in punishing you, and of his goodness if he relieve you. Wherefore, &c. - They express themselves thus, either because some opposed the sending home the ark, though most had consented to it; or because they thought they would hardly send it away in the manner prescribed, by giving glory to God, and taking shame to themselves. Milch kine, &c. - In respect to the ark; and for the better discovery, because such untamed heifers are apt to wander, and keep no certain and constant paths, as oxen accustomed to the yoke do, and therefore were most unlikely to keep the direct road to Israel's land. From them - Which would stir up natural affection in their dams, and cause them rather to return home, than to go to a strange country. His own coast - Or Border, that is, the way that leadeth to his coast, or border, namely, the country to which it belongs. Then he, &c. - Which they might well conclude, if such heifers should against their common use, and natural instinct, go into a strange path, and regularly and constantly proceed in it, without any man's conduct. Beth - shemesh - A city of the priests, who were by office to take care of it.

Then - While the people were together by Jabesh - gilead, wherein Samuel's great prudence and fidelity to Saul is evident. He suspended the confirmation of Saul at first, whilst the generality of the people were disaffected, and now when he had given such eminent proof of his princely virtues, and when the peoples hearts were eagerly set upon him, he takes this as the fittest season for that work. Renew - That is, confirm our former choice. Made - They owned and accepted him for their king. Chapter XII

Son of Jesse - So he calls him in scorn, to note the meanness of his original; and as not deigning to call him by his proper name. To day - For the uncleanness which came by some chance, usually lasted but for one day. Thy confusion - Men will conclude that thou hast no royal blood in thy veins, that canst so tamely give up thy crown to so contemptible a person. To smite him - Saul seemed to be in great care, that Jonathan should be established in his kingdom: and now he himself aims at his life! What fools, what worse than savage beasts does anger make. To - That is, near the place. For the words following shew, that he was not yet come thither. Artillery - His bow, and arrows, and quiver. Chapter XXI

To him - To David. Tomorrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: "What do these solemn words portend A gleam of hope when life shall end. Thou and thy sons, tho' slain shall be To-morrow in repose with me. Not in a state of health or pain If Saul with Samuel doth remain; Not in a state of damn'd despair, If loving Jonathan is there." Tho' these words may only mean, ye shall surely die, without any reference to the state of their souls after death. See note on "1Sa 31:8" Fell - As if the Archers of the Philistines had already hit him, and there was no strength in him, to bear up against these heavy tidings: especially, as we cannot doubt, but all his past sins were now brought to his remembrance and what authority has any man to affirm, that he felt no contrition all this time Altho' it did not seem good to the holy ghost, to leave it upon record Came to Saul - From whom she departed, when she had brought him and Samuel together, that they might more freely converse together. Unleavened - Not having time to leaven it. Chapter XXIX

- In regard of their bodily strength, and the courage of their mind. Daughters - These he mentions; because the women then used to make songs both of triumph, and of lamentation, and, because they usually are most delighted with the ornaments of the body here following. Clothed you - This he did, because he procured them so much peace as gave them opportunity of enriching themselves: and, because he took these things as spoils from the enemies, and clothed his own people with them. Thine - Which were in thy country, and (had not thy father disinherited thee by his sins) in thy dominions. Distressed - That is, for the loss of thee. For, besides the loss of a true friend, which is inestimable; he lost him who both could, and undoubtedly would have given him a speedy, and quiet, and sure possession of the kingdom, whereas now, he met with long and troublesome interruptions. Of women - That is, that love wherewith they love their husbands, or children for their affections are usually more ardent than mens.

It is true, Absalom's case was widely different from that which she had supposed. But David was too well affected to him, to remark that difference, and was more desirous than she could be, to apply that favourable judgment to his own son, which he had given concerning hers. We - We shall certainly die, both thou, O king, who art therefore obliged to take care of thy successor, Absalom; and Absalom, who, if he do not die by the hand of justice, must shortly die by the necessity of nature: and Amnon too must have died in the common way of all flesh, if Absalom had not cut him off. Respect - So far as to exempt him from this common law of dying. Not expelled - He hath given laws to this purpose, that the man - slayer who is banished should not always continue in banishment, but upon the High - priest's death return to his own city. The people - The truth is, I was even forced to this bold address to thee by the disposition of thy people, who are discontented at Absalom's perpetual banishment, lest, if Absalom by his father - in - law's assistance invade the land, the people who have a great kindness for him, and think he is very hard used, should take up arms. Hear - For I know the king is so wise and just, that I assure myself of audience and acceptation. Deliver - To grant my request concerning my son, and consequently the peoples petition concerning Absalom. My son - Implying that her life was bound up in the life of her son, and that she could not outlive his death; (and supposing that it might be David's case also, and would therefore touch him in a tender part, though it were not proper to say it expressly:) and thereby suggesting, that the safety and comfort of the people of Israel, depended upon Absalom's restitution. Inheritance - That is, out of that land which God gave to his people to be their inheritance, and in which alone God hath settled the place of his presence and worship: whereby she intimates the danger of Absalom's living in a state of separation from God, and his house, amongst idolaters. Angel - In wisdom, and justice, and goodness.

See how easily wise parents may be imposed on by their children, when they are blindly fond of them. Kissed - Did the bowels of a father prevail to reconcile him to an impenitent son And shall penitent sinners question the compassion of him who is the Father of mercy If Ephraim bemoan himself, God soon bemoans him, with all the expressions of fatherly tenderness. He is a dear son, a pleasant child.

It was also at a convenient distance from Jerusalem. Called - Such as Absalom had picked out as fit for his purpose; such as were of some reputation with the king and people, which would give a countenance to his undertaking, and give occasion to people at first to think that this was done by his father's consent, as being now aged, and infirm, and willing to resign the kingdom to him. It is no new thing, for good men to be made use of by designing men to put a colour upon ill practices. Sacrifices - Which he did not in devotion to God; but merely that upon this pretence he might call great numbers of people together. Let us flee - For though the fort of Zion was strong, and he might have defended himself there; yet he had not laid in provisions for a long siege; and, if he had been once besieged there, Absalom would have got speedy possession of his whole kingdom; whereas if he marched abroad, he might raise a considerable army for his defence. Besides, the greatest part of Jerusalem could not be well defended against him. After him - Or, on foot, which the king chose to do, to humble himself under the hand of God; to encourage his companions in this hard and comfortless march; and to move compassion in his people towards him. Concubines - For he supposed that their sex would protect them, and their relation to David would gain them some respect, or at least, safety from his son. Far off - At some convenient distance, tho' not very far. Gittites - Or rather strangers, as Ittai their head is called, ver.19, and they are called his brethren, ver.20. Probably they were Philistines by birth, born in the city or territory of Gath, as the following words imply, who by David's counsel, and example, were won to embrace the true religion, and had given good proof of their military skill, and valour, and fidelity to the king. Thy place - To Jerusalem, where thy settled abode now is. The king - With Absalom who is now made king. An exile - Not much concerned in our affairs, and therefore not fit to be involved in our troubles. Brethren - Thy countrymen the Gittites, ver.18. Mercy, &c.

Hanged himself - See here contempt poured upon the wisdom of man! He that was more renowned for policy than ever any man was, played the fool with himself more than ever any man did. See likewise honour done to the justice of God! The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Passed - Not speedily, but when all the men of Israel were gathered together according to Hushai's counsel. Nahash - Nahash is the name of Jesse's wife, by whom he had this Abigail, as he had Zeruiah by another wife; so they were sisters by the father, but not by the mother. Shobi - Who, as it may seem, disliked and disowned that barbarous action to the ambassadors; and therefore, when the rest were destroyed, was left king or governor of the residue of the Ammonites. Machir - See above chap.9:4. In - Having been in the wilderness. Thus God sometimes makes up to his people that comfort from strangers, which they are disappointed of in their own families.

Chapter XXI A famine, caused by Saul's killing the Gibeonites, ver. 1 - 3. Seven of his family put to death, ver. 4 - 9. Care taken of their dead bodies, and of the bones of Saul, ver. 10 - 14. Battles with the Philistines, ver. 15 - 22. Then - The things related here and chap.24:1 - 25, are by the best interpreters conceived to have been done long before Absalom's rebellion. And this opinion is not without sufficient grounds: first, this particle, then, is here explained, in the days, that is, during the reign of David: which general words seem to be added as an intimation that these things were not done after the next foregoing passages, for then the sacred writer would rather have added, after these things, as it is in many other places. Secondly, here are divers passages which it seems improbable to ascribe to the last years of David's reign: such as first, that Saul's sin against the Gibeonites should so long remain unpunished. And indeed that this was done, and Saul's seven sons hanged by David's order before that time, seems to be intimated by that passage, 2Sam 16:8, where he is charged with the blood of the house of Saul: for which there was not the least colour 'till this time. Secondly, that David should not remove the bones of Saul and Jonathan to their proper place, 'till that time. Thirdly, that the Philistines should wage war with David again and again, ver.15, &c. so long after he had fully subdued them, chap.8:1, and that David in his old age should attempt to fight with a Philistine giant, or that his people should suffer him to do so. Fourthly, that David should then have so vehement a desire to number his people, chap.24:1, which being an act of youthful vanity, seems not at all to agree with his old age, nor with that state of deep humiliation in which he then was. And the reason why these matters are put here out of their proper order, is plainly this, because David's sin being once related, it was very convenient that David's punishments should immediately succeed: this being very frequent in scripture - story, to put those things together which belong to one matter, though they happened at several times.

Or, secondly, he speaks there of what Solomon offered: for it runs thus, I will give; and here of what Hiram accepted. Or, thirdly, the barley, and wine, and twenty thousand baths of common oil, mentioned 2Chron 2:10, must be added to the twenty thousand measures of wheat, and the twenty measures of pure oil here expressed, and the whole sum is to be made up from both places; that book of Chronicles being written to supply and compleat the histories of the books of Samuel, and of the Kings. Gave Hiram - Either, first, for sustenance to the workmen, during the years wherein they were employed in the cutting down and hewing of timber. Or, for the yearly support of the king's house, during the said time. Thus by the wise disposal of providence, one country has need of another, and is benefited by another, that there may be a mutual correspondence and dependence, to the glory of God our common Parent. The levy - Which were to be employed in the most honourable and easy parts of the work relating to the temple; and these were Israelites; but those fifteen hundred thousand mentioned ver.15, were strangers. If it seem strange, that so many thousands should be employed about so small a building as the temple was; it must be considered, that the temple, all its parts being considered, was far larger than men imagine; that it is probable, they were employed by turns, as the thirty thousand were, ver.14, else they had been oppressed with hard and uninterrupted labours. that the timber and stone hewed and carried by them, was designed, not only for the temple, but also for Solomon's own houses, and buildings; because we read of no other levy of men, nor of any care and pains taken after the building of the temple, for the procurement, or preparation of materials for his own houses, or his other buildings; nay, that this very levy of men was made and employed for the building of the Lord's house, and Solomon's house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer, is expressed chap.9:15. Three thousand &c.

Oxen - Of solid brass, which was necessary to bear so great a weight. Baths - Which amounts to five hundred barrels, each bath containing about eight gallons; the bath being a measure of the same bigness with an ephah. Bases - Upon which stood the ten lavers mentioned below, ver.38, in which they washed the parts of the sacrifices. Borders - Broad brims, possibly for the more secure holding of the lavers. Base above - So he calls the upper - most part of the base: for though it was above, yet it was a base to the laver, which stood upon it. Additions - Either as bases for the feet of the said lions and oxen: or, only as farther ornaments. Wheels - Whereby the bases and lavers might be removed from place to place as need required. Under - setters - Heb. shoulders; fitly so called, because they supported the lavers, that they should not fall from their bases, when the bases were removed together with the lavers. The mouth - So he calls that part in the top of the base which was left hollow, that the foot of the laver might be let into it. The chapiter - Within the little base, which he calls the chapiter, because it rose up from, and stood above the great base. Above - Above the chapiter; for the mouth went up, and grew wider like a funnel. A cubit - In height, ver.35, whereof half a cubit was above the chapiter or little base, and the other half below it. A cubit and half - In compass. Four square - So the innermost part, called the mouth, was round, but the outward part was square, as when a circle is made within a quadrangle. Molten - And cast together with the bases. Of the base - Not only of the same matter, but of the same piece, being cast with it. The proportion - Or, empty place, that is, according to the bigness of the spaces which were left empty for them, implying that they were smaller than those above mentioned. Right side - In the south side, not within the house, but in the priests court, where they washed either their hands or feet, or the parts of the sacrifices. Left side - On the north side.

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.

Solomon - To whose ears this had come. Shishak - Solomon's brother - in - law, who yet might be jealous of him, or alienated from him, because he had taken so many other wives to his sister, might cast a greedy eye upon the great riches which Solomon had amassed together, and upon which, presently after Solomon's death, he laid violent hands, 2Chron 12:9. The book - In the publick records, where the lives and actions of kings were registered from time to time, so this was only a political, not a sacred book. Forty years - His reign was as long as his father's, but not his life; sin shortened his days. Slept - This expression is promiscuously used concerning good and bad; and signifies only, that they died as their fathers did. But did he repent before he died This seems to be put out of dispute by the book of Ecclesiastes; written after his fall; as is evident, not only from the unanimous testimony of the Hebrew writers, but also, from the whole strain of that book, which was written long after he had finished all his works, and after he had liberally drunk of all sorts of sensual pleasures, and sadly experienced the bitter effects of his love of women, Eccles 7:17, &c. which makes it more than probable, that as David writ Psalm 51:1 - 19. So Solomon wrote this book as a publick testimony and profession of his repentance.

Chapter II Elisha keeps close to Elijah, and walks with him through Jordan, ver. 1 - 8. Elijah is taken up, and Elisha laments the loss of him, ver. 9 - 12. He divides Jordan, ver. 13, 14. Is acknowledged by the sons of the prophets, ver. 15. Who send to seek Elijah, ver. 16 - 18. Elisha heals the unwholesome waters, ver. 19 - 22. Destroys the mocking children, ver. 23 - 25 About to take, &c. - It is supposed, (tho' not expressly revealed) that Elijah flourished about twenty years, before he was translated, body and soul, to heaven, only undergoing such a change, as was necessary to qualify him for being an inhabitant in that world of Spirits. By translating him, God gave in that dark and degenerate age, a very sensible proof of another life, together with a type of the ascension of Christ, and the opening of the kingdom of heaven to all believers. Tarry here - This he desires, either, That being left alone, he might better prepare himself for his great change. Or, Out of indulgence to Elisha, that he might not be overwhelmed with grief at so sad a sight. That he might try his love, and whet his desire to accompany him; it being highly convenient for God's honour, that there should be witnesses of so glorious a translation.

Abomination - The idol, so called, because it was abominable, and made them abominable to God. Men - Of the idolatrous priests, which he caused to be taken out of their graves, ver.18. As he carried the ashes of the images to the graves, to mingle them with dead mens bones, so he carried dead mens bones to the places where the images had been, that both ways idolatry might be rendered loathsome. Dead men and dead gods were indeed much alike, and fittest to go together. Beth - el - Probably this city was now under the kingdom of Judah, to which it was added by Abijah long since. And it is probable, since the ten tribes were carried away, many cities had put themselves under the protection of Judah. The golden calf, it seems, was gone; but Josiah would leave no remains of that idolatry. Himself - Josiah's care and zeal was so great, that he would not trust his officers with these things, but would see them done with his own eyes. These words - Three hundred years before it was done. The priests - By this relation it appears, that after the departure of the king of Assyria, divers of the Israelites who had retired to other parts, and kept themselves out of the conqueror's hands, returned together with their priests to their own land, and to their old trade, worshipping idols; to whom, peradventure, they ascribed this their deliverance from that judgment which Jehovah had brought upon them. And burnt - According to that famous prophecy, 1Kings 13:1,2. Such a passover - Celebrated with such solemn care, and great preparation, and numerous sacrifices, and universal joy of all good men; which was much the greater, because of their remembrance of the former wicked and miserable times under Manasseh, and Amon; and the good hopes they now had of the happy establishment of their nation, and the true religion; and of the prevention of God's judgments denounced against them. Judges - Or, from the days of Samuel, the last of the judges; as it is expressed 2Chron 35:18. None of the kings had taken such care to prepare themselves, the priests, and people, and accurately to observe all the rites, and diligently to purge out all uncleanness, and to renew their covenant with God.

Fortified - It is not said, they repaired, but they fortified it, either because this part of the wall was less demolished than the other, and therefore they needed not to repair it, but only to make it stronger: or, to note their extraordinary care and diligence, that they would not only repair it, but make it stronger than ever. Half part - As Rome was anciently divided into several quarters or regions, so was Jerusalem; and especially into two parts, whereof one was in the tribe of Benjamin, and nearest the temple, the other in the tribe of Judah, these accordingly had two several rulers, this man and the other, ver.12, but both under the chief governor of the city. His daughters - Who were either heiresses or rich widows, and caused part to be done at their charges. Beth - haccerem - A town or territory, the government whereof was divided between two persons. Made - By Hezekiah, 2Kings 20:20. Whereby it is distinguished from that pool which was natural. Mighty - Or, of the valiant: which possibly was formerly appointed for the receipt of those chief captains that should attend upon the king in their courses. Earnestly - Did his work with eminent diligence and fervency: which is here noted to his commendation. And it is probable, this good man's zeal provoked many, to take the more pains, and make the more haste. The door - Therefore the door was not in the middle of the house, as now they commonly are, but at one end of it. Tekoites - The same spoken of before, who having dispatched their first share sooner than their brethren, freely offered to supply the defects of others, who, as it seems, neglected that part of the work which had been committed to them. And this their double diligence is noted both for the greater shame of their nobles, who would not do any part of it, and for their own honour, who were so far from being corrupted by that bad example, that they were quickened to greater zeal and industry in this pious work. The sixth son of Zalaph - It seems, his five elder brethren, laid not their hands to the work. But in doing that which is good, we need not stay to see our betters go before us.

So God's work may be done, and yet different methods taken in doing it; which is a good reason why we should not arraign the management of others, nor make our own standard. We - I, and my brethren, and predecessors, have used our utmost interest and power, both with the kings of Persia, that our brethren might be redeemed from bondage, and with particular persons in Babylon, and Persia, whose bond - slaves the Jews were, and who would not part with them without a price. Be sold - Do you expect that we should pay you a price for them, as we did to the Babylonians. Or, must we use as much importunity to solicit you for their redemption, as we did to their enemies Reproach - Who are round about you, and observe all your actions, and will reproach both you for such barbarous usage of your brethren, and religion for your sakes. Brethren - In office; these who are employed with me in the government of this people. Servants - In my name, and for my use. Exact - As a just recompense for our pains and care for the publick good, to which we wholly devote ourselves, even to the neglect of all our private concerns. But I freely remit my own right, and therefore you also ought to do so, seeing I lay no burden upon you, but what I am willing to bear a part of upon my own shoulders. Also - Also require not: which is to be supplied out of the next verse, where it is expressed in their grant of this desire. Hundredth part - Which they required every month for the use of their monies or goods, according to the custom then used. Require - For the hundredth part. Priests - As witnesses; that the oath being taken before the priests, who acted in God's name, the oath might make the more deep and durable impression upon their consciences. My lap - The extreme parts of my garment, which I first folded together, and then shook it and scattered it asunder. This was a form of swearing then in use. Twelve years - Not that he continued so long together at Jerusalem, but he so long governed Jerusalem by himself when present, and in his absence, by a deputy.

Chapter VIII The solemn reading and expounding of the law, ver. 1 - 8. The joy of the people, ver. 9 - 12. The keeping of the feast of tabernacles, ver. 13 - 18. First day - This was the feast of trumpets, which is called a sabbath, and on which they were to have an holy convocation, Lev 23:24. And it was on this day, the altar was set up, after their return from captivity; in remembrance of which they had probably kept it ever since, with more than ordinary solemnity. Understand - As well the words, which being Hebrew, now needed to be translated into the Chaldee or Syriack language, now, the common language of that people, who together with their religion, had also in a great part lost their language; as also the meaning of them: they expounded the mind and will of God in what they read, and applied it to the peoples present condition. Place - That is, In their several places and stations into which the company seems to have been distributed for conveniency of hearing; it not being likely that so vast a congregation could distinctly hear one man's voice. Or, by their stations, that is, by the several stations of the Levites, and persons last named; who seem to have had several scaffolds, by comparing this with chap.9:4, upon which thy stood, as Ezra did upon his pulpit, ver.8:4. They - Ezra and his companions successively. Sense - The meaning of the Hebrew words, which they expounded in the common language. Thy gave - So they gave them both a translation of the Hebrew words into the Chaldee, and an exposition of the things contained in them. Wept - Out of a sense of their guilt and danger by reason of it. Eat - Feast before the Lord. Send - For the relief of your poor brethren. Holy - Being the feast of trumpets, and the beginning of this joyful month, wherein so many days of thanksgiving were to be observed. Strength - Rejoicing in God in serving him with chearfulness, and thankfulness, which is your duty always, but now especially, will give you that strength both of mind and body, which you greatly need, both to perform all the duties required of you, and to oppose all the designs of your enemies.

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. Sanctified - They set apart the first - fruits and tithes from their own share, and devoted them to the use of the Levites. And so did the Levites by the tithe of the tithes. Thus they all conscientiously paid their dues, and did not profane those things which God had sanctified, nor take them into their own common use. When what is contributed for the support of religion, is given with an eye to God, it is sanctified, and will cause the blessing to rest upon the house, and all that is therein.

Chapter XIII The Israelites are separated from the mixt multitude, ver. 1 - 3. Nehemiah cleansed the chambers of the temple, ver. 4 - 9. He recovers and secures the portion of the priests and Levites, ver. 10 - 14. Contends with the nobles concerning the sabbath, and takes care for the due observance of it, ver. 15 - 22. Restrains them from marrying strange wives, ver. 23 - 31. That day - Not presently after the dedication of the wall and city, but upon a certain day, when Nehemiah was returned from the Persian court to Jerusalem, from which he had been absent for some considerable time, in which some errors and abuses had crept in. Not come - Not be incorporated into the common - wealth of Israel, nor be joined with any Israelite in marriage. Multitude - All the heathenish people with whom they had contracted alliance. Eliashib - The high - priest. Chamber - Of the chambers, the high - priest having the chief power over the house of God, and all the chambers belonging to it. Tobiah - The Ammonite, and a violent enemy to God's people. Prepared - By removing the things out of it, uniting divers small chambers into one, and furnishing it for the use of Tobiah when he came to Jerusalem: whom he seems to have lodged there, that he might have more free communication with him. But, &c. - Eliashib took the occasion of my absence to do these things. Came I - From Jerusalem; where he had been once and again. Grieved me - That so sacred a place should be polluted by one who in many respects ought not to come there, being no priest, a stranger, an Ammonite, and one of the worst of that people; and that all this should be done by the permission and order of the high - priest. Not given - Which might be either, from this corrupt high - priest Eliashib, who took their portions, as he did the sacred chambers, to his own use, or employed them for the entertainment of Tobiah, and his other great allies.

Fled - To his possession in the country, being forced to do so for a livelihood. Contended - I sharply reproved those priests to whom the management of those things was committed, for neglect of their duty, and breach of their late solemn promise. Why, &c. - You have not only injured men in with - holding their dues, but you have occasioned the neglect of God's house and service. Gathered - To Jerusalem from their several country possessions. Set - Restored them to the exercise of their office. Bought - Out of the respect which they had to Nehemiah, and because they saw they would now be applied to their proper uses. Faithful - By the consent of those who knew them. Such he now sought out the more diligently, because he had experience of the perfidiousness of the former trustees. Jerusalem - The holy city, where God's house was; and where the great judicatories of the nation were. So this is added as an aggravation of their sin, that it was done with manifest contempt of God and man. Nobles - Their chief men and rulers; whom he charges with this sin, because though others did it, it was by their countenance or connivance: probably too by their example. If the nobles allowed themselves in recreations, in idle visits and idle talk on the sabbath day, the men of business would profane it by their worldly employments, as the more justifiable of the two. At the gates - Out of a diffidence in those, to whom the keeping of the gates was committed. Cleanse - Because the work they now were set upon, though common in its nature, yet was holy in design of it, and had respect unto the sabbath: and, because the day in which they were to do this was the sabbath - day, for the observation whereof they were obliged to purify themselves. Gates - The gates of the city; not daring to trust the common porters, he commits the charge of them upon the sabbath - days, to the Levites, to whom the care of sanctifying the sabbath did properly belong.

Both Jews and Christians have generally supposed Mordecai to be the writer of this book, which shews the care of God even over those Israelites, who were still scattered among the Heathens. It is the narrative of a plot to cut off all the Jews, disappointed by a wonderful concurrence of providences. The name of God is not found in this book: but the, finger of God is, directing so many minute events for the deliverance of his people. The particulars are very encouraging to God's people, in the most difficult and dangerous times. Here we are told how Esther came to be queen, and Mordecai to be great at court, chap. 1, 2. How Haman obtained an order for the destruction of the Jews, chap. 3. The distress of the Jews thereupon, chap. 4. The defeating of Haman's plot against Mordecai, chap. 5 - 7. The defeating of his plot against the Jews, chap. 8. The care taken to perpetuate the memory of this, chap. 9, 10.

Chapter I Ahasuerus feasts his great men, ver. 1 - 9. Sends for his queen, who refuses to come, ver. 10, 11. He divorces her, ver. 12 - 22. Ahasuerus - Many suppose this to be Darius Hystapas, for his kingdom was thus vast, and he subdued India, as Herodotus reports: and one of his wives was called Atossa, differing little from Hadassah, which is Esther's other name, Esth 2:7. Provinces - So seven new provinces were added to those hundred and twenty mentioned, Dan 6:1. Sat - Was settled in the peaceable possession of it. Shushan - The chief or royal city. Shushan might be the proper name of the palace, which thence was given to the whole city. Here the kings of Persia used to keep their courts in winter, as at Exbatana in summer. Many days - Making every day a magnificent feast, either for all his princes, or for some of them, who might come to the feast successively, as the king ordered them to do. The Persian feasts are much celebrated in authors, for their length and luxury. Beds - For in those eastern countries, they did not then sit at tables as we do, but rested or leaned upon beds or couches. The law - According to this law which the king had now made, that none should compel another to drink more than he pleased. How does this Heathen prince shame many, that are called Christians, who think they do not make their friends welcome, unless they make them drunk, and under pretence of sending the health round, send the sin round, and death with it! Women - While the king entertained the men. For this was the common custom of the Persians, that men and women did not feast together. Refused - Being favoured in this refusal by the law of Persia, which was to keep mens wives, and especially queens, from the view of other men. The times - The histories of former times, what princes have done in such cases as this was. Saw - Who had constant freedom of access to the king, and familiar converse with him: which is thus expressed, because the Persian kings were very seldom seen by their subjects. Sat - Who were his chief counsellors and officers. Contempt - Contempt in the wives, and thereupon wrath in the husbands; and consequently strife in families.

Chapter II The virgins of the kingdom are gathered together, ver. 1 - 4. And Esther with the rest, ver. 5 - 8. She finds favour with the king's chamberlain, ver. 9 - 11. The manner of preparing the virgins, and bringing them to the king, ver. 12 - 14. Esther pleases him, who makes her queen, ver. 15 - 20. Mordecai discovers a conspiracy against the king, ver. 21 - 23. Keeper - Of all the women, both virgins and concubines: only the virgins he himself took care of, as requiring more care and caution, and the concubines be committed to Shaashgaz, ver.14, his deputy. Purification - That is, to cleanse them from all impurities, to perfume, and adorn, and every way prepare them for the king: for the legal purification of the Jews he never regarded. Esther - Hadassah was her Hebrew name before her marriage; and she was called Esther by the king after it. Pleased - Because she was very beautiful, therefore he supposed she would be acceptable to the king; and by the Divine power, which moveth the hearts of men which way he pleaseth. Shew it - Lest the knowledge hereof should either make her contemptible, or bring some inconvenience to the whole nation; but there was also an hand of God in causing this to be concealed, for the better accomplishment of that which he designed, though Mordecai was ignorant of it. Desired - For ornament, or by way of attendance. And it should be observed, that every one whom the king took to his bed, was his wife of a lower rank, as Hagar was Abraham's, so that it would have been no sin or dishonour to Esther, though she had not been made queen. Sat - By office, as one of the king's guards or ministers; being advanced to this place by Esther's favour.

They cast - The diviners cast lots, according to the custom of those people, what day, and what month would be most lucky, not for his success with the king (of which he made no doubt) but for the most effectual extirpation of the Jews. Wherein appears likewise both his implacable malice, and unwearied diligence in seeking vengeance of them with so much trouble to himself; and God's singular providence in disposing the lot to that time, that the Jews might have space to get the decree reversed. The silver - Keep it to thy own use; I accept the offer for the deed. The city - Not only the Jews, but a great number of the citizens, either because they were related to them, or engaged with them in worldly concerns; or out of humanity and compassion toward so vast a number of innocent people, appointed as sheep for the slaughter.

Wise men - The magicians, whom after the Persian manner he had called together to consult upon this strange emergency. To bring - Who was now slack to go thither, by reason of the great dejection of his own mind.

But still it is the earth that stays us up, and will shortly swallow us up. Before - Sooner than a moth is crushed, which is easily done by a gentle touch of the finger. Or, at the face of a moth. No creature is so contemptible, but one time or other it may have the body of man in its power. Destroyed - All the day long, there is not a moment wherein man is not sinking towards death and corruption. Perish - In reference to this present worldly life, which when once lost is never recovered. Regarding - Heb. without putting the heart to it, this is so common a thing for all men, though never so high and great, to perish in this manner, that no man heeds it, but passes it by as a general accident not worthy of observation. Excellency - Whatsoever is by common estimation excellent in men, all their natural, and moral, and civil accomplishments, as high birth, great riches, power and wisdom, these are so far from preserving men from perishing, that they perish themselves, together with those houses of clay in which they are lodged. Without wisdom - Even without having attained that only wisdom for which they came into the world. Shall such mean, weak, foolish, sinful, dying creatures as this, pretend to be more just than God, more pure than his maker No: instead of quarrelling with his afflictions, let him admire that he is out of hell.

Restore - He speaks not of that restitution which the law required, but of that which either the wronged person might force the thief to make, or which the thief would willingly give rather than be exposed to public shame. Rage - It enflames a man with rage. In the day - When he hath an opportunity to avenge himself. Chapter VII An exhortation to cleave to wisdom, as a preservative from strange women, ver. 1 - 5. The snares they lay for unwary young men, ver. 6 - 23. A serious caution against coming near them, ver. 24 - 37. Live - Thou shalt live. Eye - With all possible care and diligence. Bind them - As a ring which is continually in a man's eye. And call - Acquaint and delight thyself with her. Passing - Idle and careless, near the corner of the street in which her house stood. Without - Without the door of her house. Corner - Of the streets, where she might either conceal or discover herself, as she saw fit. Offerings - I have paid my peace - offerings which I had vowed. Whereby she signifies, that she had plentiful provisions at her house for his entertainment. For the peace - offerings were to be of the best flesh, Lev 22:21, and a considerable part of these offerings fell to the offerer's share. Hath taken - Which is an evidence that he designs to stay a considerable time. At the day - So that we need not fear any surprise. As an ox - Going to it securely, as if it were going to a good pasture. His liver - His vital parts, 'till his life be lost.

Bread - By bread and water he understands all things necessary for his subsistence. For - In so doing, which words are expressed Rom 12:20, where this text is quoted. Thou shalt melt him into repentance, and love. So - Because it comes more rarely and difficultly, after it hath been long expected. Falling - When righteous men are oppressed by the wicked, the state of that common - wealth is as deplorable, as if the publick fountains were corrupted. Not good - For health. To search - Industriously to seek for applause. Is not - Is not only sinful, but shameful also.

So a man is tried by praise. Flock - Flocks and herds are here put for all possessions, because anciently they were the chief part of a man's riches. For - What thou dost now possess, will not last always. If a man had the wealth of a kingdom, without care and diligence it would be brought to nothing. The hay - Another encouragement to diligence; God invites thee to it by the plentiful provisions wherewith he has enriched the earth for thy sake. The mountains - Even the most barren parts afford thee their help. The price - By the sale whereof thou mayest either pay the rent of the field which thou hirest, or purchase fields or lands. Goats might better be spared and sold than sheep, which brought a more constant profit to the owner. Goat's milk - Or, if thou chusest rather to keep thy goats, the milk will serve thee for food to thyself and family. In ancient times men used a plain and simple diet.

Chapter IV The misery of the oppressed and the oppressor, ver. 1 - 3. Of being envied, which occasions sloth in others, ver. 4 - 6. The folly of hoarding up wealth, ver. 7, 8. The benefit of society, ver. 9 - 12. The mutability even of the royal dignity, thro' the foolishness of the prince, and the fickleness of the people ver. 13 - 16. I returned - I considered again. Oppressions - Whether by princes, magistrates, or other potent persons. No comforter - None afforded them pity or succour. But they, &c. - No comfort therein. I praised - I judged them less miserable. For this is certain, that setting aside the future life, which Solomon doth not meddle with in the present debate; and considering the uncertainty, and vanity, and manifold calamities of the present life, a wise man would not account it worth his while to live. Better is he - Who was never born. Not seen - Not felt: for as seeing good is put for enjoying it, so seeing evil is put for suffering it. Right work - All the worthy designs of virtuous men. Envied - Instead of honour, he meets with envy and obloquy. The fool - Is careless and idle: perceiving that diligence is attended with envy, he runs into the other extreme. Eateth - Wastes his substance, and brings himself to poverty, whereby his very flesh pines away for want of bread. Better - These are the words of the sluggard, making this apology for his idleness, That his little with ease, is better than great riches got with much trouble. Alone - Who has none but himself to care for. Brother - To whom he may leave his vast estate. Yet - He lives in perpetual restlessness and toil. For whom - Having no kindred to enjoy it. And bereave - Deny myself those comforts and conveniences which God hath allowed me A sore travel - A dreadful judgment, as well as a great sin. Two - Who live together in any kind of society. Because - Both have great benefit by such conjunction, whereby they support, encourage, and strengthen one another. They - One of them. Fall - Into any mistake, or sin, or danger. Prevail - Against either of them. Better - More happy. Now he proceeds to another vanity, That of honour and power.

Chapter X Observations on wisdom and folly, ver. 1 - 3. On rulers, ver. 4 - 7. Miscellany observations, ver. 8 - 11. On governing the tongue, ver. 12 - 14. More miscellany observations, ver. 15 - 20. Heart - His understanding is always present with him and ready to direct him. He mentions the right hand, because that is the common instrument of action. A fool's - His understanding is not effectual to govern his affections and actions. Walketh - In his daily conversation. He saith - He discovers his folly to all that meet him. The spirit - The passion. Leave not - In anger or discontent. Continue in a diligent and faithful discharge of thy duty, and modestly and humbly submit to him. Yielding - A gentle and submissive carriage. The rich - Wise and worthy men, rich in endowments of mind. An hedge - Whereby another man's fields or vineyards are distinguished, that he may either take away their fruits, or enlarge his own fields. Whoso removeth - Stones too heavy for them: who rashly attempts things too high and hard for them. Wisdom - As wisdom instructs a man in the smallest matters, so it is useful for a man's direction in all weighty affairs. Without - If not prevented by the art and care of the charmer; which practice he does not justify, but only mentions by way of resemblance. Gracious - Procure him favour with those who hear him. Full of words - Forward to promise and boast what he will do, whereas none can be sure of future events, even during his own life, much more after his death. Wearieth - Fools discover their folly by their wearisome and fruitless endeavours after things which are too high for them. Because - He is ignorant of those things which are most easy, as of the way to the great city whither he is going. A child - Either in age, or childish qualities. Eat - Give up themselves to eating and drinking. Morning - The fittest time for God's service, for the dispatch of weighty affairs, and for sitting in judgment. Nobles - Not so much by birth, as by their noble dispositions. Thy thought - In the most secret manner. The rich - Princes or governors.

This interpretation agrees both with the foregoing verse, in which he describes the miseries of old age, and with the following clause, which is added to explain those otherwise ambiguous expressions; and with the scripture use of this phrase; for a state of comfort and happiness is often described by the light of the sun, and a state of trouble is set forth, by the darkening of the light of the sun. Nor the clouds - This phrase denotes a perpetual succession of rain, and clouds bringing rain, and then rain and clouds again. Whereby he expresses either the rheums or destructions which incessantly flow in old men; or the continual vicissitude of infirmities, diseases, and griefs; one deep calling upon another. The house - Of the body: whose keepers are the hands and arms, which are man's best instruments to defend his body; and which in a special manner are subject to his trembling. The strong men - The thighs and legs, in which the main strength of the body consists. Grinders - The teeth, those especially which are commonly so called, because they grind the meat. Cease - To perform their office. And those, &c. - The eyes. By windows he understands either the eye - lids, which like windows, are either opened or shut: or, those humours and coats of the eyes, which are the chief instruments by which we see. In - Or, towards the streets: which lead into the streets. This may be understood either of the outward senses, which, as doors, let in outward objects to the soul: or rather the mouth, the two lips, here expressed by a word of the dual number, which like a door, open or shut the way that leads into the streets or common passages of the body; which also are principal instruments both of speaking and eating. And these are said to be shut, not absolutely, but comparatively, because men in old age grow dull and listless, having little appetite to eat, and are very frequently indisposed for discourse. When the sound - When the teeth are loose and few, whereby both his speech is low, and the noise which he makes in eating is but small. Shall rise - From his bed, being weary with lying, and unable to get sleep.

Chapter II Christ speaks of himself and his church, ver. 1, 2. The church declares the delightful fellowship she had with Christ, ver. 3, 4. Rejoices in his favour, and takes care that nothing may displease him, ver. 5 - 7 Triumphs in his love and gracious call, ver. 8 - 13. Christ's care of the church, ver. 14, 15. Her faith and hope in him, ver. 16, 17 I - These are the words of the bridegroom. He compares himself to the rose and lilly, for fragrancy and beauty. Sharon, was a very fruitful place, and famous for roses. Among - Compared with thorns, which it unspeakably exceeds in glory and beauty. So - So far, doth my church or people, excel all other assemblies. The title of daughter, is often given to whole nations. These are Christ's words, to which the spouse makes the following reply. The apple - tree - Whose fruit is very pleasant and wholesome. The trees - Which are barren. I sat - I confidently reposed myself under his protection. His fruit - The benefits which I received by him, remission of sins, faith, grace, and assurance of glory. Banquetting house - The places in which believers receive the graces and blessings of Christ. His banner - By the lifting up whereof I was invited to come to him, and to list myself under him. Love - The love of Christ crucified, which, like a banner, is displayed in the gospel. Stay me - Or, support me, keep me from fainting. The spouse speaks this to her bride - maids, the daughters of Jerusalem: or to the bridegroom himself. Flaggons - With wine, which is a good cordial. Apples - With odoriferous apples, the smell whereof was grateful to persons ready to faint. By this understand the application of the promises, and the quickening influences of the Spirit. His hand - No sooner did I cry out for help, but he was at hand to succour me. I charge you - This is spoken by the bride. By the roes - By the example of those creatures, which are pleasant and loving in their carriage towards one another. Nor awake - That you do not disturb nor offend him. 'Till - Never, as this word, until, in such phrases, is commonly used.

Chapter V Christ answers the church's invitation, and shews her the delight he took in her fruit, ver. 1. She acknowledges her negligence to Christ in not opening the door, ver. 2 - 6. Of the harsh usage she met with, ver. 7. She tells the daughters of Jerusalem she is sick of love to Christ, ver. 8. Their question concerning him, ver. 9. A description of Christ by his graces, ver. 10 - 15. In whom she boasteth, ver. 16 I come - This is the bridegroom's answer. I have - I have eaten of my pleasant fruits, I have taken notice of, and delight in the service and obedience of my people. O friends - Believers are here encouraged with freedom and chearfulness to eat and drink their spiritual food. Asleep - I was dull, and sluggish. But - Yet in my very sleep my thoughts were running upon my beloved. It is - Between sleeping and waking, I heard his voice. Knocketh - By his word, and providence, and spirit, at the door of my heart. Open - Inviting me to let him into my soul. My love - This heap of kind compellations signifies Christ's fervent affection to his people. With dew - While I wait without thy door, which signifies his sufferings for the church's good. The drops - The dew which falls in the night. My coat - My day clothes, as persons use to do when they go to rest. How - It is inconvenient and troublesome to do it at this time. Washed my feet - Which the eastern people commonly did when they went to bed. By the hole - He assayed to open the door. When his word would not prevail, his spirit, which is called the finger of God, Luke 11:20, wrought inwardly upon my conscience. Were moved - With compassion for him and his sufferings, and with affection to him. I rose - I went forth to receive him. Dropped - With oil or ointment made of myrrh, which dropped from the bridegroom's hand upon the door in great abundance, when he put it into the hole of the door, and consequently upon her hands and fingers when she touched the door to open it. By which she signifies, that Christ, though he withdrew himself from her, yet left a sweet savour behind him. The handles - Heb.

Daughters - Called virgins, ver.8. Praised - As more beautiful and worthy than themselves. Who - These are the words of the queens and concubines. Who, what manner of person is this, how excellent and glorious! Morning - As the morning light, which coming after the darkness, is very pleasant and amiable. I went - When I went away from thee these are the words of the bridegroom. Valley - Which being low, and well watered is very fruitful. To see - What beginnings or appearances there were of good fruits or works among believers. Or ever - I was surprized with a vehement desire of my spouse, which is to be understood figuratively, and so as to agree with the majesty and omnisciency of Christ. Ammi - nadib - Eager in my desire, and swift in my motion towards the church. Ammi - nadib is supposed to be some eminent charioteer then well known, and famous for his speed in driving chariots. Return - Christ recalls his spouse, who as when Christ was gone, she pursued after him, so now when Christ was coming to her, she was ready to wander from him. Return - This word is repeated four times, to signify both Christ's passionate love to her, and her backwardness. Shulamite - This title signifies, the wife of Solomon, thus called after her husband's name, and as Christ is called by the name of Solomon, so the church is fitly described by the title of Solomon's wife. May look - That I and my companions may contemplate thy beauty. What - But what do you my friends expect to discover in her Christ proposes the question, that they might take special notice of this as a very remarkable thing in her. The company - Whereby he intimates that this one spouse was made up of the whole multitude of believers. Two armies - Confederate together, and so this may signify the union of Jews and Gentiles, and the safety and strength of the church, which is compared to a numerous host, distributed into two armies.

Chapter VIII The church expresses her desire of familiarity with Christ, ver. 1. By the entertainment she would make him, ver. 2, 3. She charges the daughters of Jerusalem not to disturb her beloved, ver. 4. A commendation of the church for her faith in Christ, ver. 5. She prays for full assurance of his love, her invincible desire, ver. 6. Which is insatiable, ver. 7. The calling of the Gentiles with their intent, and her condition, ver. 8 - 13. Christ's coming prayed for, ver. 14. O that - The church here expresses her desire of a stricter union, and closer communion with Christ. Without - In the open streets. Instruct me - Or, where she did instruct or educate me. I would - My gifts and graces should all be employed to serve and glorify thee. Who - This and the next clause are the words of the bridegroom, who proposes the question, that he may give the answer following. Her beloved - He speaks of himself in the third person, which is usual in the Hebrew language. I raised - When thou wast dead in trespasses and in the depth of misery. Under - Under my own shadow; for she had compared him to an apple tree, and declared, that under the shadow of the tree she had both delight and fruit, chap.2:3, which is the same thing with this raising up. There - Under that tree, either the universal or the primitive church, did conceive and bring thee forth. Set me - These are undoubtedly the words of the bride. Let thy heart be constantly set upon me. He seems to allude to the engraven tablets which are frequently worn upon the breast, and to the signet on a man's arm or hand, which they prized at a more than ordinary rate, and which are continually in their sight. For love - My love to thee. Jealousy - Or, zeal; my ardent love to thee. Cruel - Heb. hard, grievous and terrible, and sometimes ready to overwhelm me; therefore have pity upon me, and do not leave me. Fire - It burns and melts my heart like fire. Many waters - My love to thee cannot be taken off, either by terrors and afflictions, which are commonly signified in scripture by waters and floods; or by temptations and allurements.

In her occasion - That is, when she has an occasion to run impetuously to her male, she bears down all opposition. In her month - Perhaps the sense is, though Jerusalem be now madly bent upon going after her idols, that there is no stopping her, yet the time may come, in their afflictions, that they may grow more tame, and willing to receive counsel. Withhold - Take not those courses that will reduce thee to poverty, to go bare foot, and to want wherewith to quench thy thirst. No hope - We care not since there is no remedy. Strangers - Idols. Found - Not ashamed of his sin of theft, but that he is at last found. Brought me forth - Or begotten me; so is the word used, Gen 4:18. This denotes the sottish stupidity of this people, to take a lifeless stock or stone to be their maker, and to give the honour of God unto them, Isa 44:17. Turned - They turn their faces towards their idols. For - Thou hast enough of them, imitating the Heathens, who had, according to Varro, above thirty thousand deities. Make trial if any, or all of them together, can help thee. Children - Your inhabitants in every city, they being frequently called the children of such a city. Correction - Instruction: though they were corrected, yet they would not be instructed. Your sword - You have been so far from receiving instruction, that you have, by the sword, and other ways of destruction, murdered those that I have sent to reprove you. O generation - O ye men of this generation. See - You shall see the thing with your eyes, because your ears are shut against it. A wilderness - Have I been like the wilderness of Arabia, have not I accommodated you with all necessaries A land of darkness - As it were a land uninhabitable, because of the total want of light. Have I been a God of no use or comfort to them, that they thus leave me Have they had nothing from me but misery and affliction We - Words of pride and boasting. A maid - How unlikely is it, that a maid should forget her ornaments A bride - Those jewels which the bridegroom was wont to present his bride with.

Lions - Enemies cruel as lions had carried them into captivity. Not found - God will no longer punish the sins of the Jews, they should be sought for as to punishment and not found. Reserve - Whom I save from the captivity of Babylon. Merathaim - The names of some places which Cyrus took in his way to Babylon. The land - Of Chaldea. Open her store - houses - The granaries, or treasures of the Babylonians. Bullocks - The great and rich men of Babylon. The vengeance - The revenge which God had taken for his holy temple, which the Chaldeans had destroyed. Together - Together in this place signifies no more than that they were both oppressed, or alike oppressed. Plead - He will actually and readily effect it. Dote - Their soothsayers and wizards shall dote, not foreseeing what will be. Dismayed - Their hearts shall fail them when this day comes. Horses - Through they be full of chariots and horses, the enemy shall destroy them. Mingled people - People that were not native Chaldeans, but under their dominion. Dried - This phrase has a plain reference to Cyrus's stratagem used in the surprize of Babylon; one part of it was fortified by the great river Euphrates, which Cyrus diverted by cutting several channels, 'till he had drained it so low, that it became passable for his army; others think that a want of rain is here threatened. No man - Cyrus only made them tributaries, and took away their government. But Seleucus Nicanor, a Grecian prince, utterly destroyed Babylon, so that in the time of Adrian the Roman emperor, there was nothing left standing of that great city.

He wept himself almost blind. Bowels - His passion had disturbed his bodily humours, that his bowels were troubled. Liver - His gall lying under his liver. All these are expressions of great affliction and sorrow. Swoon - During the famine, occasioned by the long siege. Bosom - When they died in their mother's arms. Who - There was no people whose condition was in any degree parallel to the misery of the Jews: nor was there any cure for them, their breach was like a sea breach where the waters come in with such a torrent, that there is no making any defence against them. The prophets - False prophets told you vain stories. Not discovered - Whereas they ought to have made you sensible of your sins, and this might have prevented your captivity. False burdens - False stories to encourage you in sin, and so cause your banishment. O wall - That is, those that are upon it. Whom - Not the Heathen, but to thy own people. Women - Wilt thou suffer women to satisfy their hunger with the fruit of their own bodies My terrors - As my people were wont to be called together from all parts in a solemn day, so now my terrible enemies, or terrible things are by thee called together.

Nor the hoofs - So few horses or cows, that they shall not at watering - times, or in the heat of the day, foul the waters. Like oil - A figurative expression, signifying, there shall be such an universal sadness and heaviness upon the whole nation, that the very rivers which used to flow briskly, shall grow deep, and slow, and heavy. Of that - Men and women, cattle, wealth, and peace. This is the lamentation - This mournful account, which the prophet has given of Egypt. Wail - Prepare the funeral ceremonies at the burial of Egypt. The daughters - And celebrate the funerals of other cities and kingdoms that lie buried in their own ruins. The nether parts of the earth - A well known description of the state of the dead. The pit - The Egyptians affected to be buried in the Pyramids, and their kings, and great ones, would be laid by themselves; but Ezekiel provides them their grave among common people, being buried just where they fall. Whom - Art thou better than others that thou shouldest not die, and be laid in the dust, as well as they. Go - Go down like others. With the uncircumcised - Among profane and loathed carcasses, such the uncircumcised were in the opinion of the circumcised, as were the Egyptians. They - The Egyptians. She - The whole Egyptian kingdom. Draw - And throw them together into the pit. Him - The king of Egypt. The grave - Where they lie without strength, as dead mortals, tho' while they lived, they bore themselves, as gods. That help - His helpers, dead before him, shall speak to him. Gone down - To the grave. They lie - Neglected, and forgotten. Ashur - The famous, warlike, king of Assyria. Is there - In the state of the dead, in the land of darkness and oblivion. Her company - Princes, soldiers, subjects, and confederates. Are about him - They are about him, who were slain with him. Whose graves - Here is supposed a spacious vault, in the midst whereof the king of Ashur lies, and round the vault, his familiar captains and commanders. Her company - The common subjects of the Assyrian empire, all buried undistinguished about her. Her grave - The ruins of an empire are its grave.

Remain - Unburied by the public labour of the house of Israel during the seven months. The city - That is, the multitude: the city which is next to this common tomb of Gog. I do sacrifice - The punishment of these God calls a sacrifice, which he offers to his own justice. Upon the mountains - Where more thousands are offered at once, than ever were at any time offered; 'tis a sacrifice so great, that none ever was, or will be like it. Ye shall eat - In these two and the following verses, God takes on him the person of one that makes a feast, invites his guests, and promises to satisfy them. Of the two former, the first is an Enigmatical invitation, or an invitation in a riddle; the latter is the key to this character. The mighty - Who had great authority, great courage and strength, the giant - like ones, commanders of great note in the army. Princes - Many princes came with their country men and subjects to assist in this war. Rams - These are compared to rams which lead the flock. Lambs - Lambs are the more ordinary in the army. Goats - Goats signify the more lascivious, and impetuous among them. Bullocks - Bullocks, such as though more slow, were of great strength. Fatlings - Well fed. Bashan - A mountain of most rich, and sweet soil. At my table - In the field where Gog, his princes, and army, are slain, compared to a table. Horses - Horsemen, not common foot soldiers. Chariots - The men that ride in them. All the heathen - In the countries to which the news shall come. Their shame - Reproach for their sins.

A measuring reed - Or cane, for this measuring rod was of those canes growing in that country, long, and light, which architects made use of. Six cubits long - Each cubit consisting of eighteen inches in our common account. An hand breadth - Added to each six cubits. The breadth - The thickness of the walls, which were one reed, and one hand's breadth, or three yards, and three inches thick. Height - And the height equal, taking the measure from the floor on the inside of the wall. The east - Either of one of the inner walls, or of the temple itself. Went up - 'Till he was got up, he could not measure the threshold, which was at the top of the stairs, and these were ten, if the measurer be supposed in the gate of the house; or eight, if in the gate of the court of the priests; or seven, if in the court of Israel; and each stair was half a cubit in height, too high for him to take the measure of the threshold, if he did not go up the stairs. The threshold - It is probable he measured the lower threshold first, as next at hand. The other threshold - The upper threshold, or lintel of the gate, which was of equal dimensions with the lower, three yards and three inches broad, or thick. Chamber - Along the wall of the porch were chambers, three on one side, and three on the other, each one reed square. Five cubits - A space of two yards and one half between each chamber, either filled with some neat posts or pillars, or it may be quite void. Within - The inward and outward threshold, were of the same measures, and curiously arched over head from side to side, and end to end, which was from east to west. The porch - The posts which were joined together at the top by an arch, and so made the portico. The porch - Probably another porch, or another gate distinct from that, ver. 6. The posts - These were half columns, that from the floor to the height of the wall jetted out, as if one half of the column were in the wall, and the other without, and the protuberance of this half column, was one cubit.

To the river - To Euphrates. To sea - From the Caspian to the Persian and to the Midland sea. From mountain - That is, from all parts of their captivity, they shall return to their own country. Not withstanding - These promises of restitution, which took not place 'till more than two hundred years after. Feed - So Christ directs his officers. With thy rod - In allusion to the custom of shepherds who guided their sheep by a pastoral staff. In the wood - Protect and guide those that in their present captive state are solitary, compassed with dangers. Carmel - A fruitful place and well inhabited. In Bashan - A place of note for fruitfulness. Gilead - Equal with any of the other for plenty and safety. Shall be deaf - They shall neither care to hear, nor to speak of it. Lick the dust - In the most submissive, servile manner, testify their subjection. Holes - Their strong holds, and fastnesses. Because of thee - So that the name of Jews, shall be terrible to their enemies. Nahum prophesies wholly of the destruction of Nineveh. He is supposed to have lived in the time of Hezekiah, and to have prophesied after the captivity of Israel, by the king of Assyria, which was in the ninth year of Hezekiah, five years before Sennacherib's invading Judah.

That stand still - Not able to go forward. Will eat - Feast on the fattest of the flock. Tear their claws - Tear off their skin unto the very nails; in brief, a sluggish, negligent, covetous, riotous, oppressive, and cruel government, is shadowed out by a foolish shepherd. The idol shepherd - To them that are but the images of shepherds. That leaveth - Casts off the care of the flock. The sword - Of the enemy, shall break his strength and be - fool his counsels. Dried up - They that have gifts which qualify them to do good, if they do it not, they will be taken away. They that should have been workmen, but were slothful, and would do nothing, will justly have their arm dried up. And they that should have been watchmen, but were drowsy, will justly have their eye blinded.

What religion do I preach? The religion of love; the law of kindness brought to light by the gospel. What is this good for? To make all who receive it enjoy God and themselves: To make them like God; lovers of all; contented in their lives; and crying out at their death, in calm assu rance, “O grave, where is thy victory ! Thanks be unto God, who giveth me the victory, through my Lord Jesus Christ.’” 20. Will you object to such a religion as this, that it is not reasonable? Is it not reasonable then to love God? Hath he not given you life, and breath, and all things? Does he * The soul of the world. + The all-informing soul, Which spreads through the vast mass, and moves the whole. not continue his love to you, filling your heart with food and gladness? What have you which you have not received of him? And does not love demand a return of love? Whether, therefore, you do love God or no, you cannot but own it is reasonable so to do; nay, seeing he is the Parent of all good, to love him with all your heart. 21. Is it not reasonable also to love our neighbour, every man whom God hath made? Are we not brethren, the children of one Father? Ought we not, then, to love one another? And should we only love them that love us? Is that acting like our Father which is in heaven? He causeth his sun to shine on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. And can there be a more equitable rule than this: “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself?” You will plead for the reasonableness of this; as also for that golden rule, (the only adequate measure of bro therly love, in all our words and actions) “Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do unto them P” 22. Is it not reasonable, then, that, as we have opportunity, we should do good unto all men; not only friends, but enemies; not only to the deserving, but likewise to the evil and unthankful? Is it not right that all our life should be one con tinued labour of love?

Is it not right that all our life should be one con tinued labour of love? If a day passes without doing good, may one not well say, with Titus, Amici, diem perdidi ! + And is it enough, to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to visit those who are sick or in prison? Should we have no pity for those Who sigh beneath guilt's horrid stain, The worst confinement, and the heaviest chain? Should we shut up our compassion toward those who are of all men most miserable, because they are miserable by their own fault? If we have found a medicine to heal even that sick ness, should we not, as we have freely received it, freely give? Should we not pluck them as brands out of the fire? the fire of lust, anger, malice, revenge? Your inmost soul answers, “It should be done; it is reasonable in the highest degree.” Well, this is the sum of our preaching, and of our lives, our enemies themselves being the judges. If therefore you allow, that it is reasonable to love God, to love mankind, and to do good to all men, you cannot but allow that religion which we preach and live to be agreeable to the highest reason. * My friends, I have lost a day. 23. Perhaps, all this you can bear. It is tolerable enough; and if we spoke only of being saved by love, you should have no great objection: But you do not comprehend what we say of being saved by faith. I know you do not. You do not in any degree comprehend what we mean by that expression: Have patience then, and I will tell you yet again. By those words, “We are saved by faith,” we mean, that the moment a man receives that faith which is above described, he is saved from doubt and fear, and sorrow of heart, by a peace that passes all understanding; from the heaviness of a wounded spirit, by joy unspeakable; and from his sins, of whatsoever kind they were, from his vicious desires, as well as words and actions, by the love of God, and of all mankind, then shed abroad in his heart. 24.

But you know you are not happy. Your formal religion no more makes you happy, than your neighbour's gay religion does him. O how much have you suffered for want of plain dealing! Can you now bear to hear the naked truth? You have “the form of godliness, but not the power.” You are a mere whited wall. Before the Lord your God, I ask you, Are you not? Too sure; for your “inward parts are very wickedness.” You love “the creature more than the Creator.” You are “a lover of pleasure more than a lover of God.” A lover of God | You do not love God at all, no more than you love a stone. You love the world; therefore the love of the Father is not in you. 49. You are on the brink of the pit, ready to be plunged into everlasting perdition. Indeed you have a zeal for God; but not according to knowledge. O how terribly have you been deceived posting to hell, and fancying it was heaven. See, at length, that outward religion, without inward, is nothing; is far worse than nothing, being, indeed, no other than a solemn mockery of God. And inward religion you have not. You have not the faith “that worketh by love.” Your faith (so called) is no living, saving principle. It is not the Apostle's faith, “the substance,” or subsistence, “of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” So far from it, that this faith is the verything which you call enthusiasm. You are not con tent with being without it, unless you blaspheme it too. You even revile that “life which is hid with Christ in God; ” all seeing, tasting, hearing, feeling God. These things are foolish ness unto you. No marvel; “for they are spiritually discerned.” 50. O no longer shut your eyes against the light! Know, you have a name that you live, but are dead. Your soul is utterly dead in sin; dead in pride, in vanity, in self-will, in sensuality, in love of the world. You are utterly dead to God. There is no intercourse between your soul and God.

Ball then delivered me the names of several subscribers, who offered to pay, some four or six, some ten shillings a year towards the repayment of the purchase-money, and the putting the buildings into repair. This amounted one year to near two hundred pounds, the second to about one hundred and forty pounds, and so the last. 91. The united society began a little after, whose weekly contribution for the poor is received and expended by the stew ards, and comes not into my hands at all. But there is also a quarterly subscription of many of the society, which is nearly equal to that above mentioned. 92. The uses to which these subscriptions have been hitherto applied, are, First, the payment of that one hundred and fifteen pounds: Secondly, the repairing (I might almost say, rebuild ing) that vast, uncouth heap of ruins, the Foundery: Thirdly, the building galleries both for men and women: Fourthly, the enlarging the society-room to near thrice its first bigness. All taxes and occasional expenses are likewise defrayed out of this fund. And it has been hitherto so far from yielding any over plus, that it has never sufficed for these purposes. So far from it, that I am still in debt, on these accounts, near three hun dred pounds. So much have I hitherto gained by preaching the gospel! besides a debt of one hundred and fifty pounds, still remaining on account of the school built at Bristol; and another of above two hundred pounds, on account of that now building at Newcastle. I desire any reasonable man would now sit down and lay these things together, and let him see, whether, allowing me a grain of common sense, if not of common honesty, he can possibly conceive, that a view of gain would induce me to act in this manner. 93.

Supposing candour and love out of the question, are they the words of truth? I dare stake my life upon it, there is not one true clause in all this paragraph. The propositions contained therein are these : (1.) That the religion I preach consists in enthusiastic ardour. (2.) That it can be attained by very few. (3.) That it can be understood by very few. (4.) That it cannot be practised without breaking in upon the common duties of life. (5.) And that all this may be proved by my own account of it. I earnestly entreat your Grace to review my own account of it, as it stands in any of my former writings; or to consider the short account which is given in this; and if you can thence make good any one of those propositions, I do hereby pro mise, before God and the world, that I will never preach more. At present I do not well understand what your Grace means by “an enthusiastic ardour.” Surely you do not mean the love of God! No, not though a poor, pardoned sinner should carry it so far as to love the Lord his God with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his strength ! But this alone is the ardour which I preach up as the foundation of the true and only Christianity. I pray God so to fill your whole heart therewith, that you may praise him for ever and ever. But why should your Grace believe that the love of God can be attained by very few ; or, that it can be understood by very * The (then) Archbishop of York. few 7 All who attain it understand it well. And did not He who is loving to every man design that every man should attain true love? “O that all would know, in this their day, the things that make for their peace l’’ And cannot the love both of God and our neighbour be practised, without breaking in upon the common duties of life? Nay, can any of the common duties of life be rightly practised without them? I apprehend not. I apprehend I am then laying the true, the only foundation for all those duties, when I preach, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and thy neighbour as thyself.” 2.

3. Do not men who imagine they have attained this despise others, as only going on in what they account the low and imper fect way, that is, as growing in grace and goodness by degrees? A. (1.) Men who only imagine they have attained this may probably despise those that are going on in any way. (2.) But the growing in grace and goodness by degrees is no mark of a low and imperfect way. Those who are fathers in Christ grow in grace by degrees, as well as the new-born babes. Q. 4. Do they not despise those who are working out their salvation with an humble reliance upon the merits of Christ for the pardon of their sins, and the acceptance of their sincere though imperfect services? A. (1.) They who really love God despise no man. But, (2.) They grieve to hear many talk of thus relying on Christ, who, though perhaps they are grave, honest, moral men, yet by their own words appear not to love God at all; whose souls cleave to the dust; who love the world; who have no part of the mind that was in Christ. 6. Query the Sixth --“Whether the same exalted strains and notions do not tend toweaken the natural and civil relations among men, by leading the inferiors, into whose heads those notions are infused, to a disesteem of their superiors; while they consider them as in a much lower dispensation than themselves; though those superiors are otherwise sober and good men, and regular attendants on the ordinances of religion.” I havementioned beforewhat those exalted notions are. These do not tend to weaken either thenatural or civil relations among men; or to lead inferiors to a disesteem of their superiors, even where those superiors are neither good nor sober men.

Paul’s judgment, joined with faith;” (so undoubtedly they are; that is, as an effect is always joined with its cause;) “and therefore we are not saved by faith alone.” I cannot possibly allow the consequence. You afterwards cite two more texts, and add, “You see, mere faith cannot be a condition of justification.” You are out of your way. We are no more talking now of justification than of final salvation. In considering Acts xvi. 31. “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved,” you say again, “Here the word. believe does not signify faith only. Faith necessarily produces charity and repentance; therefore, these are expressed by the word believe; ” that is, faith necessarily produces holiness;. therefore holiness is a condition of holiness. I want farther proof. That “Paul and Silas spake unto him the word of the Lord,” and that his faith did “in the same hour” work by love, I take to be no proof at all. You then undertake to show, that confessing our sins is a condition of justification, and that a confidence in the love of God is not a condition. Some of your words are: “This, good Sir, give me leave to say, is the greatest nonsense and contradiction possible. It is impossible you can understand this jargon yourself; and therefore you labour in vain to make it intelligible to others. You soar aloft on eagles’ wings, and leave the poor people to gape and stare after you.” This is very pretty, and very lively. But it is nothing to, the purpose. For we are not now speaking of justification; neither have I said one word of the condition of justification in the whole tract to which you here refer. “In the next place,” say you, “if we are saved” (finally you mean) “only by a confidence in the love of God.” Here I must stop you again; you are now running beside the question, on the other hand. The sole position which I here advance is this: True believers are saved from inward and out ward sin by faith. By faith alone the love of God and all man kind is shed abroad in their hearts, bringing with it the mind' that was in Christ, and producing all holiness of conversation. IV. 1. I am now to consider what has been lately objected.

I am now to consider what has been lately objected. with regard to the mature of saving faith. The author last mentioned “cannot understand how those texts of St. John are at all to the purpose: ” “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God; ” (1 John iii. 1;) and, “We love him, because he first loved us.” (iv. 19.) I answer, (1.) These texts were not produced in the “Appeal” by way of proof, but of illustration only. But, (2.) I apprehend they may be produced as a proof, both that Christian faith implies a con fidence in the love of God, and that such a confidence has a direct tendency to salvation, to holiness both of heart and life “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God!” Are not these words an expression of Christian faith, as direct an one as can well be conceived? And I appeal to every man, whe ther they do not express the strongest confidence of the love of God. Your own comment puts this beyond dispute: “Let us consider attentively, and with grateful hearts, the great love and mercy of God in calling us to be his sons, and bestowing on us the privileges belonging to such.” Do you not perceive that you have given up the cause ? You have yourself taught us that these words imply a “sense of the great love and mercy of God, in bestowing upon us the privileges belonging to his sons.” The Apostle adds, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God; and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: But we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” I suppose no one will say, either that these words are not expressive of Christian faith; or that they do not imply the strongest confidence in the love of God. It follows, “And every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself even as he is pure.” Hence it appears that this faith is a saving faith, that there is the closest connexion between this faith and holiness. This text, therefore, is directly to the purpose, in respect of both the propositions to be proved.

Have you never read the Bible? Have you not read, that the Prince of Peace himself was, in this sense, a disturber of the public peace? “When he came into Jerusalem all the city was moved,” (Matt. xxi. 10,) eaeugèn, shaken as with an earthquake. And the disturbance rose higher and higher, till “the whole multitude” cried out together, “Away with him, away with him; crucify him, crucify him !” and Pilate gave sentence it should be done. Such another disturber of the public peace was that Stephen, even from the time he began “disputing with the Libertines and Cyrenians,” till the people “stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, and cast him out of the city, and stomed him.” Such disturbers of the peace were all those ringleaders of the sect of the Nazarenes, (commonly called Apostles,) who, wherever they came, “turned the world upside down: ” And above all the rest, that Paul of Tarsus, who occasioned so much disturb ance at Damascus, (Acts ix.) at Antioch of Pisidia, (xiii.,) at Iconium, (xiv.) at Lystra, (xiv. 19,) at Philippi, (xvi.) at Thes salonica, (xvii.) and particularly at Ephesus. The consequence of his preaching there was, that “the whole city was filled with confusion.” And “they all ran together with one accord, some crying one thing, some another; ” inasmuch “as the greater part of them knew not wherefore they were come together.” 2. And can we expect it to be any otherwise now? Although what we preach is the gospel of peace, yet if you will violently and illegally hinder our preaching, must not this create disturb ance? But observe, the disturbance begins on your part. All is peace, till you raise that disturbance. And then you very modestly impute it to us, and lay your own riot at our door ! But of all this, our Lord hath told us before: “Think not that I am come to send peace upon earth; ” that this will be the immediate effect, wherever my gospel is preached with power.

Were Edward III. or IIenry V. to come among us now, what would they think of the change in their people? Would they applaud the elegant variety at the old Baron’s table? or the costly delicacy of his furniture and apparel ? Would they listen to these instruments of music, or find pleasure in those diversions? Would they rejoice to see the Nobles and Gentry of the land lying “at ease, stretch ing themselves on beds” of down? too delicate to use their own limbs, even in the streets of the city; to bear the touch of the people, the blowing of the wind, or the shining of the sun O how would their hearts burn within them | What indigna tion, sorrow, shame must they feel, to see the ancient hardiness lost, the British temperance, patience, and scorn of superflu ities, the rough, indefatigable industry, exchanged for softness, “idleness, and fulness of bread!” Well for them, that they were gathered unto their fathers before this exchange was made! 19. To prove at large, that the luxury and sensuality, the sloth and indolence, the softness and idleness, the effeminacy and false delicacy of our nation are without a parallel, would be but lost labour. I fear, we may say, the lewdness too; for if the Jews, as the Prophet speaks, “assembled themselves by troops in the harlots’ houses,” so do the English, and much more abundantly. Indeed, where is male chastity to be found? among the Nobility, among the Gentry, among the tradesmen, or among the common people of England? How few lay any claim to it at all ! How few desire so much as the reputation of it ! Would you yourself account it an honour or a reproach, to be ranked among those of whom it is said, “These are they which are not defiled with women: For they are virgins?” And how numerous are they now, even among such as are accounted men of honour and probity, “who are as fed horses, everyone neighing after his neighbour's wife!” But as if this were not enough, is not the sin of Sodom, too, more common among us than ever it was in Jerusalem?

But great, inexpressi bly great, as this is, it is perhaps the least part of our work. To “seek and save that which is lost; ” to bring souls from Satan to God; to instruct the ignorant; to reclaim the wicked; to convince the gainsayer; to direct their feet into the way of peace, and then keep them therein; to follow them step by step, lest they turn out of the way, and advise them in their doubts and temptations; to lift up them that fall; to refresh them that are faint; and to comfort the weak-hearted; to administer various helps, as the variety of occasions require, according to their several necessities: These are parts of our office; all this we have undertaken at the peril of our own soul. A sense of this made that holy man of old cry out, “I marvel if any ruler in the Church shall be saved; ” and a greater than him say, in the fulness of his heart, “Who is sufficient for these things?” 35. But who is not sufficient for these things, for the taking care of a parish, though it contain twenty thousand souls, if this implies no more than the taking care to preach there once or twice a week; and to procure one to read Prayers on the other days, and do what is called the parish duty ? Is any trade in the nation so easy as this? Is not any man sufficient for it, without any more talents, either of nature or grace, than a small degree of common understanding? But Q | what manner of shepherds are those who look no farther into the nature of their office, who sink no deeper into the import ance of it, than this ! Were they not such as these concerning whom “the word of the Lord came unto Ezekiel, saying, Wo be to the shepherds that feed themselves | should not the shepherds feed the flock? Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool; but ye feed not the flock.

Black ingratitude is rooted in your inmost frame. You can no more love God, than you can see him; or than you can be happy without that love. Neither (how much soever you may pique yourself upon it) are you a lover of mankind. Can love and malice consist? benevolence and envy? O do not put out your own eyes! And are not these horrid tempers in you? Do not you envy one man, and bear malice or ill-will to another? I know you call these dispositions by softer names; but names change not the nature of things. You are pained that one should enjoy what you cannot enjoy yourself. Call this what you please, it is rank envy. You are grieved that a second enjoys even what you have yourself; you rejoice in seeing a third unhappy. Do not flatter yourself; this is malice, venomous malice, and nothing else. And how could you ever think of being happy, with malice and envy in your heart? Just as well might you expect to be at ease, while you held burning coals in your bosom. 17. I entreat you to reflect, whether there are not other inhabitants in your breast, which leave no room for happiness there. May you not discover, through a thousand disguises, pride? too high an opinion of yourself? vanity, thirst of praise, even (who would believe it?) of the applause of knaves and fools? unevenness or sourness of temper? proneness to anger or revenge? peevishness, fretfulness, or pining discontent? Nay, perhaps even covetousness.--And did you ever think happiness could dwell with these? Awake out of that senseless dream. Think not of reconciling things incompatible. All these tem pers are essential misery: So long as any of these are har boured in your breast, you must be a stranger to inward peace. What avails it you if there be no other hell? Whenever these fiends are let loose upon you, you will be constrained to own, Hell is where'er I am : Myself am hell. And can the Supreme Being love those tempers, which you yourself abhor in all but yourself? If not, they imply guilt as well as misery. Doubtless they do. Only inquire of your own heart. How often in the mid-career of your vice have you felt a secret reproof, which you knew not how to bear, and therefore stifled as soon as possible !

How often in the mid-career of your vice have you felt a secret reproof, which you knew not how to bear, and therefore stifled as soon as possible ! 18. And did not even this point at an hereafter; a future state of existence? The more reasonable among you have no doubt of this; you do not imagine the whole man dies together; r though you hardly suppose the soul, once disengaged, will dwell again in a house of clay. But how will your soul subsist without it? How are you qualified for a separate state? Sup pose this earthly covering, this vehicle of organized matter, whereby you hold commerce with the material world, were now to drop off! Now, what would you do in the regions of immor tality? You cannot eat or drink there. You cannot indulge either the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eye, or the pride of life. You love only worldly things; and they are gone, fled as smoke, driven away for ever. Here is no possibility of sen sual enjoyments; and you have a relish for nothing else. O what a separation is this, from all that you hold dear! What a breach is made, never to be healed ! But beside this, you are unholy, full of evil tempers; for you did not put off these with the body; you did not leave pride, revenge, malice, envy, discontent, behind you, when you left the world. And now you are no longer cheered by the light of the sun, nor diverted by the flux of various objects; but those dogs of hell are let loose to prey upon your soul, with their whole unrebated strength. Nor is there any hope that your spirit will now ever be restored to its original purity; not even that poor hope of a purging fire, so elegantly described by the heathen poet, some ages before the notion was wevived among the doctrines of the Romish Church. Aliae panduntur inanes Suspensae ad ventos; aliis sub gurgite vasto Infectum eluitur scelus, aut eruritur igni. Donec longa dies, perfecto temporis orbe, Coneretam eremit labem, purumque reliquit AEthereum sensum, atque aurai simplicis ignem." 19. What a great gulf then is fixed between you and happi ness, both in this world and that which is to come! Well may you shudder at the thought !

Is it possi ble in the nature of things? Si virtus conspiceretur oculis, (said the old Heathen,) mirabiles amores excitaret sui.” How much more if you see Him who is the original fountain, the great archetype of all virtue, will that sight raise in you a love that is wonderful, such as the gay and busy world know not of ! 23. What benevolence also, what tender love to the whole of human kind, will you drink in, together with the love of God, from the unexhausted source of love! And how easy is it to conceive that more and more of his image will be then transfused into your soul; that from disinterested love, all. other divine tempers will, as it were naturally, spring: Mildness, gentleness, patience, temperance, justice, sincerity, contempt of the world; yea, whatsoever things are venerable: and lovely, whatsoever are justly of good report! • This quotation from Cicero is thus translated by Addison --“If virtue. could be made the object of sight, she would (as Plato says) excite in us a won derful love.”--EDIT. And when you thus love God and all mankind, and are transformed into his likeness, then the commandments of God will not be grievous; you will no more complain that they destroy the comforts of life: So far from it, that they will be the very joy of your heart; ways of pleasantness, paths of peace! You will experience here that solid happiness which you had elsewhere sought in vain. Without servile fear or anxious care, so long as you continue on earth, you will gladly do the will of God here as the angels do it in heaven; and when the time is come that you should depart hence, when God says, “Arise, and come away,” you will pass with joy unspeakable out of the body, into all the fulness of God. Now, does not your own heart condemn you if you call this religion enthusiasm? O leave that to those blind zealots who tack together a set of opinions and an outside worship, and call this poor, dull, lifeless thing by the sacred name of Chris tianity | Well might you account such Christianity as this a mere piece of empty pageantry, fit indeed to keep the vulgar in awe, but beneath the regard of a man of understanding.

O God! must I go always ‘creeping with terrors, and plunge into eternity with a peradventure l’ “O thou Lover of men, is there no help in thee? I have heard (what indeed my heart cannot conceive) that thou revealest thyself to those that seek thee, and pourest thy love into their hearts; and that they who know and love thee, walk through the shadow of death and fear no evil. O that this were so! that there was such an unspeakable gift given to the children of men I for then might I hope for it. O God, if there be, give it unto me ! Speak, that I may see thee! Make thyself known unto me also in the manner that thou knowest ! In anywise, let me know thee, and love thee, that I may be formed after thy likeness | That I may be love, as thou art love; that I may now be happy in thee; and, when thou wilt, fall into the abyss of thy love, and enjoy thee

“But for these laymen to exhort at all is a violation of all order.” What is this order of which you speak? Will it serve instead of the knowledge and love of God? Will this order rescue those from the snare of the devil, who are now taken captive at his will? Will it keep them who are escaped a little way, from turning back into Egypt? If not, how should I answer it to God, if, rather than violate I know not what order, I should sacrifice thousands of souls thereto? I dare not do it. It is at the peril of my own soul. Indeed, if by order were meant true Christian discipline, whereby all the living members of Christ are knit together in one, and all that are putrid and dead immediately cut off from the body; this order I reverence, for it is of God. But where is it to be found? in what diocese, in what town or parish, within England or Wales? Are you Rector of a parish? Then let us go no farther. Does this order obtain there? Nothing less. Your parishioners are a rope of sand. As few (if any) of them are alive to God; so they have no connexion with each other, unless such as might be among Turks or Heathens. Neither have you any power to cut off from that body, were it alive, the dead and putrid members. Perhaps you have no desire; but all are jumbled together without any care or concern of yours. It is plain, then, that what order is to be found is not among you who so loudly contend for it, but among that very people whom you continually blame for their violation and contempt of it. The little flock you condemn is united together in one body, by one Spirit; so that “if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one be honoured, all rejoice with it.” Nor does any dead member long remain; but as soon as the hope of recovering it is past, it is cut off. Now, suppose we were willing to relinquish our charge, and to give up this flock into your hands, would you observe the same order as we do now with them and the other souls under your care? You dare not; because you have respect of persons.

And it was a natural consequence of what that poor Minister had lately heard at the Bishop’s visitation; as it was one great cause of the miserable riots and outrages which soon followed. It is this, my brethren, it is your own preaching, and not ours, which sets the people against you. The very same per sons who are diverted with those sermons, cannot but despise you for them in their hearts; even those who on your autho rity believe most of the assertions which you adv nce. What then must they think of you, who know the greatest part of what you assert to be utterly false? They may pity and pray for you; but they can esteem you no other than false wit nesses against God and your brethren. 22. “But what need is there,” say even some of a milder spirit, “ of this preaching in fields and streets? Are there not churches enough to preach in ?” No, my friend, there are not; not for us to preach in. You forget; we are not suffered to preach there, else we should prefer them to any places whatever. “Well, there are Ministers enough with out you.” Ministers enough, and churches enough ! for what? to reclaim all the sinners within the four seas? If there were, they would all be reclaimed. But they are not re claimed: Therefore, it is evident that there are not churches enough. And one plain reason why, notwithstanding all these churches, they are no nearer being reclaimed, is this, -they never come into a church, perhaps not once in a twelve month, perhaps not for many years together. Will you say, (as I have known some tender-hearted Christians,) “Then it is their own fault; let them die, and be damned ?” I grant it is their own fault; and so it was my fault and yours when we went astray like sheep that were lost. Yet the Shepherd of souls sought after us, and went after us into the wildcriness. And “oughtest not thou to have compassion on thy fellow servants, as he had pity on thee?” Ought not we also “to seek,” as far as in us lies, “and to save, that which is lost?” Behold the amazing love of God to the outcasts of men His tender condescension to their folly! They would regard nothing done in the usual way.

If, on the contrary, you join with that godless crew, and streng'hen their hands in their wickedness, must not you, in all reason, be accounted (like them) a public enemy of mankind? And indeed such must every one appear, in the eye of unprejudiced reason, who opposes, directly or indirectly, the reformation of mankind. By reformation, I mean the bringing them back (not to this or that system of opinions, or this or that set of rites and ceremonies, how decent and significant soever; but) to the calm love of God and one another, to an uniform practice of justice, mercy, and truth. With what colour can you lay any claim to humanity, to benevolence, to public spirit, if you can once open your mouth, or stir one finger, against such a reformation as this? It is a poor excuse to say, “O, but the people are brought into several erroneous opinions!” It matters notastraw, whether they are or no; (I speak of such opinions as do not touch the foundation;) it is scarce worth while to spend ten words about it. Whether they embrace this religious opinion or that, is no more concern to me, than whether they embrace this or that system of astronomy. Are they brought to holy tempers and holy lives? This is mine, and should be your, inquiry; since on this, both social and personal happiness depend, happiness temporal and eternal. Are they brought to the love of God and the love of their neighbour? Pure religion and undefiled is this. How long then will you “darken counsel by words without knowledge?” The plain religion now propagated is Love. And can you oppose this without being an enemy to mankind? 15. No, nor without being an enemy to your King and coun try; especially at such a time as this. For, however men of no thought may not see or regard it, or hectoring cowards may brave it out, it is evident to every man of calm reflection, that our nation stands on the very brink of destruction.

Talk together as often as you can. And pray earnestly with and for one another, that you may ‘endure to the end, and be saved.’” Against this advice we presumed there could be no objection; as being grounded on the plainest reason, and on so many scrip ^e 2. 2. ' > { tures both of the Old Testament and New, that it would be tedious to recite them. 6. They said, “But we want you likewise to talk with us often, to direct and quicken us in our way, to give us the advices which you well know we need, and to pray with us, as well as for us.” I asked, Which of you desire this? Let me know your names and places of abode. They did so. But I soon found they were too many for me to talk with severally so often as they wanted it. So I told them, “If you will all of you come together every Thursday, in the evening, I will gladly spend some time with you in prayer, and give you the best advice I can.” 7. Thus arose, without any previous design on either side, what was afterwards called a Society; a very innocent name, and very common in London, for any number of people asso ciating themselves together. The thing proposed in their associating themselves together was obvious to every one. They wanted to “flee from the wrath to come,” and to assist each other in so doing. They therefore united themselves “in order to pray together, to receive the word of exhortation, and to watch over one another in love, that they might help each other to work out their salvation.” 8. There is one only condition previously required in those who desire admission into this society,--“a desire to flee from the wrath to come, to be saved from their sins.”* They now likewise agreed, that as many of them as had an opportunity would meet together every Friday, and spend the dinner hour in crying to God, both for each other, and for all mankind. 9. It quickly appeared, that their thus uniting together answered the end proposed therein. In a few months, the far greater part of those who had begun to “fear God, and work righteousness,” but were not united together, grew faint in their minds, and fell back into what they were before.

In a few months, the far greater part of those who had begun to “fear God, and work righteousness,” but were not united together, grew faint in their minds, and fell back into what they were before. Meanwhile the far greater part of those who were thus united together continued “striving to enter in at the strait gate,” and to “lay hold on eternal life.” 10. Upon reflection, I could not but observe, This is the very thing which was from the beginning of Christianity. In the * See the Rules of the United Societies. earliest times, those whom God had sent forth “preached the gospel to every creature.” And the ou akpoatat, “the body of hearers,” were mostly either Jews or Heathens. But as soon as any of these were so convinced of the truth, as to forsake sin and seek the gospel salvation, they immediately joined them together, took an account of their names, advised them to watch over each other, and met these karmyovuevot," cate chumens,” (as they were then called,) apart from the great con gregation, that they might instruct, rebuke, exhort, and pray with them, and for them, according to their several necessities. 11. But it was not long before an objection was made to this, which had not once entered into my thought:--“Is not this making a schism? Is not the joining these people together, gathering Churches out of Churches?” It was easily answered, If you mean only gathering people out of buildings called churches, it is. But if you mean, divid ing Christians from Christians, and so destroying Christian fellowship, it is not. For, (1.) These were not Christians before they were thus joined. Most of them were barefaced Heathens. (2.) Neither are they Christians, from whom you sup pose them to be divided. You will not look me in the face and say they are. What! drunken Christians! cursing and swearing Christians! lying Christians! cheating Christians! If these are Christians at all, they are devil Christians, as the poor Mala barians term them. (3.) Neither are they divided any more than they were before, even from these wretched devil Chris tians. They are as ready as ever to assist them, and to perform every office of real kindness towards them.

They are as ready as ever to assist them, and to perform every office of real kindness towards them. (4.) If it be said, “But there are some true Christians in the parish, and you destroy the Christian fellowship between these and them;” I answer, That which never existed, cannot be destroyed. But the fellowship you speak of never existed. Therefore it can- O not be destroyed. Which of those true Christians had any - 2. such fellowship with these? Who watched over them in love? | e * Who marked their growth in grace? Who advised and ex- %- horted them from time to time? Who prayed with them and t for them, as they had need? This, and this alone, is Christian - . fellowship: But, alas! where is it to be found? Look east or west, north or south; name what parish you please: Is this Christian fellowship there? Rather, are not the bulk of the parishioners a mere rope of sand? What Christian connexion is there between them? What intercourse in spiritual things? What watching over each other's souls? What bearing of one another's burdens? What a mere jest is it then, to talk so gravely of destroying what never was ! The real truth is just the reverse of this: We introduce Christian fellowship where it was utterly destroyed. And the fruits of it have been peace, joy, love, and zeal for every good word and work. II. 1. But as much as we endeavoured to watch over each X4. %, other, we soon found some who did not live the gospel. I do not know that any hypocrites were crept in; for indeed there • *, was no temptation: But several grew cold, and gave way to the 2, 4. ** sins which had long easily beset them. We quickly perceived *_* there were many ill consequences of suffering these to remain ‘... among us. It was dangerous to others; inasmuch as all sin is 2 of an infectious nature. It brought such a scandal on their brethren as exposed them to what was not properly the reproach of Christ. It laid a stumbling-block in the way of others, and caused the truth to be evil spoken of. 2. We groaned under these inconveniences long, before a remedy could be found.

5. It is the business of a Leader, (1.) To see each person in his class, once a week at the least, in order to inquire how their souls prosper; to advise, reprove, comfort, or exhort, as occasion may require; to receive what they are willing to give, toward the relief of the poor. (2) To meet the Minister and the Stewards of the society, in order to inform the Minister of any that are sick, or of any that are disorderly and will not be reproved; to pay to the Stewards what they have received of their several classes in the week preceding. 6. At first they visited each person at his own house; but this was soon found not so expedient. And that on many accounts: (1.) It took up more time than most of the Leaders had to spare. (2.) Many persons lived with masters, mis tresses, or relations, who would not suffer them to be thus visited. (3.) At the houses of those who were not so averse, they often had no opportunity of speaking to them but in company. And this did not at all answer the end proposed,--. of exhorting, comforting, or reproving. (4.) It frequently hap pened that one affirmed what another denied. And this could not be cleared up without seeing them together. (5.) Little misunderstandings and quarrels of various kinds frequently arose among relations or neighbours; effectually to remove which, it was needful to see them all face to face. Upon all these considerations it was agreed, that those of each class should meet alltogether. And by this means, a more full in quiry was made into the behaviour of every person. Those who could not be visited at home, or no otherwise than in company, had the same advantage with others. Advice or reproof was given as need required, quarrels made up, misunderstandings removed : And after an hour or two spent in this labour of love, they concluded with prayer and thanksgiving. 7. It can scarce be conceived what advantages have been reaped from this little prudential regulation. Many now happily experienced that Christian fellowship of which they had not so much as an idea before. They began to “bear one another’s burdens,” and naturally to “care for each other.” As they had daily a more intimate acquaintance with, so they had a more endeared affection for, each other.

They began to “bear one another’s burdens,” and naturally to “care for each other.” As they had daily a more intimate acquaintance with, so they had a more endeared affection for, each other. And “speaking the truth in love, they grew up into Him in all things, who is the Head, even Christ; from whom the whole body, fitly joined together, and compacted by that which every joint supplied, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, increased unto the edifying itself in love.” 8. But notwithstanding all these advantages, many were at first extremely averse to meeting thus. Some, viewing it in a wrong point of light, not as a privilege, (indeed an invalu able one,) but rather a restraint, disliked it on that account, because they did not love to be restrained in anything. Some were ashamed to speak before company. Others honestly said, “I do not know why; but I do not like it.” 9. Some objected, “There were no such meetings when I came into the society first: And why should there now P I do not understand these things, and this changing one thing after another continually.” It was easily answered: It is pity but they had been at first. But we knew not then either the need or the benefit of them. Why we use them, you will readily understand, if you read over the rules of the society. That with regard to these little prudential helps we are conti nually changing one thing after another, is not a weakness or fault, as you imagine, but a peculiar advantage which we enjoy. By this means we declare them all to be merely prudential, not essential, not of divine institution. We prevent, so far as in us lies, their growing formal or dead. We arc always open to instruction; willing to be wiser every day than we were before, and to change whatever we can change for the better. 10. Another objection was, “There is no scripture for this, for classes and I know not what.” I answer, (1.) There is no scripture against it. You cannot show one text that forbids them. (2.) There is much scripture for it, even all those texts which enjoin the substance of those various duties whereof this is only an indifferent circumstance, to be determined by reason and experience.

5. In order to increase in them a grateful sense of all his mercies, I desired that, one evening in a quarter, all the men in band, on a second, all the women, would meet; and on a third, both men and women together; that we might together “eat bread,” as the ancient Christians did, “with gladness and singleness of heart.” At these love-feasts (so we termed them, retaining the name, as well as the thing, which was in use from the beginning) our food is only a little plain cake and water. But we seldom return from them without being fed, not only with the “meat which perisheth,” but with “that which endureth to everlasting life.” 6. Great and many are the advantages which have ever since flowed from this closer union of the believers with each other. They prayed for one another, that they might be healed of the faults they had confessed; and it was so. The chains were broken, the hands were burst in sunder, and sin had no more dominion over them. Many were delivered from the tempta tions out of which, till then, they found no way to escape. They were built up in our most holy faith. They rejoiced in the Lord more abundantly. They were strengthened in love, and more effectually provoked to abound in every good work. 7. But it was soon objected to the bands, (as to the classes before,) “These were not at first. There is no Scripture for them. These are man’s works, man’s building, man’s inven tion.” I reply, as before, these are also prudential helps, grounded on reason and experience, in order to apply the general rules given in Scripture according to particular cir cumstances. 8. An objection much more boldly and frequently urged, is, that “all these bands are mere Popery.” I hope I need not pass a harder censure on those (most of them at least) who affirm this, than that they talk of they know not what; they betray in themselves the most gross and shameful ignorance. Do not they yet know, that the only Popish confession is, the confession made by a single person to a Priest?--and this itself is in nowise condemned by our Church; nay, she recommends it in some cases. Whereas, that we practise is, the confession of several persons conjointly, not to a Priest, but to each other.

2. I saw it might be useful to give some advices to all those who continued in the light of God’s countenance, which the rest of their brethren did not want, and probably could not receive. So I desired a small number of such as appeared to be in this state, to spend an hour with me every Monday morning. My design was, not only to direct them how to press after per fection; to exercise their every grace, and improve every talent they had received; and to incite them to love one another more, and to watch more carefully over each other; but also to have a select company, to whom I might unbosom myself on all occa sions, without reserve; and whom I could propose to all their brethren as a pattern of love, of holiness, and of good works. 3. They had no need of being incumbered with many rules; having the best rule of all in their hearts. No pecu liar directions were therefore given to them, excepting only these three: First. Let nothing spoken in this society be spoken again. (Hereby we had the more full confidence in each other.) Secondly. Every member agrees to submit to his Minister in all indifferent things. Thirdly. Every member will bring, once a week, all he can spare toward a common stock. 4. Every one here has an equal liberty of speaking, there being none greater or less than another. I could say freely to these, when they were met together, “Ye may all prophesy one by one,” (taking that word in its lowest sense,) “that all may learn, and all may be comforted.” And I often found the advantage of such a free conversation, and that “in the multi tude of counsellors there is safety.” Any who is inclined so to do is likewise encouraged to pour out his soul to God. And here especially we have found, that “the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” IX. 1. This is the plainest and clearest account I can give of the people commonly called Methodists. It remains only to give you a short account of those who serve their brethren in love. These are Leaders of classes and bands, (spoken of before,) Assistants, Stewards, Visitors of the sick, and School masters. 2.

2. In the third part of the “Appeal,” I have mentioned how we were led to accept of Lay-Assistants. Their office is, in the absence of the Minister, (1.) To expound every morning and evening. (2.) To meet the united society, the bands, the select society, and the peni tents, once a week. (3.) To visit the classes once a quarter. (4.) To hear and decide all differences. (5.) To put the disor derly back on trial, and to receive on trial for the bands or society. (6.) To see that the Stewards, the Leaders, and the Schoolmasters faithfully discharge their several offices. (7.) To meet the Leaders of the bands and classes weekly, and the Stewards, and to overlook their accounts. X. 1. But, long before this, I felt the weight of a far dif ferent care, namely, care of temporal things. The quarterly subscriptions amounted, at a mean computation, to above three hundred pounds a year. This was to be laid out, partly in repairs, partly in other necessary expenses, and partly in paying debts. The weekly contributions fell little short of eight pounds a week; which was to be distributed as every one had need. And I was expected to take thought for all these things: But it was a burden I was not able to bear; so I chose out first. one, then four, and after a time, seven, as prudent men as I knew, and desired them to take charge of these things upon themselves, that I might have no incumbrance of this kind. 2. The business of these Stewards is, To manage the temporal things of the society. To receive the subscriptions and contributions. To expend what is need ful from time to time. To send relief to the poor. To keep an exact account of all receipts and expenses. To inform the Minister if any of the rules of the society are not punctually observed. To tell the Preachers in love, if they think anything amiss, either in their doctrine or life. 3. The rules of the Stewards are, (1.) Be frugal. Save everything that can be saved honestly. (2.) Spend no more than you receive. Contract no debts. (3.) Have no long accounts. Pay everything within the week. (4) Give none that asks relief, either an ill word or an ill look. Do not hurt them, if you cannot help.

(4.) But we cannot with a good conscience neglect the pre sent opportunity of saving souls while we live, for fear of conse quences which may possibly or probably happen after we are dead. BRIsrol, THURSDAY, August 1st, 1745 THE following persons being met together at the New-Room, in Bristol; John Wesley, Charles Wesley, John Hodges, Thomas Richards, Samuel Larwood, Thomas Meyrick, Richard Moss, John Slocombe, Herbert Jenkins, and Marmaduke Gwynne; it was proposed to review the Minutes of the last Conference with regard to justification. And it was asked: Q. 1. How comes what is written on this subject to be so intricate and obscure? Is this obscurity from the nature of the thing itself; or, from the fault or weakness of those who have generally treated of it? A. We apprehend this obscurity does not arise from the mature of the subject; but, perhaps, partly from hence, that the devil peculiarly labours to perplex a subject of the greatest importance; and partly from the extreme warmth of most writers who have treated of it? Q. 2. We affirm, faith in Christ is the sole condition of justification. But does not repentance go before that faith? yea, and, supposing there be opportunity for them, fruits or works meet for repentance? A. Without doubt they do. Q. 3. How then can we deny them to be conditions of justi fication? Is not this a mere strife of words? But is it worth while to continue a dispute on the term condition? A. It seems not, though it has been grievously abused. But so the abuse cease, let the use remain. Q. 4. Shall we read over together Mr. Baxter’s “Aphorisms concerning Justification?” A. By all means. Which were accordingly read. And it was desired, that each person present would in the afternoon consult the scriptures cited therein, and bring what objections might occur the next morning. FRIDAY, August 2d, THE QUESTION was PROPosED:-- Q. 1. Is a sense of God’s pardoning love absolutely necessary to our being in his favour? Or may there be some exempt cases? A. We dare not say there are not. Q. 2. Is it necessary to inward and outward holiness? A. We incline to think it is. Q. 3. Is it indispensably necessary to final salvation? sup pose in a Papist; or a Quaker; or, in general, among those who never heard it preached? A.

(2.) Give notes to none but those who are recommended by one you know, or till they have met three or four times in a class. (3.) Give them the Rules the first time they meet. See that this be never neglected. Q. 15. When shall we admit new members? A. In large towns, admit them into the Bands at the quarterly love-feast following the visitation: Into the society, on the Sunday following the visitation. Then also read the names of them that are excluded. Q. 16. Should we insist on the Band rules, particularly with regard to dress? A. By all means. This is no time to give any encourage ment to superfluity of apparel. Therefore give no Band-tickets to any till they have left off superfluous ornaments. In order to this, (1.) Let every Assistant read the “Thoughts upon Dress” at least once a year, in every large society. (2.) In visiting the classes, be very mild, but very strict. (3.) Allow no exempt case, not even of a married woman. Better one suffer than many. (4) Give no ticket to any that wear calashes, high-heads, or enormous bonnets. To encourage meeting in Band, (1.) In every large society, have a love-feast quarterly for the Bands only. (2.) Never fail to meet them once a week. (3.) Exhort every believer to embrace the advantage. (4.) Give a Band-ticket to none till they have met a quarter on trial. Observe 1 You give none a Band-ticket before he meets, but after he has met. Q. 17. Have those in Band left off snuff and drams? A. No. Many are still enslaved to one or the other. In order to redress this, (1.) Let no Preacher touch either on any account. (2.) Strongly dissuade our people from them. (3.) Answer their pretences, particularly curing the colic. Q. 18. Do we observe any evil which has lately prevailed among our societies? A. Many of our members have married with unbelievers, yea, with unawakened persons. This has had fatal effects. They had either a cross for life, or turned back to perdition. Q. 19. What can be done to put a stop to this? A. (1.) Let every Preacher publicly enforce the Apostle's caution, “Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers.” (2.) Let him openly declare, whoever does this will be expelled the society.

A. No, not by half the Assistants. (1.) Who has sent me word, whether the other Preachers behave well or ill? (2) Who has visited all the classes and regulated the Bands quarterly? (3.) Love-feasts for the Bands have been neglected: Neither have persons been duly taken in and put out of the Bands. (4.) The societies are not half supplied with books; not even with those above-mentioned. O exert yourselves in this! Be not weary! Leave no stone unturned ! (5.) How few accounts have I had, either of remarkable deaths, or remarkable conver sions ! (6.) How few exact lists of the societies ! (7.) How few have met the married and single persons once a quarter I Q. 44. Are there any other advices which you would give the Assistants? A. Several. (1.) Take a regular catalogue of your societies, as they live in house-row. (2.) Leave your successor a particu lar account of the state of the Circuit. (3) See that every Band-Leader has the Rules of the Bands. (4.) Vigorously, but calmly, enforce the Rules concerning needless ornaments, drams, snuff, and tobacco. Give no Band-ticket to any man or woman who does not promise to leave them off (5.) As soon as there are four men or women believers in any place, put them into a Band. (6.) Suffer no love-feast to last above an hour and an half; and instantly stop all breaking the cake with one another. (7.) Warn all, from time to time, that none are to remove from one society to another without a certificate from the Assistant in these words: (Else he will not be received in other societies:) “A. B., the bearer, is amember of our society in C.: I believe he has sufficient cause for removing.” I beg every Assistant to remember this. (8.) Everywhere recommend decency and cleanliness: Cleanliness is next to godliness. (9.) Exhort all that were brought up in the Church, to continue therein. Set the example yourself; and immediately change every plan that would hinder their being at church at least two Sundays in four. Carefully avoid whatever has a tendency to separate men from the Church; and let all the servants in our preaching-houses go to church once on Sunday at least. Is there not a cause? Are we not unawares, by little and little, sliding into a separation from the Church?

By these marks, by these fruits of a living faith, do wela. bour to distinguish ourselves from the unbelieving world, from all those whose minds or lives are not according to the Gospel of Christ. But from real Christians, of whatsoever denomina tion they be, we earnestly desire not to be distinguished at all , not from any who sincerely follow after what they know they have not yet attained. No.: “Whosoever doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.” And I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, that we be in no wise divided among ourselves. Is thy heart right, as my heart is with thine? I ask no farther ques tion. If it be, give me thy hand. For opinions, or terms, let us not destroy the work of God. Dost thou love and serve God? It is enough. I give thee the right hand of fellow ship. If there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mer cies; let us strive together for the faith of the Gospel; walking worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called; with all lowli ness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace; remembering, there is one body, and one Spirit, even as we are called with one hope of our calling; “one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of

And so indeed were all others who preached salvation by faith, and appeared more serious than their neighbours. Some of these were quite regular in their manner of preach ing; some were quite irregular; (though not by choice; but necessity was laid upon them; they must preach irregularly, or not at all;) and others were between both, regular in most, though not in all, particulars. 14. In 1762, George Bell, and a few other persons, began to speak great words. In the latter end of the year, they fore told that the world would be at an end on the 28th of February. Mr. Wesley, with whom they were then connected, withstood them both in public and private. This they would not endure; so, in January and February, 1763, they sepa rated from him. Soon after, Mr. Maxfield, one of Mr. Wesley’s Preachers, and several of the people, left Mr. Wesley; but still Mr. Maxfield and his adherents go under the general name of Methodists. 15. At present, those who remain with Mr. Wesley are mostly Church-of-England men.* They love her Articles, her Homilies, her Liturgy, her discipline, and unwillingly vary from it in any instance. Meantime, all who preach among ithem declare, “We are all by nature children of wrath:” But “by grace we are saved through faith;” saved both from ithe guilt and from the power of sin. They endeavour to live according to what they preach, to be plain Bible-Christians. Andthey meet together, at convenient times, to encourage one another therein. They tenderly love many that are Calvinists, * I have not been able to ascertain the precise time at which this tract was written. It notices the separation of Maxfield in 1763; and the seeond edition of it bears the date of 1765. It appears therefore to have been first published some time about 1764; and was probably intended to screen Mr. Wesley and his friends from the reproach attached to the conduct of those who separated from him.-EDIT. ADVICE TO THE METHODISTS. 35l though they do not love their opinions. Yea, they love the Antinomians themselves; but it is with a love of compassion only: For they hate their doctrines with a perfect hatred; they abhor them as they do hell-fire; being convinced nothing can so effectually destroy all faith, all holiness, and all good works. 16. With regard to these, Mr.

You likewise lay so much stress on the use of those ordinances which you believe to be of God, as to confess there is no salvation for you if you wilfully neglect them: And yet you do not judge them that are otherwise minded; you determine nothing concerning those who, not believing those ordinances to be of God, do, out of principle, abstain from them. Your strictness of life, taking the whole of it together, may likewise be accounted new. I mean, your making it a rule, to abstain from fashionable diversions, from reading plays, ro mances, or books of humour, from singing innocent songs, or talking in a merry, gay, diverting manner; your plainness of dress; your manner of dealing in trade; your exactness in ob serving the Lord’s day; your scrupulosity as to things that have not paid custom; your total abstinence from spirituous liquors (unless in cases of necessity); your rule, “not to men tion the fault of an absent person, in particular of Ministers or of those in authority,” may justly be termed new: Seeing, although some are scrupulous in some of these things, and others are strict with regard to other particulars, yet we do not find any other body of people who insist on all these rules together. With respect, therefore, both to your name, prin ciples, and practice, you may be considered as a new people. Another peculiar circumstance of your present situation is, that you are newly united together; that you are just gathered, or (as it seems) gathering rather, out of all other societies or congregations; nay, and that you have been hitherto, and do still subsist, without power, (for you are a low, insignificant" people,) without riches, (for you are poor almost to a man, having no more than the plain necessaries of life,) and without either any extraordinary gifts of nature, or the advantages of education; most even of your Teachers being quite unlearned, and (in other things) ignorant men. There is yet another circumstance, which is quite peculiar to yourselves: Whereas every other religious set of people, as soon as they were joined to each other, separated themselves from their former societies or congregations; you, on the con trary, do not; nay, you absolutely disavow all desire of sepa rating from them. You openly and continually declare you have not, nor ever had, such a design.

To men of reason you will give offence, by talking of inspiration and receiving the Holy Ghost; to drunkards, Sabbath-breakers, common swearers, and other open sinners, by refraining from their company, as well as by that disapprobation of their behaviour which you will often be obliged to express. And indeed your life must give them con tinual offence: Your sobriety is grievously offensive to a drunk ard; your serious conversation is equally intolerable to a gay impertinent: and, in general, that “you are grown so precise and singular, so monstrously strict, beyond all sense and reason, that you scruple so many harmless things, and fancy you are obliged to do so many others which you need not,” cannot but be an offence to abundance of people, your friends and relations in particular. Either, therefore, you must consent to give up your principles, or your fond hope of pleasing men. What makes even your principles more offensive is, this uniting of yourselves together: Because this union renders you more conspicuous, placing you more in the eye of men; more suspicious,--I mean, liable to be suspected of carrying on some sinister design (especially by those who do not, or will not, know your inviolable attachment to His present Majesty); more dreadful, to those of a fearful temper, who imagine you have any such design; and more odious to men of zeal, if their zeal be any other than fervent love to God and man. This offence will sink the deeper, because you are gathered out of so many other congregations: For the warm men in each will not easily be convinced, that you do not despise either them or their teachers; nay, will probably imagine, that you utterly condemn them, as though they could not be saved. And this occasion of offence is now at the height, because you are just gathered, or gathering rather, so that they know not where it will end; but the fear of losing (so they account it) more of their members, gives an edge to their zeal, and keeps all their anger and resentment in its strength. Add to this, that you do not leave them quite, you still rank yourselves among their members; which, to those who knownot that you do it for conscience’ sake, is also a provoking circum stance.

Nay, it is, in truth, an open, wilful sin: It is tale-bearing, back-biting, evil-speaking,--a sin you can never be sufficiently watchful against, seeing it steals upon you in a thousand shapes. Would it not be far more profitable for your souls, instead of speaking against them, to pray for them ? to confirm your love towards those unhappy men, whom you believe to be fighting against God, by crying mightily to him in their behalf, that he may open their eyes and change their hearts? I have now only to commend you to the care of Him who hath all power in heaven and in earth; beseeching Him, that, in every circumstance of life, you may stand “firm as the beaten anvil to the stroke;” desiring nothing on earth; ac counting all things but dung and dross, that you may win Christ; and always remembering, “It is the part of a good champion, to be flayed alive, and to conquer!”

But ought these things to be so? (I speak on the Chris tian scheme.) Ought we not to love our neighbour as ourselves? And does a man cease to be our neighbour, because he is of a different opinion? nay, and declares himself so to be? Ought we not, for all this, to do to him as we would he should do to us? But do we ourselves love to be exposed, or set in the worst light? Would we willingly be treated with contempt? If not, why do we treat others thus? And yet, who scruples it? Who does not hit every blot he can, however foreign to the merits of the cause? Who, in controversy, casts the mantle of love over the nakedness of his brother? Who keeps steadily and uniformly to the question, without ever striking at the person? Who shows in every sentence that he loves his brother only less than the truth? 5. I fear neither you nor I have attained to this. I believe brotherly love might have found a better construction than that of unfairness, art, or disingenuity, to have put either on my not answering every part of your book, (a thing which never once entered my thoughts,) or on my not reciting all the words of those parts which I did answer. I cannot yet perceive any blame herein. I still account it fair and ingenuous to pass over both what I believe is right, and what I believe is not danger ously wrong. Neither can I see any disingenuity at all in quot ing only that part of any sentence, against which I conceive the objection lies; nor in abridging any part of any treatise to which I reply, whether in the author's or in my own words. 6. If, indeed, it were so abridged as to alter the sense, this • In the Preface to the Answer to Mr. Tucker. would be unfair. And if this were designedly done, it would be artful and disingenuous. But I am not conscious of having done this at all; although you speak as if I had done it a thou sand times. And yet I cannot undertake now either to tran scribe your whole book, or every page or paragraph which I answer.

Not the Moravians, but the English brethren of Fetter-Lane, before their union with the Moravians. Herein, then, is no shadow of contradiction; for the two sentences do not relate to the same persons.” You reply, “Would you then have us to think that so much anger and contradiction reigned among your Methodists?” I “would have you think” this is nothing to the purpose. Prove the contradiction, and you speak to the point. “It is plain they had before this been perverted by the Moravians; and that they were unwilling to be taught by any others.” They; that is, nearly half of the society. But here is no proof of the contradiction still. (2) “You say, ‘They had well nigh destroyed brotherly love from among us, partly by cautions against natural love, partly by occasioning almost continual disputes.” So they had; but we had then no connexion with them. Neither, therefore, does this contradict their loving one another. You reply, “As if they can truly love each other, who teach you not to do it, and stir up divisions and disturbances among you.” You should say, if you would repeat after me, “Who caution you against natural love, and occasion many disputes among you.” Well; allowing they do this, (which is utterly wrong,) yet where is the contradiction? Yet they may love one another. (3.) “You praise them for using no diversions, but such as become saints; and yet say,” (I recite the whole sentence,) “‘I have heard some of you affirm that Christian salvation implies liberty to conform to the world, by joining in worldly diversions in order to do good.’” And both these are true. The Moravians, in general, use no diversions but such as be come saints. And yet I have heard some of them affirm, in contradiction to their own practice, that “one then mentioned did well when he joined in playing at tennis in order to do good.” To this you make no reply. Silence then consents, that there is no contradiction here. (4) “You ‘praise them for not regarding outward adorn ing.’” So I do, the bulk of the congregation.

But God has taught me better. For on Friday and Saturday, when I was in the strongest pain, I never once had one moment's desire of ease.” Add, “But only that the will of God might be done.” Neither has this any resemblance of “stoical insensibility.” I never supposed that this person did not feel pain; (nor in deed that there is any state on earth wherein we shall not feel it;) but that her soul was filled with the love of God, and thankfully resigned to his will. “Another instance is taken from one of your hymns, where are these lines:-(Page 119.) “Doom, if thou canst, to endless pains, And drive me from thy face:’” (Add, “But if thy stronger love constrains, Let me be saved by grace.”) “This I thought the height of insensibility, extravagance, and presumption. You see nothing of these in it. And yet you explain yourself thus: ‘If thou canst deny thyself, if thou canst forget to be gracious, if thou canst cease to be truth and love: All which, in my opinion, is fixing the charge most strongly upon you. For the supposition that Christ can do these things”--Are you in earnest, Sir? Are you really ignorant, that expressions of this kind do not suppose he can, but quite the reverse? that they are one of the strongest forms of obtestation, of adjuring God to show mercy, by all his grace, and truth, and love? So far is this also from proving the charge of “stoical insensibility.” III. 1. I come now to consider the point of Church com munion, of which you have spoke in the beginning of your Treatise. In the entrance, you say, “We teach no other doc trine than has always been taught in our Church. Our senti ments concerning justification are reconcilable to our Articles, Homilies, and Service. This I apprehend several of the Methodists have been convinced of, and have therefore left our communion entirely. You give us more instances than one of this in your last Journal.” (Page 2.) No, not one. Nor did I ever yet know one man who “therefore left the communion of the Church,” because he was convinced that either her Articles, Homilies, or Liturgy, opposed his sentiments con cerning justification. Poor Mr. St-- and Mr. Simpson were induced to leave it by reasons of quite another kind.

1. What you urge on the head of enthusiasm also, I think, “deserves my most serious consideration.” You may add, “and presumption.” I let it drop once more; because I do not love tautology; and because I look upon presumption to be essential to enthusiasm, and, consequently, contained therein. I will therefore weigh what you advance concerning it, and explain myself something more at large. “I am to examine,” you say, “how far you have cleared your self of enthusiasm. . My account of this you set down, making as many alterations and omissions as there are lines.” (Page 120.) Perhaps more; for Inever designed to recite the whole, but only the material part of it. “If you did not wholly ap prove of it, why would you not let me know what you disliked in it?” Because I do not love many words. Therefore when the argument stood thus, “He that does this is an enthusiast; but you do this; ” I was generally content with answering the second proposition, and leaving the first as I found it. “I laid this charge against you and the Methodists in gene ral; between you every part of the character has been verified.” I answer for one; let the rest answer for themselves, if they have not better employment. That the question between us may be the more fully under stood, I shall briefly compare together, (1.) Your remarks. (2.) My answer. (3.) Your reply; though still I cannot promise to repeat your words at length. 2. You remark, “Though you would be thought an enemy to enthusiasm and presumption, yet in both you are far from being inferior to the Moravians, or indeed to any others.” (Page 60.) Strong assertions! Not inferior to any others? not to the French Prophets, or John of Leyden “(1.) Enthu siasm is a false persuasion of an extraordinary divine assist ance, which leads men to such conduct as is only to be justified by the supposition of such assistance.” I answer, “Before this touches me, you are to prove (which I conceive you have not done yet) that my conduct is such as is only to be justified by the supposition of such assistance.” (Page 406.) You reply, “This, I think, is proved in the preceding tract.” (Page 120.) I think not. Let men of candour judge.

These things must be represented either as common accidents or as miracles.” I do not throughly understand your terms. What is a common accident? that a sparrow falls to the ground, or something more inconsiderable than the hairs of your head? Is there no medium between accident and miracle? If there be, what is that medium? When we are agreed with regard to these few points, I shall be glad to resume the subject. 6. The fourth instance of my enthusiasm was this, that I “related judgments inflicted on my opposers.” As to Mr. Molther, I must observe once more, that I do believe there was a particular providence in his sickness. But I do not believe, (nor did I design to insinuate,) that it was a judgment for opposing me. You go on: “Again you mention, “as an awful providence, the case of a poor wretch who was last week cursing and blas pheming, and had boasted to many that he would come again on Sunday, and no man should stop his mouth then. Buton Fri day God laid his hand upon him, and on Sunday he was buried.” (Remarks, p. 66.) I answered, “I look on this as a manifest judgment of God on a hardened sinner, for his complicated wickedness.” (Page 410.) You reply, “Add, if you please, “His labouring with all his might to hinder the word of God.” Here therefore is a confessed judgment for his opposition to Vou.” (Second Letter, p. 133.) There is, for his thus opposing with curses and blasphemy. This was part of his complicated wickedness. Here then you “think I plead guilty.” Not of enthusiasm, till you prove this was not “an awful providence.” “Again: ‘One was just going to beat his wife, (which he frequently did,) when God smote him in a moment, so that his hand dropped, and he fell down upon the ground, having no more strength than a new-born child. Have we any warrant either from Scripture, or the common dispensations of provi dence, to interpret misfortunes of this nature as judgments?” (Remarks, p. 67.) I answered, “Can you, Sir, consider this as one of the common dispensations of providence? Have you known a parallel one in your life?

9. You go on : “It is the most charitable supposition we can make, that many of the cases you have mentioned in your Journals, and some of which have been represented above, are of this kind,” that is, instances of madness. (Second Letter, p. 138.) O tender charity | But cannot your charity reach one hair's breadth farther than this? No: For “otherwise” (that is,if those persons were not mad) “the presumption and despair are terrible indeed.” But what, if you were to suppose John Haydon (to instance in one) was not mad, but under a tempor ary possession; and that others were deeply convinced of sin, and of the wrath of God abiding on them? I should think this supposition (be it true or false) was full as charitable as the other. I said, “I cannot find one such instance to this day.” You reply, “Yet once you could not but be under some concern with regard to one or two persons, who seemed to be indeed lunatic, as well as sore vexed.” So they seemed; but it soon appeared they were not. The very next paragraph mentions, that one of these, within a few hours, was “filled with the spirit of love, and of a sound mind.” (Vol. I. p. 231.) But you are resolved, come what will, to carry this point; and so add, “Toward the end of your Farther Appeal, (First Part, p. 131,) you say, you have seen one instance of real, lasting madness. This was one whom you took with you to Bristol, who was afterwards prejudiced against you, and began a vehement invective both against your person and doctrines. In the midst of this he was struck raving mad.” Add, “And so he continued till his friends put him into Bedlam; and probably laid his madness to my charge.” If they did not, it is now done to their hands. 10. “As to the cure of these fits, I observed,” (so you, p.

An Answer to a Letter Published in the Bath Journal Source: The Works of John Wesley, Volume 8 (Zondervan) Author: John Wesley --- You ask, why I “do not warn the members of our society against fornication and adultery.” I answer, For the same reason that I do not warm them (in those short hints) against rebellion or murder; namely, because I do not apprehend them to be in immediate danger thereof. Whereas many of them are in continual danger, either of “taking the name of God in vain, of profaning the day of the Lord, or of drunkenness, or brawling, or of uncharitable or unprofitable conversation.” But you say, “Many persons of great eminence among you have been publicly charged with the commission of these crimes.” But will you undertake to make those charges good? Whenever your “Christian charity, and hearty desire for our success in so important a work,” shall oblige you to instance particulars, I do hereby promise to give you a particular answer. “But has not a Preacher of your sect preached and printed to prove the lawfulness of polygamy?” I answer, No Preacher in connexion with me has ever done any such thing. What Mr. Hall of Salisbury has dome, is no more to me than it is to you; only that I am a greater sufferer by it. For he renounced all the Methodists several years since: And, when I was at Salisbury last, turned both me and my sister out of his house. No man therefore of common, heathen humanity, could ever blame me for the faults of that unhappy man. In declaring my “abhorrence of all vices of that kind,” I cannot be more plain or explicit than I have been. I can only declare again, that I believe neither fornicators, adul terers, nor unclean persons shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; and that I rank together sorcerers, whoremongers, murderers, idolaters, and whosoever maketh or loveth a lie. I well know, “a weak brother,” as you define him, that is, a man of “profane eyes, and an unholy imagination,” if you talk either of love-feasts, or persons confessing their faults to one another, will immediately run over all the scenes of the “New Atalantis.” But I leave that to himself. I must not neglect a scriptural advice, because such an one is offended at my following it.

But being fearful of trusting my own judgment, I determined to wait yet a little longer, and so laid it by un finished:-- “‘I CANNOT but rejoice in your steadfast faith, in your love to our blessed Redeemer, your deadness to the world, your meekness, temperance, chastity, and love of one another. I greatly approve of your Conferences and Bands,t of your methods of instructing children; and, in general, of your great care of the souls committed to your charge. “‘But of some other things I stand in doubt, which I will mention in love and meekness. And I wish that, in order to * These are the words of the Fourth Journal, Vol. I. page 331, &c. + The Band society in London began May 1, some time before I set out for Germany. remove those doubts, you would, on each of those heads, First, plainly answer whether the fact be as I suppose; and if so, Secondly, consider whether it be right. “‘Is not the Count all in all among you? “‘Do you not magnify your own Church too much 2 “‘Do you not use guile and dissimulation in many cases? “‘Are you not of a close, dark, reserved temper and beha viour P’ “It may easily be seen, that my objections then were nearly the same as now.” Only with this difference,--I was not then assured that the facts were as I supposed. “Yet I cannot say my affection was lessened at all: (For I did not dare to deter mine anything :) But from November 1, I could not but see more and more things which I could not reconcile with the gospel.” “These I have set down with all simplicity. Yet do I this, because I love them not? God knoweth: Yea, and in part, I esteem them still; because I verily believe they have a sincere desire to serve God; because many of them have tasted of his love, and some retain it in simplicity; because they love one another; because they have so much of the truth of the gospel, and so far abstain from outward sin. And lastly, because their discipline is, in most respects, so truly excellent; notwith standing that visible blemish, the paying too much regard to their great patron and benefactor, Count Zinzendorf.” 6.

Lastly. I believe they trample under foot, in a good degree, “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life:” And yet many of them use reserve, yea, guile. Therefore, my soul mourns for them in secret places. 10. “But I must observe,” you say, “that you fall not only into inconsistencies, but into direct contradictions. You com mend them for “loving one another in a manner the world know eth not of;’ and yet you charge them with being “in the utmost confusion, biting and devouring one another.’ You say, ‘They caution us against natural love of one another; and had well migh destroyed brotherly love from among us.” “You praise them for “using no diversions, but such asbecome saints; and for ‘not regarding outward adorning:” Yet you say they ‘conform to the world in wearing gold and costly apparel; and by joining in worldly diversions, in order to do good.’ “You call their discipline, ‘in most respects, truly excellent.” I wish you had more fully explained yourself. I am sure it is no sign of good discipline, to permit such abominations. And you tell them yourself, ‘I can show you such a subordination as answers all Christian purposes, and yet is as distant from that among you as the heavens are from the earth.” “You mention it as a good effect of their discipline, that “every one knows and keeps his proper rank. Soon after, as if it were with a design to confute yourself, you say, ‘Our brethren have neither wisdom enough to guide, nor prudence enough to let it alone.’ “And now, Sir, how can you reconcile these opposite descrip tions?” (Ibid. pp. 21, 22.) Just as easily as those before, by simply declaring the thing as it is. “You commend them.” (the Moravians) “for loving one another; and yet charge them with biting and devouring one another.” (Vol. I. pp. 245,256.) Them / Whom ? Not the Moravians; but the English bre thren of Fetter-Lane, before their union with the Moravians. Here, then, is no shadow of contradiction. For the two sen tences do not relate to the same persons. “You say, ‘They had well-nigh destroyed brotherly love from among us; partly by ‘cautions against natural love.” (Ibid. p. 330.) It is a melancholy truth; so they had. But we had then no connexion with them.

12. You need not therefore “imagine, that either the strong pretencesorwarm professions ofthe Moravians,” ortheir “agree ing with me on some favourite topics,” (for my love to them was antecedent to any such agreement,) “induce me to overlook their iniquity, and to forgive their other crimes.” (Remarks, p. 23.) No. I love them upon quite different grounds; even because I believe, notwithstanding all their faults, they “love the Lord Jesus in sincerity,” and have a measure of “the mind that was in him.” And I am in great earnest when I declare once more, that I have a deep, abiding conviction, by how many degrees the good which is among them overbalances the evil; that I cannot speak of them but with tender affection, were it only for the benefits I have received from them; and that, at this hour, I desire union with them (were those stumbling-blocks once put away, which have hitherto made that desire ineffectual) above all things under heaven. II. 1. Your second charge is, “That I hold, in common with them, principles from which their errors naturally follow.” You mean justification by faith alone. To set things in the clearest light I can, I will first observe what I hold, and what you object; and then inquire what the consequences have been. First. As to what I hold. My latest thoughts upon justi fication are expressed in the following words:-- “Justification sometimes means our acquittal at the last day. But this is out of the present question; that justification whereof our Articles and Homilies speak, meaning present pardon and acceptance with God; who therein declares his righteousness and mercy, by or for the remission of the sins that are past. “I believe, the condition of this is faith: I mean, not only, that without faith we cannot be justified; but also, that, as soon as any one has true faith, in that moment he is justified. “Good works follow this faith, but cannot go before it. Much less can sanctification, which implies a continued course of good works, springing from holiness of heart. But--entire sanctification goes before our justification at the last day. “It is allowed, that repentance, and ‘fruits meet for repent ance, go before faith. Repentance absolutely must go before faith; fruits meet for it, if there be opportunity.

16. You proceed: “Kingswood you call your own house: And when one Mr. C. opposed you there, you reply to him, ‘You should not have supplanted me in my own house, stealing the hearts of the people. The parochial Clergy may call their several districts their own houses, with much more propriety than you could call Kingswood yours. And yet how have you supplanted them therein, and laboured to steal the hearts of the people ! You have suffered by the same ways you took to dis charge your spleen and malice against your brethren. “Your brother’s words to Mr. C. are,--“Whether his doctrine is true or false, is not the question. But you ought first to have fairly told him, I preach contrary to you. Are you willing, notwithstanding, that I should continue in your house, gain saying you ? Shall I stay here opposing you, or shall I depart 2' Think you hear this spoken to you by us. What can you justly reply?--Again, if Mr. C. had said thus to you, and you had refused him leave to stay; I ask you, whether in such a case he would have had reason to resent such a refusal? I think you cannot say he would. And yet how loudly have you objected our refusing our pulpits to you!” (Remarks, page 15.) So you judge these to be exactly parallel cases. It lies therefore upon me to show that they are not parallel at all; that there is, in many respects, an essential difference between them. (1) “Kingswood you call your own house.” So I do, that is, the school-house there. For I bought the ground where it stands, and paid for the building it, partly from the contribution of my friends, (one of whom contributed fifty pounds,) partly * Wol. I. pp. 300, 301, and 305, of the present Edition.--EDIT. + For the purpose of exciting ill-will.-EDIT. from the income of my own Fellowship. No Clergyman therefore can call his parish his own house with more pro priety than I can call this house mine. (2) “Mr. C. opposed you there.” True; but who was Mr. C.? One I had sent for to assist me there; a friend that was as my own soul; that, even while he opposed me, lay in my bosom. What resemblance then does Mr.

Do these words imply “an ardent desire of going to hell?” I do not suppose the going to hell ever entered into his thoughts. Nor has it any place in my notion of disinterested love. How you may understand that term, I know not. But you will prove I have this desire, whether I will or no. You are sure this was my “original meaning,” (page 36,) in the words cited by Mr. Church, “Doom, if thou canst, to endless pain, Or drive me from thy face.” “God’s power or justice,” you say, “must be intended; be cause he speaks of God’s love in the very next lines, “But if thy stronger love constrains, Let me be saved by grace.’” Sir, I will tell you a secret. Those lines are not mine. How ever, I will once more venture to defend them, and to aver, that your consequence is good for nothing: “If this love is spoken of in the latter lines, then it is not in the former.” No! Why not? I take it to be spoken of in both. The plain meaning of which is, “If thou art not love, I am content to perish. But if thou art, let me find the effects thereof; let me be saved by grace.” 16. You next accuse me of maintaining a stoical insensi bility. This objection, also, you borrow from Mr. Church. You ought likewise to have taken notice, that I had answered it, and openly disowned that doctrine; I mean, according to the rules of common justice. But that is not your failing. 17. Part of your thirty-ninth page rums thus: “With respect to all this patient enduring hardships, &c., it has been remarked by learned authors, that ‘some persons, by consti tutional temper, have been fond of bearing the worst that could befal them; that others, from a sturdy humour, and the force of education, have made light of the most exquisite tortures; that when enthusiasm comes in, in aid of this natural or acquired sturdiness, and men fancy they are upon God’s work, and entitled to his rewards, they are immediately all on fire for rushing into sufferings and pain.’” I take knowledge of your having faithfully abridged--your own book, shall I say, or the learned Dr. Middleton’s? But what is it you are endeavouring to prove?

But what is it you are endeavouring to prove? Quorsum haec tam putida tendant * * The paragraph seems to point at me. But the plain, natural tendency of it is, to invalidate that great argument for Christi anity which is drawn from the constancy of the martyrs. Have you not here also spoken a little too plain? Had you not better have kept the mask on a little longer? Indeed, you lamely add, “The solid and just comforts which a true martyr receives from above are groundlessly applied to the counterfeit.” But this is not enough even to save appear ancéS. 18. You subjoin a truly surprising thought: “It may more over be observed, that both ancient and modern enthusiasts always take care to secure some advantage by their sufferings.” (Page 40.) O rare enthusiasts ! So they are not such fools neither as they are vulgarly supposed to be. This is just of a piece with the “cunning epileptic demoniacs,” in your other performance. And do not you think, (if you would but speak all that is in your heart, and let us into the whole secret,) that there was a compact, likewise, between Bishop Hooper and his executioner, as well as between the ventriloquist and the exorcist? But what “advantage do they take care to secure?” a good salary? a handsome fortune? No; quite another matter; “free communications with God, and fuller manifestations of his goodness.” (Ibid.) I dare say, you do not envy them, no * Thus translated from the Latin of Horace by Francis : “Whither tends This putid stuff?”--EDIT. more than you do those “self-interested enthusiasts” of old who “were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.” 19. You proceed to prove my enthusiasm from my notions of conversion. And here great allowances are to be made, because you are talking of things quite out of your sphere; you are got into an unknown world! Yet you still talk as magisterially as if you was only running down the Fathers of the primitive Church. And, First, you say, I “represent conversion as sudden and instantaneous.” (Ibid.) Soft and fair! Do you know what conversion is? (A term, indeed, which I very rarely use, because it rarely occurs in the New Testament.) “Yes; it is to “start up perfect men at once.’” (Page 41.) Indeed, Sir, it is not.

11. But, to carry the matter a little farther: I am afraidi wi: hold, on the other hand, with regard to the soul as well as the body, Medicus non est qui non medetur.” I am afraid, reasonable men will be much inclined to think, he that saves no souls is no Minister of Christ. 12. “O, but he is ordained, and therefore has authority.” Authority to do what? “To save all the souls that will put themselves under his care.” True; but (to wave the case of them that will not; and would you desire that even those should perish?) he does not, in fact, save them that are under his care: Therefore, what end does his authority serve? IIe that was a drunkard is a drunkard still. The same is true of the Sabbath-breaker, the thief, the common swearer. This is the best of the case; for many have died in their iniquity, and their blood will God require at the watchman’s hand. 13. For surely he has no authority to murder souls, either by his neglect, by his smooth, if not false, doctrine, or by 'hindering another from plucking them out of the fire, and bringing them to life everlasting. 14. If he either attempts or desires to hinder him, if he condemns or is displeased with him for it, how great reason is there to fear that he regards his own profit more than the salvation of souls ! I am, Reverend Sir, Your affectionate brother,

By this “good sort of men,” I mean, persons who have a iking to, but no sense of, religion; no real fear or love of God; no truly Christian tempers. “These steal away the little zeal he has, that is, persuade him to be peaceable.” No ; persuade me to be like themselves,--without love either to God or man “Again, speaking of one, he says, “Indulging himself in o - harmless company,’” (vulgarly so called,) “he first made ship wreck of his zeal, then of his faith. In this I think he is right. The zeal and faith of a fanatic are such exact tallies, that nei ther can exist alone. They came into the world together, to disturb society and dishonour religion.” By zeal, I mean the flame of love, or fervent love to God and man; by faith, the substance or confidence of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Is this the zeal and faith of a fanatic? Then St. Paul was the greatest fanatic on earth. Did these come into the world to “disturb society and dis honour religion?” “On the whole, we find Mr. W., by his own confession, entirely destitute of prudence. Therefore it must be ascribed to the want of this, if his preaching be attended with tumult and disorder.” (Page 181.) By his own confession ? Surely no. This I confess, and this only: What is falsely called pru dence, I abhor; but true prudence I love and admire. However, “You set at nought the discipline of the Church, by invading the province of the parochial Minister:” (Page 182:) Nay, if ever I preach at all, it must be in the province of some parochial Minister. “By assembling in undue places, and at unfit times.” I know of no times unfit for those who assemble. And I believe Hannam Mount and Rose Green were the most proper places under heaven for preaching to the colliers in Kingswood. “By scurrilous invectives against the Governors and Pastors of the National Church.” This is an entire mistake. I dare not make any “scurrilous invectives” against any man. “Insolencies of this nature provoke warm. men to tumult.” But these insolencies do not exist. So that whatever tumult either warm or cool men raise, I am not. chargeable therewith.

xiii. 8, &c.)” “The common opinion is, that this respects another life, as he enforceshis argument by this observation: “Now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face: Now we know in part; but then shall we know, even as also we are known.” (Page 99.) “But the Apostle means, charity is to accompany the Church in all its stages; whereas prophecy and all the rest are only bestowed during its infant state, to support it against the delusions and powers of darkness.” (Page 100.) “The Corinthians abounded in these gifts, but were wanting in charity. And this the Apostle here exposes, by proving charity to be superior to them all, both in its qualities and dura tion. The three first verses declare that the other gifts are use less without charity. The next four specify the qualities of charity; the remaining six declare its continuance: “Charity never faileth: But whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. In the next verse he gives the reason: ‘For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away: 'That is, when that Christian life, the lines of which are marked out by the gospel, shall arrive to its full vigour and maturity, then the temporary aids, given to sub due prejudice, and to support the weak, shall, like scaffolding, be removed. In other words, when that Christian life, wherein the Apostles and first Christians were but infants, shall arrive to its full vigour and maturity in their successors, then miracles shall cease.” (Page 102.) But I fear that time is not yet come. I doubt, none that are now alive enjoy more of the vigour and maturity of the Christian life than the very first Christians did. “To show that the loss of these will not be regretted when the Church has advanced from a state of infancy to manhood,” (alas the day ! Were the Apostles but infants to us?) “he illustrates the case by an elegant similitude: ‘When I was a child, I spake as a child;--but when I became a man, I put away childish things.’ His next remark, concerning the defects of human knowledge, is only an occasional answer to an objec tion.

“When I was a child, I talked as a child, I understood as a child, I reasoned as a child.” As if he had said, In our present state, we are mere infants, compared to what we shall be hereafter. “But when I became a man, I put away childish things;” and a proportion able change shall we all find, when we launch into eternity. Now we see even the things which surround us by means of a glass or mirror, in a dim, faint, obscure manner, so that every thing is a kind of riddle to us; but then we shall see, not a faint reflection, but the objects themselves, face to face, directly and distinctly. “Now I know but in part.” Even when God reveals things to me, great part of them is still kept under the veil. “But then shall I know even as I also am known; ” in a clear, full, comprehensive manner, in some measure like God, who penetrates the centre of every object, and sees, at one glance, through my soul and all things. “And now,” during the present life, “abide these three, faith, hope, love; but the greatest of these,” in its duration, as well as the excellence of its nature, “is love.” Faith, hope, love, are the sum of perfection on earth; love alone is the sum of perfection in heaven. “It appears, then, that the miraculous powers of the Church were to cease upon its perfect establishment.” (Page 107.) Nothing like it appears from this scripture. But supposing it did, is Christianity perfectly established yet? even nominal Christianity? Mr. Brerewood took large pains to be fully informed; and, according to his account, five parts in six of the known world are Mahometans or Pagans to this day. If so, Christianity is yet far from being perfectly established, either in Europe, Asia, Africa, or America. “Having now established the fact,” (wonderfully estab lished!) “we may inquire into the fitness of it. There were two causes of the extraordinary operations of the Holy Spirit,--one to manifest his mission, (and this was done once for all,) the other to comfort and instruct the Church.” (Page 110.) “At his first descent on the Apostles, he found their minds rude and uninformed, strangers to all heavenly knowledge, and utterly averse to the gospel. He illuminated their minds with all necessary truth.

“That works are a necessary condition of our justification, may be proved, Secondly, from scripture examples; particu larly those recited in the eleventh chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews. These all “through faith wrought righteousness; without working righteousness, they had never obtained the promises.” (Page 13.) I say the same thing: None are finally saved, but those whose faith “worketh by love.” “Even in the thief upon the cross, faith was attended by repentance, piety, and charity.” It was; repentance went be fore his faith; piety and charity accompanied it. “Therefore, he was not justified by faith alone.” Our Church, adopting the words of St. Chrysostom, expressly affirms, in the passage above cited, he was justified by faith alone. And her authority ought to weigh more than even that of Bishop Bull, or of any single man whatever. Authority, be pleased to observe, I plead against authority; reason against reason. It is no objection, that the faith whereby he was justified immediately produced good works. 3. How we are justified by faith alone, and yet by such a faith as is not alone, it may be proper to explain. And this also I choose to do, not in my own words, but in those of our Church: “Faith does not shut out repentance, hope, love, and the fear of God, to be joined with faith in every man that is justi fied: But it shutteth them out from the office of justifying. So that although they be all present together in him that is justi fied, yet they justify not all together. Neither doth faith shut out good works, necessarily to be done afterwards, of duty towards God. - “That we are justified only by this faith in Christ, speak all the ancient authors; specially Origen, St. Cyprian, St. Chry sostom, Hilary, Basil, St. Ambrose, and St. Augustine.” (Homily on the Salvation of Man.) 4. You go on: “Thirdly, if we consider the nature of faith, it will appear impossible that a man should be justified by that alone. Faith is either an assent to the gospel truths, or a reliance on the gospel promises. I know of no other notion of faith.” (Sermon, p. 15.) I do; an exeryxos of things not seen ; which is far more than a bare assent, and yet toto genere differ ent from a reliance.

5. Again: Will not some say, “Master, by thus acting, thou reproachest us?” by preaching sixteen or eighteen times a week; and by a thousand other things of the same kind? Is not this, in effect, reproaching us, as if we were lazy and indo ent? as if we had not a sufficient love to the souls of those committed to our charge? 6. May there not likewise be some (perhaps unobserved) envy in the breast even of men that fear God? How much more in them that do not, when they hear of the great success of these Preachers, of the esteem and honour that are paid to them by the people, and the immense riches which they acquire ! What wonder if this occasions a zeal which is not the flame of fervent love? 7. Add to this a desire in some of the inferior Clergy of pleasing their superiors; supposing these (which is no impos sible supposition) are first influenced by any of these motives. Add the imprudence of some that hear those Preachers, and, perhaps, needlessly provoke their parochial Ministers. And when all these things are considered, none need be at a loss for the motives on which many of the Clergy have opposed us. 8. But from what motives can any of the Corporation oppose us? I must beg the gentlemen of this body to observe, that I dare by no means lump them all together, as their awkward defender has done. But this I may say without offence, there are some even among you who are not so remarkably loyal as others, not so eminently well-affected to the present Government. Now, these cannot but observe, (gentlemen, I speak plain, for I am to deliver my own soul in the sight of God,) that wherever we preach, many who were his enemies before, became zealous friends to His Majesty. The instances glare both in England and Ireland. Those, therefore, who are not so zealously his friends have a strong motive to oppose us; though it cannot be expected they should own this to be the motive on which they act. 9. Others may have been prejudiced by the artful misrepre sentations these have made, or by those they have frequently heard from the pulpit. Indeed, this has been the grand foun tain of popular prejudice.

A Letter to the Rev. Mr. Downes Source: The Works of John Wesley, Volume 9 (Zondervan) Author: John Wesley --- 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! And blind enough; so that you blunder on, through thick and thin, bespattering all that come in your way, according to the old, laudable maxim, “Throw dirt enough, and some will stick.” 2. I hope, I say, that this is the case, and that you do not knowingly assert so many palpable falsehoods. You say, “If I am mistaken, I shall always be ready and desirous to retract my error.” (Page 56.) A little candour and care might have pre vented those mistakes; this is the first thing one would have desired. The next is, that they may be removed; that you may see wherein you have been mistaken, and be more wary for the time to come, 3. You undertake to give an account, First, of the rise and principles, Then, of the practices, of the Methodists.

If you say, “I never heard of them; ” no matter for that; you may find them, as well as the rest, in Bishop Pearson’s index. Well, all this is mere flourish; raising a dust, to blind the eyes of the spectators. Generals, you know, prove nothing. So, leaving this as it is, let us come to particulars. But, first, give me leave to transcribe a few words from a tract published some years ago. “Your Lordship premises, ‘It is not at all needful to charge the particular tenets upon the particular persons among them.” Indeed, it is needful in the highest degree. Just as needful as it is not to put a stumbling-block in the way of our brethren; not to lay them under an almost insuperable temptation of condemning the innocent with the guilty.” (Letter to the Bishop of London. And it is now far more needful than it was then; as that title of reproach, Methodist, is now affixed to many people who are not under my care, nor ever had any connexion with me. And what have I to do with these? If you give me a nick-name, and then give it to others whom I know not, does this make me accountable for them? either for their principles or practice? In nowise. I am to answer for myself, and for those that are in connexion with me. This is all that a man of common sense can undertake, or a man of common humanity require. Let us begin then upon even ground; and if you can prove upon me, John Wesley, any one of the charges which you have advanced, call me not only a wolf, but an otter, if you please. 8. Your First particular charge (which, indeed, runs through your book, and is repeated in twenty different places) is, that we make the way to heaven too broad, teaching, men may be saved by faith without works. Some of your words are, “They set out with forming a fair and tempting model of religion, so flattering the follies of degenerate man, that it could not fail to gain the hearts of multitudes, especially of the loose and vicious, the lazy and indolent.

But how is this grand account of nature consistent with what you say elsewhere? “Nature, and darkness, and self, are but three different expressions for one and the same thing.” (Page 18l.) “Nature has all evil and no evil in it.” (Page 192.) Yea, “Nature, self, or darkness, has not only no evil in it, but is the only ground of all good.” (Ibid.) O rare darkness | “Nature has seven chief properties, and can have neither more nor less, because it is a birth from the Deity in nature.” Is nature a birth from the Deity in nature? Is this sense? If it be, what kind of proof is it? Is it not ignotum per ceque ignotum ?* “For God is tri-une, and nature is tri-une.” “Nature is tri-une !” Is not this flat begging the question? “And hence arise properties, three and three.” Nay, why not nine and nine? “And that which brings these three and three into union is another property.” (Spirit of Love, Part II., p. 64.) Why so? Why may it not be two, or five, or nine? Is it not rather the will and power of God? “The three first properties of nature are the whole essence of that desire which is, and is called, nature.” (Page 69.) How? Are the properties of a thing the same as the essence of it? What confusion is this ! But if they were, can a part of its properties be the whole essence of it? “The three first properties of nature are attraction, resist ance, and whirling. In these three properties of the desire, you see the reason of the three great laws of matter and motion, and need not be told that Sir Isaac ploughed with Jacob Behmen’s heifer.” (Page 37.) Just as much as Milton ploughed with Francis Quarles's heifer. How does it appear, that these are any of the properties of nature, if you mean by nature anything distinct from matter? And how are they the properties of desire? What a jumbling of dissonant notions is here ! “The fourth property” (you affirm, not prove) “is called fire: The fifth, the form of light and love.” What do you mean by the form of love? Are light and love one and the * To prove an unknown proposition by one equally unknown.--EDIT. same thing?

“God then divided the human nature into a male and female creature: Otherwise man would have brought forth his own likeness out of himself, in the same manner as he had a birth from God. But Adam let in an adulterous love of the world: By this his virginity was lost, and he had no longer a power of bringing forth a birth from himself.” (Page 75.) We have no shadow of proof for all this. “This state of inability is called his falling into a deep sleep.” (Page 76.) How does this agree with, “The Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam?” (Gen. ii. 21.) “God took his Eve out of him, as a lesser evil, to avoid a greater. For it was a less folly to love the female part of himself, than to love things lower than himself.” (Page 77.) Who can extract this out of the words of Moses? Who can reconcile it with the words of our Lord? “He who made them at the beginning ” (not a word of any previous fall) “made them male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and cleave unto his wife.” (Matt. xix. 4, 5.) Is here any intimation, that for a man to love his wife is only less folly than to love the world? “A man ought so to love his wife, even as Christ the Church.” Is there any folly in the love of Christ to the Church 7 “Marriage came in by Adam’s falling from his first per fection.” (Page 88.) Does this account do honour to that institution, any more than that memorable saying of an emi nent Mystic, “Marriage is but licensed whoredom?” “Had Adam stood, no Eve would have been taken out of him. But from Eve God raised that angelic man, whom Adam should have brought forth without Eve, who is called the Second Adam, as being both male and female.” (Page 79.) Many things herewant proof. How does it appear, (1.) That Eve would not have been, had Adam stood? (2.) That had he stood, he would have brought forth the Second Adam without Eve? (3.) That Christ was both male and female? and, (4.) That he was on this account called the Second Adam?

You go on: “Fire and brimstone, or manna, rained on the earth, are only one and the same love. It was the same love that preserved Noah, burned up Sodom, and overwhelmed Pharaoh in the Red Sea.” (Spirit of Love, Part II., pp. 72,78.) Surely nothing can equal this, unless you add, (which indeed you must do, to be consistent with yourself) “It is one and the same love which will say, ‘Come, ye blessed,’ and, ‘Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire.’” You add: “‘Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth.’ Here you have God's own word for it, nothing but love chasteneth.” (Page 81.) We know his love chasteneth his children. Of these only God is speaking here, as appears from the latter clause of the sentence. And yet we cannot say even as to them, “It is nothing but his love.” It is mercy mixed with justice. You cite one text more: “I have smitten you; Yet have ye not returned to me;” (Amos iv. 9;) and say, “Now, how is it possible for words to give stronger proof?” (Ibid.) Proof of what? Not that God did not punish them; but that “ in the midst of wrath He remembered mercy.” To these texts of Scripture (wide enough of the point) you subjoin: “The doctrine of atonement made by Christ is the strongest demonstration, that the wrath to be atoned cannot be in God.” (Page 85.) Who talks of wrath to be atoned? “The wrath to be atoned” is neither sense nor English, though it is a solecism you perpetually run into: (I hope, not on purpose to puzzle the cause:) That the sin to be atoned cannot be in God, we all allow; but it does not affect the question. Once more, to silence all contradiction at once, to stop the mouths of all gainsayers, you say, “This (that there is no anger, no vindictive justice in God, no punishment at all inflicted by him) is openly asserted, constantly affirmed and repeated, in the plainest letter of Scripture.” Whether this, or the very reverse, is true, will appear from a few out of numberless texts, which I shall barely set down, without any comment, and leave to your cool consideration. You say, (1.) There is no vindictive, avenging, or punitive justice in God. (2.) There is no wrath or anger in God.

Above all, how will his bringing the lewd heathem poets to expose the pure and spiritual love of God, naturally cause them to look with the same eyes on the most elevated passages of the inspired writings? What can be more diverting to them than to apply his yAvicvrukpov eporos, “bitter-sweet of love,” to many expressions in the Canticles? (On which, undoubtedly, he supposes the Fair Circassian to be a very just paraphrase 1) “Ay,” say they, “the very case: ‘Stay me with apples; for I am sick of love.’” 7. Probably the Comparer will reply, “No, I do not ridicule the things themselves; repentance, the new birth, the fight of faith, or the love of God; all which I know are essential to religion; but only the folly and the enthusiasm which are blended with these by the Methodists.” But how poor a pre tence is this ! Had this really been the case, how carefully would he have drawn the line under each of these heads, between the sober religion of a Christian, and the enthusiasm of a Methodist! But has he done this? Does he take particular care to show under each what is true, as well as what is false, religion ? where the former ends and the latter begins? what are the proper boundaries of each? Your Lordship knows he does not so much as endeavour it, or take any pains about it; but indiscriminately pours the flood out of his unclean mouth, upon all repentance, faith, love, and holiness. 8. Your Lordship will please to observe that I do not here touch in the least on the merits of the cause. Be the Methodists what they may, fools, madmen, enthusiasts, knaves, impostors, Papists, or anything, yet your Lordship perceives this does not in any degree affect the point in question: Still it behoves every Christian, nay, every reasonable Heathen, to consider the subject he is upon, and to take care not to bring this into contempt, (especially if it be of the last importance,) however inexcusable or contemptible his opponents may be. 9. This consideration, my Lord, dwelt much upon my mind when I read the former parts of the Comparison. Iimmediately saw there was no encountering a buffoon by serious reason and argument. This would naturally have furnished both him and his admirers with fresh matter of ridicule.

p. 34.1, &c.) Well, Sir, here was doubtless a division for a time; but no fierce and rancorous quarrel yet. You say, Thirdly, “They write and publish against each other.” True; but without any degree either of fierceness Or rancOur. You assert, Fourthly, “Mr. Wesley, in his sermon “On Free Grace, opposes the other for the horrible blasphemies of his horrible doctrine.” Sir, away with your flourishes, and write plain English. I opposed the doctrine of predestination, which he held. But without any degree either of rancour or fierceness. Still, therefore, you miss the mark. You quote, Fifthly, these words: “I spent an hour with Mr. Stonehouse. O what Tru6avoMoyva, “persuasiveness of speech, is here ! Surely all the deceivableness of unright eousness.” (Vol. I. p. 290.) But there was no fierceness or rancour on either side. The passage, a fragment of which you produce as a Sixth argument, stands thus: “A few of us had a long conference together. Mr. C. now told me plainly, he could not agree with me, because I did not preach the truth, particularly with regard to election.” He did so; but without any rancour. We had a long conference; but not a fierce one. (Vol. I. p. 293.) You, Seventhly, observe, “What scurrility of language the Moravians throw out against Mr. Wesley!” Perhaps so. But this will not prove that “the Methodists quarrel with each other.” “And how does he turn their own artillery upon them?” This is your Eighth argument. But if I do, this no more proves the “mutual quarrels of the Methodists,” than my turning your own artillery upon you. 33. Having, by these eight irrefragable arguments, clearly carried the day, you raise your crest, and cry out, “Is this Methodism? And reign such mortal feuds in heavenly minds?” Truly, Sir, you have not yet brought one single proof (and yet, I dare say, you have brought the very best you have) of any such feuds among the Methodists as may not be found among the most heavenly-minded men on earth. But you are resolved to pursue your victory, and so go on: “What are we to think of these charges of Whitefield, and Wesley, and the Moravians, one against another?” The Mora vians, Sir, are out of the question; for they are no Methodists; and as to the rest, Mr. Whitefield charges Mr.

Whitefield charges Mr. Wesley with hold ing universal redemption, and I charge him with holding parti cular redemption. This is the standing charge on either side. And now, Sir, “what are we to think?” Why, that you have not proved one point of this charge against the Methodists. However, you stumble on: “Are these things so? Are they true, or are they not true? If not true, they are grievous calumniators; if true, they are detestable sectarists. Whether true or false, the allegation stands good of their fierce and rancorous quarrels, and mutual heinous accusations.” Sir, has your passion quite extinguished your reason? Have fierceness and rancour left you no understanding? Otherwise, how is it possible you should run on at this senseless, shameless rate? These things are true which Mr. Whitefield and Wes ley object to each other. He holds the decrees; I do not: Yet this does not prove us “detestable sectarists.” And whether these things are true or false, your allegation of our “fierce and rancorous quarrels, and mutual heinous accusations,” cannot stand good, without better proof than you have yet produced. 34. Yet, with the utmost confidence, quasi re bene gesta,” you proceed, “And how stands the matter among their dis ciples? They are all together by the ears, embroiled and broken with unchristian quarrels and confusions.” * As though you had accomplished some mighty affair.-EDIT. How do you prove this? Why thus: “Mr. Wesley's Fourth Journal is mostly taken up in enumerating their wrath, dissensions, and apostasies.” No, Sir, not a tenth part of it; although it gives a full and explicit account of the greatest dissensions which ever were among them. But to come to particulars: You First cite these words, “At Oxford, but a few who had not forsaken them.” My words are, “Monday, October 1, 1738. I rode to Oxford, and found a few who had not yet forsaken the assembling themselves together.” This is your First proof that “the Methodists are all together by the ears.” Your Second is its very twin-brother. “Tuesday, 2. I went to many who once heard the word with joy; but ‘when the sun arose they withered away.’” (Vol. I. p. 227.) Your Third is this: “Many were induced (by the Moravians) to deny the gift of God, and affirm they never had any faith at all.” (Ibid. p.

p. 248.) You are at liberty to enjoy this argument also; and let it prove what it can prove. You, Fourthly, cite these words: “Many of our sisters are shaken, grievously torn by reasonings. But few come to Fetter-Lane, and then after their names are called over they presently depart. Our brethren here (those who were pros elytes to the Moravians) have neither wisdom enough to guide, nor prudence enough to let it alone. They (the Moravians) have much confounded some of our sisters, and many of our brothers are much grieved.” (Ibid. p. 255.) This proves thus much, that one society was at that time divided; but not that the Methodists, in general, were, even then, “all together by the ears.” The passage you quote, in the Fifth place, is, “I believe-- are determined to go on according to Mr. Molther's direction, and I suppose (says the writer of the letter) above half our brethren are on their But they are so very confused, they do not know how to go on, and yet are unwilling to be taught, except by the Moravians.” (Ibid.) Add to this: (I recite the whole passages in order; not as you had mangled, and then jumbled them together:) “Wednesday, December 19. I came to London, though with a heavy heart. Here I found every day the dreadful effects of our brethren’s reasoning and disputing with each other. Scarce one in ten retained his first love; and most of the rest were in the utmost confusion,” (they were so, more or less, for several months,) “biting and devouring one another.” This also proves so much, neither more nor less, that some of the Methodists were then in confusion. And just so much is proved by your Sixth quotation: “Many were wholly un settled,” (by the Moravians, taking advantage of my absence,) “ and lost in vain reasonings and doubtful disputations; not likely to come to any true foundation.” (Ibid. p. 259.) Your Seventh quotation (I recite the whole sentence) runs thus: “April 19. I received a letter informing me that our poor brethren at Fetter-Lane were again in great confusion.” This quotation proves just as much as the preceding, or as the following: “The plague” (of false stillness) “was now spread to them also; ” namely, to the “little society at Islington.” (Ibid. p.

p. 269.) Your Ninth is this: “I went to the society, but I found their hearts were quite estranged. Friday, 4. I met a little handful of them, who still stand in the old paths.” (Ibid. p. 280.) Thus far you have been speaking of the Methodists in London. And what have you proved concerning them? Only that the Moravians, mixing with them twelve years ago, while they were young and unexperienced, set them a disputing with each other, and thereby occasioned much confusion for several months. But you have not proved that the Methodists in general were, even them, “all together by the ears; ” and much less, that they have been so ever since, and that they are so now. 35. I now attend you to Kingswood. Not to “Bristol and Kingswood,” which you artfully join together. The society at Bristol was no more concerned with the disputes in Kingswood, than with those in London. Here the First quotation, though containing but two lines, is extracted from three different paragraphs; in one of which I say: “I had many unpleasing accounts (in December, 1740) concerning our little society in Kingswood.” In the Second: “I went to Kingswood, if haply I might repair the breaches which had been made ’’ by the Predestinarian Preachers. In the Third: “I laboured to heal the jealousies and misunder standings which had arisen.” (Vol. I. p. 293.) The Second passage, part of which you quote, is this: “I returned early in the morning to Kingswood; but my con gregation was gone to hear Mr. C.; so that I had not above two or three men, and as many women.” (Ibid. p. 294.) The Third is, “January 1. I explained, “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. But many of our brethren had no ears to hear, having disputed away both their faith and love.” (Ibid. p. 295.) The Fourth, “February 21. I inquired concerning the divi sions and offences which began afresh to break out in Kings wood. In the afternoon I met a few of the Bands; but it was a cold, uncomfortable meeting.” (Ibid. p. 299.) You have picked out here and there a word from several pages, in order to furnish out a Fifth quotation. The most material part of it is this: “Saturday, 28.

The passages you cite to make it good are one and all such as prove nothing less than the points in question; most of them such as you have palpably maimed, corrupted, and strained to a sense never thought of by the writer; many of them such as are flat against you, and overthrow the very point they are brought to support. What can they think, but that this is the most shocking violation of the Christian rule, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself;” the most open affront to all justice, and even common humanity; the most glaring insult upon the common sense and reason of mankind, which has lately appeared in the world? If you say, “But I have proved the charge upon Mr. Whitefield;” admit you have, (which I do not allow,) Mr. Whitefield is not the Methodists; no, nor the societies under his care; they are not a third, perhaps not a tenth, part of the Methodists. What then can excuse your ascribing their faults, were they proved, to the whole body? You indict ten men. Suppose you prove the indictment upon one, will you therefore condemn the other nine? Nay, let every man bear his own burden, since every man must give an account of himself to God. I had occasion once before to say to an opponent, “You know not to show mercy.” Yet that gentleman did regard truth and justice. But you regard neither mercy, justice, nor truth. To vilify, to blacken, is your one point. I pray God it may not be laid to your charge 1 May He show you mercy, though you show none ! I am, Sir, Your friend and well-wisher,

Neither have they (whatever accounts some have given) any such thing as a regular civil government among them. They have no laws of any kind, unless a few temporary rules made in and for the time of war. They are likewise utter strangers to the arts of peace, having scarce any such thing as an artificer in a nation. They know nothing of building; having only poor, miserable, ill-contrived huts, far inferior to many English dog-kennels. Their clothing, till of late, was only skins of beasts, commonly of deer, hanging down before and behind them. Now, among those who have commerce with our nation, it is frequently a blanket wrapt about them. Their food is equally delicate, -pounded Indian corn, sometimes mixed with water, and so eaten at once; sometimes kneaded into cakes, meal and bran together, and half-baked upon the coals. Fish or flesh, dried in the sun, is frequently added to this; and now and then a piece of tough, fresh-killed deer. Such is the knowledge of the Americans, whether in things of an abstruser nature, or in the affairs of common life. And this, so far as we can learn, is the condition of all, without any considerable difference. But, in point of religion, there is a very material difference between the northern and the southern Indians: Those in the north are idolaters of the lowest kind. If they do not worship the devil appearing in person, (which many firmly believe they do, many think in credible,) certainly they worship the most vile and contempt ible idols. It were more excusable if they only “turned the glory of the incorruptible God into the image of corruptible man;” yea, or “of birds, or four-footed beasts, or reptiles,” or any creature which God has made. But their idols are more horrid and deformed than anything in the visible cre ation; and their whole worship is at once the highest affront to the divine, and disgrace to the human, nature. On the contrary, the Indians of our southern provinces do not appear to have any worship at all. By the most diligent inquiry from those who had spent many years among them, I could never learn that any of the Indian nations who border on Georgia and Carolina have any public worship of any kind, nor any private; for they have no idea of prayer.

Nevertheless, there is room to doubt even of their understanding; nay, one of the arguments often brought to prove the greatness, to me clearly demon strates the littleness, of it; namely, the thirty thousand letters of their alphabet. To keep an alphabet of thirty hundred letters could never be reconciled to common sense; since every alphabet ought to be as short, simple, and easy as possible. No more can we reconcile to any degree of common sense, their crippling all the women in the empire, by a silly, senseless affectation of squeezing their feet till they bear no proportion to their bodies; so that the feet of a woman at thirty must still be as small as they would be naturally when four years old. But in order to see the true measure of their understanding in the clearest light, let us look, not at women, or the vulgar, but at the Nobility, the wisest, the politest part of the nation. Look at the Mandarins, the glory of the empire, and see any, every one of them at his meals, not deigning to use his own hands, but having his meat put into his mouth by two servants, planted for that purpose, one on his right hand, the other on his left | O the deep understanding of the noble lubber that sits in the midst, and Hiat, ceu pullus hirundinis / “Gapes, as the young swallow, for his food.” Surely an English ploughman, or a Dutch sailor, would have too much sense to endure it. If you say, “Nay, the Mandarin would not endure it, but that it is a custom ;” I answer, Undoubtedly it is; but how came it to be a custom? Such a custom could not have begun, much less have become gene ral, but through a general and marvellous want of common Sense. What their learning is now, I know not; but notwithstand ing their boast of its antiquity, it was certainly very low and contemptible in the last century, when they were so astonished at the skill of the French Jesuits, and honoured them as almost more than human, for calculating eclipses !

They do not so much as know them. But a man, who is King of France, has a quarrel with another man, who is King of England. So these Frenchmen are to kill as many of these Englishmen as they can, to prove the King of France is in the right. Now, what an argument is this l What a method of proof! What an amazing way of deciding con troversies ! What must mankind be, before such a thing as war could ever be known or thought of upon earth? How shocking, how inconceivable a want must there have been of common understanding, as well as common humanity, before any two Governors, or any two nations in the universe, could once think of such a method of decision ? If, then, all na tions, Pagan, Mahometan, and Christian, do, in fact, make this their last resort, what farther proof do we need of the utter degeneracy of all nations from the plainest principles of reason and virtue P of the absolute want, both of common sense and common humanity, which runs through the whole race of mankind? In how just and strong a light is this placed by the writer cited before l--“I gave him a description of cannons, muskets, pistols, swords, bayonets; of sieges, attacks, mines, countermines, bombardments; of engagements by sea and land; ships sunk with a thousand men, twenty thousand killed on each side, dying groans, limbs flying in the air; smoke, noise, trampling to death under horses’ feet, flight, pursuit, victory; fields strewed with carcases, left for food to dogs and beasts of prey; and, farther, of plundering, stripping, ravishing, burning, and destroying. I assured him, I had seen a hundred enemies blown up at once in a siege, and as many in a ship, and beheld the dead bodies drop down in pieces from the clouds, to the great diversion of the spectators.” Is it not astonishing, beyond all expression, that this is the naked truth? that, within a short term of years, this has been the real case in almost every part of even the Christian world?

The power of godliness consists in the love of God and man; this is heavenly and substantial religion. But no man can possibly “love his neighbour as himself,” till he loves God; and no man can possibly love God, till he truly believes in Christ; and no man truly believes in Christ, till he is deeply con vinced of his own sinfulness, guiltiness, and helplessness. But this no man ever was, neither can be, who does not know he has a corrupt nature. This doctrine, therefore, is the “most proper” of all others “to be instilled into a child:” That it is by nature a “child of wrath,” under the guilt and under the power of sin; that it can be saved from wrath only by the merits, and sufferings, and love of the son of God; that it can be delivered from the power of sin only by the inspiration of his Holy Spirit; but that by his grace it may be renewed in the image of God, perfected in love, and made meet for glory. But “must it not lessen the due love of parents to children, to believe they are the vilest creatures in the world?” (Pages 262,263.) Far from it; if they know how God loves both them and theirs, vile and sinful as they are. And it is a certain fact, that no persons love their children more tenderly, than those who firmly believe this doctrine; and that none are more careful to “bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” But “how can young people “remember’ their “Creator’ without horror, if he has given them life under such de plorable circumstances?” They can remember him with pleasure, with earnest thankfulness, when they reflect “out of ” what a “pit” he hath “brought them up;” and that if “sin abounded,” both by nature and habit, “grace” did “much more abound.” You conclude: “Why should we subject our consciences to tales and fables, invented by Priests and Monks?” (Page 264.) This fable, as you term it, of original sin, could not be invented by Romish Priests or Monks, because it is by many ages older than either; yea, than Christianity itself. I have now weighed, as my leisure would permit, all the arguments advanced in your Three Parts.

You add: “The thing cannot exist, unless we choose; because our choosing to do what is right, is the very thing which is to exist.” No; the thing which is to exist is, a right state of mind. And it is certain, God can give this to any creature, at the very first moment of its existence. Nay, it may be questioned, whether God can create an intelligent being in any other state. “But a habit is gained by repeated acts. Therefore, habits of righteousness could not be created in man.” Mere play ing upon words! He could be, he was, created full of love. Now, whether you call this a habit or no, it is the sum of all righteousness. “But this love is either under the government of my will, or it is not.” It is. The love of God which Adam enjoyed was under the government of his will. “But if so, it could be righteous only so far as applied to right action in heart and life.” (Pages 164, 165.) Stop here. The love of God is righteousness, the moment it exists in any soul; and it must exist before it can be applied to action. Accordingly, it was righteousness in Adam the moment he was created. And yet he had a power either to follow the dictates of that love, (in which case his righteousness would have endured for ever,) or to act contrary thereto; but love was righteousness still, though it was not irresistible. “I might add, Adam’s inclination to sin (for he could not sin without a sinful inclination) must be so strong as to over come his (supposed) inbred propensity to holiness; and so malignant, as to expel that principle at once, and totally. Consequently, the supposed original righteousness was con sistent with a sinful propensity, vastly stronger and more malignant than ever was or can be in any of his posterity; who cannot sin against such resistance, or with such dreadful consequences. Thus, original righteousness in Adam proves far worse than original sin in his posterity.” (Page 166.) I have set down your argnment at large, that it may appear in its full strength. Now, let us view it more closely: “Adam cculd not sin without a sinful inclination.” The sentence is ambiguous.

Hence the perpetual practices of fraud and villany in the commerce of mankind, the innumerable instances of oppression and cruelty which run through the world; the pride and violence of the great; the wrath, ambition, and tyranny of princes, and the endless iniquities and mischiefs that arise from malice, envy, and revenge, in lower people. If we add to these the impure scenes of lust and intemperance, which defy the day and pollute the darkness; with the monstrous barbarities which are con tinually committed by the heathen savages in Africa and America, (some of whom kill and roast their fellow-creatures, and eat up men as they eat bread,) and by the Christian savages in the Inquisition established in Asia, as well as in many parts of Europe; can we still imagine that mankind abide in that state, wherein they came from the hands of their Maker?” (Page 35.) “That far the greatest number of men are evil, was the known sentiment of the wiser Heathens.” (Page 37.) “They saw and bewailed the undeniable fact, though they knew not how to account for it. Ot TAetoves cascot, “Most men are wicked,’ was a common observation among thcm. Even the poets could not but see this obvious truth. So Virgil brings in Anchises, telling his son, “Few are happy in the other world:’-- Pauci laeta arva tenemus. And in this life, Horace remarks of men in general,-- Nitimur in vetitum semper, cupimusque negata. “We are always desiring and pursuing forbidden things.’ Nay, he says,-- Witiis memo sine nascitur. “No man is born without vices; and gives this character of young men in general,-- Cereus in vitium flecti, monitoribus asper. Seneca says just the same,-- Pejora juvenes facile precepta audiunt. ‘Young men readily hearken to evil counsels: They are soft as wax to be moulded into vice, but rough and rugged to their best monitors.’” (Page 38.) “Juvenal abounds with the same accounts of human nature: Quas tam festa dies, ut cesset proderefuren f Ad mores natura recurrit Damnatos, fixa et mutari nescia. Quisnam hominum est, quem tu contentum videris uno Flagitiof Dociles imitandis Turpibus et pravis omnes sumus." “6. And not only they of riper age, but even those of ten der years, discover the principles of iniquity and seeds of sin.

Are these the signals of their Maker’s love, and of his image in which they were created?” (Page 58.) “Think of the numbers that are swallowed up in the mighty waters, by the rage of stormy winds and seas; review the mul titudes which have been swept away by the pestilence, or con sumed by the tedious agonies of famine. Would famine and pestilence, with all the train of lingering horrors which attend them, have ever been made for innocent creatures, to have swept away whole nations of them, of every age and sex, men, women, and children, without distinction?” (Page 59.) “Think yet again what numbers of men have been crushed into miseries and death, and buried by earthquakes; or have had their bones broken, their limbs disjointed, and &leir flesh painfully battered by the fall of houses; perhaps buried alive in the ruins of entire towns or villages, while their neighbours have been drowned in multitudes by the dismal eruptions of water, or destroyed by deluges of liquid fire bursting out of the earth: Would a God of goodness and justice have treated innocent creatures in this manner P” (Page 60.) “Carry your thoughts to the countries of those savages, where thousands of their conquered enemies, or prisoners of war, are offered in sacrifice to their idols, or tortured and roasted to death by slow fires! Add this to all the former miseries, and then let calm reflection say, whether this world does not look like a province half forsaken of its gracious Governor. “Some, perhaps, will say, It is but a small part of mankind who are involved in these dreadful calamities; and they may suffer peculiar afflictions for their own personal iniquities.” (Page 61.) “I answer: Take a just survey of those who have suf fered thus, and there is not the least reason to think they were sinners above others. Do not these calamities spread through whole countries, and involve the best and the worst of men together? Whole nations suffer by them at once. And, indeed, such is the corruption of human nature, that wherever they come they find none innocent. And it is the general situation of mankind, under the just displeasure of God, which exposes them to such destruction. “But to proceed: Think of the innumerable common mis fortunes that attend human life. What multitudes perish by these in one week!

So the Jews: ‘His blood be on us and on our children;’ let us and our children be punished for it ! “Or if a criminal had incurred the penalty of imprison ment, and the State were to permit a friend of his to become his surety, and to be confined in his room, then his crime is said to be imputed to his surety, or to be laid upon him; he bears the iniquity of his friend, by suffering for him. Mean time the crime for which the surety now suffers, is not imputed to the real offender.” (Page 430.) “And should we suppose the Prince to permit this surety to exert himself in some eminent service, to which a reward is promised; and all this in order to entitle the criminal to the promised reward: Then this eminent service may be said to be imputed to the criminal, that is, he is rewarded on the account of it. So in this case, both what his friend has done and suffered is imputed to him. “If a man do some eminent service to his Prince, and he with his posterity are dignified on account of it; then the service performed by the father is said to be imputed to the children also.” (Page 431.) “Now, if, among the histories of nations, we find anything of this kind, do we not easily understand what the writers say? Why then do we judge these phrases, when they are found in the inspired writers, to be so hard to be understood? “But it may be asked, “How can the acts of the parent’s treason be imputed to his little child, since those acts were quite out of the reach of an infant, nor was it possible for him to commit them?” “Or, “How can the eminent service performed by a father be imputed to his child, who is but an infant?’ “I answer: 1. Those acts of treason, or acts of service, are, by a common figure, said to be imputed to the children, when they suffer or enjoy the consequences of their father’s treason or eminent service; though the particular actions of treason or service could not be practised by the children. This would easily be understood, should it occur in a human history: And why not, when it occurs in the sacred writings? “I answer: 2.

1. The Second thing you proposed was, “to throw together all which those Fathers have delivered concerning the persons said to have been endued with the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit.” (Ibid.) “Now, whenever we think or speak with reverence,” say you, “of those primitive times, it is always with regard to these very Fathers whose testimonies I have been collecting. And they were indeed the chief persons and champions of the Christian cause, the Pastors, Bishops, and Martyrs of the primitive Church; namely, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Theo philus, Tertullian, Minutius Felix, Origen, Cyprian, Arnobius, Lactantius.” Sir, you stumble at the threshold. A common dictionary may inform you that these were not all either Pastors, Bishops, or Martyrs. 2. You go on as you set out: “Yet none of these have any where affirmed, that they themselves were endued with any power of working miracles.” (Page 22.) You should say, With any of those extraordinary gifts promised by our Lord, and conferred on his Apostles. No! Have “none of these anywhere affirmed, that they themselves were endued” with any extraordinary.gifts? What think you of the very first of them, Justin Martyr Either you are quite mistaken in the account you give of him elsewhere, (pages 27, 30,) or he affirmed this of himself over and over. And as to Cyprian, you will by and by spend several pages together (page 101, &c.) on the extraordinary gifts he affirmed himself to be endued with. But suppose they had not anywhere affirmed this of them selves, what would you infer therefrom ? that they were not endued with any extraordinary gifts? Then, by the very same method of arguing, you might prove that neither St. Peter, nor James, nor John, were endued with any such. For neither do they anywhere affirm this of themselves in any of the writings which they have left behind them. 3. Your argument concerning the apostolic Fathers is just as conclusive as this. For if you say, “The writers following the apostolic Fathers do not affirm them to have had any miraculous gifts; therefore they had none;” by a parity of reason you must say, “The writers following the Apostles do not affirm them to have had any miraculous gifts; therefore the Apostles had none.” 4.

4. And as he has the strongest affection for the Fountain of all good, so he has the firmest confidence in Him; a confidence which neither pleasure nor pain, neither life nor death, can shake. But yet this, far from creating sloth or indolence, pushes him on to the most vigorous industry. It causes him to put forth all his strength, in obeying Him in whom he con fides. So that he is never faint in his mind, never weary of doing whatever he believes to be His will. And as he knows the most acceptable worship of God is to imitate Him he worships, so he is continually labouring to transcribe into him self all His imitable perfections; in particular, His justice, mercy, and truth, so eminently displayed in all His creatures. 5. Above all, remembering that God is love, he is conformed to the same likeness. He is full of love to his neighbour; of universal love; not confined to one sect or party; not restrained to those who agree with him in opinions, or in out ward modes of worship; or to those who are allied to him by blood, or recommended by nearness of place. Neither does he love those only that love him, or that are endeared to him by intimacy of acquaintance. But his love resembles that of Him whose mercy is over all His works. It soars above all these scanty bounds, embracing neighbours and strangers, friends and enemies; yea, not only the good and gentle, but also the froward, the evil and unthankful. For he loves every soul that God has made; every child of man, of whatever place or nation. And yet this universal benevolence does in nowise interfere with a peculiar regard for his relations, friends, and benefactors; afervent love for his country; and the most endeared affection to all men of integrity, of clear and generous virtue. 6. His love, as to these, so to all mankind, is in itself gene rous and disinterested; springing from no view of advantage to himself, from no regard to profit or praise; no, nor even the pleasure of loving. This is the daughter, not the parent, of his affection. By experience he knows that social love, if it mean.

By experience he knows that social love, if it mean. the love of our neighbour, is absolutely different from self-love, even of the most allowable kind; just as different as the objects at which they point. And yet it is sure, that, if they are under due regulations, each will give additional force to the other, till they mix together never to be divided. 7. And this universal, disinterested love is productive of all right affections. It is fruitful of gentleness, tenderness, sweetness; of humanity, courtesy, and affability. It makes a Christian rejoice in the virtues of all, and bear a part in their happiness; at the same time that he sympathizes with their pains, and compassionates their infirmities. It creates modesty, condescension, prudence, together with calmness and evenness of temper. It is the parent of generosity, openness, and frankness, void of jealousy and suspicion. It begets candour, and willingness to believe and hope whatever is kind and friendly of every man; and invincible patience, never overcome of evil, but overcoming evil with good. 8. The same love constrains him to converse, not only with a strict regard to truth, but with artless sincerity and genuine simplicity, as one in whom there is no guile. And, not content with abstaining from all such expressions as are contrary to justice or truth, he endeavours to refrain from every unloving word, either to a present or of an absent person; in all his con versation aiming at this, either to improve himself in knowledge or virtue, or to make those with whom he converses some way wiser, or better, or happier than they were before. 9. The same love is productive of all right actions. It leads him into an earnest and steady discharge of all social offices, of whatever is due to relations of every kind; to his friends, to his country, and to any particular community, whereof he is a member. It prevents his willingly hurting or grieving any man. It guides him into an uniform practice of justice and mercy, equally extensive with the principle whence it flows. It constrains him to do all possible good, of every possible kind, to all men; and makes him invariably resolved, in every circumstance of life, to do that, and that only, to others, which, supposing he were himself in the same situation, he would desire they should do to him. 10.

Reason, rally, laugh them out of their dead, empty forms, void of spirit, of faith, of love. Convince them, that such mean pageantry (for such it manifestly is, if there is nothing in the heart correspondent with the outward show) is absolutely unworthy, you need not say of God, but even of any man that is endued with common understanding. Show them, that while they are endeavouring to please God thus, they are only beating the air. Know your time; press on; push your victories, till you have conquered all that know not God. And then He, whom neither they nor you know now, shall rise and gird himself with strength, and go forth in his almighty love, and sweetly conquer you all together. 9. O that the time were come ! How do I long for you to be partakers of the exceeding great and precious promise ! How am I pained when I hear any of you using those silly terms, which the men of form have taught you, calling the mention of the only thing you want, cant 1 the deepest wisdom, the highest happiness, enthusiasm What ignorance is this ! How extremely despicable would it make you in the eyes of any but a Christian | But he cannot despise you, who loves you as his own soul, who is ready to lay down his life for your sake. 10. Perhaps you will say, “But this internal evidence of Christianity affects only those in whom the promise is fulfilled. It is no evidence to me.” There is truth in this objection. It does affect them chiefly, but it does not affect them only. It cannot, in the nature of things, be so strong an evidence to others as it is to them. And yet it may bring a degree of evidence, it may reflect some light on you also. For, First, you see the beauty and loveliness of Christianity, when it is rightly understood; and you are sure there is nothing to be desired in comparison of it. Secondly. You know the Scripture promises this, and says, it is attained by faith, and by no other way. Thirdly. You see clearly how desirable Christian faith is, even on account of its own intrinsic value. Fourthly. You are a witness, that the holiness and happiness above described can be attained no other way.

Your meaning, therefore, I suppose, is this: It displays to others how highly he is exalted in justice, mercy, and truth. But the direct contrary of this has been shown at large; it has been shown, by various considerations, that God is not exalted, but rather dishonoured, and that in the highest degree, by supposing him to despise the work of his own hands, the far greater part of the souls which he hath made. And as to the debasing man; if you mean, this opinion truly humbles the men that hold it, I fear it does not: I have not perceived, (and I have had large occasion to make the trial,) that all, or even the generality of them that hold it, are more humble than other men. Neither, I think, will you say, that none are humble who hold it not: So that it is neither a necessary nor a certain means of humility. And if it be so some times, this only proves that God can bring good out of evil. 84. The truth is, neither this opinion nor that, but the love of God, humbles man, and that only. Let but this be shed abroad in his heart, and he abhors himself in dust and ashes. As soon as this enters into his soul, lowly shame covers his face. That thought, “What is God? What hath he done for me?” is immediately followed by, “What am I?” And he knoweth not what to do, or where to hide, or how to abase himself enough, before the great God of love, of whom he now knoweth, that as his majesty is, so is his mercy. Let him who has felt this (whatever be his opinion) say, whether he could then take glory to himself; whether he could ascribe to himself any part of his salvation, or the glory of any good word or thought. Lean, then, who will, on that broken reed for humility; but let the love of God humble my soul! 85. “Why, this is the very thing which recommends it. This doctrine makes men love God.” I answer as before. Accidentally it may; because God can draw good out of evil. But you will not say, all who hold it love God; so it is no certain means to that end.

But you will not say, all who hold it love God; so it is no certain means to that end. Nor will you say, that none love him who hold it not : Neither, therefore, is it a necessary means. But, indeed, when you talk at all of its “making men love God,” you know not what you do. You lead men into more danger than you are aware of You almost unavoid ably lead them into resting on that opinion; you cut them off from a true dependence on the fountain of living waters, and strengthen them in hewing to themselves broken cisterns, which can hold no water. 86. This is my grand objection to the doctrine of reproba tion, or (which is the same) unconditional election. That it is an error, I know ; because, if this were true, the whole Scripture must be false. But it is not only for this--because it is an error--that I so earnestly oppose it, but because it is an error of so pernicious consequence to the souls of men; because it directly and naturally tends to hinder the inward work of God in every stage of it. 87. For instance: Is a man careless and unconcerned, utterly dead in trespasses and sins?--Exhort him then (suppose he is of your own opinion) to take some care of his immortal soul. “I take care!” says he: “What signifies my care? Why, what must be, must be. If I am elect, I must be saved; and if I am not, I must be damned.” And the reasoning is as just and strong, as it is obvious and natural. It avails not to say, “Men may abuse any doctrine.” So they may. But this is not abusing yours. It is the plain, natural use of it. The premises cannot be denied, (on your scheme,) and the conse quence is equally clear and undeniable. Is he a little serious and thoughtful now and then, though generally cold and lukewarm?--Press him then to stir up the gift that is in him; to work out his own salvation with fear and trembling. “Alas,” says he, “what can I do !

For how hard is it to be just to them we hate? to render them their due, either in thought, word, or action? Indeed, we vio late justice by this very thing, by not loving them as ourselves, For we do not render unto all their due; seeing love is due to all mankind. If we “ owe no man anything” beside, do we not owe this, “to love one another?” And where love is totally wanting, what other justice can be expected? Will not a whole train of injurious tempers and passions, of wrong words and actions, naturally follow P So plain, so undeniably plain it is, that this doctrine of the Church of Rome, (to instance at present in no more,) that “all but those of their own Church are accursed,” has a natural tendency to hinder, yea, utterly to destroy, justice. Fourthly. Its natural tendency to destroy mercy is equally glaring and undeniable. We need not use any reasoning to prove this: Only cast your eyes upon matter of fact! What terrible proofs of it do we see in the execrable crusades against the Albigenses! in those horrible wars in the Holy Land, where so many rivers of blood were poured out! in the many millions that have been butchered in Europe, since the begin ning of the Reformation; not only in the open field, but in prisons, on the scaffold, on the gibbet, at the stake I For how many thousand lives, barbarously taken away, has Philip the Second to give an account to God! For how many thousand, that infamous, perfidious butcher, Charles the Ninth of France 1 to say nothing of our own bloody Queen Mary, not much inferior to them I See, in Europe, in America, in the uttermost parts of Asia, the dungeons, the racks, the various tortures of the Inquisition, so unhappily styled, the House of Mercy! Yea, such mercy as is in the fiends in hell ! such mercy as the natives of Ireland, in the last century, showed to myriads of their Protestant countrymen | Such is the mercy which the doctrine of the Church of Rome very naturally inspires! Lastly. The doctrine of the Church of Rome has a natural tendency to destroy truth from off the earth.

This tells me that Christ hath redeemed us (all that believe) from the curse or punishment justly due to our past transgressions of God's law. But it speaks not a word of redeeming us from the law, any more than from love or heaven.” (First Dialogue, page 271.) Ant.--Past transgressions ! “Then who must redeem us from those which are to come, since there remains no more sacrifice for sin?” (Cudworth’s Dialogue.) Friend.--The same Jesus Christ, by the same merit of that one sacrifice, then applied to the conscience when we believe, as you yourself have often asserted. But whatever punish ment he redeems us from, that punishment supposes sin to precede; which must exist first, before there is any possibility of its being either punished or pardoned. Ant.--You have a strange way of talking. You say, “We are forgiven for the sake of the blood of Christ.” (Ibid., page 5.) Friend.--And do not you? Ant.--No ; I say, “We have forgiveness in his blood, and not merely for the sake of it.” Friend.--You are perfectly welcome so to say. Ant.--Well, enough of this. Let me ask you another question. Do you affirm, that salvation is “conditional?” (Ibid.) Friend.--I affirm, “He that believeth shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned.” And can you or any other deny this? If not, why do you fight about a word? especially after I have told you, “Find me a better, and I will lay this aside.” Ant.--“Then this faith leaves you just in the same state it found you; that is, still having the condition to perform.” (Ibid., page 5.) Friend.--Not so; for faith itself is that condition. Ant.--Nay, “faith is only necessary in order to receive forgiveness or salvation; not to procure it by way of condi tion.” (Ibid.) Friend.--Enough, enough. You grant all that I desire. If you allow that “faith is necessary in order to receive forgiveness or salvation,” this is the whole of what I mean by terming it a condition. A procuring or meritorious cause is quite another thing. Ant.--But you say that “faith is not true faith, unless it be furnished with love.” (Ibid., page 6.) Friend.--Furnished with love! Where did you pick up that awkward phrase? I never used it in my life.

So you have fairly given up the whole question, justified your opponents, and condemned yourself as “damnably criminal !” I object, Fourthly, that you have no charity, and that you know not what charity is. That you know not what it is, manifestly appears from the wonderful definition you give of it. “Charity,” you say, “is fellowship with God in his blessedness.” (Page 453.) Muddy, confused, ut nihil supra /* We know, he that loveth hath fellowship with God. But yet the ideas of one and of the other are widely different. We know, “God is love; and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him.” But yet loving him is not the same thing with dwelling in him. If it were, the whole sentence would be flat tautology. You say, 2. Charity is “the love of the truth.” (Page 456.) Not at all: No more than it is the love of the sun. It is the love of God, and of man for God’s sake: No more and no less. You say, 3. “Christ is known to us only by report.” That is not granted. “And charity is the love of that report.” (Page 455.) Every intelligent reader will want no farther proof, that you know not what charity is. No wonder then that you have it not; nay, that you are at the utmost distance, both from the love of God and of your neighbour. You cannot love God, because you do not love your neighbour. For he that loves God, loves his brother also. But such hatred, malevolence, rancour, bitterness, as you show to all who do not exactly fall in with your opinion, was scarce ever seen in a Jew, an Heathen, or a Popish inquisitor.- “Nay, but you abhor persecution. You would persecute no man.” I should be very loath to trust you. I doubt, were it in your power, you would make more bonfires in Smithfield than Bonner and Gardiner put together. But if not, if you would not persecute with fire and faggot, Mirum " Ut neque calce lupus quenquam, neque dente petit bos : + What does this prove? Only that you murder in another way. * So as nothing can exceed it.-EDIT. + The following is Francis's translation of this quotation from Horace : “Wondrous indeed!

Therefore, till heaven and earth pass away, these truths will not pass away. But I do not agree with the author of that tract, in the spirit of the whole performance. It does not seem to breathe either that modesty, or seriousness, or charity, which one would desire. One would not desire to hear any private person, of no great note in the Church or the world, speak, as it were, ex cathedrá, with an air of infallibility, or at least of vast self-sufficiency, on a point wherein men of eminence, both for piety, learning, and office, have been so greatly divided. Though my judgment is nothing altered, yet I often condemn myself for my past manner of speaking on this head. Again: I do not rejoice at observing any thing light or ludicrous in an answer to so serious a paper; and much less in finding any man branded as a Papist, because his doctrine in one particular instance resembles (for that is the utmost which can be proved) a doctrine of the Church of Rome. I can in no wise reconcile this to the grand rule of charity,-- Doing to others as we would they should do to us. Indeed, it is said, “Dr. T. openly defends the fundamental doctrine of Popery, justification by works.” (Page 3.) There fore, “he must be a Papist.” (Page 4.) But here is a double mistake: For, 1. Whatever may be implied in some of his expressions, it is most certain Dr. T. does not openly defend justification by works. 2. This itself, justification by works, is not the fundamental doctrine of Popery, but the universality of the Romish Church, and the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome. And to call any one a Papist who denies these, is neither charity nor justice. I do not agree with the author in what follows: Dr. T. “loses sight of the truth, when he talks of Christ’s having obtained for us a covenant of better hopes; and that faith and repentance are the terms of this covenant. They are not. They are the free gifts of the covenant of grace, not the terms or conditions. To say, ‘Privileges of the covenant art the terms or conditions of it,” is downright Popery.” This is downright calling names, and no better. But it falls on a greater than Dr. T. St.

His very words are, “If you have not these, to pretend to any other feelings is vain and delusive.” I say so too. Meantime, he is undoubtedly sensible, that there is a “consolation in love;” a “peace that passeth all under standing,” and a “joy that is unspeakable and full of glory.” Nor can we imagine him to deny, that these must be felt, inwardly felt, wherever they exist. Upon the whole, I cannot but observe, how extremely difficult it is, even for men who have an upright intention, and are not wanting either in natural or acquired abilities, to understand one another: And how hard it is to do even justice to those whom we do not throughly understand; much more to treat them with that gentleness, tenderness, and brotherly kindness, with which, upon a change of circumstances, we might reasonably desire to be treated ourselves. O when shall men know whose disciples we are, by our “loving one another, as He hath loved us!” The God of love hasten the time ! I am, Dear Sir, Your affectionate servant,

But I doubt whether “mere shrimps” (page 241) be not too low an expression; and whether you might not as well have said nothing of “cod, the standing repast of lent;” or concerning “the exquisite relish of turbot, or the deliciousness of sturgeon.” Are not such observations beneath the dignity of a Minister of Christ? I have the same doubt concerning what is said of “delicately flavoured tea, finely scented coffee, the friendly bowl, the pyramid of Italian figs, and the pastacia-nut of Aleppo.” (Page 264) Beside that the mentioning these in such a manner is a strong encouragement of luxury and sensuality. And does the world need this? The English in particular ! Si non insaniunt satis sua sponte, instiga.* “Those treasures which spring from the imputation of Christ's righteousness.” (Letter 10, p. 271.) Not a word of his atoning blood | Why do so many men love to speak of his righteousness, rather than his atonement? I fear, because it affords a fairer excuse for their own unrighteousness. To cut off this, is it not better to mention both together? at least, never to name the former without the latter? “Faith is a persuasion that Christ has shed his blood for me, and fulfilled all righteousness in my stead.” (Page 285.) I * This quotation from Terence is thus translated by Colman : “If he raves not of himself enough, Do irritate him.”-EDIT. can by no means subscribe to this definition. There are hundreds, yea, thousands of true believers, who never once thought one way or the other of Christ's fulfilling all righteousness in their stead. I personally know many who, to this very hour, have no idea of it; and yet have each of them a divine evidence and conviction, “Christ loved me, and gave himself for me.” This is St. Paul’s account of faith; and it is sufficient. He that thus believes is justified. “It is a sure means of purifying the heart, and never fails to work by love.” (Page 287.) It surely purifies the heart, --if we abide in it; but not if we “draw back to perdition.” It never fails to work by love while it continues; but if itself fail, farewell both love and good works.

I am, with great sincerity, Dear Sir, Your affectionate brother and servant, 3. After waiting near two years, and receiving no answer to the second any more than the first Letter, in 1758 I printed “A Preservative against Unsettled Notions in Religion.” I designed this at first only for the Preachers who were in connexion with me. But I was afterwards induced to think it might be of use to others that were under my care. I designed it for these, and these alone, though I could not help its falling into other hands. Accordingly, I said, “My design in publishing the following Tracts, is not to reclaim, but to preserve.” To preserve those to whom I had frequently and strongly recommended Mr. Hervey’s Dialogues, from what I disapproved of therein, I inserted the above Letter; and that without any addition, as intending it only “for those who already knew the truth,” whom I wished to preserve from everything wrong, while they profited by what was admirably right, in his Dialogues. No wonder there fore that those notes (as Mr. Hervey remarks in the same page) “have rather the air of a caveat than a confutation.” I never intended them for a confutation; and even when I sent them to the press, I designed them merely as a caveat to my friends against imbibing truth and error together. 4. A considerable time after, I was much surprised by an information, that Mr. Hervey “was going to publish against me.” I immediately wrote a short letter to him, which his friends may easily find among his papers. It was to this effect, and, so far as I can recollect, nearly in these words: “After waiting above a year for an answer to my last letter, I printed it in the close of a larger treatise. If you have anything to object to me, I expect that, as a gentleman and a Christian, you will behave to me as I did to you. Send me the letter first. And if I do not give you a satisfactory answer in a year, then publish it to all the world.” I am inclined to believe, this prevented the publication of these papers during his life. And with his dying breath, (I have it under his brother’s hand,) he desired they might not be published at all. How comes it then to be done now?

He speaks plain and downright: “Seeming strictness of behaviour will not justify those who forget, ‘There is a way which seemeth right unto a man; but the end thereof is the way of death.” (Page 46.) Again: “What claim can he have to genuine Christianity, whose professed experience gives God the lie? “Say I these things as a man, or saith not the law the same also ?’ It is a deadly charity that flatters men with a persuasion that they are in the way of life, whom the Scripture pronounces in a way of destruction.” Dr. E.'s charity is of another kind It is Mr. Sandi man’s charity It reminds me of the charity of an Antinomian in London; one, I mean, who was newly recovered from that delusion: “Sir,” said she, “last week I would not have been content to kill you, if I could not have damned you too.” I pray God to deliver me from such charity ! charity, cruel as the gravel But what right have I to complain of Dr. E. ? He has no obligation to me. My speaking of him everywhere as I have done, was a point of justice, not of friendship. I had only the desire, but not the power, of doing him any kindness. I could not say to him, “Nevertheless thou owest me thine own soul also.” I have it not under Dr. E.'s hand, as I have under Mr. Hervey's, “Shall I call you my father, or my friend? You have been both to me.” If those related to me by so near, so tender, ties, thus furiously rise up against me, how much more may a stranger,-one of another nation? “O Absalom, my son, my son 1’’ IN his twenty-first page, Dr. E. says, “How far Mr. Wesley’s Letter was an answer to anything material in the Preface, the reader will best judge by perusing it.” I have annexed it here, that the reader may judge, whether it is not an answer to one very material thing, namely, the charge of “concealing my sentiments,” for which Dr. E. condemns me in the keenest manner, and on which very account he makes no scruple to pronounce me “a thief and a robber.” I need only premise, that I wrote it not out of fear, (as perhaps Dr. E.

I know you will not say so. Meantime, in the main point (justification by faith) I have not wavered a moment for these seven-and twenty years. And I allow all which Mr. Hervey himself contends for, in his entrance upon the subject, --“Come to Jesus as a needy beggar; hang upon him as a devoted pensioner.” And whoever does this, I will be bold to say, shall not perish everlastingly. As to your main objection, convince me that it is my duty to preach on controverted subjects, predestination in par ticular, and I will do it. At present I think it would be a sin. I think it would create still more divisions. And are there not enough already? I have seen a book written by one who styles himself, “Ecclesiae direptae et gementis Presbyter.”* Shall I tear ecclesiam direptam et gementem?t God forbid! No; I will, so far as I can, heal her breaches. And if you really love her, (as I doubt not you do,) why should you hinder me from so doing? Has she so many friends and helpers left, that you should strive to lessen their number? Would you wish to turn any of her friends, even though weak and mistaken, into enemies? If you must contend, have you not Arians, Socinians, Seceders, Infidels, to contend with ; to say nothing of whoremongers, adulterers, Sabbath-breakers, drunkards, common swearers? O ecclesia gemens ! And will you pass by all these, and single out me to fight with? Nay, but I will not. I do and will fight with all these, but not with you. I cannot; I dare not. You are the son of my Father; my fellow-labourer in the gospel of his dear Son. I love your person; I love your character; I love the work wherein you are engaged. And if you will still shoot at me, (because Mr. Hervey has painted me as a monster) even with arrows drawn from Bishop Warburton’s quiver, (how unfit for Mr. 's hand!) I can only say, as I always did before, The Lord Jesus bless you in your soul, in your body, in your relations, in your work, in whatever tends to his own glory ! I am, Dear Sir, Your affectionate brother, • A Presbyter of a pillaged and groaning Church.-EDIT. + This Church which is torn asunder and groaning.--EDIT.

Some Remarks on Mr. Hill's Farrago Double Distilled Source: The Works of John Wesley, Volume 10 (Zondervan) Author: John Wesley --- 1. IT is far from my design to give a particular answer to everything contained in Mr. Hill’s late treatise. I intend only to offer to the impartial reader a few cursory remarks, which may partly explain and partly confirm what I have already said upon the subject. 2. “Poor Mr. Wesley,” says Mr. Hill, opening his cause with native eloquence, “has published various tracts, out of which Mr. Hill collects above an hundred gross contradictions. At this Mr. W.’s temper is much ruffled; ” (I believe not; I am not sensible of it;) “he primes, cocks, and fires at Calvinism; and there is smoke and fire in plenty. But if you can bear the stench, (which indeed is very nauseous,) there is no danger of being wounded. He calls this last cannon, or pop-gun, “Remarks’ on my Review. Men of sense say, it is quite unfit for duty; men of grace compas sionate the caster of it; men of pleasantry laugh heartily at it; but some good old women speak highly of it.” (Pages 3--5.) I give this passage at some length, as a genuine specimen of Mr. Hill's manner of writing. 3. But as Mr. Hill did not “choose to prefix his name, it argued no great proof of Mr. W.’s politeness, to address him in the personal manner he has done.” Which of us began? Was it not Mr. Hill? Did not he address me in a personal manner first? And some, beside the old women, are of opinion, he did not do it in the politest manner in the world. 4. “Mr. W. would have us know, that his piece is written in much love. But what love? Love to his own incon sistencies; love of scolding, love of abuse. Let the reader find out any other sort of love through the whole performance.” In order to judge whether I wrote in love or no, let any one read the words he has picked out of fifty-four pages, just as they stand connected with others in each page; it will then appear they are not contrary either to love or meekness. 5. But Mr. W. says, Mr. Hill “is unworthy the name either of the gentleman or the Christian; and is amazed that Mr.

It is the most egregious trifling that can be conceived. I affirm, “Those perfected in love are saved from inward sin.” To prove I contradict myself herein, fourteen passages are alleged, wherein I affirm, “We are not saved from inward sin, till we are ‘perfected in love.’” (3.) The same fallacy is used in every instance, when some of my words are set in opposition to others. The sum is, - weak believers, babes in Christ, are not, adult believers are, saved from inward sin. And I still aver, there is no contra diction in this, if I know what a contradiction means. Now to the proofs:-- 76. “The Son hath made them who are thus ‘born of “They are sensible of pride remaining in their hearts.” God’ free from pride.” They? Who? Not those who are thus “born of God,” who are “perfected in love.” 77. “From the iniquity of pride, And self, I shall be free.” That is, when I am “perfected in love.” 78. “They are freed from wanderings in prayer.” “God’s children are daily sensible of pride and self will.” That is, till they are “perfected in love.” Is this spoken of all be lievers? Mr. H. knows it is not. 79. “Christians are saved from all sin, from all unrighte ousness.” 80. “They (adult Chris tians) are freed from all evil thoughts and evil tempers.” 81. “They (fathers in Christ) are freed from evil thoughts.” True, adult Christians. “The (infant) children of God have in them sin of every kind.” “The evil nature opposes the Spirit even in believers,” --till they arefathers in Christ. 82. “Christ was free from sinful thoughts. So are they likewise,”--adult believers. 83. “I believe some would say, ‘We trust we do keep the whole law of love.’” “This doctrine (that all be lievers are thus free) is wholly new.” “Believers are conscious of not fulfilling the whole law of love;” not till they are “per fected in love.” The reader will please to remember all along, the question is not whether the doctrine be right or wrong, (that has been elsewhere considered,) but whether I contradict myself. Upwards of fourscore witnesses have been already examined on this head; but no contradiction is proved yet. 84. “Some do love God with “They (weak believers) do all their heart and strength.” not love God with all their heart and strength.” 85.

An Answer to Mr. Rowland Hill's Imposture Detected Source: The Works of John Wesley, Volume 10 (Zondervan) Author: John Wesley --- IN a tract just published by Mr. Rowland Hill, there are several assertions which are not true; and the whole pamphlet is wrote in an unchristian and ungentlemanlike manner. I shall first set down the assertions in order, and then proceed to the manner. I. 1. “Throughout the whole of Paul's Epistles, he can scarcely write a single line without mentioning Christ.” (Page 3.) I just opened on the fifteenth chapter of the First Epistle to the Corinthians. In the last thirty verses of this chapter, how often does he mention Christ? In every single line? 2. “In that wretched harangue, which he calls a sermon, he makes himself the only subject of his own panegyrics.” (Page 4.) Being aware of this charge, I have said, “I am, in one respect, an improper person to give this information; as it will oblige me frequently to speak of myself, which may have the appearance of ostentation. But, with regard to this, I can only cast myself upon the candour of my hearers; being persuaded they will put the most favourable construction upon what is not a matter of choice, but of necessity. For there is no other person, if I decline the task, who can supply my place, who has a perfect knowledge of the work in question, from the beginning of it to this day.” (Sermons, Vol. VII., p. 420.) I give an account of the rise of this work at Oxford, from 1725 to 1735, pages 421, 422; at London and elsewhere, pages 422,423. In all this there is not a line of panegyric upon myself, but a naked recital of facts. Nor is there any panegyric on any one in the following pages, but a plain account of the Methodist doctrines. It may be observed, (if it is worth observing,) that I preached in the open air in October, 1735. Mr. Whitefield was not then ordained. 3. “Not a single line tending to vindicate, or illustrate, any one fundamental doctrine of the gospel appears throughout the whole.” (Imposture Detected, p. 4.) Yes: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God,” is one fundamental doctrine of the gospel: “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself,” is another. And both these are vindicated and illustrated for several pages together. 4.

21. “He says he will no more continue in fellowship with Calvinists than with thieves, drunkards, or common swearers.” No; I say I will have no fellowship with those who rail at their governors, (be they Calvinists or Arminians,) who speak all manner of evil of them in private, if not in public too. “Such is the character he gives of the Calvinistic Method ists.” (Page 31.) I do not; no more than of the Arminians. But I know there have been such among them: If they are wiser now, I am glad. In the mean time let him wear the cap whom it fits, be it Mr. Wilkes or Mr. Hill himself. 22. “This apostate miscreant” (civil!) “invites the King and his ministers to fall upon”--whom ? those who “rail at their governors, who speak all manner of evil of them, in private, if not in public too.” I am glad they cry out, though before they are hurt; and I hope they will cease to speak evil of dignities, before those who bear not the sword in vain fall upon them, not for their opinion, but their evil practices. 23. “He says, Calvinists and all Dissenters are rebels.” (Page 32.) I never said or thought so. “But a few years ago, he himself thought the Americans were in the right.” I did; for then I thought that they sought nothing but legal liberty: But as soon as I was convinced they sought independency, I knew they were in the wrong. Mr. Evans's low and scurrilous tracts have been confuted over and over. 24. “He trumpets himself forth as the greatest man that has ever lived since Constantine the Great.” (Page 37.) This too is in italics; it might have been in capitals; but it is an utter falsehood. Mr. Hill might as well have said, “He trum pets himself forth as the King of Great Britain.” The passage to which I suppose he alludes, and the only one he can allude to, is this: “When has true religion, since the time of Constantine the Great, made so large a progress within so small a space?” (Sermons, Vol. VII., p. 425.) Is this “trumpeting myself forth as the greatest man that has ever lived since” then 7 25.

425.) Is this “trumpeting myself forth as the greatest man that has ever lived since” then 7 25. “All his disciples are commanded not to read what is wrote against him.” (Imposture Detected, page 38.) No; it is the Tabernacle disciples are commanded not to read Mr. Fletcher. And reason good; for there is no resisting the force of his arguments. Thousands, if they read them with any candour, would see that “God willeth all men to be saved.” 26. Mr. Hill concludes: “I should have been glad to have addressed him in the softest and most tender style. But those are weapons he turns to ridicule.” (Page 39.) When? Show me a single instance. Indeed I never was tried. What Calvinist ever addressed me in a soft and tender style? And which of them did I turn to ridicule? I am utterly guiltless in this matter. II. 1. I have now done with the merits of the cause, having refuted the charge in every article. And as to the manner, let any man of candour judge, whether I have not spoken the truth in love. I proceed now to take some notice of the manner wherein Mr. Hill speaks: To illustrate which, I need only present a few of his flowers to the impartial reader. 2. “All the divinity we find in this wretched harangue which he calls a sermon, are a few bungling scraps of the religion of nature, namely, love to God and love to man, which an Heathen might have preached as well as Mr. John; ” (polite ) “and probably in a much better manner. Erase half a dozen lines, and I defy any one to discover whether the lying apostle of the Foundery be a Jew, a Papist, a Pagan, or a Turk.” (Page 4.) “Else I should have treated his trumpery with the silence and contempt it deserves. But to see Mr. Whitefield scratched out of his grave by the claws of this designing wolf.” (there is a metaphor for you!) “is enough to make the very stones cry out, or (which would be a greater miracle still) redden even a Wesley's forehead with a blush.” (Page 5.) I think it would be a greater miracle still to make a wolf blush. “The dictatorial Mr.

I do not say all the religious world; but all that have the smallest portion of common sense and common humanity. Setting every thing else aside, suppose him to be my superior in rank, fortune, learning, and understanding: Is this treat ment for a young man to give to an old one, who, at least, is no fool, and who, before Mr. Hill was born, was in a more honourable employ than he is ever likely to be? What can inspire this young hero with such a spirit, and fill his mouth with such language? Is it any credit to his person, or to his cause ? What can men think either of one or the other? If he does not reverence me, or common decency, should he not reverence himself? Why should he place himself on a level with “the ragged legion of tinkers, scavengers, draymen, chimney-sweepers?” Nay, there are many of these who would be ashamed to let such language come out of their mouth. If he writes any more, let him resume the scholar, the gentleman, and the Christian. Let him remember Him who “left us an example, that we might tread in his steps: In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves, perad venture God may bring them to the knowledge of the truth.” LoNDoN, June 28, 1777.

An Address to the Clergy Source: The Works of John Wesley, Volume 10 (Zondervan) Author: John Wesley --- BRETHREN AND FATHERs, LET it not be imputed to forwardness, vanity, or pre sumption, that one who is of little esteem in the Church takes upon him thus to address a body of people, to many of whom he owes the highest reverence. I owe a still higher regard to Him who I believe requires this at my hands; to the great Bishop of our souls; before whom both you and I must shortly give an account of our stewardship. It is a debt I owe to love, to real, disinterested affection, to declare what has long been the burden of my soul. And may the God of love enable you to read these lines in the same spirit wherewith they were wrote It will easily appear to an unprejudiced reader, that I do not speak from a spirit of anger or resentment. I know well, “the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.” Much less would I utter one word out of contempt; a spirit justly abhor red by God and man. Neither of these can consist with that earnest, tender love, which is the motive of my present undertaking. In this spirit I desire to cast my bread upon the waters; it is enough if I find it again after many days. Meantime, you are sensible, love does not forbid, but rather require, plainness of speech. Has it not often constrained you, as well as me, to lay aside, not only disguise, but reserve also; and “by manifestation of the truth to commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God?” And while I endeavour to do this, let me earnestly entreat you, for the love of God, for the love of your own soul, for the love of the souls committed to your charge, yea, and of the whole Church of Christ, do not bias your mind, by thinking who it is that speaks; but impartially consider what is spoken. And if it be false or foolish, reject it; but do not reject “the words of truth and soberness.” My first design was, to offer a few plain thoughts to the Clergy of our own Church only.

Would it be possible for a parent to go through the pain and fatigue of bearing and bringing up even one child, were it not for that vehement affection, that inexpressible sopy", which the Creator has given for that very end? How much less will it be possible for any Pastor, any spiritual parent, to go through the pain and labour of “travailing in birth for,” and bringing up, many children to the measure of the full stature of Christ, without a large measure of that inexpressible affection which “a stranger intermeddleth not with !” He therefore must be utterly void of understanding, must be a madman of the highest order, who, on any consideration whatever, undertakes this office, while he is a stranger to this affection. Nay, I have often wondered that any man in his senses does not rather dig or thresh for a livelihood, than continue therein, unless he feels at least (which is extremá lined amare+) such an earnest concern for the glory of God, and such a thirst after the salvation of souls, that he is ready to do anything, to lose anything, or to suffer anything, rather than one should perish for whom Christ died. And is not even this degree of love to God and man utterly inconsistent with the love of the world; with the love of money or praise; with the very lowest degree of either ambition or sensuality? How much less can it consist with that poor, low, irrational, childish principle, the love of diversions? (Surely, even a man, were he neither a Minister nor a Christian, should “put away childish things.”) Not only this, but the love of pleasure, and what lies still deeper in the soul, the love of ease, flees before it. (3.) As to his practice: “Unto the ungodly, saith God, Why dost thou preach my laws?” What is a Minister of Christ, a shepherd of souls, unless he is all devoted to God? unless he abstain, with the utmost care and diligence, from every evil word and work; from all appearance of evil; yea, from the most innocent things, whereby any might be offended or made weak? Is he not called, above others, to be an example to the flock, in his private as well as public character? * This quotation from Terence is thus translated by Colman : “Love in its last degree.”--EDIT.

If it does, not unto me, but unto God be the praise ! If it does not, “God be merciful to me a sinner !” At least, do I feel such a concern for the glory of God, and such a thirst after the salvation of men, that I am ready to do any thing, however contrary to my natural inclination, to part with anything, however agreeable to me, to suffer anything, however grievous to flesh and blood, so I may save one soul from hell? Is this my ruling temper at all times and in all places? Does it make all my labour light? If not, what a weariness is it! what a drudgery ! Had I not far better hold the plough? But is it possible this should be my ruling temper, if I still love the world? No, certainly, if I “love the world, the love of the Father is not in” me. The love of God is not in me, if I love money, if I love pleasure, so called, or diversion. Neither is it in me, if I am a lover of honour or praise, or of dress, or of good eating and drinking. Nay, even indolence, or the love of ease, is inconsistent with the love of God. What a creature then is a covetous, an ambitious, a 'luxurious, an indolent, a diversion-loving Clergyman | Is it any wonder that infidelity should increase, where any of these are to be found? that many, comparing their spirit with their profession, should blaspheme that worthy name whereby they are called? But “woe be unto him by whom the offence cometh ! It were good for that man if he had never been born.” It were good for him now, rather than he should continue to turn the lame out of the way, “that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the depth of the sea!” (3.) May not you who are of a better spirit consider, Thirdly, Am I such as I ought to be with regard to my practice? Am I, in my private life, wholly devoted to God? Am I intent upon this one thing,-to do in every point “not my own will, but the will of Him that sent me?” Do I carefully and resolutely abstain from every evil word and work?

If then you that are parents will be so wise and kind to your children as to wave every other consideration, and to choose for their sponsors those persons alone who truly fear and serve God; if some of you who love God, and love one another, agree to perform this office of love for each other's children; and if all you who undertake it perform it faith fully, with all the wisdom and power God hath given you; what a foundation of holiness and happiness may be laid, even to your late posterity ! Then it may justly be hoped, that not only you and your house, but also the children which shall be born, shall serve the Lord. ATHLoNE, August 6, 1752.

I shall not deny to Mr. Grenville the merit of bringing in a bill for remedying this grievance; but its passing as it did is a certain proof that the pretended influence of admi mistration over a majority of the House is a mere bugbear, held forth for private views by the present opposition. “During the whole session, the House of Lords behaved with that dignity and unalterable firmness which became the first assembly in a great nation. Attacked with impertinent scurrility, they smiled upon rage, and treated the ravings of a despotic tribune with contempt. When, with an infamous perversion of his pretended love to freedom, he attempted to extend the control of the Peers to the resolutions of the representatives of the people, they nobly rejected the golden bait; and scorned to raise the dignity of their House upon the ruins of the other. They, in short, throughout the session, showed a spirit that disdained to be braved, a magnanimity that diminished their own personal power for the ease and comfort of the inferior subject. “If the conduct of Parliament is in any instance blamable, it is in a lenity that is inconsistent with the vulgar idea of political courage. They have been attacked with scurrility in the Lower House; in the Upper, they have been treated with indecency and disrespect. Their prudence and love for the public peace prevailed over their resentment. They knew that legal punishment is in these times the road to popularity; and they were unwilling to raise insignificant men into a consequence that might disturb the State.” So far we have gained. We have removed the imaginary causes of the present commotions. It plainly appears, they are not owing to the extraordinary badness, either of the King, of his Parliament, of his Ministers, or of the measures which they have taken. To what then are they owing? What are the real causes of this amazing ferment among the people? Before I say anything on this subject, let me remind you: once more, that I do not dictate; I do not take upon me to: affirm anything, but simply tell you what I think. I think, the first and principal spring of the whole motion is French. gold.

Unheard-of cruelties were practised there, from soon after the Restoration till the Revolution.* What fining, plundering, beating, maiming, imprisoning, with the most shocking circumstances ! For a specimen, look at Dunotter Castle; where young and old, of both sexes, (sick or well, it was all one,) were thrust together between bare walls, and that in the heat of summer, without a possibility of either lying or sitting; yea, without any convenience of any kind; till many of them, through hunger, thirst, heat, and stench, were set at liberty by death ! Considering this; considering how many others were hunted over their native mountains, and shot whenever they were overtaken, with no more ceremony than beasts; considering the drowning, hanging, cutting off of limbs, and various arts of torturing, which were practised by order of King Charles, and often in the presence of King James, who seemed to enjoy such spectacles; it would be no wonder if the very name of an Englishman was had in abomination from the Tweed to the Orkneys.- 19. But is this the case at present with us? Are we abridged of our religious liberty? His late Majesty was desired, about thirty years ago, to take a step of this kind. But his answer was worthy of a King, yea, the King of a free people: “I tell you, while I sit on the English throne, no man shall be persecuted for conscience' sake.” And it is certain he made his promise good from the beginning of his reign to the end. But perhaps the case is altered now. Does His present Majesty tread in his steps? He does: He persecutes no man for conscience sake. If he does, where is the man? I do not ask, Whom has he committed to the flames, or caused to die by the common hangman 7 or, Whom has he caused to die many deaths, by hunger and thirst, cold and nakedness? but, Whom has he tortured or thrust into a dungeon, yea, or imprisoned at all, or fined, for worshipping God according to his own conscience, in the Presbyterian or any other way? O, compare King Charles, gracious Charles the Second, with King George, and you will know the value of the liberty you enjoy. 20. In the name of wonder, what religious liberty can you desire, or even conceive, which you have not already?

But none did ever maintain this, nor probably ever will. Therefore this boasted principle falls to the ground, and the whole superstructure with it. So common sense brings us back to the grand truth, “There is no power but of God.”

A battle was fought, which lasted three days. And the engagement was so bloody, that four thousand five hundred men were slain upon the spot.” Such is the manner wherein the Negroes are procured ! Thus the Christians preach the Gospel to the Heathens ! 5. Thus they are procured. But in what numbers and in what manner are they carried to America? Mr. Anderson, in his History of Trade and Commerce, observes: “England supplies her American colonies with Negro slaves, amounting in number to about an hundred thousand every year;” that is, so many are taken on board our ships; but at least ten thousand of them die in the voyage; about a fourth part more die at the different islands, in what is called the season ing. So that at an average, in the passage and seasoning together, thirty thousand die; that is, properly, are murdered. O Earth, O Sea, cover not thou their blood | 6. When they are brought down to the shore in order to be sold, our Surgeons thoroughly examine them, and that quite naked, women and men, without any distinction; those that are approved are set on one side. In the mean time, a burning-iron, with the arms or name of the company, lies in the fire, with which they are marked on the breast. Before they are put into the ships, their masters strip them of all they have on their backs: So that they come on board stark naked, women as well as men. It is common for several hundred of them to be put on board one vessel, where they are stowed together in as little room as it is possible for them to be crowded. It is easy to suppose what a condition they must soon be in, between heat, thirst, and stench of various kinds. So that it is no wonder, so many should die in the passage; but rather, that any survive it. 7. When the vessels arrive at their destined port, the Negroes are again exposed naked to the eyes of all that flock together, and the examination of their purchasers. Then they are separated to the plantations of their several masters, to see each other no more.

But you well know how populous, how fruitful, how pleasant it was a few years ago. You know, the people were not stupid, not wanting in sense, considering the few means of improvement they enjoyed. Neither did you find them savage, fierce, cruel, treacherous, or unkind to strangers. On the contrary, they were, in most parts, a sensible and ingenious people. They were kind and friendly, courteous and obliging, and remarkably fair and just in their dealings. Such are the men whom you hire their own countrymen to tear away from this lovely country; part by stealth, part by force, part made captives in those wars which you raise or foment on purpose. You have seen them torn away,+children from their parents, parents from their children; husbands from their wives, wives from their beloved husbands, brethren and sisters from each other. You have dragged them who had never done you any wrong, perhaps in chains, from their native shore. You have forced them into your ships like an herd of swine,--them who had souls immortal as your own; only some of them leaped into the sea, and resolutely stayed under water, till they could suffer no more from you. You have stowed them together as close as ever they could lie, without any regard either to decency or convenience. And when many of them had been poisoned by foul air, or had sunk under various hardships, you have seen their remains delivered to the deep, till the sea should give up his dead. You have carried the survivors into the vilest slavery, never to end but with life; such slavery as is not found among the Turks at Algiers, no, nor among the Heathens in America. 3. May I speak plainly to you? I must. Love constrains me; love to you, as well as to those you are concerned with. Is there a God? You know there is. Is he a just God? Then there must be a state of retribution; a state wherein +he just God will reward every man according to his works. Then what reward will he render to you? O think betimes ! before you drop into eternity | Think now, “He shall have judgment without mercy that showed no mercy.” Are you a man? Then you should have an human heart. But have you indeed? What is your heart made of?

A Calm Address to the Inhabitants of England Source: The Works of John Wesley, Volume 11 (Zondervan) Author: John Wesley --- 1. AbouT a year and a half ago, being exceedingly pained at what I saw or heard continually, I wrote a little tract entitled, “A Calm Address to our American Colonies;” but the ports being just then shut up by the Americans, I could not send it abroad, as I designed. However, it was not lost; within a few months, fifty, or perhaps an hundred thousand copies, in newspapers and otherwise, were dispersed throughout Great Britain and Ireland. The effect exceeded my most sanguine hopes. The eyes of many people were opened; they saw things in a quite different light. They perceived, and that with the utmost clearness, how they had been hoodwinked before. They found, they had been led unawares into all the wilds of political enthusiasm, as far distant from truth and common sense, as from the real love of their country. 2. I am encouraged hereby to address myself 3nce more, not indeed to my countrymen afar off, but to you who remain in your native land, who are inhabitants of old England. I have no private views in doing this. I attend no great man’s table. I have nothing to ask, either of the King, or any of his Ministers. You may easily believe this; for if I had sought wealth or preferment half a century ago, I should hardly think it worth while to seek it now, when I have one foot in the grave. But I have a view to contribute all that in me lies to the public welfare and tranquillity. A flame was studiously kindled some time since, which threatened to involve the whole nation. By the blessing of God, it is greatly checked; it does not spread, or blaze as formerly. But it is not quite put out. I wish to quench the remains of that evil fire. 3.

3. My view is, as far as is possible, to lessen, if not remove, the misunderstandings under which many honest, well-meaning men are labouring to this day; misunderstand ings which have caused much animosity, nay, much bitterness and rancour in their minds against those who equally “strive to have a conscience void of offence towards God and towards man.” I would fain have all these duly sensible of the blessings which they enjoy; that they may be thankful to the Giver of every blessing, and may love one another as He has loved us. 4. Surely every man of candour and humanity must wish well to such an attempt; in the prosecution of which I will first endeavour to set down, in as plain and artless a manner as I can, according to the best light I have, the real state of those affairs which have occasioned these misunderstandings; and then add two or three short reflections, which I con ceive naturally deducible therefrom. 5. And, First, I will set down, in as plain and artless a manner as I can, according to the best light I have, the real state of those affairs which have occasioned these misunder standings. I have perhaps had some means of information which many others have not had. Over and above those accounts which have been published, I have had abundance of letters from persons in America, on whose judgment, veracity, and impartiality I could safely depend; especially from the provinces of New-York, Virginia, Maryland, and Penn sylvania. I have likewise had the opportunity of conversing freely and largely with many that came from those provinces, and of comparing together the accounts of those who were attached to one or the other party. And I shall endeavour to deliver the plain facts, without speculations concerning them. 6. In the year 1737, my brother took ship, in order to return from Georgia to England. But a violent storm drove him up to New-England; and he was for some time detained at Boston.

increasing or decreasing?” Increasing or decreasing, in what respects? I beg leave to offer you, on this head, some of the most sensible remarks I have seen on the subject, with some little variations and additions: “The state of the nation has respect to nine capital articles; population, agriculture, manufactures; the land and fresh-water carriage of goods, salt-water carriage of goods; the state of our fisheries at home and abroad, the tendency of our taxes, the clear amount of the revenue, and the national debt. All of these, taken together, form that complex idea which we call ‘the state of the nation.’ “In order therefore to know the state of the nation, we should compare each of these articles, as they subsist at present, with the like articles as they subsisted in some former period, in order to see whether our national affairs have gone backward or forward since that time. And what time more proper than the year 1759?--that period of glory and of conquest, when everything was supposed to go right, as we are told that everything now goes wrong.” 1. “Im regard to population, it is to be feared that our numbers have decreased since the year 1759.” This has been boldly affirmed, and that over and over; yet I cannot allow it by any means; and I have such opportunities of being informed as few persons in England have; as I see almost all the large towns in the kingdom, once in two years at least, and can there fore make these inquiries on the spot, as minutely as I please. We may allow, that within this time, twenty or thirty thousand English soldiers have been sent abroad. Allow, likewise, seventy or eighty thousand emigrants, from England and Scotland only. Hereby there is a decrease of an hundred thousand, within less than twenty years. I read likewise, in a very beautiful Poem, of a “Deserted”--what? province? county? metropolis ? No-‘‘Village,” somewhere on the Wiltshire Downs! Yet not quite deserted; for a gentleman who lives there informs me, he cannot learn it has had more inhabitants within these hundred years than it has at this day. I allow too, that some of the villages near the Land’s End are less populous than formerly; but what is all this loss, taken together, in comparison of the increase?

Yea, if they only ride on the outside. See here the grand cause (together with intem perance) of our innumerable nervous complaints | For how imperfectly do either medicines or the cold bath supply the place of exercise ! without which the human body can no

But what, if none of the candidates have these fruits? Then vote for him that loves the King, King George, whom. the wise providence of God has appointed to reign over us. He ought to be highly esteemed in love, even for his office’ sake. A King is a lovely, sacred name. He is a Minister of God unto thee for good. How much more such a King, as has been, in many respects, a blessing to his subjects | You may easily know those who love him not; for they generally glory in their shame. They “are not afraid to speak evil of dignities;” no, not even of the “ruler of their people.” Perhaps you will say, “But I love my country; therefore I am for the country interest.” I fear you know not what you say. Are you against your King because you love your country? Who taught you to separate your King from your country? to set one against the other? Be assured, none that loves either. True lovers of their country do not talk in this senseless manner. Is not the interest of the King of England, and of the country of England, one and the same? If the King is destroyed, doth it profit the country? if the country, does it profit the King? Their interest cannot be divided. The welfare of one is the welfare of both. Have you an objection of a different kind? Do you say, “I am for the Church? The Church of England for ever ! Therefore I vote for ; he is a true Churchman, a lover of the Church.” Are you sure of that? Friend, think a little. What kind of a Churchman is he? a whoring Church man, a gaming Churchman, a drunken Churchman, a lying Churchman, a cursing and swearing Churchman? or a red hot persecuting Churchman, that would send all Dissenters to the devil at a clap? For shame ! for shame ! Do you call a man a Churchman, who knows no more of God than a Turk? call a man a Churchman, that does not even pretend to so much religion as would serve an honest Heathem? He is a lover of the Church who is a lover of God, and conse quently of all mankind. Whoever else talks of loving the Church, is a cheat. Set a mark upon that man.

Set a mark upon that man. Above all, mark that man who talks of loving the Church, and does not love the King. If he does not love the King, he cannot love God. And if he does not love God, he cannot love the Church. He loves the Church and the King just alike. For indeed he loves neither one nor the other. O beware, you who truly love the Church, and therefore cannot but love the King; beware of dividing the King and the Church, any more than the King and country. Let others do as they will, what is that to you? Act you as an honest man, a loyal subject, a true Englishman, a lover of the country, a lover of the Church; in one word, a Christian one that fears nothing but sin, that seeks nothing but heaven, and that desires nothing but God; nothing but glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will towards men I

14 Lord, I abhor, renounce, abjure, The fiery spirit unclean, The persecuting zeal impure, The sin-opposing sin. 15 Let others draw, with fierce despite, The eradicating sword, And with the devil's weapons fight, The battles of the Lord. 16 But O' my gracious God, to me A better spirit impart; The gentle mind that was in thee, The meekly loving heart. 17 The heart whose charity o'erflows To all, far off, and near ; True charity to friends and foes, Impartially sincere. 18 Heathens, and Jews, and Turks, may I, And heretics embrace; Nor e'en to Rome the love deny I owe to all the race.

And does not your conscience condemn you for stealing? Then your conscience is asleep. I pray God to smite you to the heart, and awaken it this day ! 4. “Nay, but my soul is quite happy in the love of God; therefore I cannot think it is wrong.” I answer, Wrong it must be, if the Bible is right. Therefore either that love is a mere delusion, a fire of your own kindling, or God may have hitherto winked at the times of ignorance. But now you have the means of knowing better; now light is offered to you; and if you shut your eyes against the light, the love of God cannot possibly continue. 5. “But I only buy a little brandy or tea now and then, just for my own use.” That is, I only steal a little. God says, “Steal not at all.” 6. “Nay, I do not buy any at all myself; I only send my child or servant for it.” You receive it of them; do you not? And the receiver is as bad as the thief. 7. “Why, I would not meddle with it, but I am forced by my parent, husband, or master.” If you are forced by your father or mother to rob, you will be hanged neverthe less. This may lessen, but does not take away, the fault; for you ought to suffer rather than sin. 8. “But I do not know that it was run.” No! Did not he that sold it tell you it was? If he sold it under the common price, he did. The naming the price was telling you, “This is run.” 9. “But I do not know where to get tea which is not run.” I will tell you where to get it; you may have it from those whose tea is duly entered, and who make a conscience of it. But were it otherwise, if I could get no wine but what I knew to be stolen, I would drink water; yea, though not only my health but my life depended upon it; for it is better to die than to live by thieving. 10.

I know thou hast provided me with all necessary helps for carrying me through this life to that eternal glory, and this out of the excess of thy pure mercy to me, unworthy of all mercies. I know thou hast promised to be thyself my “exceeding great reward;” though it is thou alone who thyself “workest in me, both to will and to do of thy good pleasure.” Upon these, and many other titles, I confess it is my duty to love thee, my God, with all my heart. Give thy strength unto thy servant, that thy love may fill my heart, and be the motive of all the use I make of my understanding, my affections, my senses, my health, my time, and whatever other talents I have received from thee. Let this, O God, rule my heart without a rival; let it dispose all my thoughts, words, and works; and thus only can I fulfil my duty and thy command, of loving thee “with all my heart, and mind, and soul, and strength.” O thou infinite Goodness, confirm thy past mercies to me, by enabling me, for what remains of my life, to be more faithful than I have hitherto been to this thy great command. For the time I have yet to sojourn upon earth, O let me fulfil this great duty. Permit me not to be in any delusion here; let me not trust in words, or sighs, or tears, but love thee even as thou hast commanded. Let me feel, and then I shall know, what it is to love thee with all my heart. O merciful God, whatsoever thou deniest me, deny me not this love. Save me from the idolatry of “loving the world, or any of the things of the world.” Let me never love any creature, but for thy sake, and in subordination to thy love. Take thou the full possession of my heart; raise there thy throne, and command there as thou dost in heaven. Being created by thee, let me live to thee; being created for thee, let me ever act for thy glory; being redeemed by thee, let me render unto thee what is thine, and let my spirit ever cleave to thee alone. Iet the prayers and sacrifices of thy holy Church, offered unto thee this day, be graciously accepted.

6. Have I, before I visited or was visited, considered how I might thereby give or receive improvement? 7. Have I mentioned any failing or fault of any man, when it was not necessary for the good of another? 8. Have I unnecessarily grieved any one by word or deed? 9. Have I before or in every action considered how it might be a means of improving in the virtue of the day? Particular Questions relative to the Love of God. 1. HAVE I set apart some of this day to think upon his perfections and mercies? 2. Have I laboured to make this day a day of heavenly rest, sacred to divine love? 3. Have I employed those parts of it in works of necessity and mercy, which were not employed in prayer, reading, and meditation? O MY Father, my God, I am in thy hand; and may I rejoice above all things in being so. Do with me what seemeth good in thy sight; only let me love thee with all my mind, soul, and strength. I magnify thee for granting me to be born in thy Church, and of religious parents; for washing me in thy baptism, and instructing me in thy doctrine of truth and holiness; for sustaining me by thy gracious providence, and guiding me by thy blessed Spirit; for admitting me, with the rest of my Christian brethren, to wait on thee at thy public worship; and for so often feeding my soul with thy most precious body and blood, those pledges of love, and sure conveyances of strength and comfort. O be gracious unto all of us, whom thou hast this day (or at any time) admitted to thy holy table. Strengthen our hearts in thy ways against all our tempta tions, and make us “more than conquerors” in thy love. O my Father, my God, deliver me, I beseech thee, from all violent passions: I know how greatly obstructive these are both of the knowledge and love of thee. O let none of them find a way into my heart, but let me ever possess my soul in meekness. O my God, I desire to fear them more than death; let me not serve these cruel tyrants, but do thou reign in my breast; let me be ever thy servant, and love thee with all my heart.

O my God, I desire to fear them more than death; let me not serve these cruel tyrants, but do thou reign in my breast; let me be ever thy servant, and love thee with all my heart. Deliver me, O God, from too intense an application to even necessary business. I know how this dissipates my thoughts from the one end of all my business, and impairs ta' lively perception I would ever retain of thee standing at my right hand. I know the narrowness of my heart, and that an eager attention to earthly things leaves it no room for the things of heaven. O teach me to go through all my employ ments with so truly disengaged a heart, that I may still see thee in all things, and see thee therein as continually looking upon me, and searching my reins; and that I may never impair that liberty of spirit which is necessary for the love of thee. Deliver me, O God, from a slothful mind, from all luke warmness, and all dejection of spirit. I know these cannot but deaden my love to thee; mercifully free my heart from them, and give me a lively, zealous, active, and cheerful spirit; that I may vigorously perform whatever thou com mandest, thankfully suffer whatever thou choosest for me, and be ever ardent to obey in all things thy holy love. Deliver me, O God, from all idolatrous love of any creature. I know infinite numbers have been lost to thee, by loving those creatures for their own sake, which thou permittest, nay, even commandest, to love subordinately to thee. Preserve me, I beseech thee, from all such blind affection; be thou a guard to all my desires, that they fix on no creature any farther than the love of it tends to build me up in the love of thee. Thou requirest me to love thee with all my heart: Undertake for me, I beseech thee, and be thou my security, that I may never open my heart to anything, but out of love to thee. Above all, deliver me, O my God, from all idolatrous self love. I know, O God, (blessed be thy infinite mercy for giving me this knowledge,) that this is the root of all evil. I know thou madest me, not to do my own will, but thine.

Blessed be thy love for all the temporal benefits which thou hast with a liberal hand poured out upon me; for my health and strength, food and raiment, and all other necessaries with which thou hast provided thy sinful servant. I also bless thee that, after all my refusals of thy grace, thou still hast patience with me, hast preserved me this night, (--)* and given me yet another day to renew and perfect my repent ance. Pardon, good Lord, all my former sins, and make me every day more zealous and diligent to improve every oppor tunity of building up my soul in thy faith, and love, and obedience. Make thyself always present to my mind, and let thy love fill and rule my soul, in all those places, and companies, and employments to which thou callest me this day. In all my passage through this world, suffer not my heart to be set upon it; but always fix my single eye and my undivided affections on “the prize of my high calling.” This one thing let me do; let me so press toward this, as to make all things else minister unto it; and be careful so to use them, as thereby to fit my soul for that pure bliss which thou hast prepared for those that love thee. O thou, who art good and doest good, who extendest thy lovingkindness to all mankind, the work of thine hands, thine image, capable of knowing and loving thee eternally: Suffer me to exclude none, O Lord, from my charity, who are the objects of thy mercy; but let me treat all my neighbours with that tender love which is due to thy servants and to thy children. Thou hast required this mark of my love to thee: O let no temptation expose me to ingratitude, or make me forfeit thy lovingkindness, which is better than life itself. But grant that I may assist all my brethren with my prayers, where I cannot reach them with actual services. Make me zealous to embrace all occasions that may administer to their happiness, by assisting the needy, protecting the oppressed, instructing the ignorant, confirming the wavering, exhorting the good, and reproving the wicked.

Make me zealous to embrace all occasions that may administer to their happiness, by assisting the needy, protecting the oppressed, instructing the ignorant, confirming the wavering, exhorting the good, and reproving the wicked. Let me look upon the failings of my neighbour as if they were my own; that I may be grieved for them, that I may never reveal them but when charity requires, and then with tenderness and compassion. Let thy love to me, O blessed Saviour, be the pattern of my love to him. Thou thoughtest nothing too dear to part with, * (--) Here you may mention any particular mercy received. to rescue me from etermal misery: O let me think nothing too dear to part with to set forward the everlasting good of my fellow Christians. They are members of thy body; there fore I will cherish them. Thou hast redeemed them with an inestimable price; assisted by thy Holy Spirit, therefore, I will endeavour to recover them from a state of destruction; that thus adorning thy holy gospel, by doing good according to my power, I may at last be received into the endearments of thy eternal love, and sing everlasting praise unto the Lamb that was slain and sitteth on the throne for ever. Extend, I humbly beseech thee, thy mercy to all men, and let them become thy faithful servants. Let all Christians live up to the holy religion they profess; especially these sinful nations. Be entreated for us, good Lord; be glorified by our reformation, and not by our destruction. “Turn thou us, and so shall we be turned:” O be favourable to thy people; give us grace to put a period to our provocations, and do thou put a period to our punishment. Defend our Church from schism, heresy, and sacrilege, and the King from all treasons and conspiracies. Bless all Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, with apostolical graces, exemplary lives, and sound doctrine. Grant to the Council wisdom from above, to all Magistrates integrity and zeal, to the Universities quietness and industry, and to the Gentry and Commons pious and peaceable and loyal hearts. Preserve my parents, my brothers and sisters, my friends and relations, and all mankind, in their souls and bodies (--). Forgive mine cnemies, and in thy due time make them kindly affected towards me.

O let the sense of all thy blessings have this effect upon me,--to make me daily more diligent in devoting myself, all I am, and all I have, to thy glory. O my God, fill my soul with so entire a love of thee, that I may love nothing but for thy sake, and in subordination to thy love. Give me grace to study thy knowledge daily, that the more I know thee, the more I may love thee. Create in me a zealous obedience to all thy commands, a cheerful patience under all thy chastisements, and a thankful resignation to all thy disposals. May I ever have awful thoughts of thee; never mention thy venerable name, unless on just, solemn, and devout occasions; nor even then without acts of adoration. O let it be the one business of my life to glorify thee, by every thought of my heart, by every word of my tongue, by every work of my hand; by professing thy truth, even to the death, if it should plcase thee to call me to it; and by engaging all men, as far as in me lies, to glorify and love thee. Let thy unwearied and tender love to me, make my love unwearied and tender to my neighbour, zealous to pray for, and to procure and promote, his health and safety, ease and happiness; and active to comfort, succour, and relieve all whom thy love and their own necessities recommend to my charity. Make me peaceful and reconcilable; easy to forgive, and glad to return good for evil. Make me like thyself, all kindness and benignity, all goodness and gentleness, all meek mess and longsuffering. And, O thou Lover of souls, raise in me a compassionate zeal to save the life, the eternal life, of souls; and by affectionate and seasonable advice, exhortations, and reproof, to reclaim the wicked, and win them to thy love. Be pleased, O Lord, to take me, with my father and mother, brethren and sisters, my friends and relations, and my enemies, into thy almighty protection this night. Refresh me with such comfortable rest that I may rise more fit for thy service. Let me lie down with holy thoughts of thee, and when I awake let me be still present with thee.

Blessed be thy good ness, that we have felt it so often in our hearts, inspiring us with holy thoughts, filling us with love and joy, and comfort able expectations of “the glory that shall be revealed.” We thank thee, that thou hast suffered us this day to attend on thee in thy public service; and that we have begun, in any measure, to pursue after that eternal “rest which remaineth for the people of God.” We offer up again our souls and bodies to thee to be governed, not by our will, but thine. O let it be ever the ease and joy of our hearts, to be under the conduct of thy unerring wisdom, to follow thy counsels, and to be ruled in all things by thy holy will. And let us never distrust thy abundant kindness and tender care over us; whatsoever it is thou wouldest have us to do or to suffer in this world. O God, purify our hearts, that we may entirely love thee, and rejoice in being beloved of thee; that we may confide in thee, and absolutely resign ourselves to thee, and be filled with. constant devotion toward thee. O that we may never sink. into a base love of anything here below, nor be oppressed with the cares of this life; but assist us to “abhor that which is evil, and cleave to that which is good.” Let us “use this. world as not abusing it.” Give us true humility of spirit, that we may “not think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think.” Keep us from being “wise in our own con ceits.” “Let our moderation be known to all men.” Make us “kindly affectioned one to another;” to delight in doing good; to “show all meekness to all men;” to “render to all their dues; tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour;” and to “owe no man anything, but to love one another.” Make us so.

I strove with all my strength to disengage myself; but it was to no purpose. No person being within call, I gave myself up for lost. But when I had given over struggling, the riband loosed of itself. 6. “Another instance of the tender care which God had over me was as follows:--One evening I and four young gentlemen, in high spirits, made a solemn agreement with each other to swim the next day to a rocky island, five miles distant from the shore. But this foolish adventure was within a very little of costing us all our lives. I and another indeed did with great difficulty and hazard swim to the island; but when we came thither, the rock was so steep and smooth, that we could not possibly climb up. After swim ming round several times, and making many ineffectual efforts, we thought we must perish there; but at length one of us found a place, where he made a shift to crawl up. He then helped his companion after him. The others swam about half-way. A boat then took them up, when they were just sinking. Another boat, which we had ordered to follow us, afterwards came and took us home.” 7. A still more remarkable deliverance it is of which he gave an account in the year 1760: “Some years since, I lived at a place very near the river Rhine. In that part, it is broader than the Thames at London Bridge, and extremely rapid. But, having been long practised in swimming, I made no scruple of going into it at any time; only I was always careful to keep near the shore, that the stream might not carry me away. Once, however, being less careful than usual, I was unawares drawn into the mid channel. The water there was extremely rough, and poured along like a galloping horse. I endeavoured to swim against it, but in vain, till I was hurried far from home. When I was almost spent, I rested upon my back, and then looked about for a landing place, finding I must either land or sink. With much difficulty I got near the shore; but the rocks were so ragged and sharp, that I saw, if I attempted to land there, I should be torn in pieces; so I was constrained to turn again to the mid stream.

“One end of his retiring to Newington was, that he might hide himself from company. But this design was in nowise answered; for company came from every side. He was continually visited by high and low, and by persons of various denominations; one of whom being asked, when he went away, what he thought of Mr. Fletcher, said, ‘I went to see a man that had one foot in the grave, but I found a man that had one foot in heaven. Among them that now visited him were several of his beloved and honoured opponents; to whom he confirmed his love (however roughly they had treated him) by the most respectful and affectionate behaviour. But he did not give up any part of the truth for which he had publicly contended; although some (from whom one would have expected better things) did not scruple to affirm the contrary. Those of his particular friends who visited him here will not easily forget how he exhausted his whole soul in effusions of thankfulness: Mrs. Cartwright and Cavendish in particular, with his faithful and affectionate friend Mr. Ireland, will remember their interviews with him. And those of the family were almost oppressed by the outpourings of his love and gratitude, whenever they showed their love and care in the most inconsiderable instance; yea, so thankful, in proportion, would he be to even the meanest servant. 19. “It was not without some difficulty that Mr. Ireland at length prevailed upon him to sit for his picture. While the limner was drawing the outlines of it, he was exhorting both him and all that were in the room, not only to get the outlines drawn, but the colourings also, of the image of Jesus on their hearts. He had a very remarkable facility in making allu sions of this kind; in raising spiritual observations from every accidental circumstance; in turning men's employments, pleasures, and pains, into means of edification: This he did, in order to engage the attention of the thoughtless, the more deeply to fix the attention of the thoughtful, and to prevent the trifling away of time in unprofitable conversation. And such little incidents as used to pass away unnoticed by almost any other person, acquired from Mr. Fletcher's fine imagina tion a kind of grace and dignity.

While he was here, preparing for his voyage, he wrote as follows to one of his flock at Madeley:-- “I HEARTILY thank you for your kind letter. May the God of all grace and love, our common Father and our All, bless you all with all spiritual blessings, and with such temporal favours, as will best serve the end of your growing in grace. “My desire is, if I should be spared to minister to you again, to do it with more humility, diligence, love, and zeal. But as matters are, you must take the will for the deed. And let us all praise God for all that is past, and trust him for all that is to come. The Lord enable you all to cleave to Christ, and in him to abide in one mind, “striving together for the hope of the gospel, the fulness of the Spirit ! Of this we have often discoursed together; but we have not pressed into it with sufficient ardour and violence. God give us the humble and violent faith which inherits the promises, that we may always triumph in Christ, in life and in death ! I beg you would help me to thank the Author of all good for every blessing of this life; but above all, for the lively hope of the next, and for Christ, our common hope, peace, joy, wisdom, righteousness, and salvation. In him I meet and embrace you all. God bless you, and crown you with loving-kindness and tender mercies ! I live, if you stand. Do not let me want the reviving cordial of hearing that you stand together firm in the faith, deep in humility, and rejoicing in loving hope of the glory to come. Bless God much for the gift of his only-begotten Son. Be much in private prayer. Do not forget the assembling yourselves together, in little companies, as well as in public. Walk humbly, as in the sight of death and eternity; and pray still for “Your unworthy servant, “Let none of your little companies want. If any do, you are welcome to my house. Take any part of the furniture there, and make use of it for their relief. And this shall be your full title for so doing. “Witness my hand, 10. In the beginning of December, he set out with Mr.

As I think it highly expedient to premise some account of the person whom Mr. Fletcher chose as his companion for life, I am glad to find this dome to my hand in the letter which I shall now subjoin: “REvEREND SIR, “I THINK it my privilege, and have often found it a blessing, to comply with the request of my honoured father, which I now do also in great love to my valuable and much esteemed friends, Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher. I will therefore endeavour, with the assistance of my gracious Lord, to recol lect and acquaint you with some particulars of the life and character of these truly devoted servants of God, with whose intimate acquaintance I have been favoured for near thirty years. But, indeed, I feel my great insufficiency to relate what might be said with the strictest truth of these worthies. “My acquaintance with Mrs. Fletcher began when she was about seventeen years of age. She had from her early childhood been strongly drawn to seek the Crucified, and was now athirst for a clean heart, and longed to have a right spirit renewed within her. Nor did her desire to love God with all her heart lessen, but increase, her love to her neigh bour; as I, the most unworthy, am well able to testify, to whom she has been a tried friend, even to the present hour. “To give you a clear view of this, I need only transcribe part of a letter, which she wrote to me, May 23, 1757:-- “‘THE Lord has been indeed merciful, above all we can ask or think. I found a greater blessing the last time I was with you than ever. I am more enabled to prayer, and to an earnest seeking after holiness. But what most stirs me up is, I seem to hear the Lord calling upon me, Depart ye, depart ye; go ye out thence; touch not the unclean thing; be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord. For some time, these words have been much in my mind, with both pleasure and profit. But within this day or two, the Lord has more clearly shown me the way wherein I ought to walk. He seems to call me out to more activeness; so that I am ready to cry out, What wouldest thou have me to do?

That her light given before was not delusive, is plain; as it is well known, how many years she has ‘brought up children, lodged strangers, relieved the afflicted, and ‘diligently followed every good work.’ “With regard to the dear saint that is now swallowed up in his beloved employment, praise and adoration, it is eight or nine and twenty years since I was first favoured with his heavenly conversation, in company with Mr. Walsh and a few other friends, most of whom are now in the world of spirits. At these seasons, how frequently did we feel The o'erwhelming power of saving grace | How frequently were we silenced thereby, while tears of love our eyes o'erflowed ! It sweetly affects my soul while I recollect the humility, fervour of spirit, and strength of faith, with which dear Mr. Fletcher so often poured out his soul before the great Three-One, at whose feet we have lain in holy shame and divine silence, till it seemed earth was turned to heaven With what delight does my soul recal those precious moments! Yet a little while, and we shall all magnify His name together. “This heavenly-minded servant of the Lord resembled him likewise in his love to precious souls. I heard him preach his first sermon at West-Street chapel. I think his text was, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ His spirit appeared in his whole attitude and action, though he could not well find words in the English language to express himself: But he supplied that defect by offering up prayers, tears, and sighs abundantly. Nearly about this time he saw Miss Bosanquet, and began his acquaintance with her. But although they had a particular esteem for each other, yet they had no correspondence for above twenty years. It was not till the yearly Conference drew near, in July, 1781, that he paid her a visit at her own house near Leeds. They had much conversation together, and contracted an intimate acquaintance. After a few days, Miss Bosanquet asked Mr. Wesley's advice concerning Mr. Fletcher's proposal, who approved it entirely; being persuaded, it would be much to the glory of God. He spent much of his time at Cross-Hall, till the following January. His general conversation was praising God, and speaking of the love of our dear Redeemer.

On the contrary, by the blessing of God on her peculiar care and tenderness, not only his health was confirmed, but his strength restored as in the days of his youth. In the mean time he took care to employ all his returning strength in the work of faith and the labour of love: More particularly in that which he had always found to be one of the most difficult parts of his duty. We have in this parish, through the lenity of the Magistrates, no less than eight public-houses. These are well known to have been continual nurseries for sin, particularly on Sunday evenings. It had been for many years his unwearied endeavour to put an end to these abuses. Yet as he very seldom had a Churchwarden who was heartily willing to second him therein, his endeavours were almost ineffectual, producing very little fruit. But for two years God was now pleased to favour him with a Churchwarden who was resolved to act according to his oath: He then cheerfully renewed his endeavours, visiting several of these houses every Sunday; all of them in their turn. In every one he bore a faithful testimony; and in some it has been attended with much good. O that no one of those who have been at any time within the reach of his voice, may finally inherit that curse, “Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish !” 2. For many years he had felt with the deepest sensibility the disconsolate condition of poor uninstructed children; and some years ago he began a school, wherein he taught them himself every day. After pursuing this method for some time, he erected a school in Madeley-Wood; but afterward his thoughts were much employed concerning the Sunday schools; especially since they were recommended to him in a letter from Mrs. Derby, a person whom he always found ready to promote every good work. He then earnestly set about promoting them in his own parish. Three hundred children were soon gathered together, whom he took every opportunity of instructing, by regular meetings, for some time before the schools were opened. These meetings he attended, with the utmost diligence, to the very Thursday before his illness.

Not that he was so by nature, but of a fiery, passionate spirit. But so thoroughly had grace subdued nature, so fully was he renewed in the spirit of his mind, that, for many years before his death, I believe he was never observed by any one, friend or foe, to be out of temper. And yet he did not want provocation, and that sometimes in a high degree; especially from those whose religious sentiments he thought it his duty to oppose. One of these, who once loved him so well, as to be ready to pull out his eyes for him, was so exasperated on reading his Second Check, that he wrote to him in the most bitter terms. But none of these things moved him; no, not in the least degree. The keenest word he used upon the occasion was, ‘What a world, what a religious world we live in l’ “Hence arose his readiness to bear with the weaknesses, and forgive the faults, of others; the more remarkable, considering his flaming zeal against sin, and deep concern for the glory of God. Such hatred to sin, and such love to the sinner, I never saw joined together before. This very circumstance con vinced me of the height of his grace, bearing so much of his Master’s image, whose hatred to sin and love to sinners are equally infinite. He took all possible pains to detect what was evil in any of those that were under his care; pursuing it through all its turnings and windings, and stripping it of all its disguises. Yet none so ready to excuse when it was confessed, and to conceal it even from his most intimate friends. “He never mentioned the faults of an absent person, unless absolute duty required it: And then he spoke with the utmost tenderness, extenuating, rather than aggravating. None could draw his picture more exactly than St. Paul has done, in the thirteenth of the first Epistle to the Corinthians. Every feature in that masterly piece of apostolic painting was found in him.

But it seems as if I could not speak much longer. Let us fix on a sign between our selves. Now, said he, (tapping me twice with his finger) “I mean, God is love. And we will draw each other into God. Observe | By this we will draw each other into God.” “Sally coming in, he cried out, ‘O Sally, God is love! Shout, both of you ! I want to hear you shout his praise!” All this time the medical friend, who attended him diligently, hoped he was in no danger; as he had no headach, but much sleep without the least delirium, and an almost regular pulse. So was the disease, though commissioned to take his life, restrained by the power of God. “On Thursday his speech began to fail. While he was able, he spoke to all that came in his way. Hearing that a stranger was in the house, he ordered her to be called up. But the uttering only two sentences made him ready to faint away. And while he had any power of speech, he would not be silent to his friendly Doctor: ‘O Sir, said he, ‘you take much thought for my body; permit me to take thought for your soul.” When I could scarce understand anything he said, I spoke these words, “God is love.’ Instantly, as if all his powers were awakened, he broke out in a rapture, ‘God is love I love I love! O for that gust of praise ! I want to sound’--Here his voice again failed. All this time he was in much pain, and suffered many ways; but still with such unutterable patience as none but those that were present can conceive. If I did but name his sufferings, he would smile and make the sign. “On Friday, observing his body covered with spots, I felt a sword pierce through my soul. As I was kneeling by his side, with my hand in his, intreating the Lord to be with us in this tremendous hour, he strove to say many things, but could not articulate the words. All he could do was to press my hand, and frequently repeat the sign.

How will thesebe distinguished from those, if they are all promiscuously called sins? I am much afraid, if we should allow any sins to be consistent with perfection, few would confine the idea to those defects concerning which only the assertion could be true. “Q. But how can a liableness to mistake consist with perfect love? Is not a person who is perfected in love every moment under its influence? And can any mistake flow from pure love? “A. I answer, (1.) Many mistakes may consist with pure love; (2.) Some may accidentally flow from it: I mean, love itself may incline us to mistake. The pure love of cur neigh bour, springing from the love of God, thinketh no evil, believeth and hopeth all things. Now, this very temper, unsuspicious, ready to believe and hope the best of all men, may occasion our thinking some men better than they really are. Here then is a manifest mistake, accidentally flowing from pure love. “Q. How shall we avoid setting perfection too high or too low P “A. By keeping to the Bible, and setting it just as high as the Scripture does. It is nothing higher and nothing lower than this,--the pure love of God and man; the loving God with all our heart and soul, and our neighbour as ourselves. It is love governing the heart and life, running through all our tempets, words, and actions. “Q. Suppose one had attained to this, would you advise him to speak of it? “A. At first perhaps he would scarce be able to refrain, the fire would be so hot within him; his desire to declare the loving-kindness of the Lord carrying him away like a torrent. But afterwards he might; and then it would be advisable, not to speak of it to them that know not God; (it is most likely, it would only provoke them to contradict and blas pheme;) nor to others, without some particular reason, without some good in view. And then he should have especial care to avoid all appearance of boasting; to speak with the deepest humility and reverence, giving all the glory to God. “Q. But would it not be better to be entirely silent, not to speak of it at all? “A.

(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.

“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.

There was danger before, and there will be again when he comes into fresh trials. But so long as he feels nothing but love animating all his thoughts, and words, and actions, he is in no danger; he is not only happy, but safe, ‘under the shadow of the Almighty;’ and, for God’s sake, let him continue in that love as long as he can. Meantime, you may do well to warn him of the danger that will be, if his love grow cold and sin revive; even the danger of casting away hope, and supposing, that, because he hath not attained yet, therefore he never shall. “Q. But what, if none have attained it yet? What, if all who think so are deceived? “A. Convince me of this, and I will preach it no more. But understand me right: I do not build any doctrine on this or that person. This or any other man may be deceived, and I am not moved. But, if there are none made perfect yet, God has not sent me to preach perfection. “Put a parallel case: For many years I have preached, “There is a peace of God which passeth all understanding.’ ‘Convince me that this word has fallen to the ground; that in all these years none have attained this peace; that there is no living witness of it at this day; and I will preach it no more. “‘O, but several persons have died in that peace. Per haps so; but I want living witnesses. I cannot indeed be infallibly certain that this or that person is a witness; but if I were certain there are mone such, I must have done with this doctrine. “‘You misunderstand me. I believe some who died in this love, enjoyed it long before their death. But I was not certain that their former testimony was true till some hours before they died.’ “You had not an infallible certainty then: And a reason able certainty you might have had before; such a certainty as might have quickened and comforted your own soul, and answered all other Christian purposes. Such a certainty as this, any candid person may have, suppose there be any living witness, by talking one hour with that person in the love and fear of God. “Q. But what does it signify, whether any have attained.

I desire to be lost in that ‘love which passeth knowledge.’ I see ‘the just shall live by faith;’ and unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given. If I were an archangel, I should veil my face before him, and let silence speak his praise !” The following account is given by one who was an eye and ear witness of what she relates: “(1.) In the beginning of November, she seemed to have a foresight of what was coming upon her, and used frequently to sing these words: “When pain o'er this weak flesh prevails, With lamb-like patience arm my breast.” And when she sent to me, to let me know she was ill, she wrote in her note, ‘I suffer the will of Jesus. All he sends is sweetened by His love. I am as happy as if I heard a voice say, - ‘For me my elder brethren stay, And angels beckon me away, And Jesus bids me come !" “(2.) Upon my telling her, ‘I cannot choose life or death for you, she said, ‘I asked the Lord, that, if it was His will, I might die first. And he told me, you should survive me, and that you should close my eyes. When we perceived it. was the small-pox, I said to her, ‘My dear, you will not be frighted if we tell you what is your distemper. She said, ‘I cannot be frighted at His will.’ “(3.) The distemper was soon very heavy upon her; but so much the more was her faith strengthened. Tuesday, November 16, she said to me, ‘I have been worshipping before the throne in a glorious manner; my soul was so let into God!” I said, ‘Did the Lord give you any particular promise?’ ‘No, replied she; ‘it was all That sacred awe that dares not move, And all the silent heaven of love.” “(4.) On Thursday, upon my asking, ‘What have you to say to me?’ she said, ‘Nay, nothing but what you know already: God is love.’ I asked, ‘Have you any particular promise?” She replied, ‘I do not seem to want any; I can live without. I shall die a lump of deformity, but shall meet you all-glorious: And, meantime, I shall still have fellowship with your spirit.” “(5.) Mr. M.

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.

There is something very peculiar in the experience of the greater part of them. One would expect that a believer should first be filled with love, and thereby emptied of sin; whereas these were emptied of sin first, and then filled with love. Perhaps it pleased God to work in this manner, to make his work more plain and undeniable; and to distinguish it more clearly from that overflowing love, which is often felt even in a justified state. “It seems likewise most agreeable to the great promise: “From all your filthiness I will cleanse you; a new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you.’ (Ezek. xxxvi. 25, 26.) “But I do not think of them all alike : There is a wide difference between some of them and others. I think most of them with whom I have spoken, have much faith, love, joy, and peace. Some of these I believe are renewed in love, and have the direct witness of it; and they manifest the fruit above described, in all their words and actions. Now, let any man call this what he will; it is what I call perfection. “But some who have much love, peace, and joy, yet have not the direct witness; and others who think they have, are, nevertheless, manifestly wanting in the fruit. How many I will not say; perhaps one in ten; perhaps more or fewer. But some are undeniably wanting in longsuffering, Christian resignation. They do not see the hand of God in whatever occurs, and cheerfully embrace it. They do not in everything give thanks, and rejoice evermore. They are not happy; at least, not always happy; for sometimes they complain. They say, this or that is hard | “Some are wanting in gentleness. They resist evil, instead of turning the other cheek. They do not receive reproach with gentleness; no, nor even reproof. Nay, they are not able to bear contradiction, without the appearance, at least, of resent ment. If they are reproved or contradicted, though mildly, they do not take it well; they behave with more distance and reserve than they did before. If they are reproved or contra dicted harshly, they answer it with harshness; with a loud voice, or with an angry tone, or in a sharp and surly manner.

So you ascribe all the knowledge you have to God; and in this respect you are humble. But if you think you have more than you really have; or if you think you are so taught of God, as no longer to need * The advices which follow were published in a separate tract in the year 1762, under the title of “Cautions and Directions given to the Greatest Professors in the Methodist Societies,” with the following motto: “Set the false witnesses aside, Yet hold the truth for ever fast.” It was evidently intended to guard the people against the mischievous extrava gances of George Bell and his friends, a particular account of whom is given in Mr. Wesley's Journal about that period.-EDIT. man’s teaching; pride lieth at the door. Yes, you have need to be taught, not only by Mr. Morgan, by one another, by Mr. Maxfield, or me, but by the weakest Preacher in London; yea, by all men. For God sendeth by whom he will send. “Do not therefore say to any who would advise or reprove you, ‘You are blind; you cannot teach me.’ Do not say, ‘This is your wisdom, your carnal reason; but calmly weigh the thing before God. “Always remember, much grace does not imply much light. These do not always go together. As there may be much light where there is but little love, so there may be much love where there is little light. The heart has more heat than the eye; yet it cannot see. And God has wisely tempered the members of the body together, that none may say to another, “I have no need of thee.’ “To imagine none can teach you, but those who are them selves saved from sin, is a very great and dangerous mistake. Give not place to it for a moment; it would lead you into a thousand other mistakes, and that irrecoverably. No; dominion is not founded in grace, as the madmen of the last age talked. Obey and regard ‘them that are over you in the Lord, and do not think you know better than them. Know their place and your own; always remembering, much love does not imply much light. “The not observing this has led some into many mistakes, and into the appearance, at least, of pride. O beware of the appearance, and the thing!

“One ground of many of these mistakes is, the taking every fresh, strong application of any of these scriptures to the heart, to be a gift of a new kind; not knowing that several of these scriptures are not fulfilled yet; that most of the others are fulfilled when we are justified; the rest, the moment we are sanctified. It remains only to experience them in higher degrees. This is all we have to expect. “Another ground of these, and a thousand mistakes, is, the not considering deeply, that love is the highest gift of God; humble, gentle, patient love; that all visions, revela tions, manifestations whatever, are little things compared to love; and that all the gifts above-mentioned are either the same with, or infinitely inferior to, it. “It were well you should be thoroughly sensible of this, - ‘the heaven of heavens is love.’ There is nothing higher in religion; there is, in effect, nothing else; if you look for anything but more love, you are looking wide of the mark, you are getting out of the royal way. And when you are asking others, ‘Have you received this or that blessing?” if you mean anything but more love, you mean wrong; you are leading them out of the way, and putting them upon a false scent. Settle it then in your heart, that from the moment God has saved you from all sin, you are to aim at nothing more, but more of that love described in the thirteenth of the Corinthians. You can go no higher than this, till you are carried into Abraham’s bosom. “I say yet again, beware of enthusiasm. Such is, the imagining you have the gift of prophesying, or of discerning of spirits, which I do not believe one of you has; no, nor ever had yet. Beware of judging people to be either right or wrong by your own feelings. This is no scriptural way of judging. O keep close to ‘the law and to the testimony l’ “Q. 34. What is the Third 7 “A. Beware of Antinomianism; “making void the law, or any part of it, “through faith. Enthusiasm naturally leads to this; indeed they can scarce be separated. This may steal upon you in a thousand forms, so that you cannot be too watchful against it.

This may steal upon you in a thousand forms, so that you cannot be too watchful against it. Take heed of everything, whether in principle or practice, which has any tendency thereto. Even that great truth, that “Christ is the end of the law, may betray us into it, if we do not consider that he has adopted every point of the moral law, and grafted it into the law of love. Beware of thinking, ‘Because I am filled with love, I need not have so much holiness. Because I pray always, therefore I need no set time for private prayer. Because I watch always, therefore I need no particular self-examination.’ Let us ‘magnify the law, the whole written word, ‘and make it honourable. Let this be our voice: “I prize thy com mandments above gold or precious stones. O what love have I unto thy law ! all the day long is my study in it. Beware of Antinomian books; particularly the works of Dr. Crisp and Mr. Saltmarsh. They contain many excellent things; and this makes them the more dangerous. O be warned in time : Do not play with fire. Do not put your hand on the hole of a cockatrice den. I entreat you, beware of bigotry. Let not your love or beneficence be confined to Methodists, so called, only; much less to that very small part of them who seem to be renewed in love; or to those who believe yours and their report. O make not this your Shibboleth ! Beware of stillness; ceasing in a wrong sense from your own works. To mention one instance out of many: “You have received,” says one, ‘a great blessing. But you began to talk of it, and to do this and that; so you lost it. You should have been still.” “Beware of self-indulgence; yea, and making a virtue of it, laughing at self-denial, and taking up the cross daily, at fasting or abstinence. Beware of censoriousness; thinking or calling them that anyways oppose you, whether in judgment or prac tice, blind, dead, fallen, or ‘enemies to the work. Once more, beware of Solifidianism; crying nothing but, ‘Believe, believe!’ and condemning those as ignorant or legal who speak in a more scriptural way.

Never omit meeting your Class or Band; never absent yourself from any public meeting. These are the very sinews of our Society; and whatever weakens, or tends to weaken, our regard for these, or our exactness in attending them, strikes at the very root of our community. As one saith, ‘That part of our economy, the private weekly meetings for prayer, examination, and particular exhortation, has been the greatest means of deepening and confirming every blessing that was received by the word preached, and of diffusing it to others, who could not attend the public ministry; whereas, without this reli gious connexion and intercourse, the most ardent attempts, by mere preaching, have proved of no lasting use.’ “Suffer not one thought of separating from your brethren, whether their opinions agree with yours or not. Do not dream that any man sins in not believing you, in not taking your word; or that this or that opinion is essential to the work, and both must stand or fall together. Beware of impatience of contradiction. Do not condemn or think hardly of those who cannot see just as you see, or who judge it their duty to contradict you, whether in a great thing or a small. I fear some of us have thought hardly of others, merely because they contradicted what we affirmed. All this tends to division; and, by everything of this kind, we are teaching them an evil lesson against ourselves. “O beware of touchiness, of testiness, not bearing to be spoken to ; starting at the least word; and flying from those who do not implicitly receive mine or another’s sayings! “Expect contradiction and opposition, together with crosses of various kinds. Consider the words of St. Paul: “To you it is given, in the behalf of Christ,’--for his sake, as a fruit of his death and intercession for you,-‘not only to believe, but also to suffer for his sake.” (Phil. i. 29.) It is given / God gives you this opposition or reproach; it is a fresh token of his love. And will you disown the Giver; or spurn his gift, and count it a misfortune?

“God frequently conceals the part which his children have in the conversion of other souls. Yet one may boldly say, that person who long groans before him for the conversion of another, whenever that soul is converted to God, is one of the chief causes of it. “Charity cannot be practised right, unless, First, we exercise it the moment God gives the occasion; and, Secondly, retire the instant after to offer it to God by humble thanksgiving. And this for three reasons: First, to render him what we have received from him. The Second, to avoid the dangerous temptation which springs from the very goodness of these works. And the Third, to unite ourselves to God, in whom the soul expands itself in prayer, with all the graces we have received, and the good works we have done, to draw from him new strength against the bad effects which these very works may produce in us, if we do not make use of the antidotes which God has ordained against these poisons. The true means to be filled anew with the riches of grace is thus to strip ourselves of it; and without this it is extremely difficult not to grow faint in the practice of good works. “Good works do not receive their last perfection, till they, as it were, lose themselves in God. This is a kind of death to them, resembling that of our bodies, which will not attain their highest life, their immortality, till they lose themselves in the glory of our souls, or rather of God, wherewith they shall be filled. And it is only what they had of earthly and mortal, which good works lose by this spiritual death. “Fire is the symbol of love; and the love of God is the principle and the end of all our good works. But truth surpasses figure; and the fire of divine love has this advantage over material fire, that it can re-ascend to its source, and raise thither with it all the good works which it produces. And by this means it prevents their being corrupted by pride, vanity, or any evil mixture.

It is not worth while to contend for a term. It is “ salvation from sin.” “(7.) It is ‘perfect love.” (1 John iv. 18.) This is the essence of it; its properties, or inseparable fruits, are, rejoicing evermore, praying without ceasing, and in every thing giving thanks. (1 Thess. v. 16, &c.) “(8.) It is improvable. It is so far from lying in an indivisible point, from being incapable of increase, that one perfected in love may grow in grace far swifter than he did before. “(9.) It is amissible, capable of being lost; of which we have numerous instances. But we were not thoroughly convinced of this, till five or six years ago. “(10.) It is constantly both preceded and followed by a gradual work. “(11.) But is it in itself instantaneous or not? In examining this, let us go on step by step. “An instantaneous change has been wrought in some believers: None can deny this. “Since that change, they enjoy perfect love; they feel this, and this alone; they ‘rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks. Now, this is all that I mean by perfection; therefore, these are witnesses of the perfec tion which I preach. “‘But in some this change was not instantaneous.” They did not perceive the instant when it was wrought. It is often difficult to perceive the instant when a man dies; yet there is an instant in which life ceases. And if ever sin ceases, there must be a last moment of its existence, and a first moment of our deliverance from it. “‘But if they have this love now, they will lose it. They may; but they need not. And whether they do or no, they have it now; they now experience what we teach. They now are all love; they now rejoice, pray, and praise without ceasing. “‘However, sin is only suspended in them; it is not destroyed. Call it which you please. They are all love to-day; and they take no thought for the morrow. “‘But this doctrine has been much abused.’ So has that of justification by faith. But that is no reason for giving up either this or any other scriptural doctrine.

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.

If it is not, do not make your person remarkable; rather let it lie hid in common apparel. On every account, it is your wisdom to recommend yourself to the eye of the mind; but especially to the eye of God, who reads the secrets of your hearts, and in whose sight the incorruptible ornaments alone are of great price. But if you would recommend yourself by dress, is anything com parable to plain neatness? What kind of persons are those to whom you could be recommended by gay or costly appa rel? None that are any way likely to make you happy; this pleases only the silliest and worst of men. At most, it gratifies only the silliest and worst principle in those who are of a nobler character. 7. To you, whom God has entrusted with a more pleasing form, those ornaments are quite needless: The adorning thee with so much art Is but a barbarous skill ; 'Tis like the poisoning of a dart, Too apt before to kill. That is, to express ourselves in plain English, without any figure of poetry, it only tends to drag them into death ever lasting, who were going fast enough before, by additional provocations to lust, or, at least, inordinate affection. Did you actually design to raise either of these in those who looked upon you? What! while you and they were in the more immediate presence of God? What profaneness and inhumanity mixed together ! But if you designed it not, did you not foresee it? You might have done so without any extraordinary sagacity. “Nay, I did not care or think about it.” And do you say this by way of excuse? You “scatter abroad arrows, firebrands, and death,” and do not care or think about it ! 8. O let us walk more charitably and more wisely for the time to come ! Let us all cast aside, from this very hour, whatever does not become men and women professing godliness; whatever does not spring from the love and fear of God, and minister thereto. Let our seriousness “shine before men,” not our dress. Let all who see us know that we are not of this world. Let our adorning be that which fadeth not away; cven righteousness and true holiness.

A Letter to the Rev. Mr. Thomas Maxfield Source: The Works of John Wesley, Volume 11 (Zondervan) Year: 1778 Author: John Wesley --- I was a little surprised to read, in a late publication of yours, the following assertions : 1. Thomas Maxfield was “some of the first-fruits of Mr. Whitefield's ministry.” (Page 18.) 2. “When he went abroad, he delivered me, and many thousands more, into the hands of those he thought he could have trusted them with, and who would have given them back to him again at his return. But, alas! it was not so.” (Ibid.) “I heard Mr. Whitefield say, at the Tabernacle, in the presence of five or six Ministers, to Mr. -- a little before he left England for the last time, ‘I delivered thirty thou sand people into the hands of your brother and you, when I went abroad. And by the time I came back, you had so turned their hearts against me, that not three hundred of them would come to hear me.” I knew this was true.” (Ibid.) 3. “I heard Mr. Whitefield say, ‘When I came back from Georgia, there was no speaking evil of each other. O what would I not give, or suffer, or do, to see such times again But O that division I that division ? What slaughter jt has made l’ “It was doctrine that caused the difference; or, at least, it was so pretended.” (Ibid.) “He preached a few times in connexion with his old friends. But, ah! how soon was the sword of contention drawn l’’ (Page 19.) 4. “Where can you now find any loving ones, of either party? They have no more love to each other than Turks.” (Ibid.) “Read their vile contentions, and the evil characters they give of each other, raking the filthiest ashes, to find some black story against their fellow-Preachers.” (Page 20.) They “slay with the sword of bitterness, wrath, and envy. Still more their shame is what they have sent out into the world against each other, on both sides, about five or six years ago, and till this very day.” (Page 21.) To satisfy both friends and foes, I propose a few queries on each of these four heads. I.

Many a man has been justly sentenced to death for sins which, in the sight of God, were not equal to this. The point, therefore, requires a little more examination. And, first, I desire to know what are the names of those five or six Ministers? and which of them heard Mr. Whitefield say, “When I went abroad (in 1741,) I delivered thirty thousand people into the hands of you and your brother?” Thirty thousand people ! Whence did they come? Did they spring out of the earth? Why, there were not, at that time, five thousand Methodists in England, or in the world. The societies in London, Bristol, and Kingswood, (the only ones. I had,) contained fourteen or fifteen hundred members. I believe not so many were in his societies. But were they fewer, or more, they were nothing to me. He never entrusted me with them. He never delivered into mine, or my brother's hands, either his society at the Tabernacle in London, or that in Bristol, or in Kingswood, or any other place what ever. He never delivered (that I remember) one single society into my hands. I bless God, I needed it not. I did not need to build upon another man’s foundation. A dispensation of the Gospel was given me also; and my labour was not in vain. I was constrained to cry out (and you yourself used the same words to God in my behalf),-- *O the fathomless love Which has deign'd to approve And prosper the work of my hands ! With my pastoral crook I went over the brook, And, behold ! I am spread into bands !” With what view then can you charge me with that perfidy, which I am no more guilty of than of high treason? For what end can you affirm, “When he went abroad, he delivered many thousands into the hands of those he thought he could have trusted them with ?” Delivered ! when? where? how? What can you mean? I flatly deny that ever he delivered one thousand, or one hundred, souls into my hands. Do you mean, “He spoke honourably of you to them at Kennington-common and Rose-green?” True: But not so honourably as I spoke of you, even at London; yea, as late as the year 1763!

Do you mean, “He spoke honourably of you to them at Kennington-common and Rose-green?” True: But not so honourably as I spoke of you, even at London; yea, as late as the year 1763! Yet was this the same thing with “delivering the people” at London “into your hands?” Nay, but “Mr. Whitefield trusted that you would have given them back at his return.” Them! whom? His society at London, or Bristol 2 I had them not to give. He never entrusted me with them. Therefore I could not “give them back.” But how melancholy is the exclamation that follows: “Alas! It was not so !” Was not how? Why, I did not give back what I never had received; but went straight on my way, taking the best care I could of those who entrusted themselves to me. III. So much for the second article. As to the third, your words are, “I heard Mr. Whitefield say, ‘O that division I that division what slaughter it has made l’” But who made that division? It was not I. It was not my brother. It was Mr. Whitefield himself; and that notwithstanding all admonitions, arguments, and entreaties. Mr. Whitefield first wrote a treatise against me by name. He sent it to my brother, who endorsed it with these words: “Put up again thy sword into its place.” It slept a while; but after a time he published it. I made no reply. Soon after Mr. Whitefield preached against my brother and me by name. This he did constantly, both in Moorfields, and in all other public places. We never returned railing for railing, but spoke honourably of him, at all times, and in all places. But is it any wonder, that those who loved us should no longer choose to hear him? Meantime, was it we that “turned their hearts against him?” Was it not himself? But you say, “It was doctrine that caused the difference;” (oddly enough expressed !) “at least, it was so pretended !” “It was so pretended !” What do you mean? that differ ence of doctrine was only pretended ? that we were agreed at the bottom, and only fought, like prize-fighters, to show our skill ? Nay, here was no pretence. The thing was as plain as the sun at noon-day. Did not Mr.

Did not Mr. Whitefield proclaim, upon the house-top, the difference between us and him? And yet it was not merely the difference of doctrine that caused the division. It was rather the manner wherein he maintained his doctrine, and treated us in every place. Otherwise difference of doctrine would not have created any difference of affection; but he might lovingly have held particular redemption, and we general, to our lives’ end. He did indeed “preach a few times in connexion with his old friends; but how soon was the sword of contention drawn l’” By whom? Truly, by himself. Do not you know, (thousands do, if you do not,) that when he preached in the very Foundery, and my brother sat by him, he preached the absolute decrees in the most peremptory and offensive manner? What was this, but drawing the sword and throwing away the scabbard? Who then is chargeable with the contention and division that ensued ? IV. “But where,” you ask, “can you now find any loving ones of either party?” Blessed be God, I can find many thousands, both in London, in Bristol, in Kingswood, and in various parts, not only of England, but also of Scotland and Ireland; persons as full of love, both to God and man, as any I knew forty years ago. Some of these I find (and much rejoice to find) in Mr. Whitefield's societies. And I pray God, they may increase a thousand-fold, both in number and in strength. “Nay, they have no more love to each other than Turks.” They ! who? This is not the case with our societies. They not only love each other, but love their enemies, even those that still despitefully use them. But “read their vile contentions, and the evil character they give each other, raking the filthiest ashes, to find some black story.” I will answer for one. I give no “evil character” of my “fellow-Preachers.” I “rake into no filthy ashes, for black stories.” Let him who does, take it to himself. “They slay with the sword of bitterness, wrath, and envy.” I do not. I plead, Not guilty. As I envy no man, so neither my wrath nor bitter ness slays any human creature.

Neither is it denied that he was orthodox in the notion of the Church, as to Christian fellowship, rightly formed, according to the pattern delivered by Christ himself, and knit together by the bond of the Spirit, under Pastors and Officers of several orders, having a clear and certain mission from Him whom they represent; but he, under the character of a Prophet, as an order established in the Church, appeared (without bringing any new doctrine) for reviving what was decayed, and reforming what might be amiss; whereas others that had been judged heretics, were not only preachers of strange and monstrous opinions, but were utter enemies to all manner of discipline in the Church. It seems, therefore, by the best information we can procure at this distance of time, that Montanus was not only a truly good man, but one of the best men then upon earth; and that his real crime was, the severely reproving those who professed themselves Christians, while they neither had the mind that was in Christ, nor walked as Christ walked; but were conformable both in their temper and practice to the present evil world.

An Extraordinary Cure Source: The Works of John Wesley, Volume 11 (Zondervan) Author: John Wesley --- Bishop HALL, speaking of the good offices which angels ‘do to God’s servants, says, “Of this kind was that marvellous cure which was wrought upon a poor cripple, at St. Madern's in Cornwall; whereof, besides the attestation of many hundreds of the neighbours, I took a strict examination in my last visitation: This man, for sixteen years together, was obliged to walk upon his hands, by reason the sinews of his legs were so contracted. Upon an admonition in his dream, to wash in a certain well, he was suddenly so restored to his limbs that I saw him able to walk and get his own mainte mance. The name of this cripple was John Trebble.” And were “many hundreds of the neighbours,” together with Bishop Hall, deceived in so notorious a matter of fact? or did they all join together to palm such a falsehood on the world? O incredulity what ridiculous shifts art thou driven to ! what absurdities wilt thou not believe, rather than own any extraordinary work of God!

Secondly, Where is the trouble given, even when you are abroad, if they drink tea, and you fill your cup with milk and water? Thirdly, Whatever trouble is taken, is not for “insignifi cant me,” but for that poor man who is half-starved with cold and hunger; for that miserable woman who, while she is poisoning herself, wipes her mouth, and says she does no evil; who will not believe the poison will hurt her, because it does not (sensibly at least) hurt you. O throw it away! let her have one plea less for destroying her body, if not her soul, before the time ! 25. You object, farther, “It is my desire to be unknown. for any particularity, unless a peculiar love to the souls of those who are present.” And I hope, to the souls of the absent too; yea, and to their bodies also, in a due propor tion, that they may be healthy, and fed, and clothed, and warm, and may praise God for the consolation. 26. You subjoin : “When I had left it off for some months, I was continually puzzled with, Why, What, &c.; and I have seen no good effects, but impertinent questions and answers, and unedifying conversation about eating and drinking.” I answer, First, Those who were so uneasy about it, plainly showed that you touched the apple of their eye. Conse quently, these, of all others, ought to leave it off; for they are evidently “brought under the power of it.” Secondly, Those impertinent questions might have been cut short, by a very little steadiness and common sense. You need only have taken the method mentioned above, and they would have dropped in the midst. Thirdly, It is not strange you saw no good effects of leaving it off, where it was not left off at all. But you saw very bad effects of not leaving it off; viz., the adding sin to sin; the joining much unedifying conversation to wasteful, unhealthy self-indulgence. Fourthly, You need not go far to see many good effects of leaving it off: You may see them in me. I have reco vered thereby that healthy state of the whole nervous system, which I had in a great degree, and I almost thought irre coverably, lost for considerably more than twenty years.

5. But allowing both tea and spirituous liquors to have contributed largely to the increase of nervous disorders, yet it may be doubted, whether one or both of them are the principal causes of them. The principal causes of them ‘(particularly among those who do not work for their living) are, as Dr. Cadogan justly observes, indolence, intemperance, and irregular passions. First. Indolence, the not using such a degree of exercise as the constitution requires. To illustrate this: Our body is composed of earth, water, air, and fire; and the two latter are as necessary as the two former. To supply these, that curious engine, the lungs, continually takes in the air; to every particle of which a particle of fire is attached, which, being detached from it, is mingled with the blood. Now, exercise quickens the motion of the lungs, and enables them to collect from the air a due quantity of fire. The nerves are the conductors of this ethereal fire, vulgarly called the animal spirits. If this is duly diffused through the whole body, we are lively and vigorous; if it is not, (which without exercise it cannot be,) we soon grow faint and languid. And if other disorders do not ensue, those termed nervous surely will, with that whole train of symptoms which are usually comprised in what is termed lowness of spirits. 6. Intemperance is another principal cause of this;--if not intemperance in drink, which is not quite so common, yet intemperance in meat; the taking more of it than nature requires. Dr. Cheyne well observes, it is not generally the quality, but the quantity, of what we eat which hurts us. What hurts the nerves in particular, is the eating too much animal food, especially at night; much more the eating at one meal foods of several different kinds. If we consider how few observe this, we shall not wonder that so many have nervous disorders; especially among those that have an opportunity of indulging themselves daily in variety, and who are hereby continually tempted to eat more than nature. requires. 7. But there is another sort of intemperance, of which I think Dr. Cadogan does not take the least notice. And yet it is the source of more nervous disorders than even intem perance in food; I mean, intemperance in sleep; the sleeping longer than nature requires.

Thoughts upon Dissipation Source: The Works of John Wesley, Volume 11 (Zondervan) Author: John Wesley --- 1. PERHAPs nothing can be more seasonable at the present time than to bestow a few thoughts on this. It is a fashion able subject, very frequently spoken of, especially in good company. An ingenious writer has lately given us an essay upon the subject. When it fell into my hands a few days since, I was filled with a pleasing expectation of seeing it thoroughly explained. But my expectation was not answered; for although many just and lively things are said there, yet in above twenty pages I could find no definition of dissipa tion, either bad or good. 252. But “the love of dissipation,” says the author, “is the reigning evil of the present day.” Allowing it is; I ask, What do you mean by dissipation? Sometimes you use the word pleasure as an equivalent term. But what pleasure do you mean; the pleasures of sense, or of the imagination in general; or any particular pleasure of one or the other? At other times you seem to make dissipation the same with luxury; at least with a high degree of it. Sometimes, again, you use the love of amusement as the same with the love of dissipation. But the question recurs, What amusement do you mean; for there are numberless sorts. So that still, after talking about them so long, we have only a vague, indeterminate notion of a dissipated age, a dissipated nation, or a dissipated man; without having any clear or distinct idea what the word dissipation means. 3. Those who are content with slight and superficial views of things, may rest in the general account, that a dissipated age is one wherein the bulk of mankind, especially those of any rank or fashion, spend the main of their time in eating and drinking, and diversions, and the other pleasures of sense and imagination. And that we live in a dissipated age, in this meaning of the word, is as plain as that the sun shines at noon-day. Most of those that are commonly termed innocent amusements fall under this head,--the pleasures of imagination. Whenever, therefore, a general fondness of these prevails, that is a dissipated age. A dissipated nation is one where the people in general are vehemently attached to the pleasures of sense and imagination.

These five pounds [The value of an exhibition the Restoration to 1772 was 20; it was raised to 40 on May 28, 1772 The studentship was additional See next letter.] if you please shall be deducted at Christmas, or if that does not suit with your conveniency shall be returned as soon as possible. --I am, sir, Your obliged and humble servant, [John Wesley Signature] Editor's Introductory Notes [1] The first of Wesley’s letters that have survived is fitly preserved in the Muniment Room at Charterhouse, where he was a gown-boy from 1714 to 1720. It was published in facsimile in Greyfriar, the School magazine, for April 1891; and was reproduced in Homes and Haunts of John Wesley, pp. 152-3, by permission of the Rev. Canon Elwyn, Master of Charterhouse 1885-97. The Head Master, the Rev. Frank Fletcher, writes in 1919: 'We count John Wesley as the greatest of many great Carthusians.' He is thus commemorated in the School Song: Wesley, John Wesley, was one of our company, Prophet untiring and fearless of tongue, Down the long years he went Spending yet never spent, Serving his God with a heart ever young. Wesley was eighteen when this letter was written. The letter has been torn, so that the date is imperfect; but the post-mark is November 8. Wesley had gone up to Christ Church in June 1720. His anxiety that the incident referred to should cast no slur on his good name is seen in the care he takes to describe how the mistake had arisen. That is characteristic of him to the end of his life.

Wigan had of me for tutorage, told me he would never take any more of me than he had done, but would rather add something to than take from what little I had. I heard lately from my brother, who then promised me to order Mr. Sherman to let me have the rent of his room, and this quarter's studentship, by which, together with my five 11b from the Charterhouse at Michaelmas Day, I hope to be very near out of debt everywhere. The small-pox and fever are now very common in Oxford; of the latter a very ingenious young gentleman of our College died yesterday, being the fifth day from the beginning of his illness. There is not any other in the College sick at present, and it is hoped that the approach of winter will stop the spreading of the distemper. I am very glad to hear that all at home are well; as I am, I thank God, at present, being seldom troubled with anything but bleeding at the nose, which I have frequently. A little while ago, it bled so violently while I was walking in the evening a mile or two from Oxford, that it almost choked me; nor did any method I could use at all abate it, till I stripped myself and leapt into the river, which happened luckily not to be far off. I shall not want the notes of my entrance and a great while yet, but shall take care to write time enough them when I do; they can but be brought by the post at last if nobody comes this way or to London in the time. I should have been very glad to have heard my sister Suky or any other of my sisters; nor am I so poor, but that I can spare postage now and then for a letter or two.

DEAR MOTHER--I am very much surprised at my sister's behavior towards my brother Charles, [Mrs. Samuel Wesley, jun., had evidently been vexed with Charles at Wroot. She had been a kind friend to John when he was at Charterhouse, and she was a young wife at Westminster. Charles told his brother in 1727 that he had cautioned Hetty “never to contraict my sister, whom she knows,’ and who. had been very kind to her (Stevenson's Wesley Family, p. 304).] and wish it is not in some measure of his own procuring. She was always, as far as I could perceive, apt to resent an affront, and I am afraid some reflection or other upon her, of which I have formerly heard him make several, has by accident come to her knowledge. If so, I don't at all wonder at anything which might follow; for though I believe she does not want piety, I am not of opinion she abounds in charity; having observed her sometimes to retaliate with great bitterness, on imagined contempt or slighting expression. She has always been particularly civil to me, ever since I was fifteen or sixteen years old; nor do I ever remember to have received an ill word from her, even to the time of her last being at Oxford. We had then a pretty deal of talk together, frequently by ourselves, and sometimes about my brother Charles, and I don't know that she once intimated anything to his disadvantage, so that either she must be a very skilful dissembler or the misunderstanding between them has took its rise very lately.

In vain I heave with anxious sighs: Her pleasing coyness feeds my pain And keeps the conquests of her eyes. Impetuous tides of joy and pain By turns my lab'ring bosom tear; The Queen of Love, with all her train Of hopes and fears, inhabits there. No more the wand'ring Scythian's might From softer themes my lyre shall move; No more the Parthian's wily flight: My lyre shall sing of naught but Love. Haste, grassy altars let us rear; Haste, wreaths of fragrant myrtle twine; With Arab sweets perfume the air, And crown the whole with gen'rous wine. While we the sacred rites prepare, The cruel Queen of fierce desires Will pierce, propitious to my prayer, The obdurate maid with equal fires. Integrity needs no defense; The man who trusts to Innocence, Nor wants the darts Numidians throw, Nor arrows of the Parthian bow. Secure o'er Libya's sandy seas Or hoary Caucasus he strays; O'er regions scarcely known to Fame, Washed by Hydaspes' fabled stream. While void of cares, of naught afraid, Late in the Sabine woods I strayed; On Sylvia's lips, while pleased I sung, How Love and soft Persuasion hung ! A ravenous wolf, intent on food, Rushed from the covert of the wood; Yet dared not violate the grove Secured by Innocence and Love: Nor Mauritania's sultry plain So large a savage does contain; Nor e'er so huge a monster treads Warlike Apulia's beechen shades. Place me where no revolving sun Does e'er h.is radiant circle run, Where clouds and damps alone appear And poison the unwholesome year: Place me in that effulgent day Beneath the sun's directer ray; No change from its fixed place shall move The basis of my lasting love. In imitation of' Quis desiderio sit pugor.' [Horace's Odes, I. xxiv.] What shame shall stop our flowing tears What end shall our just sorrows know Since Fate, relentless to our prayers, Has given the long destructive blow! Ye Muses, strike the sounding string, In plaintive strains his loss deplore, And teach an artless voice to sing The great, the bounteous, now no more For him the Wise and Good shall mourn, While late records his fame declare; And, oft as rolling years return, Shall pay his tomb a grateful tear. Ah I what avail their plaints to thee Ah I what avails his fame declared Thou blam'st, alas I the just decree

Whence Virtue meets its just reward. Though sweeter sounds adorned thy tongue Than Thracian Orpheus whilom played, When list'ning to the morning song Each tree bowed down its leafy head, Never I ah, never from the gloom Of unrelenting Pluto's sway Could the thin shade again resume Its ancient tenement of clay. Indulgent Patience! heav'n-born guest! Thy healing wings around display: Thou gently calm'st the stormy breast And driv'st the tyrant Grief away. Corroding Care and eating Pain By just degrees thy influence own; And lovely lasting Peace again Resumes her long-deserted throne. To his Brother Samuel LINCOLN COLLEGE, OXON, April 4, 1726 DEAR BROTHER,--I should have written long before now, had not a gentleman of Exeter made me put it off from day to day, in hopes of getting some little poems of his, which he promised to write out for me. Yesterday I saw them, though not much to my satisfaction, as being all on very wrong subjects, and run chiefly on the romantic notions of love and gallantry. I have transcribed one which is much shorter than any of the rest, and am promised by to-morrow night, -if that will do me any service, another of a more serious nature. I believe I have given Mr. Leyborn at different times five or six short copies of verses: the latest were a translation of part of the Second Georgic and an imitation of the 65th. Psalm. If he has lost them, as it is likely he has in so long a time, I can write them over in less than an hour, and send them by the post. My father, very unexpectedly a week ago, sent me in a letter a bill on Dr. Morley [John Morley, Rector of Lincoln College 1719-31. He held the living of Scotton, near Gainsborough. See Journal, iii. 511; and letter of Dec. 11, 1730.] for twelve pounds, which he had paid to the Rector's use at Gainsborough; so that, now several of my debts are paid and the expenses of my treat defrayed, I have above ten pounds remaining; and if I could have leave to stay in the country till my College allowance commences, this money would abundantly suffice me till then.

Why you defer your advice till my debts are paid [See letter of March 19, 1727.] you may probably see a reason; I do not. I reckon my Fellowship near sixty pounds a year. Between forty and fifty it will infallibly cost to live at college, use what management I can. As for pupils, I am not qualified to take them till one of our tutors goes away; when that will be is very uncertain. What you mean by my debt at Wroot I do not apprehend. If the whole I have at any time received of my father, I know not how much it is, and shall not therefore know (as neither will you) when it is satisfied; if what I have received at the University, I may be ruined for want of advice before I can possibly repay that; if what I received when last in the country, that was nothing at all, for I not only bore my own expenses in traveling, but paid ready money for whatever I brought from thence, and left money behind me -- though for several reasons I did not think good to tell my father so much when he blamed me with being so expensive to him in that journey. My sister Hetty's behavior has, for aught I have heard, been innocent enough since her marriage. Most of my disputes on Charity with my father were on her account, he being inconceivably exasperated against her. 'Tis likely enough he would not see her when at Wroot: he has disowned her long ago, and never spoke of her in my hearing but with the utmost detestation. Both he, my mother, and several of my sisters were persuaded her penitence was but feigned. One great reason for my writing the above-mentioned sermon was to endeavor, as far as in me lay, to convince them that, even on the supposition that she was impenitent, some tenderness was due to her still; which my mother, when I read it to her, was so well aware of that she told me as soon as she had read it, 'You writ this sermon for Hetty; the rest was brought in for the sake of the last paragraph.'

Two days ago I was reading a dispute between those celebrated masters of controversy, Bishop Atterbury and Bishop Hoadly [Atterbury preached a funeral sermon (on Thomas Bennet the bookseller) from 1 Cor. xv. 19, 'If in this life only . . .' He argued that, were there no life after this, men would be more miserable than beasts, and the best men often the most miserable. Hoadly disputed the interpretation of the text. Atterbury replied: Hoadly retorted. Atterbury preached another sermon on Charity (I Pet. iv. 8). Again Hoadly criticized at length. A concise account of the controversies may be read in the latest life of Atterbury by Canon Beeching, 1909, PP. 44-5. A fuller account is given in Hunt's Religious Thought in England, iii. 78-9. 'Coming from a High Churchman, at a time when most divines were eloquent on the natural rewards of virtue and religion, Atterbury's doctrine was startling.' For Wesley's interpretation, see his Notes upon the New Testament. See also previous letter.]; but must own I was so injudicious as to break off in the middle. I could not conceive that the dignity of the end was at all proportioned to the difficulty of attaining it. And I thought the labor of twenty or thirty hours, if I was sure of succeeding, which I was not, would be but ill rewarded by that important piece of knowledge whether Bishop Hoadly had misunderstood Bishop Atterbury or no.

I ought doubtless not to grieve because one who deserves so well of me is taken from me to God. Surely if you were called first mine ought not to overflow because all tears were wiped from your eyes. That even in this a regard for your happiness ought to take the place of my regard for my own is most certain; but whether I could do what I ought I have great reason to question. I much doubt whether self-love in so trying a circumstance would not be found too strong for a friendship which I even now find to be less disinterested than I hitherto imagined. I used to flatter myself that I had at least the desire to be some way serviceable to Aspasia and Selima, and that this, unmixed with any meaner motive, was the sole principle of many of my actions; but even with this I perceive another principle is interwoven, a desire of recommending myself to their esteem. And if this be a fault, I am much to blame: it is a fault deeply rooted in my nature. But is it a fault to desire to recommend myself to those who so strongly recommend virtue to me ardently to desire their esteem who are so able and willing to make me in some degree worthy of it Tell me, Aspasia; tell me, Selima, if it be a fault that my heart burns within me when I reflect on the many marks of regard you have already shown Your ever obliged and ever faithful CYRUS.

The motion and sun together, in our last hundred-and-fifty miles' walk, so thoroughly carried off ail our superfluous humors, that we continue perfectly in health, though it is here a very sickly season. And Mr. Kirkham [When at Stanton on May 22.] assures us, on the word of a priest and a physician, that if we will but take the same medicine once or twice a year we shall never need any other to keep us from the gout. When we were with him, we touched two or three times upon a nice subject, but did not come to any full conclusion. The point debated was, What is the meaning of being ' righteous over much,' or by the more common phrase of being 'too strict in religion' and what danger there was of any of us falling into that extreme [See letter of July 19.] All the ways of being too righteous or too strict which we could think of were these: either the carrying some one particular virtue to so great an height as to make it clash with some others; or the laying too much stress on the instituted' means of grace, to the neglect of the weightier matters of the law; or the multiplying prudential means upon ourselves so far, and binding ourselves to the observance of them so strictly, as to obstruct the end we aimed at by them, either by hindering our advance in heavenly affections in general or by retarding our progress in some particular virtue. Our opponents seemed to think my brother and I in some danger of being too strict in this last sense of laying burdens on ourselves too heavy to be borne, and consequently too heavy to be of any use to us.

In November 1729, at which time I came to reside at Oxford, your son, my brother and myself, and one more agreed to spend three or four evenings in a week together. Our design was to read over the classics, which we had before read in private, on common nights, and on Sunday some book in divinity. In the summer following, Mr. Morgan told me he had called at the jail, to see a man that was condemned for killing his wife; and that, from the talk he had with one of the debtors, he verily believed that it would do much good if any one would be at the pains now and then of speaking with them. This he so frequently repeated, that on the 24th of August, 1730, my brother and I walked down with him to the Castle. We were so well satisfied with our conversation there, that we agreed to go thither once or twice a week; which we had not done long, before he desired me, August 31, to go with him to see a poor woman in the town who was sick. In this employment too, when we came to reflect upon it, we believed that it would be worth while to spend an hour or two in a week; provided the minister of the parish in which any such person was were not against it. But that we might not depend wholly on our own judgments, I wrote an account to my father of our whole design; withal begging that he, who had lived seventy years in the world, and seen as much of it as most private men have ever done, would advise us whether we had yet gone too far, and whether we should now stand still or go forward. Part of his answer, dated September 28, 1730, was this:

And now, as to your own designs and employments, what can I say less of them than Valde probo; and that I have the highest reason to bless God that He has given me two sons together in Oxford to whom He has given grace and courage to turn the war against the world and the devil, which is the best way to conquer them They have but one more enemy to combat with, the flesh; which if they take care to subdue by fasting and prayer, there will be no more for them to do, but to proceed steadily in the same course, and expect the crown which fadeth not away. You have reason to bless God, as I do, that you have so fast a friend as Mr. Morgan, who, I see, in the most difficult service, is ready to break the ice for you. You do not know of how much good that poor wretch who killed his wife has been the providential occasion. I think I must adopt Mr. Morgan to be my son, together with you and your brother Charles; and when I have such a ternion to prosecute that war, wherein I am now miles emeritus, I shall not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate.

In pursuance of these directions, I immediately went to Mr. Gerard, the Bishop of Oxford's chaplain, who was likewise the person that took care of the prisoners when any were condemned to die (at other times they were left to their own care): I proposed to him our design of serving them as far as we could, and my own intention to preach there once a month, if the Bishop approved of it. He much commended our design, and said he would answer for the Bishop's approbation, to whom he would take the first opportunity of mentioning it. It was not long before he informed me he had done so, and that his lordship not only gave his permission, but was greatly pleased with the undertaking, and hoped it would have the desired success. Soon after, a gentleman of Merton College, who was one of our little company, which now consisted of five persons, acquainted us that he had been rallied the day before for being a member of The Holy Club; and that it was become a common topic of mirth at his college, where they had found out several of our customs, to which we were ourselves utter strangers. Upon this I consulted my father again, in whose answer were these words: December I.

The effects of my last journey, [The Diary for May 1733 says, 'Journey to Epworth 1.0.6.' He spent Sunday with his friend Clayton in Manchester, and then went on to Epworth.] I believe, will make me more cautious of staying any time from Oxford for the future; at least, till I have no pupils to take care of, which probably will be within a year or two. One of my young gentlemen told me at my return that he was more and more afraid of singularity; another, that he had read an excellent piece of Mr. Locke's;[ 2 John Locke (1632-1704) His nephew, Lord Chancellor King, had a decisive influence on Wesley's ecclesiastical views (see letter of Dec. 30, 1745, p. 54). The piece referred to is that on' Authority '(Essay, folio ed. p. 341): ‘The wrong measure or probability which keeps in ignorance or error more people than all the other together is the giving up our assent to the common received opinions, either. of our friends or party, neighborhood or country.’] which had convinced him of the mischief of regarding authority. Both of them agreed that the observing of Wednesday as a fast was an unnecessary singularity; the Catholic Church (that is, the majority of it) having long since repealed by contrary custom the injunction she formerly gave concerning it. [Robert Nelson, the Nonjuror (1656-1715), whose Festivals and Fasts was much commended in the Holy Club, says of the 'ancient Christians': ' Their weekly fasts were kept on Wednesdays and Fridays, because on the one our Lord was betrayed and on the other crucified. These fasts were called their stations, from the military word of keeping their guard, as Tertullian observes.' See letter of Jan. 13, 1735.] A third, who could not yield to this argument, has been convinced by a fever and Dr. Frewin. [Richard Frewin (1681-1761), of Christ Church, physician. and Camden Professor of Ancient History, 1727, See letter of Jan. 14, 1734.] Our seven-and-twenty communicants at St. Mary's were on Monday shrunk to five; and the day before, the last of Mr. Clayton's pupils who continued with us informed me that he did not design to meet us any more.

SIR,--The bank-note sent by Mr. Huey was exchanged today. I have paid Mr. Lasher 11 17s. 6d. of the 50 (and the 9 in my brother's hands), the Bursar 24 for caution-money, and 40s. the usual fee for his admission into the common-room. Mr. Morgan usually rises about six, and has not yet been wanting in diligence. He seldom goes out of college unless upon business or to walk for his health, which I would willingly persuade him to do every day. He loses no time at taverns or coffee-houses, and avoids as much as possible idle company, which every gentleman here will soon be pestered with if he has not some show of resolution. Some evenings every week he spends in the common-room, and others with my brother and me. Of his being admitted into our Society (if it deserves so honorable a title) there is no danger. All those gentlemen whom I have the happiness to converse with two or three times a week upon a religious account would oppose me to the utmost should I attempt to introduce among them at those important hours one of whose prudence I had had so short a trial and who was so little experienced in piety and charity. Several of the points you mention deserve a fuller consideration than I have leisure to give them. I shall ever own myself extremely obliged for the freedom with which you mention them, and have endeavored to answer you with the same freedom, which I am persuaded will not be disagreeable to you. That my dear friend, now with God, was much disordered in his understanding. I had often observed long before he left England. That he was likewise sincerely religious, all observed; but whoever had seen his behavior in the successive stages of his illness might as easily have mistaken darkness for light as his madness for his religion. They were not only different, but opposite too; one counteracting the other from its beginning. I cannot better describe his religion than in the words of the person who wrote his elegy: Mild, sweet, serene, and tender was her mood, Nor grave with sternness, nor with lightness free! Against example resolutely good, Fervent in zeal and warm in charity! Who ne'er forsook her faith for love of peace, Nor sought with fire and sword to show her zeal;

[A letter given under September 24, 1736, and the Journal Diary for June 16, 1737, show that Wesley still kept up some correspondence with Miss Ann Granville. Miss Hamilton says that at Bulstrode on December 14, 1783 (Auto. and Corr. vi. 175) Mrs. Delany 'told me she had known the two Mr. Wesleys (the Methodist preachers); she knew them when they were young men. They lived near her sister when they were students at Oxford. They were of a serious turn, and associated with such as were so. These brothers joined some other young men at Oxford, and used to meet of a Sunday evening and read the Scriptures, and find out objects of charity to relieve. This was a happy beginning, but the vanity of being singular and growing enthusiasts made them endeavor to gain proselytes and adopt that system of religious doctrine which many reasonable people thought pernicious.' On June 9, 1743, Mrs. Pendarves was married to Dr. Delany, who in May 1744 became Dean of Down; the deanery was worth 2,500 a year, and he had other preferments. He died at Bath on May 6, 1768, and Mrs. Delany on April 15, 1788. She was buried in a vault of St. James's, Piccadilly, where there is a tablet on one of the columns to her memory. She enjoyed the special friendship of George III and Queen Charlotte, and was described by Edmund Burke as ' the highest-bred woman in the world and the woman of fashion of all ages.' ' She was fond of drawing and painting and was a genuine lover of good music, including that unpopular Italian opera against which her master Hogarth had pointed his sharpest etching-needle.' See Austin Dobson's Side-walk Studies, p. 115; and for Miss Granville, the heading to letter of September 24, 1736. An exquisite needlework pocket-book made by Mrs. Delany with a letter from Queen Charlotte to her was sold for 40 in December 1927.] To his Father [5] OXON December 10, 1734.

18. I need not but just glance upon several other reasons why I am more likely to be useful here than anywhere else: as, because I have the joint advice of many friends in any difficulty, and their joint encouragement in any dangers; because the good Bishop and Vice-Chancellor are at hand to supply (as need is) their want of experience; because we have the eyes of multitudes upon us, who, even without designing it, perform the most substantial office of friendship, apprising us where we have already fallen, and guarding us from falling again; lastly, because we have here a constant fund (which I believe this year will amount to near eighty pounds) to supply the bodily wants of the poor, and thereby prepare their souls to receive instruction. 19. If it be said that the love of the people at Epworth balances all these advantages here, I ask, How long will it last Only till I come to tell them plainly that their deeds are evil, and, to make a particular application of that general sentence, to say to each, Thou art the man! Alas, sir, do I not know what love they had for you at first And how have they used you since Why, just as every one will be used whose business it is to bring light to them that love to sit in darkness. 20. Notwithstanding, therefore, their present prejudice in my favor, I cannot quit my first conclusion, that I am not likely to do that good anywhere, not even at Epworth, which I may do at Oxford; and yet one terrible objection lies in the way: Have you found it so in fact What have you done there in so many years Nay, have not the very attempts to do good, for want either of a particular turn of mind for the business you engaged in or of prudence to direct you in the right method of doing it, not only been unsuccessful, but brought such contempt upon you as has in great measure disqualified you for any future success And are there not men in Oxford who are not only better and holier than you, but who, having preserved their reputation, who, being universally esteemed, are every way fitter to promote the glory of God in that place

26. These are part of my reasons for choosing to abide (till I am better informed) in the station wherein God' has placed me. As for the flock committed, to your care, whom for many years you have diligently fed with the sincere milk of the Word, I trust in God your labor shall not be in vain, either to yourself or them: many of them the great Shepherd has by your hand delivered from the hand of the destroyer; some of whom are already entered into peace, and some remain unto this day. For yourself, I doubt not, but when your warfare is accomplished, when you are made perfect through sufferings, you shall come to your grave, not with sorrow, but as a ripe shock of corn, full of years and victories. And He that took care of the poor sheep before you was born will not forget them when you are dead..' Ended December 19, 1734.

Graviora tua negotia literis meis interpellare non auderem, nisi te crederem illius esse discipulum, qui linum ardens non extingui vult, neque calamum quassatum confringi. Id vero quum persuasum habeam, maximopere te obtestor, ut et tuis et Ecclesiae tecum peregrinantis precibus Deo cornmender, in vera spiritus pauperrate, mansuetudine, fide, ac amore Dei proximique erudiendus. Et si quando tibi paululum otii suppetat, breve illud votum Deo offerre ne dedigneris, quod a fratribus tuis (utinam et meis) Savannensibus saepius oblatum audivi: Einen Helden muth Der da Gut und Blut Gem um deinetwillen lasse Und des Fleisches Ltlste hasse, Gieb ibm, Hchstes Gut, Durch dein theares Blut. [The last verse of Freylinghausen's Wer ist wohl wie Du (No. 30 in the Herrnhut Gesang-Buch of 1737); the hymn which Wesley translated as 'O Jesu, Source of calm repose.' This is the verse which he rendered: A patient, a victorious mind, That life and all things casts behind, Springs forth obedient to Thy call, A heart that no desire can move, But still to adore, believe, and love, Give me, my Lord, my Life, my All!] SAVANNAE, Mart. 15, v.s. 1736. [Translation] SAVANNAH, March 15, 1736. JOHN WESLEY TO COUNT ZINZENDORF. I should not dare to interrupt your more weighty affairs with a letter of mine, did I not hold you to be a disciple of Him who would not have the smoking flax quenched nor the bruised reed broken. But since I am entirely convinced of this, I beg of you that in your prayers and the prayers of the Church that sojourns with you, I may be commended to God, to be instructed in true poverty of spirit, in gentleness, in faith, and love of God and my neighbor. And, whenever you have a little leisure, do not disdain to offer to God this short prayer, which I have heard frequently offered by your brethren at Savannah (would they were mine also!): Then the dauntless mind Which, to Jesus joined, Neither life nor treasure prizes, And all fleshly lusts despises, Grant him, Highest Good, Through Thy precious blood. To his Mother SAVANNAH, March 18, 1736.

GENTLEMEN,--When the account of the mission expenses, commencing March 1, 1736, and brought down to the end of November, was delivered to me, I was much surprised to find it amount to (in Carolina currency) 666 17 0, which, reduced to sterling, is 090 02 04 (90 2s. 4d.). A day or two since, I received a second account, brought down to March 1, 1737; which being added to the former, the total expense of the year was 726 07 03 (sterling 098 08 01). But upon reading over both I observed, as you will be pleased to do: (1) That of the sum above mentioned 191 19 06 was paid Mr. Quincey, partly for a bed, hangings, and furniture; partly for making a cellar, building a hut, and improvements, by him made in and about the house. (2) That 86 06 09 has been since expended at several times, for necessary repairs of the cellar (which was fallen in), the house and fences round it and the garden, a great part of which fell down, being quite decayed. (3) That 98 10 09 was expended in three journeys to Frederica, twice by water and once by land; whither not my own pleasure, but the desire of some of that desolate people, and the need of all, called me. (4) That 26 01 09 was expended at several times in clothing for Mr. Ingham. These particulars, together amounting to 402 18 09, the expense of Mr. Ingham's food for two or three months, and of mine and Mr. Delamotte's subsistence from March 1, 1736, to March 1, 1737, amounts to Carol. 323 08 6 (sterling 044 04 04).

I now understand those words of poor Julian, [‘The progress of Atheism has been principally owing to the humanity evinced by Christians toward strangers. The impious Galileans provide not only for those of their own party who are in want, but also for those who hold with us.’ (Julian to Arsacius, Sozomen's Ecc. Hist. chap. xvi.) The saying ‘See how these Christians love one another’ seems to be found first in Tertullian (Apologeticus, chap. xxxix).] ‘See how these Christians love one another.’ Yea, how they love all who have the faintest desire to love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity! Oh may He sanctify to us their holy conversation, that we may be partakers of the spirit which is in them--of their faith unfeigned, and meekness of wisdom, and love which never faileth! Dear mother, forget not often to desire this for Your dutiful and affectionate Son. To his Brother Charles UTPH, July 7, 1738. DEAR BROTHER, -- I am now with the Count, at his uncle's the Count of Solms, five or six hours from Marienborn; and have stole an hour to let you know that hitherto God hath been very merciful to us in all things. The spirit of the Brethren is beyond our highest expectations. Young and old, they breathe nothing but faith and love at all times and in all places. I do not therefore concern myself with smaller points that touch not the essence of Christianity, but endeavor (God being my helper) to grow up in these after the glorious examples set before me; having already seen with my own eyes more than one hundred witnesses of that everlasting truth, ‘Every one that believeth hath peace with God and is freed from sin, and is in Christ a new creature.’ See therefore, my brethren, that none of you receive the grace of God in vain! But be ye also living witnesses of the exceeding great and precious promises which are made unto every one of us through the blood of Jesus. Adieu. [Charles Wesley endorsed this letter ‘Panegyric on Germans.’] To his Brother Samuel UTPH, July 7, I738.

I was much concerned when my brother Charles once incidentally mentioned a passage that occurred at Tiverton. ‘Upon my offering to read,’ said he, ‘a chapter in the Serious Call, my sister said, “Who do you read that to Not to these young ladies, I presume; and your brother and I do not want it.”’ Yes, my sister, [Mrs. Samuel Wesley.] I must tell you, in the spirit of love, and before God, who searcheth the heart, you do want it; you want it exceedingly. I know no one soul that wants to read and consider deeply so much the chapter of Universal Love and that of Intercession. The character of Susurrus [‘He had a mighty inclination to hear and discover all the defects and infirmities of all about him.... If you would but whisper anything gently, though it was ever so bad in itself, Susurrus was ready receive it.’ (Law's Serious Call, chap. xxi.) See letter of Oct. 30 to his brother.] there is your own. I should be false to God and you did I not tell you so. Oh may it be so no longer; but may you love your neighbor as yourself, both in word and tongue, and in deed and truth! I believe in a week Mr. Ingham and I shall set out for Herrnhut, about three hundred and fifty miles from hence. O pray for us, that God would sanctify to us all those precious opportunities, that we may be continually built up more and more in the spirit of power, and love, and of a sound mind! --I am, dear brother, Your most affectionate friend and Brother. To his Brother Charles HERRNHUT, August 4, 1738. DEAR BROTHER, -- Thus far God has greatly helped us in all things. An account of the people here you must not expect till we come face to face, when I hope we shall part no more. Oh that, after I have proved all things, I may be enabled throughy de t dafta, [Phil. i. 10: ‘approve things that are excellent.’] and, calling no man master, in faith, practice, and discipline, to hold fast that which is good!

7. It is not I, or my brother or our friends, who cause or foment divisions and offences. With us (glory be to God) is no anger or clamor or bitterness or evil-speaking. We avoid, as we would avoid the fire of hell, all envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings; and follow after lowliness, meekness, and love, with all that seek the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. And with this end it is that I have written now; hoping that, if in anything I do err from the truth, you will restore me in the spirit of meekness, that I may again give God thanks on your behalf, and have a fresh instance of your readiness to support the weak and comfort the feeble-minded. To do which, after the ability which God giveth, is also the desire of, reverend sir, Your obedient servant. To the Moravians at Marienborn and Herrnhut [12] LONDON, September 1738. MY DEAR BROTHER, -- I cannot but rejoice in your steadfast faith, in your love to our blessed Redeemer, your deadness to the world, your meekness, temperance, chastity, and love of one another. I greatly approve of your conferences and bands, of your method of instructing children, and in general of your great care of the souls committed to your charge. But of some other things I stand in doubt, which I will mention in love and meekness. And I wish that, in order to remove those doubts, you would on each of those heads, (1) plainly answer whether the fact be as I suppose; and if so, (2) consider whether it be right. Do you not wholly neglect joint fasting Is not the Count all in all Are not the rest mere shadows, calling him Rabbi, almost implicitly both believing and obeying him Is there not something of levity in your behavior Are you in general serious enough Are you zealous and watchful to redeem time Do you not sometimes fall into trifling conversation Do you not magnify your own Church too much Do you believe any who are not of it to be in gospel liberty Are you not straitened in your love Do you love your enemies and wicked men as yourselves Do you not mix human wisdom with divine, joining worldly prudence to heavenly Do you not use cunning, guile, or dissimulation in many cases

May our gracious Lord, who counteth whatsoever is done unto the least of His followers as done to Himself, return sevenfold unto you and the Countess and all the Brethren the many kindnesses you did unto us! It would have been a great satisfaction to me if I could have spent more time with the Christians that love one another. But that could not be now, my Master having called me to work in another part of His vineyard. Nor did I return hither at all before the time; for though a great door and effectual had been opened, the adversary had laid so many stumbling-blocks before it that the weak were daily turned out of the way. [See Journal, ii. 75; and also previous letter.] Numberless misunderstandings had arisen, by reason of which the way of truth was much blasphemed; and hence had sprung anger, clamor, bitterness, evil-speaking, envyings, strifes, railings, evil surmisings, whereby the enemy had gained such an advantage over the little flock that ' of the rest durst no man join himself unto them.' But it has now pleased our blessed Master to remove in great measure these rocks of offence. The word of the Lord runs and is glorified, and His work goes on and prospers. Great multitudes are everywhere awakened, and cry out, ‘What must we do to be saved’ Many of them see that there is only one name under heaven whereby they can be saved; and more and more of those that seek it find salvation in His name. Their faith hath made them whole. And these are of one heart and one soul. They all love one another, and are knit together in one body and one spirit, as in one faith and one hope of their calling.

The love and zeal of our brethren in Holland and Germany, particularly at Herrnhut, hath stirred up many among us, who will not be comforted till they also partake of the great and precious promises. I hope, if God permit, to see them at least once more, were it only to give them that fruit of my love, the speaking freely on a few things which I did not approve, perhaps because I did not understand them. May our merciful Lord give you a fight judgment in all things, and make you to abound more and more in all lowliness and meekness, in all simplicity and godly sincerity, in all watchfulness and serious-ness-in a word, in all faith and love, particularly to those that are without, till ye are merciful, as your Father which is in heaven is merciful! I desire your constant and earnest prayers that He would vouchsafe a portion of the same spirit to Your much obliged and very affectionate But unworthy brother in Christ. To Count Zinzendorf, At Amsterdam. To Benjamin Ingram and James Hutton [16] LINCOLN COLLEGE, November 16, 1738. MY DEAR BRETHERN INGHAM AND HUTON, -- Be ye strong in the Lord and in the power of His might! There begins to be a little revival of His power here also. The few gownsmen who meet love one another and press forward toward the prize of our high calling. But I fear they do not all build on the true foundation; for some seem still to be establishing their own righteousness, as the joint cause (at least) with that of our Lord, of their acceptance with God. Charles Kinchin stands clear of this charge, and is full of love for souls and of prayer. But neither (I fear) does he speak the truth as it is in Jesus. For he (as our brother Hutchings) mightily insists, both in conversation and preaching, that no one can be justified without knowing it, and that none is born again or has saving faith till he has the full assurance of faith, continual joy in the Holy Ghost, and the immediate witness of the Spirit with his spirit. Oh when will our Lord give us to be of one mind and one soul, to speak and think the same thing!

I have thought much (my brother is out of town with Mr. Wells) of the monitors, [See Wesley's account of the discipline of the Church at Herrnhut, Journal, if. 50, 53. The monitors were eleven in number. Some were known to be such; others were secretly appointed, and, if need were, could admonish in the love of Christ even the rulers of the Church.] and am very much afraid that design is not right; and that for several reasons. First, it seems needless. Every man in my band is my monitor, and I his; else I know no use of our being in band. And if anything particular occur, why should not the leaders (as was agreed before) delegate a monitor pro tempors Secondly, I doubt it would be hurtful; and, indeed, many ways: by lessening the care of every member for every other, when so great a part of his care was transferred to another; by lessening mutual freedom, and making it in one instance unnecessary; by setting aside the commandment of God, 'Thou shalt in any wise reprove thy brother,' [See Lev. xix. 17.] by depriving thee, i.e. every one beside the monitors, of the improvement and reward of so doing. Thirdly, I have seen it has produced these effects. Sin (as they esteemed it) was suffered in me at Savannah, first seven months, afterwards five months, without one breath of reproof; notwithstanding the command of God, notwithstanding earnest, continual entreaty on one side, and solemn, repeated promises on the other. And how could this be Why, there were stated monitors to reprove. Others, therefore, judged reproof to be a thing quite out of their way. But I fell not under the care of the monitors. Therefore I might have gone unreproved to this hour had not John [Wesley evidently refers to John Martin Boltzius, the minister of the Saltzburghers, whom he had refused to admit to the Lord's Table in Savannah because he was not baptized by a minister who had been episcopally ordained (see Journal, iii. 434). He speaks (ibid. i. 181) of reading Drake's Anatomy with ‘John.’ Boltzius had told, Wesley of something he thought wrong in his conduct, and had been reproved for doing so by those who thought he had usurped the office of the monitors.] reproved me; for which (as he could not deny) he was roundly reproved himself.

All Bath on Tuesday was big with expectation of what a great man was to do to me there; and I was much entreated not to preach, 'because no one knew what might happen.' By this report also I gained (I believe) a thousand new hearers of the rich and great of this world. I told them plainly 'the scripture had concluded them all under sin,' high and low, rich and poor, one with another. They appeared not a little surprised and sinking apace into seriousness, when their champion appeared, and, having forced his way through the people, asked ‘by what authority I did these things.’ I answered, ‘By the authority of Jesus my Master, conveyed to me by the (now) Archbishop of Canterbury.’ He said ‘it was contrary to the Act of Parliament; there was an Act of Parliament against conventicles.’ I replied, ‘The conventicles there mentioned were seditious meetings. But there was no such here.’ He said, ‘Yes, it was; for I frighted people out of their wits.’ I asked if he had ever heard me preach. If not, how he could judge of what he never heard He said, ‘By common report, for he knew my character.’ I then asked, ‘Pray, sir, are you a justice of peace or the mayor of this city’ Answer: ‘No, I am not.’ ‘Why then, sir, pray by what authority do you ask me these things’ Here he paused a little, and I went on: ‘Give me leave, sir, to ask, Is not your name Nash’ Answer: ‘Sir, my name is Nash.’ ‘Why then, sir, I trust common report is no good evidence of truth.’ Here the laugh turned full against him, so that he looked about and could scarce recover. Then a bystander said, ‘Sir, let an old woman answer him.’ Then, turning to Mr. Nash, she said, ‘Sir, if you ask what we come here for, we come for the food of our souls. You care for your body: we care for our souls.’ He replied not one word, but turned and walked away.

‘It is true, although the masters will not take nay pay (for the love of Christ constrains them, as they freely received, freely to give), yet this undertaking is attended with great expense. But let Him that feedeth the young ravens see to that. If He puts it into your heart, or the hearts of any of your friends, to assist us in bringing this work to perfection, in this world look for no recompense; but it shall be remembered in that day, when our Lord shall say unto you, “Inasmuch as ye did it unto the least of these My brethren, ye did it unto me.”’ My love and service attends all our brethren at Cardiff, especially My. Glascot. [Thomas Glascot, one of the overseers of the poor, entertained Wesley on Oct. 18 1739, and went with him to Newport next morning. Charles Wesley stayed with him on his first visit to Cardiff in Nov. 1740 (W.H.S. iii. 176). On Sept. 1, 1758, many followed Wesley to Mr. Glascot’s house, ‘where two of three were cut to the heart, particularly both his daughters and cried to God with strong cries and tears.’ On May 10, 1781 Wesley is at Cardiff, and refers to him as a member of the old Society now ‘gone hence.’ See letter of May 13, 1764.] - I am, in haste, my dear brother, Your Affectionately.

I have little time and much to write to-night. Dear Jemmy, suffer people to use the means of grace. If this caution is needless, I shall rejoice; for I am Your loving brother. To Philip Henry Molther [2] [BISTOL, April 12, 1740.] DEAR BROTHER MOLTHER, -- Our brother Nowers never laid Sutor's behavior to the charge of the Brethren. He is well satisfied with what you say about it, and desires his love may be remembered to them all. It is my great desire that there may be nothing but love between them and you and Your affectionate brother. To Howell Harris [3] LONDON, July 29, 1740. MY DEAR BROTHER, --- Is the devil a fool Or has he forgot his old maxim, ‘Divide and conquer’ Beware you forget not the royal law, ‘Love thinketh no evil.’ I have no time myself now, so I have desired our brother Purdy [John Purdy was Wesley's companion when he went to begin his field-preaching in Bristol. Wesley lightened his labor by thus using his friend's help. See letters of Dec. 6, 1739, and Feb. 1, 1784.] to transcribe a paragraph or two of my Journal for you.

1741 To his Brother Charles [1] LONDON, April 21, 1741. It is not possible for me to set out yet. I must go round and glean after G. Whitefield. I will take care of the books you mention. My Journal is not written yet. The bands and Society are my first care. The bands are purged; the Society is purging: and we continually feel whose hand is in the work. Send the new-printed Hymns [Whitefield went to Bristol on April 22, and on the 25th wrote (Life, i. 478), ‘Dear Brother Charles [Wesley] is more and more rash. He has lately printed some very bad hymns.’ These were the Hymns on God's Everlasting Love; to which were added ‘The Cry of a Reprobate and the Horrible Decree.’ 18 hymns, 12mo, 36 pp. Printed in 1741 by S. & F. Farley, Bristol. The hymns were ‘very bad’ to a Calvinist.] immediately. We presented a thousand of Barclay [Wesley's Diary shows that he prepared Serious Considerations on Absolute Predestination, extracted from Robert Barclay, in Dec. 1740. It was published by Farley in 1741, 12mo, 24 pp.] to G. Whitefield's congregation on Sunday. On Sunday next I propose to distribute a thousand more at the Foundry. I am settling a regular method of visiting the sick here. Eight or ten have offered themselves for the work, who are likely to have full employment; for more and more are taken ill every day. Our Lord will thoroughly purge His floor. I rejoice in your speaking your mind freely. O let our love be without dissimulation! But I can't yet agree with you in all points. Who is your informer concerning N. Bath I doubt the facts. Have you had them face to face Brother Nowers [See letter of March 21, 1740.] is not [in love with her]. Ask him about them. Let the premises be but proved, and I greatly commend the conclusion. I am not clear that Brother Maxfield [Thomas Maxfield had been converted at Bristol in 1739 (see letter of May 28 of that year). Hecame to London with Wesley on March 25, 1741, and was busy there for the next few months.] should not expound at Greyhound Lane; nor can I as yet do without him. Our clergymen have miscarried full as much as the laymen; and that the Moravians are other than laymen I know not.

I will carry the books to Evesham, [He was at Evesham on Aug. 17. The books were probably Charles Wesley’s Hymns and Sacred Poems, published that year.] if I do not send before. The day of my setting out hence (if I have life and health) is Monday fortnight, and on Thursday fortnight I hope to be at Bristol. I shall write Lady Huntingdon [He was at this time on very intimate terms with Lady Huntingdon, and frequently visited her at Donnington Park (Life and Times, i. 58). His recent journey to the North had been suggested by a letter from her. See letter of July 12, 1743.] word of my mother's death to-night. She is to be buried to-morrow evening. Adieu. To Captain Robert Williams [3] LONDON, August 3, 1742. SIR, -- To prove that Robert Williams traded very largely during the time he was at Savannah, that he built several considerable buildings both at Savannah and other parts of the colony, that he greatly improved large tracts of land there, and was esteemed to have one of the chief settlements in the colony, you have not so much as quoted ‘common fame.’ So he that will believe it, let him believe it. But you have quoted common fame to support several charges against John Wesley, clerk: as, that he seduced its common persons settled there to idleness; that he used too great familiarities with Miss Hopkey, and continued so to do till she was married to Mr. William Williamson of Savannah, a gentleman of considerable note there ('tis much a gentleman of so considerable note as Mr. William Williamson would marry her!); that he sent her several letters and messages after her marriage, desiring her to meet him at divers unseasonable hours and places, many of which (hours or places) were at his, the said Wesley's, own closet. A report was, you say, that these things were so. Would any man desire better proof

‘“MY DEAR BRETHREN, -- I CANNOT but rejoice in your steadfast faith, in your love to our blessed Redeemer, your deadness to the world, your meekness, temperance, chastity, and love of one another. I greatly approve of your conferences and bands [The band society in London began May 1, some time before I set out for Germany (Wesley).], of your method of instructing children; and, in general, of your great care of the souls committed to your charge. ‘“But of some other things I stand in doubt, which I will mention in love and meekness. And I wish that, in order to remove those doubts, you would, on each of those heads, First,plainly answer whether the fact be as I suppose; and if so, Secondly, consider whether it be right. ‘“Is not the Count all in all among you ‘“Do you not magnify your own Church too much ‘“Do you not use guile and dissimulation in many cases ‘“Are you not of a close, dark, reserved temper and behavior’ [See letter in Sept. 1738 to the Moravians, where this is given in fuller form.] ‘It may easily be seen, that my objections then were nearly thesame as now.’ Only with this difference, -- I was not then assuredthat the facts were as I supposed. ‘Yet I cannot say my affectionwas lessened at all: (For I did not dare to determine anything:) Butfrom November 1, I could not but see more and more things whichI could not reconcile with the gospel.’ ‘These I have set down with all simplicity. Yet do I this, because Ilove them not God knoweth: Yea, and in part, I esteem them still;because I verily believe they have a sincere desire to serve God;because many of the a have tasted of his love, and some retain it insimplicity; because they love one another; because they have somuch of the truth of the gospel, and so far abstain from outwardsin. And lastly, because their discipline is, in most respects, so truly excellent; notwithstanding that visible blemish, the paying toomuch regard to their great patron and benefactor, CountZinzendorf.’

10. ‘But I must observe,’ you say, ‘that you fall not only into inconsistencies, but into direct contradictions. You commend them for “loving one another in a manner the world knoweth not of;” and yet you charge them with being “in the utmost confusion, biting and devouring one another.” You say, “They caution us against natural love of one another; and had well-nigh destroyed brotherly love from among us.”’ ‘You praise them for “using no diversions, but such as become saints;” and for “not regarding outward adorning:” Yet you say they “conform to the world in wearing gold and costly apparel; and by joining in worldly diversions, in order to do good.”’ ‘You call their discipline, “in most respects, truly excellent.” I wish you had more fully explained yourself. I am sure it is no sign of good discipline, to permit such abominations. And you tell themyourself, “I can show you such a subordination as answers all Christian purposes, and yet is as distant from that among you as the heavens are from the earth.”’ ‘You mention it as a good effect of their discipline, that “every one knows and keeps his proper rank.” Soon after; as if it were with a design to confute yourself, you say, “Our brethren have neither wisdom enough to guide, nor prudence enough to let it alone.”’ ‘And now, Sir, how can you reconcile these opposite descriptions’ (pages 21-3). Just as easily as those before, by simplydeclaring the thing as it is. ‘You commend them’(the Moravians) ‘for loving one another [See letter of June 24, 1744.]; and yet charge them with biting and devouring one another’ (Journal, ii. 310, 328) ‘Them’! Whom Not the Moravians; but the English brethren of Fetter-Lane, before their union with the Moravians. Here, then, is no shadow ofcontradiction. For the two sentences do not relate to the same persons. ‘You say, “They had well-nigh destroyed brotherly love fromamong us;” partly by “cautions against natural love.”’ (ii. 494)It is a melancholy truth; so they had. But we had then no connection with them. Neither, therefore, does this contradict their ‘loving one another in a manner the world knoweth not of.’

12. You need not therefore ‘imagine, that either the strongpretences or warm professions of the Moravians,’ or their ‘agreeing with me on some favorite topics,’ (for my love to them was antecedent to any such agreement,) ‘induce me to overlook their iniquity, and to forgive their other crimes.’ (Remarks, p. 23.) No. Ilove them upon quite different grounds; even because I believe, notwithstanding all their faults, they ‘love the Lord Jesus insincerity,’ and have a measure of ‘the mind that was in him.’ AndI am in great earnest when I declare once more, that I have a deep, abiding conviction, by how many degrees thegood which is among them overbalances the evil; that I cannotspeak of them but with tender affection, were it only for thebenefits I have received from them; and that, at this hour, I desire union with them (were those stumbling-blocks once put away,which have hitherto made that desire ineffectual) above all things under heaven. II. 1. Your second charge is, ‘That I hold, in common with them,principles from which their errors naturally follow.’ You meanjustification by faith alone. To set things in the clearest light I can, Iwill first observe what I hold, and what you object; and then inquire what the consequences have been. First. As to what I hold. My latest thoughts upon justification are expressed in the following words: -- ‘Justification sometimes means our acquittal at the last day. But this is out of the present question; that justification whereof ourArticles and Homilies speak, meaning present pardon andacceptance with God; who therein declares his righteousness and mercy, by or for the remission of the sins that are past. ‘I believe, the condition of this is faith: I mean, not only, thatwithout faith we cannot be justified; but also, that, as soon as anyone has true faith, in that moment he is justified. ‘Good works follow this faith, but cannot go before it. Much less can sanctification, which implies a continued course of good works,springing from holiness of heart. But -- entire sanctification goesbefore our justification at the last day.

Let it be repeated ever so often, it is good for nothing. For, far otherqualifications are required in order to our standing before God inglory, than were required in order to his giving us faith andpardon. In order to this, nothing is indispensably required, butrepentance, or conviction of sin. But in order to the other it isindispensably required, that we be fully ‘cleansed from all sin;’ that the ‘very God of peace sanctify us wholly,’ even t , ‘our entire body, soul, and spirit.’ It is notnecessary, therefore, (nor indeed possible,) that we should, beforejustification, ‘patiently wait upon God, by lowliness, meekness, and resignation, in all the ways of his holy law.’ And yet it isnecessary, in the highest degree, that we should thus wait uponhim after justification: Otherwise, how shall we be "meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light’ 5. Soon after, you add: ‘In the passages last cited, you plead for thenecessity of a good life: But in others, the force of your principlesshows itself. An answer approved by you, is, “My heart is desperately wicked; but I have no doubt or fear; I know mySavior loves me, and I love him.” Both these particulars areimpossible, if the Scripture be true.’ (Page 29.) You amaze me! Is it possible you should be ignorant that your ownheart is desperately wicked Yet I dare not say, either that God does not love you, or that you do not love him. ‘Again: You say, you described the state of those who haveforgiveness of sins, but not a clean heart;’ (page 30); not in the full, proper sense. Very true; but even then they had power over both inward and outward corruptions; far from being, as you suppose, ‘still wedded to their vices, and resolved to continue in them.’

16. You proceed: ‘Kingswood you call your own house: And whenone Mr. C. opposed you there, you reply to him, “You should nothave supplanted me in my own house, stealing the hearts of thepeople.” The parochial Clergy may call their several districts theirown houses, with much more propriety than you could call Kingswood yours. And yet how have you supplanted them therein,and labored to steal the hearts of the people! You have sufferedby the same ways you took to discharge your spleen and maliceagainst your brethren. ‘Your brother's words to Mr. Cennick are, -- ‘Whether his doctrine is true or false, is not the question. But you ought first to have fairly toldhim, I preach contrary to you. Are you, willing, notwithstanding,that I should continue in your house, gainsaying you Shall I stayhere opposing you, or shall I depart ‘Think you hear this spokento you by us. What can you justly reply -- Again, if Mr. Cennick hadsaid thus to you, and you had refused him leave to stay; I ask you,whether in such a case he would have had reason to resent such arefusal I think you cannot say he would. And yet how loudlyhave you objected our refusing our pulpits to you!’ (Remarks, pp. 15-16.) So you judge these to be exactly parallel cases. It lies therefore uponme to show that they are not parallel at all; that there is, in manyrespects, an essential difference between them. (1.) ‘Kingswood you call your own house.’ So I do, that is, theschool-house there. For I bought the ground where it stands, andpaid for the building it, partly from the contribution of my friends, (one of whom contributed fifty pounds,) partly from the income of my own Fellowship. No Clergyman therefore can call his parish his own house with more propriety than I can call this house mine. (2.) ‘Mr. Cennick opposed you there.’ True; but who was Mr. Cennick One I had sent for to assist me there; a friend that was as my own soul; that, even while he opposed me, lay in my bosom. What resemblance then does Mr. Cennick, thus opposing me, bear to me opposing (if I really did) a parochial minister

17. I think your following objections do not properly come under any of the preceding heads: ‘Your doctrine of Momentaneous Illapse, &c., is represented by your adversaries as singular and unscriptural; and that these singularities are your most beloved opinions and favorite tenets, more insisted upon by you than the general and uncontroverted truths of Christianity: this is their charge.’ And so, I doubt, it will be to the end of the world; for, in spite of all I can say, they will represent one circumstance of my doctrine (so called) as the main substance of it. It nothing avails that I declare again and again, ‘Love is the fulfilling of the law.’ I believe this love is given in a moment. But about this I contend not. Have this love, and it is enough. For this I will contend till my spirit returns to God. Whether I am singular or no in thinking this love is instantaneously given, this is not my ‘most beloved opinion.’ You greatly wrong me when you advance that charge. Nay, I love, strictly speaking, no opinion at all. I trample upon opinion, be it right or wrong. I want, I value, I preach the love of God and man. These are my ‘favorite tenets’ (if you will have the word), 'more insisted on' by me ten times over, both in preaching and writing, than any or all other subjects that ever were in the world. 18. You will observe, I do not say (and who is there that can) that I have no singular opinion at all; but this I say -- that, in my general tenor of preaching, I teach nothing as the substance of religion more singular than the love of God and man; and it was for preaching this very doctrine (before I preached or knew salvation by faith) that several of the clergy forbade me their pulpits. ‘But if it be notorious that you are frequently insisting on controverted opinions.’ If it be, even this will not prove the charge--namely, ‘that those are my most beloved opinions, and more insisted upon by me than the uncontroverted truths of Christianity.’ ‘No singularities’ is not my answer: but that no singularities are my most beloved opinions; that no singularities are more, or near so much, insisted on by me as the general, uncontroverted truths of Christianity.

I am ready, if it may be for His Majesty's service, to pull not only the battlements but the house down; or to give up any part of it or the whole into your Excellency's hands. To the Mayor of Newcastle-upon-Tyne NEWCASTLE, October 26, 1745. SIR, -- The fear of God, the love of my country, and the regard I have for His Majesty King George constrain me to write a few plain words to one who is no stranger to these principles of action.[See letter of Sept. 21.] My soul has been pained day by day, even in walking the streets of Newcastle, at the senseless, shameless wickedness, the ignorant profaneness, of the poor men to whom our lives are entrusted. [Fifteen thousand troops were encamped on Newcastle Moor] The continual cursing and swearing, the wanton blasphemy of the soldiers in general, must needs be a torture to the sober ear, whether of a Christian or an honest infidel. Can any that either fear God or love their neighbor hear this without concern especially if they consider the interest of our country, as well as of these unhappy men themselves. For can it be expected that God should be on their side who are daily affronting Him to His face And if God be not on their side, how little will either their number or courage or strength avail! Is there no man that careth for these souls Doubtless there are some who ought so to do. But many of these, if I am rightly informed, receive large pay and do just nothing. I would to God it were in my power in any degree to supply their lack of service. I am ready to do what in me lies to call these poor sinners to repentance, once or twice a day (while I remain in these parts), at any hour or at any place. And I desire no pay at all for doing this, unless what my Lord shall give at His appearing.

Having myself no knowledge of the General, I took the liberty to make this offer to you. I have no interest herein; but I should rejoice to serve as I am able my King and country. If it be judged that this will be of no real service, let the proposal die and be forgotten. But I beg you, sir, to believe that I have the same glorious cause, for which you have shown so becoming a zeal, earnestly at heart [The Mayor sent a message the following day saying that he would 'communicate my proposal to the General, and return me his answer as soon as possible.' Wesley preached near the camp several times. See Journal, iii. 218-19.]; and that therefore I am, with warm respect, sir, Your most obedient servant. To the Moravian Synod [15] LONDON, December 8, 1745. MY BRETHREN, -- Is it not the will of our great Shepherd to gather together in one all His sheep that are scattered abroad Our earnest desire is that this His will may be done. And we are ready to do anything in our power that may in any degree contribute thereto. If you are willing any of your brethren should confer with us, we are ready, and should rejoice therein.Might we not, in a free and brotherly conference,-- 1. See in what points we do already agree together; 2. Consider what points (wherein we do not yet agree) we might suffer to sleep on either side; and 3. Settle how far we might unite, what kind or degree of fellowship we might preserve with each other, even if there should be some points wherein we cannot avoid speaking contrary to each other We desire your answer to this proposal, which is made in simplicity of heart by Your affectionate brethren, To Westley Hall [16] LONDON, December, 30, 1745. DEAR BROTHER, -- Now you act the part of a friend. It has been long our desire that you would speak freely. And we will do the same. What we know not yet, may God reveal to us! You think, first, that we undertake to defend some things which are not defensible by the Word of God. You instance in three; on each of which we will explain ourselves as clearly as we can.

[Under Thy guidance I entered into my inward self: and this I could do, because Thou wast my Helper. I entered, and saw with the eye of my soul (such as it is) the unchangeable light of the Lord above this very eye of my soul, and above my mind. The light was not of this common kind, which is obvious to all flesh: neither was it as if it was a larger light of the same kind. It was not a light of this kind, but of another; a light that differed exceedingly from all these. Nor was it above my mind, as the heavens are above the earth: but it was superior, because it made me. He who knows the truth knows this light; and he who knows it knows eternity. Love knows it. ‘O eternal Truth! Thou art my God! Day and night I sigh after Thee. And when I first knew Thee, Thou didst take hold of me that I might see that there was something to be seen. Thou didst likewise beat back the weakness of my own sight, and didst Thyself powerfully shine into me. I trembled with love and with horror; and I found myself far from Thee. I said, “Is truth therefore nothing” And Thou didst reply from afar, “No, indeed! I AM THAT I AM I” I heard this, as we are accustomed to hear in the heart; and there was no ground whatever for doubting. Nay, I could more easily doubt of my existence itself than that it was not the Truth.’ See letter of June 25, 1746, sect. 6.] 9. From many such passages as these, which I have occasionally read, as well as from what I have myself seen and known, I am induced to believe that God’s ordinary way of converting sinners to Himself is by ‘suddenly inspiring them with an immediate testimony of His love, easily distinguishable from fancy.’ I am assured thus He hath wrought in all I have known (except, perhaps, three or four persons), of whom I have reasonable ground to believe that they are really turned from the power of Satan to God.

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.

3. Fear, indeed, is one cause of my declining this; fear, as I said elsewhere, [In the Preface to The Principles of a Methodist; an Answer to Josiah Tucker, Vicar of All Saints, Bristol. See Works, viii. 359; Green's Bibliography, No. 35; and letter of June 8, 1750.] not of my adversary, but of myself. I fear my own spirit, lest ‘I fall where many mightier have been slain.’ I never knew one (or but one) man write controversy with what I thought a right spirit. Every disputant seems to think, as every soldier, that he may hurt his opponent as much as he can: nay, that he ought to do his worst to him, or he cannot make the best of his own cause; that, so he do not belie or willfully misrepresent him, he must expose him as much as he is able. It is enough, we suppose, if we do not show heat or passion against our adversary. But not to despise him, or endeavor to make others do so, is quite a work of supererogation. 4. But ought these things to be so (I speak on the Christian scheme.) Ought we not to love our neighbor as ourselves And does a man cease to be our neighbor because he is of a different opinion nay, and declares himself so to be Ought we not, for all this, to do to him as we would he should do to us But do we ourselves love to be exposed or set in the worst light Would we willingly be treated with contempt If not, why do we treat others thus And yet, who scruples it Who does not hit every blot he can, however foreign to the merits of the cause Who in controversy casts the mantle of love over the nakedness of his brother Who keeps steadily and uniformly to the question, without ever striking at the person Who shows in every sentence that he loves his brother only less than the truth

However, since you persist to affirm that I am guilty of the contradictions you charged upon me (page 87), I think there cannot be a sufficient reply without reciting the several instances. 12. (1) ‘You commend them (the Moravians) for loving one another; and yet charge them with biting and devouring one another.’ I answered, ‘Them! Whom Not the Moravians, but the English brethren of Fetter Lane before their union with the Moravians. Herein, then, is no shadow of contradiction; for the two sentences do not relate to the same persons.’ You reply, 'Would you, then, have us to think that so much anger and contradiction reigned among your Methodists' I 'would have you think' this is nothing to the purpose. Prove the contradiction, and you speak to the point. 'It is plain they had before this been perverted by the Moravians, and that they were unwilling to be taught by any others.' They--that is, nearly half of the Society. But here is no proof of the contradiction still. (2) ‘You say, “They had wellnigh destroyed brotherly love from among us, partly by cautions against natural love, partly by occasioning almost continual disputes.”’ So they had; but we had then no connection with them. Neither, therefore, does this contradict their loving one another. You reply, ‘As if they can truly love each other who teach you not to do it and stir up divisions and disturbances among you.’ You should say, if you would repeat after me, ‘Who caution you against natural love and occasion many disputes among you.’ Well; allowing they do this (which is utterly wrong), yet where is the contradiction Yet they may love one another. (3) ‘You praise them for using no diversions but such as become saints; and yet say’ (I recite the whole sentence), '"I have heard some of you affirm that Christian salvation implies liberty to conform to the world, by joining in worldly diversions in order to do good."' And both these are true. The Moravians in general 'use no diversions but such as become saints'; and yet I have heard some of them affirm, in contradiction to their own practice, that 'one then mentioned did well when he joined in playing at tennis in order to do good.' To this you make no reply. Silence, then, consents that there is no contradiction here.

I would only add: If I am in Orders, if I am a minister still, and yet not a minister of the Church of England, of what Church am I a minister Whoever is a minister at all is a minister of some particular Church. Neither can he cease to be a minister of that Church till he is cast out of it by a judicial sentence. Till, therefore, I am so cast out (which I trust will never be), I must style myself a minister of the Church of England. 6. Your next objection is: ‘You not only erect bands, which, after the Moravians, you call the United Society, but also give out tickets to those that continue therein.’ These bands, you think, ‘have had very bad consequences, as was to be expected when weak people are made leaders of their brethren and are set upon expounding Scripture.’ (Ibid.) You are in some mistakes here. For: (1) The bands are not called the United Society. (2) The United Society was originally so called, not after the Moravians, but because it consisted of several smaller Societies united together. (3) Neither the bands nor the leaders of them as such are ‘set upon expounding Scripture.’ (4) The good consequences of their meeting together in bands I know; but the ‘very bad consequences’ I know not.

‘Again: “One was just going to beat his wife (which he frequently did), when God smote him in a moment; so that his hand dropped, and he fell down upon the ground, having no more strength than a new-born child.” Have we any warrant, either from Scripture or the common dispensations of Providence, to interpret misfortunes of this nature as judgments' (Remarks, p. 67.) I answered, ‘Can you, sir, consider this as one of the common dispensations of Providence Have you known a parallel one in your life But it was never cited by me (as it is by you) as an immediate punishment on a man for opposing me.’ [Ibid.] You reply, ‘As if what is not common, or what I have not known, must be a miraculous judgement.’ I believe it was, whether miraculous or no, a judgment mixed with mercy.

9. You go on: ‘It is the most charitable supposition we can make, that many of the cases you have mentioned in your Journals, and some of which have been represented above, are of this kind’ -- that is, instances of madness (ibid.). Oh tender charity! But cannot your charity reach one hair's breadth farther than this No: for ‘otherwise’ (that is, if those persons were not mad) ‘the presumption and despair are terrible indeed.’ But what if you were to suppose John Haydon (to instance in one) was not mad, but under a temporary possession, and that others were deeply convinced of sin and of the wrath of God abiding on them I should think this supposition (be it true or false) was full as charitable as the other. I said, ‘I cannot find one such instance to this day.’ You reply, ‘Yet once you could not but be under some concern with regard to one or two persons, who seemed to be indeed lunatic as well as sore vexed.’ So they seemed; but it soon appeared they were not. The very next paragraph mentions that one of these within a few hours was ‘filled with the spirit of love and of a sound mind.’ (Journal, ii. 291.) But you are resolved, come what will, to carry this point; and so add, ‘Toward the end of your Farther Appeal, [Part I. See Works, viii. 131-2.] you say you have seen one instance of real, lasting madness. This was one whom you took with you to Bristol, who was afterwards prejudiced against you, and began a vehement invective both against your person and doctrines. In the midst of this he was struck raving mad.’ Add, ‘And so he continued till his friends put him into Bedlam; and probably laid his madness to my charge.’ If they did not, it is now done to their hands. 10. ‘As to the cure of these fits, I observed’ (so you, Second Letter, p. 139, proceed) ‘that you had frequently represented them as miraculous, as the instantaneous consequences of your prayers.’ My former answer to this was, ‘I have set down the facts just as they were, passing no judgment upon them myself, and leaving every man else to judge as he pleases.’

And what use is it of, what good end does it serve, to term England a Christian country (Although it is true most of the natives are called Christians, have been baptized, frequent the ordinances; and although a real Christian is here and there to be found, ‘as a light shining in a dark place.’) Does it do any honor to our great Master among those who are not called by His name Does it recommend Christianity to the Jews, the Mahometans, or the avowed heathens Surely no one can conceive it does. It only makes Christianity stink in their nostrils. Does it answer any good end with regard to those on whom this worthy name is called I fear not; but rather an exceeding bad one. For does it not keep multitudes easy in their heathen practice does it not make or keep still greater numbers satisfied with their heathen tempers does it not directly tend to make both the one and the other imagine that they are what indeed they are not -- that they are Christians while they are utterly without Christ and without God in the world To close this point: If men are not Christians till they are renewed after the image of Christ, and if the people of England in general are not thus renewed, why do we term them so The god of this world hath long blinded their hearts. Let us do nothing to increase that blindness, but rather labor to recover them from that strong delusion, that they may no longer believe a lie. 4. Let us labor to convince all mankind that to be a real Christian is to love the Lord our God with all our heart and to serve Him with all our strength, to love our neighbor as ourselves, and therefore do unto every man as we would he should do unto us. Nay, you say, ‘Had you confined yourselves to these great points, there would have been no objection against your doctrine. But the doctrines you have distinguished yourselves by are not the love of God and man, but many false and pernicious errors’ (page 104).

6. Religion itself (I choose to use the very words wherein I described it long ago) we define, ‘The loving God with all our heart and our neighbor as ourselves; and in that love abstaining from all evil, and doing all possible good to all men.’ The same meaning we have sometimes expressed a little more at large, thus, -- ‘Religion we conceive to be no other than love: the love of God and of all mankind; the loving God “with all our heart and soul and strength,” as having “first loved us,” as the fountain of all the good we have received and of all we ever hope to enjoy; and the loving every soul which God hath made, every man on earth, as our own soul. ‘This love we believe to be the medicine of life, the neverfailing remedy for all the evils of a disordered world, for all the miseries and vices of men. Wherever this is, there are virtue and happiness going hand in hand. There is humbleness of mind, gentleness, longsuffering, the whole image of God, and at the same time a peace that passeth all understanding and joy unspeakable and full of glory. ‘This religion we long to see established in the world, -- a religion of love and joy and peace; having its seat in the heart, in the inmost soul, but ever showing itself by its fruits; continually springing forth, not only in all innocence (for love worketh no ill to his neighbor), but likewise in every kind of beneficence, spreading virtue and happiness all around it.’ [An Earnest Appeal. See Works, viii. 3-4.] If this can be proved by Scripture or reason to be enthusiastic or erroneous doctrine, we will then plead guilty to the indictment of ‘teaching error and enthusiasm.’ But if this be the genuine religion of Christ, then will all who advance this charge against us be found false witnesses before God in the day when He shall judge the earth.

7. However, with regard to the fruits of our teaching, you say, ‘It is to be feared the numbers of serious men who have been perplexed and deluded are much greater than the numbers of notorious sinners who have been brought to repentance and good life’ ( page 113). ‘Indeed, if you could prove that the Methodists were in general very wicked people before they followed you, and that all you have been teaching them is the love of God and their neighbor, and a care to keep His commandments, which accordingly they have done since, you would stop the mouths of all adversaries at once. But we have great reason to believe that the generality of the Methodists, before they became so, were serious, regular, and well-disposed people.’ (Page 103.) If the question were proposed, ‘Which are greater, the numbers of serious men who have been perplexed and deluded, or of notorious sinners who have been brought to repentance and good life, by these preachers throughout England within seven years’ it might be difficult for you to fix the conclusion. For England is a place of wide dimensions; nor is it easy to make a satisfactory computation, unless you confine yourself within a smaller compass. Suppose, then, we were to contract the question, in order to make it a little less unwieldy. We will bound our inquiry for the present within a square of three or four miles. It may be certainly known by candid men, both what has been and what is now done within this distance; and from hence they may judge of those fruits elsewhere, which they cannot be so particularly informed of.

Sir, I willingly put the whole cause on this issue: What are the general consequences of this preaching Are there more tares or wheat more ‘good men destroyed’ (that is the proper question) or ‘wicked men saved’ The last place where we began constant preaching is a part of Wiltshire and Somersetshire, near Bath. Now, let any man inquire at Road, Bradford, Wrexal, [Wraxhill Green, five miles south of Shepton Mallet.] or among the colliers at Coleford, (1) what kind of people were those ‘before they followed these men’ (2) what are the main doctrines they have been teaching for this twelvemonth (3) what effect have these doctrines upon their followers what manner of lives do they lead now And if you do not find (1) that three in four of these were two years ago notoriously wicked men; (2) that the main doctrines they have heard since were, ‘Love God and your neighbor, and carefully keep His commandments’; and (3) that they have since exercised themselves herein, and continue so to do; -- I say, if you, or any reasonable man, who will be at the pains to inquire, does not find this to be an unquestionable fact, I will openly acknowledge myself an enthusiast or whatsoever else you shall please to style me. Only one caution I would give to such an inquirer. Let him not ask the colliers of Coleford: ‘Were not the generality of you, before you followed these men, serious, regular, well-disposed people’ Were you not ‘offended at the profaneness and debauchery of the age’ and ‘Was it not this disposition which at first made you liable to receive these impressions’ (Page 103.) Because, if he talk thus to some of those who do not yet ‘follow these men,’ perhaps he will not live to bring back their answer.

I expect to see Mr. Piers every day. When I do, I will inquire farther concerning that note.[See letter of Jan. 18.] I am, with thankfulness for this and all your favours, dear madam, Your obliged servant. To ‘John Smith’ LONDON, June 25, 1746. SIR, -- At length I have the opportunity, which I have long desired, of answering the letter you favored me with some time since. [Wesley had sent him A Farther Appeal with his previous letter, and this ‘John Smith’ acknowledges in his letter of Feb. 26.] Oh that God may still give us to bear with each other and to speak what we believe is the truth in love! 1. I detest all zeal which is any other than the flame of love. Yet I find it is not easy to avoid it. It is not easy (at least to me) to be ‘always zealously affected in a good thing’ without being sometimes so affected in things of an indifferent nature. Nor do I find it always easy to proportion my zeal to the importance of the occasion, and to temper it duly with prudence according to the various and complicated circumstances that occur. I sincerely thank you for endeavoring to assist me herein, to guard me from running into excess. I am always in danger of this, and yet I daily experience a far greater danger of the other extreme. To this day I have abundantly more temptation to lukewarmness than to impetuosity; to be a saunterer inter sylvas Academicas, a philosophical sluggard, than an itinerant preacher. And, in fact, what I now do is so exceeding little, compared with what I am convinced I ought to do, that I am often ashamed before God, and know not how to lift up mine eyes to the height of heaven! 2. But may not love itself constrain us to lay before men ‘the terrors of the Lord’ And is it not better that sinners ‘should be terrified now than that they should sleep on and awake in hell’ I have known exceeding happy effects of this, even upon men of strong understanding; yet I agree with you that there is little good to be done by ‘the profuse throwing about hell and damnation,’ and the best way of deciding the points in question with us is cool and friendly argumentation.

I agree, too, ‘that scheme of religion bids fairest for the true which breathes the most extensive charity.’ Touching the charity due to those who are in error, I suppose we both likewise agree that really invincible ignorance never did nor ever shall exclude any man from heaven; and hence I doubt not but God will receive thousands of those who differ from me, even where I hold the truth. But still, I cannot believe He will receive any man into glory (I speak of those under the Christian dispensation) ‘without such an inspiration of the Holy Ghost as fills his heart with peace and joy and love.’ 3. In this Mr. Whitefield and I agree; but in other points we widely differ. And therefore I still apprehend it is inexcusably unjust to link us together, whether we will or no. For by this means each is constrained to bear not only his own but another’s burthen. Accordingly I have been accused an hundred times of holding unconditional predestination. And no wonder; for, wherever this charge is advanced, -- ‘The Methodists preach sundry erroneous doctrines; in particular three, Unconditional Predestination, Perceptible Inspiration, and Sinless Perfection,’ -- the bulk of mankind will naturally suppose that the Methodists in general hold these three doctrines. It will follow that, if any of these afterwards hears ‘Mr. Wesley is a Methodist,’ he will conclude, ‘Then he preaches unconditional predestination, perceptible inspiration, and sinless perfection.’ And thus one man is made accountable by others, if not by you, for all the errors and faults of another. 4. The case of many who subscribe to the Eleventh and following Articles I cannot yet think is exactly the same with the case of Mr. Whitefield and me subscribing the Seventeenth; for each of us can truly say, ‘I subscribe this Article in that which I believe from my heart is its plain, grammatical meaning.’ Twenty years ago I subscribed the Fifteenth Article likewise, in its plain, unforced, grammatical meaning. And whatever I do not now believe in this sense I will on no terms subscribe at all.

Now, what is this but using outward works as commutations for inward holiness For (1) These men love not inward holiness; they love the world; they love money; they love pleasure or praise: therefore the love of God is not in them; nor, consequently, the Christian love of their neighbor. Yet (2) They are in no wise convinced that they are in the broad way which leads to destruction. They sleep on and take their rest. They say, ‘Peace, peace,’ to their soul, though there is no peace. But on what presence Why, on this very ground -- because (3) They do such and such outward works; they go to church, and perhaps to the Lord’s Table; they use in some sort private prayer; they give alms; and therefore they imagine themselves to be in the high road to heaven. Though they have not ‘the mind that was in Christ,’ yet they doubt not but all is safe, because they do thus and thus, because their lives are not as other men’s are. This is what I mean by using outward works as commutations for inward holiness. I find more and more instances every day of this miserable self-deceit. The thing is plain and clear. But if you dislike the phrase, we will drop it and use another. Nearly allied to this is the ‘gross superstition of those who think to put devotion upon God instead of honesty’: I mean, who practice neither justice nor mercy, and yet hope to go to heaven because they go to church and sacrament. Can you find no such men in the Church of England I find them in every street. Nine times in ten, when I have told a tradesman, ‘You have cheated me; sold me this for more than it is worth, which I think is a breach both of justice and mercy. Are you a Christian Do you hope to go to heaven’ his answer, if he deigned any answer at all, has been to this effect: ‘As good a Christian as yourself! Go to heaven! Yes, sure; for I keep my church as well as any man.’

As I have little time, I must beg you to read and consider what I have already spoken upon this subject, in the First Part of the Farther Appeal, at the thirty-eighth and following pages [Works, viii. 76-111]; and then to let me know what kind of proof it is which you expect in a question of this nature, over and above that of Scripture, as interpreted by the writers of the earliest Christian Church. I have not studied the writings of the Quakers enough (having read few of them beside Robert Barclay [See letter of Feb. 10, 1748.]) to say precisely what they mean by perceptible inspiration, and whether their account of it be right or wrong. And I am not curious to know, since between me and them there is a great gulf fixed. The sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper keep us at a wide distance from each other; insomuch that, according to the view of things I have now, I should as soon commence Deist as Quaker. [‘Smith’ had said: ‘The son of a Wesley and an Annesley is in no danger of lukewarmness, but ought to take great care on the side of impetuosity and zeal. The tempter will never make you a saunterer or a sluggard, but, if you are not upon your guard, may possibly, before you are aware, make you a Quaker.’] I would just add that I regard even faith itself not as an end but a means only. The end of the commandment is love, of every command, of the whole Christian dispensation. Let this love be attained, by whatever means, and I am content; I desire no more. All is well, if we love the Lord our God with all our heart and our neighbor as ourselves.

I have often replied: (1) It were better for me to die than not to preach the gospel of Christ; yea, and in the fields, either where I may not preach in the church or where the church will not contain the congregation. (2) That I use the Service of the Church every Lord's Day, and it has never yet appeared to me that any rule of the Church forbids my using extemporary prayer on other occasions. But methinks I would go deeper. I would inquire, What is the end of all ecclesiastical order Is it not to bring souls from the power of Satan to God, and to build them up in His fear and love Order, then, is so far valuable as it answers these ends; and if it answers them not, it is nothing worth. Now, I would fain know, where has order answered these ends Not in any place where I have been; -- not among the tinners in Cornwall, the keelmen at Newcastle, the colliers in Kingswood or Staffordshire; not among the drunkards, swearers, Sabbath-breakers of Moorfields, or the harlots of Drury Lane. They could not be built up in the fear and love of God while they were open, barefaced servants of the devil; and such they continued, notwithstanding the most orderly preaching both in St. Luke’s and St. Giles’s Church. [See letter of March 25, 1747, sect. 12.] One reason whereof was, they never came near the church, nor had any desire or design so to do, till, by what you term ‘breach of order,’ they were brought to fear God, to love Him, and keep His commandments. It was not, therefore, so much the want of order as of the knowledge and love of God which kept those poor souls for so many years in open bondage to an hard master. And, indeed, wherever the knowledge and love of God are, true order will not be wanting. But the most apostolical order, where these are not, is less than nothing and vanity.

To Ebenezer Blackwell [1] BRISTOL, January 26, 1747. DEAR SIR, -- Our number of patients increases here daily. We have now upwards of two hundred. Many have already desired to return thanks, having found a considerable change for the better already. But we are at a great loss for medicines, several of those we should choose being not to be had at any price in Bristol. I have been sometimes afraid you have suffered loss for want of a frank acknowledgement of the truth: I mean with regard to the gay world. If we openly avow what we approve, the fear or shame generally lights on them; but if we are ashamed or afraid, then they pursue, and will be apt to rally us both out of our reason and religion. -- I am, dear sir, Your very affectionate servant. My best respects attend Mrs. Blackwell and Mrs. Dewal.[Mrs. Hannah Dewal lived with the Blackwells at Lewisham, and was one of the most intimate friends of John and Charles Wesley. See C. Wesley's Journal, ii. 170, 379-83.] I hope you strengthen each other's hands. To Howell Harris [2] NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, March 3, 1747. MY DEAR BROTHER, -- I was glad to receive a letter from you, though sorry for some of the contents of it. I believed Brother Cownley would labor for peace and simply preach the gospel. I wrote pressingly to Brother Richards (who, I suppose, was at Plymouth since, in his return from Cornwall) to tread in the same steps. By degrees I trust these unkind affections will subside and brotherly love revive and increase. My brother said (this I know) ‘he had no more design to have a Society at Plymouth than a palace’; and he had not neither then nor when he desired John Trembath to call there. Nor, indeed, does he now concern himself therewith. The burthen lies upon me, and I am in a strait between two. I am much solicited to suffer those who press for it to be under my care. But what to do I know not. May God make plain my way before my face.

18. Your Lordship seems in some measure sensible of this, when you very gently condemn their opinion who think the Methodists ‘might better be disregarded and despised than taken notice of and opposed, if it were not for the disturbance they give to the parochial ministers, and their unwarrantable endeavors to seduce the people from their lawful pastors’ (Charge, p. 22). The same complaint with which your Lordship opened your Charge: ‘They give shameful disturbances to the parochial clergy; they annoy the Established ministry, using very unwarrantable methods, first to prejudice their people against them, and then to seduce their flocks from them’ (page 4). Whether we seduce them or no (which will be presently considered), I am sorry your Lordship should give any countenance to that low, senseless, and now generally exploded slander that we do it for a maintenance. This your Lordship insinuates by applying to us those words of Bishop Sanderson: [Robert Sanderson (1587-1663), Fellow of Lincoln College 1606; Regius Professor of Divinity, Oxford, 1642; Bishop of Lincoln 1660. Izaak Walton in his Lives calls him ‘This pattern of meekness and primitive innocence.’] ‘And all this to serve their own belly, to make a prey of the poor deluded proselytes; for by this means the people fall unto them, and thereout suck they no small advantage’ (page 15). Your Lordship cannot but know that my Fellowship and my brother's Studentship afford us more than sufficient for life and godliness, especially for that manner of life which we choose, whether out of ostentation or in sincerity. [Charles Wesley’s Studentship yielded 4 a year paid quarterly, and 16s. 8d. annually for ‘livery,’ i.e. clothes. Had he been resident he would have had free rooms and ‘commons,’ or diet. Both Fellowship and Studentship were terminable on marriage. For Wesley's income, see Works, vii. 36.]

MY DEAR BROTHER,--I presume you know how bitter Mr. Ellis (the minister here) used to be against the Methodists. On Friday he came to hear me preach, I believe with no friendly intention. Brother Swindells[Robert Swindells, a man of great zeal and fine spirit, was one of Wesley's devoted preachers for more than forty years. He did much for the poor, and sometimes gave even part of his own clothes to relieve distress. He suffered much, and died suddenly in 1782. See Atmore's Memorial, p. 409; and letter of Feb. 14, 1778, to Mrs. Johnson.] spoke a few words to him, whereupon he invited him to his house. Since then they have spent several hours together, and I believe his views of things are greatly changed. He commends you much for bringing the Methodists back to the Church; and at his request I have wrote a little thing to the same effect. He will translate it into Welsh, and then I design to print it both in Welsh and English: I will send you some as soon as I can, that you may disperse them when you see occasion. I thought it good to apprise you of this before. I know your heart is herein as my heart. O my brother, let us join hand in hand and fight our way through I I want all your prayers. I believe God has detained us here for the sake both of the minister and the people. Grace and peace be with you and yours.--I am, my dear brother, Your affectionate friend and brother. To John Cennick [5] March 14, 1748. MY DEAR BROTHER,--I have heard much since I came to Dublin of the affair of Skinner's Alley. I am unwilling to do anything which may appear contrary to brotherly love, and therefore, if you desire it and can procure Mr. Edwards' consent, I am willing to give up the house into your hands this day. I wish you much light and love of God; and am Your affectionate brother. To Mr. Cennick, Skinner's Alley. To John Cennick [6] SHIP STREET, March 14, 1748. MY DEAR BROTHER,--You say true, Mr. Edwards has not now any authority to let that house. What I desire is to do as I would be done to with as little noise as possible.

CORK STREET, March 26, 1748. MY DEAR BROTHER,--Has Mr. Cennick left any orders with you concerning the house in Skinner's Alley If he has, if he is of the same mind, I am ready to do as I said to-day. If he has altered his mind, I design to preach there myself next week.--I am Your loving brother. I expected to have heard from him before he left Ireland. To Brother Toltschig To John Toltschig [9] CORK STREET March 29, 1748. MY DEAR BROTHER,--I don't think Mr. Cennick has used me well. He ought to have let me hear from him before he left the kingdom. It would have been only common civility, to say nothing of brotherly love. Since he has left all things undetermined (whether on purpose or no I leave to the Searcher of Hearts) my conscience is satisfied, and I think it would not be right to let the house lie empty any longer. I therefore design to preach there tomorrow. But whenever Mr. Cennick will indemnify me as to the bonds and covenants I am under, I will relinquish it to him at a month's warning.--I am Your affectionate brother. To Mr. Toltschig. To his Brother Charles [10] DUBLIN, Saturday, April 16, 1748. DEAR BROTHER,--We returned hither last night. But I must (as you observe) make another journey into the country. Our Societies there already consist of 350 members. But they are most of them raw, undisciplined soldiers, and, without great care, will desert to their old master. The Conference must be in London this year, in order to the meeting of the Stewards from all the Societies. I hope to be there about Wednesday in Whitsun week. Skinner's Alley house is now, as it ever was, a millstone about my neck. I shall shake it off as soon as possible, and do as I would be done to. I can never get over 'We laid out so much money and have not had a penny returned.'[See letter of March 14.] T. Alsop is not equal to Reading, nor can John Jones ride long journeys.[John Jones was a medical man who became one of Wesley's trusted preachers. He was a master at Kingswood. See Journal, iii. 530; and letter of Sept. 3, 1756, to Nicholas Norton.] I am glad you are returned. To William Mondet CORK STREET, April 16, 1748.

12. 'Oh, but he is ordained, and therefore has authority.' Authority to do what 'To save all the souls that will put themselves under his care.' True; but (to waive the case of them that will not; and would you desire that even those should perish) he does not, in fact, save them that are under his care. Therefore what end does his authority serve He that was a drunkard is a drunkard still. The same is true of the Sabbath-breaker, the thief, the common swearer. This is the best of the case; for many have died in their iniquity, and their blood will God require at the watchman's hand. 13. For surely he has no authority to murder souls, either by his neglect, by his smooth if not false doctrine, or by hindering another from plucking them out of the fire and bringing them to life everlasting! 14. If he either attempts or desires to hinder him, if he condemns or is displeased with him for it, how great reason is there to fear that he regards his own profit more than the salvation of souls.--I am, reverend sir, Your affectionate brother. To William Mondet [15] CORK STREET, May 14, 1748. SIR,--What I said at first, I say just now without any intricacy or reserve at all: 'Indemnify me, and take the house to-day.' But be sure; I will keep it till I am indemnified. And if you refuse to do this, 'tis not I refuse to quit, but you refuse to take the house. Every sensible man must see where it sticks--namely, at you, and not at me.--I am Your well-wisher and servant for Christ's sake. Mr. Meriton and Williams have power to transact this without me. To Mr. W. Mondet. To John Cennick [16] May 16, 1748. MY DEAR BROTHER,--I know you cannot indemnify me with regard to the rents and covenants I am under, which was the thing I always insisted on, and must insist on still, without encumbering yourselves. If, therefore, you cannot accept the house 'upon these conditions,' the case is determined at once. I wish you much happiness; and am Your very affectionate brother. To Mr. Cennick. To John Haime [17] LONDON, June 21, 1748.

If Webster's spirit be not altered, and that speedily, I shall send him back to Plymouth Dock.[Eleazer Webster was evidently a troublesome preacher. See letter of Feb. 9, 1750.] I trust your own soul is not neglected in the multiplicity of business which comes upon you from other men. O be much in prayer! I am often concerned for you. The Spirit of God be your Guide, and His love your portion for ever. To a Friend [23] NEWINGTON, December 10, 1748. DEAR SIR,--1. I have read your letter with attention, and much approve of the spirit with which it is wrote. You speak in love. I desire to do so too; and then no harm can be done on either side. You appear not to be wedded to your own opinion, but open to farther conviction. I would willingly be of the same temper; not obstinately attached to either side of the question. I am clearly satisfied of the necessity of this--a willingness to see what as yet I see not. For I know an unwillingness to be convinced would utterly blind either you or me; and that if we are resolved to retain our present opinion, reason and argument signify nothing. 2. I shall not therefore think it is time or pains misemployed, to give the whole cause a second hearing; to recite the occasion of every step I have taken, and the motives inducing me so to do; and then to consider whatsoever either you or others have urged on the contrary side of the question.

23. If you proceed in this manner, with mildness and love, exceeding few will be offended. 'But you ought,' say some, 'to give up an indifferent thing, rather than give an offence to any. So St. Paul: "I will eat no flesh whilst the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend."' I reply: This is not an indifferent thing, if it affects the health either of myself or my brethren. Therefore that rule relating wholly to things indifferent is not applicable to this case. Would St. Paul have said, 'I will drink drams while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend' 'But tea is not so hurtful as drams.' I do not believe it is. But it is hurtful; and that is enough. The question does not turn on the degree of hurtfulness. 'However, it is but a small thing.' Nay, nothing is small if it touches conscience; much less is it a small thing to preserve my own or my brother's health, or to be a faithful steward even of the mammon of unrighteousness. O think it not a small thing whether only one for whom Christ died be fed or hungry, clothed or naked! To conclude the head of offence: You must at least allow that all this is no plea at all for your drinking tea at home. 'Yes, it is; for my husband or parents are offended if I do not drink it.' I answer: (1) Perhaps this in some rare cases may be a sufficient reason why a wife or a child should use this food--that is, with them, but nowhere else. But (2) Try, and not once or twice only, if you cannot overcome that offence by reason, softness, love, patience, longsuffering, joined with constant and fervent prayer. 24. Your next objection is, 'I cannot bear to give trouble; therefore I drink whatever others drink where I come, else there is so much hurry about insignificant me.'

5. One and another and another came to us, asking what they should do, being distressed on every side; as every one strove to weaken and none to strengthen their hands in God. We advised them: 'Strengthen you one another. Talk together as often as you can. And pray earnestly with and for one another, that you may " endure to the end and be saved."' Against this advice we presumed there could be no objection; as being grounded on the plainest reason, and on so many scriptures, both of the Old Testament and New, that it would be tedious to recite them. 6. They said, 'But we want you likewise to talk with us often, to direct and quicken us in our way, to give us the advices which you well know we need, and to pray with us as well as for us.' I asked, Which of you desire this Let me know your names and places of abode. They did so. But I soon found they were too many for me to talk with severally so often as they wanted it. So I told them, 'If you will all of you come together every Thursday in the evening, I will gladly spend some time with you in prayer and give you the best advice I can.' 7. Thus arose, without any previous design on either side, what was afterwards called a Society; a very innocent name, and very common in London, for any number of people associating themselves together. The thing proposed in their associating themselves together was obvious to every one. They wanted to 'flee from the wrath to come' and to assist each other in so doing. They therefore united themselves 'in order to pray together, to receive the word of exhortation, and to watch over one another in love, that they might help each other to work out their salvation.' 8. There is only one condition previously required in those who desire admission into this Society,--'a desire to flee from the wrath to come, to be saved from their sins.' *[ See the Rules of the United Societies (Works, viii. 269-71).] They now likewise agreed that as many of them as had an opportunity would meet together every Friday, and spend the dinner hour in crying to God, both for each other and for all mankind.

9. It quickly appeared that their thus uniting together answered the end proposed therein. In a few months the far greater part of those who had begun to 'fear God and work righteousness,' but were not united together, grew faint in their minds, and fell back into what they were before. Meanwhile the far greater part of those who were thus united together continued 'striving to enter in at the strait gate' and to 'lay hold on eternal life.' 10. Upon reflection, I could not but observe, This is the very thing which was from the beginning of Christianity. In the earliest times those whom God had sent forth 'preached the gospel to every creature.' And the oiJ ajkroataiv 'the body of hearers,' were mostly either Jews or heathens. But as soon as any of these were so convinced of the truth as to forsake sin and seek the gospel salvation, they immediately joined them together, took an account of their names, advised them to watch over each other, and met these kathcouvmenoi, 'catechumens' (as they were then called), apart from the great congregation, that they might instruct, rebuke, exhort, and pray with them and for them according to their several necessities. 11. But it was not long before an objection was made to this, which had not once entered into my thought: 'Is not this making a schism Is not the joining these people together gathering Churches out of Churches'

It was easily answered: If you mean only gathering people out of buildings called churches, it is. But if you mean dividing Christians from Christians, and so destroying Christian fellowship, it is not. For (1) These were not Christians before they were thus joined. Most of them were barefaced heathens. (2) Neither are they Christians from whom you suppose them to be divided. You will not look me in the face and say they are. What! drunken Christians! cursing and swearing Christians! lying Christians! cheating Christians! If these are Christians at all, they are devil Christians, as the poor Malabarians term them. (3) Neither are they divided any more than they were before, even from these wretched devil Christians. They are as ready as ever to assist them and to perform every office of real kindness towards them. (4) If it be said, 'But there are some true Christians in the parish, and you destroy the Christian fellowship between these and them,' I answer: That which never existed cannot be destroyed. But the fellowship you speak of never existed. Therefore it cannot be destroyed. Which of those true Christians had any such fellowship with these Who watched over them in love Who marked their growth in grace Who advised and exhorted them from time to time Who prayed with them and for them as they had need This, and this alone, is Christian fellowship; but, alas! where is it to be found Look east or west, north or south; name what parish you please: is this Christian fellowship there Rather, are not the bulk of the parishioners a mere rope of sand What Christian connexion is there between them What intercourse in spiritual things What watching over each other's souls What bearing of one another's burthens What a mere jest is it, then, to talk so gravely of destroying what never was! The real truth is just the reverse of this: we introduce Christian fellowship where it was utterly destroyed. And the fruits of it have been peace, joy, love, and zeal for every good word and work.

5. It is the business of a Leader (1) To see each person in his class, once a week at the least, in order to inquire how their souls prosper; to advise, reprove, comfort, or exhort, as occasion may require; to receive what they are willing to give toward the relief of the poor. (2) To meet the Minister and the Stewards of the Society, in order to inform the Minister of any that are sick, or of any that are disorderly and will not be reproved; to pay to the Stewards what they have received of their several classes in the week preceding. 6. At first they visited each person at his own house; but this was soon found not so expedient. And that on many accounts: (1) It took up more time than most of the Leaders had to spare. (2) Many persons lived with masters, mistresses, or relations, who would not suffer them to be thus visited. (3) At the houses of those who were not so averse, they often had no opportunity of speaking to them but in company. And this did not at all answer the end proposed, of exhorting, comforting, or reproving. (4) It frequently happened that one affirmed what another denied. And this could not be cleared up without seeing them together. (5) Little misunderstandings and quarrels of various kinds frequently arose among relations or neighbours; effectually to remove which, it was needful to see them all face to face. Upon all these considerations it was agreed that those of each class should meet all together. And by this means a more full inquiry was made into the behaviour of every person. Those who could not be visited at home or no otherwise than in company had the same advantage with others. Advice or reproof was given as need required, quarrels made up, misunderstandings removed; and after an hour or two spent in this labour of love, they concluded with prayer and thanksgiving.

7. It can scarce be conceived what advantages have been reaped from this little prudential regulation. Many now happily experienced that Christian fellowship of which they had not so much as an idea before. They began to 'bear one another's burthens,' and naturally to 'care for each other.' As they had daily a more intimate acquaintance with, so they had a more endeared affection for, each other. And 'speaking the truth in love, they grew up into Him in all things, who is the Head, even Christ; from whom the whole body, fitly joined together, and compacted by that which every joint supplied, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, increased unto the edifying itself in love.' 8. But, notwithstanding all these advantages, many were at first extremely averse to meeting thus. Some, viewing it in a wrong point of light, not as a privilege (indeed an invaluable one) but rather a restraint, disliked it on that account, because they did not love to be restrained in anything. Some were ashamed to speak before company. Others honestly said, 'I do not know why, but I do not like it.' 9. Some objected: 'There were no such meetings when I came into the Society first; and why should there now I do not understand these things, and this changing one thing after another continually.' It was easily answered: It is a pity but they had been at first. But we knew not then either the need or the benefit of them. Why we use them, you will readily understand, if you read over the Rules of the Society. That with regard to these little prudential helps we are continually changing one thing after another is not a weakness or fault, as you imagine, but a peculiar advantage which we enjoy. By this means we declare them all to be merely prudential, not essential, not of divine institution. We prevent, so far as in us lies, their growing formal or dead. We are always open to instruction; willing to be wiser every day than we were before, and to change whatever we can change for the better.

X. 1. But long before this I felt the weight of a far different care--namely, care of temporal things. The quarterly subscriptions amounted, at a mean computation, to above three hundred pounds a year. This was to be laid out, partly in repairs, partly in other necessary expenses, and partly in paying debts. The weekly contributions fell little short of eight pounds a week; which was to be distributed as every one had need. And I was expected to take thought for all these things: but it was a burthen I was not able to bear; so I chose out first one, then four, and after a time seven, as prudent men as I knew, and desired them to take charge of these things upon themselves, that I might have no encumbrance of this kind. 2. The business of these Stewards is,--To manage the temporal things of the Society. To receive the subscriptions and contributions. To expend what is needful from time to time. To send relief to the poor. To keep an exact account of all receipts and expenses. --To inform the Minister if any of the rules of the Society are not punctually observed. To tell the preachers in love if they think anything amiss either in their doctrine or life. 3. The rules of the Stewards are,--(1) Be frugal. Save everything that can be saved honestly. (2) Spend no more than you receive. Contract no debts. (3) Have no long accounts. Pay everything within the week. (4) Give none that asks relief either an ill word or an ill look. Do not hurt them, if you cannot help. (5) Expect no thanks from man.

2. In this (commonly called the Poorhouse) we have now nine widows, one blind woman, two poor children, two upper servants, a maid and a man. I might add, four or five preachers; for I myself, as well as the other preachers who are in town, diet with the poor on the same food and at the same table; and we rejoice herein, as a comfortable earnest of our eating bread together in our Father's kingdom. 3. I have blessed God for this house ever since it began; but lately much more than ever. I honour these widows; for they 'are widows indeed.' So that it is not in vain that, without any design of so doing, we have copied after another of the institutions of the apostolic age. I can now say to all the world, 'Come and see how these Christians love one another!' *[This has been since dropped for want of support.] XIV. 1. Another thing which had given me frequent concern was the case of abundance of children. Some their parents could not afford to put to school; so they remained like 'a wild ass's colt.' Others were sent to school, and learned at least to read and write; but they reamed all kind of vice at the same time: so that it had been better for them to have been without their knowledge than to have bought it at so dear a price. 2. At length I determined to have them taught in my own house, that they might have an opportunity of learning to read, write, and cast accounts (if no more), without being under almost a necessity of learning heathenism at the same time: and after several unsuccessful trials, I found two such Schoolmasters as I wanted; men of honesty and of sufficient knowledge, who had talents for and their hearts in the work.

5. But, for fear any--considering how 'frank and open' your nature is, and how 'warmly disposed to speak what you take to be true' (page 7)--should fancy you meant what you said in this declaration, you take care to inform them soon after: 'The whole which the wit of man can possibly discover, either of the ways or will of the Creator, must be acquired by attending seriously'--to what to the Jewish or Christian revelation No; but 'to that revelation which He made of Himself from the beginning in the beautiful fabric of this visible world.' (Page 22.) 6. I believe your opponents will not hereafter urge you either with that passage from St. Mark or any other from Scripture--at least I will not, unless I forget myself; as I observe you have done just now. For you said but now, 'Before we proceed to examine testimonies for the decision of this dispute, our first care should be to inform ourselves of the nature of those miraculous powers which are the subject of it as they are represented to us in the history of the Gospel' (page 10). Very true; 'this should be our first care.' I was therefore all attention to hear your account of 'the nature of those powers as they are represented to us in the Gospel,' But, alas! you say not a word more about it; but slip away to those 'zealous champions who have attempted' (bold men as they are) 'to refute the Introductory Discourse' (page 11). Perhaps you will say, 'Yes, I repeat that text from St. Mark.' You do; yet not describing the nature of those powers, but only to open the way to 'one of your antagonists' (page 12); of whom you yourself affirm that 'not one of them seems to have spent a thought in considering those powers as they are set forth in the New Testament' (page 11). Consequently the bare repeating that text does not prove you (any more than them) to have 'spent one thought upon the subject.'

I was not aware that you had begun 'to throw together all which the Fathers have delivered concerning the persons said to have been endued with those extraordinary gifts.' And it seems you have made an end of it! And accordingly you proceed to sum up the evidence, to 'observe, upon the whole, from these characters of the primitive wonder-workers, as given both by friends and enemies, we may fairly conclude that the gifts of those ages were generally engrossed by private Christians who travelled about from city to city to assist the ordinary preachers in the conversion of Pagans by the extraordinary miracles they pretended to perform' (page 24). 8. 'Characters given both by friends and enemies' I Pray, sir, what friends have you cited for this character or what enemies, except only Celsus the Jew (And you are a miserable interpreter for him.) So, from the single testimony of such a witness, you lay it down as an oracular truth that all the miracle-workers of the first three ages were 'mere vagabonds and common cheats,' rambling about from city to city to assist in converting heathens by tricks and imposture! And this you ingeniously call 'throwing together all which the Fathers have delivered concerning them'!

2. Of this you seem not insensible already, and therefore fly away to your favourite supposition that 'they were not cured at all, that the whole matter was a cheat from the beginning to the end.' But by what arguments do you evince this The first is, 'The heathens pretended to do the same'; nay, and 'managed the imposture with so much art, that the Christians could neither deny nor detect it, but insisted always that it was performed by demons or evil spirits' (ibid.). But still the heathens maintained, 'the cures were wrought by their gods--by Aesculapius in particular.' And where is the difference seeing, as was observed before, 'the gods of the heathens were but devils.' 3. But you say, 'Although public monuments were erected in proof and memory of these cures at the time when they were performed, yet it is certain all those heathen miracles were pure forgeries' (page 79). How is it certain If you can swallow this without good proof, you are far more credulous than I. I cannot believe that the whole body of the heathens for so many generations were utterly destitute of common sense any more than of common honesty. Why should you fix such a charge on whole cities and countries You could have done no more, if they had been Christians!

5. Above all, remembering that God is love, he is conformed to the same likeness. He is gull of love to his neighbour, of universal love, not confined to one sect or party, not restrained to those who agree with him in opinions or in outward modes of worship, or to those who are allied to him by blood or recommended by nearness of place. Neither does he love those only that love him or that are endeared to him by intimacy of acquaintance. But his love resembles that of Him whose mercy is over all His works. It soars above all these scanty bounds, embracing neighbours and strangers, friends and enemies--yea, not only the good and gentle, but also the froward, the evil, and unthankful. For he loves every soul that God has made; every child of man, of whatever place or nation. And yet this universal benevolence does in no wise interfere with a peculiar regard for his relations, friends, and benefactors, a fervent love for his country, and the most endeared affection to all men of integrity, of clear and generous virtue. 6. His love, as to these, so to all mankind, is in itself generous and disinterested; springing from no view of advantage to himself, from no regard to profit or praise--no, nor even the pleasure of loving. This is the daughter, not the parent, of his affection. By experience he knows that social love, if it mean the love of our neighbour, is absolutely different from self-love, even of the most allowable kind--just as different as the objects at which they point. And yet it is sure that, if they are under due regulations, each will give additional force to the other till they mix together never to be divided.

7. And this universal, disinterested love is productive of all right affections. It is fruitful of gentleness, tenderness, sweetness, of humanity, courtesy, and affability. It makes a Christian rejoice in the virtues of all, and bear a part in their happiness, at the same time that he sympathizes with their pains and compassionates their infirmities. It creates modesty, condescension, prudence, together with calmness and evenness of temper. It is the parent of generosity, openness, and frankness, void of jealousy and suspicion. It begets candour, and willingness to believe and hope whatever is kind and friendly of every man, and invincible patience, never overcome of evil, but overcoming evil with good. 8. The same love constrains him to converse, not only with a strict regard to truth, but with artless sincerity and genuine simplicity, as one in whom there is no guile. And, not content with abstaining from all such expressions as are contrary to justice or truth, he endeavours to refrain from every unloving word, either to a present or of an absent person; in all his conversation aiming at this, either to improve himself in knowledge or virtue, or to make those with whom he converses some way wiser or better or happier than they were before. 9. The same love is productive of all right actions. It leads him into an earnest and steady discharge of all social offices, of whatever is due to relations of every kind--to his friends, to his country, and to any particular community whereof he is a member. It prevents his willingly hurting or grieving any man. It guides him into an uniform practice of justice and mercy, equally extensive with the principle whence it flows. It constrains him to do all possible good of every possible kind to all men; and makes him invariably resolved in every circumstance of life to do that, and that only, to others which, supposing he were himself in the same situation, he would desire they should do to him.

And I apprehend this would be no loss at all, but rather an advantage to the Christian cause; nay, perhaps it would be the speediest, yea the only effectual, way of bringing all reasonable Deists to be Christians. 7. May I be permitted to speak freely May I without offence ask of you that are called Christians, What real loss would you sustain in giving up your present opinion that the Christian system is of God Though you bear the name, you are not Christians: you have neither Christian faith nor love. You have no divine evidence of things unseen; you have not entered into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. You do not love God with all your heart; neither do you love your neighbour as yourself. You are neither happy nor holy. You have not learned in every state therewith to be content; to rejoice evermore, even in want, pain, death; and in everything to give thanks. You are not holy in heart; superior to pride, to anger, to foolish desires. Neither are you holy in life; you do not walk as Christ also walked. Does not the main of your Christianity lie in your opinion, decked with a few outward observances For as to morality, even honest, heathen morality (O let me utter a melancholy truth!), many of those whom you style Deists, there is reason to fear, have far more of it than you. 8. Go on, gentlemen, and prosper. Shame these nominal Christians out of that poor superstition which they call Christianity. Reason, rally, laugh them out of their dead, empty forms, void of spirit! of faith, of love. Convince them that such mean pageantry (for such it manifestly is, if there is nothing in the heart correspondent with the outward show) is absolutely unworthy, you need not say of God, but even of any man that is endued with common understanding. Show them that, while they are endeavouring to please God thus, they are only beating the air. Know your time; press on; push your victories, till you have conquered all that know not God. And then He, whom neither they nor you know now, shall rise and gird Himself with strength, and go forth in His almighty love, and sweetly conquer you all together.

There ties before me a transcript from a letter of yours sent lately to John Haughton in Ireland. Some of the words are: ‘I was married to Grace Murray on Tuesday by the advice of Mr. C. Wesley and G. Whitefield. But when Mr. Wesley came to hear it and saw us, he was so enraged as if he had been mad, for he himself was inflamed with love and lust unto her.’ I saw you first at William Shents. [In Leeds on Oct. 6, 1749, three days after the marriage, when he kissed him and uttered no word of reproach. See letter of Nov. 3, 1749.] Was I then so enraged as if I had been mad Or was it when I saw her and you together in the chamber at Mr. Towers [See Journal, iii. 330.] How came you to know that I ‘was inflamed with lust’ Did your wife tell you so If she did not, you would not have so roundly affirmed it. If she did, she has made me a fair return. If you only, after having robbed me, had stabbed me to the heart, I might have perhaps endeavored to defend myself But I can now only cover my face and say, ‘Art thou also among them Art thou! my daughter!’ To Dr. Lavington, Bishop of Exeter [2] Agedum! Pauca accipe contra. [Horace's Satire, I. iv. 38: ‘Now hear a few things in reply.’] CANTERBURY, February 1, 1750. SIR, -- 1. In your late pamphlets you have undertaken to prove that Mr. Whitefield and I are gross enthusiasts, and that our whole ‘conduct is but a counterpart of the most wild fanaticisms of the most abominable communion in its most corrupt ages’ (Preface, p. 3). You endeavor to support this charge against us by quotations from our own writings compared with quotations from celebrated writers of the Romish communion.

2. It lies upon me to answer for one. But I must not burthen you with too long an answer, lest ‘for want either of leisure or inclination’ (page 5) you should not give this any more than my other tracts a reading. In order, therefore, to spare both you and myself, I shall consider only your First 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 only examine whether those you have made from my writings prove the charge of enthusiasm or no. This I conceive will be abundantly sufficient to decide the question between you and me. If these do prove the charge, I am cast; if they do not, if they are the words of truth and soberness, it will be an objection of no real weight against sentiments just in themselves, though they should also be found in the writings of Papists -- yea, of Mahometans or Pagans. 3. Let the eight pages you borrow stand as they are. I presume they will do neither good nor harm. In the tenth you say: ‘The Methodists act on the same plan with the Papists; not perhaps from compact and design, but a similar configuration and texture of brain or the fumes of imagination producing similar effects. From a commiseration of horror, arising from the grievous corruptions of the world, perhaps from a real motive of sincere piety, they both set out with warm pretences to a reformation.’ Sir, this is an uncommon thought -- that sincere piety should arise from the ‘configuration and texture of the brain’ I as well as that ‘pretences to a reformation’ should spring from ‘a real motive of sincere piety’! 4. You go on: ‘Both commonly begin their adventures with field-preaching’ (Enthusiasm, &c., p. 11). Sir, do you condemn field-preaching toto genere, as evil in itself Have a care! or you (I should say the gentleman that assists you) will speak a little too plain, and betray the real motives of his sincere antipathy to the people called Methodists.

The other fragment of a sentence speaks ‘of bearing cold on the naked head, rain and wind, frost and snow’ (page 32). True; but not as matter of ‘mortification by tormenting the flesh.’ Nothing less. These things are not spoken of there as voluntary instances of mortification (you yourself know perfectly well they are not, only you make free with your friend), but as some of the unavoidable inconveniences which attend preaching in the open air. Therefore you need not be so ‘sure that the Apostle condemns that ’afeda sat, “not sparing the body,” as useless and superstitious, and that it is a false show of humility’ (page 33). Humility is entirely out of the question, as well as chastity, in the case of hardships endured (but not properly chosen) out of love to the souls for which Christ died. 15. You add a word or two of my ‘ardent desire of going to hell,’ which, you think, I ‘adopted from the Jesuit Nieremberg’ (page 34). Sir, I know not the man. I am wholly a stranger both to his person and to his doctrine. But if this is his doctrine, I disclaim it from my heart. I ardently desire that both you and I may go to heaven. But ‘Mr. Wesley says, “A poor old man decided the question of disinterested love. He said, I do not care what place I am in: let God put me where He will or do, with me what He will, so I may set forth His honor and glory.”’ (Page 35.) He did so. And what then Do these words imply ‘an ardent desire of going to hell’ I do not suppose the going to hell ever entered into his thoughts. Nor has it any place in my notion of disinterested love. How you may understand that term I know not. But you will prove I have this desire, whether I will or no. You are sure this was my ‘original meaning (page 36), in the words cited by Mr. Church [See letter of June 17, 1746, sect. II. 8.] -- Doom, if Thou canst, to endless pain, Or drive me from Thy face. ‘God’s power or justice,’ you say, ‘must be intended; because he speaks of God's love in the very next lines -- But if Thy stronger love constrains, Let me be saved by grace.’

Sir, I will tell you a secret. Those lines are not mine. However, I will once more venture to defend them, and to aver that your consequence is good for nothing: ‘If this love is spoken of in the latter lines, then it is not in the former.’ No! Why not I take it to be spoken of in both; the plain meaning of which is, ‘If Thou art not love, I am content to perish. But if Thou art, let me find the effects thereof; let me be saved by grace.’ 16. You next accuse me of maintaining a stoical insensibility. This objection also you borrow from Mr. Church. You ought likewise to have taken notice that I had answered it and openly disowned that doctrine: I mean, according to the rules of common justice. But that is not your failing. 17. Part of your thirty-ninth page runs thus: ‘With respect to all this patient enduring hardships, &c., it has been remarked by learned authors that “some persons by constitutional temper have been fond of bearing the worst that could befall them; that others from a sturdy humor and the force of education have made light of the most exquisite tortures; that when enthusiasm comes in, in aid of this natural or acquired sturdiness, and men fancy they are upon God's work and entitled to His rewards, they are immediately all on fire for rushing into sufferings and pain.”’ I take knowledge of your having faithfully abridged -- your own book, shall I say, or the learned Dr. Middleton’s But what is it you are endeavoring to prove Quorsum haec tam putida tendant [Horace's Satires, II. vii. 21: ‘Whither tends this putid stuff’] The paragraph seems to point at me. But the plain, natural tendency of it is to invalidate that great argument for Christianity which is drawn from the constancy of the martyrs. Have you not here also spoken a little too plain Had you not better have kept the mask on a little longer Indeed, you lamely add, 'The solid and just comforts which a true martyr receives from above are groundlessly applied to the counterfeit.' But this is not enough even to save appearances.

Accordingly twenty-eight depositions were taken (from the foul copies of some of which the preceding account is mostly transcribed), and laid before the Grand Jury, August 19. But they did not find any one of these bills. Instead of this, they made that memorable presentment which is worthy to be preserved in the annals of Ireland to all succeeding generations: ‘We find and present Charles Wesley to be a person of ill fame, a vagabond, and a common disturber of His Majesty's peace; and we pray he may be transported. ‘We find and present James Williams, &c, ‘We find and present Robert Swindle, &c. ‘We find and present Jonathan Reeves, &c. ‘We find and present James Wheatly, &c. ‘We find and present John Larwood, &c. ‘We find and present Joseph M'Auliff, &c. ‘We find and present Charles Skelton, &c. ‘We find and present William Tooker, &c. ‘We find and present Daniel Sullivan, &c.’ 12. Mr. Butler and his mob were now in higher spirits than ever. They scoured the streets day and night, frequently hallooing as they went along, ‘Five pounds for a Swaddler's [A name first given to John Cennick, from his preaching on those words, ‘Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling-clothes, lying in a manger.’ See Journal, iii. 472; C. Wesley's Journal, i. 457; and letter of July 3, 1756.] head!’ their chief declaring to them all he had full liberty now to do whatever he would, even to murder, if he pleased; as Mr. Swain, of North Abbey, and others are ready to testify. 13. The Sessions, held at Cork on the 5th of October following, produced another memorable presentment: ‘We find and present John Horton to be a person of ill fame, a vagabond, and a common disturber of His Majesty's peace; and we pray that he may be transported.’ But, complaint being made of this above as wholly illegal, it vanished into air.

5. Again: will not some say, ‘Master, by thus acting, thou reproachest us’ by preaching sixteen or eighteen times a week, and by a thousand other things of the same kind Is not this in effect reproaching us, as if we were lazy and indolent as if we had not a sufficient love to the souls of those committed to our charge 6. May there not likewise be some (perhaps unobserved) envy in the breast even of men that fear God How much more in them that do not, when they hear of the great success of these preachers, of the esteem and honor that are paid to them by the people, and the immense riches which they acquire! What wonder if this occasions a zeal which is not the flame of fervent love 7. Add to this a desire in some of the inferior clergy of pleasing their superiors; supposing these (which is no impossible supposition) are first influenced by any of these motives. Add the imprudence of some that hear those preachers, and perhaps needlessly provoke their parochial ministers. And when all these things are considered, none need be at a loss for the motives on which many of the clergy have opposed us. 8. But from what motives can any of the Corporation oppose us I must beg the gentlemen of this body to observe that I dare by no means lump them all together, as their awkward defender has done. But this I may say without offence, there are some even among you who are not so remarkably loyal as others, not so eminently well-affected to the present Government. Now, these cannot but observe (gentlemen, I speak plain, for I am to deliver my own soul in the sight of God) that, wherever we preach, many who were his enemies before became zealous friends to His Majesty. The instances glare both in England and Ireland. Those, therefore, who are not so zealously his friends have a strong motive to oppose us; though it cannot be expected they should own this to be the motive on which they act.

15. Ought these things so to be Are they right before God or man Are they to the honor of our nation I appeal unto Caesar -- unto His gracious Majesty King George, and to the Governors under him, both in England and Ireland. I appeal to all true, disinterested lovers of this their native country. Is this the way to make it a flourishing nation happy at home, amiable and honorable abroad Men of Ireland, judge! Nay, and is there not some weight in that additional consideration--that this is not a concern of a private nature Rather, is it not a common cause If the dams are once broken down, if you tamely give up the fundamental laws of your country, if these are openly violated in the case of your fellow subjects, how soon may the case be your own! For what protection then have any of you left for either your liberty or property what security for either your goods or lives, if a riotous mob is to be both judge, jury, and executioner 16. Protestants! What is become of that liberty of conscience for which your forefathers spent their blood Is it not an empty shadow, a mere, unmeaning name, if these things are suffered among you Romans, such of you as are calm and candid men, do you approve of these proceedings I cannot think you yourselves would use such methods of convincing us, if we think amiss. Christians of all denominations, can you reconcile this to our royal law, ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself’ O tell it not in Gath! Let it not be named among those who are enemies to the Christian cause, lest that worthy name whereby we are called be still more blasphemed among the heathen! To Thomas Walsh [12] [DUBLIN, June 19,] 1750 My DEAR BROTHR, -- It is hard to judge what God has called you to till trial is made. Therefore, when you have an opportunity you may go to Shronell, and spend two or three days with the people there. Speak to them in Irish. To Joshua Strangman [13] BIRR, June 28, 1750.

6. Your Lordship cannot but discern how the whole tenor of his hook tends to destroy the Holy Scriptures, to render them vile in the eyes of the people, to make them stink in the nostrils of infidels. For instance: after reading his labored ridicule of the sorrow and fear which usually attend the first repentance (called by St. Chrysostom as well as a thousand other writers ‘the pangs or throes of the new birth’), what can an infidel think of those and the like expressions in Scripture’ I have roared for the very disquietness of my heart; fearfulness and trembling are come upon me and an horrible dread hath overwhelmed me’ After his flood of satire on all kind of conflicts with Satan, what judgment can a Deist form of what St. Paul speaks concerning the various wrestlings of a Christian with the wicked one Above all, how will his bringing the lewd heathen poets to expose the pure and spiritual love of God naturally cause them to look with the same eyes on the most elevated passages of the inspired writings! What can be more diverting to them than to apply his p ’t ‘bitter-sweet of love,’ to many expressions in the Canticles (On which undoubtedly he supposes the fair Circassian to be a very just paraphrase!) ‘Aye,’ say they, ‘the very case: “Stay me with apples; for I am sick of love.”’ 7. Probably the comparer will reply: ‘No; I do not ridicule the things themselves --repentance, the new birth, the fight of faith, or the love of God; all which I know are essential to religion, -- but only the folly and the enthusiasm which are blended with these by the Methodists.’ But how poor a pretence is this! Had this ready been the case how carefully would he have drawn the line under each of these heads -- between the sober religion of a Christian and the enthusiasm of a Methodist! But has he done this Does he take particular care to show under each what is true as well as what is fake religion where the former ends and the latter begins what are the proper boundaries of each Your Lordship knows he does not so much as endeavor it or take any pains about it, but indiscriminately pours the flood out of his unclean mouth upon all repentance, faith, love and holiness.

15. The comparer, doubtless, would answer: ‘Yes; for it would prevent the horrid consequences of your preaching.’ My Lord, give me leave to say once more, I willingly put the whole cause upon this issue. What are the general consequences of our preaching Are there more tares or wheat more good men destroyed (as Mr. Church once supposed) or wicked men saved The last places in your Lordship's diocese where we began constant preaching are near Liskeard in Cornwall and at Tiverton in Devonshire. Now, let any man inquire here (1) what kind of people were those a year ago who now constantly hear this preaching (2) what are the main doctrines the Methodists have been teaching this twelvemonth (3) what effect have these doctrines had upon their hearers And if you do not find (1) that the greater part of these were a year or two ago notoriously wicked men; (2) yet the main doctrines they have heard since were, ‘Love God and your neighbor, and carefully keep His commandments'; and (3) that they have since exercised themselves herein and continue so to do; -- I say, if any reasonable man, who will be at the pains to inquire, does not find this to be an unquestionable fact, I will openly acknowledge myself an enthusiast or whatever rise he shah please to style me.

Your third observation, that the people in general do not practice what they hear, is a melancholy truth. But what then Is this a sufficient cause why either you or I should leave them why we should give them up to their own heart’s lusts, and let them follow their own imaginations In no wise; especially while them are some among them whose conversation is worthy of the gospel of Christ. I grant also some of the preachers themselves do not adorn the gospel. Therefore we have been constrained to lay some of them aside, and some others are departed of themselves. [See letter of July 17.] Let us that remain be doubly in earnest. You should make an excursion (as to Alnwick) now and then. Is not John Fenwick a proper person to relieve James Tucker at Whitehaven If you think he is, pray send him thither forthwith. My love to your father and mother. I entreat you tell me without reserve what you think of C. Skelton. [See letters of July 17 Aug. 17.] Is his heart with us, or is it not Peace be with you. Adieu. To John Dowries LONDON, November, 7, 1751. MY DEAR BROTHER, -- I think you write to me as ff you did not care to write. I am glad you went to Alnwick. [See previous letter.] The method you took of talking with each person in the Society apart, I hear, has been greatly blessed to them. I do not see how you could have dealt more favorably with Thomas Grumble [See W.H.S. vii. 65.] than you did. If he will leave the Society, he must leave it. But if he does, you are clear. I know not what to do more for poor Jenny Keith. [Jenny Keith was a Scotswoman who came to the Orphan House Newcastle, to escape persecution, and was there known as ‘Holy Mary.’ She married James Bowmaker, a master builder at Alnwick, and died in 1752. She kept her religious life to the end. See Tyerman's Wesley, i. 542.] Alas, from what a height is she fallen! What a burning and shining light was she six or seven years ago! But thus it ever was. Many of the first shall be last, and many of the last first.

‘He represents them,’ you say, ‘in the blackest colors; yet declares in the main they are some of the best people in the world. His love and esteem for them increases more and more. His own disciples among the Methodists go over to them in crowds. But still Methodism is the strongest barrier against the Moravian doctrines and principles.’ Sir, I bear you witness you have learned one principle at least from those with whom you have lately conversed -- namely, that no faith is to be kept with heretics; of which you have given us abundant proof. For you know I have fully answered every article of this charge, which you repeat as if I had not opened my lips about it. You know that there is not one grain of truth in several things which you here positively assert. For instance: ‘His love and esteem of them increases more and more.’ Not so; no more than my love and esteem for you. I love you both; but I do not much esteem either. Again: ‘His own disciples among the Methodists go over to them in crowds.’ When Where I know not that ten of my disciples, as you call them, have gone over to them for twice ten months. O sir, consider! How do you know but some of your disciples may tell your name 17. With the same veracity you go on: ‘In the Character of a Methodist those of the sect are described as having all the virtues that can adorn the Christian profession. But in their Journals you find them waspish, condemning all the world except themselves; and among themselves perpetual broils and confusions, with various other irregularities and vices.’ I answer: (1) The tract you refer to (as is expressly declared in the Preface) does not describe what the Methodists are already; but what they desire to be, and what they will be then when they fully practice the doctrine they hear. (2) Be pleased to point the pages in my Journals which mention those ‘various irregularities and vices.’ Of their ‘perpetual broils and confusions’ I shall speak under their proper head.

24. The second passage (written January 24, 1738) is this: ‘In a storm I think, What if the gospel be not true Then thou art of all men most foolish. For what hast thou given thy goods, thy ease, thy friends, thy reputation, thy country, thy life For what art thou wandering over the face of the earth -- A dream, a cunningly-devised fable.’ (i. 418.) I am here describing the thoughts which passed through my mind when I was confessedly an unbeliever. But even this implies no skepticism, much less Atheism, no ‘denial of the truth of Revelation,’ but barely such transient doubts as, I presume, may assault any thinking man that knows not God. The third passage (which you tack to the former as if they were one and the same) runs thus: ‘I have not such a peace as excludes the possibility either of doubt or fear. When holy men have told me I had no faith, I have often doubted whether I had or no. And those doubts have made me very uneasy, till I was relieved by prayer and the Holy Scriptures.’ (if. 91.) Speak frankly, sir: does this prove me guilty of skepticism, infidelity, or Atheism What else does it prove Just nothing at all, but the ‘pertinacious confidence’ of him that cites it. 25. You recite more at large one passage more. The whole paragraph stands thus: ‘St. Paul tells us the “fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, meekness, temperance.” Now, although by the grace of God in Christ I find a measure of some of these in myself--namely, of peace, longsuffering, gentleness, meekness, temperance; yet others I find not. I cannot find in myself the love of God or of Christ. Hence my deadness and wanderings in public prayer. Hence it is that even in the Holy Communion I have rarely any more than a cold attention. Hence, when I hear of the highest instance of God's love, my heart is still senseless and unaffected. Yea, at this moment (October 14, 1738) I feel no more love to Him than one I had never heard of.’ [See letters of Nov. 22, 1758 (to Isaac Lelong), and June 27, 1766.] (ii. 91.)

You quote, fifthly, these words: ‘I spent an hour with Stonehouse. Oh what paa, “persuasiveness of speech,” is here! Surely all the deceivableness of unrighteousness.’ (Journal. ii. 394.) But there was no fierceness or rancor on either side. The passage, a fragment of which you produce as a sixth argument, stands thus: ‘A few of us had a long conference together. Mr. Cennick now told me plainly he could not agree with me, because I did not preach the truth, particularly with regard to Election.’ He did so; but without any rancor. We had a long conference; but not a fierce one. (ii. 408-9.) You, seventhly, observe, ‘What scurrility of language the Moravians throw out against Mr. Wesley!’ Perhaps so. But this will not prove that ‘the Methodists quarrel with each other.’ ‘And how does he turn their own artillery upon them!’ This is your eighth argument. But if I do, this no more proves the ‘mutual quarrels of the Methodists’ than my turning your own artillery upon you. 33. Having, by these eight irrefragable arguments, dearly carried the day, you raise your crest, and cry out, ‘Is this Methodism And reign such mortal feuds in heavenly minds’ Truly, sir, you have not yet brought one single proof (and yet I dare say you have brought the very best you have) of any such feuds among the Methodists as may not be found among the most heavenly-minded men on earth. But you are resolved to pursue your victory, and so go on: ‘What are we to think of these charges of Whitefield and Wesley and the Moravians one against another’ The Moravians, sir, are out of the question; for they are no Methodists: and as to the rest, Mr. Whitefield charges Mr. Wesley withholding Universal Redemption, and I charge him with holding Particular Redemption. This is the standing charge on either side. And now, sir, ‘what are we to think’ Why, that you have not proved one point of this charge against the Methodists. However, you stumble on: ‘Are these things so Are they true, or are they not true If not true, they are grievous calumniators; if true, they are detestable sectarists. Whether true or false, the allegation stands good of their fierce and rancorous quarrels and mutual heinous accusations.’

Sir, has your passion quite extinguished your reason Have fierceness and rancor left you no understanding Otherwise, how is it possible you should run on at this senseless, shameless rate These things are true which Mr. Whitefield and Wesley object to each other. He holds the decrees; I do not: yet this does not prove us ‘detestable sectarists.’ And whether these things are true or false, your allegation of our ‘fierce and rancorous quarrels and mutual heinous accusations’ cannot stand good without better proof than you have yet produced. 34. Yet, with the utmost confidence, quasi re bene gesta, [‘As though you had accomplished some mighty affair.’] you proceed: ‘And how stands the matter among their disciples They are altogether by the ears, embroiled and broken with unchristian quarrels and confusions.’ How do you prove this Why thus: ‘Mr. Wesley's Fourth Journal is mostly taken up in enumerating their wrath, dissensions, and apostasies.’ No, sir, not a tenth part of it; although it gives a full and explicit account of the greatest dissensions which ever were among them. But to come to particulars, You first cite these words: ‘At Oxford, but a few who had not forsaken them.’ My words are: ‘Monday, October 1, 1739. I rode to Oxford; and found a few who had not yet forsaken the assembling themselves together.’ This is your first proof that ‘the Methodists are all together by the ears.’ Your second is its very twin brother: ‘Tuesday, 2. I went to many who once heard the word with joy; but “when the sun arose, they withered away.” ‘ (ii. 283-4.) Your third is this: ‘Many were induced (by the Moravians) to deny the gift of God, and affirm they never had any faith at all’ (ii. 315). You are at liberty to enjoy this argument also; and let it prove what it can prove. You, fourthly, cite these words: ‘Many of our sisters are shaken, grievously torn by reasonings. But few come to Fetter Lane, and then after their names are called over they presently depart. Our brethren here (those who were proselytes to the Moravians) have neither wisdom enough to guide nor prudence enough to let it alone. They (the Moravians) have much confounded some of our sisters, and many of our brothers are much grieved.’ (ii. 326-7.)

This proves thus much, that one Society was at that time divided; but not that the Methodists in general were even then ‘altogether by the ears.’ The passage you quote, in the fifth place, is: ‘I believe . . . are determined to go on according to Mr. Molther's direction, and I suppose (says the writer of the letter) above half our brethren are on their side. But they are so very confused, they do not know how to go on; and yet are unwilling to be taught, except by the Moravians.' (if. 327.) Add to this (I recite the whole passages in order; not as you had mangled, and then jumbled them together): ‘Wednesday, December 19. I came to London, though with an heavy heart. Here I found every day the dreadful effects of our brethren’s reasoning and disputing with each other. Scarce one in ten retained his first love; and most of the rest were in the utmost confusion ‘(they were so more or less for several months),’ biting and devouring one another.’ (ii. 328.) This also proves so much, neither more nor less, that some of the Methodists were then in confusion. And just so much is proved by your sixth quotation: ‘Many were wholly unsettled’ (by the Moravians taking advantage of my absence) ‘and lost in vain reasonings and doubtful disputations; . . . not likely to come to any true foundation.’ (ii. 331.) Your seventh quotation (I recite the whole sentence) runs thus: ‘April 19. I received a letter iforming me that our poor brethren at Fetter Lane were again in great confusion.’ This quotation proves just as much as the preceding, or as the following: ‘The plague’ (of false stillness) ‘was now spread to them also’ --namely, to the ‘little Society at Islington.’ (ii. 345.) Your ninth is this: ‘I went to the Society; but I found their hearts were quite estranged. Friday, 4. I met a little handful of them who still stand in the old paths.’ (ii. 363.)

Thus far you have been speaking of the Methodists in London. And what have you proved concerning them Only that the Moravians, mixing with them twelve years ago, while they were young and unexperienced, set them a-disputing with each other, and thereby occasioned much confusion for several months. But you have not proved that the Methodists in general were even then ‘all together by the ears,’ and much less that they have been so ever since and that they are so now. 35. I now attend you to Kingswood. Not to ‘Bristol and Kingswood,’ which you artfully join together. The Society at Bristol was no more concerned with the disputes in Kingswood than with those in London. Here the first quotation, though containing but two lines, is extracted from three different paragraphs; in one of which I say: ‘I had many unpleasing accounts (in December 1740) concerning our little Society in Kingswood.’ In the second: ‘I went to Kingswood, if haply I might repair the breaches which had been made’ by the Predestinarian preachers. In the third: ‘I laboured to heal the jealousies and misunderstandings which had arisen.’ (ii. 406-7.) The second passage, part of which you quote, is this: ‘I returned early in the morning to Kingswood; but my congregation was gone to hear Mr. Cermick, so that I had not above two or three men and as many women’ (ii. 410). The third is: ‘January 1. I explained, “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.” But many of our brethren had no ears to hear, having disputed away both their faith and love.’ (ii. 412.) The fourth: ‘February 21. I inquired concerning the divisions and offences which began afresh to break out in Kingswood. In the afternoon I met a few of the bands; but it was a cold, uncomfortable meeting.’ (ii. 426.) You have picked out here and there a word from several pages in order to furnish out a fifth quotation. The most material part of it is this: ‘Saturday, 28. I read the following paper at Kingswood: “For their scoffing at the Word and ministers of God, for their backbiting and evil-speaking, I declare the persons above-mentioned to be no longer members of this Society.”’ (ii. 430.) ‘And we had great reason to bless God that, after fifty-two were withdrawn, we had still upwards of ninety left’ (if. 433).

50. These things being so, what must all unprejudiced men think of you and your whole performance You have advanced a charge, not against one or two persons only, but indiscriminately against an whole body of people, of His Majesty's subjects, Englishmen, Protestants, members, I suppose, of your own Church; a charge containing abundance of articles, and most of them of the highest and blackest nature. You have prosecuted this with unparalleled bitterness of spirit and acrimony of language; using sometimes the most coarse, rude, scurrilous terms, sometimes the keenest sarcasms you could devise. The point you have steadily pursued in thus prosecuting this charge is first to expose the whole people to the hatred and scorn of all mankind, and next to stir up the civil powers against them. And when this charge comes to be fairly weighed, there is not a single article of it true I The passages you cite to make it good are one and all such as prove nothing less than the points in question; most of them such as you have palpably maimed, corrupted, and strained to a sense never thought of by the writer; many of them such as are flat against you, and overthrow the very point they are brought to support. What can they think, but that this is the most shocking violation of the Christian rule 'Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself,' the most open affront to all justice and even common humanity, the most glaring insult upon the common sense and reason of mankind, which has lately appeared in the world If you say, ‘But I have proved the charge upon Mr. Whitefield’: admit you have (which I do not allow), Mr. Whitefield is not the Methodists; -- no, nor the Societies under his care; they are not a third, perhaps not a tenth, part of the Methodists. What, then, can excuse your ascribing their faults, were they proved, to the whole body You indict ten men. Suppose you prove the indictment upon one, will you therefore condemn the other nine Nay, let every man bear his own burthen, since every man must give an account of himself to God.

Perhaps the occasion of this latter affirmation was that both you and I have often granted an absolute, unconditional election of some, together with a conditional election of all men. I did incline to this scheme for many years; but of late I have doubted of it more and more: (1) because all the texts which I used to think supported it, I now think prove either more or less either absolute reprobaton and election, or neither; (2) because I find this opinion serves all the ill purposes of absolute predestination, particularly that of supposing infallible perseverance. Talk with any that holds it, and so you will find. On Friday and Saturday next is our little Conference at Limerick. I hope my sister feels herself in a good hand, and that you can trust Him with her and all things. [Charles Wesley’s first child, called John after his brother, was born on Aug. 21, and died of small-pox on Jan. 7, 1754.] We join in love.

In the third book (page 209) I read, ‘The desire of God, purely as beatifying, as the source of infinite pleasure, is a necessary consequence of the natural love we have for happiness.’ I deny it absolutely. My natural love for happiness was as strong thirty years ago as at this instant. Yet I had then no more desire of God, as the source of any pleasure at all, than I had of the devil or of hell. So totally false is that, ‘That the soul inevitably loves what it judges to be the best.’ Equally false is his next corollary -- that ‘if ever fallen spirits see and feel that moral evil is a source of eternal misery, they cannot continue to will it deliberately' (ibid.). I can now show living proofs of the contrary. But I take knowledge, both from this and many other of his assertions, that Mr. R. never rightly understood the height and depth of that corruption which is in man, as well as diabolical nature. The doctrine of Pure Love as it is stated in the fourth book and elsewhere (the loving God chiefly is not solely for His inherent perfections) I once firmly espoused. But I was at length unwillingly convinced that I must give it up or give up the Bible. And for near twenty years I have thought, as I do now, that it is at least unscriptural, if not anti-scriptural; for the Scripture gives not the least intimation, that I can find, of any higher, or indeed any other, love of God than that mentioned by St. John - ‘We love Him, because He first loved us.’ And I desire no higher love of God till my spirit returns to Him. Page 313: ‘There can be but two possible ways of curing moral evil -- the sensation of pleasure in the discovery of truth, or the sensation of pain in the love of error.’ So here is one who has searched out the Almighty to perfection! who knows every way wherein He can exert His omnipotence! I am not clear in this. I believe it is very possible for God to act in some third way. I believe He can make me as holy as an archangel without any sensation at all preceding.

In journeying, which of us lays his plan according to reason Either you move (quite contrary to me) by those impressions which you account divine, or (which is worse) pro ratione voluntas. [The next four paragraphs are omitted in the letter as printed in Wesley’s Works.] ‘I will not believe evil till I am forced.’ They are very good words. ‘I wonder you should ever desire it.’ What I have desired any time these ten years is, either that you would really act in connection, or that you would never say you do. Either leave off professing or begin performing. How can I say, ‘I do not know your intentions, when you had told me you intended to winter in Bristol’ I answer: (1) I heard of your intending to be at Bristol before ever I heard it from you. (2) Did you consult with me in this Was my approbation ever inquired after in the matter Or any other of the traveling preachers or stewards (3) Had you previously consulted with me (which you did not) in this one point, yet one swallow makes no summer. O brother, pretend no longer to the thing that is not. You do not, will not act in concert with me. Not since I was married only (the putting it on that is a mere finesse), but for ten years last past and upwards you have no more acted in connection with me than Mr. Whitefield has done. I would to God you would begin to do it now; or else talk no more as if you did. My love to my sister. Adieu. You told W. Briggs ‘that you never declined going to any place because my wife was there.’ I am glad of it. If so, I have hope we may some time spend a little time together. Why do you omit giving the sacrament in Kingswood What is reading prayers at Bristol in comparison of this I am sure, in making this vehement alteration, you never consulted with me. My love to my sister. Adieu! To A. B. LONDON November 9, 1753.

SIR, -- Partly business and partly illness prevented my acknowledging your favor of October the 11th. I have not yet had leisure to read the book. When I have, I will trouble you with a few lines more. I have always approved of the German method of practicing physic far beyond the English, which (so far as I can see) is in numberless respects contrary both to experience, common sense, and common honesty. -- I am, sir, Your obliged servant. A. B., At the Essex Coffee House, In Whitechappel To Mr. Gillespie LONDON, November 9 1753. I have never done so much for any of our preachers (except my brother) as for William Prior. [One of the preachers. See list Wesley had been at Newport on in Tyerman's Wesley, ii. 126-7. Oct. 3-5.] And one of my reasons for it was, that scarce any of our preachers had used me so ill. Therefore I was resolved to be more abundant in kindness toward him, if haply I might overcome evit with good. I am much in hopes I shall (by applying to a great man in town) set him and his family quite above want. His greatest temptation will then be removed, and I trust he will serve God with all his strength.

DEAR SISTER, -- I suppose my brother has informed you of our conversation together. The poor child will, I hope, be no farther burthensome to you. But then you must not interfere, but leave him to our disposal, who consider him just as if he were our own. Nether will you want the things we have needful for life and godliness. At the same time I doubt not but you will endeavor to be as frugal as may be. I am glad you and my sister Harper are to live together and to come nearer the Foundry. O bear with one another! Pray for the spirit of peace and love. -- I am Your very affectionate Brother. [Hall added to this letter the following message to his wife:] MY DEAR, -- I hope ere this you may have heard from my brother, and that he will pay you the twenty pounds due on his draught. Mr. Allen owes me about fifty pound, as I believe you will find by the account as settled with my brother; and before that sum be expended, if you use the necessary economy, you will hear perhaps of my arrival at Barbados and the measures I am taking to provide for all, and how to direct to your best friend, To Samuel Furly [5] LEEDS, May 10, 1755.

‘Nature has seven chief properties, and can have neither more nor less, because it is a birth from the Deity in nature.’ Is nature a birth from the Deity in nature Is this sense If it be, what kind of proof is it Is it not ignoturn per aeque ignotum [‘To prove an unknown proposition by one equally unknown.’] ‘For God is triune, and nature is triune.’ ‘Nature is triune’! Is not this flat begging the question ‘And hence arise properties, three and three.’ Nay, why not nine and nine’ And that which brings these three and three into union is another property.’ (Part II. p. 64.) Why so Why may it not be two, or five, or nine Is it not rather the will and power of God ‘The first three properties of nature are the whole essence of that desire which is, and is called, “nature”’ (page 69). How Are the properties of a thing the same as the essence of it What confusion is this! But if they were, can a part of its properties be the whole essence of it ‘The first three properties of nature are attraction, resistance, and whirling. In these three properties of the desire you see the reason of the three great laws of matter and motion, and need not be told that Sir Isaac ploughed with Jacob Behmen’s heifer.’ (Page 37.) Just as much as Milton ploughed with Francis Quarles's heifer. How does it appear that these are any of the properties of nature, if you mean by ‘nature’ anything distinct from matter And how are they the properties of desire What a jumbling of dissonant notions is here! ‘The fourth property’ (you affirm, not prove) ‘is called “fire”; the fifth, “the form of light and love.”’ What do you mean by the form of love Are light and love one and the same thing ‘The sixth, “sound or understanding.”’ Are, then, sound and understanding the same thing’ The seventh, “a life of triumphing joy”’ (page 58). Is, then, a life of triumphing joy ‘that which brings the three and three properties into union’ If so, how can it be ‘the result of that union’ Do these things hang together

How shall we reconcile this with the Mosaic account - ‘And God said, Let the earth bring forth cattle, and creeping thing, and beast. And God made the beast of the earth; and God saw that it was good.’ (Gen. i. 24-5.) Does anything here intimate that beasts or serpents literally crept out of the womb of sin And what have serpents in particular to do with covetousness, or indeed with envy, unless in poetic fables 4. Of the fall of man. ‘Adam had lost much of his perfection before Eve was taken out of him. “It is not good,” said God, “that man should be alone.” This shows that Adam had now made that not to be good which God saw to be good when He created him.’ (Spirit of Prayer, p. 74.) Nay, does it show either more or less than this--that it was not conducive to the wise ends God had in view for man to remain single ‘God then divided the human nature into a male and female creature: otherwise man would have brought forth his own likeness out of himself, in the same manner as he had a birth from God. But Adam let in an adulterous love of the world: by this his virginity was lost, and he had no longer a power of bringing forth a birth from himself.’ (Page 75.) We have no shadow of proof for all this. ‘This state of inability is called his failing into a deep sleep’ (page 76). How does this agree with, ‘The Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam’ (Gen. ii. 21) ‘God took his Eve out of him, as a lesser evil, to avoid a greater. For it was a less folly to love the female part of himself than to love things lower than himself.’ (Page 77.)

Who can extract this out of the words of Moses Who can reconcile it with the words of our Lord -- He who made them at the beginning ‘(not a word of any previous fall) ‘made them male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and cleave unto his wife’ (Matt. xix. 4-5). Is here any intimation that for a man to love his wife is only less folly than to love the world ‘A man ought so to love his wife, even as Christ the Church.’ Is there any folly in the love of Christ to the Church ‘Marriage came in by Adam's falling from his first perfection’ (page 88). Does this account do honor to that institution, any more than that memorable saying of an eminent Mystic, ‘Marriage is but licensed whoredom’ ‘Had Adam stood, no Eve would have been taken out of him. But from Eve God raised that angelic man whom Adam should have brought forth without Eve, who is called the Second Adam, as being both male and femme.’ (Page 79.) Many things here want proof. How does it appear (1) that Eve would not have been had Adam stood, (2) that had he stood he would have brought forth the Second Adam without Eve, (3) that Christ was both male and female, and (4) that He was on this account called the Second Adam ‘The Second Adam is now to do that which the first should have done’ (page 84). Is He to do no more than that no more than a mere creature should have done Then what need is there of His being any more than a creature What need of His being God ‘Our having from Him a new heavenly flesh and blood, raised in us by His spiritual power, is the strongest proof that we should have been born of Adam by the same spiritual power’ (page 85). Had Adam then the very same spiritual power which Christ had And would he, if he had stood, have transmitted to us the very same benefit Surely none that believes the Christian Revelation will aver this in cool blood!

‘Of the tree of knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat: in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die' (Gen. ii. 17). ‘And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not die’ (iii. 4). ‘And the woman, being deceived,’ did eat (1 Tim. ii. 14); ‘and gave unto her husband, and he did eat’ (Gen. iii. 6). ‘And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed; dust thou shalt eat all the days of thy life’ (verse 14); ‘and I will put enmity between thee and the woman’ (verse 15). ‘Unto the woman He said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and’ (that is, in) ‘thy conception’ (verse 16). ‘And unto Adam He said, Because thou hast eaten of the tree, cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life’ (verse 17). ‘Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return’ (verse 19). Can any man read this and affirm, ‘God did not inflict the least punishment of any kind either on Eve or Adam or the serpent’ With what eyes or understanding, then, must he read! But you say, ‘All that came on Adam was implied in what he chose to himself’ (page 25). It was. He chose it to himself in the same sense that he who robs chooses to be hanged. But this does not at all prove that the death which one or the other suffers is no punishment. You go on: ‘Fire and brimstone or manna rained on the earth are only one and the same love. It was the same love that preserved Noah, burned up Sodom, and overwhelmed Pharaoh in the Red Sea.’ (Spirit of Love, Part II. pp. 72, 78.) Surely nothing can equal this, unless you add (which indeed you must do, to be consistent with yourself), ‘It is one and the same love which will say, “Come, ye blessed,” and “Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire.”’

DEAR SAMMY, -- There is but one possible way to gain the victory: conquer desire, and you will conquer fear. But as long as you are a slave you must be a coward. Be free therefore, or you can’t be bold. Never write to that person at all, nor of her [The reference is to his love affairs. See letter of March 14.]; and continue instant in prayer. Cut off the right hand and cast it from you; otherwise you will be a poor dastardly wretch all your days, and one sin will punish another till the day of grace is at an end. -- I am Your affectionate brother. To Ebenezer Blackwell MARLBOROUGH, March 1, 1756. DEAR SIR, -- I hope the enclosed [See next letter, which was probably enclosed to Blackwell to be forwarded to James West.] will do, for I have not leisure to alter it any more. To make professions does not belong to me; it is quite foreign to my character. Let those who mean nothing talk like Goneril and Regan in King Lear. [Wesley knew his Shakespeare, and annotated the fine quarto copy presented to him by a gentleman in Dublin. The two unworthy daughters make great professions: Goneril: Sir, I love you more than words can wield the matter; Dearer than eye-sight, space, and liberty. Regan: I . . . find I am alone felicitate In your dear highness’s love.] By God’s help I will do what a good subject ought. Wishing Mrs. Blackwell and you all health of soul and body, I am, dear sir, Your affectionate servant. To James West [9] MARLBOROUGH, March 1, 1756. SIR, -- A few days since, Mr. Whitefield and I desired a friend to ask your advice, to whom it would be proper to make an offer of rafting a company of volunteers for His Majesty’s service. We apprehended the number would be about five hundred, Finding Mr. Whitefield has since been persuaded that such an offer is premature, I am constrained to make the following independently of him: To raise for His Majesty’s service at least two hundred volunteers, to be supported by contributions among themselves; and to be ready in case of an invasion to act for a year (if needed so long) at His Majesty’s pleasure; only within . . . miles of London.

You should wherever you are take care of one thing: do not puzzle people about the Church. Those that are there, let them continue there, elsee the gain will not countervail the damage. Take care likewise that you do not buy the favor of the world too dear. -- I am Your affectionate brother. To his Wife [3] LIMERICK, June, 18, 1756. MY DEAR LOVE -- At Newmarket on Wednesday night and last night at Ballingarrane our lodging was not very warm or elegant. But I do not perceive that I have taken any cold. Rather I am better than when I set out. A week or two ago I was not very strong; but I have now no reason to complain. I preach no more than twice a day, and not once abroad since my coming to Limerick. Let the wind be east, west, or north, we have rain every day; so that I keep to the Abbey [An old abbey at Limerick which the Society had secured and fitted up as a place of worship. See Crookshank’s Methodism in Ireland i. 50.] whether I will or no. I think the paper was to be 15s. a ream. I shall not be sorry if an hundred people will return the subscription money. Let not one copy unsubscribed for go under fifteen shinings. Many will be glad of them at any price. They may have the picture (and the errata) or let it alone. It is well done. I saw it before I left London. I am afraid there have not copies enough been sent to Ireland. The money remitted from hence at four payments was between fifty and sixty pounds. Brother Atkinson [See letter of Jan. 7.] can early compute how many subscribers this implies. I hear nothing of any books come to Dublin yet. I hope they were directed to Mr. Powell. [Samuel Powell was his Dublin printer. See W.H.S. vi. 90.]

REVEREND SIR, -- I am obliged to you for the openness and candor with which you write, and will endeavor to follow the pattern which you have set me. [I did not know of John Langston’s affair till you gave me an account of it. He is no preacher allowed of by me; I do not believe that God ever called him to it; neither do I approve his conduct with regard to you: I fear he is, or at least was, a real enthusiast. The same character, I fear, may be justly given to poor Mr. Bermingham.] I sent you that sermon with no particular view, but as a testimony of love to a fellow laborer in the gospel. From the text of that sermon I do not infer that Christians should not inquire into each other’s opinions. Indeed, from the text I infer nothing; I use it to illustrate, not to prove. I am very sensible ‘Jehu had more regard to State policy than to religion’ (page 15); and have no objection to the very fair explication you have made of his words. Accordingly I say (page 13), ‘I do not mean what Jehu implied therein, but what a follower of Christ should understand by it when he proposes it to any of his brethren’: of these only I speak. My general proposition, you may please to remember, was this (page 5): ‘All the children of God may unite in love, notwithstanding their differences in opinion or modes of worship.’ From this persuasion, when I meet with any whom I have reason to believe to be children of God, I do not ask of him (never at our first meeting, seldom till we are better acquainted), ‘Do you agree with me in opinion or modes of worship, particularly with regard to Church Government, Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper’ I let these stand by till we begin to know and confirm our love to each other. Then may come a more convenient season for controversy. My only question at present is, ‘Is thy heart fight with my heart, &c.’

DEAR TOMMY, -- I cannot imagine how a letter of yours written March 9 should come to me on the 9th of July. Certainly you should write to me a little oftener, once a month at the least. Now there are several preachers in town, you should take care to supply Portsmouth, Bedford, Norwich, Leigh, and Canterbury by turns. O Tommy, how precious are these days! We must not always have this sunshine. But make the best of the present calm [See letters of Jan. 10 March 1 and 4, and April 19.]; and then, if a storm comes, you are ready. Your affectionate brother. To Robert Marsden [6] BRISTOL August 31, 1756. A careless reader of the Address may possibly think ‘I make it necessary for a minister to have much learning,’ and thence imagine I act inconsistently, seeing many of our preachers have no learning at all. But the answer is easy. (1) I do not-make any learning necessary even for a minister (the minister of a parish, who, as such, undertakes single to guide and feed, to instruct, govern that whole flock) but the knowledge of the Scriptures; although many branches of learning are highly expedient for him. (2) These preachers are not ministers: none of them undertakes single the care of an whole flock, but ten, twenty, or thirty, one following and helping another; and all, under the direction of my brother and me, undertake jointly what (as I judge) no man in England is equal to alone. Fight your way through all. God is on your side; and what then can man do to you Make known all your wants to Him, and you shall have the petitions you ask of Him. -- I am Your affectionate brother. To Mr. Rob. Marsden At Mr. Frith's, Grocer, In Sheffield. To Mr. ---- [September 3, 1756.] You give five reasons why the Rev. Mr. P.---- will come no more amongst us: (1) ‘Because we despise the ministers of the Church of England.’ This I flatly deny. I am answering letters this very post which bitterly blame me for just the contrary. (2) ‘Because so much backbiting and err-speaking is suffered amongst our people.’ It is not suffered: all possible means are used both to prevent and remove it.

If John Jones, [To assist Wesley in administering the Lord’s Supper, John Jones in 1764 was ordained by Erasmus, Bishop of Arcadia in Crete, and afterwards by the Bishop of London. See Wesley’s Veterans vi. 32; and letter of March 1, 1764.] my brothel or any other preacher has preached sharply on this head, I certainly am a stranger to it, and therefore not answerable for it. I persecute no man on this account, or any other; and yet I cannot consent that any of our lay preachers should either preach predestination or administer the sacraments to those who are under my care. But is it immoral It is immoral to think, speak, or act contrary to the love which ‘thinketh no evil.’ Now, of this both Charles and you are palpably guilty in thinking the body of the Methodists (either preachers or people) are fallen from the simplicity and uprightness of the gospel. Whatever seven or eight of the preachers may be who have warmly debated this point with you, whatever two or three hundred of the people may be who have been hurt by the disputants on either side, the main body of the Methodists never were more simple or upright than at this day. Therefore your thinking so ill of both preachers and people is a manifest breach of the law of love. And whoever is or is not fallen from the spirit of the gospel, it is certain you are for one. But after all this pother, what is the persecution concerning which you make so loud an outcry Why, some of our lay preachers did what we thought was both ill in itself and likely to do much harm among the people. Of this, complaint was made to me. And what did I do Did I expel those preachers out of our community Not so. Did I forbid them to preach any more Not so neither. Did I degrade them from itinerant to local preachers Net so much as this. I told them I thought the thing was wrong and would do hurt, and therefore advised them to do it no more. Certainly this is a new species of persecution! I cannot but think you might as well call it murder.

‘Supposing you were called of God to this’ (which is exceeding far from granting it), ‘still you ought to waive that privilege out of tenderness to your brethren.’ I do not grant either that God calls you to do this or that He ever blessed you in it. That Methodism (so called) -- that is, vital religion, loving faith, in the hearts of those who are vulgarly termed Methodists -- should seem to you, sitting snug at London or Bristol, to be ‘very much in its decline,’ is no wonder. But I, who see things in every place with my own eyes, know it is very much in its increase. Many are daily added to them that believe; many more are continually awakened: so that the Societies from east to west, from north to south, in both kingdoms, increase in grace as well as number. ‘I wish the argument’ (which is no argument at all, as being grounded on a palpable mistake) ‘Be not too home to bear a dispute among honest men.’ Very well! Another clear proof of the love that thinketh no evil. ‘If you had consented.’ This is the very point. I could not consent (which implies some degree of approbation) to what I judged to be totally wrong. Yet nether did I persecute. I inflicted no penalty of any kind on those whom I judged to have done wrong; because I believed they acted from conscience though erroneous: I only mildly advised them to desist. ‘I never will be again united with any who will not let others choose their own religion.’ Then you will never unite with any but knaves; for no honest men who preside over any community will let the members of it do what they judge to be wrong and hurtful to that community without endeavoring to prevent it, at least, by mild, loving friendly advice.

The question I would propose is this: Is it prudent, is it just, is it humane, to jumble whole bodies of people together and condemn them by the lump Is it not a maxim now almost universally received that there are good and bad in every society Why, then, do you continually jumble together and condemn by the lump the whole body of people called Methodists Is it prudent (just to touch even on so low a consideration) to be constantly insulting and provoking those who do you no wrong and had far rather be your friends than your enemies Is it consistent with humanity to strike again one who gives no provocation and makes no resistance Is it common justice to treat with such contempt as you have done in the last month’s Review those who are by no means contemptible writers Be persuaded, gentlemen, to give yourselves the pains of reading either Mr. Herbert’s ‘Providence,’ [Wesley was familiar with Herbert, six of whose poems he had turned into hymns for his Hymn-Book published in Charlestown: O sacred Providence, who from end to end, Strongly and sweetly movest! shall I write, And not of Thee, through whom my fingers bend, To hold my quill Shall they not do Thee right (The Temple)] or the verses which Norris entitles ‘The Meditation’ [John Norris (1657-1711), Rector of Bemerton, English Platonist and poet, an idealist of the purest type, sustained by the loftiest inspiration. Professor Sorley says (Cambridge History of English Literature, viii. 348) that ‘he was the only English writer of note who adopted the views of Malebranche. He had thought out -- one may even say he had lived -- the theory for himself.’ Mr. Osmond thinks ‘The Meditation,’ ‘though perhaps a better piece of work technically, is more morbid and low-toned than “The Prophet”’ (Mystical Poets of the English Church, p. 228). See letter of March 14.]; and you will find them scarce inferior either in sense or language to most compositions of the present age. To speak more freely still: where is the justice of coupling the hymns of Methodists and Moravians together Lay prejudice aside, and read with candor but the very first hymn in our first Hymn-Book [Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1739.

Nevertheless I cannot but observe a few small mistakes in the eight lines with which you favor me. You say, ‘We suppose the specimen of Mr. Wesley’s Hymns’ (the false spelling is of little consequence) ‘was sent us for this purpose’ - namely to publish. Truly it was not: it never entered my thought; as, I apprehend, may appear from: the whole tenor of the letter wherein those lines were inserted. ‘And if the Moravians please to select a like sample of what has been done by them, they may expect from us the same justice.’ [See letters of Oct. 24, 1755, and Sept. 9, 1756.] Another little mistake: those lines are not selected, but are found in the very first hymn (as I observed in my last) that occurs in the first verses which my brother and I have ever published. ‘We have received a letter complaining of our having jumbled the poetry of the Methodists and Moravians in an indiscriminate censure.’ Not so. The Chief thing complained of was, (1) Your ‘jumbling whole bodies of people together and of condemning them by the lump without any regard either to prudence, justice or humanity.’ (2).Your ‘treating with such contempt those who by no means contemptible writers - Mr. Norris and Mr. Herbert.’ The last and least thing was your ‘coupling the hymns of Moravians and Methodists together.’ It was here I added, ‘As probably you have a never few seen the books which you condemn, I will transcribe a few lines’; but neither did I give the least intimation of ‘appealing hereby to the public in proof of our superiority over the Moravians.’ This is another mistake. At first I was a little inclined to fear a want of integrity had occasioned this misrepresentation; but, upon reflection, I would put a milder construction upon it, and only impute it to want of understanding. Even bodies of men do not see all things; and are then especially liable to err, when they imagine themselves hugely superior to their opponents, and so pronounce ex cathedra.

The Ninth Letter, containing a description of the sea, with various inferences deduced therefrom, is likewise a masterpiece for justness of sentiment as well as beauty of language. But I doubt whether ‘mere shrimps’ (page 241) be not too low an expression; and whether you might not as well have said nothing of ‘cod, the standing repast of Lent,’ or concerning ‘the exquisite relish of turbot or the deliciousness of sturgeon.’ Are not such observations beneath the dignity of a minister of Christ I have the same doubt concerning what is said of ‘delicately flavored tea, finely scented coffee, the friendly bowl, the pyramid of Italian figs, and the pastacia nut of Aleppo’ (page 264). Beside that, the mentioning these in such a manner is a strong encouragement of luxury and sensuality. And does the world need this The English in particular! Si non insaniunt satis sua sponte, insriga. [Terence's Andria, IV. ii. 9: ‘If they do not rave enough of their own accord, stir them up.’] ‘Those treasures which spring from the imputation of Christ's righteousness’ (Letter 10, p. 271). Not a word of His atoning blood! Why do so many men love to speak of His righteousness rather than His atonement I fear because it affords a fairer excuse for their own unrighteousness. To cut off this, is it not better to mention both together -- at least, never to name the former without the latter ‘Faith is a persuasion that Christ has shed His blood for me and fulfilled all righteousness in my stead’ (page 285). I can by no means subscribe to this definition. There are hundreds, yea thousands of true believers who never once thought one way or the other of Christ’s fulfilling all righteousness in their stead. I personally know many who to this very hour have no idea of it, and yet have each of them a divine evidence and conviction, ‘Christ loved me, and gave Himself for me.’ This is St. Paul's account of faith; and it is sufficient. He that thus believes is justified. ‘It is a sure means of purifying the heart, and never fails to work by love’ (page 287). It surely purifies the heart -- if we abide in it; but not if we ‘draw back to perdition.’ It never fails to work by love while it continues; but if itself fail, farewell both love and good works.

I see plainly, my dear Molly, you are resolved to make me love you better and better. Be as careful as ever you will (only not so as to make yourself sick) and as diligent as ever you can. This is one of the talents which God has given you. O use it to the uttermost! Put forth all your strength in things temporal as well as in things spiritual. Whatsoever your hand findeth to do, do it with your might. What a blessed rule is that of Kempis. ‘Do what is in thee, and God will supply what is lacking’! Only, my love, watch over your own spirit! Take heed that it be not sharpened. Fret not thyself because of the ungodly, but in quietness and patience possess your own soul. I believe my letter to the Stewards will stir them up. What if you gave it to T. Butts [See letter of March 27, 1751.] and desired him and John Matthews [John Matthews died of consumption on Dec. 28, 1764. During twenty years Wesley did not remember his saying or doing anything he would wish to have been unsaid or undone. See Journal v. 93, 103; and letter of April 24, 1761.] to second it If they speak to William Atkinson [See letter of March 9, 1765.] in good earnest, it will certainly do good, one way or the other. [Mrs. Wesley had evidently made some suggestion for business arrangements.] Now I have burnt your letter. My health continues to a miracle. Ten days hence I shall probably see John Haime [See letter of March 1744, and June 21, 1748.]; and Joseph Jones [Joseph Jones was for some time one of Wesley’s preachers. He married, and settled in Somersetshire as a farmer. See Atmore’s Memorial pp. 225-6; Journal, iv. 328; and for Bilbrook, Staffordshire, iii. 519 iv. 14.] if he finds his way back from Bilbrook. It grows late: but I could not persuade myself to lose one post; though I cannot tell you how much I am, dear Molly, Your affectionate Husband, Lover and Friend. My dear Sister Hacker was to have a cag [A barrel or wooden vessel containing four or five gallons.] of the elder wine. Has she had it To Dorothy Furly BIRSTALL, May 18, 1757.

MY DEAR SISTER, -- I was concerned at not hearing from you for so long a time, whereas I would not willingly pass a fortnight without it. Whenever you have leisure write, whether any one else does or not. I shah be here near three weeks, and then at York. It comforts me to hear that your love does not decrease: I want it to increase daily. Is there not height and depth in Him with whom you have to do, for your love to rise infinitely higher and to sink infinitely deeper into Him than ever it has done yet Are you fully employed for Him, and yet so as to have some time daily for reading and other private exercises If you should grow cold, it would afflict me much. Rather let me always rejoice over you. As for me, I seem only to be just beginning to aim feebly at God; though I have found more liberty in the respects you mention lately than of a long season. Dear Sally, never forget to pray for Your affectionate brother. To Dorthy Furly NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, June 14, 1757. You have reason to praise God for what He has done and to expect all that He has promised. Indeed, if it were required that you should work this in yourself, your impotence might be a bar to your expectations; and so might your unworthiness, if God required any merit of yours in order to His working in you. But what impotence in you can be a bar to the almighty power of God And what unworthiness can hinder the free love of God His love in and through Christ Jesus So that all the promises lie fair before you. The land flowing with milk and honey, the Canaan of His perfect love, is open. Believe, and enter in! It is an observation of one of the ancients that it is far easier not to desire praise than not to be pleased with it. A bare conviction that it is, generally speaking, deadly poison may prevent our desiring it; but nothing less than humble love filling the heart will prevent our being pleased with it, for the sense of honor is as natural to man as the sense of tasting or feeling. But when that which is spiritual is fully come, this which is corruptly natural shall be done away.

Again: ‘Men are justified by a knowledge of the righteousness of Christ' (page 406). And yet again: ‘The sole requisite to acceptance is divine righteousness brought to view’ (page 291). So you have brought matters to a fine conclusion; confuting an hundred of your own assertions, and doing the very thing for which you have been all along so unmercifully condemning other. You yourself here teach another ‘requisite to our acceptance beside the bare work of Christ’ -- namely, the knowing that work, the finding it true. Therefore by your own word ‘Christ shall profit you nothing.’ In one page you say, ‘Nothing is required in order to our acceptance with God’; in another, ‘Divine righteousness brought to view is requisite to our acceptance.’ ‘Brought to view’! What self-righteousness is this! Which of ‘the popular preachers’ could have done worse ‘Men are justified by a knowledge of the righteousness of Christ.’ ‘Knowledge’! What! our own knowledge! Knowledge in us! Why, this is the very thing which we call faith. So you have fairly given up the whole question, justified your opponents, and condemned yourself as ‘damnably criminal’! I object, fourthly, that you have no charity and that you know not what charity is. That you know not what it is manifestly appears from the wonderful definition you give of it. (1) ‘Charity,’ you say, ‘is fellowship with God in His blessedness’ (page 453). Muddy, confused, ut nihil sgpra! [“So as nothing can exceed it.] We know he that loveth hath fellowship with God. But yet the ideas of one and of the other are widely different. We know ‘God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him.’ But yet loving Him is not the same thing with dwelling in Him. If it were, the whole sentence would be flat tautology. You say (2): Charity is ‘the love of the truth’ (page 456). Not at all; no more than it is the love of the sun. It is the love of God, and of man for God’s sake; no more and no less. You say (3): ‘Christ is known to us only by report.’ That is not granted. ‘And charity is the love of that report’ (page 455). Every intelligent reader will want no farther proof that you know not what chatty is.

But I do not agree with the author of that tract in the spirit of the whole performance. It does not seem to breathe either that modesty or seriousness or charity which one would desire. One would not desire to hear any private person, of no great note in the Church or the world, speak as it were ex cathedra, with an air of infallibility, or at least of vast sell-sufficiency, on a point wherein men of eminence, both for piety, learning, and office, have been so greatly divided. Though my judgment is nothing altered, yet I often condemn myself for my past manner of speaking on this head. Again: I do not rejoice at observing anything light or ludicrous in an answer to so serious a paper; and much less in finding any man branded as a Papist because his doctrine in one particular instance resembles (for that is the utmost which can be proved) a doctrine of the Church of Rome. I can in no wise reconcile this to the grand rule of charity--doing to others as we would they should do to us. Indeed, it is said, ‘Dr. T. openly defends the fundamental doctrine of Popery, justification by works’ (page 3); therefore ‘he must be a Papist’ (page 4). But here is a double mistake: for (1) whatever may be implied in some of his expressions, it is most certain Dr. T. does not openly defend justification by works; (2) this itself -- justification by works -- is not the fundamental doctrine of Popery, but the universality of the Romish Church and the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome. And to call any one a Papist who denies these is neither charity nor justice. I do not agree with the author in what follows: Dr. T. ‘loses sight of the truth when he talks of Christ’s having obtained for us a covenant of better hopes, and that faith and repentance are the terms of this covenant. They are not. They are the free gifts of the covenant of grace, not the terms or conditions. To say “Privileges of the covenant are the terms or conditions of it” is downright Popery.’

MY DEAR BROTHER,--Lawrence Coughlan, [Lawrence Coughlan was an Irishman who was afterwards ordained by the Bishop of London and sent to Newfoundland as a missionary. He had done fruitful service in Colchester. He died in 1785. See Journal, iv. 297; Atmore's Memorial, pp.80-3; and letter of March 6, 1763.] who was at first appointed for Whitehaven, is to set out from Colchester on Monday, and to stay at Whitehaven till the Conference in the beginning of August. Till he comes I desire you diligently to inquire whether the bulk of the Society are for or against W. Wilson's preaching. If they are against it, he had better not preach at Whitehaven (but he may preach anywhere else) till I come. If the bulk of them are for it, let him preach at some times: at others Brother Browning [Wilson and Browning were probably laymen beginning to preach.] may read a sermon. But if he does speak, let him take care to conclude the whole service within the hour. Certainly, rather than any flame should have arisen concerning it, Brother Hodgson and the rest ought to have dropped their opposition. What would not one do (except sin) that brotherly love may continue!--I am Your affectionate brother. To Mr. Matthew Lowes, At the Methodist Preaching-house, In Whitehaven. To the Countess of Huntingdon Editor's Introductory Notes: 1759 [5] NORWICH, March 10, 1759.

DEAR MOLLY,--I will tell you simply and plainly the things which I dislike. If you remove them, well. If not, I am but where I was. I dislike (1) Your showing any one my letters and private papers without my leave. This never did any good yet, either to you or me or any one. It only sharpens and embitters your own spirit. And the same effect it naturally has upon others. The same it would have upon me, but that (by the grace of God) I do not think of it. It can do no good. It can never bring me nearer, though it may drive me farther off. And should you do as you often threaten, then the matter is over. I know what I have to do. In all this you are fighting against yourself. You are frustrating your own purpose, if you want me to love you. You take just the wrong way. No one ever was forced to love another. It cannot be: love can only be won by softness; foul means avail nothing. But you say, 'I have tried fair means, and they did not succeed.' If they do not, none will. Then you have only to say, 'This evil is of the Lord: I am clay in His hand.'

I doubt not of Abraham's being perfected in love. But he was rather under the evangelical than the legal dispensation. And none can doubt but all the Jewish believers were perfected before they died. But that many of them were perfected long before they died I see no reason to think. The Holy Ghost was not fully given before Jesus was glorified. Therefore the law (unless in a very few exempt cases) made nothing perfect. It is certain the word 'perfect' in the Old Testament bears several senses. But we lay no stress upon the word at all. The thing is pure love. The promise of this was given by Moses, but not designed to be fulfilled till long after. See Deuteronomy xxx. 1-6. By the whole tenor of the words it appears it was then, when He had gathered the Jews from all nations, that God was so to circumcise their hearts. However, this may be fulfilled in you and me. Let us hasten toward it! With love to Nancy, I am Your affectionate friend and brother. To the Rev. Mr. Furly, At Kippax, Near Ferry Bridge, Yorks. To his Wife BEDFORD, November 24, 1759. MY DEAR MOLLY,--You have been much upon my thoughts this morning. Shall I tell you what I thought Then take it in good part. Take it kindly, as it is kindly meant. What do you gain by keeping my papers [See letter of Oct. 23.] or, at least, think you gain Why, this: you gain the satisfaction of showing them, or parts of them, to others; you gain the power of justifying yourself, and of hurting (at least by vexing) me; you gain occasion to make people think ill of me, and to make them think well of you. And hereby you make yourself more friends and me more enemies.

But they 'act with sullenness and sourness, and account innocent gaiety and cheerfulness a crime almost as heinous as sacrilege.' Who does Name the men. I know them not, and therefore doubt the fact; though it is very possible you account that kind of gaiety innocent which I account both foolish and sinful. I know none who denies that true religion--that is, love, the love of God and our neighbour--'elevates our spirits, and renders our minds cheerful and serene.' It must, if it be accompanied (as we believe it always is) with peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, and if it produces a conscience void of offence toward God and toward man. But they 'preach up religion only to accomplish a lucrative design, to fleece their hearers, to accumulate wealth, to rob and plunder, which they esteem meritorious.' We deny the fact. Who is able to prove it Let the affirmer produce his witnesses, or retract. This is the sum of your correspondent's charge, not one article of which can be proved; but whether it can or no, 'we have made them,' says he, 'a theatrical scoff and the common jest and scorn of every chorister in the street.' It may be so; but whether you have done well herein may still admit of a question. However, you cannot but wish 'we had some formal Court of Judicature erected' (happy Portugal and Spain!) 'to take cognizance of such matters.' Nay, cur optas quod habes [Horace's Satires, 1. iii. 126.] Why do you wish for that you have already The Court is erected: the holy, devout playhouse is become the House of Mercy; and does take cognizance hereof 'of all pretenders to sanctity, and happily furnishes us with a discerning spirit to distinguish betwixt right and wrong.' But I do not stand to their sentence; I appeal to Scripture and reason, and by these alone consent to be judged. --I am, sir, Your humble servant. To Mrs. Abigail Brown LONDON, November 21, 1760.

Richard Tompson (who lives in Prince's Square, Ratcliff Highway) told me honestly, 'Sir, I want a little money, and I can have it by printing the letters which passed between you and me.' I answered, 'You know I never designed my letters for public view, but you may print them if you please. I am quite indifferent about it.'[See letter of Aug. 22, 1759, to Tompson.] When I say 'I have no time to write largely in controversy,' I mean this; every hour I have is employed more to the glory of God. Therefore, if short answers to opponents will not suffice, I cannot help it; I will not, I cannot, I dare not spend any more time in that kind of writing than I do. 'Well, but many think you ought.' Undoubtedly they do; but I am to be guided by my own conscience. I am laying another plot for you. Mr. Fletcher is rector of Madeley, in Shropshire. [Fletcher became vicar in 1760. See letter of Jan. 25, 1762, to Furly.] If he takes you to be his curate, probably you may be ordained priest. I will write to him about it.--I am, with love to Nancy, Your affectionate friend and brother. To the Editor of the 'London Magazine' Editor's Introductory Notes: 1760 [16] TO MR. T. H., alias PHILODEMUS, alias SOMEBODY, alias STEPHEN CHURCH, alias R. W. LONDON, December 12, 1760. Patience, dear sir, patience! or I am afraid your choler will hurt your constitution as well as your argument. Be composed, and I will answer your queries, 'speedily, clearly, and categorically.' Only you will give me leave to shorten them a little, and to lay those together which have some relation to each other. Permit me likewise, before I enter on particulars, to lay a few circumstances before you which may add some light to the subject and give you a clearer knowledge of the people with whom you are so angry.

(1) 'But it is said they are all good subjects. Perhaps they are; because under a Protestant Government they have all the indulgence they can wish for.' And do you seriously wish for a Popish Government to abridge them of that indulgence? 'But has not a bad use been made of this? Has not the decency of religion been perverted?' Not in the least: the decency of religion is never so well advanced as by advancing inward and outward religion together. (2) 'Have not the minds of the vulgar been darkened to a total neglect of their civil and social duties?' Just the contrary. Thousands in London as well as elsewhere have been enlightened to understand and prevailed on to practice those duties as they never did before. (3) 'Has not the peace of many families been ruined?' The lost peace of many families has been restored. In others a furious opposition to true religion has occasioned division, as our Lord foretold it would. (4) 'Have not the circumstances of many industrious tradesmen been hurt?' I believe not. I know no instance; but I know an hundred tradesmen in London who began to be industrious since they began to fear God, and their circumstances, low enough till then, are now easy and affluent. I am almost ashamed to spend time upon these threadbare objections, which have been answered over and over. But if they are advanced again, they must be answered again, lest silence should pass for guilt. 'But how can the Government distinguish between tenderness of conscience and schemes of interest?' Nothing more easy. 'They may withdraw the licenses of such.' Sir, you have forgot the question. Before they withdraw them they are to distinguish whether they are such or no. And how are they to do this? 'Oh, it is very easy'! So you leave them as wise as they were before.

'They ought to discover the whole ingredients of which their nostrum is composed; and have it enrolled in the public register, to be perused by all the world.' It is done. The whole ingredients of Methodism (so called) have been discovered in print over and over; and they are enrolled in a public register, the Bible, from which we extracted them at first. 'Else they ought not to be tolerated.' We allow it, and desire toleration on no other terms. 'Nor should they be suffered to add or alter one grain different from what is so registered.' Most certainly. We ought neither to add or diminish, nor alter whatever is written in that Book. I wish, sir, before you write concerning the Methodists again, you would candidly read some of their writings. Common report is not a sure rule of judging; I should be unwilling to judge of you thereby. To sum up the matter. The whole ingredients of our religion are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, fidelity, meekness, temperance. Against these, I think, there is no law; and, therefore, I still apprehend they may be tolerated --at least, in a Christian country. --I am, sir, Your sincere well-wisher. To Dorothy Furly NORWICH, January 18, 1761. MY DEAR SISTER, --I have sometimes wondered that not one of all the clergymen we have known should ever cleave to me for God's sake, nor one man of learning, which would ease me exceedingly. Tommy Walsh designed it; But death had quicker wings than love. Perhaps it was not best, because I am so immeasurably apt to pour out all my soul into any that loves me. It is well for Sister Clarke [Mary Clarke had a small house in Christopher Alley, Moorfields, where Sarah Ryan and Sarah Crosby boarded with her, and where Miss Bosanquet stayed as a girl. See Tyerman's Wesley, ii. 286.] that she is landed safe. And it is well for us, who are still amidst the waves, that He is with us whom the winds and the seas obey. He is steering you to the haven where you would be. You may well trust your soul with Him and let him do with you as seemeth Him good.

MY DEAR BROTHER,--I had allotted two nights for Yarm; but by the advice of our brethren here I have made a little alteration in my plan. On Wednesday and Thursday the 18th instant I am to be at Stockton. On Friday evening and Saturday noon I purpose (with God's leave) to preach at Yarm. [He preached at Yarm on the Friday evening at seven, and on Saturday at noon 'applied those words, "Now abide faith, hope, love; but the greatest of these is love."' See Journal, iv. 464; and letter of Jan. 24, 1760.] On Saturday evening I am to be at Hutton Rudby, which is nearer the centre of our Societies.--I am Your affectionate brother. To Mrs. Hall NEAR NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, June 14, 1761. DEAR PATTY--Why should any of us live in the world without doing a little good in it? I am glad you have made a beginning. See that you are not weary of well doing; for it will often be a cross. But bear the cross, and it will bear you. The best fruit grows under the cross. I have often thought it strange that so few of my relations should be of any use to me in the work of God. My sister Wright was, of whom I should least have expected it; but it was only for a short season. My sister Emly and you, of whom one might have expected more, have, I know not how, kept at a distance, and sometimes cavilled a little, at other times as it were approved, but never heartily joined in the work. Where did it stick? Did you not throughly understand what my brother and I were doing? Did you not see the truth? Or did the cause lie in your heart? You had no will to join hand in hand. You wanted resolution, spirit, patience. Well, the day is far spent. What you do, do quickly. 'Life for delay no time will give!' [My] work in the country cannot be finished before the latter end of August, as the circuit is now larger by [some] hundred miles than when I was in the North two [years] ago. O let the one thing be ever uppermost in our thoughts!

DEAR SIR,--Methinks it is a long time since I saw or heard anything of you. I hope, however, that Mrs. Blackwell and you are not only alive, but more alive than ever, seeking and enjoying something more than King George is likely to find either at his wedding or his coronation. [George III was married to Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz on Sept. 8, and crowned on Sept. 22.] And can you likewise give me a comfortable account of Miss Freeman, both as to her health and her spirit? I often think of her, and sometimes have a mind to send her another letter, though she is one in my debt already. Mr. Venn was so kind as to come over hither yesterday and spend the evening with us. [This visit of Henry Venn is not mentioned in the Journal, but another is noticed on July 24. See next letter.] I am a little embarrassed on his account, and hardly know how to act. Several years before he came to Huddersfield some of our preachers went thither, carrying their lives in their hands, and with great difficulty established a little, earnest Society. These eagerly desire them to preach there still; not in opposition to Mr. Venn (whom they love, esteem, and constantly attend), but to supply what they do not find in his preaching. It is a tender point. Where there is a gospel ministry already, we do not desire to preach; but whether we can leave off preaching because such an one comes after is another question, especially when those who were awakened and convinced by us beg and require the continuance of our assistance. I love peace, and follow it; but whether I am at liberty to purchase it at such price I really cannot tell.

I wish you would give us two or three invitatory hymns. We want such exceedingly. My love to Sally. My wife gains ground. Adieu! To Elizabeth Hardy LONDON, December 26, 1761. DEAR SISTER,--The path of controversy is a rough path. But it seems smoother while I am walking with you; so that I could follow you through all its windings, only my time will not permit. The plain fact is this: I know many who love God with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength. 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 plain, sound, scriptural experience; and of this we have more and more living witnesses. But these souls dwell in a shattered, corruptible body, and are so pressed down thereby that they cannot exert their love as they would by always thinking, speaking, and acting precisely right. For want of better bodily organs, they sometimes inevitably think, speak, or act wrong. Yet I think they need the advocacy of Christ, even for these involuntary defects; although they do not imply a defect of love, but of understanding. However that be, I cannot doubt the fact. They are all love; yet they cannot walk as they desire. 'But are they all love while they grieve the Holy Spirit?' No, surely; they are then fallen from their steadfastness; and this they may do even after they are sealed. So that, even to such, strong cautions are needful. After the heart is cleansed from pride, anger, and desire, it may suffer them to re-enter; therefore I have long thought some expressions in the Hymns are abundantly too strong, as I cannot perceive any state mentioned in Scripture from which we may not, in a measure at least, fall.

1762 To Christopher Hopper NORWICH, January 18, 1762. MY DEAR BROTHER,--Public affairs do look exceeding dark, and the clouds gather more and more. [See letter of March 1 to him.] Yet the Lord sitteth above the water-floods, and remaineth a King for ever. And He (whatever be the lot of His enemies) shall give His people the blessing of peace. If you do not establish good order in the Orphan House, it is pity you should go there. This is the very design of your Master; for this end are you sent. Do just as I would do in every instance if I were in your place. Act just the thing that is right, whoever is pleased or displeased. I hereby give it under my hand I will stand by you with all my might. I am glad you have had a free conversation with T. Olivers. [See letter of March 24, 1761.] There is good in him, though he is a rough stick of wood. But love can bow down the stubborn neck. By faith and love we shall overcome all things. Peace be with you and yours.--I am Your ever affectionate brother. I set out for London to-morrow. To Samuel Furly LONDON, January 25, 1762. DEAR SAMMY,--But that I have pretty near attained to the happiness nil admirari, I should have a little wondered at your long silence. But it is not strange, if 'Time changes Thought,' and it would not surprise me much, if in a year or two more, you should wonder at the strange man's face as one you ne'er had known. If you entangled yourself with no kind of promise to the Archbishop, I doubt not but your ordination will prove a blessing. [Wesley hoped to get him ordained as Fletcher's curate. See letter of Dec. 9, 1760.] The care of a parish is indeed a weighty thing, which calls for much and earnest prayer. In managing it you must needs follow your own conscience, whoever is pleased or displeased. Then, whether your success be less or more, you will by-and-by give up your account with joy.

I myself hear frequently unscriptural as well as irrational expressions from those at whose feet I shall rejoice to be found in the day of the Lord Jesus; but blasphemy I never heard from one of them, either teacher or hearer. What is wide of Scripture or reason I mildly reprove; and they usually receive it in love. Generally they are convinced; when I cannot convince, I can bear them, yea, and rejoice at the grace of God which is in them. Sammy, beware of the impetuosity of your temper! It may easily lead you awry. It may make you evil affected to the excellent ones of the earth. Don't expect propriety of speech from uneducated persons. The longer I live the larger allowances I make for human infirmities. I exact more from myself and less from others. [A beautiful sign of mellowing character.] Go thou and do likewise!-- I am, with love to Nancy, Your ever affectionate friend and brother. Take nothing, absolutely nothing, at second hand. To Matthew Lowes LONDON, January 25, 1762. DEAR MATTHEW,--I ordered Mr. Franks [His Book Steward. See letter of Nov. 6, 1773.] to pay the &pound;8 bill to-day, which is &pound;4 more than I had in my hands. What we shall do for money till the next Conference I do not know. But the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof. You do well to be exact in discipline. Disorderly walkers will give us neither credit nor strength. Let us have just as many members as walk by one rule. I will beg or borrow from William Newall [See letters of Oct. 30, 1761, and Feb.13, 1762.]--anything but steal. My wife joins in love to you and yours.--I am Your affectionate friend and brother. To Miss J. C. March [1] LONDON, January 30, 1762.

3. How we are justified by faith alone, and yet by such a faith as is not alone, it may be proper to explain. And this also I choose to do, not in my own words, but in those of our Church: 'Faith does not shut out repentance, hope, love, and the fear of God, to be joined with faith in every man that is justified; but it shutteth them out from the office of justifying. So that although they be all present together in him that is justified, yet they justify not all together. Neither doth faith shut out good works, necessarily to be done afterwards, of duty towards God. That we are justified only by this faith in Christ speak all the ancient authors; specially Origen, St. Cyprian, St. Chrysostom, Hilary, Basil, St. Ambrose, and St. Augustine.' (Homily on the Salvation of Man.) 4. You go on: 'Thirdly, if we consider the nature of faith, it will appear impossible that a man should be justified by that alone. Faith is either an assent to the gospel truths or a reliance on the gospel promises. I know of no other notion of faith.' (Sermon, p. 15.) I do;--an elegcos of things not seen; which is far more than a bare assent, and yet toto genere different from a reliance. Therefore, if you prove that neither an assent nor a reliance justifies, nor both of them together, still you do not prove that we are not justified by faith, even by faith alone. But how do you prove that we cannot be justified by faith as a reliance on the promises Thus: 'Such a reliance must be founded on a consciousness of having performed the conditions. And a reliance so founded is the result of works wrought through faith.' No: of works wrought without faith; else the argument implies a contradiction. For it runs thus (on the supposition that faith and reliance were synonymous terms): Such a reliance is the result of works wrought through such a reliance.

You did well to write. 'It is good to hide the secrets of a king, but to declare the loving-kindness of the Lord.' [See Tobit xii. 7.] Have you never found any wandering since Is your mind always stayed on God Do you find every thought brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ Do no vain thoughts (useless, trifling, unedifying) lodge within you Does not the corruptible body at some times more or less press down the soul Has God made your very dreams devout I have known Satan assault in their sleep (endeavouring to terrify or affright) those whom he could not touch when they were awake. As to your band, there are two sorts of persons with whom you may have to do--the earnest and the slack: the way you are to take with the one is quite different from that one would take with the other. The latter you must search, and find out why they are slack; exhort them to repent, be zealous, do the first works. The former you have only to encourage, to exhort to push forward to the mark, to bid them grasp the prize so nigh! And do so yourself. Receive a thousand more blessings; believe more, love more: you cannot love enough. Beware of sins of omission. So shall you fulfil the joy of Your affectionate brother. To Samuel Furly May 21, 1762. DEAR SAMMY,--This morning I came hither, and received yours. The post-boys in Ireland do not ride Pegasus. A sermon of Ab. Sharp's [John Sharp, Archbishop of York sermon on Rom. xiv. I 7, preached on Aug. 23, 1674, before the Lord Mayor in the Guildhall Chapel: 'Another thing that would make for peace is this--never to charge upon men the consequences of their opinions when they expressly disown them.'] fully convinced me about thirty years ago that it is inconsistent with charity to charge any man with those consequences of his doctrine which he disavows. I always did so before, but not since. Otherwise what work should I make with poor George Whitefield.

I hope you and yours have escaped the general disorder or have found it a blessing. It little matters whether we escape pain or suffer it, so it be but sanctified. Without some suffering we should scarce remember that we are not proprietors here, but only tenants at will, liable to lose all we have at a moment's warning. Happy it were if we continually retained a lively impression of this on our minds; then should we more earnestly seek that portion which shall never be taken from us. In two or three days I am likely to embark in order to meet our brethren at Leeds. There I hope to have it under your own hand that both you, Mrs. Blackwell, Mrs. Dewal, and Miss Freeman are alive in the best sense.--I am, dear sir, Your affectionate servant. To Samuel Furly DUBLIN, July 30, 1762. DEAR SAMMY,--'If I am unanswered, then I am unanswerable.' Who can deny the consequence By such an argument you carry all before you and gain a complete victory. You put me in mind of the honest man who cried out while I was preaching, 'Quid est tibi nomen' and, upon my giving no answer, called out vehemently, 'I told you he did not understand Latin!' I do sometimes understand, though I do not answer. This is often the case between you and me. You love dispute, and I hate it. [See letter of Sept. 15 to him.] You have much time, and I have much work. Non sumus ergo pares. But if you will dispute the point with Nicholas Norton, he is your match. He has both leisure and love for the work.

6. I disgusted them, not barely by defending him, but by commending him in strong terms from time to time, both in public and private, with regard to his uprightness as well as usefulness. 7. All this time Mr. Maxfield was complaining (of which I was frequently informed by those to whom he spoke) that he was never so ill persecuted by the rabble in Cornwall as by me and my brother. 8. Four or five years since, a few persons were appointed to meet weekly at the Foundry. When I left London, I left these under Mr. Maxfield’s care, desiring them to regard him just as they did me. 9. Not long after I was gone some of these had dreams, visions, or impressions, as they thought from God. Mr. Maxfield did not put a stop to these; rather he encouraged them. 10. When I returned, I opposed them with my might, and in a short time heard no more of them. Meanwhile I defended and commended Mr. Maxfield as before, and, when I left the town again, left them under his care. 11. Presently visions and revelations returned: Mr. Maxfield did not discourage them. Herewith was now joined a contempt of such as had them not, with a belief that they were proofs of the highest grace. 12. Some of our preachers opposed them roughly. At this they took fire, and refused to hear them preach, but crowded after Mr. Maxfield. He took no pains to quench the fire, but rather availed himself of it to disunite them from other preachers and attach them to himself. He likewise continually told them they were not to be taught by man, especially by those who had less grace than themselves. I was told of this likewise from time to time; but he denied it, and I would not believe evil of my friend.

Your conscience will not be clear unless you find fault wherever occasion requires. Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy brother, and not suffer sin upon him. Regard none who speak otherwise. You have but one rule, the oracles of God. His Spirit will always guide you, according to His word. Keep close to Him, and pray for, dear Jenny, Your affectionate brother. To Ann Foard [6] NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, June 3, 1763. MY DEAR SISTER, -- I take your writing exceeding kindly, particularly at this time; you have refreshed my bowels in the Lord. Sometimes I thought there was a kind of strangeness in your behavior. I am now persuaded it sprung only from caution, not from want of love. When you believed you had the pure love of God, you was not deceived: you really had a degree of it, and see that you let it not go; hold the beginning of your confidence steadfast till the end. Christ and all He has is yours! Never quit your hold! Woman, remember the faith! The Lord is increasing in you sevenfold! How wonderfully does He often bring to our remembrance what we have read or heard long ago! And all is good which He sanctifies. My dear sister, continue to love and pray for Your affectionate brother. To Henry Venn [7] BIRMINGHAM, June 22, 1763. REVEREND AND DEAR SIR, -- Having at length a few hours to spare, I sit down to answer your last, which was particularly acceptable to me, because it was wrote with so great openness. I shall write with the same. And herein you and I are just fit to converse together, because we both like to speak blunt and plain, without going a great way round about. I shall likewise take this opportunity of explaining myself on some other heads. I want you to understand me inside and out. Then I say, Sic sum: si placeo, utere. [Terence’s Phormio, iii. ii. 42: ‘Such I am: if you like me, use me.’]

MY DEAR BROTHER, -- ‘Dundee,’ you say, ‘would be thankful for a preacher.’ But who would give him things needful for the body He cannot live upon air; and we now expect that Scotland should bear its own burthen. John Hampson [Hampson was a popular preacher. He remained in Manchester, where the account-book for Dec. 27, 1762, and March 28, 1763, notes payments of 3 3s. to him; in Dec. it is 2 2s. In April and Dec. 1764, 3 3s.; in July 3 13s. 6d.] you must think of no more. But I doubt our Newcastle friends are out of all patience for want of R. Roberts. [See letter of Sept. 3.] In spring you will need a fourth preacher. But what would he have to do Why, then, I think you must get the plat without Cannongate. ‘The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof.’ Sevenpence halfpenny! Pshaw! Let it be eightpence, even money. By-and-by we may give Mr. Trail more work. O let us work in this fruitful season! We join in love to Sister Hopper and you. -- I am Yours affectionately. To Dorothy Furly [15] LEWISHAM, December 15, 1763. MY DEAR SISTER, -- It has seemed to me for some time that God will not suffer Cornelius Bastable [See letters of Aug. 19, 1759, and Oct. 12, 1778.] to live at Cork. He may starve there, but he cannot live. The people are not worthy of him.

DEAR BROTHER,--If the parties require it, I will re-hear the cause of William Warren and Abraham Ore [Evidently some disputed matter in Bristol.]; but I do not apprehend there is anything to be said more than what you have heard already. I read Rollin's Belles-Lettres [The publication of extracts from the French historian was probably under consideration, but nothing was done.] several years ago. Some things I liked; some I did not. Mark in him what you admire, and I will give it a second reading and a farther consideration. You 'have no thoughts of venturing to London before May'! Then I must indeed 'do the best I can.' So I will comply with the advice of the Stewards, as well as my own judgement, and insist upon John Jones's assisting me on Sunday. [He was compelled to ask Jones to assist in the heavy sacramental services. See Journal, v. 47n; and letter of Sept. 3, 1756, to Nicholas Norton] I have delayed all this time purely out of tenderness to you. Adieu! To Mrs. Freeman [2] LONDON, March 2, 1764. MY DEAR SISTER,--Such love as yours is need not be ashamed. You must make me amends for anything past that looks unkind by altering it for the time to come. You have no reason to doubt of the work of God. It partly shines by its own light. And when that is not sufficient (as in times of temptation), a clear witness shall be superadded. And see that you strengthen your brethren, particularly those who are tempted to give up their confidence. O lift up the hands that hang down! Help those especially who did once taste of pure love. My will has nothing to do in my coming over this spring. If a ship be ready, I shall embark. O Jenny, look up and receive more!--I am Your affectionate brother. To Mrs. Jane Freeman. To Samuel Furly LEWISHAM, March 6, 1764.

But ought this to be Ought not those who are united to one common Head and employed by Him in one common work to be united to each other I speak now of those labourers who are ministers of the Church of England. These are chiefly: Mr. Perronet, Romaine, Newton, Shirley; Mr. Downing, Jesse, Adam; Mr. Talbot, Riland, Stillingfleet, Fletcher; Mr. Johnson, Baddiley, Andrews, Jane; Mr. Hart, Symes, Brown, Rouquet; Mr. Sellon, [Cooper, Harmer, Gwen]; Mr. Venn, Richardson, Burnett, Furly; Mr. Conyers, Bentley, King; Mr. Berridge, Hicks, John Wesley, Charles Wesley, John Richardson, Benjamin Colley [The first edition includes Mr. Crook, Mr. Eastwood, and 'G. W.' Edward Perronet adds, 'Cooper Harmer, Gwen.' ]: not excluding any other clergyman who agrees in these essentials,-- I. Original Sin. II. Justification by Faith. III. Holiness of Heart and Life, provided their life be answerable to their doctrine. 'But what union would you desire among these' Not an union in opinions: they might agree or disagree touching absolute decrees on the one hand and perfection on the other. Not an union in expressions: these may still speak of the imputed righteousness and those of the merits of Christ. Not an union with regard to outward order: some may still remain quite regular, some quite irregular, and some partly regular and partly irregular. But, these things being as they are, as each is persuaded in his own mind, is it not a most desirable thing that we should 1. Remove hindrances out of the way not judge one another, not despise one another, not envy one another not be displeased at one another's gifts or success, even though greater than our own not wait for one another's halting, much less wish for it or rejoice therein Never speak disrespectfully, slightly, coldly, or unkindly of each other never repeat each other's faults, mistakes, or infirmities, much less listen for and gather them up never say or do anything to hinder each other's usefulness either directly or indirectly Is it not a most desirable thing that we should 2. Love as brethren think well of and honour one another wish all good, all grace, all gifts, all success, yea greater than our own, to each other expect God will answer our wish, rejoice in every appearance thereof, and praise Him for it readily believe good of each other, as readily as we once believed evil

Then The children of thy faith and prayer Thy joyful eyes shall see, Shall see the prosperous Church, and share In her prosperity! [Poetical Works of J. and C. Wesley, viii. 245.] --I am, my dear Lady, Your Ladyship's most affectionate and obedient servant. To his Brother Charles HADDINGTON, May 25, 1764. DEAR BROTHER,--Is there any reason why you and I should have no farther intercourse with each other I know none; although possibly there are persons in the world who would not be sorry for it. I hope you find peace and unity in the South, as we do in the North. Only the Seceders and Mr. Sandeman's friends are ready to eat us up. And no wonder; for these, as well as Deists and Socinians, I oppose ex professo. But how do Thomas Maxfield and his friends go on Quietly, or gladiatorio animo And how are John Jones, Downes, and Richardson and my best friend, [His wife.] and yours The frightful stories wrote from London had made all our preachers in the North afraid even to mutter about perfection; and, of course, the people on all sides were grown good Calvinists in that point. 'Tis what I foresaw from the beginning --that the devil would strive by T. Maxfield and company to drive perfection out of the kingdom. O let you and I hold fast whereunto we have attained, and let our yea be yea and our nay be nay! I feel the want of some about me that are all faith and love. No man was more profitable to me than George Bell while he was simple of heart. Oh for heat and light united! My love to Sally. Adieu. To Dorothy Furly EDINBURGH, May 28, 1764.

You need not lose the benefit of those prayers which experience shows are attended with a peculiar blessing. 'But I do not care to meet a class; I find no good in it.' Suppose you find even a dislike, a loathing of it; may not this be natural, or even diabolical In spite of this, break through, make a fair trial. It is but a lion in the way. Meet only six times (with previous prayer), and see if it do not vanish away. But if it be a cross, still bear it for the sake of your brethren. 'But I want to gain my friends and relations.' If so, stand firm. If you give way, you hurt them and they will press upon you the more. If you do not, you will probably gain them; otherwise you confirm both their wrong notions and wrong tempers. Because I love you I have spoken fully and freely; to know that I have not spoken in vain will be a great satisfaction to Your affectionate brother. To Ebenezer Blackwell LIVERPOOL, July 14, 1764. DEAR SIR,--My brother informs me that you have been so extremely ill that your life was hardly expected. [Blackwell lived till 1782.] I really am under apprehensions lest that chariot should cost you your life. If, after having been accustomed to ride on horseback for many years, you should now exchange an horse for a carriage, it cannot be that you should have good health. It is a vain thing to expect it. I judge of your case by my own. I must be on horseback for life, if I would be healthy. Now and then, indeed, if I could afford it, I should rest myself for fifty miles in a chaise; but without riding near as much as I do now, I must never look for health. [In 1772 Wesley's friends bought him a carriage 'to prevent my riding on horseback, which I cannot do quite so well since an hurt which I got some months ago.' See Journal, v. 447.]

The usual preaching may be at Combe on Saturday evening, and at the Grove on Sunday morning. I bear the rich, and love the poor; therefore I spend almost--all my time with them!--My dear sister, adieu! Write to me at London, and write freely. To Christopher Hopper BRISTOL, September 29, 1764. MY DEAR BROTHER,--My judgement is this,--that it is best for you to be at Edinburgh (but in a more airy lodging, if it can be had for love or money) before the end of next month, James Kershaw at Dundee, and Tommy Hanby at Aberdeen. If you have either love or pity for him, let him not stay too long at Dundee. His mind is by no means strong enough to bear that weight of applause. At any rate, take him out of the furnace, or he will be consumed. And you well know a change is best for the people as well as best for him. Is it not easiest for him and you to change at a day appointed, and then for you to stay at Dundee till you are relieved by James Kershaw Peace be with your spirits!--I am Your affectionate friend and brother. I hope you have been at Sir Archibald's. [Sir Archibald Grant. See Journal, iv. 451.] To Samuel Furly YARMOUTH, October II, 1764. DEAR SAMMY,--I have delayed writing thus long, [See letter of July 15. ] because I was not inclined to draw the saw of controversy, particularly on a subject not very important and with a person not very easy to be convinced. I simply told you my thoughts concerning style and concerning yourself. If you can profit by them, well; if not, there is no harm done. I wanted to have you write in the most excellent way; if you prefer any other, you may. I have no prejudice for or against any writer: but I may say, without much vanity, I know a good style from a bad one; and it would be a shame if I did not, after having spent five-and-forty years (with some natural understanding, much attention, and a free acquaintance with many eminent men) in reading the most celebrated writers in the English tongue.

I desire you to read the proposal and preface in every Society within your circuit; then enforce it, as you see best, both in public and private conversation. Spare no pains. Exert yourself. See what you can do. Give this proof of your love for the truth, for the people, and for Your affectionate friend and brother. N.B.--Be careful to keep an exact list of all the subscribers' names in each Society, and also to leave a copy thereof with the person who takes care of the books. To Thomas Rankin [23] LONDON, November 6, 1764. DEAR TOMMY,--If the Crowan or Buryan Society are able to bear the expense of building themselves, we have no objection; but we must not increase our debt this year. This is what we determined. If you do build, build large enough. In general, we do not pay rent out of the public stock, but get help from friends in the circuit. For once we may allow forty shillings. I shall write to Plymouth Dock this post. I hope John Catermole (a sound man) will come and help you. I shall either mend William Darney or end him. He must not go on in this manner. Spread the little tracts wherever you go. You know the solid good which results therefrom. Go on; spend and be spent for a good Master.--I am, dear Tommy, Your affectionate friend and brother. To his Brother Charles [24] LONDON, December 7, 1764. DEAR BROTHER,--Be so kind as to show this to T. Lewis and M. Davis: so I may answer theirs and yours together. What need of a formal petition Would it not be just as effectual for me to write a letter to the Corporation, in the name of all the Bristol Methodists, urging, first, Mr. Witherspoon's argument against the English theatre; secondly, the matter of fact, the actual mischief done thereby; and then gently and respectfully making the application What think you Ecquid novisti rectius ['Do you know any better way'] Send me word without delay. Sister Suky was in huge agonies for five days, and then died in the full assurance of faith. Some of her last words (after she had been speechless for some time) were, 'Jesus is come! Heaven is here!'

Mr. Tooth [Samuel Tooth. See Stevenson's City Road Chapel, p. 476; and letter of Sept. 27, 1778, to him.] is not a Calvinist yet, nor Mr. Downing half an one. I have a letter from him to-day, and hope to be with him at Ovington to-morrow. I have no objection to Mr. Trail's preaching in Weavers' Hall; but I am not rightly satisfied as to his preaching at all. On Monday morning I desired the preachers and the stewards to meet me. It was then inquired,-- 1. Can James Thwayte, B. Russen, Rd. Perry, James Satles, John Oliver, and T. Bryant, [Oliver was stationed in Lancashire at the next Conference. For Bryant's ordination, see letters of July 5 and Dec. 15, 1764.] who have bought an ordination in an unknown tongue, be received by us as clergymen No. 2. Can we receive them any longer as preachers No. 3. Can we receive them as members of our Society No. And this I ordered to be signified to each of them immediately. Adieu. To the Rev. Mr. C. Wesley, In Bristol. To Thomas Rankin OVINGTON, January 13, 1765. DEAR TOMMY,--I will give you a month from this day to make a fair trial of William Darney whether he will walk according to our Rules or no; if not, we must part. But if he had rather, he may go into the Wiltshire Round, [Darney went to the London Circuit in September.] where a preacher is now wanting. T. Bryant is not now in connexion with us. [See previous letter.] I am glad you give me warning concerning Richard Austen. I trust that you will soon set them right at the Dock. Gentleness, added to plainness of speech, will have influence upon honest Brother Jones. [See letter of June 9.] I advise you gradually to remove all such leaders and stewards as do not cordially love the Methodist doctrine and discipline.--Dear Tommy, Your affectionate friend and brother. Pray give my love to Brother Mallon, of Mary Week Society. I thank him for his letter, and exhort him to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made him free. To Mr. Rankin, At Mr. John Andrews', In Redruth, Cornwall. Per Gloucester, To the Printer of the 'St. James's Chronicle' [2] LONDON, February 5, I 765. SIR,--To the four questions proposed to me in your last week's paper, I answer:

As to your main objection, convince me that it is my duty to preach on controverted subjects, Predestination in particular, and I will do it. At present I think it would be a sin. I think it would create still more divisions. And are there not enough already I have seen a book written by one who styles himself Ecclesiae direptae et gementis Presbyter. ['A Presbyter of a torn-asunder and groaning Church.'] Shall I tear ecclesiam direptam et gementem ['A Church torn asunder and groaning.'] God forbid! No: I will so far as I can, heal her breaches. And if you really love her (as I doubt not you do), why should you hinder me from so doing Has she so many friends and helpers left, that you should strive to lessen their number Would you wish to turn any of her friends, even though weak and mistaken, into enemies If you must contend, have you not Arians, Socinians, Seceders, infidels to contend with; to say nothing of whoremongers, adulterers, Sabbath-breakers, drunkards, common swearers O ecclesia gemens! And will you pass by all these, and single out me to fight with Nay, but I will not. I do and will fight with all these, but not with you. I cannot; I dare not. You are the son of my Father, my fellow labourer in the gospel of His dear Son. I love your person; I love your character; I love the work wherein you are engaged. And if you will still shoot at me (because Mr. Hervey has painted me as a monster), even with arrows drawn from Bishop Warburton's quiver (how unfit for Mr. Erskine's hand!), I can only say, as I always did before, the Lord Jesus bless you in your soul, in your body, in your relations, in your work, in whatever tends to His own glory!--I am, dear sir, Your affectionate brother. To John Newton [7] LONDONDERRY, May 14, 1765. DEAR SIR,--Your manner of writing needs no excuse. I hope you will always write in the same manner. Love is the plainest thing in the world: I know this dictates what you write; and then what need of ceremony

In January 1738 I expressed my desire in these words: 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! [Gerhardt's hymn, translated by Wesley (Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1739). In his Plain Account of Christian Perfection he says: 'In the beginning of the year 1738, as I was returning from Savannah, the cry of my heart was, O grant that nothing in my soul May dwell but Thy pure love alone!' See Works, xi. 369.] And I am still persuaded this is what the Lord Jesus hath bought for me with His own blood. Now, whether you desire and expect this blessing or not, is it not an astonishing thing that you or any man living should be disgusted at me for expecting it Is it not more astonishing still 'that wellnigh all the religious world should be up in arms concerning it,' and that they should persuade one another that this hope is 'subversive of the very foundations of Christian experience' Why, then whoever retains it cannot possibly have any Christian experience at all I then my brother, Mr. Fletcher, and I, and twenty thousand more, who seem both to fear and to love God, are in reality children of the devil and in the road to eternal damnation! In God's name I entreat you make me sensible of this! Show me by plain, strong reasons what dishonour this hope does to Christ, wherein it opposes Justification by Faith or any fundamental truth of religion. But do not wrest and wiredraw and colour my words as Mr. Hervey (or Cudworth) has done in such a manner that when I look in that glass I do not know my own face I 'Shall I call you,' says Mr. Hervey, 'my father or my friend For you have been both to me.' So I was, and you have as well requited me! It is well my reward is with the Most High. Wishing all happiness to you and yours, I am, dear sir, Your affectionate brother and servant. To the Rev. Mr. Newton, At Mr. Clunies', Harp Lane, Thames Street, London. To Lady Maxwell [8] LONDONDERRY, May 25, 1765.

MY DEAR SISTER,--Although it is certain the kind of wandering thoughts which you mention are consistent with pure love, yet it is highly desirable to be delivered from them, because (as you observe) they hinder profitable thoughts. And why should not you be delivered Indeed, in what manner this will be done we do not know. Sometimes it pleases our Lord to work a great deliverance even of this kind in a moment. Sometimes He gives the victory by degrees. And I believe this is more common. Expect this and every good gift from Him. How wise and gracious are all His ways! Do you commonly find in yourself the witness that you are saved from sin And is it usually clear Or do you frequently lose it I do not know why you should ever lose any good gift. For is not He the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever And yet you have known but a little of Him. You are to sink a thousand times deeper into Him: That sea of light and love unknown, Without a bottom or a shore. I hope Miss Lewen and you speak to each other, not only without disguise, but without reserve. How is your lot cast in a fair ground! How well are you situated for making the best of a short life! Secluded from the world and all its care, Hast thou to joy or grieve, to hope or fear That is, with regard to present things No: God has given you a nobler portion. You have nothing to care for but how you may most entirely and effectually present yourself a living sacrifice to God. When I reflect upon your earnest desire to do this and upon your simplicity of heart, it gives an unspeakable pleasure to, my dear sister, Your affectionate brother. I expect to be at Dublin till the end of this month. I send Miss Lewen's letter by Portpatrick to try which comes soonest. [The letter to Miss Lewen is missing.] To Miss Peggy Dale, At the Orphan House, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. To Lady Maxwell KILKENNY, July 5, 1765.

I advise you to go to Mr. Henderson and relate to him what you mentioned to me. I have no objection to your speaking at those times and places which he shall think proper. On the 23rd and 24th of next month (Wednesday and Thursday) I expect, God willing, to be at Salisbury myself.--I am Your affectionate brother. To Thomas Rankin [14] ST. JOHN'S, September 11, 1765. DEAR TOMMY,--There is a good work in Cornwall. But where the great work goes on well we should take care to be exact in little things. I will tell you several of these just as they occur to my mind. Grace Paddy at Redruth met in the select society, though she wore a large glittering necklace and met no band. They sing all over Cornwall a tune so full of repetitions and flourishes that it can scarce be sung with devotion. It is to those words, Praise the Lord, ye blessed ones. Away with it! Let it be heard no more. They cannot sing our old common tunes. Teach these everywhere. Take pains herein. The Societies are not half supplied with books; not even with Jane Cooper's Letters, or the two or three Sermons which I printed last year; no, not with the shilling Hymn--Book or Primitive Physick. They almost universally neglect fasting. The preaching-houses are miserable, even the new ones. They have neither light nor air sufficient; and they are far, far too low and too small. Look at Yarm house. Recommend the Notes on the Old Testament in good earnest. Every Society as a Society should subscribe. Remind them everywhere that two, four, or six might join together for a copy, and bring the money to their leader weekly. We have need to use all the common sense God has given us as well as all the grace.--I am, dear Tommy, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Mrs. Crosby KINGSWOOD, October 5, 1765.

MY DEAR LADY,--Perhaps there is scarce any child of man that is not at some time a little touched by prejudice, so far at least as to be troubled, though not wounded. But it does not hurt unless it fixes upon the mind. It is not strength of understanding which can prevent this. The heart, which otherwise suffers most by it, makes the resistance which only is effectual. I cannot easily be prejudiced against any person whom I tenderly love till that love declines. So long, therefore, as our affection is preserved by watchfulness and prayer to Him that gave it, prejudice must stand at a distance. Another excellent defence against it is openness. I admire you upon this account. You dare (in spite of that strange reserve which so prevails in North Britain) speak the naked sentiments of your heart. I hope my dear friend will never do otherwise. In simplicity and godly sincerity, the very reverse of worldly wisdom, have all your conversation in the world. Have you received a gleam of light from above, a spark of faith O let it not go! Hold fast, by His grace, that token of His love, that earnest of your inheritance. Come just as you are, and come boldly to the throne of grace. You need not delay! Even now the bowels of Jesus Christ yearn over you. What have you to do with to-morrow I love you to-day. And how much more does He love you! He Pities still His wandering sheep, Longs to bring you to His fold! To-day hear His voice--the voice of Him that speaks as never man spake, the voice that raises the dead, that calls the things which are not as though they were. Hark! What says He now 'Fear not; only believe! Woman, thy sins are forgiven thee! Go in peace; thy faith hath made thee whole.' Indeed, I am, my dear Lady, Your ever affectionate servant. To William Orpe LONDON, December 14, 1765. MY DEAR BROTHER,--You have a clear call to go home for a short season. But let it be as short as you can. 'Let the dead bury their dead. But follow thou Me.'

1766 To Mrs. Wyndowe LONDON, January 7, 1766. MY DEAR SALLY,--From the time that I first took acquaintance with you at Earl's Bridge, [Wesley spent an hour at Byford on March 16, 1789. The Diary note is, '11 Byford, tea, within; 12 chaise' (Journal, vii. 478d).] I have still retained the same regard for you. Therefore I am always well pleased with hearing from you, especially when you inform me that you are pursuing the best things. And you will not pursue them in vain if you still resolutely continue to spend some time in private every day. It is true you cannot fix any determinate measure of time because of numberless avocations. And it is likewise true that you will often find yourself so dead and cold that it will seem to be mere labour lost. No; it is not. It is the way wherein He that raises the dead has appointed to meet you. And we know not how soon He may meet you, and say, 'Woman! I say unto thee, Arise!' Then the fear of [death] which has so long triumphed over you shall be put under your feet. Look up! my friend! Expect that He who loves you will soon come and will not tarry! To His care I commit you; and am, my dear Sally, Yours most affectionately. Mrs. Wyndowe, Byford, Near Stroud, Gloucestershire. To Thomas Rankin [1] COLCHESTER, January 23, 1766. DEAR TOMMY,--Suppose the numbers swell to an hundred (as probably they will), consider what it would amount to to give seventy persons 50s. apiece before I am reimbursed for the expense of the edition! [Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament, vol. i. (4to, 852 pp.), had been published in 1765. See letter of June 20.] Indeed, I did not think of this till my brother mentioned it. But all the preachers shall, if they desire it, have them at half price. I am glad John Ellis takes care of the books while you are in Newcastle Circuit. When Matthew Lowes returns, let Moseley Cheek go into the Barnard Castle Circuit. At Lady Day, or within a few days after, you should return thither yourself. Speak quite freely to John Fenwick. You may trust him.--I am, dear Tommy, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Mr. Thomas Rankin, At the Orphan House, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. To George Merryweather [2] LONDON, February 8, 1766.

REVEREND SIR,--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, [Terence's Phormio, 1. iv. 19: 'With authority enough.']--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! And blind enough; so that you blunder on through thick and thin, bespattering all that come in your way, according to the old, laudable maxim, 'Throw dirt enough, and some will stick.' 2. I hope, I say, that this is the case, and that you do not knowingly assert so many palpable falsehoods. You say: 'If I am mistaken, I shall always be ready and desirous to retract my error' (page 56). A little candour and care might have prevented those mistakes; this is the first thing one would have desired. The next is that they may be removed; that you may see wherein you have been mistaken, and be more wary for the time to come. 3. You undertake to give an account, first, of the rise and principles, then of the practices, of the Methodists.

I am almost ashamed (having done it twenty times before) to answer this stale calumny again. But the bold, frontless manner wherein you advance it obliges me so to do. Know then, sir, that you have no authority, either from Scripture or reason, to judge of other men by yourself. If your own conscience convicts you of loving money, of 'casting a sheep's eye at the unrighteous mammon,' humble yourself before God, if haply the thoughts and desires of your heart may be forgiven you. But, blessed be God, my conscience is clear. My heart does not condemn me in this matter. I know, and God knoweth, that I have no desire to load myself with thick clay; that I love money no more than I love the mire in the streets; that I seek it not. And I have it not, any more than suffices for food and raiment, for the plain conveniences of life. I pay no court to it at all, or to those that have it, either with cunning or without. For myself, for my own use, I raise no contributions, either great or small. The weekly contributions of our community (which are freely given, not squeezed out of any) as well as the gifts and offerings at the Lord's Table never come into my hands. I have no concern with them, not so much as the beholding them with my eyes. They are received every week by the stewards of the Society, men of well-known character in the world; and by them constantly distributed within the week to those whom they know to be in real necessity. As to the 'very large oblations wherewith I am favoured by persons of better figure and fortune,' I know nothing of them. Be so kind as to refresh my memory by mentioning a few of their names. I have the happiness of knowing some of great figure and fortune, some right honourable persons. But if I were to say that all of them together had given me seven pounds in seven years I should say more than I could make good. And yet I doubt not but they would freely give me anything I wanted; but, by the blessing of God, I want nothing that they can give. I want only more of the spirit of love and power and of an healthful mind.

But you say, '"Good sort of men," as they are called, are "the bane of all religion"' (pages 179-80). And I think so. By this 'good sort of men' I mean persons who have a liking to but no sense of religion, no real fear or love of God, no truly Christian tempers. 'These steal away the little zeal he has--that is, persuade him to be peaceable.' No; persuade me to be like themselves-- without love either to God or man. 'Again, speaking of one, he says, "Indulging himself in harmless company"' (vulgarly so called), '"he first made shipwreck of his zeal, then of his faith." In this I think he is right. The zeal and faith of a fanatic are such exact tallies that neither can exist alone. They came into the world together to disturb society and dishonour religion.' By zeal I mean the flame of love or fervent love to God and man; by faith, the substance or confidence of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Is this the zeal and faith of a fanatic Then St. Paul was the greatest fanatic on earth. Did these come into the world to 'disturb society and dishonour religion' 'On the whole, we find Mr. Wesley by his own confession entirely destitute of prudence. Therefore it must be ascribed to the want of this if his preaching be attended with tumult and disorder.' (Page 181.) 'By his own confession' Surely no. This I confess, and this only: what is falsely called prudence I abhor; but true prudence I love and admire. However, 'You set at naught the discipline of the Church by invading the province of the parochial minister' (page 182). Nay, if ever I preach at all, it must be in the province of some parochial minister. 'By assembling in undue places and at unfit times.' I know of no times unfit for those who assemble; and I believe Hanham Mount and Rose Green were the most proper places under heaven for preaching to the colliers in Kingswood. 'By scurrilous invectives against the governors and pastors of the national Church.' This is an entire mistake. I dare not make any 'scurrilous invectives' against any man. 'Insolences of this nature provoke warm men to tumult.' But those insolences do not exist; so that, whatever tumult either warm or cool men raise, I am not chargeable therewith.

'The common opinion is that this respects another life, as he enforces his argument by this observation: "Now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face: now we know in part; but then shall we know, even as also we are known"' (page 99). 'But the Apostle means charity is to accompany the Church in all its stages, whereas prophecy and all the rest are only bestowed during its infant state to support it against the delusions and powers of darkness' (page 100). 'The Corinthians abounded in these gifts, but were wanting in charity. And this the Apostle here exposes by proving charity to be superior to them all both in its qualities and duration. The first three verses declare that the other gifts are useless without charity. The next four specify the qualities of charity. The remaining six declare its continuance,--"Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away." In the next verse he gives the reason,--"For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away": that is, when that Christian life, the lines of which are marked out by the gospel, shall arrive to its full vigour and maturity, then the temporary aids, given to subdue prejudice and to support the weak, shall, like scaffolding, be removed. In other words, when that Christian life, wherein the Apostles and first Christians were but infants, shall arrive to its full vigour and maturity in their successors, then miracles shall cease.' (Page 102.) But I fear that time is not yet come. I doubt none that are now alive enjoy more of the vigour and maturity of the Christian life than the very first Christians did.

'But when that which is perfect is come,' at death and in the last day, 'that which is in part shall be done away.' Both that low, imperfect, glimmering light, which is all the knowledge we can now attain to; and these slow and unsatisfactory methods of attaining, as well as of imparting it to others. 'When I was a child, I talked as a child, I understood as a child, I reasoned as a child.' As if he had said, In our present state we are mere infants compared to what we shall be hereafter. 'But when I became a man, I put away childish things'; and a proportionable change shall we all find when we launch into eternity. 'Now we see' even the things which surround us by means of 'a glass' or mirror, in a dim, faint, obscure manner, so that everything is a kind of riddle to us; 'but then' we shall see, not a faint reflection, but the objects themselves' 'face to face,' directly and distinctly. 'Now I know but in part.' Even when God reveals things to me, great part of them is still kept under the veil. 'But then shall I know even as I also am known'--in a clear, full, comprehensive manner; in some measure like God, who penetrates the centre of every object, and sees at one glance through my soul and all things. 'And now,' during the present life, 'abide these three, faith, hope, love; but the greatest of these,' in its duration as well as the excellence of its nature, 'is love.' Faith, hope, love, are the sum of perfection on earth; love alone is the sum of perfection in heaven. 'It appears, then, that the miraculous powers of the Church were to cease upon its perfect establishment' (page 107). Nothing like it appears from this scripture. But supposing it did, is Christianity perfectly established yet even nominal Christianity Mr. Brerewood took large pains to be fully informed; and, according to his account, [Enquiries touching the Diversity of Languages and Religions through the chiefe parts of the World (1614), p. 118. ] five parts in six of the known world are Mahometans or Pagans to this day. If so, Christianity is yet far from being perfectly established, either in Europe, Asia, Africa, or America.

DEAR MISS ANN,--Time changes thought, especially in youth and amidst variety of company. So that it would be nothing strange if you should forget those for whom you once had a regard; but you need not. Every reasonable affection is intended to last to eternity. And the true affection for our friends is, as Milton says, a scale whereby to heavenly love thou may'st ascend. [Paradise Lost, viii. 589-92.'Love refines/ The thoughts, and heart enlarges: hath his seat/ In reason, and is judicious; is the scale/ By which to heavenly love thou may'st ascend,'] For the present you seem to be in your place, the place which the wisdom of God has assigned you; and the crosses you now meet with, as they are not of your own choosing, will surely work together for good. Your want of more public opportunities may in a good measure be supplied by private exercises. Let no day pass without more or less private prayer, reading, and meditation. And does not God see in secret Does He not now read your heart, and see if it pants for His pure love If so, are not all things ready May you not now find what you never did before Ask Him that loves you, whose nature and whose name is Love!--I am Your affectionate brother. To Thomas Rankin [2] LONDON, January 22, 1767. 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.

I call upon him hereby, if he does 'carry on a considerable trade in the city,' or any trade at all (except perhaps that of retailing whisky or crying bloody murders through the streets), to give up his name and place of his abode with the name of the curate whom he brought to reason with his wife. No evasion here can be received. Unless this be done without delay, all candid men will believe the whole story to be a senseless, shameless slander. If Mr. B (with whom I had formerly the pleasure of conversing at his own house, and who behaved like a gentleman and a Christian) had had objections to me or my fellow labourers, he would not have proposed them in such a manner. He would have spoken (in private or in public) as a gentleman to a gentleman; and I would have answered him plainly and directly. Indeed, I am ready to give any man of understanding a reason of the hope that is in me that I have a conscience void of offence towards God and towards man.--I am Your humble servant. To Mrs. Bennis [8] DUBLIN, July 25, 1767. DEAR SISTER BENNIS,--When you write to me, you have only to 'think aloud,' just to open the window in your breast. When we love one another, there is no need of either disguise or reserve. I love you, and I verily believe you love me; so you have only to write just what you feel.

MY DEAR SISTER,--You did not willingly omit anything that was in your power. [See letters of May 17, 1766, and Nov. 12, 1768, to her] Therefore you have no reason to be uneasy on that account. Your father went to God in a good old age as a ripe shock of corn. Be you also ready; that, whenever our Lord cometh, He may find you watching! Undoubtedly God does sometimes show His children things to come in dreams or visions of the night. And whenever they bring us nearer to Him, it is well, whenever they are means of increasing our faith and holiness. Only we must take care not to depend upon them too much, and to bring all to the standard--the law and the testimony. I believe it would be a trial to you if you should hear I was called away. But you have a strong Helper in all trials. It might please God to calm your troubled mind by that particular outward representation; and let Him work in whatever manner He pleases. Peace and love are blessings, come how they will. These I hope you find increasing in you. Let your soul be all love, and it suffices.--I am, my dear sister, Your affectionate brother. To Mrs. Woodhouse, At Mr. Hutton's, In Epworth, Near Thorne, Yorkshire. To Ann Bolton [8] LONDON, February 13, 1768. MY DEAR SISTER,--The best and most desirable thing of all is that you should live and die wholly devoted to God, waiting upon Him without distraction, serving Him without carefulness, and studying one thing--to be holy both in body and spirit, an whole burnt sacrifice of love. If you have not steadiness and resolution for this, the next thing to be desired is that you may marry a man of faith and love, who has a good temper and a good understanding. The temptation you are now in was perhaps the most dangerous one you ever had in your life. God deliver you from that almost certain destruction which attends the being unequally yoked to an unbeliever!

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 George Merryweather BRISTOL, September 26, 1768. MY DEAR BROTHER,--I have appointed Richard Boardman [Boardman was Assistant in the Dales, and took the place of Rowell at Yarm.] to supply (for the present at least) the place of Jacob Rowell. I desire John Heslop [Heslop was second preacher at Yarm in 1767. He had evidently been paying attention to a lady there. See letter of Oct.1.] may preach at Yarm no more. Quietly let him sink into nothing. And the less he preaches in other places the better till he comes again to his senses. Indeed, if anything of so notorious a kind occurs, I will thank any steward for preventing such a preacher from doing any more hurt till he has an answer from me.--I am, with love to Sister Merryweather, Your affectionate brother. To Jane Hilton [26] BRISTOL, September 30, 1768. 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 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.

DEAR PATTY,--You do not consider, money never stays with me: it would burn me if it did. I throw it out of my hands as soon as possible, lest it should find a way into my heart. Therefore you should have spoken to me while I was in London, and before Miss Lewen's money flew away. [Wesley had settled some disputed points with Miss Lewen's father, and received on Nov. 2, 1767, the 1,000 legacy which she left him. See Journal, v. 226-7; Stamp's Orphan House, pp. 111-112; Tyerman's Wesley, ii. 589-90.] However, I know not but I may still spare you five pounds, provided you will not say, 'I will never ask you again,' because that is more than you can tell; and you must not promise more than you can perform. I scarce know what to say with regard to the other affair. It is a delicate point. Is she sure of her temporal affairs Remember her whom Lawrence Coughlan [See letters of Aug. 27, 1768, and Feb. 25, 1785 (to John Stretton).] married and ruined. Let me not have another blot of the same kind. Let her take care to tread upon firm ground. Oh how busy are mankind! and about what trifles! Things that pass away as a dream! Vanity of vanities, all is vanity, but to love and serve God.--I am, dear Patty, Your ever affectionate. To Jane Hilton BRISTOL, October 8, 1768. MY DEAR SISTER,--You need never be afraid of 'wearying my patience,' unless it be by your silence. There is no danger of your writing too often or too much; whatever comes from you is welcome. I can easily believe the description you give is just; therefore there are only two particulars remaining: First, Have you both the consent of your parents Without this there is seldom a blessing. Secondly, Is he able to keep you I mean in such a manner as you have lived hitherto. Otherwise, remember I When poverty comes in at the door, love flies out at the window. Do you find as much as ever of the spirit of prayer and of continual watchfulness Are you always sensible of the presence of God in the greatest hurry of business Have you power over wandering thoughts And do you find as much union of spirit as ever with, my dear Jenny, Your affectionate brother.

To Jenny Hilton, At Mr. Francis Hilton's, In Beverley, Yorkshire. To Joseph Benson [28] WYCOMBE, November 7, 1768. DEAR JOSEPH,--You have now twenty more volumes of the Philosophical Transactions. Dr. Burton's Latin and Greek Poems you have in the study.[At Kingswood School.] Malebranche [Included in the list of studies for fourth year. See History of Kingswood School, p. 66.] and some other books are coming. Logic you cannot crack without a tutor: I must read it to Peter and you, if we live to meet. It would not be amiss if I had a catalogue of the books at Kingswood; then I should know the better what to buy. As fast as I can meet with them at sales, I shall procure what are yet wanting. But beware you be not swallowed up in books: an ounce of love is worth a pound of knowledge.--I am, dear Joseph, Your affectionate brother. To Hannah Ball [29] LONDON, November 12, 1768. MY DEAR SISTER,--You may always direct to me in London, and the letter will be sent to me wherever I am. There is at present a better prospect at Henley than there has been for several years; and I trust you will see more fruit at Wycombe than there has lately been. Stir up the gift of God that is in you! Willingly catch all opportunities of warning every one and exhorting every one, if by any means you may save some! Cast off every weight! Beware of everything that damps or deadens your soul! If you may be free from the cares and entanglements of another state of life, use it rather.[Referring to an offer of marriage from an ungodly young man which she had refused.] Surely you are happier if you so abide. Now you have but one care: keep yourself in the love of God, in His pure love, by growing therein. Rejoice, pray, give thanks evermore. Cleave closer to Him that loves you; and for His sake love, my dear sister, Your affectionate brother. To Mrs. Woodhouse LONDON, November 12, 1768.

Each Prayer accepted, and each Wish resigned 7 Desires composed, Affections ever even; Tears that delight, and Sighs that waft to Heaven [Pope, Eloisa and Abelard, p. 207, quoted in Earnest Appeal, 3.] And without this, who can be happy Who can avoid feeling many dull, heavy hours Let the Indians eat, drink, dance, play: all this will not fill up the blanks of life. Their highest enjoyments will carry them no farther than 'Sauntring Jack and Idle Joan' [An Epitaph, 1. 2: 'Without love, hatred, joy, or fear, They led-a kind of-as it were.'] in Prior. What can carry them any farther but heart-religion, 'Fellowship with the Father and with the Son'! O may you and yours always experience this better part, which alone takes away the weariness of life, which alone gives that heart-felt, that unceasing joy, the pledge and earnest of Life Eternal!--I am, sir, Your very humble servant.

MY DEAR SISTER,--You may be assured it is not want of inclination which keeps me from calling at Witney. [He had been kept in London.] But my time falls short. On Monday, March 6, I am to leave London to preach at Bath on Tuesday evening; in the residue of the week to visit the classes at Bristol; and on the Monday following to set out for Ireland. So that my time is little enough for my work, though I go the shortest way I can. With regard to yourself, you make me say more than I intended to say. I could not but admire your behaviour in London [See letter of Jan. 12.]: so affectionate, and yet so prudent. If we live till the latter end of the year, I hope we shall spend a little more time together. And surely it will be useful, not hurtful. But in the meantime take care of your health. Colds [See letter of Feb. 12.] are dangerous things to you, particularly at this time of the year. Ride as much as possible. Drink the bran water, and follow the other advices I have given you from time to time. I hope your having a convenient place for preaching will be much for the furtherance of the gospel. A blessing is ready for many; for you in particular. I say still, Dare to believe! Believe, and feel Him near! Put forth your hand and touch Him! Is He not standing at the door of your heart And do not forget, my dear Nancy, Your affectionate brother. PS.--Don't think of sending me anything; your love is sufficient. To Robert Costerdine [3] LONDON, February 6, 1769. MY DEAR BROTHER,--By the former rule of Conference you must not undertake any building till two-thirds of the money it will cost are subscribed. Now, I doubt you would hardly with all your strength be able to procure one-third at Doncaster. If you read publicly on any Sunday that letter from New York, you may then receive what the hearers are willing to give. I am not at all sorry that our brother Southwell [Serjeant Southwell, of Kendal, with whom Wesley spent a comfortable evening on March 21, 1767. See Journal, v. 201.] purposes settling at New York. On the 6th of March I am to set out for Bristol and Ireland.--I am, dear Robert,

It is remarkable that St. Paul places this the last of all, that 'love endureth all things '; and this is the sum of his wish with regard to the Colossians, 'that they might be strengthened unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.' They who have attained this are ripe for the inheritance and ready to salute their friends in light. There is a time when we grow up towards this, even without any sensible increase; as in the parable, the seed groweth and springs up he knoweth not how. At many times, indeed, we do know how the power of the Highest suddenly overshadows us, while either the first or the pure love is shed abroad in our hearts. But at other times He confirms and increases that love in a gradual and almost insensible manner. Death has had a large commission this year with regard to our Societies in Ireland as well as England. Just as I left Dublin [He left on April 3.] four or five of our members there were taken away in four or five days; three elder, and two in the bloom of youth, one of whom had been filled with love for some years. They all witnessed a good confession at the last, and died in full assurance of hope. Nancy Rogers, [See Crookshank's Methodism in Ireland, i. 223; and for Jane Cooper, letter of Sept. 11, 1765.] whom I saw just before I left the town, breathed the very spirit of Jane Cooper. I think their kindred spirits are now acquainted with each other better than you and I are, but not better than we shall be when we meet together in the paradise of God. To Peggy Dale [9] [NEWMARKET], May 20, 1769.

Your affectionate brother. Brother Dillon will probably be in Bandon next week. To John Furz () [12] ATHLONE, June 25, 1769. MY DEAR BROTHER,--Brother Langdon and you are not much mistaken concerning Thomas Wride. A great part of the accusation against Thomas Wride is owing to prejudice. But it is only his own zeal and activity and patiently blameless behaviour which can effectually speak for him. He may, if he has an horse, come to the Conference, and I will try him another year.--I am, my dear brethren, Your affectionate brother. To an Irish Lady [13] TULLAMORE, June 27, 1769. DEAR MADAM,--When I had the pleasure of conversing with you some years since, you had a regard both for me and the people called Methodists. If I am rightly informed, you are now of another mind. May I ask, When did that change begin Was it at your last journey to Dublin Whenever it was, suffer me to ask, What were the reasons of it I will tell you what I conjecture, and I do it in writing because I may not have an opportunity of talking with you; because I can write more freely than I could speak; because I can now say all I have to say at once; whereas, if we were talking together, I might probably forget some part; and because you may by this means have the better opportunity of calmly considering it.

MY DEAR SISTER,--Now I understand you well; but I did not understand you before. I thought you meant that you had not now the love that you had once. [See letter of Aug. 6.] I am glad to find that I was mistaken, and that you still retain that precious gift of God. Undoubtedly you may retain it always; yea, and with a continual increase. You may have a deeper and deeper fellowship with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. You may have more and more of the mind which was in Him and be more fully renewed in His likeness. You should send me word from time to time what your present experience and your present trials are. Peace be with your spirits!--I am, my dear sister, Your affectionate brother. To Edward Spencer [21] FROME, September 13, 1769. REVEREND AND DEAR SIR,--I expect to be at Bradford on Tuesday and Wednesday next. In returning from thence to Bath to-morrow se'nnight, the 21st instant, I will preach if you please in your church. I remember preaching some years since at Combe Grove. [On Sept. 17 and 19 and Oct. 1, 1764. See Journal, v. 94-8.] Peace be with you and yours.-- I am, dear sir, Your affectionate brother and servant. To Mr. -- [22] BRISTOL, September, 17, 1769. MY DEAR BROTHER,--I hope you will not be disappointed any more. On Thursday se'nnight I propose with God's leave to preach at Pill at three o'clock.--I am Your affectionate brother. To Mrs. Bennis BRISTOL, September 18, 1769. MY DEAR SISTER,--I wrote a longer letter to you than I usually do before I set out from Dublin: where or how it stopped I cannot imagine. [She evidently received it. See letter of July 24.] I think of you every day; indeed, I do not know that I ever loved you so well as since I was at Limerick last. [June 5-8. See note in letter of May 30 to her.] The more we are acquainted with each other the more we ought to love one another.

1. I have been told an hundred times, 'You love those that flatter you, and hate all that deal plainly and honestly with you.' [See letters of March 25, 1764, and Sept. 12, 1766.] For J. Oliver told Jo. Hilton, who (with many others) cordially believed it. But nothing under heaven can be more false. What man did I ever love like T. Walsh What woman do I now regard like Miss Bosanquet And what human creatures have dealt so plainly and honestly with me What preacher now deals so plainly with me as John Fenwick and whom do I love and trust more 2. The first spring of the reproach cast on Kingswood School was not any mismanagement there. It was the hatred of good which is in the devil and his children. Therefore even Mr. Parkinson never did or could escape it. Therefore a fresh flood of it has been poured out even since you was there. 3. This you had reason to expect, and therefore ought not to have been surprised, much less discouraged at it. For this I gently reproved you in my first letter. That reproof you took heinously ill, and reproached me for unmercifulness and want of sympathy. This I should think was extremely wrong. 4. 'Is this all the thanks I receive for serving you' Nay, I think the thanks are due to me. When I first sent you to Kingswood, it was to serve you at least as much as myself. Nay, it was not to serve myself at all. For what is the school to me It has been and may be of use to many. But it is no more to me than to you or Lady Huntingdon. There are other mistakes in your letter (which is all wrote in a spirit of discontent), but I have no time to point them out. You told me you would stay at the school till March. Till then you should be as much at Kingswood as you can.-- I am Your affectionate brother. To Mrs. Barton LONDON, December 24, 1769.

She is there still [His wife, who was in Newcastle. See letter of Nov. 20, 1769, to Christopher Hopper.]; and likely so to be, unless I would hire her to return, which I dare not do. I will not buy a cross, though I can bear it. Many are much stirred up here and are greatly athirst for pure love. I am sure you tasted it once, though you was reasoned out of it. How soon may you find it again! Simple faith is all we want. Peace be with your spirit!--I am, my dear sister, Your affectionate brother. To Christopher Hopper [4] LONDON, January 16, 1770. MY DEAR BROTHER,--There is reason to believe that this has been indeed a festival time all over the kingdom. While a Sacheverell madness has spread far and wide, God gives us the spirit of love and of a sound mind. I think verily, if we could procure those premises upon reasonable terms, together with such a servitude or security (are these synonymous terms?) as you mention, it would be a noble acquisition, and might tend much to the furtherance of the work of God in Edinburgh. If all the Assistants would exert themselves with regard to the Yearly Collection as heartily as Christopher Hopper, a great deal might be done. We must have farther proof of William.--I am, with love to Sister Hopper, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Ann Bolton LEWISHAM, January 25, 1770. Nancy, Nancy! I had almost said, I wish I could be angry at you; but that would not be an easy thing. I was wondering that you never wrote. I doubt your love is grown cold. Let it not be six weeks before I hear from you again. You find I can chide if you provoke me. You surprise me with regard to the books. I have spoke to Mr. Franks twice; and twice he told me he had sent them. I doubt he sent them among the other books without directing them particularly to you. I shall see that matter set right.

MY DEAR BROTHER,--Tell John Hilton 'wherever Mr. Wesley is he labours to strengthen the hands of the Assistant and does nothing without advising with him.' So I do nothing here without advising with John Pawson. [Pawson was the Assistant in London and Hilton at Bristol.] I believe his doing otherwise was chiefly through inadvertence. Therefore come to an explanation as soon as possible. Brother Hitchens [William Hitchens, a native of Bisveal near Redruth, was for some time an itinerant preacher; but he married and settled as a hatter in Bristol. He laboured as a local preacher for many years. See Atmore's Memorial, pp. 190-1.] complains you broke through the plan of preaching which I fixed and did not allow him his turn. But, however this was, Wick must not lose its turn. I solemnly promised Mr. Haynes it should not, and allowed the preacher the use of my mare once a fortnight. Neglect another place rather than that. Give my kind love to Brother and Sister Thomas. [Barnabas Thomas, the second preacher at Bristol, a Cornishman, had become a preacher in 1764. see letter of March 25, 1785.] I thank him for his letter. You should give Mr. Shirley [The Hon. Walter Shirley, Rector of Loughrea, and cousin to Lady Huntingdon, had evidently been teaching Calvinism in Wesley's preaching house. See letter of Nov. 27.] an hint not to contradict me when he preaches in my house. I hope you spend a little time (you and Brother Thomas) with our children at Kingswood. Who are your new class-leaders? --I am, with love to Sister Whitehead, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Mr. Whitehead, At the New Room, In Bristol. To Dr. Wrangel [7] [LONDON, January 30, 1770.] The last time, the last words however important, are commonly remembered. Notwithstanding your intentions of revisiting this country, I consider it as very unlikely. The distracted state of your own, the various events which may take place, the thousand circumstances which may happen, lead me to regard this opportunity as the last I may ever have of addressing you--at least of seeing you; and I wish it to be worthy of recollection.

MY DEAR SISTER,--I congratulate you both upon your sickness and your recovery from it. Do not all things work together for good to them that love God? Now redeem the little uncertain time that is given you; perhaps fifteen years, perhaps not so many months. Deal very faithfully and freely with my dear M. Bosanquet and with Your affectionate brother. To Mrs. Barton NORWICH, November 5, 1770. MY DEAR SISTER,--For many years I had a kind of scruple with regard to praying for temporal things. But three or four years ago I was throughly persuaded that scruple was unnecessary. Being then straitened much, I made it matter of prayer; and I had an immediate answer. It is true we can only ask outward blessings with reserve, 'If this is best; if it be Thy will.' And in this manner we may certainly plead the promise, 'All these things shall be added to you.' I hope the little debates which were some time since in the Society at Beverley are at an end, and that you all now continue in love and bear one another's burthens. You had for a long time an hard part to act between the contending parties; but as God preserved you from anger and from a party spirit, you suffered no loss thereby. Beware of suffering loss from another quarter, from worldly care. This is a dangerous enemy. You had need steadily to cast your care on Him that careth for you. To Him I commit you and yours; and am Your affectionate brother. To Mrs. Jane Barton, In Norwood, Beverley, Yorkshire. North Post. To Mary Bishop NORWICH, November 5, 1770.

MY DEAR MISS BISHOP,--I am glad you had such success in your labour of love. In all things you shall reap if you faint not. And the promise is, 'They shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.' I hope the building is begun, [See letter of Nov. 27.] and will be finished as soon as possible. What temper are your neighbours in? Do they bear with you? And do you confirm your love toward them? How does our little Society prosper? Are you all united in love? And are you all aware of that bane of love, tale-bearing and evil-speaking? Are the congregations as large as they have been for some time? Herein we may well say, What hath God wrought! See, I ask you many questions, because I have a mind you should say a great deal to me. How does your own soul prosper? Do you retain that little spark of faith? Are you going forward, and have you as strong a desire as ever to increase with all the increase of God? See the Lord, thy Keeper, stand, Omnipotently near! Lo, He holds thee by thy hand, And banishes thy fear! O trust Him, love Him, and praise Him! And for His sake love, my dear Miss Bishop, Your affectionate brother. To Miss Bishop, Near the Countess of Huntingdon's Chapel, In Bath. To Ann Bolton LONDON, November 16, 1770. MY DEAR SISTER,--To see even the superscription of a letter from you always gives me pleasure. I am glad you are still waiting for the kingdom of God: although as yet you are rather in the state of a servant than of a child. But it is a blessed thing to be even a servant of God! You shall never have cause to be ashamed of His service. What I peculiarly advise is, that you will never omit private duties, whatever hurry you may be in, and however dull and dry your soul may be: still they shall not be without a blessing. And therein you will receive power against that temptation, which to your tender spirit may be the most dangerous of any. On Sunday I am to preach a funeral sermon for that blessed man Mr. Whitefield at the Tabernacle and at Tottenham Court Chapel. [See next letter.]

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 Mr. Benson, In Edmund Hall, Oxon. To Elizabeth Briggs [9] CHESTER, March 17, 1771. MY DEAR BETSY,--You do well to break through that needless fear. Love me more, and fear me less; then you will prove, Love, like the grave, makes all distinctions vain. ['Love, like death, hath all destroyed.' See Poetical Works of J. and C. Wesley, i. 362; also letter of Feb. 15, 1769.] You have great reason to praise Him who hath done great things for you already. What you now want is to come boldly to the throne of grace, that the hunger and thirst after His full image which God has given you may be satisfied. Full salvation is nigh, even at the door. Only believe, and it is yours. It is a great blessing that at your years you are preserved from seeking happiness in any creature. You need not, seeing Christ is yours. O cleave to Him with all your heart!--I am, my dear Betsy, Yours affectionately. To Mary Stokes [10] CHESTER, March 17, 1771.

MY DEAR SISTER,--You are a little unkind. Why do you not send me, as I desired, a particular account of all that concerns you Where you are How you are in soul and in body Do you stand fast in that glorious liberty wherewith Christ has made you free Has He bruised the reasoning devil under your feet and taught you simply to hang upon Him Are you not ashamed to confess Him before men Are you bold, are you active in His cause Where have you been and what have you done since you left that lovely family at Shoreham [The Perronets. See letter of March 30 to Damaris Perronet] You did love me a little. Do you still Do you think of me sometimes If so, do not delay writing. Let me be an helper of your joy. And I pray take care of your health. In this respect I am often jealous over you. I think you never will neglect your soul; but I am afraid lest you should neglect your body. And you know not how great pain anything befalling you gives to, my dear Nancy, Your ever affectionate brother. To Mrs. Pywell [16] KILKENNY, April 23, 1771. MY DEAR SISTER,--I hardly knew whether you were dead or alive, having not heard from you for so long a season. Yesterday I received yours of March 28, and am glad to hear you are not moved from your steadfastness. Certainly it is not the will of our Lord that you should; His gifts are without repentance. Do you find no decay in faith Do you as clearly as ever see Him who is invisible Is your hope as lively as at first Do you still taste of the powers of the world to come And can you say in as strong a sense as ever, I nothing want beneath, above, Happy in a Saviour's love Do you feel no anger at any time no pride no will but what is subordinate to the will of God And have you the witness in yourself that all your ways please Him Then expect to see greater things than these, for there is no end of His goodness; and do not forget, my dear sister, Your affectionate brother. To Mr.- BANDON, May 1, 1771.

MY DEAR PHILLY,--There is no fear I should forget you; I love you too well for that, and therefore love to hear from you, especially at this critical time, when all the powers of hell are engaged against you. But let them come about you like bees, they shall be extinct as the fire among the thorns. Tempted you are, and will be; otherwise you could not know your own weakness and the strength of your Master. But all temptations will work together for good; all are for your profit, that you may be partaker of His holiness. You may always have an evidence both of God's love to you and of yours to Him. And at some times the former may be more clear, at other times the latter. It is enough if, in one case or the other, you simply stay your soul upon Him. Sister Harper's is the ordinary experience of those who are renewed in love. [Charles Wesley met Mrs. Harper at Mr. Sims's on July 2, 1738; and as they sang, Who for me, for me hath died,, she burst out into tears and outcries, "I believe, I believe!" and sunk down. She continued, and increased in the assurance of faith, full of peace and joy and love., Wesley printed an extract from her Journal in 1769. see c. Wesley's Journal, i. 115.] Sister Jackson's [See letter of March 26, 1770.] experience is quite extraordinary, and what very few of them have yet attained. There is a danger of every believer's mistaking the voice of the enemy or of their own imagination for the voice of God. And you can distinguish one from the other, not by any written rule, but only by the unction of the Holy One. This only teaches Christian prudence, consistent with simplicity and godly sincerity. The four volumes of Sermons, the Appeals, the Notes, and the Extracts from Mr. Law's Works and from Dr. Young, might best suit you now: meddle with nothing that does not suit your present temper. When you feel you are led to it, write verses; do not bury your talent in the earth. Meet with them that meet on a Friday, and speak in God's name without fear or shame.

MY DEAR BROTHER,--You and I differ a little in our judgement. I take Yarm Circuit to be a very comfortable one. But I see an evil growing among us: preachers claim to be two years together in the same round, because it has been suffered sometimes; but if it be so, I must suffer it no more. Every preacher shall change every year; unless they will leave it to my judgement to make an exception now and then when I may see sufficient cause. However, for the present, if Thomas Hanson is willing, you may change circuits with him. To a request which I did not approve of silence was the mildest answer. Nevertheless I had rather you had been at Leeds. I believe you would have done more good. But others had spoke first. Pray let them not be beforehand with you, if we live to another year.--I am, with love to Sister Hopper, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Mr. C. Hopper, Yarm. To Hannah Ball [31] PORTSMOUTH, October 4, 1771. MY DEAR SISTER,--The being 'sealed by the Spirit' in the full sense of the word I take to imply two things: first, the receiving the whole image of God, the whole mind which was in Christ, as the wax receives the whole impression of the seal when it is strongly and properly applied; secondly, the full assurance of hope, or a clear and permanent confidence of being with God in glory. Either of these may be given (and sometimes is, though not frequently) separate from the other. When both are joined together, then I believe they constitute that seal of the Spirit. But even this admits of various degrees. A degree of it, I trust, you have. Watch and pray! Do and suffer the whole will of Him that calleth you; and He will supply whatever is wanting.--I am, my dear sister, Your affectionate brother. To Philothea Briggs LONDON, October 6, 1771. MY DEAR PHILLY,--I commend you for not meddling with medicines, [See letter of Sept. 13.] except some of those simple ones in the Primitive Physick. Perhaps youth, with abstinence from tea and whatever else you feel hurts you, may restore your health. And, while it continues, this weakness may be of excellent use by weaning you from the love of present things.

The first Appeal is a complete treatise of itself independent on the rest. This, therefore, may be given to any one without the others, which makes the expense easy. But to your friend you might give or lend them all. And if she has sense enough to read them impartially, she will learn to speak and write without ambiguity, just according to common sense. You may tell her, 'If you was doing those works, thinking to merit salvation thereby, you was quite wrong. But if you was doing them because they are the appointed way wherein we wait for free salvation, you was quite right.' But you need only send her Mr. Fletcher's Letters, and they will clear up the point sufficiently.--I always am, dear Philly, Yours affectionately. To Joseph Benson [32] LONDON, October 11, 1771. DEAR JOSEPH,--Here, in this very point, is your mistake. You was as really a believer when you came to Kingswood as you are now. Five-and-thirty years since, hearing that wise man Mr. Spangenberg describe the fruits of faith, I immediately cried out, 'If this be so, I have no faith.' He replied, 'Habes fidem, sed exiguam.' This was then your case too. It is not strange that you are seldom satisfied by my letters; for I use few words, and you are not to be satisfied but by many. You want me to think for you. That is not my design. I would only help you to think.--I am, dear Joseph, Yours affectionately. To John Fletcher LONDON, October 12, 1771. DEAR SIR,--Returning from Bedfordshire this evening, I received your two letters and the bill. I do not propose saying anything to Mr. Shirley, at least not for the present. I am glad mine came too late to prevent your writing me the Sixth Letter, which I trust will be as useful as the others have been. Certainly it is possible to reconcile meekness, yea and kindness, with the utmost plainness of speech. But this will infallibly be termed bitterness by those who do not receive it in love. Their returning us hatred for goodwill is the cross we are called to bear. I can hardly believe what he says of Mr. Spencer, [See letter of June 20, 1770.] whose love, I verily think, is without dissimulation. But Calvinism I know to be a deadly enemy to all Christian tempers.

Peace be with your spirit!--I am, dear sir, Ever yours. To Christopher Hopper LONDON, October 13, 1771. MY DEAR BROTHER,--Methodist preachers cannot have always accommodations fit for gentlemen. But let us look upon David Brainerd, and praise God for what we have. In the general, Yarm Circuit is one of the best in England. [See letter of Sept. 22.] The living souls make us ample amends for the inconvenient houses. I am persuaded, wherever the Assistant is earnest in the matter and has a little address and patience, the weekly contribution will answer the end. Difficulties we must expect; but by the help of God you will conquer them. If Tommy Hanson and you live till May, you may change again.--I am, with love to Sister Hopper, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Philothea Briggs WITNEY, October 16, 1771. MY DEAR PHILLY,--It is no fault to be grieved at the unkindness of those we love: only it may go to an excess; so that we have need to watch in this, as in all things, seeing the life of man is a temptation upon earth. And it is no fault not to grieve for the censure we must often meet with for following our own conscience. Of those little ones you cannot be too tender or too careful; and as you are frequently with them alone, you may teach them many important lessons as they are able to bear them. But it requires immense patience; for you must tell them the same thing ten times over, or you do nothing. [Compare his mother's patience. See Stevenson's Wesley Family, p. 169.]

Your affectionate friend and brother. To James Hutton [40] December 26, 1771. DEAR JAMES,--It really seems the time is come when our Lord will roll away our reproach, and Ephraim shall no more vex Judah, nor Judah vex Ephraim. Frank Okeley and you, with my brother and me, so many at least, are lovers of peace. After having seen above half a century of years, we are sick of strife and contention. If we do not yet think alike, we may at least love alike. And, indeed, unity of affection is a good step forward toward unity of judgement. We need not despair of getting farther by-and-by: the right hand of the Lord bringeth mighty things to pass. Nothing will be wanting that is in the power of, dear James, Your old friend and brother. To Mr. Hutton, At Lindsey House, Chelsea. To Mary Stokes [41] LONDON, December 26, 1771. MY DEAR SISTER,--Sanctified crosses are blessings indeed; and when it is best, our Lord will remove them. A peculiar kind of watching, to which you are now called, is against the suggestions of that wicked one who would persuade you to deny or undervalue the grace of God which is in you. Beware of mistaking his voice for the voice of the Holy One. Do justice to Him that lives and reigns in you, and acknowledge His work with thankfulness. There is no pride in doing this: it is only giving Him His due, rendering Him the glory of His own graces. But in order to this you stand in continual need of the unction, to abide with you and teach you of all things. So shall you never lose anything of what God has given; neither the blessing itself nor the witness of it. Nay, rather you shall sink deeper and deeper into His love; you shall go on from faith to faith; and patience shall have its perfect work, until you are perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

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.

Nothing is sin, strictly speaking, but a voluntary transgression of a known law of God. Therefore every voluntary breach of the law of love is sin; and nothing else, if we speak properly. To strain the matter farther is only to make way for Calvinism. There may be ten thousand wandering thoughts and forgetful intervals without any breach of love, though not without transgressing the Adamic law. But Calvinists would fain confound these together. Let love fill your heart, and it is enough!--I am, dear sister, Your affectionate brother. To Mary Stokes YARM, June 16, 1772. MY DEAR SISTER,--That remedy mentioned in the Primitive Physick (the manna dissolved in a decoction of senna) hardly ever fails to relieve in the severest bilious colic within twelve or fourteen minutes. Warm lemonade (so stupid are they who forbid acids in these cases) frequently gives ease in half a minute. And I have known this to take place in such inveterate complaints as would yield to no other remedy. We are sure the means which our blessed Lord uses to conform us to His image are (all circumstances considered) the very best; for He cannot but do all things well: therefore, whenever it pleases Him to send affliction, then affliction is best. Yet we must not imagine He is tied down to this, or that He cannot give any degree of holiness without it. We have reason to believe from the earliest records that St. Paul suffered a thousand times more than St. John. And yet one can hardly doubt but St. John was as holy as he or any of the Apostles. Therefore stand ready for whatsoever our Lord shall send; but do not require Him to send you affliction. Perhaps He will take another way; He will overpower your whole soul with peace and joy and love; and thereby work in you a fuller conformity to Himself than you ever experienced yet. You have; hold fast there. All's alike to me, so I In my Lord may live and die. --I am Yours affectionately To Philothea Briggs WHITBY, Saturday, June 20, 1772. MY DEAR PHILLY,--About this day se'nnight I expect to be at York; this day fortnight at Keighley, Yorkshire; this day three weeks at Leeds; and the two following Saturdays at Epworth, near Thorne, Yorkshire.

To Miss Phil. Briggs, At Miss March's, In Worship Street, Moorfields, London. To Mrs. Turner[23] THE DEVIZES, September 18, 1772. MY DEAR SISTER,--You have prevented me. I had designed to write to you if you had not wrote to me. I take knowledge of your spirit. 'Love without dissimulation is easy to be discerned.' I am the more pleased to find this in you, because you are acquainted with many whose love does not abound, who are not so kindly affectioned to those who do not exactly subscribe to their opinions. They do not seem sufficiently to consider that the kingdom of God is not opinions (how right so ever they be), but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. I love you for being of a more excellent spirit. My soul takes acquaintance with you. Shall we for opinions destroy the work of God, or give up love, the very badge of our profession Nay, by this shall men know that we belong to the Lover of Souls, to Him who loved us and gave Himself for us.

MY DEAR SISTER,--I am glad to hear that you found benefit by your little journey to Bristol. I did not doubt but the conversation of those experienced Christians would be of service to you, and would enable you to be of more service to the little flock at Cheltenham. In one point only our friends at Bristol have been once and again in some danger. They have been in danger of being a little hurt by reading those that are called Mystic authors. [For Mysticism, see next letter.] These (Madame Guyon in particular) have abundance of excellent sayings. They have many fine and elegant observations; but in the meantime they are immeasurably wise above that is written. They continually refine upon plain Christianity. But to refine religion is to spoil it. It is the most simple thing that can be conceived: it is only humble, gentle, patient love. It is nothing less and nothing more than this; as it is described in the 13th chapter of the [First Epistle to the] Corinthians. O keep to this! Aim at nothing higher, at nothing else! Let your heart continually burn with humble love. If you have an opportunity to be electrified, that would remove the pain in your eye, should it return. I am glad my dear sisters did not suffer in your absence. This is another token that your journey was pleasing to God. I was much delighted, when I saw you, with your artless, simple love; and love you the more on that account. As freely as you would talk to me if we were together, so freely write to, my dear Penny, Yours affectionately. From time to time you should tell me just what God works in you and by you. To Ann Bolton October 25, 1772.

MY DEAR SISTER,--The subject on which we were lately talking requires to be a little farther explained. You cannot imagine what trouble I have had for many years to prevent our friends from refining upon religion. Therefore I have industriously guarded them from meddling with the Mystic writers, as they are usually called; because these are the most artful refiners of it that ever appeared in the Christian world, and the most bewitching. There is something like enchantment in them. When you get into them, you know not how to get out. Some of the chief of these, though in different ways, are Jacob Behmen and Madame Guyon. My dear friend, come not into their secret; keep in the plain, open Bible way. Aim at nothing higher, nothing deeper, than the religion described at large in our Lord's Sermon upon the Mount, and briefly summed up by St. Paul in the 13th chapter [of the First Epistle] to the Corinthians. I long to have you more and more deeply penetrated by humble, gentle, patient love. Believe me, you can find nothing higher than this till mortality is swallowed up of life. All the high-sounding or mysterious expressions used by that class of writers either mean no more than this or they mean wrong. O beware of them! Leave them off before they are meddled with. I had much satisfaction in your company when I saw you last. Be more and more filled with humble love. Yours most affectionately. To Mrs. Bennis[24] COLCHESTER, November 3, 1772. DEAR SISTER,--Your time was well bestowed at Waterford. Many, I doubt not, will remember it with thankfulness. But why this want of discipline in Limerick Whenever this is dropped, all is confusion: see that it be immediately restored. I should have been glad if you had prevailed on Captain Webb to pay me a visit in Limerick: he is a man of fire, and the power of God constantly accompanies his word. Poor Sister Harrison! I did not expect her to die in triumph. But we must leave her to her own Master. It seems to me that Mrs. Dawson gains ground. And I [love] her two lovely children. At every opportunity you would do well to speak a little to all three.

What I have seen in London occasioned the first caution I gave you. George Bell, William Green, [See Journal, iii. 265, iv. 94; C. Wesley's Journal, i. 429; and letter of Nov. 26, 1762, sect. I. 6, to Bishop Warburton.] and many others, then full of love, were favoured with extraordinary revelations and manifestations from God. But by this very thing Satan beguiled them from the simplicity that is in Christ. By insensible degrees they were led to value these extraordinary gifts more than the ordinary grace of God; and I could not convince them that a grain of humble love was better than all these gifts put together. This, my dear friend, was what made me fear for you. This makes me remind you again and again. Faith and hope are glorious gifts, and so is every ray of eternity let into the soul. But still these are but means; the end of all, and the greatest of all, is love. May the Lord just now pour it into your heart as He never has done before. By all means spend an hour every other day in the labour of love, even though you cannot help them as you would. Commending you to Him who is able to make you perfect in every good word and work, I am Yours affectionately. To the Editor of 'Lloyd's Evening Post'[25]] DOVER, December 9, 1772. SIR,--Many excellent things have been lately published concerning the present scarcity of provisions. And many causes have been assigned for it; but is not something wanting in most of those publications One writer assigns one cause, another one or two more, and strongly insists upon them. But who has assigned all the causes that manifestly concur to produce this melancholy effect at the same time pointing out how each particular cause affects the price of each particular sort of provision I would willingly offer to candid and benevolent men a few hints on this important subject, proposing a few questions, and adding to each what seems to be the plain and direct answer.

MY DEAR BROTHER,--I agreed last year (though contrary to my judgement that we would have no more weekly subscriptions. I purposed likewise in my own mind to concern myself with the debt no more. But upon reflection it seemed to me there was one way still -- namely, not to apply to the poor at all (though I would not reject any that offered), but to take the burthen on myself and try my personal interest with the rich. I began at London, where about five hundred pounds are subscribed. Afterwards I wrote to many in the country. Liverpool Circuit has subscribed about an hundred pounds; Bradford Circuit an hundred and thirty. It must be now or never. I do not know that I shall concern myself with this matter any more. Till now we have never had a rational prospect of clearing the whole debt in one year [See letter of Jan. 29 to Samuel Bardsley]. Now it may be done. It certainly will if our brethren in other circuits do as those above mentioned have done. What I desire of you is to second the letters I have wrote, encouraging each man of property in your circuit to exert himself--at least, to send me an answer; this, you know, is but common civility. Now do what you can; and show that you, my old friend are not last and least in love towards Your affectionate friend and brother. To Mrs. Bennis [5] LOND0N, February 12, 1773. MY DEAR SISTER,--When we draw near to God in His appointed ways, He will surely draw near to us. Pray remind Mr. Glassbrook of using the same means; then he and you will find the same blessing. Write to Waterford to Brother Slater, and encourage him to do there as he did at Limerick. I can observe, by Mrs. Dawson’s manner of writing, a very considerable change in her spirit, more acquaintance with God, more humility, and more artless, simple love. I am much pleased that you visit so frequently. Continue to lead the simple, and God will give you more wisdom.

MY DEAR BROTHER,--You have saved us an hundred pounds with regard to the house at Bradford. An hundred pounds less shall serve there, which may be applied to better purposes. So you may use your free thoughts on any other head (directing to Dublin) when you please. It is certain there has been little management at the Orphan House, or you would not have been a penny in debt. However, do all you can in your own way toward discharging the General Debt. I do not know where Peggy Dale could have made a better choice [She was married March 4 to Edward Avison. See heading to letter of June 1, 1765]. Peace be with your spirits!--I am Your affectionate friend and brother. To Mrs. Barton, Hull LIVERPOOL, March 22, 1773. MY DEAR SISTER,--I am glad you are removed to Hull [See letter of Jan. 21.]. Probably Brother Barton and you will have an advantage with regard to business. Certainly you have the advantage of such fellow travelers in the way to heaven as you could not find at Beverley. Yet I do not doubt a few names are left there that will not easily be moved from their steadfastness. And when two or three such are gathered together, we know our Lord is in the midst of them. Now make full use of the advantages you enjoy. And expect all the residue of the promises He has given you to taste of His pure love. What remains but that you should be filled therewith--I am, with love to Brother Barton, dear Jenny, Your affectionate brother. To Mrs. Jane Barton, In Hembrough Square, Silver Street, Hull. To George Shadford [10] [End of March] 1773. DEAR GEORGE,--The time is arrived for you to embark for America. You must go down to Bristol, where you will meet with Thomas Rankin, Captain Webb, and his wife. I let you choose, George, on the great continent of America. Publish your message in the open face of the sun, and do all the good you can.--I am, dear George, Yours affectionately. To Mrs. Bennis DUBLIN, April 1, 1773.

DEAR BROTHER,--I have had no letter from any of our preachers to stop Mr. Davis coming to help us [See letter of July 10, 1772, to his brother]. But I easily foresaw there would be objections to the largeness of the salary. If a few of our brethren would asset herein, that matter will be quite easy. I really believe his heart is with us and that God will make him useful to the people. He is given to us, and we should take care to be as useful to him as we can. Nay, but you have intended again and again to stand by me at this and that Conference, and then left me to stand by myself [Charles Wesley was keeping aloof from the work of Methodism, to his own loss and his brother’s. See letter of Dec. 15, 1772]. It is certain we two can turn the tide. I alone can only stem it. I have been in two mobs since I came into Ireland, one in the South and one in the North. The Protestant mob was far the worst. But I am still in an whole skin [For the riot at Waterford on April 25, and the more serious one at Enniskillen on May 24-5, see Journal, v. 503-4, 507-9]. Durn vivimus vivamus [‘Whilst we live let us live’]. Peace be with you and yours. Adieu. To Miss Cummins [14] CLONMAIN, June 8, 1773.

A Christian (though perhaps he never heard the name of a Methodist) has power over all sin. Have you If not, it is certain you may; for God is no respecter of persons. Whatsoever He has given to any other He is willing to give to you also. O let your heart cry to Him, ‘ What I know not teach Thou me. Let me not die before I long to die! Give me the wisdom that sitteth by Thy throne, and reject me not from among Thy children!’ To His care I tenderly commit you; and am, my dear Miss Cummins, Yours affectionately. If you love me, hear Mr. Saunderson preach. To Ann Bolton LIVERPOOL, July 7, 1773. MY DEAR SISTER,--You will not be sorry to hear that God has once more brought me safe to England, and that I hope to be with you at Witney (coming from Birmingham) on Thursday, the 15th instant. Probably I shall preach abroad at half-hour after six. You know I am, my dear Nancy, Your ever affectionate brother. To Mary Bosanquet LONDON, July 17, 1773. MY DEAR SISTER,--By the blessing of God I reached this place an hour ago in nearly as good health as I left it. I am glad my friend [His wife] was at your house; she would receive no hurt, and possibly a little good. I think Tho. Mitchell [The three preachers at Birstall in 1772 were Thomas Taylor, Thomas Mitchell, and John Nelson. In 1773 Mitchell remained. See letter of Aug. 15, 1751, about the riotous mob at Wrangle, where he was thrown into a pond] at least may spend another year in Birstall Circuit. There did seem to be a providential call for what was done at Harrogate! I am glad you find your soul unencumbered. You are just in your place. Stand fast in glorious liberty!--I am, my dear sister, Your affectionate brother. To Miss Bosanquet, At Morley Common, Near Leeds. To Ann Bolton [15] LONDON, July 18, 1773.

Go on in this humble, gentle love, that you may abound therein more and more. Aim at nothing higher than this. And may the God of love still possess you whole, and guide your every thought and word and work. Continue to pray for Your affectionate brother. To John Fletcher LEWISHAM, July 21, 1773. DEAR SIR,--It was a great satisfaction to me that I had the opportunity which I so long desired of spending a little time with you [Wesley got to Madeley on Friday, the 9th, preached twice in the church on Sunday, and left on Monday. See Journal, v. 517], and I really think it would answer many gracious designs of Providence were we to spend a little more time together. It might be of great advantage both to ourselves and to the people who may otherwise soon be as sheep without a shepherd. You say, indeed, ‘Whenever it pleases God to call me away, you will do all you can to help

them.’[See letter on Jan. 15 to him.] But will it not then be too late You may then expect grievous wolves to break in on every side, and many to arise from among themselves speaking perverse things. Both the one and the other stand in awe of me, and do not care to encounter me. So that I am able, whether they will or no, to deliver the flock into your hands. But no one else is. And it seems this is the very time when it may be done with the least difficulty. Just now the minds of the people in general are on account of the Checks greatly prejudiced in your favor. Should we not discern the providential time Should we stay till this impression is worn away Just now we have an opportunity of breaking the ice, of making a little trial. Mr. Richardson [John Richardson, Wesley’s clerical assistant. Conference met on Aug. 3 in London] is desirous of making an exchange with you and spending two or more weeks at Madeley. This might be done either now or in October, when I hope to return from Bristol. And till something of this kind is done you will not have that * [Affection] for the people which alone can make your labor light in spending and being spent for them. Methinks ‘tis pitty we should lose any time. For what a vapor is life! Could not you spare a few days to be with us at the Conference Probably it would be a means of strengthening you.--I am, dear sister, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Mrs. Woodhouse LEWISHAM, NEAR LONDON, July 30, 1773.

In town or country Brother Swan [Swan was two years at Haworth after leaving Newcastle. See letter of Oct. 7] must conclude in an hour, or else he cannot be a travelling preacher after this year. His daughter must go to service: you observe well, it will not be safe to keep her at the Orphan House. I am glad to hear that you have but one circuit; that will be most for the glory of God. The case of Brother Hilton [See letters of Oct 9, 1767, and Nov. 12, 1773, to Hopper] exceedingly delicate. Shall I tell you my thoughts freely They are the same with yours. I think he is pursuing what will never come to pass. But which of us can convince him of this How easily we believe what we desire! However, it is the part of a friend to try: you love him well, and you will give him still more cause to love you if you can persuade him to drop the whom affair and put it out of his head for ever. That is a good point carried, the persuading the classes to meet at their own houses. The fruit of this will soon appear both by the increase of their grace and their number. If I was in Joseph Benson’s place, I would not be buried at Dunbar--no, nor at Edinburgh, nor any one place whatever. Who hath required this at his hands The Lord go before him! Why should we not call sinners to repentance in every market town [See letter of Oct. 23]. Peter Jaco [Peter Jaco, now in Dublin, was tall and handsome. He dies in 1781. See letter of Sept. 3, 1756, n, to Samuel Walker] would willingly travel. But how Can you help us to an horse that will carry him and his wife What a pity we could not procure a camel or an elephant! I do not despair of the salvation of a lunatic.--I am, with love to Sister Hopper, Your affectionate friend and brother. PS.--My wife sends her love; she has her old companion the gout. To Samuel Sparrow WINDMILL HILL, October 9, 1773. DEAR SIR,--On Scripture and common sense I build all my principles. Just so far as it agrees with these I regard human authority.

Thus it was that two young men without a name, without friends, without either power or fortune, 'set out from College with principles totally different from those of the common people,' to oppose all the world, learned and unlearned; to 'combat popular prejudices' of every kind. Our first principle directly attacked all the wickedness, our second all the bigotry, in the world. Thus they attempted a reformation, not of opinions (feathers, trifles not worth the naming), but of men’s tempers and lives; of vice in every kind; of everything contrary to justice, mercy, or truth. And for this it was that they carried their lives in their hands, that both the great vulgar and the small looked upon them as mad dogs and treated them as such; sometimes saying in terms, ' Will nobody knock that mad dog on the head' Let every one, then, speak as he finds; as for me, I cannot admire either the wisdom or virtue or happiness of mankind. Wherever I have been, I have found the bulk of mankind, Christian as well as heathen, deplorably ignorant, vicious, and miserable. I am sure they are so in London and Westminster. Sin and pain are on every side. And who can account for this but on the supposition that we are in a fallen state I have proved at large it can no otherwise be accounted for. Yet none need perish; for we have an almighty Saviour, one who is able and willing to save to the uttermost all that come unto God through Him.--I am, dear sir, Your affectionate servant. To James Hutton December 31, 1773. DEAR JEMMY,--I am of the same mind still. I love you well; and I love to talk with you. But I have an awkward disorder, commonly called an hydrocele; on account of which I shall be next week in the surgeon’s hands [Dr. Samuel Wathen removed it on Jan. 4, 1774. See Journal, v. 474, vi. 8]. Any time after that I shall be glad to meet you either at John Folgham’s [Folgham was a member of the Foundery Society and one of the trustees of City Road Chapel. Wesley dined with him on Dec. 31, 1782, and at other times. See Journal Index] or anywhere.--I am, dear Jemmy, Yours affectionately.

MY DEAR BETSY,--It is not common for me to write to any one first; I only answer those that write to me. But I willingly make an exception with regard to you; for it is not a common concern that I feel for you. You are just rising into life; and I would fain have you not almost but altogether a Christian. I would have you just such an one as Miranda. And you cannot be content with less: you cannot be satisfied with right notions; neither with harmlessness; no, nor yet with barely external religion, how exact so ever it be. Nay, you will not be content with a taste of inward religion. This it has pleased God to give you already. You know in whom you have believed; you have tasted of the powers of the word to come; but A taste of love cannot suffice; Your soul for all His fullness cries! Cry on, and never cease! Mind not those who rebuke you that you should hold your peace. Cry so much the more, 'Jesus of Nazareth, take away all my sins! Leave none remaining! Speak the word only, and I shall be healed!' Write freely to Yours affectionately. To Ann Bolton GLASGOW, May 13, 1774. MY DEAR SISTER,--You give me a pleasing account of the work of God which seems to be dawning about Tavistock. It is probable you was sent thither for this. Redeem the time; buy up every opportunity; and never be discouraged, although many fair blossoms should fall off and never ripen into fruit. How gladly should I pay you a visit there! But I know not how I can do it this summer, unless I was to miss Stroud and come directly from Cheltenham. But I will say no more of it yet. I hope to hear from you again and again before that time. Take care you do not forget poor Witney! Be mindful of your eldest care! I am not content that you should be pinned down to any one place. That is not your calling. Methinks I want you to be (like me) here and there and everywhere. Oh what a deal of work has our Lord to do on the earth! And may we be workers together with Him! What mighty wonders love performs That puts such dignity on worms.

Don’t forget me. I think few love you better than, my dear Nancy, Yours affectionately. [On leaf after the letter:] Now you write like a woman of business. They commonly leave out the I, and say, 'Shall come. Shall do so,’ not I shall. To Miss Bolton, In Witney. To Christopher Hopper GLASGOW, May 14, 1774. MY DEAR BROTHER,--Ought such a man as John Horner to starve God forbid that we should suffer it. I beg of you to do these two things: (I) Procure a friend to call his creditors together and state his case. His integrity will easily be shown; and surely, when he has given up his all, they will be willing to clear him. (2) When he is clear, then set on foot a subscription for him. We must needs set him above want. Here are many people in North Britain that ask, Will Mr. Hopper never come to see us again In several places the work of God both widens and deepens. Oh for zealous and active laborers!--I am, with love to Sister Hopper, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Walter Churchey [13] GLASGOW, May 15, 1774. MY DEAR BROTHER,--I cannot but agree with you entirely in respect of John Prickard. Unless he has a clearer call than I apprehend, he ought not to go to America. The reason is plain: there is a greater call for him in Wales than in the Province of New York or Pennsylvania. And there is no call at all in the Northern or Southern Provinces. To go thither is stark, staring madness. But if John has a mind, he may come to the Conference at Bristol and talk with me about it. T. Judson, at No. 11, in Carey Court, Gray's Inn, is a Christian attorney. I ordered the third epistle to be sent to your sister, and I suppose it was. Your friend Joseph Benson sits at my elbow and is much at your service.--I am, with love to Sister Churchey, Your affectionate brother. PS.--I have seen an exceeding well-wrote book, an Introduction to the Study of the Law, published eleven or twelve years ago, I think, by one Simpson. It is a thin octavo. You should have it if you have it not already. The Conference begins the second week in August. Immediately after it I hope to see you in Brecon. To Mr. Walter Churchey,

Near the Hay, Brecon. To his Wife EDINBURGH, May 18, 1774. MY DEAR LOVE,--I am just now come hither from Glasgow, and take this opportunity of writing two or three lines. I desire you would let Mr. Pine have an hundred pounds of that money which is in your hands, provided he gives you his full account first: which I must beg of you to send to London to John Atlay, together with fifty pounds for Mr. Nind, the paper-maker, and fifty pounds for Robert Hawes. There is no use in letting the money lie dead. If I do not administer, I can but pay this again. I am just going to preach, and am in great haste.--My dear Molly, Your affectionate Husband. To Mrs. Mary Wesley, In Bristol. To Mrs. Crosby EDINBURGH, June 3, 1774. MY DEAR SISTER,--I have received an excellent letter from Betsy Ritchie. Her experience seems to be exceeding clear. But her youth will expose her to many temptations within, and her circumstances to many from without. So that you have need tenderly and carefully to watch over her, lest she be moved from her steadfastness. I am persuaded our dear Sister Clapham will not rest until she is conformed in all things to our Head. I have been considering (as our friends so much desire it) whether I could not spend another night at Leeds. And I think I can consider it by taking a night from York. I purpose, God willing, to leave York on Wednesday, July 13; to dine at Leeds that day, and preach there at half-hour past six in the evening. So my horses may stay there till I come. If Wakefield be in the way to Doncaster, I could preach there at nine in the morning, on Thursday, July 14. Wherever the preachers simply and strongly insist upon full salvation, a blessing will attend their word. I was glad to observe a freer intercourse between Miss Bosanquet and you than formerly. If possible, Satan would keep you asunder. Be not ignorant of his devices. Pray speak freely to Duncan Wright. I am afraid he has suffered loss. Peace be with all your spirits!--I am, my dear sister, Your affectionate brother. To Miss J. C. March NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, June 3, 1774.

I am glad you think of me when you do not see me; I was almost afraid it was otherwise. Air and exercise you must have; and if you use constant exercise with an exact regimen, it is not improbable that you will have vigorous health if you live to four- or five-and-thirty. About that time the constitution both of men and women frequently takes an entire turn. At present you are certainly in your place, and you need take no thought for the morrow. The praying much for those we love much is doubtless the fruit of affection, but such an affection as is well pleasing to God and is wrought in us by His own Spirit. Therefore it is certain the intercession that flows from that affection is according to the will of God. That is an exceedingly nice question. 'How far may we desire the approbation of good men' I think it cannot be proved that such a desire is anywhere forbidden in Scripture. But it requires a very strong influence of the Holy Spirit to prevent its running into excess. Friendship is one species of love; and is, in its proper sense, a disinterested reciprocal love between two persons Wicked persons are, it seems, incapable of friendship. For 'he who fears no God can love no friend.' Nor, indeed, is every one that fears God capable of friendship. It requires a peculiar turn of mind, without which it can have no being. The properties of Christian friendship are the same as the properties of love; with those which St. Paul so beautifully describes in the 13th chapter of the First Epistle to the Corinthians. And it produces as occasions offer, every good word and work. Many have laid down the rules whereby it should be regulated; but they are not to be comprised in a few lines. One is, 'Give up everything to your friend except a good conscience toward God.'

7. In the midst of this you drew new matter of offence from my acquaintance with Mrs. Lefevre, a dove-like woman, full of faith and humble love and harmless as a little child. I should have rejoiced to converse with her frequently and largely; but for your sake I abstained. I did not often talk with her at all, and visited her but twice or thrice in two years. Notwithstanding which, though you sometimes said you thought her a good woman, yet at other times you did not scruple to say you 'questioned if I did not lie with her.' And afterward you seemed to make no question of it. 8. Some time after you took offence at my being so much with Mrs. Blackwell, and was 'sure she did me no good.' But this blew over, and you was often in a good humor for a week together, till October 1757. Sarah Ryan, the housekeeper at Bristol, then put a period to the quarrel between my brother and you. Meantime she asked me once and again, 'Sir, should I sit and hear Mrs. Wesley talk against you by the hour together' I said, 'Hear her, if you can thereby do her any good.' A while after, she came to me and said, 'Indeed, sir, I can bear it no longer. It would wound my own soul.' Immediately you was violently jealous of her, and required me not to speak or write to her. At the same time you insisted on the 'liberty of opening and reading all letters directed to me.' This you had often done before: but I still insisted on my own liberty of speaking and writing to whom I judged proper; and of seeing my own letters first, and letting you read only those I saw fit.

MY DEAR SISTER,--I am glad to hear that any of our dear friends are refreshed and strengthened. Surely He who loves us will withhold from us no manner of thing that is good! We have not any Minutes of the Conference here; but I have ordered some to be sent down from London. Now be active! Be Patient in bearing ill and doing well. You may improve by everything that occurs, especially by what is grievous to flesh and blood.--I am, my dear sister, Yours affectionately. To Miss Newman, At Cheltenham. To Mrs. Woodhouse BRISTOL, August 12, 1774. MY DEAR SISTER--It was the particular desire of William Thom that he might labor a little longer with Mr. Robertshaw. He judged it might be of great advantage to his soul; and I believe he was not mistaken. Therefore I have appointed him to be with Mr. Robertshaw in the east of Lincolnshire. I know not whether I had ever so much satisfaction with you before as in my last journey. Indeed, we have not before had such opportunities of conversing together. I was well pleased with your seriousness and your openness. Indeed, why should we hide anything from each other I doubt you have but few near you with whom you can converse to any real advantage. You have need, therefore, to make the best of those, and whenever you meet to provoke one another to love and to good works. The time is short! There is but one step between us and death.--I am, my dear sister, Your ever affectionate brother. To Mrs. Woodhouse, At Mr. Hutton’s, In Epworth, Near Thorne, Yorkshire. To Thomas Stedman [25] BRISTOL, August 13, 1774. DEAR SIR,--When I returned to Bristol a few days since, I found your letter of March 26 with those useful discourses of Mr. Orton to the aged, for which I sincerely thank you. I have myself a large collection of letters, chiefly written within these fifty years: but some of them were written much more early, by my father and mother; and one, in the year 1619, I suppose, by my grandmother's father to her mother not long before their marriage. My mother was Dr. Annesley's youngest daughter.

--nay, there is a twofold danger: it is very possible, on the one hand, that you may insensibly slide into Quietism, may become less zealous of good works; on the other hand, that you may slide into Stoicism, may suffer loss as to the love of your neighbor, particularly as to that tender affection towards your friends, which does not weaken but strengthen the soul. Shall I speak freely I must when I speak to you: it is quite natural. I am afraid lest you have already suffered some loss with regard to this amiable temper. Otherwise whence arises this general complaint of your not answering their letters Oh who can be sufficiently upon their guard against Satan coming with his angel face! I want you to be exactly right in all things. You have often been a great comfort to me; but you have scarce given any pain (unless by your own pain) to, my dear Nancy, Yours affectionately. To Martha Chapman BRISTOL, October 6, 1774. My DEAR SISTER,--On Monday se'nnight, the 17th of this month, I hope to be at Wallingford; and at High Wycombe, as usual, on the Thursday following. When you have time, you would do well to write down the particular circumstances of your conversion to God. The more closely we are united to Him, the more nearly we shall be united to each other. I cannot doubt but He will make Mr. Wolfe an instrument of good to many of His children. He is simple of heart, and much devoted to God; and, indeed, so is his wife also. Yours affectionately. To Mrs. Barton BRISTOL, October 8, 1774.

MY DEAR SISTER,--I do not see any valid objection against inoculation either from prudence or religion. But I wonder to hear you talk of preparation. It is now quite out of use. Experience has shown in ten thousand instances that all preparation is needless, if not hurtful. Only the preparation of the heart, prayer, and self-devotion, this is now peculiarity needful. I commend you and your dear nieces (whom I love for your sake and for their own) to Him that is able to save both their souls and bodies; and am, my dear sister. Your very affectionate brother. To Miss Ball, At Mr. Thos. Ball’s, In High Wycombe. To Thomas Rutherford [33] LONDON, December 24, 1774. DEAR TOMMY,--I think you acted exactly right with regard to Peter Mill. If we live till another Conference, I purpose transplanting him into England. I judge he will be an useful preacher. My new coachman is dead; so Joseph Bradford cannot persuade himself to leave me. And your Scots are such terrible critics that few of our preachers care to venture among them. I do not despair of Mrs. Greig yet. She is not incurable. I am glad you are gone to Aberdeen. Take care of the country Societies.--I am, dear Tommy, Yours affectionately. To Miss March LONDON, December 27, 1774. A few minutes I spent with Miss M---- when she was in town two or three years ago. She seemed to be of a soft, flexible temper, and a good deal awakened. From her letters I should judge that she had still many convictions and strong desires to be a real Christian. At the same time it is plain she is surrounded with hindrances and is sometimes persuaded to act contrary to her conscience. It is extremely difficult to advise a person in such circumstances what to do. Methinks the first thing I would advise her to, at all events, is, 'Do nothing against your conscience. 2. At a proper opportunity, after praying for courage, tell your lady you scruple such and such things. And I doubt not but she will take effectual care that no one shall press you on those heads.' Leaving her place is the last step to be taken if she finds she cannot save her soul therein.

1775 To Martha Chapman LUTON, January 11, 1775. MY DEAR SISTER,--I hope with God's help to be at Newbury on, Thursday, March 2; and to have the pleasure of seeing you there, unless something unforeseen should hinder. You have lately had a wintry season at Watlington: now expect the return of spring. Beware you are not weary or faint in your mind! Even bodily weakness may you to this; especially when there appears to be no increase, but rather a decay, of the work of God. Yet I do you apprehend you are yet at liberty to remove from Watlington. Cannot Hannah Ball step over for two or three days and kindle a flame among you If she does not come, look for One greater than her. How soon It may be before you see another day.--I am, dear Patty, Yours affectionately. To Miss Patty Chapman, At Watlington, Near Tetsworth, Oxfordshire. To Francis Wolfe LUTON, January 11, 1775 MY DEAR BROTHER,--Be zealous and active for a good Master, and you will see the fruit of your labor. But watch over Joseph Moore. If he falls in love, there is an end of his usefulness. Ever since that madman took away her office in Witney from Nancy Bolton, Witney Society has drooped; such as Wycombe Society would do if you took away Hannah Ball from them. She has all Hannah's grace, with more sense. See that she be fully employed. You have not such another flower in all your gardens. Even Patty Chapman does not equal her. --I am, with love to Sister Wolfe, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Elizabeth Ritchie LONDON, January 17, 1775. MY DEAR BETSY,--I beg, if you love me, you will send me a minute account how you are both in body and mind. Some of the Mystic writers do not choose to speak plainly; some of them know not how. But, blessed be God, we do; and we know there is nothing deeper, there is nothing better in heaven or earth than love! There cannot be, unless there were something higher than the God of love! So that we see distinctly what we have to aim at. We see the prize and the way to it! Here is the height, here is the depth, of Christian experience! ‘God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.'

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. To Mary Bishop LONDON, February 11, 1775. MY DEAR SISTER,--To be enabled to relieve those that are in want is one excellent fruit of this self-denial. But you must not imagine this will be the only one. No: you have a message from God to some of those to whom no one dare speak the plain truth; and He will confirm the word of His messenger, especially to those that are in weakness or pain or under any kind of affliction. At such a time greatness stands aloof, and they are as accessible as common persons. In religion as well as in all things else it is 'use that brings perfectness.' I have long labored under the same infirmity with you; and I find but one way to conquer. Take up your cross; when the occasion offers, break through: speak, though it is pain and grief unto you. And it will be easier and easier, till you resemble an eminent surgeon, who once told my brother, ' Mr. Wesley, you know I would not hurt a fly, I would not give pain to any living thing. But if it was necessary I could scrape all the flesh off of a man's bones and never turn my head aside.'

MY DEAR BROTHER,--To spare you the expense, I delayed answering your letter; but I bear you always on my heart, and rejoice when the Lord blesses you with success. He giveth grace, more grace, to the humble; therefore wrestle with Him for deep humility. As to the public affairs, I wish you to be like-minded with me. I am of neither side, and yet of both; on the side of New England and of Old. Private Christians are excused, exempted, privileged, to take no part in civil troubles. We love all and pray for all with a sincere and impartial love. Faults there may be on both sides; but such as neither you nor I can remedy: therefore let us and all our children give ourselves unto prayer, and so stand still and see the salvation of God. My love to Captain Webb when you see him, and to Mr. Bowden, to whom I owe letters, and much love. Show yours for me by praying more for me and mine. Yours in the old love. To Joseph Benson [4] BRISTOL, March 12, 1775. DEAR JOSEPH,--I can no more trust John Bredin in the North than in the South of Scotland. I see no way for him but to Ireland. He must return to his loom. I have had complaints from all quarters. He must no longer bring a reproach upon the gospel. You must make as good a shift as you can with Brother Watkinson till more help comes. You know what dreadful inconveniences have ensued from regarding private interest more than the public, from showing pet to particular persons at the expense of the general good. If this be done in the present instance, it will be at your door, not mine; for I do hereby give you full authority to send John Bredin back to his own home. I think the sooner this is done the better, For until he is thoroughly humbled he will only be an hinderer of the work of God and a stumbling-block to the people.--I am, dear Joseph, Your affectionate friend and brother. I hope to be in Manchester on the 20th instant, and soon after in Dublin. To Ann Bolton [5] WORCESTER, March 15, 1775.

My route is this: Monday, August 14, Witney; Tuesday, 15, Gloucester; Wednesday, 16, The Hay; Thursday and Friday, Brecon; Saturday, Carmarthen (Deo vo/.); Monday, 28, Bristol. I sent your order to Sam. Heaton. I believe it will be best to accept of Mr. Castleman's invitation at Bristol, and to go straight to his house. I come back through Cardiff; if you could get thither, I could bring you home. It is not safe to live or die without love. Peace be with you all! Adieu. I wish Sammy Lewis would meet me on the 28th at the Old Passage. To Thomas Rankin [19] LONDON, August 13, 1775. DEAR TOMMY,--I do not give up T---- R---- yet; he is not out of God's reach. I am not sorry that Brother Asbury stays with you another year. In that time it will be seen what God will do with North America, and you will easily judge whether our preachers are called to remain any longer therein. If they are, God will make their way plain and give you favor even with the men that delight in war. Even in the Civil War of Rome Atticus stood firm in the esteem of both the contending parties. And so did the Archbishop of Cambray during the War in the Netherlands; not only the officers but the common soldiers, when they went by, treating him with love and regard. The clouds do indeed gather more and more, and it seems an heavy storm will follow; certainly it will, unless the prayers of the faithful obtain a longer reprieve. 'The preachers at the bottom of all this outcry' No, indeed; nor any of the Americans. They are only the tools of men on this side the water, who use them for deadly purposes. The scheme lies deep, and the wise men of the world imagine it cannot fail of success. But I trust One wiser than them will yet turn the counsel of Athithophel into foolishness.

DEAR JEMMY,--I say, I remember nothing of that book, neither of title nor of the argument. But I will send to the bookseller's to-morrow for the book; and if I have read, I cannot but remember when I see it again. Afterwards you will hear more particularly from Your affectionate brother. But remember the merits of the cause do not turn upon this. To Christopher Hopper LONDON, November 11, 1775. MY DEAR BROTHER,--There was something very awful in that storm which I suppose reached all over England and Ireland; although it seems not to have been altogether so violent in London as in most other places. I am sorry for Captain Davis and his widow. The judgements of God are abroad. The prayer-meetings may be of great use not only to individuals but to the whole nation. I see nothing besides prayer that can avail. For the one question is, ' Have we a right to tax or no ' If we have, they are rebels, and accountable to God and man for all the blood that is shed. If we have not, they are innocent, and the blood lies at our door. Will they allow this right or can we give it up--I am, with love to Sister Hopper, Your affectionate friend and brother. To James Rouquet LONDON, November 12, 1775. DEAR JAMES,--I will now simply tell you the thing as it is. As I was returning from the Leeds Conference, one gave me the tract which you refer to, part of which I read on my journey. The spirit of it I observed to be admirably good; and I then thought the arguments conclusive. In consequence of which, I suppose (though I do not remember it), I recommended it both to you and others; but I had so entirely forgotten it, that even when it was brought to me the other day I could not recollect that I had ever seen it.--I am Your affectionate brother. To William Pine [29] LONDON, November 14, 1775. MY DEAR BROTHER,--Take care you be not carried away with the torrent. You stand on slippery ground. I have wrote more largely to Mr. Rouquet, and refer you to his letter for particulars. Let no warm man persuade you to take any step which you may repent as long as you live.--I am, with love to Sister Pine, Your affectionate brother. To Mary Bosanquet

Although it is rather to be desired than expected that the general plan of modern education may be amended, yet a treatise on that subject, which was printed in England some years since, has not been without success. A few have dared to go out of the common road and to educate their children in a Christian manner; and some tutors of the University have trained up them under their care in a manner not unworthy of the primitive Christians. We have hardly heard in our country of any such thing as a Mission into Lapland. If the common accounts of the Laplanders are true, they are some of the lowest of the human species, raised not many degrees either in understanding or manners above the beasts of the field. Whoever, therefore, they are that undertake to form these into men and into Christians, they will have need of more than common measure both of understanding, faith, and patience. But, still, there is nothing too hard for God; and nothing impossible to him that believe. One thing, gentlemen, I am particularly surprised at in the account of the Society with which you favor me--that in Sweden men of rank, of quality, of eminence are not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; are not ashamed openly to espouse His cause and to give a public testimony that they believe the Bible. May the God whom you serve prosper all your endeavors for His glory and the public good. This is the sincere wish of, gentlemen, Your obliged and obedient servant. To the Earl of Dartmouth, Lord Privy Seal [36] LONDON, December 24, 1775. MY LORD,--The corrections made in Mr. Fletcher's papers which your Lordship was so kind as to make, as well as those made by the gentlemen who perused them, will prevent several objections.

MY DEAR SISTER,--If you never wrote, if you forgot me quite, I should still love you with a love of esteem. But I am not content with this. I want to come nearer. Meet me half-way, and I shall still love you with a love of friendship. Although I am thoroughly persuaded that those reasonings are in a great measure from a preternatural cause, and therefore chiefly to be resisted by continuing instant in prayer, yet I think Christian prudence not only permits but requires you to add other means to this. That which I would especially recommend is reading, particularly Pascal's Thoughts (in the Christian Library) and the first two tracts in the Preservative against Unsettled Notions in Religion. These temptations are permitted to give you a deep and lasting conviction of the littleness and weakness of your own understanding, and to show you the absolute need wherein you stand of continual light as well as power from on high. That ' the regulation of social life is the one end of religion' is a strange position indeed. I never imagined any but a Deist would affirm this. If that good man Mr. D---- did, I suppose it must be a slip of the pen; for he could not but know that the love, without which, St, Paul affirms, all we do profits us nothing, is that humble, meek, patient love of our neighbor, which supposes and flows from the love of God. A degree of reasoning you certainly may and ought to use, only joined with humility and prayer. But what you more immediately want is faith. Believe, and thou shalt be saved into perfect peace.--I am, my dear sister, Yours affectionately. To Miss Bishop, Near the Cross Bath, In Bath. To Matthew Mayer [4] LONDON, February 4, 1776. DEAR MATHEW,--Robert Johnson complained that you preached out of your turn, and thereby made other preachers who came to preach lose their labor. I heard no complaint of you but this; and to this you have now given a sufficient answer. I have not heard any blame you on Mr. Barker's account, and am glad that affair is likely to end well. Till it is decided whether we shall build a new Foundery or not, I determine nothing concerning my journeys. Peace be with you and yours! --I am, dear Matthew, Your affectionate brother.

But I must lay one burthen more upon you (if a labor of love may be termed so); observe, I speak in your ear! Sister Snowden is good-natured, but is a consummate slut: explain with her largely on this head; convince her that it is both a sin and a shame. She came into a clean house at Stroud; let her take care to keep it clean for the honor of God--for the honor of her husband--for the honor of her country!--I am, dear Billy, Your affectionate brother. If Christopher Walker is willing to go into Gloucestershire, you may take his place in Nottinghamshire. To Isaac Andrews SCARBOROUGH, June 24, 1776. You misunderstood me. I never said or thought that every one who lives and died a Calvinist is damned. I believe thousands who lived and died in that opinion are now in Abraham's bosom. And yet I am persuaded that opinion has led many thousands to hell.--I am Yours affectionately. To Mr. Isaac Andrews, At Mr. Farrens, In Hunt Street, Mile End, Newtown. To James Barry WHITBY, June 24, 1776. 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 Mr. James Barry, At the Preaching- house, In Barnard Castle. To Elizabeth Ritchie DONCASTER, July 15, 1776. MY DEAR BETSY,--I suppose you wait for my writing first. Nay, I hope this is the case; otherwise I should be afraid that you were fallen ill again. How is your health And how is your mind Do you find as near and as constant a communion with God as ever Are you always happy Does no circumstance interrupt or deaden your spirit of prayer Do you feel nothing contrary to resignation Can you say with your whole heart-- Determined all Thy will to obey, Thy blessings I restore; Give, Lord, or take Thy gifts away, I praise Thee evermore.

LONDON, December 6, 1776. DEAR TOMMY,--I am glad that you was in the neighborhood to pay the last office of love to Billy Minethorp. I had no doubt but he would die in peace, and it was good that he should die among those peculiar friends, who took care that everything should be done which possibly could be done for him. He was an honest, upright man. Now, Tommy, let us redouble our diligence! Let us do everything just as we would wish to have done it when we are stepping into eternity.--I am, dear Tommy, Yours affectionately; To Penelope Newman [22] LONDON, December 13, 1776. MY DEAR SISTER,--You do well in giving me as particular an account as you can of the blessed work in and about Stroud.' And surely the very same work, if the preachers are zealous, will spread through the whole circuit; especially if they are diligent in visiting from house to house, and so watering the seed that has been sown in public. But do you not see what a temptation you have been under Who is it that told you poor Cheltenham would be forgotten Tell him, ' Thou art a liar from the beginning. I will not hearken to thee. I will hearken what the Lord Will say concerning me.' How soon can He make Cheltenham as Stroud, and Mr. Wells as Mr. Valton Look up, Prizzy, look up! Is not the cloud bursting--I am, my dear friend, Yours affectionately. To Miss P. Newman, In Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. To Mrs. Bennis [23] LONDON, December 21, 1776. MY DEAR SISTER,--You are a great deal less happy than you would be if you did not reason too much. This frequently gives that subtle adversary an advantage against you. You have need to be continually as a little child, simply looking up for whatever you want.

You have abundant reason to praise God both for spiritual and temporal blessings. Beware of indulging gloomy thoughts; they are the bane of thankfulness. You are encompassed with ten thousand mercies; let these sink you into humble thankfulness. To Lady Maxwell [8] NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, May 3, 1777. MY DEAR LADY,--The new chapel which we are now building in London requires much of my attendance there, so that I cannot conveniently be absent more than two Sundays together. Accordingly, when I set out, I fixed Saturday, the 19th instant, for my return; and ordered notice to be given of my design to meet the classes the week following. I cannot therefore have the pleasure of seeing you now; which, if it could be, I should greatly desire. I love your spirit; I love your conversation; I love your correspondence: I have often received both profit and pleasure thereby. I frequently find a want of more light; but I want heat more than light. And you have frequently been an instrument of conveying this to my soul, of animating me to run the glorious race. I trust you find no decay in your own soul, but a still increasing rigor. Some time since, you enjoyed a measure of that great salvation, deliverance from inbred sin. Do you hold fast whereunto you had attained, and still press forward, to be filled with all the fullness of God? There is the prize before you l Look up, believe, and take all you want! Wishing you the whole gospel blessing, I remain, my dear Lady, Your ever affectionate servant. I hear Sister Gow is gone hence. Did she go in triumph or only in peace? To Thomas Wride [9] DARLINGTON, May 7, 1777. DEAR TOMMY,--I am resolved to make one fair trial of the island. So I have desired Brother Empringham and Joseph Bradford to go over immediately together and preach in every town and village. Now the summer is before us, and let us try what can be done; and let Brother Seed and you exert yourselves in England.--I am Your affectionate friend and brother. To Thomas Carlill HULL, May 13, 1777. DEAR TOMMY,--I commend you for letting none but the members of the Society stay when the Society meets, and more particularly at the lovefeasts. You cannot give a ticket to any who robs the King by selling or buying uncustomed goods.

Rapturous joy, such as is frequently given in the beginning of justification or of entire sanctification, is a great blessing; but it seldom continues long before it subsides into calm, peaceful love. I believe, if Miss Hurrell [See letter of Oct. 28.] were to spend a little time with you, it might be of great use to many.--I am, with love to Brother Barton, Your affectionate brother. To Alexander Knox BRISTOL, July 29, 1777. DEAR ALLECK,--I am just returned from a journey through Monmouthshire and other parts of Wales. No: God has not forgotten you. You must not say, ' He hideth away His face, and He will never see it.' Surely God hath seen it; and He cannot despise the work of His own hands. But He frequently delays giving bodily health till He heals soul and body together. Perhaps this is His design concerning you. But why do not you go to the salt water? If you are short of money, let me have the pleasure of assisting you a little. Meantime I give you a word for your consideration,--' Why art thou so heavy, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? O put thy trust in God! I shall yet give Him thanks, who is the help of my countenance, and my God.' Peace be with all your spirits!--I am Yours affectionately. To Elizabeth Ritchie [13] BRISTOL, August 2, 1777.

Last Sunday morning the two Clarks in a very indecent and unbecoming manner persisted to meet their classes, and peremptorily refused to admit the appointed leader, who it is said with all Christian meekness endeavored to reason with them. But they were inflamed, and had so kindled and irritated the spirits of their classes that with a mob-like anarchy they declared they would have none else to meet them. What could be done? Was it not necessary to disband such unsubdued and inflammatory spirits? In the most tender, gentle, awful, and affecting manner Mr. Hampson at the Society last night showed the consequences of such proceedings and the necessity of order and good government, and then declared the two Clarks to be no longer members of this Society. This is not wrote or dictated by either of the preachers, but by (I believe an impartial) bystander. I am sorry both for the thing and for the occasion of it. But in very deed I know not what to say or do. For many years I have had a particular regard for Alexander Clark, and I have so still. I love him as a plain, honest man that wishes to do all things well. But what can I advise you to in the present case? in this trying hour? I would really advise you to sit still for a little while. Very soon you may expect to see Mr. Boardman. And as he will be the Assistant, he will be able, if anything is wrong, to set it right. Commending you and our brethren to the God of peace and love, I remain Your affectionate brother. To Mr. Alex. Clark, In Chancery Lane, Dublin. To Samuel Wells BRISTOL, September 11, 1777. MY DEAR BROTHER,--You may remember it was observed at the Quarterly Meeting that the present contributions cannot support four preachers; and it was considered, What can be done either to increase the contributions or to lessen the expenses? The easiest way, we thought, to increase the contributions was this: Let our ablest Societies advance quarterly according to their abilities. £ s. d. Coleford has agreed to advance . . 1 0 0 Motcomb . . . . 10 6 Corsley . . . . 10 6 Frome . . . . 6 6 Is not Braford Society able to advance. . 1 0 0

MY DEAR SISTER,--I am glad that in spite of all discouragement’s your little Society still keep together. There is undoubtedly a fairer prospect now than there has been for some time. I believe good will result from Miss Hurrell's visit. [See letter of July 29 to Mrs. Barton.] She has been of use to many. And it is certain both T. Hanson [The ministers in the Hull Circuit.] and James Hudson [The ministers in the Hull Circuit.] are workmen that need not be ashamed. They are good preachers and (what is more) good men; and their heart is in the work. I wish when opportunity serves you would speak freely to them. Men of this kind are not always to be found. You have been long led in a rough and thorny way. But as your day so your strength has been. He that loves you gives you help for to-day, and you need not take thought for to-morrow. You have His love and truth and promise on your side, and He hath never failed them that seek Him. Peace be with your spirit!--I am, dear Jenny, Your affectionate brother. To Mrs. Jane Barton, In Norwood, Beverley, Yorkshire. To the Assistant Preachers [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 Mr. ----- LONDON, November 9, 1777.

It is surely a wise and gracious Providence which has detained you so long at Withey. You was sent thither and still remain there for the good of the poor people. I wish you could meet all the women of the Society either in band or class. Lay yourself out among them as much as ever your strength and leisure will permit. You was formerly the nursing mother of the Society; they grew and prospered under your hand, and they have not prospered since. They have pined away like poor orphans ever since you was removed from them. [See letter of Jan. 11, 1775, to Francis Woffe.] Possibly now they may spring up and flourish again; and then you will not think much of your labor. It would undoubtedly be of use if a few of you were to meet together for this very purpose, to improve one another in Christian knowledge as well as in love. And you cannot insist too much on that point - that, whatever our past experience has been, we are now more or less acceptable to God as we more or less improve the present moment. But it is no wonder that many are so angry at this assertion, for it strikes at the very root of Calvinism. That you are tempted to peevishness, to discontent, or to anything else will be no loss as long as you are conqueror over all, yea more than conqueror through Him that loveth you. And so, I doubt not, you will always be; because your trust is not in yourself but in Him. - My dear Nancy, Yours most affectionately. To Mary Bishop LONDON, February 7, 1778.

I was a little surprised to read in a late publication of yours the following assertions: - 1. Thomas Maxfield was 'some of the firstfruits of Mr. Whitefield's ministry' (page 18). 2. 'When he went abroad, he delivered me and many thousands more into the hands of those he thought he could have trusted them with, and who would have given them back to him again at his return. But, alas! it was not so.' (Ibid.) 'I heard Mr. Whitefield say at the Tabernacle, in the presence of five or six ministers, to Mr. Wesley, a little before he left England for the last time: "I delivered thirty thousand people into the hands of your brother and you when I went abroad. And by the time I came back you had so turned their hearts against me that not three hundred of them would come to hear me." I knew this was true.' (Ibid.) 3. 'I heard Mr. Whitefield say: "When I came back from Georgia, there was no speaking evil of each other. Oh what would I not give or suffer or do to see such times again! But oh that division! that division! What slaughter it has made 'It was doctrine that caused the difference; or, at least, it was so pretended.' (Ibid.) 'He preached a few times in connection with his old friends. But, ah! how soon was the sword of contention drawn!' (Page 19.) 4. 'where can you now find any loving ones of either party They have no more love to each other than Turks.' (Ibid.) 'Read their vile contentions, and the evil characters they give of each other, raking the filthiest ashes to find some black story against their fellow preachers' (page 20). They 'slay with the sword of bitterness, wrath, and envy. Still more their shame is what they have sent out into the world against each other on both sides about five or six years ago, and till this very day.' (Page 21.) To satisfy both friends and foes I propose a few queries' on each of these four heads.

With what view, then, can you charge me with that perfidy which I am no more guilty of than of high treason For what end can you affirm, 'When he went abroad, he delivered many thousands into the hands of those he thought he could have trusted them with' Delivered! when where how What can you mean I flatly deny that ever he delivered one thousand or one hundred souls into my hands. Do you mean, 'He spoke honorably of you to them at Kennington Common and Rose Green' True; but not so honorably as I spoke of you even at London - yea, as late as the year 1763 I Yet was this the same thing with 'delivering the people' at London 'into your hands' Nay, but 'Mr. Whitefield trusted that you would have given them back at his return.' Them! whom His Society at London or Bristol I had them not to give. He never entrusted me with them. Therefore I could not 'give them back.' But how melancholy is the exclamation that follows: 'Alas ! it was not so.' Was not how Why, I did not give back what I never had received, but went straight on my way, taking the best care I could of those who entrusted themselves to me. III. So much for the second article. As to the third, your words are, 'I heard Mr. Whitefield say, "Oh that division! that division! What slaughter it has made!"' But who made that division It was not I. It was not my brother. It was Mr. Whitefield himself; and that notwithstanding all admonitions, arguments, and entreaties. Mr. Whitefield first wrote a treatise against me by name. He sent it to my brother, who endorsed it with these words: 'Put up again thy sword into its place.' It slept a while; but after a time he published it. I made no reply. Soon after Mr. Whitefield preached against my brother and me by name. This he did constantly both in Moorfields and in all other public places. We never returned railing for railing, but spoke honorably of him at all times and in all places. But is it any wonder that those who loved us should no longer choose to hear him Meantime was it we that 'turned their hearts against him' Was it not himself

Some of these I find (and much rejoice to find) in Mr. Whitefield's Societies. And I pray God they may increase a thousand-fold both in number and in strength. Nay, they have no more love to each other than Turks.' They! who This is not the case with our Societies. They not only love each other, but love their enemies, even those that still despitefully use them. But 'read their vile contentions, and the evil character they give each other, raking the filthiest ashes to find some black story.' I will answer for one. I give no 'evil character' of my 'fellow preachers.' I ' rake into no filthy ashes for black stories.' Let him who does take it to himself. 'They slay with the sword of bitterness, wrath, and envy.' I do not. I plead, Not guilty. As I envy no man, so neither my wrath nor bitterness slays any human creature. 'Still more to their Shame is what they have sent out into the world against each other on both sides about five or six years ago, and till this very day.' 'What they have sent out against each other on both sides about five or six years ago.' Within five or six years I have been vehemently called to answer for myself: twice by Mr. Richard Hill, and afterwards by his brother. [See Green's Anti-Methodist Publications.] Have you read what we 'have sent out into the world against each other on both sides' If you have not, how can you so peremptorily affirm what 'both sides' have done You cannot possibly be a judge of what you have not read; and if you had read, you could not have passed such a sentence. Three tracts I have wrote; but in none of these do I 'slay with the sword of bitterness or wrath or envy.' In none of them do I speak one bitter or passionate or disrespectful word. Bitterness and wrath, yea low, base, virulent invective, both Mr. Richard and Mr. Rowland Hill (as well as Mr. Toplady) have poured out upon me in great abundance. But where have I in one single instance returned them railing for railing I have not so learned Christ. I dare not rail either at them or you. I return not cursing, but blessing. That the God of love may bless both them and you is the prayer of

Your injured yet still affectionate brother. To Christopher Hopper LONDON, February 21, 1778. MY DEAR BROTHER, - Many angry opponents we are to expect; but they may say just what they please. It is my determination to answer none, but to go straight on my way. [Hopper was in Bradford. Wesley was severely attacked in the press. See Tyerman's Wesley, iii. 261-7; and previous letter.] On Sunday evening, March 1, I am to leave London. After spending a few days at Bristol, I purpose making the best of my way to Chester in order to embark for Ireland. I hope to be in Dublin about the end of March. If so, I shall be able to visit all the Societies before July. - I am, with love to Sister Hopper, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Mary Bosanquet LONDON, February 23, 1778. MY DEAR SISTER, - Although I hope to see you next week, I cannot but write a few lines. Who knows but the illness of Miss Bishop might be permitted for this very thing-that you might have a more clear and open way to help the women at Bath forward What you have to do at Bristol does not yet appear; Providence will open itself by-and-by. I am glad Philly Cousins retains her confidence. See that she has something to do. ['Brother Cousins was restored to the love of God' a few days after Miss Bosanquet reached Bath in December. See letters of Dec. 2, 1777, and Nov. 1, 1778.] I had not heard anything of Tommy Westall's daughter; and am glad she is so well disposed of. Let Brother Taylor and Nancy Tripp do all they can for God. [Richard Taylor, her business man at Cross Hall. Ann Tripp (1745-1823) was governess to the orphans at Leytonstone, and lived with Miss Bosanquet in Yorkshire. For Thomas Westall, see letter of Dec. 20, 1746.] This is an acceptable time. I hope to see you on Tuesday afternoon [He was at Bath on March 3.]; and am, my dear sister, Yours very affectionately. To Miss Bosanquet, In the Orange Grove, Bath. To John Valton [4] LONDON, February 25, 1778.

The directing as to this or that means is as much an answer to prayer as if the cure was immediately wrought. But it will be a double blessing if you give yourself up to the Great Physician, that He may heal soul and body together. And unquestionably this is His design. He wants to give you and my dear Mrs. Knox both inward and outward health. And why not now Surely all things are ready: believe, and receive the blessing. There can be no doubt but your bodily disorder greatly affects your mind. Be careful to prevent the disease by diet rather than physic. Look up, and wait for happy days! - Dear Alleck, Yours affectionately. To Christopher Hopper LONDON, October 31, 1778. MY DEAR BROTHER, - At a General Conference David Evans [Hopper was at Bradford. Evans 'desists from traveling' at the Conference of 1776, and is readmitted in 1779.] was judged unqualified for a traveling preacher. At the last Conference we determined to receive no more married preachers. For what reason For an exceeding plain one - because we cannot keep them. I cannot: if you can, you may. But the people cannot or will not keep any more. James Kershaw's prophecies are very ingenious, and as authentic as Jacob Behmen's. [See heading to letter of March 1777.] I really think the French will burn their fingers. [See letter of July 10, 1779, to Samuel Bradburn.] We are much obliged to them for making our countrymen friends with each other. I am glad the knotty affair at Bolton is concluded, and hope the sour man is now in a good humor. - I am, with love to Sister Hopper, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Kitty Warren LONDON, October 31, 1778.

MY DEAR SISTER, - Little things contrary to our will may be great blessings. We have need to apply the general word, 'Take up thy cross, and follow Me,' to a thousand little particulars: a smoky room, a cold morning, a rainy day, the dullness or perverseness of those we are with-these and innumerable little crosses will help us onward to the kingdom. But the most profitable of all crosses to your own soul may be the unfaithfulness or unfruitfulness of your sisters, without one or other of which they never could have lost any blessing which God had given them. Nothing can exercise and therefore increase your faith and love like the seeming to spend all your strength for naught. Oh how this increases, my dear Hannah, my love to you! How much more does it increase His love for whom you labor! We do not thoroughly understand the meaning of that word, 'The times anti seasons God hath reserved in His own power.' Undoubtedly He has wise reasons for pouring out His Spirit at one time rather than another; but they lie abundantly too deep for human understanding to fathom. To us He says, 'What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter!' - I am, my dear Hannah, Your affectionate brother. To Mrs. Crosby DOVER, December 9, 1778. MY DEAR SISTER, - It is no new thing for the temple to be built in troublous times. And in the end all the fierceness of man shall turn to His praise. Meantime we know the Lord sitteth above the water-floods and will give His people the blessing of peace. He is pleased to ghre lite just the same health and strength that I had forty years ago. Fire and water cannot well dwell together, nor warm Calvinists and Arminians. Let us love them and help them all we can. But the less intercourse our people have with them the better. It is well you spent a little time at pool Beverley. The little flock there stand in need of all the help we can give them. Hardly any Society in England has been as they have been from the very beginning. It is almost a miracle that two of them are left together.

The work of God 1orospers well in London. A new chapel brings almost a new congregation, and hereby the old is greatly stirred up. Let us all work while the day is! - I am, with love to both Brother Robinsons, [Thomas and William Robinson, of Bridlington Quay. See letter of May 22, 1770.] dear Your affectionate brother. To John Toocks NEAR LONDON, December 26, 1778. Never was there a time (at least in my remembrance) when employments of this kind were so difficult to be procured. I know several young persons who are well qualified for any such place; but they cannot get any, and are almost perishing for want. So that what I can do for you I know not. [Compare letter of Nov. 18.] - I am Yours affectionately. To Mr. John Tooelm, At Mr. Treffs, Taylor, Near the White Hart, East Street, Colchester. To Captain Richard Williams LONDON, December 30, 1778. MY DEAR BROTHER, - The January Magazine was filled up before yours came. Because I do not care to depend on myself alone, I usually submit all the verses which are sent me to the judgment of my brother and the other preachers that are with me. And whatever they agree is proper I publish as soon as convenient. It seems to me the 'Address to the Watchman' may be of general use. I believe it will be published in one of the following magazines. [The letter on Dueling appeared in March. See Arminian Mag., 1779, pp. 146-8; and letters of Sept. 13, 1774 (to him), and Feb. 25, 1783 (to Joseph Taylor).] I am Your affectionate brother. To Capthin R. Williams, Crarick, Near Redruth.

It gives me much pleasure to hear that my dear Miss Morgan is still studious of redeeming the time, and that you have had so fair an opportunity of improving it while you were absent from Bristol. I was indeed full of fears concerning you lest you should be less usefully employed than you might. But the account you give me of the help provided for you in your retirement has dispelled my fears, and I have a strong hope you will improve to the uttermost all the talents which God has entrusted you with. But on how slippery ground do you tread I It is unquestionably your duty to cultivate your understanding in the best manner you are able. And yet how difficult is it to do this without either thinking of yourself more highly than you ought to think, or laying too great a stress upon knowledge, as if it is a road upon a level with love. We allow it is of great value in its place - that is, in subordination to holiness as the handmaid of love. But still, I trust your heart says: To love is all my wish! I only live for this! To this let everything minister! This one thing let us do! Let us follow after pure and spotless love! What a blessing is it that God has given you a measure of it already! But does not your soul cry out, - A glimpse of love cannot suffice; My soul for all Thy presence cries That He may give you an whole desire is the continual wish of, my dear Miss Morgan, Yours most affectionately. To Miss Morgan, At Miss Chapman's, In Caroline Court, Bristol. To George Gidley [4] LONDON, January 25, 1779. MY DEAR BROTHER, Any house is ipso facto licensed, if the demand is made either at the Bishop's Court, the Assizes, or the Quarter Sessions. The Act of Parliament licenses, not the Justices; they can neither grant nor refuse. If you have witnesses, your house is licensed: you need trouble the Sessions no farther. If they trouble you, the Lord Chief Justice will do you right. You should mildly and respectfully tell them so. - I am Your affectionate brother. PS. - I have wrote to the Chancellor, and hope he will trouble you no more. To Samuel Wells LONDON, January 18, 1779.

DEAR SAMMY, - You have done exactly right. Still be of neither side, but steadily follow after peace. I am glad Sister Jones remains in the House. I desire you and my Betsy (love constrains me to call her so) will leave Cork by the middle of March at the farthest. I have sent to-day to T. Rutherford to change with you for six weeks. You must send him word of the day when he should be at Cork. If you want money or anything else, you will not want it long if you send word to, dear Sammy, Yours affectionately. To Mrs. Knapp [6] NEAR LONDON, February 19, 1779. MY DEAR SISTER, - I hope to be at Tewkesbury on Wednesday, April [He probably meant March, when on the 17h he 'preached at Tewkesbury about noon, and at Worcester in the evening.'] 19, so as to preach at noon, and to be at Worcester to preach either at six or half-hour after, as you judge best. It would not be so agreeable to me to be at Worcester unless I was to be at your house. I love the house for the sake of its inhabitants, particularly my dear Suky. On Thursday at noon I am willing to preach at Stourport, of which timely notice should be sent to Mr. Cowan. You are all, I hope, pressing on to the mark! ee! the prize is before you am, my dear sister, Your affectionate brother. To Hannah Ball [7] LONDON, February 24, 179.

ABERDEEN, June 13, 1779. DEAR TOMMY, - I think it the safest way not to permit any Dissenting teacher to preach in any of our preaching-houses. [Carlill was Assistant in Oxfordshire. See letter of Jan. 23, 1778.] We have suffered so much by this already that we ought to beware of it for the time to come. I am glad to hear that poor John Taylor has recovered his ground. Now let him watch and pray that he may no more enter into temptation. It will be some time before I shall be able to fix the stations of the preachers. - I am, dear Tommy, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Mr. Carlill, At Mr. Morris's, In Withey, Oxfordshire. To Samuel Bardsley [8] EDINBURGH, June 19, 1779. DEAR SAMMY, - I suppose John Atlay has paid the money. He is cautious to an extreme. I hear what angry men say or write; but I do not often regard it. Lemonade will cure any disorder of the bowels (whether it be with or without purging) in a day or two. You do well to spread the prayer-meetings up and down. They seldom are in vain. Honest Andrew Dunlop [The Assistant at Limerick.] writes me word that the book money is stolen. Pray desire him to take care that the knave does not steal his teeth. - I am, dear Sammy, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Samuel Bradburn EDINBURGH, June 19, 1779. DEAR SAMMY, - I hear what angry men say or write, but I do not often regard it. I think Sister Ward and Malenoir counsel you well. I love you the better for loving them. You do well to spread the prayer-meetings up and down. They seldom are in vain. - I am, with kind love to my dear Betsy, dear Sammy, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Samuel Bradburn [9] EPWORTH, July 10, 1779.

You may read in the Society that part of the Large Minutes relating to my power. I find by your last you have done it. In our last Conference it was agreed that a change of stewards should be made directly throughout England and Ireland. I do not thoroughly approve myself of G. Dobbyn remaining i~ the house. I do not forget his base treatment of Sister Malenoir, whom none had authority to put out of the house without my consent. I refer that to you. If you judge that Brother Laffan and Howe would be more unexceptionable, let them be stewards for the ensuing year. Were there no other objection, that behavior of Brother Large and Sweeny in the Society would be a sufficient reason why they could bear no office among the Methodists. Beware of heat! Beware of returning railing for railing! - I am, dear Sammy, Your affectionate friend and brother. Pray give my kind love to Sister Bruce, and tell her I will consider her letter.

MY DEAR BROTHER, - You seem to me not to have well considered the Rules of an Helper or the rise of Methodism. It pleased God by me to awaken, first my brother, and then a few others; who severally desired of me as a favor that I would direct them in all things. After my return from Georgia many were both awakened and converted to God. One and another and another of these desired to join with me as sons in the gospel, to be directed by me. I drew up a few plain rules (observe, there was no Conference in being!), and permitted them to join me on these conditions. Whoever, therefore, violates the conditions, particularly that of being directed by me in the work, does ipso facto disjoin himself from me. This Brother M'Nab has done (but he cannot see that he has done amiss); and he would have it a common cause-that is, he would have all the preachers do the same. He thinks 'they have a right so to do.' So they have. They have a right to disjoin themselves from me whenever they please. But they cannot, in the nature of the thing, join with me any longer than they are directed by me. And what if fifty of the present preachers disjoined themselves! What should I lose thereby Only a great deal of labor and care, which I do not seek, but endure, because no one else either can or will.

You seem likewise to have quite a wrong idea of a Conference. For above six years after my return to England there was no such thing. I then desired some of our preachers to meet me, in order to advise, not control me. And you may observe they had no power at all but what I exercised through them. I chose to exercise the power which God had given me in this manner, both to avoid ostentation and gently to habituate the people to obey them when I should be taken from their head. But as long as I remain with them the fundamental rule of Methodism remains inviolate. As long as any preacher joins with me he is to be directed by me in his work. Do not you see, then, that Brother M'Nab, whatever his intentions might be, acted as wrong as wrong could be and that the representing of this as the common cause of the preachers was the way to common destruction, the way to turn all their heads and to set them in arms It was a blow at the very root of Methodism. I could not therefore do less than I did; it was the very least that could be done, for fear that evil should spread. I do not willingly speak of these things at all; but I do it now out of necessity, because I perceive the mind of you and some others is a little hurt by not seeing them in a true light. - I am Your affectionate brother. To Mrs. Crosby LONDON, January 20, 1780. MY DEAR SISTER,-I should really imagine that the having more exercise than usual would increase rather than impair your health. This is the effect which it has had on all that traveled with me through north Britain. The very richest of our brethren here do not conform to the world in dress. Our sisters do, and their daughters much more. I am often in doubt whether I should suffer them to remain in our Society

DEAR SAMMY, - I am glad to hear that your people love one another: then neither Mr. -- nor Mr. -- can hurt them. They may make a bustle and a noise for a season; but it will be only a nine days' wonder. If you take up your cross, and visit all the Societies, whenever you have time, from house to house, their profiting will appear to all men; and none will be able to stand against you. Take a little pains likewise, both Brother Shadford [George Shadford, his superintendent at Norwich.] and you, in recommending the Magazine. Urge it from love to me and to the preachers; and whatever you do do it with your might. - I am, dear Sammy, Yours affectionately. PS.-Everywhere exhort the believers to expect full salvation now by simple faith. To Penelope Newman LONDON, February 2, 1780. MY DEAR SISTER, - Honest Richard Condy was frightened out of his senses; and it is no wonder that he frightened others. There was just as much danger of our clergymen overbearing the laymen as of their eating them up. But all this hurry sprang from Alexander M'Nab. He let out the water; and who shall gather it up Take care you do not kill John Valton [Valton was at Bristol. See Wesley's Veterans, vi. 78; and for M'Nab, letter of Jan. 18.] I You know he is continually striving to do more than he can do. I suppose he is somewhere in your circuit; but he did not tell me where: so that I do not know how to direct to him. I am a letter in his debt. You forgot I do not visit our Societies this year. I only touch here and there on my way to Ireland. On Monday, March 13, I hope to be at Stroud, and afterwards to call at Tewkesbury, Worcester, Evesham, and Broadmarston. This is all I can do at present. - I am, my dear sister, Your affectionate brother. To Miss P. Newman, Cheltenham, Gloucester. To John Valton LONDON, February 9, 1780.

MY DEAR BROTHER, - From that ill-advised step of poor Brother M'Nab a smoke had issued from the bottomless pit, which darkened and has bled the minds of many as well as yours, and filled them with needless doubts and fears. I am glad you are now emerged out of that darkness, and hope you will feel it no more. I am in hope likewise that those at Bath who deeply sinned on the occasion have now humbled themselves before God; and I trust He will enable you to do far more good than you have done yet at Bath as well as at Bristol. I hope to be at Bath on Tuesday the 29th instant and at Bristol a day or two after. But I cannot and dare not suffer them to be leaders any longer who will not deign to attend the preaching. On Monday, March 13, I expect to be at Stroud; on Tuesday noon at Tewkesbury, Tuesday evening Worcester. Take care you do not preach more than your health allows. You must not offer murder for sacrifice. Pray give my kind love to Sister Newman, whom I thank for her letter, and hope to see at Stroud or Tewkesbury if it be convenient for her. - I am Your affectionate friend and brother. Why should you not give me a short account of the life of John Valton [See letter of April 21.]! To Mr. Valton, At Mr. Lewty's, In Leech Street, Worcester. To Christopher Hopper NEAR LONDON, February 16, 1780. MY DEAR BROTHER, - I do not know that there is any matter of dispute between us, unless it be whether you should do what I desire or no. You are Assistant in Colne Circuit. I desire you to send me a plan of the circuit: you send me an answer, but without the plan. I write again: you send a second answer, telling me you have been very diligent for many years; and that you was the very person who introduced plans among us. Very good; but you send me no plan still, and till this comes everything else is wide of the mark. [See letters of Jan. 16 (to Lancelot Harrison) and Dec. 31.] - I am Your affectionate friend and brother.

DEAR BILLY,--Never imagine you can be 'faithful to your trust' without offending anybody. Regard not that; follow your own conscience without fear or favour. Do the best you can, and you do enough! ' Angels can do no more.'--I am Your affectionate friend and brother. To his Niece Sarah Wesley [20] CITY ROAD, November 15, 1780. MY DEAR SALLY,--Some years ago, while you was at Bristol, you had a clear call from God; and you was not disobedient to the heavenly calling. But in a few months that happy impression died away, I know not how. It seems as if God was now calling you again. But you have many hindrances. This is just the dangerous time of life. If you wish not to be almost but altogether a Christian, you will have need of much courage and much patience. Then you will be able to do all things through Christ strengthening you. You want exceedingly a pious, sensible female friend. I scarce know any fit for you at your end of the town, unless it were that open, noble-spirited creature, Nancy Sharland, 'in whom is no guile.' For the present your best helps will be prayer and reading; perhaps much in the method laid down in one of the Magazines [The Arminian Magazine.]. But you cannot pursue this without cutting off, as it were, a right hand--giving up trifling company. To give you any assistance that is in my power will always be a pleasure to Your affectionate Uncle. To Alexander Knox LONDON, November 18, 1780. MY DEAR ALLECK,--My mind is exactly the same towards you as it has been for several years; with this only difference (which is very natural), that the longer I know you the more I love you. I am not soon tired of my friends. My brother laughs at me, and says, ' Nay, it signifies nothing to tell you anything; for whomsoever you once love you will love on through thick and thin.'...

MY DEAR NANCY, -- Yesterday I returned from a little tour through Norfolk, and had the pleasure of finding your letter. You know I feel with you and for you. But I am almost at a loss to understand what trials can sit so heavy upon you! You are with those whom you love and who love you. You have in general tolerable health. You have no husband, no children to perplex you. How came you to be so weighted down with care Think aloud, my dear, my much-loved friend. Explain yourself. Be as particular as you please. You need not fear my telling others. You have known me since you were little more than a child. Has Neddy [Her brother. See letters of May 8, 1774, and Sept. 9, 1781, to her.] no hope of getting out of his trouble Is his farm rented above its value Is it on his sake only that you grieve Or are other trials added to this By all means accept the providential invitation to Bristol. My dear Nancy, adieu. On Monday se’nnight I set out for Bath and Bristol. On Monday, March 8 [5], I hope to be at Newbury; on Monday, 15th, [Monday was March 19, and that evening he preached at Stroud, and on the 20th at Worcester. See next letter.] at Stroud; on Tuesday the x6th at Worcester. You will contrive to be with me where you can. I do not find any fault with you at present. Only I am afraid you are not careful enough of your health. Otherwise I rejoice that I have confidence in you in all things. -- I am, my dear Nancy, Your ever affectionate brother. To Miss Bolton, In Witney, Oxfordshire. To Thomas Rutherford [2] LONDON, February 20, 1781. DEAR TOMMY, -- I am glad to hear so good an account of Mr. Abraham. [See letters of Nov. 4, 1780, and May 8, 1781.] I hope to be at Dublin in April; and if he goes on well till then, it is not improbable he and you and I may return to England together. A few days in March (till Monday the 19th) I purpose to spend in and about Bristol. I then go slowly through Gloucestershire and Staffordshire to Manchester, which I hope to reach on March the 29th.

MY DEAR SISTER, -- Is it not a true saying (though in an Apocryphal writer) that ‘a friend is made for adversity’ If, then, you found ‘troublesome times,’ [Her journal for 1781 speaks of ‘painful trials’ and ‘many bitters.’ See letter of Nov. 17.] were not those the very times when you should have wrote to me Perhaps the troubles then would have soon been over, which for want of this lasted so much longer. If you do not love all the children of God, you are wrong; but it is also wrong to love them all equally. We ought to love with a far more endeared affection those to whom we are united in Christian fellowship, even though ten to fifty of these walk unworthy their profession or even draw back as a dog to his vomit. Let each of these bear his own burden. But do not love the rest ever the less, for His sake. If you judge it would be a means of easing or strengthening your mind, you may tell me what has tried you. You know I love you and put the best construction upon every word you say. See that you be not weary of well doing. In due time you shall reap if you faint not! -- I am, my dear sister, Your affectionate brother. To Mrs. Hall THORNE, NEAR EPWORTH, June 29, 1781. DEAR PATTY,--I should have been at Epworth to-night, but our friends here interrupted me. Now, if you was but with me, I could show you Crowle and Belton and the great sycamore-tree and my father's tomb. But since an hundred and fifty miles lie between us, we must be content. It is well if Robert Lee [Boswell mentions Mrs. Hall as one of the company at dinner at Dr. Johnson's on Easter Sunday, April 15, 1781. Robert Lee told Wesley on Feb. 5, 1763, that he should stay in the London Society no longer. See Journal, v. 5.] does not turn poor Mrs. Sherriff’s head! It is no wonder she wears an high cap now. To be sure he tells her how well she looks! and how pretty she is! And how can she be so uncivil as not to believe him However, you did well to take her out of his hands.

FRIENDS AND BROTHER, -- As several of the preachers in our Connection, who have spent their time and strength in calling sinners to repentance, are now so superannuated that they can no longer keep a circuit, [Three names of supernumeraries appear in the Minutes for 1781: Joseph Bradford, Richard Seed, and John Furz.] and as others of them (who are gone to their reward) have left destitute widows and children behind them; -- in order to make some small provision for these, it has been agreed on in Conference that every traveling preacher shall out of his little allowance subscribe a guinea yearly. But, as this sum is no wise sufficient to answer the growing demands, several of our friends have offered their assistance by subscribing something yearly; and if others of you shall see good to follow their laudable example, it will no doubt be pleasing to God, a comfort to His worn-out servants, and a great encouragement to those who are still laboring in our Lord's vineyard; and, of consequence, give great satisfaction to your affectionate brethren and servants in the gospel. A.B } CD } Stewards. To Robert Cart Brackenbury [5] LEEDS, August 12, 1781. DEAR SIR, -- I shah not soon forget the agreeable conversation I had with dear Mrs. Brackenbury at Raithby. The sweetness of her temper, and the open, artless account she gave of her experience, increased my love for her. I trust you shall not die, but live to strengthen each other's hands in God and provoke one another to love and to good works. Who is so great a God as our God To His care I commit Mrs. Brackenbury and you. Peace be with your spirits! I commend myself to your prayers; and am, dear Your affectionate friend and brother. To Ann Loxdale SHEFFIELD, August 15, 1781.

4. It is a delicate as well as important point, on which I hardly know how to answer. I cannot lay down any general rule. All I can say at present is, If it does not hurt you, hear them; if it does, refrain. Be determined by your own conscience. Let every man in particular act ‘as he is fully persuaded in his own mind.’ To John Fletcher [15] LONDON, November 24, 1781. DEAR SIR, There is not a person to whom I would have wished Miss Bosanquet joined besides you. But this union, I am thoroughly persuaded, is of God; and so are all the children of God with whom I have spoken. Mr. Bosanquet’s being so agreeable to it I look upon as a token for good; and so was the ready disposing of the house and the stock, which otherwise would have been a great encumbrance. From the first day which you spend together in Madeley I hope you will lay down an exactly regular plan of living, something like that of the happy family at Leytonstone. Let your light shine to all that are round about you. And let Sister Fletcher do as much as she can for God and no more. To His care I commit you both; and am, my dear friends, Your very affectionate brother. To the Rev. Mr. Fletcher, Near Leeds. To Duncan Wright LONDON, November 24, 1781. DEAR DUNCAN, -- Surely you and I may speak freely to each other; for we love one another. If George Holder [George Holder and James Bogie were admitted on trial at the next Conference.] goes out, either you must keep his mother or she must go to the workhouse. You must not give an exhortation to the bands, but encourage them to speak. I would be much obliged to you if you would (1) accept the key of the book-room and immediately take the books into your own care; (2) clip the wings of the local preachers, stewards, and leaders, changing them as need requires; (3) fix bands where they are wanting; (4) if James Bogie is willing to remain single, let him travel; (5) do not receive the blind man hastily, let him be thoroughly tried first; (6) lastly, be of good courage, and conquer everything! -- I am, dear Duncan, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Thomas Rutherford [16] [November 1781.]

If you are employed to assist the children that are brought to the birth, that groan either for the first or the pure love, happy are you l But this is not all your work. No, my Hetty; you are likewise to watch over the new-born babes. Although they have much love, they have not yet either much light or much strength; so that they never had more need of your assistance, that they may neither be turned out of the way nor hindered in running the race that is set before them. I should not have been willing that Miss Bosanquet should have been joined to any other person than Mr. Fletcher; but I trust she may be as useful with him as she was before. [See letter of Dec, 1.] I fear our dear Betsy Ritchie will not stay long with us. I have no answer to my last letter, and Mrs. Downes writes that she is far from well. Yet God is able to raise her up. As to Peggy Roe, [Her cousin. See letter of Sept. 16, 1776.] I have little hope of her life; but she seemed, when I saw her, to be quite simple of heart, de.siring nothing more but God. My dear Hetty, adieu! Remember in all your prayers Yours most affectionately.

I have no objection to your printing a few copies of those two sermons [Benson’s Two Sermons on Sanctification (text, I Thess. v. 23-4) were printed by J. Bowling, Leeds, in 1782. ‘An Extract from Leighton’s Rules for an Holy Life’ is appended.] to oblige your friends in the neighborhood. I doubt we are not explicit enough in speaking on full sanctification either in public or private. -- I am, with kind love to Sister Benson, dear Joseph, Your affectionate brother. To William Wafters [5] LONDON, February 22, 1782. MY DEAR BROTHER, -- YOU send me an agreeable account of the work of God in America. It is amazing that any good should be done in a time of so much hurry and confusion when one would imagine man would think of nothing but the works of the devil. I wish you would send me whenever you have an opportunity a particular account of what is doing throughout the province. Formerly we had some Societies in North Carolina and likewise in Maryland. I hope they still subsist and are growing in grace as well as increasing in number. It is a great blessing that there is an end of that unhappy dispute, which otherwise would have torn you all in pieces. Again and again it has been set on foot in England and Ireland, But it never came to any height. We always took care to suppress it at the very beginning, so that it could not do much mischief. I hope Mr. Jarrett is not weary of well doing, but goes on with his labor of love. Now and then I suppose you can contrive to send a letter to New York and thence to your friends in England. The word of God has free course throughout these kingdoms and sinks deep into many hearts. I have pleasing accounts from various parts where many are justified and many sanctified, and so it is wherever our preachers strongly and explicitly exhort all the believers to go on to perfection. Peace be with all your spirits. -- I am, my dear brother, Your affectionate brother. To a Respectful Reader [6] LONDON, February 23, 1782. To Mr. Wesley February 23, 1782.

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 Thomas Taylor [16] LIVERPOOL, April 12, 1782. DEAR TOMMY, -- I find the difference between us is very small, for most of what you say I subscribe to. That ‘the war has been ill-conducted,’ that ‘millions of money and thousands of lives have been thrown away,’ that ‘numerous families have been ruined, trade much hurt,’ that we are ‘in danger of losing all North America, if not the East Indies too,’ ‘that our commanders both by sea and land love robbing and plundering far better than fighting,’ are melancholy truths which no man that has any knowledge of public affairs can deny. But you do not know half yet. If we live to meet, I can tell you stranger things than all these. I have changed the plan of my journeys: from Leeds I go to Lincolnshire, and thence by Hull and Scarborough to Newcastle. So that I shall not be at York [Taylor was Assistant there.] till the latter end of June. -- I am, with love to Sister Taylor, dear Tommy, Your affectionate friend and brother. To John Atlay LIVERPOOL, April 13, 1782.

The beginning of Rodney’s account is utterly unfashionable. [News arrived early in May of Rodney’s great victory over the French Navy near the island of Dominica on April 12.] I wonder how it entered into his head. We ‘get God on our side’ by the continual prayer of thousands. You may send me Cicero, and Fabritius, and the American War, together with the next Magazines, to York. I expect to be ten or twelve days in and near Edinburgh, and about the 17th of June at Newcastle. Peace be with you all! Adieu! To Mrs. Clark [21] NEAR EDINBURGH, June 1, 1782. MY DEAR SISTER, -- I am glad to hear that the Select Society increases, and that you meet it constantly. The prosperity of the whole society greatly depends on that little number. If these continue steadfast and alive to God, they will enliven the rest of their brethren. I love your little maidens, and wish they knew how well our Savior loves them. If they did, they would certainly love Him ! And then, how happy they would be! -- I am, my dear sister, Your affectionate brother. To Mrs. Clark, At Mr. Knapp’s, Glover, In Worcester. To Samuel Bradburn ABERDEEN, June 7, 1782. DEAR SAMMY, -- Cannot you give part of J. Hodgson’s class to the other leader Let each person meet with which he chooses. Let Henry Atkinson and Thomas Haigh be the stewards for the ensuing year. I see no reason why Brother Proctor should not remain in the circuit till the Conference. [Stephen Proctor, the Assistant at Glamorgan, ceased to ‘travel’ at the Conference in August.] But whenever you have the opportunity earnestly exhort him to be serious and to be jealous for God. Whoever is pleased or displeased, the preaching at Greetland and at Halifax must remain as it is. Our yea is yea, and our nay is nay. I have little objection to John Oliver’s [The preachers at Bradford were Samuel Bradburn, John Floyd, and John Oliver, who moved to Chester in August.] request -- it seems reasonable enough. I am glad to hear my poor Betsy [See letter of Feb. 28.] gathers strength. I love her well. Peace be with both your spirits! -- I am, dear Sammy, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Jonathan Hern ALNWICK, June 16, 1782.

I am glad you had so good an opportunity of talking with Mr. Sellars. Surely, if prayer was made for him, so useful an instrument as he was would not be suffered to lose all his usefulness. I wish you could make such little excursions oftener, as you always find your labor is not in vain. Many years since, Madame Bourignon’s Works were put into my hands, particularly the treatises Mr. Sellars so strongly recommends, with her Exterior and Interior Life, written by herself. It was easy to see she was a person dead to the world and much devoted to God; yet I take her to be very many degrees beneath both Mr. De Renty and Gregory Lopez -- nay, I do not believe she had so much genuine Christian experience as either David Brainerd or Thomas Walsh. What makes many passages both in her life and in her writings so striking is that they are so peculiar -- they are so entirely her own, so different from everything which we have seen or heard elsewhere! But this is in reality not an excellence, but a capital defect. Her expressions naturally tend to give a new set of ideas: they will set imagination at work, and make us fancy we saw wonderful things, but they were only shadows. I avoid, I am afraid of, whatever is peculiar, either in the experience or language of any one. I desire nothing, I will accept of nothing, but .the common faith and the common salvation. This afternoon I was agreeably surprised by a letter from our dear Miss Ritchie. It seems as if God, in answer to many prayers, has lent her to us yet a little longer. ‘He bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up again. Wise are all His ways!’ Take particular care, my dear Hetty, of the children: they are glorious monuments of divine grace; and I think you have a particular affection for them and a gift to profit them. -- I always am, my dear friend, Yours most affectionately.

I believe one of our preachers that are stationed in the Leicester Circuit will call upon you at Allexton; and I make no doubt but some of the seed which you have been long sowing will then grow up. No one should wish or pray for persecution. On the contrary, we are to avoid it to the uttermost of our power. ‘When they persecute you in one city, flee unto another.’ Yet, when it does come, notwithstanding all our care to avoid it, God will extract good out of evil. To-morrow I am to set out for Cornwall. In about three weeks I expect to be here again. In the beginning of October I generally move towards London, in the neighborhood of which I usually spend the winter. -- I am, dear sir, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Ellen Gretton BRISTOL, September 7, 1782. MY DEAR SISTER, -- It pleases God to lead you in a rough path for the present; but it is enough that all will end well. I never knew any disorder in the bowels which might not be speedily cured by drinking plentifully of lemonade; unless in a few peculiar constitutions, which could not bear lemons. And the drinking nettle-tea (instead of common tea) will commonly perfect the cure. If occasion require, she should certainly return to some place where she is not known. And I hope God will incline his heart to allow her what is necessary. The fearing lest we should be called hence before we are perfected in love is one species of taking thought for the morrow. You have nothing to do with this. Live to-day I And Be now willing to receive What His goodness waits to give. -- I am, my dear Nelly, Yours affectionately. To Richard Rodda [6] BRISTOL, September 9, 1782. DEAR RICHARD, -- You should take particular care that your circuit be never without an assortment of all the valuable books, especially the Appeals, the Sermons, Kempis, and the Primitive Physick, which no family should be without. Send for these, and, according to the rule of Conference, take them into your own keeping. You are found to be remarkably diligent in spreading the books: let none rob you of this glory. If you can spread the Magazine, it will do good: the letters therein contain the marrow of Christianity. Your affectionate friend and brother.

VERY DEAR SIR, -- You sat in judgment on me as long ago as Mr. Hindmarsh [James Hindmarsh was Assistant of the Devon Circuit in 1775.] was here and condemned me unheard; and though I then was, and yet am, conscious of my innocence in that respect, you still hold me guilty, and now incline to treat, at least to esteem, as an heathen man or a publican. Had you admitted me to answer in person, I could have given you satisfaction; but shall not commit it to paper, which may perhaps come to other hands before yours. But that I am not ‘laying up treasures upon earth,’ that I am not convinced of ‘deep, uncommon covetousness,’ that I am convinced you have wronged me and are severe and uncharitable in your censure, I do and must inform you; for the truth of which I appeal to that righteous God who is both yours and mine. Where, then, is that charity that thinketh no evil I am really grieved, and not without cause. Four or five if not seven years you have thus treated your honest and generous but injured son in the gospel, To Ann Bolton [10] BATH, September 15, 1782. MY DEAR NANCY, -- Be so kind as to inform Brother Rodda that if God prolong my life and strength, I shall be at Walling-ford on Monday, October 16; at Oxford on Tuesday, 17; at Witney, Wednesday; and at High Wycombe on Thursday. As I hope to see you in a short time, I do not now inquire into the particulars of your afflictions, although it is pity but you had used the privilege of a friend and told me them all just as they occurred. But it is enough that God drew good out of evil and commanded all things to work together for good. He has proved you in the furnace of affliction; and when you have been tried, you shall come forth as gold. In many parts of the kingdom there has been a considerable increase of the work of God. And why should there not be the same with you also It will if our brethren be instant in prayer. One effect of your trials is to unite me more closely to you as ‘pity melts the mind to love.’ Indeed, you long have been exceedingly near to, my dear Nancy, Yours most affectionately.

I hope you do not drop the select society. If Mr. Rhodda [Then in the circuit.] strongly and explicitly preaches perfection, he will see more and more fruit of his labor. -- I am, with love to my dear Ann, Your affectionate brother. To John Valton [20] St. NEOTS, December 3, 1782. MY DEAR BROTHER, -- You are thoroughly satisfied that there is nothing wherein conscience is not concerned which I would not do for your sake. But here conscience is very deeply concerned. What I do I do unto the Lord. The question is in the last resort, Methodism or no Methodism I A blow is struck at the very roots of our whole discipline, as appears by the short state of the ‘case’ which I have sent to Joseph Benson. And if this work is not obviated while I live, probably it never will be. None can stem the tide when I am gone; therefore I must now do what I can, God being my helper. And I know the fierceness of man shall turn to His praise. -- I am Your affectionate friend and brother. To Zachariah Yewdall LONDON, December 7, 1782. MY DEAR BROTHER, -- I do not see that you can fix upon a more proper person than either George Howe or Laren Wright. [Howe was one of the most devoted Methodists in Cork. He led the party of thirty horsemen who met Wesley as he was coming to the city in May 1785. See Journal, vii. 74-5n.] You should endorse it on the back of the deed, only taking care to have fresh stamps. Those who will not meet in class cannot stay with us. Read the Thoughts upon a Single Life, and weigh them well. You will then feel the wisdom of St. Paul’s advice (especially to a preacher, and to a Methodist preacher above all), ‘If thou mayest be free, use it rather.’ [See letter of May 26, 1781, to him.] I hope Andrew Blair is now with you. Brother Swindells is dead, and John Trembath is alive again. [For Robert Swindells, see letter of Feb. 28, 1748; and for Trembath, Sept. 21, 1755.] -- I am Your affectionate friend and brother. To Thomas Davenport LONDON, December 23 [1782].

At the same time that I wrote to you I wrote to Mr. Jaques at Wallingford, who was barely a member of our Society. I wrote to the same effect as I wrote to you, and indeed nearly in the same words. He was so far from being offended that he immediately wrote me the most affectionate letter I ever received from him in my life; not only thanking me heartily, but (what I never expected) telling me what his income was and how he laid it out. Why did not Billy Robarts answer me in the same manner Had he less love than Mr. Jaques or more pride Consider, Billy, consider! You have certainly got out of the way which you and I walked in many years ago! [The reply sent by Robarts is so much to the point that it is given in full.] TIVERTON, August 6, 1783.

DEAR SIR, -- You are my father; as such I have loved and honoured you. Forty years I have been in your Connection; thirty-six I have been admitted an helper in the gospel thirty of which my labor have been without charge to my brethren, but not so to myself. Ten pounds a year upon an average (I think) have not discharged my various expense with the Connection, which I am fully conscious was as much as I ought at any time, and for seven years past more than my ability required. I have informed you again and again that I have exceeded my ability. Why would you not believe me If you were not satisfied, why did you not ask me in person You never found me concealed or disguised. Was it right, upon your own suspicion or any vague information, to upbraid me before the congregation and before company at table, and even then refuse to be set right Was it kind, was it common candor, after the plain answer I gave you in person last year to write me as you did Had my conduct at any time merited that you should put a negative upon all I could say or write even when I appealed to my God for the truth of it When I was informed after all this that you censured me in various companies at Bristol and in its vicinity as a man worth thousands and eat up of covetousness and love of this world, I was astonished, and could not avoid exclaiming, What is become of charity are justice and truth also fled from the earth where is the man that doeth to another as he would be done by Whether I have less love or more pride than Mr. Jaques I do not determine; but I hope he have not been treated with so much severity and so totally without cause as your injured To William Robarts BRISTOL, August 8, 1783.

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 Mrs. Howton [7] BRISTOL, October 3, 1783. MY DEAR SISTER, -- There will never be any trouble about the child, whether anything is paid or not; you need not be apprehensive of any demand upon that account. Those which I saw at your house were a company of lovely children both in their persons and in their behavior. Some of them I am in hopes of meeting there again if I should live till spring. The account you gave of that sick maiden is very remarkable; and her spirit must, I trust, influence others. It is the glory of the people called Methodists that they condemn none for their opinions or modes of worship. They think and let think, and insist upon nothing but faith working by love.--I am, with love to Sister Price, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Mrs. Howton, At Mrs. Price’s Boarding-school, Worcester. To the Preachers in America [8] BRISTOL, October 3, 1783. DEAR BROTHER, -- 1. Let all of you be determined to abide by the Methodist doctrine and discipline published in the four volumes of Sermons and the Notes upon the New Testament, together with the Large Minutes of the Conference. 2. Beware of preachers coming from Great Britain or Ireland without a full recommendation from me. Three of our traveling preachers have eagerly desired to go to America; but I could not approve of it by any means, because I am not satisfied that they thoroughly like either our discipline or our doctrine. I think they differ from our judgment in one or both. Therefore, if these or any other come without my recommendation, take care how you receive them.

If Sister Morse is a lively, zealous, and judicious Christian, she may be of much use among you. But I doubt whether Henry Alline [See letters of July 13, 1783, and May 11, 1784.] be not the person concerning whom our brethren in Cumberland wrote to me: who has wrote and published a book which is full of broad, ranting Antinomianism. If it is he, he is a wild, absurd man, wiser in his own eyes than seven men that can render a reason; and has done much mischief among the serious persons there, setting every man's sword against his brother. If it be the same man, have a care of him, or he will do more harm among you than ever he can do good. I should think some of our brethren from Cumberland would have zeal and courage enough to come over to you now and then and impart some of their fire to you. If the case of the island be as you say, why do not the inhabitants send a petition to the Government It seems this would be a very seasonable time. It will be a difficult thing to find apprentices who will be willing to take so long a journey to a cold and uncomfortable place. I am glad to hear so good an account of your wife. See that you strengthen each other's hands in God. Beware of lukewarmness. Beware of cleaving to the present world. Let your treasure and your hearts be above! -- I am Your affectionate brother. To Mr. Benj. Chappel, At St. John’s, Newfoundland. To Isaac Twycross LONDON, November 29, 1783. DEAR ISAAC, -- I love you well, and would be glad to do you any service that is in my power. If I should find any person that has need of a serious curate, I would not fail to recommend you. -- I am Your affectionate brother. Rev. Mr. Twycross, In Dagenham, Essex. To Ann Loxdale [14] LONDON, December 9, 1783.

I would recommend very few novels to young persons, for fear they should be too desirous of more. Mr. Brooke wrote one more (besides the Earl of Moreland), The History of the Human Heart. I think it is well worth reading; though it is not equal to his former production. The want of novels may be supplied by well-chosen histories; such as, The Concise History of England, The Concise History of the Church, Rollin's Ancient History, Hooke's Roman History (the only impartial one extant), and a few more. For the elder and more sensible children, Malebranche's Search after Truth is an excellent French book. Perhaps you might add Locke's Essay on the Human Understanding, with the Remarks in the Arminian Magazine. I had forgotten that beautiful book The Travels of Cyrus, whether in French or English. On the 28th instant I hope to be at Bristol, and not long after at Keynsham. - I always am, my dear Miss Bishop, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Miss Bishop, In Keynsham, Somersetshire. To Elizabeth Ritchie [5] TRACWN, PEMBROKESHIRE, August 19, 1784. MY DEAR BETSY, - I was a little surprised at a letter from Sister D----, in which she seems to approve of all that Mrs. Crosby has done; and speaks as if it were just and right and done in obedience to the order of Providence ! I could not help saying, 'There is but one advice which I can give her upon the present occasion: "Remember from whence thou art fallen. Repent, and do thy first works."' Some years ago I committed a little company of lovely children to the care of one of our sisters at Haverford. [To Miss Warren in 1781. See letter of Oct. 19, 1779.] I was concerned yesterday to find she was weary of well-doing and had totally given up her charge. I hope, my dear Betsy, this will never be your case! You will never leave off your labor of love; though you should not always (not immediately at least) see the fruit of your labors. You may not immediately see Mrs. H - so established in grace as you desire and hope. But in this, as well as many other instances, in due time you shall reap if you faint not.

Pray tell Sister Gayer [See letter of May 27, 1776.] I send her such a sister as she never had before. - I am Your affectionate brother. To Mrs. Johnson BRISTOL, September 26, 1784. MY DEAR SISTER, - How wise are all the ways of God! Just before His providence called you to leave Dublin He sent Sister Rogers thither, in the same spirit of faith and love, to step into your place and prevent that scattering of the little flock which might otherwise have ensued; and if He sees it best, after you have finished the work He is preparing for you to do in Lisburn, you will see Dublin again. Meanwhile redeem the time, catch the golden moments as they fly, and continue to love and pray for, my dear sister, Your affectionate brother. To Alexander Surer [15] BRISTOL, October 3, 1784. MY DEAR BROTHER, - Others consider the state of one or two circuits only; but I see and consider the state of the whole kingdom, and consequently can more easily judge in what circuit each preacher is likely to be useful. And I doubt not you will be useful in Dundee Circuit, provided you (1) strive to strike out into new places (and you know we may preach anywhere in Scotland without any danger of riots), and (2) constantly visit all the Society in course from house to house. To do this exactly will be a cross; but it will be worth your while to bear it. The house at Arbroath should be settled as near the Conference plan as possible. The way of doing this in Scotland you may learn either from Mr. Smith in Aberdeen or Mr. Grant in Edinburgh. If Joseph Sanderson, Brother Bartholomew, and you act in concert, as was agreed when I was in Dundee, much good will be done; especially if you take care in spite of flesh and blood to keep up the morning meetings. Mr. Watkinson at Edinburgh has now the charge of the books in Scotland, and will provide you with any that you want. He is the General Assistant for Scotland this year.

MY DEAR SISTER, - I was a little disappointed at your not seeing me at Wallingford, as you used to do, before I went away. [He preached at Wallingford on Oct. 18, and left next morning at 7.30.] But I took it for granted there was some circumstance which I did not know; so I did not blame you, as I am not ready to condemn those I love. I am glad you do not let go your confidence or lose the witness of your sanctification. Take care that you lose not any of the things that you have gained, but that you receive a full reward. Certainly it is a most uncomfortable thing to lose any part of what God hath wrought in us. I wonder how any that have lost the love of God can find any rest in their souls till they have regained it. It was well for you that God did not suffer you to find rest in any creature. He had better things in store for you. One more degree of His love makes you large amends even in the present world for every other loss. - I am, dear Patty, Your affectionate brother. To Miss Chapman, At Wailington, Near Tetsworth, Oxfordshire. To John Mason NEAR LONDON, November 3, 1784. MY DEAR BROTHER, - You judge fight. If the people were more alive to God, they would be more liberal. There is money enough, and particularly in Somersetshire; but they are straitened in their own bowels. When I complied with the desire of many and divided the. circuit into two, we were not a jot better. [Mason was in Devon, from which Somerset seems to have been divided in 1777.] You have one thing to point at-the revival and increase of the work of God. Get as many as possible to meet in band. Be exact in every part of discipline, and give no ticket to any that does not meet his class weekly. - I am Your affectionate friend and brother. To Henry Moore [19] LONDON, November 4, 1784.

DEAR BROTHER,-I came hither (as I proposed when I set out) yesterday. This week I am to meet the classes. Next week we have our little Conference. The week following I hope to cross the Channel. The work of God, almost in every part of the kingdom, is in a prosperous state. Here is a set of excellent young preachers. Nine in ten of them are much devoted to God. I think, number for number, they exceed their fellow laborers in England. These in Dublin particularly are burning and shining lights. [James Rogers and Andrew Blair. See letters of Feb. 1 and June 26 (to Elizabeth Ritchie).] I am glad you have paid them one more visit at Shoreham. What the poor people will do now I know not; but the Great Shepherd knows, and will order all things well. But what becomes of Betsy Briggs [Miss Briggs stayed at Shoreham for a time, where she was very useful. She then moved to Hoxton Square, and married Peard Dickinson on April 30, 1788. See letter of Sept. 24, 1786; also letters of March 1771, and June 2, 1785.] Would not her shortest way be to marry him But I doubt he hangs back. The letter from Rome is curious enough. Fine words! And you know the Italians are famous for sincerity. I should be sorry indeed if Sammy Tooth [See letter of Sept. 27, 1778.] were a sufferer; but surely he knows his own business. Many here know and love you well. My love to all. Adieu! To Zachariah Yewdull [20] NEAR DUBLIN, June 22, 1785. DEAR ZACHARY, - Let him not be afraid; I will take care that not one word of that affair shall be mentioned at the Conference. Let him come up thither in the name of God, and it will be a blessing to him. Let Brother Foster likewise come that he may have the advice of Dr. Whitehead. I shall have no objection, unless some particular objection arise, to your going to Sunderland. I think you will do well to bring Brother Adamson with you to the Conference. You will both be acceptable to, dear Zachary, Your affectionate brother. To his Brother Charles [21] ATHLONE, June 23. 1785.

1785 To Ann Bolton DUBLIN, July 8, 1785. MY DEAR NANCY, - It is undoubtedly expedient for you to have a friend in whom you can fully confide that may be always near you or at a small distance, and ready to be consulted on all occasions. The time was when you took ma to be your friend; and (to speak freely) I have loved you with no common affection. I 'have loved you' - nay, I do still; my heart warms to you while I am writing. But I am generally at too great a distance, so that you cannot converse with me when you would. I am glad, therefore, that a good Providence has given you one whom you can more easily see and correspond with. [Probably Hannah Ball.] You may certainly trust her in every instance; and she has both understanding, piety and experience. She may therefore perform those offices of friendship which I should rejoice to perform were I near you. But wherever you can, give me the pleasure of seeing you. You know, while I have an house, you will always be welcome to it. I desire Brother Day [Simon Day, then in the Oxfordshire Circuit. The Conference opened that day in London.] to meet me in London, on the 16th instant. I do not know how you can have more preaching by the traveling preachers unless you had more preachers; which, indeed, might easily be if your moneyed men did not love their money more than they do their souls. I hope neither marriage nor business makes Neddy [Edward Bolton, her brother, whose daughter, Mrs. Marriott, gave the letter to Miss J. Ayliff at Witney in 1861.] less zealous for God or less active in his work. Peace be with all your spirits! - I am, my dear Nancy, Ever yours. To Thomas Wride [1] DUBLIN, July 8, 1785. DEAR TOMMY, - I wonder at nothing in poor Nicholas, but I wonder much at James .Kershaw. Unless our preachers had already left their preaching-house, surely he would not have let it to any others! I love John Fenwick well; but I know he was a faulty man that once or twice. However, if there be no fresh matter of complaint, what is past shall go for nothing.

You give me pleasure by talking of my dear Isabella. I love to see her, and I love to hear of her. I love likewise to hear of her twin soul, my precious Amelia. [See letter of July 16.] I was afraid she would grieve too much when I went away, especially as she did not shed a tear - I mean while I was in the room. I rejoice so much the more to hear that our blessed Lord undertook her cause and sent her help in time of need. It would give me pain, indeed, if one that is as my own soul should receive hurt from me. O may we always meet for the better and not for the worse. May we always' love one another with a pure heart fervently.' I hope both she and you and my Isabella will not forget to pray for, dear Arthur, Yours most affectionately. Amelia does well in spending a little time in the country. Nothing will restore her like air and exercise. When is Mrs. Blachford [See letter of Oct. 15, 1777.] to come hither I had forgot to mention that that excellent woman Sister Cox desired, when there is room, to be admitted to the Widows' House [See Journal, v. 406, vii. 484. It had about twenty-four inmates.]; I think no one is more worthy. To John Ogilvie LONDON, August 7, 1785. MY DEAR BROTHER, - As long as you are yourself earnestly aspiring after a full deliverance from all sin and a renewal in the whole image of God, God will prosper you in your labor, especially if you constantly and strongly exhort all believers to expect full sanctification now by simple faith. [Ogilvie was in the Isle of Man. He died in 1839.] And never be weary of well-doing; in due time you shall reap if you faint not! - I am Your affectionate brother. To his Brother Charles [2] PLYMOUTH DOCK, August 19, 1785. DEAR BROTHER, - I will tell you my thoughts with all simplicity, and wait for better information. If you agree with me, well; if not, we can (as Mr. Whitefield used to say) agree to disagree.

MY DEAR BROTHER, - Neither Sister Brisco nor her husband ever made application to me for money. Now and then I have given her a guinea; but, I think, never more at a time. We could not regularly give her any more for her child; but I would have given her five pounds at a word speaking. Now she must take some trouble to get it. [Thomas Brisco was stationed at Thirsk, and was evidently in financial straits.] Our preachers (I mean many of them) are unable as yet to judge and undervalue each other. Henry Foster is a weak man, but by no means a weak preacher. This was never objected to him before in any circuit where I have followed him. He is a sound, judicious man and one of deep piety. I am thinking that her best way is, if any one will give T. Brisco five guineas, I will repay it. Consider, a person that was very happy and good is now less happy than he was. Then he thinks, 'I should be happier if I was married.' Is not this feeling Love's all-sufficient sea to raise With drops of creature happiness [Poetical Works, i. 132.] I am Your affectionate friend and brother. To Mr. Valton, At Captain Robinson's, In Bridlington Key, Yorkshire. To Thomas Wride [4] BRISTOL, September 5, 1785. DEAR TOMMY, - When you do what you can, you do enough. I trust you will now use every possible means of redeeming the time. I wish you would never neglect sleeping early and rising early. Beware of anything like lightness or trifling. Wherever you are be obliging and be serious. Disappoint those who wait for your halting. - I am, with love to Sister Wilde, dear Tommy, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Mr. Wride, At the Preaching- house, In Norwich. To Mary Cooke BRADFORD[-ON-AVON], September 10, 1785.

You send me comfortable news concerning Mrs. Eden. And certainly this gracious visitation is designed for a blessing not only to her, but likewise to her poor husband. You should lose no opportunity of speaking a word to him whenever Providence throws him in your way. Let not a voluntary humility hinder you. God can bless a few and ordinary words. Nay, and let it not hinder you from praying with as well as for your friends. I advise you, my dear Nancy, to begin without delay. Why not this very day Make haste, my friend, to do whatever may be for the good of your own or any other soul. I thank you for writing freely to me. If I had you now by the hand, I would tell you you can never write or speak too freely to, my dear Miss Loxdale, Yours most affectionately. To Thomas Wride LONDON, October 8, 1785. DEAR TOMMY, - On Monday se'nnight, the 17th instant, I hope to be at Norwich (coming by the mail-coach); on Tuesday at Yarmouth; on Wednesday and Thursday at Lowestoft, preaching everywhere at half-hour past six in the evening. On Friday noon at Beecham, or where you please; in the evening at Loddon; and on Saturday evening at Norwich. The verses [See letters of Sept. 16 and Dec. 14.] must be effaced some way before I come down. Be as exact in discipline as you please. Luke Houlton [See letter Sept. 16.] was on the road; but one met him and told him he was not wanted. I always lodge in our own houses. I think those sermons may stop bottles. - I am, with love to Sister Wride, dear Tommy, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Mr. Wride, At the Preaching-house, In Nonrich. To Charles Atmore LONDON, October 15, 1785. DEAR CHARLES, - If God gives you and your fellow laborers union of spirit, He will surely bless you together. When you build at Blackburn, do not build a scarecrow of an house. But take either Keighley or Colne House for your pattern. Observe in this and in all things the Large Minutes of the Conference. If I live till spring, I shall probably spend more time there than I have done hitherto. As long as you feel your own weakness and helplessness you will find help from above. - I am, dear Charles,

I should apprehend your best way would be to sell the estate which you purchased some years ago. What if you sold it for only half the value It seems this would be better than to remain in such perplexities. [See letters of Aug. 16, 1783, and Dec. 6, 1785, to him.] - I am, dear Billy, Your affectionate brother. To Thomas Wride LONDON, November 8, 1785. DEAR TOMMY, - I suppose James Byron is now in the Circuit, as he set out from Thirsk on the 3rd instant. He is an amiable young man, at present full of faith and love. If possible guard him from those that will be inclined to love him too well. [Byron was admitted on trial at the next Conference. See letter of Nov. 17.] Then he will be as useful a fellow laborer as you can desire. And set him a pattern in all things. - I am, dear Tommy, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Zachariah Yewdall LONDON, November 11, 1785. MY DEAR BROTHER, - I hope Sister Yewdall and you will be a blessing to each other. [See letter of May 26.] I think it a pity to remove you from Kent. Otherwise Oxford Circuit is nearer to London than Canterbury Circuit; for High Wycombe is nearer to it than Chatham. I cannot visit all the places I want to visit in Kent in one journey. I purpose (God willing) to begin my first journey on the 28th instant. Shall I visit Margate or Sheerness first - I am, dear Zachary, Your affectionate brother. To Thomas Tattershall [14] LONDON, November 13, 1785.

4. From the moment that my mother heard my brother and me answer for ourselves she was ashamed of having paid any regard to the vile misrepresentations which had been made to her after our return from Georgia. [See letter of July 31, 1742.] She then fully approved both our principles and practice, and soon after removed to my house, and gladly attended all our ministrations till her spirit returned to God. To Joseph Taylor [18] LONDON, December 29, 1785. DEAR JOSEPH, - I advise you: (1) Till March do not preach more than twice a day. (2) Never preach above three-quarters of an hour. (3) Never strain your voice. (4) For a month (at least) drink no tea: I commend you if you take to it no more. The wind is not an original disease, but a symptom of nervous weakness. (5) Warm lemonade cures any complaint in the bowels. (6) If you have a bathing-vessel, put a gallon of boiling water into the cold water. Then you might bathe thrice a week. And send me word next month how you are. - I am, dear Joseph, Your affectionate friend and brother. To the Rev. Mr. Joseph Taylor, In Aberdeen. To Mrs. Bradburn [19] [December 31, 1785.] MY DEAR BETSY, - I write you a few lines because I think you stand in need of comfort; and I would give you all in my power, as I know you would me on a like occasion. I will tell you how to do it then: Look kindly on them that have wronged you most. Speak civilly, yea affectionately, to them; they cannot stand it long: Love melts the hardness that in rocks is bred; A flint will break upon a feather-bed. I have set my heart upon your being a happy woman and overcoming all your enemies by love; and then I shall be more than ever, my dear Betsy, Your affectionate brother. To Mrs. Fletcher [20] LONDON, December 31, 1785. MY DEAR SISTER, - I thank you for the papers. It was not needful that you should copy them over again, as they are very legibly written and I am well acquainted with your hand. I love to see it. Indeed, I love everything that belongs to you, as I have done ever since I knew you. A few more materials

I have procured from Mr. Vaughan and some more from Joseph Benson. I am willing to glean up all I can before I begin putting them together. But how am I to direct to Mr. Ireland Or would your writing a line be of more weight to induce him to give me what assistance he can by the first opportunity I thank you for mentioning that mistake in the Sermon. I doubt not but you and Mr. Ireland may set me right in many other particulars wherein I have hitherto been mistaken. But it would be pity to stay till next year. Was it in London he met with the honest Jew That is a very remarkable circumstance. Do you know any particulars of his ill usage at the Custom House Where was this Custom House Tenderly commending you to Him who will make all things work together for your good, I am, my dear sister, Your ever affectionate brother.

But I am sorry that you do not love me. You did once, or I am much mistaken. But if you did so still, you would not barely tell me, and that in general terms only, that you had been in distress, but you would have enlarged upon it and told me all the particulars. [Miss Ball's journal shows that she was passing through much anxiety and spiritual struggle at this time. See Memoir, p. 156.] What! Do you think I do not care for you that my love to my dear friend is grown cold! Nay; surely I am as much interested in your happiness now as I was ten years ago. Therefore use as a friend, my dear sister, Yours as ever. My kind love to Nancy. [Her sister Ann. See letter of Aug. 14, 1771.] To Lancelot Harrison [14] BLACKBURN, April 17, 1786. MY DEAR BROTHER, - When I return out of Scotland, I shall be able to fix my journey through Lincolnshire, of which you will have notice time enough. You may be at the Conference. I would be glad if you would take as particular an account as you possibly can of the disturbances at Brother Wilson's house from the beginning till now. When these accounts are sufficiently attested, they may be of great use. I expect to be at York from May the 4th to the 8th. - I am Your affectionate friend and brother. To Mr. Lancelot Harrison, At Mr. Robert Green's, In Louth, Lincolnshire. To his Brother Charles [15] KEIGHLEY, April 18, 1786. DEAR BROTHER, - My fever lasted hardly three days, and then went away in a violent fit of the cramp. [He was ill after reaching Manchester on Friday afternoon, April 7, and slept much; on Monday he was able to resume his work. See Journal, vii. 154d.] So did a fever I had a year ago. Eight or ten preachers, it is probable (but I have not reel with one yet), will say something about leaving the Church before the Conference ends. It is not unlikely many will be driven out of it where there are Calvinist ministers. The last time I was at Scarborough I earnestly exhorted our people to go to church; and I went myself. But the wretched minister preached such a sermon that I could not in conscience advise them to hear him any more.

MY DEAR BROTHER, - I hope to be at Epworth on Wednesday, the 21st instant, at Grimsby on Thursday the 22d, at Horncastle on Friday 23d, and at Gainsborough on Saturda the 24th. You will take care that timely notice be given every place. Strongly and explicitly exhort all the believers to go on perfection: then their soul will live. - I am, with love to Sister Harrison, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Kitty Warren SUNDERLAND, June 8, 1785. MY DEAR SISTER, - I am glad our brethren are aware, that bold, bad man who has bid adieu both to conscience and shame. Their wisdom is now not to think of him or talk of him at all. I am afraid he would turn Calvinist, Turk, or anything for food and idleness. Mr. Valton has not been able to preach in two years so much as he used to do in eight or ten months. Every year I have many applications for the continuance of profitable preachers more than two years in a circuit. I have had several such within these two or three months: as well as the continence of two preachers in the same circuit. But I dare not comply. I advise Mr. Cole [The second preacher in the Pembroke Circuit. He remained there Assistant at the next Conference.] to instruct the next preachers thoroughly in the nature of the case, and to encourage them to persist in the whole Methodist discipline. I hope you are not weary of well-doing, and that you will never bury your talent in the earth. Your labor has not been in vain, [See letter of July 31, 1782.] and in due time you will reap if you faint not. It is always a pleasure to me to see you, and I love to converse with you. But sometimes it has been a concern to me that I could see you so seldom. There is something in your spirit that is exceedingly agreeable to me. I find in you sprightliness and sweetness joined together. May you be filled, my dear Kitty, with the whole fruit of the Spirit! This is the constant wish of Yours most affectionately. To Henry Brooke [20] WHITBY, June 14, 1786. DEAR HARRY, - I will give you an answer to your heart's content.

In the year 1729 four young gentlemen joined together at Oxford, all zealous members of the Church of England, and all determined to be Bible Christians. In six years they increased to sixteen, and were exactly of the same mind still. In 1738, only two of these were left together; but a few more joined them, who continually increased till some hundreds were joined together. But they still constantly attended the Church; only if any Dissenter desired to unite with them they had no objection to his attending that worship to which he had been accustomed. But in 1740 Dr. Gibson, then Bishop of London, said, 'Cannot Messrs, Wesleys leave the Church Then they could do no more harm.' This we well understood. It meant,' They could do no more good; for not one in ten of their present hearers would hear them.' [See letter of Feb. 21 to Thomas Taylor.] But, whether they would or no, we would not leave it; our conscience would not permit. In 1743, the Rules of our Society were published; one of which was, 'to attend the Church and Sacrament.' This all our members (except Dissenters) were required to do, or they could not remain with us. In 1744, at our first Conference, we considered ourselves (Methodist preachers), as extraordinary messengers whom God had raised up to provoke to jealousy the ordinary messengers, the clergy; to preach the gospel to the poor, and to call all men of every denomination to worship Him in spirit and in truth. But it did not once come into our mind to separate from the Church or form ourselves into a distinct party. And herein was a new phenomenon in the earth, a thing never seen before - a body of men highly favored of God, who yet chose to abide in their own religious community, and not to separate themselves, from this very motive, that they might be servants of all. But it was not easy to keep to this resolution. For those among us who had been Dissenters were frequently urging those words, 'Come out from among them, and be ye separate.' And many of the clergy strengthened their hands either by their railing and lying accusations or by their wicked lives or false doctrines; whereby many were hardened in sin, and many who began to run well returned as a dog to his vomit.

To-morrow we are to set out for Holland. I hope to return before the end of this month; and am, my dear sister, Your affectionate brother. To Samuel Bradburn [4] HARWICH, August 8, 1786. DEAR SAMMY, - I beg there may be no preaching at Deptford in church hours before my return. What need of any innovation there The case does not fall under any of those four that were allowed at the Conference. And pray give an hint to Benj. Rhodes. I do not take it kindly that he should run his head against me. I fear he has underhand abetted the malcontents there. If he loves me, he should bid them 'know when they are well.' We expect to sail in a few hours. [See letter of July 7.] - I am, with kind love to Sophy, dear Sammy, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Dr. Coke [5] LONDON, September 6, 1786. DEAR SIR, - I desire that you would appoint a General Conference of all our Preachers in the United States, to meet at Baltimore on May the 1st, 1787. And that Mr. Richard Whatcoat may be appointed Superintendent with Mr. Francis Asbury. To Mrs. Fletcher [6] LONDON, September 6, 1786. MY VERY DEAR SISTER AND FRIEND, - Excuse me if write just as I feel. I have not of a long season felt so tender an affection for you as I have done in reading your last. If love you much for the care you have taken of my dear Miss Ritchie. If she is worse, send me word to Bristol, where I hope to be on Monday. I would travel day and night to see her before she is called home. But as God has already heard the prayer, I trust He will permit her to stay a little longer with us. If the vomiting returns, apply half a slit onion warmed to the pit of her stomach. The children of traveling preachers only are sent to Kingswood School. David Evans has had uncommon help. I gave him five-and-twenty pounds at once. Peace be with your spirit! - I am, my dear Sister, Yours most affectionately. Tuesday afternoon. I have just received your last, and am glad to hear that my dear sister Ritchie is not worse. My dear friend, Adieu. To Mary Cooke [7] BATH, September 9, 1786.

It gives me much satisfaction, my dear friend, to observe you are happier than when you wrote last. I do not doubt but you have at some times a rich foretaste of the state which your soul pants after. And even These wandering gleams of light And gentle ardors from above Have made you sit, like seraph bright, Some moments on a throne of love. But you know you are not to rest here; this is but a drop out of the ocean. Only this has been known again and again, that one of those happy moments has been the prelude of pure love. It has opened into the full liberty of the children of God. Who knows but this may be your happy experience - but the next time your soul is so caught up He that loves you may touch your nature clean, and so take you into the holiest, that You may never leave the skies, Never stoop to earth again I am now intent upon my own work, finishing the Life of Mr. Fletcher. This requires all the time I have to spare; so that, as far as it is possible, I must for two or three months shut myself up. Two weeks I give to Bristol; after that time I return to London. I cannot, therefore, have the happiness of seeing Trowbridge this autumn. But might I not see you or your sisters at Bristol If I am invisible to others, I would not be so to you. You may always command everything that is in the power of, my very dear friend, Yours in life and in death. To Walter Churchey BRISTOL, September 20, 1786.

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 Freeborn Garrettson [19] LOWESTOFT, November 30, 1786. MY DEAR BROTHER, - You have great reason to be thankful to God that He lets you see the fruit of your labors. Whenever any are awakened you do well to join them together immediately. But I do not advise you to go on too fast. It is not expedient to break up more ground than you can keep, to preach at any more places than you or your brethren can constantly attend. To preach once in a place and no more very seldom does any good; it only alarms the devil and his children, and makes them more upon their guard against a first assault. Wherever there is any church service, I do not approve of any appointment the same hour; because I love the Church of England, and would assist, not oppose, it all I can. How do the inhabitants of Shelburne, Halifax, and other parts of the province go on as to temporal things Have they trade Have they sufficiency of food and the other necessaries of life And do they increase or decrease in numbers It seems there is a scarcity of some things - of good ink, for yours is so pale that many of your words are not legible. As I take it for granted that you have had several conversations with Dr. Coke, I doubt not you proposed all your difficulties to him, and received full satisfaction concerning them. Commending you to Him who is able to guide and strengthen you in all things, I am Your affectionate friend and brother. PS.-Probably we shall send a little help for your building if we live till Conference. Observe the rules for building laid down in the Minutes.

DEAR GEORGE, -- Upon mature deliberation I judge it most advisable that John Barber should remove to Edinburgh (for I can trust him in any part of Great Britain) and that you should supply his place at York. As soon as may be inform him and Mr. Rutherford of this, that there may be as little delay as possible. -- I am, dear George, Yours affectionately. To Ann Bolton BRISTOL, September 18, 1787. MY DEAR NANCY, -- Yesterday I received yours of August 24 at my return from a little tour to the islands of Alderney, Jersey, and Guernsey, where we were long shut up by contrary winds. At length a ship returning from France and touching at Guernsey took us in and carried us to Penzance, where we were received as if we had just risen from the dead, and found God was with us wherever we went.[ See letter of Sept. 7.] So I pressed on and will be with you. My Nancy, look up ! The Lord of Hosts is at hand! He has delivered, He does deliver, and He will yet deliver ! He chastens you long for your profit, that you may be a partaker of His holiness. He chastens you also for your profit that you may be more holy and consequently more happy. But His ways are in the deep waters and His footsteps are not known. It is probable I shall see you at Witney in about a month. If I do, remember you are to tell me all your trials that we may both grieve and rejoice together. I cannot well tell you how much I love you; you are e1ceeding near and dear to me. But I am sometimes ready to think that you do not love me so well as you did once. However, I believe you have still some regard for me. Let us still provoke one another to love and to good works. The good Lord be ever with you and unite you more and more to Himself! Then you will not forget, my dear Nancy, Yours in tender affection. To Henry Moore [7] BRISTOL, September 18, 1787.

DEAR HENRY, -- I know you are a man of feeling. You can sympathize with the afflicted. Therefore I employ you in a labor of love. Dear John Bull [See letter of July 1, 1789.] is now in the Marshalsea Prison. How far he was formerly to blame is not now the question. But what can be done for him now for one who through a course of many years deserved well of the Methodists We cannot deliver him from his confinement. That is too hard for us. But possibly something might be done to make it a little easier to him. I desire you would go and talk with him. You will find acceptable words. Tell him I desired you to call upon him in consequence of his letter, and try to make him sensible of the hand of God in all this. Now especially he stands in need of such a friend. -- I am, dear Henry, with kind love to Nancy, Your affectionate friend and brother. Pray give him a guinea on my account, and another whenever you see proper. To Mrs. Tighe BRISTOL, October 2, 1787. DEAR MADAM, -- I have no doubt at all of the uprightness of Mr. Tozer and his wife: but I have more acquaintance with Mr. Harper. He is a truly good man, and has a considerable share of knowledge; so that if he was willing to take the charge of this little school. [Was this John Harper who had been a preacher Mrs. Tighe lived at Rosanna, near Wicklow. See letter of Feb. 7, 1789, to her.] I know of no one that is more likely to promote the design of it. -- I am, dear madam, Your very affectionate servant. Next week I expect to be in London. To Hannah Ball BRISTOL, October 4, 1787.

DEAR ADAM, -- I am glad to hear that there is a prospect of a good work in the Isle of Alderney as well as in the Isles of Jersey and Guernsey. I do not despair of seeing our Jersey and Guernsey friends once more if it should please God to prolong my life. I love them dearly; particularly the family [The De Jerseys.] at Mont Plaisir in Guernsey and Jenny Bisson in Jersey. I would take some pains and undergo some fatigue were it only to spend two or three days with them. One would wonder that the prince of this world was so slow and that he did not sooner fight lest his kingdom should be delivered up. He will at length do what he can. But if you continue instant in prayer God will put the bridle in his mouth. It is well we should be convinced that we have need of Him. Our safety will we ascribe to Him alone. [See next letter.] As the case of Sister Horne is too singular to be credited without the fullest evidence, I think you would do well to write the account fair, and have it formally attested by Mrs. Johnson, Mr. Arrive, and three or four more who were eye-witnesses of the whole. You must not believe all you hear concerning the circumstances of Mr. L----‘s marriage. Indeed, you should believe nothing about them till you have told it to themselves. Envy will invent a thousand things, and with the most plausible circumstances. Save them if it be possible, which can never be done by harshness; but love will ‘break the bone.’ The Bailiff was talking of building you an house at St. Peter’s; I think it may be done by-and-by. Be exact in every point of discipline. Keep your rules, and they will keep you. -- I am, dear Adam, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Adam Clarke [14] LONDON, November 21, 1787. My DEAR BROTHER, -- I answer Mr. De Jersey and you together. I am unwilling to discourage you in anything.

MY DEAR MRS. BLACHFORD, -- You state the case clearly and fairly; and when this is done there is no great difficulty in it. Many other objections and plausible ones might be made to the proposal; hut certainly those two are the strongest of all and the most difficult to be answered: first, her youth and little experience in the things of the world; and secondly, his little experience in the things of God. He has made a good beginning. He has set on well. But who can tell what the end will be By reason of the time we cannot suppose him to be much established yet; and if he should afterwards relapse into his former state, what an insupportable trial must it be to her! In a strange country and separate from all her religious friends! Upon the whole, therefore, I cannot but subscribe to your judgment, that you must do nothing suddenly. -- I am, my dear sister, Yours most affectionately. To Christopher Hopper [18] NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, June 3, 1788. MY DEAR BROTHER, -- I said nothing, less or more, in Bradford Church concerning the end of the world, neither concerning my own opinion. What I said was that Bengelius had given it as his opinion, not that the world would then end, but that the Millennial reign of Christ would begin in the year 1836. I have no opinion at all upon that head. I can determine nothing about it. These calculations are far above, out of my sight. I have only one thing to do, to save my own soul and those that hear me. -- I am, with kind love to Sister Hopper, Yours affectionately. To Henry Moore NEAR NEWCASTLE, June 7, 1788. DEAR HENRY, -- I incline to think the battle's over, [See letter of May 28 to Mrs. Rogers.] and you will have peace, provided that none of you return railing for rafting, but contrariwise blessing. Beware of showing any coolness to Arthur Keene. You must conquer him by love. I am glad you have not lost Mrs. Blachford. [See letter of June 3.] She is one of our jewels. I love her much. Only you will excuse me if I do not love her so well as Nancy and Becky Moore. [See letter of Feb. 19 to Moore.]

MY DEAR BROTHER, -- I answered your last. By what means my letter miscarried I cannot tell. [See letters of June 14 and July 22 to him.] Above half of that paragraph (which has traveled over most of the kingdom) is very true. The other half is a blunder. What I spoke was a citation from Bengelius, who thought, not that the world would end, but that the Millennium would begin about the year 1836. [See letter of June 3 to Christopher Hopper.] Not that I affirm this myself, nor ever did. I do not determine any of these things: they are too high for me. I only desire to creep on in the vale of humble love. Peace be with you and yours I -- I am Your affectionate brother. To Adam Clarke [22] YORK, June 26, 1788. DEAR ADAM, -- I really think the temper and behavior of the Bailiff is little less than miraculous. I will give you ten pounds. Follow those little advices in building which are set down in the Large Minutes. [See letters of April 17 and Nov. 5.] So you stole a match! Mrs. Cooke's not opposing did, indeed, remove the grand hindrance. I pray do not suffer my dear Molly to be idle; let her active spirit have full employment. But what becomes of Jenny Bisson [See letters of May 20 and Oct. 12 to Mrs. Cock.] --that was I fear your bewitched boy will prove an arrant cheat; if not, the French convert too. -- I am, dear Adam, Your affectionate friend and brother. To John Mann [23] LONDON, June 30, 1788. MY DEAR BROTHER -- I am greatly concerned for the prosperity of the work of God in Nova Scotia. It seems some way to lie nearer my heart than even that in the United States. Many of our brethren there are, we may hope, strong in the Lord and in the power of His might; but I look upon those in the northern provinces to be younger and tender children, and consequently to stand in need of our most anxious care. I hope all of you that watch over them are all of one mind and of one judgment; that you take care always to speak the same things and to watch over one another in love.

Mr. Bradburn delivered your papers to me a few days ago. [See letters of June 26 and Aug. 8 to Churchey.] But this is so busy a time that I had not time to go through them till to-day. In the translation of The Art of Painting [This poem, translated from the Latin of Alphonse du Fresnoy, with notes by R. Graham, fills 98 pages. See letter of Aug. 8.] there are many very good lines; but there are some that want a good deal of filing, and many that are obscure. This is the general fault. The sense is so much crowded that it is not easy to be understood. For many years I have not had any bookseller but Mr. Atlay, and my Assistants. I doubt whether any bookseller will buy Fresnoy. Some of the shorter copies are good sense and good poetry. My brother has left a translation of the Book of Psalms, and verses enough to make up at least six volumes in duodecimo. [He left three small 4to volumes of hymns and poems, a poetic version of a considerable part of the Book of Psalms (afterwards inserted with short notes in the Arminian Magazine), and five 4to volumes of hymns on the Four Gospels and the Acts. See Poetical Works of J. and C. Wesley; Jackson's Charles Wesley, ii. 451.] I could but ill spare him now I am myself so far declined into the vale of years. But it is the Lord; let Him do what seemeth Him good. Our time is now short. Let my dear Sister Churchey and you and I make the best of it. -- I am Your affectionate brother. To W. H. Kilburn LONDON, July 22, 1788. MY DEAR BROTHER, -- I am glad to receive a letter from you on any account; because I love you, and always did. I think you will have reason to praise God for your preachers [Conference began on July 29. The Norwich appointments were John Poole, Richard Reece, and Thomas Kelk.] the ensuing year. And we shall not be unwilling to help you a little further. By-and-by you will be able to help yourselves. Only love one another and serve God in earnest--I am Your affectionate brother. To Mr. W. H. Kilburn, At the Preaching-house, In Norwich. To Kitty Warren NEAR LONDON, July 22, 1788.

MY DEAR SISTER, -- The thing has been wholly misrepresented. Dr. Coke never designed any separation; but they urged him to say 'he wished for such a thing,' and then faced him down that he designed it. [See letter of May 6.] He and I have had much conversation together, and he is now as fully persuaded as I am that a general separation from the Church either in England or Ireland would be greatly obstructive of the work of God. I am exceedingly glad that the Dean of Waterford now sees the Methodists in a true light. It would be a great pity that anything should impair the good opinion which he now entertains of them. I have therefore wrote to James Deaves, [Condy was Assistant at Waterford. See letter of Feb. 28, 1789 (to Tegart); and for Deaves, that of Nov. 13, 1785.] and desired him to bear with the little oddities of Richard Condy and to advise all our people in my name to keep close to the Church and Sacrament. I make little doubt but they will take my advice. -- I am, my dear sister, Your affectionate brother. To Frances Godfrey LONDON, August 5, 1788. MY DEAR SISTER, -- YOU have indeed escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowler; the snare is broken, and you are delivered. Certainly you have great reason to praise Him who has brought you to the knowledge of His truth; and not only given you to know but to experience the truth as it is in Jesus. I felt a love for you from the first time I saw you, when you was under those grievous trials. [See letters of July 31, 1784, and Aug. 2, 1789.] Now that you have recovered some measure of health and strength, employ it all to the glory of Him that gave it. Now go on to perfection! Hunger and thirst after righteousness, till you are satisfied therewith; then you will be more and more near to, my dear Fanny, Yours affectionately. My love to your mother. To Mrs. Charles Wesley [8] NORTH GREEN, August 7, 1788.

DEAR SISTER, -- As the Conference ended yesterday afternoon, my hurry is now a little abated. I cannot blame you for having thoughts of removing out of that large house. If you could find a lodging to your mind, it would be preferable on many accounts, and perhaps you might live as much without care as you did in the great mansion at Garth. I was yesterday inquiring of Dr. Whitehead whether Harrogate would not be better for Sally than the sea water. [Sally went to Ramsgate. See letter of Sept. 1.] He seems to think it would; and I should not think much of giving her ten or twenty pounds to make a trial. But I wish she could see him first, which she might do any day between seven and eight in the morning. Some of the first moneys I receive I shall set apart for you [See letter of Dec. 21.]; and in everything that is in my power you may depend upon the willing assistance of, dear Sally, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Mrs. Wesley, In Chesterfield Street, Marybone. To Walter Churchey [9] LONDON, August 8, 1788.

MY DEAR BROTER, -- I think you know that I love you and that I should rejoice to do anything for you that is in my power. And one allowed proof of love is plain dealing. Therefore I will speak to you without any reserve. There are many good lines, and some very good, both in the ode and in the translation of The Art of Painting. And I really think you improve in versifying: you write a good deal better than you did some years ago. You express your sense with more perspicuity than you used to do, and appear to have greater variety of words as well as more strength. But there is nothing (to use the modern cant word) sentimental in either the ode or the translation. There is nothing of tender or pathetic, nothing that touches the passions. Therefore no bookseller would venture to buy them, as knowing they will not sell. And they lie utterly out of the way of the Methodists, who do not care to buy or even to read (at least the generality of them) any but religious books. I do not believe all my influence would induce them to buy as many copies as would suffice to pay for the printing. I have not yet seen my brother's translation of the Psalms. Neither, indeed, could I as yet have time to read it, were it put into my hands. If any had asked my advice, they would not have thrust out the account of George Lukins [Lukins had been exorcised in the Vestry of Temple Church, Bristol. See Journal, vii. 362.] into the world so prematurely. It should have been fully authenticated first. I am, with love to Sister Churchey, Your affectionate brother. I expect to be at Brecon on Sunday se'nnight. To Arthur Keene LONDON, August 8, 1788.

MY DEAR ARTHUR, -- Even at this busy time I must snatch a few minutes to write. You have now an easy way to show your affection for me and your willingness to be advised by me. It is the belief of many that you will see me in Ireland no more. But if I should live till spring, I shall endeavor to visit Dublin at the usual time, about the end of March. [He arrived in Dublin for his last visit on March 29, 1789.] If then you have a real regard for me, see that your preaching-house [In Whitefriar Street. See letter of June 16.] be enlarged without delay. Forward the building that it may be ready when I come. Do this, and I shall know that you have a love for, my dear Arthur, Your ever affectionate brother. My kind love attend Bella and all the little ones. To Lady Maxwell LONDON, August 8, 1788. MY DEAR LADY, -- It is certain many persons both in Scotland and England would be well pleased to have the same preachers always. But we cannot forsake the plan of acting which we have followed from the beginning. For fifty years God has been pleased to bless the itinerant plan, the last year most of all. It must not be altered till I am removed; and I hope will remain till our Lord comes to reign upon earth.

DEAR NANCY, -- Last night I received yours at Monmouth. The same complaint which you make of not receiving an answer to your letter another person had just been making. But I had answered you both. I cannot therefore but conclude that both my letters had some way or other miscarried. Since I saw you a young slender girl just beginning to seek salvation I do not remember that you ever offended in anything. But you was always exceeding dear to me. So you are still. And I would show it effectually if my power were equal to my will. I love you the more because you are a daughter of affliction. I suppose you are still in God's school. But you still remember He loveth whom He chasteneth. If you love me still, write freely to, my dear Nancy, Yours very affectionately. To Miss Bolton, In Witney, Oxfordshire. To John Atlay [10] PEMBROKE, August 23, 1788. MY DEAR BROTHER, -- If you are persuaded that such a promise (which is the whole and sole cause of the breach at Dewsbury) is binding, &c., you must follow your persuasion. You will have blame enough from other persons; my hand shall not be upon you. If I can do you good, I will; but I shall certainly do you no harm. George Whitfield is the person I choose to succeed you. I wish you would teach him as much as you can without delay. -- I am, with kind love to Sister Atlay, Your affectionate brother. To Elizabeth Baker [11] CARMARTHEN, August 26, 1788. MY DEAR BETSY, -- Since I had the pleasure of seeing you I have been thinking much on what you said concerning your loving others too much. In one sense this cannot be; you cannot have too much benevolence for the whole human race: but in another sense you may; you may grieve too much for the distresses of others, even so much as to make you incapable of giving them the relief which otherwise you should give them. So I know one that, when he sees any one in strong pain, directly faints away. [See letter of Aug. 8 to Lady Maxwell.] It is something like this which you mean by feeling too much for others You can give me two or three instances of it, and then I shall be better able to judge.

When I heard of your marriage it gave me pain. I was afraid least you should have suffered loss. [See letter of Oct. 12.] Do you feel as much union with God as ever As close fellowship with the Father and the Son And is it as constant as ever Are you as happy as you was once And do you ever think of, my dear Jenny, Your affectionate brother

MY DEAR BROTHER, -- As soon as ever Sister Dickinson is able to go abroad let her enter upon her labor of love. In things of this kind particularly delays are dangerous. Every good purpose will cool and die away if it is not as soon as possible put in execution. Only let us not undertake too much at a time. Generally one visit will be enough for one day, and that should not last above half an hour, or an hour at farthest. I wrote a few days since to Mr. Hanby concerning his baptizing and administering the Lord's supper wherever he goes. He answers me, 'He intends to do still, for he believes it to be his duty.' I wish Brother Creighton and Moore and Rankin and you would spend an hour together, as it is a point of the utmost importance, and consider what steps are to be taken in this matter. Can this be connived at If so, I fear it is a blow at the very root of Methodism. And if not, you see the consequence: he will join John Atlay. Consider likewise another point: ought we to suffer Dr. Coke to pick out one after another the choicest of our young preachers [Evidently for his missionary work.] Peace be with your spirits! -- I am Your affectionate friend and brother. To Lancelot Harrison [17] DUBLIN, April 11, 1789. MY DEAR BROTHER, -- A letter which I received two or three days ago from George Whitfield [His Book Steward.] informs me that I outran my income so far last year as to be now above two hundred pounds in debt. I have therefore promised him not to draw upon him any more before the end of next month. But do you not remember the rule in the Minutes of Conference that we are not to begin the building of any preaching-house before two-thirds of the money is subscribed This rule we may not dispense with. And I am afraid this is not the case with regard to the house you are speaking of at Lincoln. I doubt, therefore, whether the time be come for your building there. But you have cause to rejoice that the work of God prospers there, as well as at poor Blighton. -- I am, etc. To Alexander Knox [18] DUBLIN, April 11, 1789.

MY DEAR BROTHER, -- I am glad to hear that there is so fine a prospect at Dalkeith. So is generally the way of our Lord, to try us first, and then to comfort. It is pity but James Ridall [See letter of Dec. 17, 1787.] had thoroughly settled his affairs before he attempted to travel. If that had been done, there is no doubt but he would have been useful wheresoever he went. I wish, however, Brother Dall may make a good conclusion with regard to the chapel at Dumfries. [See letter of Jan. 28.] Peace be with you and yours! -- I am, dear Zachary, Your affectionate brother. To Mrs. Armstrong [20] TULLAMORE, April 22, 1789. MY DEAR SISTER, -- You told me 'I forgot you once in not answering your letter'; but if I did, I shall not be in much danger of forgetting you again. I love you too well to forget you, and the more because I find you still looking upward and endeavoring to secure a better portion than this short-enduring world can give. I am glad you are in Athlone at this season, because peacemakers are wanted there, and I know you love making peace. I hope you will comfort your sister Rutledge. She has been sadly distressed; and a word spoken in season, how good it is I I think you will lose no opportunity of doing good to her or to any one. That you and yours may be a pattern to all is the sincere wish of, my dear sister, Yours affectionately. To Mrs. James Armstrong, Athlone. To Arthur Keene [21] PORTARLINGTON, April 23, 1789. MY DEAR ARTHUR, -- I will not, I dare not draw the saw of controversy any longer; especially with James Deaves, [See letters of Aug. 2, 1788 (to Mrs. Ward), and May 20.] who will dispute through a stone wall.

MY DEAR BROTHER, -- It was affirmed to me that you gave one of the first occasions of disagreement by 'refusing to read the Prayers and speaking contemptuously of them.' Conversing with so many Presbyterians in Scotland might easily lead you into such a prejudice. I have lying by me a very warm letter from one Edward Thomas, who seems ready to swallow up all that speak a word against Lawrence Kane. [Kane was Assistant at Plymouth. Thomas acknowledged his faults, and was restored to the Society. See letters of June 9 and Aug. 29.] I hear nothing from Nehemiah Janes. You are blamed for not preaching as often as you can; I hope there is no ground for this charge. [See letter of July 23, 1788.] Take care your own spirit is not sharpened! -- I am Your affectionate brother. To Mr. Surer, At the Preaching-house, In Plymouth Dock. To Walter Churchey CLONES, May 25, 1789. MY DEAR BROTHER, -- I am afraid of delay. I doubt we shall not be able to be as good as our word, although in the last proposals I have protracted the time of delivery till the 1st of August. As you are not a stripling, I wonder you have not yet learned the difference between promise and performance. [See letters of May 4 and Aug. 26.] I allow at least five-and-twenty per cent.; and from this conviction I say to each of my subscribers (which, indeed, you cannot so decently say to yours), 'Sir, down with your money.' I know Dr. [Ogilvie] well [Probably Dr. John Ogilvie, an extract from whose poem 'Solitude, or The Elysium of the Poets,' in favor of Ossian, appears in Churchey's volume.]: he is a lovely man, and an excellent poet. I commend you for inoculating the children. I believe the hand of God is in our present work; therefore it must prosper. Indeed, I love Sister Churchey; and am Your affectionate friend and brother. To Thomas Wride SIDARE, May 28, 1789.

It will be well if you can raise a sufficient collection to build a preaching-house in Jersey. [See letter of Nov. 5, 1788.] And why not, if you set upon it in faith Are not all things possible to him that believeth But if you do build, take care to have windows enough and two broad doors; and do not build a scarecrow of an house. Certainly, whenever you leave Jersey and Guernsey, you will do well to return to Ireland. But have a care! If you give way to discontent, it will find you in any place. -- I am Your affectionate friend and brother. To the Printer of the 'Dublin Chronicle' [24] LONDONDERRY, June 2, 1789. SIR, -- 1. As soon as I was gone from Dublin, the Observer came forth, only with his face covered. Afterwards he came out under another name, and made a silly defense for me, that he might have the honor of answering it. His words are smoother than oil, and flow (who can doubt it) from mere love both to me and the people. 2. But what does this smooth, candid writer endeavor to prove, with all the softness and good humor imaginable Only this point (to express it in plain English), that I am a double-tongued knave, an old crafty hypocrite, who have used religion merely for a cloak, and have worn a mask for these fifty years, saying one thing and meaning another. A bold charge this; only it happens that matter of fact contradicts it from the beginning to the end.

I would go a good way to take you and your dear family by the hand; but the price of traveling by sea is now.... When I crossed the Atlantic, a cabin passenger paid five pounds for his passage. Now they have swelled it to above twice as much. I should willingly give fifty pounds toward your passage; and Eternal Providence, exceeding thought, When none appears, can make itself a way. I am glad of the information you gave me concerning the state of things in America. I shall be better able to understand the accounts which Dr. Coke will probably give me. O what a comfort it is to think that the Lord reigneth and will order all things well! I commit you and dear Mrs. Heath (how I love her 1) to His keeping and arms. -- Dear sir, Your affectionate friend and brother. The Rev. Mr. Heath, At Burlington, New Jersey. To Anna and Maria Heath [30] June 26, 1789. MY DEAR ANNA AND MARIA, -- I love to see your names, and I . . . the paper. Perhaps I may live to see those that wrote them. If not, I shall see you in a better place. -- My dear children, adieu! To Mrs. Ingram DUBLIN, June 28, 1789. MY DEAR MADAM, -- Your letter gave me much satisfaction. I am obliged to you for taking the trouble of writing. Indeed, when I saw your name, I was afraid of finding a fresh accusation; therefore I was the more agreeably surprised when I read what you had written. I shall not easily do anything that would give you pain; but whatever would be agreeable to you will be so to, [See next letter.] dear Madam, Your affectionate servant, To Rebecca Ingram DUBLIN, June 28, 1789.

LEEDS, August 3, 1789. DEAR SALLY, -- I did not receive any letter from you but that which you wrote the last month. You may be assured of my answering every letter which I receive from you, because I have a real regard for you. I love you with a tender affection. You do well, therefore, whenever you write, to unbosom your whole soul to me. You may tell me any trial you meet with, and that with all simplicity. And tell me, on the other hand, whatever manifestations of the ever-blessed Trinity you find, and whatever uncommon degree of faith or hope or love you are favored with from time to time. I hope you speak freely to Mr. Tattershall. [See letter of Dec. 15 to Miss Mallet.] He is an excellent man and deeply acquainted with the things of God. You may learn much from him, and the more because you are willing to learn; you are glad to be instructed. To do you any service that is in my power will always be a pleasure to, dear Sally, Yours affectionately. To Miss Sarah Mallet. To Dr. Bradshaw [2] PLYMOUTH DOCK, August 15, 1789. DEAR SIR, -- I cannot, dare not, will not suffer Thomas Olivers to murder the Arrninian Magazine any longer. The errata are intolerable and innumerable. They shall be so no more. But he need not starve. He has the interest of some hundred pounds yearly. To which I will add thirty pounds a year quamdiu se bene gesserint. [The Act of Settlement, 1701, secured the Judges' independence, quamdiu se bene gesserint ('as long as they behave themselves well'). Previously they had been subject to dismissal at the will of the King.] -- I am, dear sir, Your affectionate servant. To the Rev. Dr. Bradshaw, No. 137 Bishopsgate Street. To the Methodist Preachers [3] REDRUTH, August 23, 1789. Some years since, Mr. Valton wrote to me from Yorkshire, informing me there was great want of a larger preaching-house at Dewsbury, and desiring leave to make subscriptions and collections, in order to build one. I encouraged him to make them. Money was subscribed and collected, and the house built, which the trustees promised to settle in the usual form. But when it was finished, they refused to settle it, unless a power was given them to displace any preacher they should object to.

MY DEAR BROTHER, -- The case of Mr. Holmes of all others ought to have been fully discussed at the Conference. It has been mentioned, I know, once and again, but not clearly determined. Several of our brethren did not think it proper to burden ourselves with an old man and his family. Surely it is not proper for me single to overrule their judgment. I do not see what I can do. I would be willing to serve him any way I can; but I do not see what way it can be done. -- I am, with kind love to Sister Thom, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Mr. Thom, At the Preaching-house, In Sarum. To Dr. Coke [6] BRISTOL, September 5, 1789. DEAR SIR, -- Upon serious reflection I doubt if it would not be more proper for you to go westward than northward. I surely believe it would be best for you to set out from London, so as to meet me here about Monday or Tuesday fortnight on your way to Cornwall. Then you may give Brother Dobson (to whom my love) a sermon at West Street for the poor children. [See letter of Feb. 21, 1786.] I wish you to obey 'the Powers that be' in America; but I wish you to understand them too. I firmly believe Brother Dunn will answer your expectation. The tyrants in that house sadly want one to overlook them; and he will do it both with wisdom and tenderness. The Society begins to lift up its head again. We had a remarkably good time. -- I am, dear sir, Your affectionate friend and brother. To the Printer of the 'Bristol Gazette' [7] BRISTOL, HORSEFAIR, September 7, 1789. 1. In the reign of King James I an Act of Parliament was made prohibiting the use of that poisonous herb called hops. It does not appear that this Act has ever been repealed. But in process of time it has been forgotten, and the poisonous weed introduced again. It has continued in use ever since; and that upon a general supposition, (1) that it was very wholesome, greatly promotive of health, and (2) that malt drink would not keep without it.

MY DEAR SISTER, -- I know not what to do or what to say. This untoward man so perplexes me It is not my business to find houses for the preachers' wives. I do not take it upon me. I did not order him to come to Burslem. I only permitted what I could not help. I must leave our brethren to compromise these matters among themselves. They are too hard for me. A preacher is wanted in Gloucester circuit. One of them may go thither. -- I am, with love to Brother Warwick, [Someone has written across the letter, To Mrs. Warwick concerning Michael Moorhouse. See letter of July 7, 1786.] my dear sister, Your affectionate brother. To the Methodist People [8] BRISTOL. September 11, 1789. 1. When, about fifty years ago, one and another young man offered to serve me as sons in the gospel, it was on these terms, that they would labor where I appointed; otherwise we should have stood in each other's way. Here began itinerant preaching with us. But we were not the first itinerant preachers in England. Twelve were appointed by Queen Elizabeth to travel continually, in order to spread true religion through the kingdom; and the office and salary still continue, though their work is little attended to. Mr. Miller, late Vicar of Chipping in Lancashire, was one of them. 2. As the number of preachers increased it grew more and more difficult to fix the places where each should labor from time to time. I have often wished to transfer this work of stationing the preachers once a year to one or more of themselves. But none were willing to accept of it. So I must bear the burden till my warfare shall be accomplished.

3. When preaching-houses were built, they were vested immediately in trustees, who were to see that those preached in them whom I sent, and none else; this, we conceived, being the only way whereby itinerancy could be regularly established. But lately, after a new preaching-house had been built at Dewsbury in Yorkshire by the subscriptions and contributions of the people (the trustees alone not contributing one quarter of what it cost), they seized upon the house, and, though they had promised the contrary, positively refused to settle it on the Methodist plan, requiring that they should have a power of refusing any preacher whom they disliked. If so, I have no power of stationing the Dewsbury preachers; for the trustees may object to whom they please. And themselves, not I, are finally to judge of those objections. [See letters of Aug. 23 and Sept. 15, 1789 (to Henry Moore).] 4. Observe, here is no dispute about the right of houses at all. I have no right to any preaching-house in England. What I claim is a right of stationing the preachers. This these trustees have robbed me of in the present instance. Therefore only one of these two ways can be taken: either to sue for this house, or to build another. We prefer the latter, being the most friendly way. I beg, therefore, my brethren, for the love of God; for the love of me, your old and wellnigh worn-out servant; for the love of ancient Methodism, which, if itinerancy is interrupted, will speedily come to nothing; for the love of justice, mercy, and truth, which are all so grievously violated by the detention of this house; that you will set your shoulders to the necessary work. Be not straitened in your own bowels. We have never had such a cause before. Let not, then, unkind, unjust, fraudulent men have cause to rejoice in their bad labor. This is a common cause. Exert yourselves to the utmost. I have subscribed fifty pounds. So has Dr. Coke. The preachers have done all they could. O let them that have much give plenteously! Perhaps this is the last labor of love I may have occasion to recommend to you. Let it, then, stand as one more monument of your real gratitude to, my dear brethren, Your old, affectionate brother. To Mrs. Armstrong BRISTOL, September 15, 1789.

To save postage I desire you to tell Mr. Rankin that I hope to be at Cobham [See previous letter.] at or before noon on Saturday se'nnight, and that I am perfectly satisfied with his letter. The point of reading Prayers at the Chapels shall be fixed if I live to see London; the design of such was sufficiently explained at the Conference. Whether I shall go straight to Oxfordshire I have not yet determined. -- I am, with kindest love to Nancy, Your affectionate friend and brother. To the Printer of the 'Bristol Gazette' BRISTOL, September 25, 1789. SIR, -- I am obliged to your ingenious and candid correspondent for his late remarks. He justly observes that 'unfermented Malt drink is not fit for common beverage.' But it may be fermented without hops full as well as with them. The fermentation (to which I have no objection) is caused not by the hops but the yeast. I believe the other ingredients in porter correct the noxious quality of the hops, and make it very wholesome drink to those with whose constitution it agrees. The last paragraph of this gentleman's letter I heartily subscribe to, and wish it were inserted in every public paper throughout the three kingdoms: 'If good malt liquor could be made without hops' (nay, it is made; as good as any in England), 'the saving in this respect would be such as would very well enable the brewer to pay an additional duty on his beer equal to five times the annual revenue arising from hops; and the hop grounds might be converted into excellent corn land.' This is a stroke indeed! And deserves to be well considered by all lovers of their country. [See letters of Sept. 7 and Oct. 3.] To Jonathan Brown, Isle of Man [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,

I am glad Tommy Farrant [Probably Thomas Tennant, Jackson's colleague.] continues to exert himself. The more he does the more he may; for to him that hath (even what he hath) shall be given, and he shall have more abundantly.--I am, with love to Sister Jackson, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Thomas Rutherford LONDON, January 22, 1790. DEAR TOMMY, -- You do well to exclude all that will not regularly meet their class. I am glad you were so unanimous at the Yearly Meeting and that Brother [Erckbarn] made that excellent proposal. The sooner it is carried into execution the better. Dr. Coke hopes to visit you in summer. He is in an excellent spirit. But he must take Scotland in the way to Ireland. You send me good news indeed concerning Sister Cox. [See letter of July 31, 1785.] See the work of the Lord. She should immediately meet in a lively band. And our friends will take care that she does not want. My kind love to her and to Sister Rutherford. -- I am, dear Tommy, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Adam Clarke [2] LONDON, January 28, 1790. DEAR ADAM, -- I often wonder at the people of Bristol. They are so honest, yet so dull; 'tis scarce possible to strike any fire into them. Only with God all things are possible. Many years ago I put the Society at Bath in a way wherein, if they had persevered, they would now have owed nothing. They were at Plymouth but thirty in number, and their debt was fourteen hundred pounds. I advised them, Let every member subscribe monthly what he can; and an hundred at the Dock promised to do the same. 'I,' said one, 'will give a crown a month'; 'I,' said another, 'half a crown.' Many subscribed a shilling, sixpence, or threepence a month. And now the debt is paid. I began such a subscription in Bath; as I have done in many places with success. But they left it off in two or three weeks. Why Because I gave four guineas to prevent one that was arrested from going to jail! Good reason, was it not 'Why,' said one and another, 'might he not have given it to me'

DEAR ADAM, -- On Monday, March 1st, I hope to set out hence; and to preach that evening and on Tuesday at half hour past six o'clock in Bath. On Thursday, if he desires it, I will dine at Mr. Durbin's; and on Monday following begin as usual to meet the classes. I am not at all sorry that James Gore is removed from this evil world. You and I shall follow him in due time, as soon as our work is done. Many of our friends have been lately gathered into the garner as ripe shocks of wheat. Peace be with both your spirits! -- I am, dear Adam, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Mrs. Cock LONDON, February 13, 1790. MY DEAR SISTER, The tender affection which I bear you makes me love to see your name at the bottom of a letter; but especially when it brings me the good news that your spirit is still rejoicing in God your Savior. My sight is so far decayed that I cannot well read a small print by candlelight; but I can write almost as well as ever I could: and it does me no harm but rather good to preach once or twice a day. I love to hear the particulars of your experience, and I had a letter a few days ago from one of our sisters in Scotland whose experience agrees much with yours; only she goes further. She speaks of being 'taken up into heaven, surrounded with the blessed Trinity, and let into God the Father.' I commend you to His care; and am Yours most affectionately. To Joseph Benson NEAR LONDON, February 16, 1790. DEAR JOSEPH, -- On Monday se'nnight the 1st I hope to be at Bath; on the Thursday following at Bristol; on Monday the I5th I expect to be at Stroud, and on the Friday following at Birmingham. In a few days you will see the remaining part of my treatise [Was this The Rules of the Strangers' Friend Society in Bristol, dated Bristol, March 12, 1790 See Journal, viii. 49; Miles's Chronological History (4th edition), p. 180; Tyerman's Wesley, iii. 253; and letter of Dec. 31, 1785, to John Gardner.] in one of the public papers.

MY DEAR BROTHER, -- John Atlay goes on with flying colors, telling all that will give him the hearing how cruelly he has been used by me and the preachers after having faithfully served me so many years. He does not much concern himself about truth, but affirms whatever he thinks will serve his cause. But it is enough that He who is higher than the highest regards it, and will in due time cause His power to be known. I am glad to hear that the work of God prospers in your circuit. So it does here, notwithstanding all the pains such small friends take to hinder it. In due time God will command all these things to work together for good. -- I am Your affectionate brother. To Mr. Andrews, near Hertford. To the care of Mr. Whitfield, New Chapel, London. To William Smith WAKEFIELD, April 23, 1790. MY DEAR BROTHER, -- Your reasons are good. I entirely agree with your judgment. Considering the kindness which your friends in Londonderry have shown, it would not be advisable for you to be removed from them immediately. You had better remain with them another year. [See letter of March 21.] I will therefore write to Dr. Coke that it may be so. But O beware of thinking too highly of yourself. You walk on slippery ground. May God keep you humble. -- I am, Your affectionate brother. To Henry Moore PARKGATE, April 25, 1790. I thank you, my dear Harry, for giving me another proof that you are a man to be depended on. You keep your love and you keep your integrity even among weathercocks, But who was it that turned Dr. Coke from east to west and (much more strange!) Dr. Hamilton But how is the fact Is the Society in Dublin quiet or no Is contention forgot or does it continue Are a majority of the people for retaining or for abolishing the eleven o'clock service [See letters of May 6, x788, and May 12, 1790.] Surely Dr. Coke is not well in his senses.

I have wrote a loving but plain letter to Arthur Keene [See next letter, and that of July 6, 1789.] (without saying a word of the forenoon service) to this effect: 'You would not have been justified in removing such a friend as me even if I had turned Papist or Mahometan.' -- I am, with kind love to Nancy, dear Henry, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Arthur Keene PARKGATE, LEEDS, April 28, 1790. DEAR ARTHUR, -- Many years you and I loved as brethren. We were united by no common ties. We took sweet counsel together and walked to the house of God as friends. On a sudden you renounced all intercourse with me, because, you said, I had left the Church. Alas! what a cause! Are such friends as I was to be thrown away for such a reason as this Truly I think such a step would not have been justifiable if I had turned Papist or Mahometan, much less for my turning Presbyterian, if it only had been so. And to your example chiefly was owing the unjust, unkind behavior which I met with from many when I was in Dublin last! Well, I cannot help it; I am to be guided by my own conscience, not that of another man! Many a weary journey have I had to Ireland; I seem now to be fairly discharged. May the peace of God be with you and yours! I do not depend on seeing you any more till we meet in the world of spirits. Dear Arthur, adieu! To Arthur Keene, Esq., Dublin. To his Niece Sarah Wesley PARKGATE, April 28, 1790.

MY DEAR SALLY, -- Now if you was but sitting at my elbow you would see one of the pleasantest spots in the world. A round, clear fishpond is at a small distance surrounded by a smooth, green meadow which has a gently rising hill on one side and is surrounded with trees. After breakfast we are going to Miss Ritchie at Otley, [He had breakfast at 8, and reached Otley at 10.15. He got back to London on Oct. 2. See Journal, viii. 62, 100-1.] who will not be sorry to hear I have been writing to you. I shall now soon be moving northward; but must shorten my journey through Scotland as the work increases on all sides. If I am brought back into England, I shall then be able to judge whether I can take London in my way to Bristol. But I doubt I shall not be able to reach it before my usual time (if I live), the beginning of October. I am glad to find you have not forgotten your way to the City Road. You should always look on our house as one of your homes; and when you are there, you will not forget Mrs. Dickinson--no, nor poor George Whitfield. There is a little knot of people that love you well. What a blessing it is to have a few sincere friends! Surely they that fear the Lord can want no manner of thing that is good! I wish Charles and Sammy [See next letter and that of June 12.] could find their way thither. Well, the time is coming when we shall meet and part no more. My kind love attends you all.--I am, my dear Sally, Ever yours. Miss Ritchie writes:

If you had covered the wound with white paper wetted with spittle, it would have stuck on till you was well. 'Perhaps it might still. But if not, the coal poultice will cure you in a few days. Pound common coal at fire; sift it through a sieve; mix this powder with warm water; put this poultice, half an inch thick, into a linen between on the sore, changing it every four-and-twenty hours. But you will have need of patience. -- I am, my dear Sally, Yours most affectionately. To Mrs. Cock NEAR BRISTOL, July 22, 1790. MY DEAR SISTER, -- I have reason to bless God that I can still see a little; so that I can as yet go on in my business: and it is enough if we are enabled either to do or to suffer His holy and acceptable will. It is no wonder if among yourselves there arise men speaking perverse things. Wherever our Lord sows His good seed Satan will endeavor to sow his tares also; and they are suffered, the tares and the wheat, to grow up together for a season, to exercise our faith and patience. I hope Mr. Stevens will be more and more useful among you, as his eye is single; therefore there can be no objection to his continuing with you a little longer. [William Stevens was appointed to Portsmouth in 1790; he died in 1813.] I am always glad to hear a little of your experience; and, indeed, the more the better. Wishing you and yours every blessing, I remain, Yours most affectionately. To Sarah Rutter [2] BRISTOL, July 27, 1790. MY DEAR SISTER, -- I thank you for forwarding me the account of your brother's death. There is something in it very remarkable. You do well in taking care of the lambs of the flock. See that you never be weary of that labor of love. [See letters of Dec. 5, 1789, and Oct. 18, 1790.] Mr. Jenkins will stay with you another year. I hope you can now give God your whole heart. O let not your sisters stay behind you. -- I am, dear Sally, Yours affectionately. To William Robarts BRISTOL, July 28, 1790. MY DEAR BROTHER, -- I am glad you have at last done with temporal business. I believe you was called to better things long ago.

Now, sir, what can the Methodists do They are liable to be ruined by the Conventicle Act, and they have no relief from the Act of Toleration! If this is not oppression, what is Where, then, is English liberty the liberty of Christians yea, of every rational creature, who as such has a right to worship God according to his own conscience But, waiving the question of right and wrong, what prudence is there in oppressing such a body of loyal subjects If these good magistrates could drive them not only out of Somersetshire but out of England, who would be gainers thereby Not His Majesty, whom we honor and love; not his Ministers, whom we love and serve for his sake. Do they wish to throw away so many thousand friends, who are now bound to them by stronger ties than that of interest If you will speak a word to Mr. Pitt on that head, you will oblige, &c. To Mrs. Armstrong BRISTOL, August 4, 1790. MY DEAR SISTER, -- A few days ago I was thinking much of you, probably at the very time you was writing. I was wishing to hear something of you or from you, so that your letter came exactly in time. It gives me pleasure to find that your heart is still tending to its center. Cheerfulness is a great blessing; but it is exceeding liable to be carried to an extreme, especially where it is a natural liveliness of temper, which I believe is your case. I have often loved you for it, especially as it was joined with softness and not harshness. But I thought it was apt to betray you into levity either of spirit or of conversation; whereas we can hardly grow without deep and steady seriousness. My sight is no worse than it was some months since, and my strength is considerably increased. It is not impossible I may live till spring; and if I do so, I am likely to see Ireland once more. The hope of seeing one that loves me (as I am persuaded Jenny Armstrong does) would be no small inducement to my undertaking a voyage, although the sea affected me the last time more than it ever did before. [See letter of June 24, 1789.] However, receive at least this token of real affection from, my dear Jenny, Yours in wider love.

DEAR GEORGE, -- The Assistant in every circuit (not the leaders) is to determine how each Preacher is to travel. If Jonathan Hern [His colleague in the Dales Circuit. See letter of Nov. 8.] will not or cannot take his turn with his fellow laborers, I must send another that will. I do not like dividing circuits. Could not three or more of the northern places be added to the Sunderland or Newcastle circuits, in order to lessen yours and bring it into a six weeks' circuit Pray send me the manner of your traveling through your circuit. I think I shall order it better. -- I am, with love to Sister Holder, dear George, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Samuel Wood [15] [October, 1790.] DEAR BROTHER, -- I have delivered my opinion upon this subject in one of the sermons in the Arminian Magazine, and I again say that though a parent has not a positive authority yet he has a negative i.e., though a child is not obliged to marry whom its parent pleases, yet it ought not to marry whom he forbids, especially a daughter; and when a marriage has been contrary to a religious and prudent parent's opinion and counsel, I have rarely known it to be a happy one. -- I am Your affectionate brother. To Ann Bolton HIGH WYCOMBE, November 4, 1790.

1791 To Richard Rodda LONDON [January]. 1791. DEAR RICHARD, -- It was madness to make that matter up. I would rather have thrown it into Chancery. [See letter of Nov. 20, 1789, to him.] Charles Bond is determined, it is plain, to sell the Methodists for a wife. I do not see how you can help it. Sammy and you have done your pain. His blood is not upon your head. [Samuel Bradburn was Rodda's colleague. Bond, fourth preacher in the Manchester Circuit, was stationed at Coventry in 1791, at Norwich in 1791, and in 1793 'desisted from traveling.' See letter of July 7, 1786.] Perhaps greater consequences than yet appear may follow from the dissentions at Mr. Bayley's chapel. [Dr. Cornelius Bayley. See letter of Oct. 12, 1778.] However, it is your duty to go straight forward, breathing nothing but peace and love. I do not depend upon taking any more journeys. But if my life is prolonged I shall probably be at Manchester about the usual time. Peace be with you all! -- I am, dear brother, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Mr. Rodda, At the Preaching-house, In Manchester. To John Fry [1] CITY ROAD, January 1, 1791. MY FRIEND, -- The sum of what I said to you and to Dr. Hamilton was this: 'I will revise that part of the Ecclesiastical History; and if I am convinced any of it is wrong, I will openly retract it.' I have revised it again and again, but I am not convinced that any part of it is wrong; on the contrary, I am fully persuaded it is all the naked truth. What the Quakers (so called) are or do now is nothing to the purpose, I am thoroughly persuaded they were exactly such as they are described in this History. Your present summary exactly answers the account Barclay's Apology given in the 135th page of the History. O be content! I love you well; do not constrain me to speak. I do not want to say anything of George Fox; but I hope he was stark mad when he wrote that medley of nonsense, blasphemy, and scurrility styled his 'Great Mystery.' But I love and esteem you and many of the present Quakers; and am Your real friend. To Adam Clarke LONDON, January 3, 1791.

DEAR ADAM, -- I suppose the account sent to Mr. Mather concerning your running so much in debt was not sent out of love. I am glad you have cleared up the matter. So let it die and be forgot. But you startle me when you talk of grieving so much for the death of an infant. [His eldest girl died on Dec. 16, and he was suffering from rheumatic affection in the head. See letter of Jan. 18 to Mrs. Clarke.] This was certainly a proof of inordinate affection; and if you love them thus all your children will die. How did Mr. De Renty behave when he supposed his wife to be dying This is a pattern for a Christian. Be firm and duly attend St. Patrick's once a month. But you forgot to send me your thoughts on Magnetism. [See letters of April 14, 1790, and Feb. 9, 1791.] John Bredin is a weak brother. Let him not complain. He behaved ill both at Jersey and Guernsey. Pray let him behave well now; the past will be forgotten. -- I am, dear Adam, Your affectionate friend and brother. To Mr. Clarke, At the New Room, Dublin. PS. by James Rogers I hope you received my second letter about poor Simmonds, or rather that of the stewards from Plymouth Dock, as I was sorry their former letter must have reached you too long before I had it in my power to contradict it. It is wonderful how this report of your starving for want, &c., &c., in Dublin had arisen in the manner it seems to have been told our friend Mather. But I told Mr. Wesley at the time I was confident it was a mistake. It is well if some who thought, nay, often said: 'If such and such left us, the work of God as to temporals in Dublin must decline.' I say it is well if these are not the inventors of it. But, blessed be God, He will never be at loss for means to carry on His own work. My wife joins in much love to you and yours, and all friends.--I am yours, etc., etc. To Thomas Taylor [2] LONDON, January 6, 1791.

1. The Second thing you proposed was, “to throw together all which those Fathers have delivered concerning the persons said to have been endued with the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit.” (Ibid.) “Now, whenever we think or speak with reverence,” say you, “of those primitive times, it is always with regard to these very Fathers whose testimonies I have been collecting. And they were indeed the chief persons and champions of the Christian cause, the Pastors, Bishops, and Martyrs of the primitive Church; namely, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Theo philus, Tertullian, Minutius Felix, Origen, Cyprian, Arnobius, Lactantius.” Sir, you stumble at the threshold. A common dictionary may inform you that these were not all either Pastors, Bishops, or Martyrs. 2. You go on as you set out: “Yet none of these have any where affirmed, that they themselves were endued with any power of working miracles.” (Page 22.) You should say, With any of those extraordinary gifts promised by our Lord, and conferred on his Apostles. No! Have “none of these anywhere affirmed, that they themselves were endued” with any extraordinary.gifts? What think you of the very first of them, Justin Martyr Either you are quite mistaken in the account you give of him elsewhere, (pages 27, 30,) or he affirmed this of himself over and over. And as to Cyprian, you will by and by spend several pages together (page 101, &c.) on the extraordinary gifts he affirmed himself to be endued with. ThE REV. DR. MIDDLETON, 25 But suppose they had not anywhere affirmed this of them selves, what would you infer therefrom ? that they were not endued with any extraordinary gifts? Then, by the very same method of arguing, you might prove that neither St. Peter, nor James, nor John, were endued with any such. For neither do they anywhere affirm this of themselves in any of the writings which they have left behind them. 3. Your argument concerning the apostolic Fathers is just as conclusive as this. For if you say, “The writers following the apostolic Fathers do not affirm them to have had any miraculous gifts; therefore they had none;” by a parity of reason you must say, “The writers following the Apostles do not affirm them to have had any miraculous gifts; therefore the Apostles had none.” 4.

He willingly resigns all he is, all he has, to His wise and gracious disposal. The ruling temper of his heart is the most absolute submission, and the tenderest gratitude, to his sovereign Benefactor. And this grateful love creates filial fear; an awful reverence toward Him, and an earnest care not to give place to any disposition, not to admit an action, word, or thought, which might in any degree displease that indulgent Power to whom he owes his life, breath, and all things. 4. And as he has the strongest affection for the Fountain of all good, so he has the firmest confidence in Him; a confidence which neither pleasure nor pain, neither life nor death, can shake. But yet this, far from creating sloth or indolence, pushes him on to the most vigorous industry. It causes him to put forth all his strength, in obeying Him in whom he con fides. So that he is never faint in his mind, never weary of doing whatever he believes to be His will. And as he knows the most acceptable worship of God is to imitate Him he worships, so he is continually labouring to transcribe into him self all His imitable perfections; in particular, His justice, mercy, and truth, so eminently displayed in all His creatures. 5. Above all, remembering that God is love, he is conformed to the same likeness. He is full of love to his neighbour; of universal love; not confined to one sect or party; not restrained to those who agree with him in opinions, or in out ward modes of worship; or to those who are allied to him by blood, or recommended by nearness of place. Neither does he love those only that love him, or that are endeared to him by intimacy of acquaintance. But his love resembles that of Him whose mercy is over all His works. It soars above all these scanty bounds, embracing neighbours and strangers, friends and enemies; yea, not only the good and gentle, but also the froward, the evil and unthankful. For he loves every soul that God has made; every child of man, of whatever place or nation.

For he loves every soul that God has made; every child of man, of whatever place or nation. And yet this universal benevolence does in nowise interfere with a peculiar regard for his relations, friends, and benefactors; afervent love for his country; and the most endeared affection to all men of integrity, of clear and generous virtue. 6. His love, as to these, so to all mankind, is in itself gene rous and disinterested; springing from no view of advantage to himself, from no regard to profit or praise; no, nor even the pleasure of loving. This is the daughter, not the parent, of his affection. By experience he knows that social love, if it mean. the love of our neighbour, is absolutely different from self-love, even of the most allowable kind; just as different as the objects at which they point. And yet it is sure, that, if they are under due regulations, each will give additional force to the other, till they mix together never to be divided. 7. And this universal, disinterested love is productive of all right affections. It is fruitful of gentleness, tenderness, sweetness; of humanity, courtesy, and affability. It makes a Christian rejoice in the virtues of all, and bear a part in their happiness; at the same time that he sympathizes with their pains, and compassionates their infirmities. It creates modesty, condescension, prudence, together with calmness and evenness of temper. It is the parent of generosity, openness, and frankness, void of jealousy and suspicion. It begets candour, and willingness to believe and hope whatever is kind and friendly of every man; and invincible patience, never overcome of evil, but overcoming evil with good. 8. The same love constrains him to converse, not only with a strict regard to truth, but with artless sincerity and genuine simplicity, as one in whom there is no guile. And, not content with abstaining from all such expressions as are contrary to justice or truth, he endeavours to refrain from every unloving word, either to a present or of an absent person; in all his con versation aiming at this, either to improve himself in knowledge or virtue, or to make those with whom he converses some way wiser, or better, or happier than they were before. 9. The same love is productive of all right actions.

Reason, rally, laugh them out of their dead, empty forms, void of spirit, of faith, of love. Convince them, that such mean pageantry (for such it manifestly is, if there is nothing in the heart correspondent with the outward show) is absolutely unworthy, you need not say of God, but even of any man that is endued with common understanding. Show them, that while they are endeavouring to please God thus, they are only beating the air. Know your time; press on; push your victories, till you have conquered all that know not God. And then He, whom neither they nor you know now, shall rise and gird himself with strength, and go forth in his almighty love, and sweetly conquer you all together. 9. O that the time were come ! How do I long for you to be partakers of the exceeding great and precious promise ! 78 LETTER. To How am I pained when I hear any of you using those silly terms, which the men of form have taught you, calling the mention of the only thing you want, cant 1 the deepest wisdom, the highest happiness, enthusiasm What ignorance is this ! How extremely despicable would it make you in the eyes of any but a Christian | But he cannot despise you, who loves you as his own soul, who is ready to lay down his life for your sake. 10. Perhaps you will say, “But this internal evidence of Christianity affects only those in whom the promise is fulfilled. It is no evidence to me.” There is truth in this objection. It does affect them chiefly, but it does not affect them only. It cannot, in the nature of things, be so strong an evidence to others as it is to them. And yet it may bring a degree of evidence, it may reflect some light on you also. For, First, you see the beauty and loveliness of Christianity, when it is rightly understood; and you are sure there is nothing to be desired in comparison of it. Secondly. You know the Scripture promises this, and says, it is attained by faith, and by no other way. Thirdly. You see clearly how desirable Christian faith is, even on account of its own intrinsic value. Fourthly. You are a witness, that the holiness and happiness above described can be attained no other way.

I reverence them, because they were Christians, such Christians as are above described. And I reverence their writings, because they describe true, genuine Christianity, and direct us to the strongest evidence of the Christian doctrine. Indeed, in addressing the Heathens of those times, they intermix other arguments; particularly, that drawn from the numerous miracles which were then performed in the Church; which they needed only to open their eyes and see daily wrought in the face of the sun. But still they never relinquish this: “What the Scripture promises, I enjoy. Come and see what Christianity has done here; and acknowledge it is of God.” I reverence these ancient Christians (with all their failings) the more, because I see so few Christians now; because I read so little in the writings of later times, and hear so little, of genuine Christianity; and because most of the modern Christians, (so called,) not content with being wholly ignorant of it, are deeply prejudiced against it, calling it enthusiasm, and I know not what. That the God of power and love may make both them, and you, and me, such Christians as those Fathers were, is the earnest prayer of, Reverend Sir, Your real friend and servant. January 24, 1748-9. 1. YoU have heard ten thousand stories of us who are commonly called Protestants, of which if you believe only one in a thousand, you must think very hardly of us. But this is quite contrary to our Lord's rule, “Judge not, that ye be not judged;” and has many ill consequences; particularly this,--it inclines us to think as hardly of you. Hence we are on both sides less willing to help one another, and more ready to hurt each other. Hence brotherly love is utterly destroyed; and each side, looking on the other as monsters, gives way to anger, hatred, malice, to every unkind affection; which have frequently broke out in such inhuman barbarities as are scarce named among the Heathens. 2. Now, can nothing be done, even allowing us on both sides to retain our own opinions, for the softening our hearts towards each other, the giving a check to this flood of unkindness, and restoring at least some small degree of love among our neighbours and countrymen? Do not you wish for this?

This is true, primi tive Christianity. O when shall it spread over all the earth ! When shall it be found both in us and you? Without waiting for others, let each of us, by the grace of God, amend one. 16. Are we not thus far agreed? Let us thank God for this, and receive it as a fresh token of his love. But if God still loveth us, we ought also to love one another. We ought, without this endless jangling about opinions, to provoke one another to love and to good works. Let the points wherein we differ stand aside; here are enough wherein we agree, enough to be the ground of every Christian temper, and of every Christian action. Obrethren, let us not still fall out by the way! I hope to see you in heaven. And if I practise the religion above described, you dare not say I shall go to hell. You cannot think so. None can persuade you to it. Your own conscience tells you the con trary. Then if we cannot as yet think alike in all things, at least we may love alike. Herein we cannot possibly do amiss. For of one point none can doubt a moment,-“God is love; and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him.” 17. In the name, then, and in the strength of God, let us resolve, First, not to hurt one another; to do nothing unkind or unfriendly to each other, nothing which we would not have done to ourselves: Rather let us endeavour after every instance of a kind, friendly, and Christian behaviour towards each other. Let us resolve, Secondly, God being our helper, to speak nothing harsh or unkind of each other. The sure way to avoid this, is to say all the good we can, both of and to one another: In all our conversation, either with or concerning each other, to use only the language of love; to speak with all softness and tenderness; with the most endearing expres sion which is consistent with truth and sincerity. 86 RoMAN CATECHISM, AND REPLY. Let us, Thirdly, resolve to harbour no unkind thought, no unfriendly temper, towards each other.

For how hard is it to be just to them we hate? to render them their due, either in thought, word, or action? Indeed, we vio late justice by this very thing, by not loving them as ourselves, For we do not render unto all their due; seeing love is due to all mankind. If we “ owe no man anything” beside, do we not owe this, “to love one another?” And where love is totally wanting, what other justice can be expected? Will not a whole train of injurious tempers and passions, of wrong words and actions, naturally follow P So plain, so undeniably plain it is, that this doctrine of the Church of Rome, (to instance at present in no more,) that “all but those of their own Church are accursed,” has a natural tendency to hinder, yea, utterly to destroy, justice. Fourthly. Its natural tendency to destroy mercy is equally glaring and undeniable. We need not use any reasoning to prove this: Only cast your eyes upon matter of fact! What terrible proofs of it do we see in the execrable crusades against the Albigenses! in those horrible wars in the Holy Land, where so many rivers of blood were poured out! in the many millions that have been butchered in Europe, since the begin ning of the Reformation; not only in the open field, but in prisons, on the scaffold, on the gibbet, at the stake I For how many thousand lives, barbarously taken away, has Philip the Second to give an account to God! For how many thousand, that infamous, perfidious butcher, Charles the Ninth of France 1 to say nothing of our own bloody Queen Mary, not much inferior to them I See, in Europe, in America, in the uttermost parts of Asia, the dungeons, the racks, the various tortures of the Inquisition, so unhappily styled, the House of Mercy! Yea, such mercy as is in the fiends in hell ! such mercy as the natives of Ireland, in the last century, showed to myriads of their Protestant countrymen | Such is the mercy which the doctrine of the Church of Rome very naturally inspires! Lastly. The doctrine of the Church of Rome has a natural tendency to destroy truth from off the earth.

Your meaning, therefore, I suppose, is this: It displays to others how highly he is exalted in justice, mercy, and truth. But the direct contrary of this has been shown at large; it has been shown, by various considerations, that God is not exalted, but rather dishonoured, and that in the highest degree, by supposing him to despise the work of his own hands, the far greater part of the souls which he hath made. And as to the debasing man; if you mean, this opinion truly humbles the men that hold it, I fear it does not: I have not perceived, (and I have had large occasion to make the trial,) that all, or even the generality of them that hold it, are more humble than other men. Neither, I think, will you say, that none are humble who hold it not: So that it is neither a necessary nor a certain means of humility. And if it be so some times, this only proves that God can bring good out of evil. 84. The truth is, neither this opinion nor that, but the love of God, humbles man, and that only. Let but this be shed abroad in his heart, and he abhors himself in dust and ashes. As soon as this enters into his soul, lowly shame covers his face. That thought, “What is God? What hath he done for me?” is immediately followed by, “What am I?” And he knoweth not what to do, or where to hide, or how to abase himself enough, before the great God of love, of whom he now knoweth, that as his majesty is, so is his mercy. Let him who has felt this (whatever be his opinion) say, whether he could then take glory to himself; whether he could ascribe to himself any part of his salvation, or the glory of any good word or thought. Lean, then, who will, on that broken reed for humility; but let the love of God humble my soul! 85. “Why, this is the very thing which recommends it. This doctrine makes men love God.” I answer as before. Accidentally it may; because God can draw good out of evil. But you will not say, all who hold it love God; so it is no certain means to that end.

But you will not say, all who hold it love God; so it is no certain means to that end. Nor will you say, that none love him who hold it not : Neither, therefore, is it a necessary means. But, indeed, when you talk at all of its “making men love God,” you know not what you do. You lead men into more danger than you are aware of You almost unavoid ably lead them into resting on that opinion; you cut them off from a true dependence on the fountain of living waters, and strengthen them in hewing to themselves broken cisterns, which can hold no water. 86. This is my grand objection to the doctrine of reproba tion, or (which is the same) unconditional election. That it is an error, I know ; because, if this were true, the whole Scripture must be false. But it is not only for this--because it is an error--that I so earnestly oppose it, but because it is an error of so pernicious consequence to the souls of men; because it directly and naturally tends to hinder the inward work of God in every stage of it. 87. For instance: Is a man careless and unconcerned, utterly dead in trespasses and sins?--Exhort him then (suppose he is of your own opinion) to take some care of his immortal soul. “I take care!” says he: “What signifies my care? Why, what must be, must be. If I am elect, I must be saved; and if I am not, I must be damned.” And the reasoning is as just and strong, as it is obvious and natural. It avails not to say, “Men may abuse any doctrine.” So they may. But this is not abusing yours. It is the plain, natural use of it. The premises cannot be denied, (on your scheme,) and the conse quence is equally clear and undeniable. Is he a little serious and thoughtful now and then, though generally cold and lukewarm?--Press him then to stir up the gift that is in him; to work out his own salvation with fear and trembling. “Alas,” says he, “what can I do !

Why, this 304 ANSWER TO LETTERS To is the very thing which we call faith. So you have fairly given up the whole question, justified your opponents, and condemned yourself as “damnably criminal !” I object, Fourthly, that you have no charity, and that you know not what charity is. That you know not what it is, manifestly appears from the wonderful definition you give of it. “Charity,” you say, “is fellowship with God in his blessedness.” (Page 453.) Muddy, confused, ut nihil supra /* We know, he that loveth hath fellowship with God. But yet the ideas of one and of the other are widely different. We know, “God is love; and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him.” But yet loving him is not the same thing with dwelling in him. If it were, the whole sentence would be flat tautology. You say, 2. Charity is “the love of the truth.” (Page 456.) Not at all: No more than it is the love of the sun. It is the love of God, and of man for God’s sake: No more and no less. You say, 3. “Christ is known to us only by report.” That is not granted. “And charity is the love of that report.” (Page 455.) Every intelligent reader will want no farther proof, that you know not what charity is. No wonder then that you have it not; nay, that you are at the utmost distance, both from the love of God and of your neighbour. You cannot love God, because you do not love your neighbour. For he that loves God, loves his brother also. But such hatred, malevolence, rancour, bitterness, as you show to all who do not exactly fall in with your opinion, was scarce ever seen in a Jew, an Heathen, or a Popish inquisitor.- “Nay, but you abhor persecution. You would persecute no man.” I should be very loath to trust you. I doubt, were it in your power, you would make more bonfires in Smithfield than Bonner and Gardiner put together. But if not, if you would not persecute with fire and faggot, Mirum " Ut neque calce lupus quenquam, neque dente petit bos : + What does this prove? Only that you murder in another way. * So as nothing can exceed it.-EDIT.

I am, with great sincerity, Dear Sir, Your affectionate brother and servant, 3. After waiting near two years, and receiving no answer to the second any more than the first Letter, in 1758 I printed “A Preservative against Unsettled Notions in Religion.” I designed this at first only for the Preachers who were in connexion with me. But I was afterwards induced to think it might be of use to others that were under my care. I designed it for these, and these alone, though I could not help its falling into other hands. Accordingly, I said, “My design in publishing the following Tracts, is not to reclaim, but to preserve.” To preserve those to whom I had frequently and strongly recommended Mr. Hervey’s Dialogues, from what I disapproved of therein, I inserted the above Letter; and that without any addition, as intending it only “for those who already knew the truth,” whom I wished to preserve from everything wrong, while they profited by what was admirably right, in his Dialogues. No wonder there fore that those notes (as Mr. Hervey remarks in the same page) “have rather the air of a caveat than a confutation.” I never intended them for a confutation; and even when I sent them to the press, I designed them merely as a caveat to my friends against imbibing truth and error together. 4. A considerable time after, I was much surprised by an information, that Mr. Hervey “was going to publish against me.” I immediately wrote a short letter to him, which his friends may easily find among his papers. It was to this effect, and, so far as I can recollect, nearly in these words: “After waiting above a year for an answer to my last letter, I printed it in the close of a larger treatise. If you have anything to object to me, I expect that, as a gentleman and a Christian, you will behave to me as I did to you. Send me the letter first. And if I do not give you a satisfactory answer in a year, then publish it to all the world.” I am inclined to believe, this prevented the publication of these papers during his life. And with his dying breath, (I have it under his brother’s hand,) he desired they might not be published at all. How comes it then to be done now?

He speaks plain and downright: “Seeming strictness of behaviour will not justify those who forget, ‘There is a way which seemeth right unto a man; but the end thereof is the way of death.” (Page 46.) Again: “What claim can he have to genuine Christianity, whose professed experience gives God the lie? “Say I these things as a man, or saith not the law the same also ?’ It is a deadly charity that flatters men with a persuasion that they are in the way of life, whom the Scripture pronounces in a way of destruction.” Dr. E.'s charity is of another kind It is Mr. Sandi man’s charity It reminds me of the charity of an Antinomian in London; one, I mean, who was newly recovered from that delusion: “Sir,” said she, “last week I would not have been content to kill you, if I could not have damned you too.” I pray God to deliver me from such charity ! charity, cruel as the gravel But what right have I to complain of Dr. E. ? He has no obligation to me. My speaking of him everywhere as I have done, was a point of justice, not of friendship. I had only the desire, but not the power, of doing him any kindness. I could not say to him, “Nevertheless thou owest me thine own soul also.” I have it not under Dr. E.'s hand, as I have under Mr. Hervey's, “Shall I call you my father, or my friend? You have been both to me.” If those related to me by so near, so tender, ties, thus furiously rise up against me, how much more may a stranger,-one of another nation? “O Absalom, my son, my son 1’’ IN his twenty-first page, Dr. E. says, “How far Mr. Wesley’s Letter was an answer to anything material in the Preface, the reader will best judge by perusing it.” I have annexed it here, that the reader may judge, whether it is not an answer to one very material thing, namely, the charge of “concealing my sentiments,” for which Dr. E. condemns me in the keenest manner, and on which very account he makes no scruple to pronounce me “a thief and a robber.” I need only premise, that I wrote it not out of fear, (as perhaps Dr. E.

I know you will not say so. Meantime, in the main point (justification by faith) I have not wavered a moment for these seven-and twenty years. And I allow all which Mr. Hervey himself contends for, in his entrance upon the subject, --“Come to Jesus as a needy beggar; hang upon him as a devoted pensioner.” And whoever does this, I will be bold to say, shall not perish everlastingly. As to your main objection, convince me that it is my duty to preach on controverted subjects, predestination in par ticular, and I will do it. At present I think it would be a sin. I think it would create still more divisions. And are there not enough already? I have seen a book written by one who styles himself, “Ecclesiae direptae et gementis Presbyter.”* Shall I tear ecclesiam direptam et gementem?t God forbid! No; I will, so far as I can, heal her breaches. And if you really love her, (as I doubt not you do,) why should you hinder me from so doing? Has she so many friends and helpers left, that you should strive to lessen their number? Would you wish to turn any of her friends, even though weak and mistaken, into enemies? If you must contend, have you not Arians, Socinians, Seceders, Infidels, to contend with ; to say nothing of whoremongers, adulterers, Sabbath-breakers, drunkards, common swearers? O ecclesia gemens ! And will you pass by all these, and single out me to fight with? Nay, but I will not. I do and will fight with all these, but not with you. I cannot; I dare not. You are the son of my Father; my fellow-labourer in the gospel of his dear Son. I love your person; I love your character; I love the work wherein you are engaged. And if you will still shoot at me, (because Mr. Hervey has painted me as a monster) even with arrows drawn from Bishop Warburton’s quiver, (how unfit for Mr. 's hand!) I can only say, as I always did before, The Lord Jesus bless you in your soul, in your body, in your relations, in your work, in whatever tends to his own glory ! I am, Dear Sir, Your affectionate brother, • A Presbyter of a pillaged and groaning Church.-EDIT. + This Church which is torn asunder and groaning.--EDIT. 1.

It is the most egregious trifling that can be conceived. I affirm, “Those perfected in love are saved from inward sin.” To prove I contradict myself herein, fourteen passages are alleged, wherein I affirm, “We are not saved from inward sin, till we are ‘perfected in love.’” (3.) The same fallacy is used in every instance, when some of my words are set in opposition to others. The sum is, - weak believers, babes in Christ, are not, adult believers are, saved from inward sin. And I still aver, there is no contra diction in this, if I know what a contradiction means. Now to the proofs:-- 76. “The Son hath made them who are thus ‘born of “They are sensible of pride remaining in their hearts.” God’ free from pride.” They? Who? Not those who are thus “born of God,” who are “perfected in love.” 77. “From the iniquity of pride, And self, I shall be free.” That is, when I am “perfected in love.” 78. “They are freed from wanderings in prayer.” “God’s children are daily sensible of pride and self will.” That is, till they are “perfected in love.” Is this spoken of all be lievers? Mr. H. knows it is not. 79. “Christians are saved from all sin, from all unrighte ousness.” 80. “They (adult Chris tians) are freed from all evil thoughts and evil tempers.” 81. “They (fathers in Christ) are freed from evil thoughts.” True, adult Christians. “The (infant) children of God have in them sin of every kind.” “The evil nature opposes the Spirit even in believers,” --till they arefathers in Christ. 82. “Christ was free from sinful thoughts. So are they likewise,”--adult believers. 83. “I believe some would say, ‘We trust we do keep the whole law of love.’” “This doctrine (that all be lievers are thus free) is wholly new.” “Believers are conscious of not fulfilling the whole law of love;” not till they are “per fected in love.” The reader will please to remember all along, the question is not whether the doctrine be right or wrong, (that has been elsewhere considered,) but whether I contradict myself. Upwards of fourscore witnesses have been already examined on this head; but no contradiction is proved yet. 84. “Some do love God with “They (weak believers) do all their heart and strength.” not love God with all their heart and strength.” 85.

Let me entreat you, if not for the honour of God, yet for the honour of your cause, avoid, for the time to come, all anger, all spite, all sourness and bitterness; all contemptuous usage of your opponents, not inferior to you, unless in fortune. “O put on again bowels of mercies, kindness, gentleness, long-suffering; endeavouring to hold,” even with them that differ from you in opinion, the “unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace l” BRIsToL, September 9, 1772. “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.” Romans xii. 18. 1. IT is far from my design to give a particular answer to everything contained in Mr. Hill’s late treatise. I intend only to offer to the impartial reader a few cursory remarks, which may partly explain and partly confirm what I have already said upon the subject. 2. “Poor Mr. Wesley,” says Mr. Hill, opening his cause with native eloquence, “has published various tracts, out of which Mr. Hill collects above an hundred gross contradictions. At this Mr. W.’s temper is much ruffled; ” (I believe not; I am not sensible of it;) “he primes, cocks, and fires at Calvinism; and there is smoke and fire in plenty. But if you can bear the stench, (which indeed is very nauseous,) there is no danger of being wounded. He calls this last cannon, or pop-gun, “Remarks’ on my Review. Men of sense say, it is quite unfit for duty; men of grace compas sionate the caster of it; men of pleasantry laugh heartily at it; but some good old women speak highly of it.” (Pages 3--5.) I give this passage at some length, as a genuine specimen of Mr. Hill's manner of writing. 3. But as Mr. Hill did not “choose to prefix his name, it argued no great proof of Mr. W.’s politeness, to address him in the personal manner he has done.” Which of us began? Was it not Mr. Hill? Did not he address me in a personal manner first? And some, beside the old women, are of opinion, he did not do it in the politest manner in the world. 4. “Mr. W. would have us know, that his piece is written in much love. But what love? Love to his own incon sistencies; love of scolding, love of abuse.

Love to his own incon sistencies; love of scolding, love of abuse. Let the reader 416 REMARKS ON MR. HILL’s find out any other sort of love through the whole performance.” In order to judge whether I wrote in love or no, let any one read the words he has picked out of fifty-four pages, just as they stand connected with others in each page; it will then appear they are not contrary either to love or meekness. 5. But Mr. W. says, Mr. Hill “is unworthy the name either of the gentleman or the Christian; and is amazed that Mr. Hill should lay claim to either of those titles.” (Page 6.) Not so. It is my belief that Mr. Hill is both a gentleman and a Christian; though I still think, in his treatment of Mr. Fletcher and me, he has acted beneath his character. Yet it is very likely, “a friend of yours” (not mine) “might say, I wrote in much wrath.” (Page 7.) I wrote then in just as much wrath as I do now; though your friend might think otherwise. 6. Nay, but Mr. W. “gives all the Calvinist Ministers the most scurrilous, Billingsgate language, while he is trumpeting forth his own praises, in Mr. F.’s ‘Second Check to Antinomianism.’” (Page 8.) - A small mistake. I do not give Billingsgate language to any one: I have not so learned Christ. Every one of those Hymns, out of which Mr. Hill culls the harshest expressions, are not mine, but my brother’s. Neither do I trumpet forth my own praises. Mr. Hill's imagining I do, arises from an innocent mistake. He con tinually takes for granted that I read over and correct all Mr. F.’s books before they go to the press. So far from it, that the “Fourth Check to Antinomianism” I have not read over to this day. But Mr. W. “thinks himself to be the greatest Minister in the world.” Exceedingly far from it. I know many now in England, at whose feet I desire to be found in the day of the Lord Jesus. 7. To that question, “Why does a man fall upon me, because another gave him a good beating?” Mr. Hill answers, “If your trumpet had not given the alarm, we should not have prepared ourselves for the battle.” (Page 53.) Nay, truly, not mine, but Mr. Shirley’s.

Baroe, Bishop Wilkins, Dr. Clark, and George Bell, are utterly thrown away. As to George Bell, Mr. Richard says, Mr. M d “justly censures the enthusiasm and credulity of Mr. John, in paying so much attention to Bell’s ridiculous reveries; in calling him a sensible man, and entreating him to continue in his society, on account of the great good he did. However, Bell refused to remain in connexion with him, because of his double dealings and unfaithful proceedings; for he sometimes was full of Bell’s praises; at other times, he would warn the people against him. He also gives a particular narration of what he rightly calls the ‘comet enthusiasm.” Mr. John preached more than ten times about the comet, which he supposed was to appear in 1758, to burn up all the produce of the earth, and 424 REMARKs on MR. HILL’s lastly to execute its grand commission on the globe itsclf, causing the stars to fall from heaven.” (Farrago, p. 37.) What an heap of dirt is here raked together ! I must not let it pass quite unnoticed. (1.) He “justly censures the enthu siasm and credulity of Mr. Wesley in paying so much atten tion to Bell’s ridiculous reveries.” Nay, so very little, that I checked them strongly, as soon as ever they came to my know ledge; particularly his whim about the end of the world, which I earnestly opposed, both in private and public. (2) “Bragging of the many miraculous cures he had wrought.” I bragged of--that is, simply related, the case of Mary Special, and no other; in the close of which I said, “Here are three plain facts,--She was ill; she is well; she became so in a moment. Which of these can with any modesty be denied?” I still ask the same question. (3.) That I ever called him “a sensible man,” is altogether false. A man of faith and love I then knew him to be; but I never thought him a man of sense. (4.) That I “entreated him to continue in the society,” is likewise totally false. (5.) Nor did I ever tell him, on that or any other occasion, of “the great good” he did. I know he was an instrument in God’s hands of convincing and converting many sinners. But though I speak this now to all the world, I never spoke it to himself.

3. “Not a single line tending to vindicate, or illustrate, any one fundamental doctrine of the gospel appears throughout the whole.” (Imposture Detected, p. 4.) Yes: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God,” is one fundamental doctrine of the gospel: “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself,” is another. And both these are vindicated and illustrated for several pages together. 4. “His sacrilegious hand violates the ashes of the dead, traduces the character of Mr. Whitefield, insinuates that he was the first who preached in the open air; with the greatest bitterness of speech, traduces the dead, as a Dissenter from the Church.” (Page 16.) My words are: “A good man, who met with us at Oxford, while he was absent from us, conversed much with Dissenters, 448 ANswer. To MR. Row LAND HILL's and contracted a strong prejudice against the Church; and not long after he totally separated from us;” (Ibid., page 429;) from my brother and me. This is every word I say about Mr. Whitefield. And is this “violating the ashes of the dead?” Is this “traducing his character?” Certainly not traducing him as “a Dissenter from the Church,” much less “with the greatest bitterness of speech.” Where is the bitterness? And this is the whole ground for pouring out such a flood of abuse, obloquy, and calumny | But Mr. Hill goes on : “With ungodly craft he claws up the ashes of the dead. He says Mr. Whitefield, by conversing with the Dissenters,” (I mean chiefly the Presbyterians in New England,) “contracted a strong prejudice against the Church.” (Imposture Detected, p. 18.) I say so still. And how will Mr. Hill disprove it? Why, “he manifested his strong attachment to the Church, by erecting Tottenham Court chapel, for the celebration of the Church Service; yea, and reading the Liturgy himself.” Nay, if this proved his strong attachment to the Church, it will equally prove mine; for I have read the Liturgy as often as he, and I am now erecting a chapel (hinc ille lachrymae /* for the celebration of the Church Service. 5. “He cast lots for his creed.” (Page 8.) Never in my life. That paltry story is untrue. They who tell it cast no honour upon him who published a private letter, wrote in confidence of friendship. 6.

24. “He trumpets himself forth as the greatest man that has ever lived since Constantine the Great.” (Page 37.) This too is in italics; it might have been in capitals; but it is an utter falsehood. Mr. Hill might as well have said, “He trum pets himself forth as the King of Great Britain.” The passage to which I suppose he alludes, and the only one he can allude to, is this: “When has true religion, since the time of Constantine the Great, made so large a progress within so small a space?” (Sermons, Vol. VII., p. 425.) Is this “trumpeting myself forth as the greatest man that has ever lived since” then 7 25. “All his disciples are commanded not to read what is wrote against him.” (Imposture Detected, page 38.) No; it is the Tabernacle disciples are commanded not to read Mr. Fletcher. And reason good; for there is no resisting the force of his arguments. Thousands, if they read them with any candour, would see that “God willeth all men to be saved.” 26. Mr. Hill concludes: “I should have been glad to have addressed him in the softest and most tender style. But those are weapons he turns to ridicule.” (Page 39.) When? Show me a single instance. Indeed I never was tried. What Calvinist ever addressed me in a soft and tender style? And which of them did I turn to ridicule? I am utterly guiltless in this matter. II. 1. I have now done with the merits of the cause, having refuted the charge in every article. And as to the manner, let any man of candour judge, whether I have not spoken the truth in love. I proceed now to take some notice of the manner wherein Mr. Hill speaks: To illustrate which, I need only present a few of his flowers to the impartial reader. 2. “All the divinity we find in this wretched harangue which he calls a sermon, are a few bungling scraps of the religion of nature, namely, love to God and love to man, which an Heathen might have preached as well as Mr. John; ” (polite ) “and probably in a much better manner.

The premises indeed are a little different, but the conclusion is one and the same. If every thought, word, and action necessarily depends upon those traces in the brain, which are formed whether we will or no, without either our consent or knowledge; then the man has no more liberty in thinking, speaking, or acting, than the stone has in falling. III. That great man, President Edwards, of New-England, places this in a still stronger light. He says,-- 1. The whole frame of this world wherein we are placed is so constituted, that, without our choice, visible objects affect our eyes, sounds strike upon the ear, and the other things which surround us affect the other bodily organs, according to their several natures. 2. The nerves, which are spread all over the body, without anv choice of ours, convey the impression made on the out ward organ to the common sensory; supposed to be lodged either in the pineal gland, or in some other part of the brain. 3. Immediately, without our choice, the perception or sensation follows: And from this, 4. The simple apprehension, (analogous to sensation,) which furnishes us with simple ideas. 5. These ideas are more and more associated together, still without our choice; and we understand, judge, reason accord ingly; yea, love, hate, joy, grieve, hope, or fear. 6. And according to our passions we speak and act. Where is liberty then? It is excluded. All you see, is one con nected chain, fixed as the pillars of heaven. IV. To the same effect, though with a little variation, speaks the ingenious Lord Kames. He says,-- The universe is one immense machine, one amazing piece of clock-work, consisting of innumerable wheels fitly framed, and indissolubly linked together. Man is one of these wheels, fixed in the middle of this vast automaton. And he moves just as necessarily as the rest, as the sun or moon, or earth. Only with this difference, (which was necessary for completing the design of the great Artificer,) that he seems to himself perfectly free; he imagines that he is unnecessitated, and master of his own motion; whereas in truth he no more directs or moves himself, than any other wheel in the machine.

Meantime, you are sensible, love does not forbid, but rather require, plainness of speech. Has it not often constrained you, as well as me, to lay aside, not only disguise, but reserve also; and “by manifestation of the truth to commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God?” And while I endeavour to do this, let me earnestly entreat you, for the love of God, for the love of your own soul, for the love of the souls committed to your charge, yea, and of the whole Church of Christ, do not bias your mind, by thinking who it is that speaks; but impartially consider what is spoken. And if it be false or foolish, reject it; but do not reject “the words of truth and soberness.” My first design was, to offer a few plain thoughts to the Clergy of our own Church only. But upon farther reflection, I see no cause for being so “straitened in my own bowels.” I am a debtor to all; and therefore, though I primarily speak to them with whom I am more immediately connected, yet I would not be understood to exclude any, of whatsoever denomination, whom God has called to “watch over the souls of others, as they that must give account.” In order to our giving this account with joy, are there not two things which it highly imports us to consider: First, What manner of men ought we to be? Secondly, Are we such, or are we not? I. And, First, if we are “overseers over the Church of God, which he hath bought with his own blood,” what manner of men ought we to be, in gifts as well as in grace P 1. To begin with gifts; and, (1.) With those that are from mature. Ought not a Minister to have, First, a good understanding, a clear apprehension, a sound judgment, and a capacity of reasoning with some closeness? Is not this necessary in an high degree for the work of the ministry? Otherwise, how will he be able to understand the various states of those under his care; or to steer them through a thousand difficulties and dangers, to the haven where they would be? Is it not necessary, with respect to the numerous enemies whom he has to encounter?

Would it be possible for a parent to go through the pain and fatigue of bearing and bringing up even one child, were it not for that vehement affection, that inexpressible sopy", which the Creator has given for that very end? How much less will it be possible for any Pastor, any spiritual parent, to go through the pain and labour of “travailing in birth for,” and bringing up, many children to the measure of the full stature of Christ, without a large measure of that inexpressible affection which “a stranger intermeddleth not with !” He therefore must be utterly void of understanding, must be a madman of the highest order, who, on any consideration whatever, undertakes this office, while he is a stranger to this affection. Nay, I have often wondered that any man in his senses does not rather dig or thresh for a livelihood, than continue therein, unless he feels at least (which is extremá lined amare+) such an earnest concern for the glory of God, and such a thirst after the salvation of souls, that he is ready to do anything, to lose anything, or to suffer anything, rather than one should perish for whom Christ died. And is not even this degree of love to God and man utterly inconsistent with the love of the world; with the love of money or praise; with the very lowest degree of either ambition or sensuality? How much less can it consist with that poor, low, irrational, childish principle, the love of diversions? (Surely, even a man, were he neither a Minister nor a Christian, should “put away childish things.”) Not only this, but the love of pleasure, and what lies still deeper in the soul, the love of ease, flees before it. (3.) As to his practice: “Unto the ungodly, saith God, Why dost thou preach my laws?” What is a Minister of Christ, a shepherd of souls, unless he is all devoted to God? unless he abstain, with the utmost care and diligence, from every evil word and work; from all appearance of evil; yea, from the most innocent things, whereby any might be offended or made weak? Is he not called, above others, to be an example to the flock, in his private as well as public character? * This quotation from Terence is thus translated by Colman : “Love in its last degree.”--EDIT.

If it does, not unto me, but unto God be the praise ! If it does not, “God be merciful to me a sinner !” At least, do I feel such a concern for the glory of God, and such a thirst after the salvation of men, that I am ready to do any thing, however contrary to my natural inclination, to part with anything, however agreeable to me, to suffer anything, however grievous to flesh and blood, so I may save one soul from hell? Is this my ruling temper at all times and in all places? Does it make all my labour light? If not, what a weariness is it! what a drudgery ! Had I not far better hold the plough? But is it possible this should be my ruling temper, if I still love the world? No, certainly, if I “love the world, the love of the Father is not in” me. The love of God is not in me, if I love money, if I love pleasure, so called, or diversion. Neither is it in me, if I am a lover of honour or praise, or of dress, or of good eating and drinking. Nay, even indolence, or the love of ease, is inconsistent with the love of God. What a creature then is a covetous, an ambitious, a 'luxurious, an indolent, a diversion-loving Clergyman | Is it any wonder that infidelity should increase, where any of these are to be found? that many, comparing their spirit with their profession, should blaspheme that worthy name whereby they are called? But “woe be unto him by whom the offence cometh ! It were good for that man if he had never been born.” It were good for him now, rather than he should continue to turn the lame out of the way, “that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the depth of the sea!” (3.) May not you who are of a better spirit consider, Thirdly, Am I such as I ought to be with regard to my practice? Am I, in my private life, wholly devoted to God? Am I intent upon this one thing,-to do in every point “not my own will, but the will of Him that sent me?” Do I carefully and resolutely abstain from every evil word and work?

A battle was fought, which lasted three days. And the engagement was so bloody, that four thousand five hundred men were slain upon the spot.” Such is the manner wherein the Negroes are procured ! Thus the Christians preach the Gospel to the Heathens ! 5. Thus they are procured. But in what numbers and in what manner are they carried to America? Mr. Anderson, in his History of Trade and Commerce, observes: “England supplies her American colonies with Negro slaves, amounting in number to about an hundred thousand every year;” that is, so many are taken on board our ships; but at least ten thousand of them die in the voyage; about a fourth part more die at the different islands, in what is called the season ing. So that at an average, in the passage and seasoning together, thirty thousand die; that is, properly, are murdered. O Earth, O Sea, cover not thou their blood | 6. When they are brought down to the shore in order to be sold, our Surgeons thoroughly examine them, and that quite naked, women and men, without any distinction; those that are approved are set on one side. In the mean time, a burning-iron, with the arms or name of the company, lies in the fire, with which they are marked on the breast. Before they are put into the ships, their masters strip them of all they have on their backs: So that they come on board stark naked, women as well as men. It is common for several hundred of them to be put on board one vessel, where they are stowed together in as little room as it is possible for them to be crowded. It is easy to suppose what a condition they must soon be in, between heat, thirst, and stench of various kinds. So that it is no wonder, so many should die in the passage; but rather, that any survive it. 7. When the vessels arrive at their destined port, the Negroes are again exposed naked to the eyes of all that flock together, and the examination of their purchasers. Then they are separated to the plantations of their several masters, to see 68 ThiOUGh T.S UPON SLAVERY. each other no more.

But you well know how populous, how fruitful, how pleasant it was a few years ago. You know, the people were not stupid, not wanting in sense, considering the few means of improvement they enjoyed. Neither did you find them savage, fierce, cruel, treacherous, or unkind to strangers. On the contrary, they were, in most parts, a sensible and ingenious people. They were kind and friendly, courteous and obliging, and remarkably fair and just in their dealings. Such are the men whom you hire their own countrymen to tear away from this lovely country; part by stealth, part by force, part made captives in those wars which you raise or foment on purpose. You have seen them torn away,+children from their parents, parents from their children; husbands from their wives, wives from their beloved husbands, brethren and sisters from each other. You have dragged them who had never done you any wrong, perhaps in chains, from their native shore. You have forced them into your ships like an herd of swine,--them who had souls immortal as your own; only some of them leaped into the sea, and resolutely stayed under water, till they could suffer no more from you. You have stowed them together as close as ever they could lie, without any regard either to decency or convenience. And when many of them had been poisoned by foul air, or had sunk under various hardships, you have seen their remains delivered to the deep, till the sea should give up his dead. You have carried the survivors into the vilest slavery, never to end but with life; such slavery as is not found among the Turks at Algiers, no, nor among the Heathens in America. 3. May I speak plainly to you? I must. Love constrains me; love to you, as well as to those you are concerned with. Is there a God? You know there is. Is he a just God? Then there must be a state of retribution; a state wherein +he just God will reward every man according to his Thou GhiTS UPON SLAVERY. 77 works. Then what reward will he render to you? O think betimes ! before you drop into eternity | Think now, “He shall have judgment without mercy that showed no mercy.” Are you a man? Then you should have an human heart. But have you indeed?

“Fear not,” therefore, ye “little flock,” if the overflowing scourge should come. But “enter ye into the rock, and hide ye for a little moment in the dust, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: The earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain ''” To FRIENDs AND CountRYMEN, 1. AbouT a year and a half ago, being exceedingly pained at what I saw or heard continually, I wrote a little tract entitled, “A Calm Address to our American Colonies;” but the ports being just then shut up by the Americans, I could not send it abroad, as I designed. However, it was not lost; within a few months, fifty, or perhaps an hundred thousand copies, in newspapers and otherwise, were dispersed throughout Great Britain and Ireland. The effect exceeded my most sanguine hopes. The eyes of many people were opened; they saw things in a quite different light. They perceived, and that with the utmost clearness, how they had been hoodwinked before. They found, they had been led unawares into all the wilds of political enthusiasm, as far distant from truth and common sense, as from the real love of their country. 2. I am encouraged hereby to address myself 3nce more, not indeed to my countrymen afar off, but to you who remain in your native land, who are inhabitants of old England. I have no private views in doing this. I attend no great man’s table. I have nothing to ask, either of the King, or any of his Ministers. You may easily believe this; for if I had sought wealth or preferment half a century ago, I should hardly think it worth while to seek it now, when I have one foot in the grave. But I have a view to contribute all that in me lies to the public welfare and tranquillity. A flame was studiously kindled some time since, which threatened to involve the whole nation. By the blessing of God, it is greatly checked; it does not spread, or blaze as formerly. But it is not quite put out. I wish to quench the remains of that evil fire. 3.

3. My view is, as far as is possible, to lessen, if not remove, the misunderstandings under which many honest, well-meaning men are labouring to this day; misunderstand ings which have caused much animosity, nay, much bitterness and rancour in their minds against those who equally “strive to have a conscience void of offence towards God and towards man.” I would fain have all these duly sensible of the blessings which they enjoy; that they may be thankful to the Giver of every blessing, and may love one another as He has loved us. 4. Surely every man of candour and humanity must wish well to such an attempt; in the prosecution of which I will first endeavour to set down, in as plain and artless a manner as I can, according to the best light I have, the real state of those affairs which have occasioned these misunderstandings; and then add two or three short reflections, which I con ceive naturally deducible therefrom. 5. And, First, I will set down, in as plain and artless a manner as I can, according to the best light I have, the real state of those affairs which have occasioned these misunder standings. I have perhaps had some means of information which many others have not had. Over and above those accounts which have been published, I have had abundance of letters from persons in America, on whose judgment, veracity, and impartiality I could safely depend; especially from the provinces of New-York, Virginia, Maryland, and Penn sylvania. I have likewise had the opportunity of conversing freely and largely with many that came from those provinces, and of comparing together the accounts of those who were attached to one or the other party. And I shall endeavour to deliver the plain facts, without speculations concerning them. 6. In the year 1737, my brother took ship, in order to return from Georgia to England. But a violent storm drove him up to New-England; and he was for some time detained at Boston.

increasing or decreasing?” Increasing or decreasing, in what respects? I beg leave to offer you, on this head, some of the most sensible remarks I have seen on the subject, with some little variations and additions: “The state of the nation has respect to nine capital articles; population, agriculture, manufactures; the land and fresh-water carriage of goods, salt-water carriage of goods; the state of our fisheries at home and abroad, the tendency of our taxes, the clear amount of the revenue, and the national debt. All of these, taken together, form that complex idea which we call ‘the state of the nation.’ “In order therefore to know the state of the nation, we should compare each of these articles, as they subsist at present, with the like articles as they subsisted in some former period, in order to see whether our national affairs have gone backward or forward since that time. And what time more proper than the year 1759?--that period of glory and of conquest, when everything was supposed to go right, as we are told that everything now goes wrong.” 1. “Im regard to population, it is to be feared that our numbers have decreased since the year 1759.” This has been boldly affirmed, and that over and over; yet I cannot allow it by any means; and I have such opportunities of being informed as few persons in England have; as I see almost all the large towns in the kingdom, once in two years at least, and can there fore make these inquiries on the spot, as minutely as I please. We may allow, that within this time, twenty or thirty thousand English soldiers have been sent abroad. Allow, likewise, seventy or eighty thousand emigrants, from England and Scotland only. Hereby there is a decrease of an hundred thousand, within less than twenty years. I read likewise, in a very beautiful Poem, of a “Deserted”--what? province? county? metropolis ? No-‘‘Village,” somewhere on the Wiltshire Downs! Yet not quite deserted; for a gentleman who lives there informs me, he cannot learn it has had more inhabitants within these hundred years than it has at this day. I allow too, that some of the villages near the Land’s End are less populous than formerly; but what is all this loss, taken together, in comparison of the increase?

O let your heart be toward him; seek him from the heart | Fear sin, more than want, more than death. And cry mightily to Him who bore your sins, till you have bread to eat that the world knoweth not of; till you have angels' food, even the love of God shed abroad in your heart; till you can say, “Now I know that my Redeemer liveth, that he hath loved me, and given himself for me; and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God!” I. “WHAT is smuggling?” It is the importing, selling, or buying of run goods; that is, those which have not paid the duty appointed by law to be paid to the King. 1. Importing run goods. All smuggling vessels do this with an high hand. It is the chief, if not the whole, business of these to bring goods which have not paid duty. 2. Next to these are all sea Captains, Officers, sailors, or passengers, who import anything without paying the duty which the law requires. 3. A third sort of smugglers are all those who sell anything which has not paid the duty. 4. A fourth sort, those who buy tea, liquors, linen, hand kerchiefs, or anything else which has not paid duty. II. “But why should they not? What harm is there in it 2 * 1. I answer, open smuggling (such as was common a few years ago, on the southern coasts especially) is robbing on the highway; and as much harm as there is in this, just so much there is in smuggling. A smuggler of this kind is no honester than an highwayman. They may shake hands together. 2. Private smuggling is just the same with picking of pockets. There is full as much harm in this as in that. A smuggler of this kind is no honester than a pickpocket. These may shake hands together. 3. But open smugglers are worse than common highway men, and private smugglers are worse than common pick pockets. For it is undoubtedly worse to rob our father than one we have no obligation to. And it is worse still, far worse, to rob a good father, one who sincerely loves us, and is at that very time doing all he can to provide for us and to make us happy.

3. “Well, but I am not convinced it is a sin: My conscience does not condemn me for it.” No ! Are you not convinced that robbery is a sin? Then I am sorry for you. And does not your conscience condemn you for stealing? Then your conscience is asleep. I pray God to smite you to the heart, and awaken it this day ! 4. “Nay, but my soul is quite happy in the love of God; therefore I cannot think it is wrong.” I answer, Wrong it must be, if the Bible is right. Therefore either that love is a mere delusion, a fire of your own kindling, or God may have hitherto winked at the times of ignorance. But now you have the means of knowing better; now light is offered to you; and if you shut your eyes against the light, the love of God cannot possibly continue. 5. “But I only buy a little brandy or tea now and then, just for my own use.” That is, I only steal a little. God says, “Steal not at all.” 6. “Nay, I do not buy any at all myself; I only send my child or servant for it.” You receive it of them; do you not? And the receiver is as bad as the thief. 7. “Why, I would not meddle with it, but I am forced by my parent, husband, or master.” If you are forced by your father or mother to rob, you will be hanged neverthe less. This may lessen, but does not take away, the fault; for you ought to suffer rather than sin. 8. “But I do not know that it was run.” No! Did not he that sold it tell you it was? If he sold it under the common price, he did. The naming the price was telling you, “This is run.” 9. “But I do not know where to get tea which is not run.” I will tell you where to get it; you may have it from those whose tea is duly entered, and who make a conscience of it. But were it otherwise, if I could get no wine but what I knew to be stolen, I would drink water; yea, though not only my health but my life depended upon it; for it is better to die than to live by thieving. 10.

What! will you sell your soul to the devil for a draught of drink, or for a morsel of bread? O consider what you do | Act as if the whole election depended on your single vote, and as if the whole Parliament depended (and therein the whole nation) on that single person whom. you now choose to be a member of it. But if you take nothing of any, for whom shall you vote? For the man that loves God. He must love his country, and that from a steady, invariable principle. And by his fruits you shall know him. He is careful to abstain from all appearance of evil. He is zealous of good works, as he has opportunity, doing good to all men. He uses all the ordinances of God, and that both constantly and carefully. And he does this, not barely as something he must do, or what he would willingly be excused from ; no, he rejoices in this his reason able service, as a blessed privilege of the children of God. But what, if none of the candidates have these fruits? Then vote for him that loves the King, King George, whom. the wise providence of God has appointed to reign over us. He ought to be highly esteemed in love, even for his office’ sake. A King is a lovely, sacred name. He is a Minister of God unto thee for good. How much more such a King, as has been, in many respects, a blessing to his subjects | You may easily know those who love him not; for they generally glory in their shame. They “are not afraid to speak evil of dignities;” no, not even of the “ruler of their people.” Perhaps you will say, “But I love my country; therefore I am for the country interest.” I fear you know not what you say. Are you against your King because you love your country? Who taught you to separate your King from your country? to set one against the other? Be assured, none that loves either. True lovers of their country do not talk in this senseless manner. Is not the interest of the King of England, and of the country of England, one and the same? If the King is destroyed, doth it profit the country? if the country, does it profit the King?

if the country, does it profit the King? Their interest cannot be divided. The welfare of one is the welfare of both. Have you an objection of a different kind? Do you say, “I am for the Church? The Church of England for ever ! Therefore I vote for ; he is a true Churchman, a lover of the Church.” Are you sure of that? Friend, think a little. What kind of a Churchman is he? a whoring Church man, a gaming Churchman, a drunken Churchman, a lying Churchman, a cursing and swearing Churchman? or a red hot persecuting Churchman, that would send all Dissenters to the devil at a clap? For shame ! for shame ! Do you call a man a Churchman, who knows no more of God than a Turk? call a man a Churchman, that does not even pretend to so much religion as would serve an honest Heathem? He is a lover of the Church who is a lover of God, and conse quently of all mankind. Whoever else talks of loving the Church, is a cheat. Set a mark upon that man. Above all, mark that man who talks of loving the Church, and does not love the King. If he does not love the King, he cannot love God. And if he does not love God, he cannot love the Church. He loves the Church and the King just alike. For indeed he loves neither one nor the other. O beware, you who truly love the Church, and therefore cannot but love the King; beware of dividing the King and the Church, any more than the King and country. Let others do as they will, what is that to you? Act you as an honest man, a loyal subject, a true Englishman, a lover of the country, a lover of the Church; in one word, a Christian one that fears nothing but sin, that seeks nothing but heaven, and that desires nothing but God; nothing but glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will towards men I 1. ARE you to die? Must you leave this world, and carry nothing of it away with you? Naked as you came out of your mother's womb, naked shall you return. And are you never to come back into this world? Have you no more place under the sun ?

Give thy strength unto thy servant, that thy love may fill my heart, and be the motive of all the use I make of my understanding, my affections, my senses, my health, my time, and whatever other talents I have received from thee. Let this, O God, rule my heart without a rival; let it dispose all my thoughts, words, and works; and thus only can I fulfil my duty and thy command, of loving thee “with all my heart, and mind, and soul, and strength.” O thou infinite Goodness, confirm thy past mercies to me, by enabling me, for what remains of my life, to be more faithful than I have hitherto been to this thy great command. For the time I have yet to sojourn upon earth, O let me fulfil this great duty. Permit me not to be in any delusion here; let me not trust in words, or sighs, or tears, but love thee even as thou hast commanded. Let me feel, and then I shall know, what it is to love thee with all my heart. O merciful God, whatsoever thou deniest me, deny me not this love. Save me from the idolatry of “loving the world, or any of the things of the world.” Let me never love any creature, but for thy sake, and in subordination to thy love. Take thou the full possession of my heart; raise there thy throne, and command there as thou dost in heaven. Being created by thee, let me live to thee; being created for thee, let me ever act for thy glory; being redeemed by thee, let me render unto thee what is thine, and let my spirit ever cleave to thee alone. Iet the prayers and sacrifices of thy holy Church, offered unto thee this day, be graciously accepted. “Clothe thy Priests with righteousness, and pardon all thy people who are not prepared according to the preparation of the sanctuary.” Prosper all those who are sincerely engaged in propagating or promoting thy faith and love ( )*: “Give thy Son the Heathen for his inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for his possession;” that from the rising up of the sun unto the going down of the same, thy name may be great among the Gentiles.

7. Have I mentioned any failing or fault of any man, when it was not necessary for the good of another? 8. Have I unnecessarily grieved any one by word or deed? 9. Have I before or in every action considered how it might be a means of improving in the virtue of the day? Particular Questions relative to the Love of God. 1. HAVE I set apart some of this day to think upon his perfections and mercies? 2. Have I laboured to make this day a day of heavenly rest, sacred to divine love? 3. Have I employed those parts of it in works of necessity and mercy, which were not employed in prayer, reading, and meditation? O MY Father, my God, I am in thy hand; and may I rejoice above all things in being so. Do with me what seemeth good in thy sight; only let me love thee with all my mind, soul, and strength. I magnify thee for granting me to be born in thy Church, and of religious parents; for washing me in thy baptism, and instructing me in thy doctrine of truth and holiness; for sustaining me by thy gracious providence, and guiding me by thy blessed Spirit; for admitting me, with the rest of my Christian brethren, to wait on thee at thy public worship; and for so often feeding my soul with thy most precious body and blood, those pledges of love, and sure conveyances of strength and comfort. O be gracious unto all of us, whom thou hast this day (or at any time) admitted to thy holy table. Strengthen our hearts in thy ways against all our tempta tions, and make us “more than conquerors” in thy love. O my Father, my God, deliver me, I beseech thee, from all violent passions: I know how greatly obstructive these are both of the knowledge and love of thee. O let none of them find a way into my heart, but let me ever possess my soul in meekness. O my God, I desire to fear them more than death; let me not serve these cruel tyrants, but do thou reign in my breast; let me be ever thy servant, and love thee with all my heart. Deliver me, O God, from too intense an application to even necessary business.

Deliver me, O God, from too intense an application to even necessary business. I know how this dissipates my thoughts from the one end of all my business, and impairs ta' lively perception I would ever retain of thee standing at my right hand. I know the narrowness of my heart, and that an eager attention to earthly things leaves it no room for the things of heaven. O teach me to go through all my employ ments with so truly disengaged a heart, that I may still see thee in all things, and see thee therein as continually looking upon me, and searching my reins; and that I may never impair that liberty of spirit which is necessary for the love of thee. Deliver me, O God, from a slothful mind, from all luke warmness, and all dejection of spirit. I know these cannot but deaden my love to thee; mercifully free my heart from them, and give me a lively, zealous, active, and cheerful spirit; that I may vigorously perform whatever thou com mandest, thankfully suffer whatever thou choosest for me, and be ever ardent to obey in all things thy holy love. Deliver me, O God, from all idolatrous love of any creature. I know infinite numbers have been lost to thee, by loving those creatures for their own sake, which thou permittest, nay, even commandest, to love subordinately to thee. Preserve me, I beseech thee, from all such blind affection; be thou a guard to all my desires, that they fix on no creature any farther than the love of it tends to build me up in the love of thee. Thou requirest me to love thee with all my heart: Undertake for me, I beseech thee, and be thou my security, that I may never open my heart to anything, but out of love to thee. Above all, deliver me, O my God, from all idolatrous self love. I know, O God, (blessed be thy infinite mercy for giving me this knowledge,) that this is the root of all evil. I know thou madest me, not to do my own will, but thine. I know, the very corruption of the devil is, the having a will contrary to thine. Obe thou my helper against this most dangerous of all idols, that I may both discern all its subtle ties, and withstand all its force.

Obe thou my helper against this most dangerous of all idols, that I may both discern all its subtle ties, and withstand all its force. Othou who hast commanded me to renounce myself, give me strength, and I will obey thy command. My choice and desire is, to love myself, as all other creatures, in and for thee. O let thy almighty arm so stablish, strengthen, and settle me, that thou mayest ever be the ground and pillar of all my love. By this love of thee, my God, may my soul be fixed against its natural inconstancy; by this may it be reduced to an entire indifference as to all things else, and simply desire what is pleasing in thy sight. May this holy flame ever warm my breast, that I may serve thee with all my might; and let it consume in my heart all selfish desires, that I may in all things regard, not myself, but thee. O my God, let thy glorious name be duly honoured and loved by all the creatures which thou hast made. Let thy infinite goodness and greatness be ever adored by all angels and men. May thy Church, the Catholic seminary of divine love, be pro tected from all the powers of darkness. O vouchsafe to all who call themselves by thy name one short glimpse of thy goodness. May they once taste and see how gracious thou art, that all things else may be tasteless to them; that their desires may be always flying up towards thee, that they may render thee love, and praise, and obedience, pure and cheerful, constant and zealous, universal and uniform, like that the holy angels render thee in heaven. Send forth thy blessed Spirit into the midst of these sinful nations, and make us a holy people: Stir up the heart of our Sovereign, of the Royal Family, of the Clergy, the Nobility, and of all whom thou hast set over us, that they may be happy instruments in thy hand of promoting this good work. Be gracious to the Universities, to the Gentry and Commons of this land: And comfort all that are in affliction; let the trial of their faith work patience in them, and perfect them in hope and love ( ).

I also bless thee that, after all my refusals of thy grace, thou still hast patience with me, hast preserved me this night, (--)* and given me yet another day to renew and perfect my repent ance. Pardon, good Lord, all my former sins, and make me every day more zealous and diligent to improve every oppor tunity of building up my soul in thy faith, and love, and obedience. Make thyself always present to my mind, and let thy love fill and rule my soul, in all those places, and companies, and employments to which thou callest me this day. In all my passage through this world, suffer not my heart to be set upon it; but always fix my single eye and my undivided affections on “the prize of my high calling.” This one thing let me do; let me so press toward this, as to make all things else minister unto it; and be careful so to use them, as thereby to fit my soul for that pure bliss which thou hast prepared for those that love thee. O thou, who art good and doest good, who extendest thy lovingkindness to all mankind, the work of thine hands, thine image, capable of knowing and loving thee eternally: Suffer me to exclude none, O Lord, from my charity, who are the objects of thy mercy; but let me treat all my neighbours with that tender love which is due to thy servants and to thy children. Thou hast required this mark of my love to thee: O let no temptation expose me to ingratitude, or make me forfeit thy lovingkindness, which is better than life itself. But grant that I may assist all my brethren with my prayers, where I cannot reach them with actual services. Make me zealous to embrace all occasions that may administer to their happiness, by assisting the needy, protecting the oppressed, instructing the ignorant, confirming the wavering, exhorting the good, and reproving the wicked. Let me look upon the failings of my neighbour as if they were my own; that I may be grieved for them, that I may never reveal them but when charity requires, and then with tenderness and compassion. Let thy love to me, O blessed Saviour, be the pattern of my love to him.

Let thy love to me, O blessed Saviour, be the pattern of my love to him. Thou thoughtest nothing too dear to part with, * (--) Here you may mention any particular mercy received. to rescue me from etermal misery: O let me think nothing too dear to part with to set forward the everlasting good of my fellow Christians. They are members of thy body; there fore I will cherish them. Thou hast redeemed them with an inestimable price; assisted by thy Holy Spirit, therefore, I will endeavour to recover them from a state of destruction; that thus adorning thy holy gospel, by doing good according to my power, I may at last be received into the endearments of thy eternal love, and sing everlasting praise unto the Lamb that was slain and sitteth on the throne for ever. Extend, I humbly beseech thee, thy mercy to all men, and let them become thy faithful servants. Let all Christians live up to the holy religion they profess; especially these sinful nations. Be entreated for us, good Lord; be glorified by our reformation, and not by our destruction. “Turn thou us, and so shall we be turned:” O be favourable to thy people; give us grace to put a period to our provocations, and do thou put a period to our punishment. Defend our Church from schism, heresy, and sacrilege, and the King from all treasons and conspiracies. Bless all Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, with apostolical graces, exemplary lives, and sound doctrine. Grant to the Council wisdom from above, to all Magistrates integrity and zeal, to the Universities quietness and industry, and to the Gentry and Commons pious and peaceable and loyal hearts. Preserve my parents, my brothers and sisters, my friends and relations, and all mankind, in their souls and bodies (--). Forgive mine cnemies, and in thy due time make them kindly affected towards me. Have mercy on all who are “afflicted in mind, body, or estate; give them patience under their sufferings, and a happy issue out of all their afflictions.” O grant that we, with those who are already dead in thy faith and fear, may together partake of a joyful resurrection, through Him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Particular Questions relating to the Love of our Neighbour. 1.

Create in me a zealous obedience to all thy commands, a cheerful patience under all thy chastisements, and a thankful resignation to all thy disposals. May I ever have awful thoughts of thee; never mention thy venerable name, unless on just, solemn, and devout occasions; nor even then without acts of adoration. O let it be the one business of my life to glorify thee, by every thought of my heart, by every word of my tongue, by every work of my hand; by professing thy truth, even to the death, if it should plcase thee to call me to it; and by engaging all men, as far as in me lies, to glorify and love thee. Let thy unwearied and tender love to me, make my love unwearied and tender to my neighbour, zealous to pray for, and to procure and promote, his health and safety, ease and happiness; and active to comfort, succour, and relieve all whom thy love and their own necessities recommend to my charity. Make me peaceful and reconcilable; easy to forgive, and glad to return good for evil. Make me like thyself, all kindness and benignity, all goodness and gentleness, all meek mess and longsuffering. And, O thou Lover of souls, raise in me a compassionate zeal to save the life, the eternal life, of souls; and by affectionate and seasonable advice, exhortations, and reproof, to reclaim the wicked, and win them to thy love. Be pleased, O Lord, to take me, with my father and mother, brethren and sisters, my friends and relations, and my enemies, into thy almighty protection this night. Refresh me with such comfortable rest that I may rise more fit for thy service. Let me lie down with holy thoughts of thee, and when I awake let me be still present with thee. Show mercy to the whole world, O Father of all; let the gospel of thy Son run and be glorified throughout all the earth. Let it be made known to all infidels, and obeyed by all Christians.

Blessed be thy good ness, that we have felt it so often in our hearts, inspiring us with holy thoughts, filling us with love and joy, and comfort able expectations of “the glory that shall be revealed.” We thank thee, that thou hast suffered us this day to attend on thee in thy public service; and that we have begun, in any measure, to pursue after that eternal “rest which remaineth for the people of God.” We offer up again our souls and bodies to thee to be governed, not by our will, but thine. O let it be ever the ease and joy of our hearts, to be under the conduct of thy unerring wisdom, to follow thy counsels, and to be ruled in all things by thy holy will. And let us never distrust thy abundant kindness and tender care over us; whatsoever it is thou wouldest have us to do or to suffer in this world. O God, purify our hearts, that we may entirely love thee, and rejoice in being beloved of thee; that we may confide in thee, and absolutely resign ourselves to thee, and be filled with. constant devotion toward thee. O that we may never sink. into a base love of anything here below, nor be oppressed with the cares of this life; but assist us to “abhor that which is evil, and cleave to that which is good.” Let us “use this. world as not abusing it.” Give us true humility of spirit, that we may “not think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think.” Keep us from being “wise in our own con ceits.” “Let our moderation be known to all men.” Make us “kindly affectioned one to another;” to delight in doing good; to “show all meekness to all men;” to “render to all their dues; tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour;” and to “owe no man anything, but to love one another.” Make us so.

And his devout soul, always burning with love and zeal, led him to intermingle prayer with all he said. Meanwhile his manner was so solemn, and at the same time so mild and insinuating, that it was hardly pos sible for any who had the happiness of being in his company not to be struck with awe and charmed with love, as if in the presence of an angel or departed spirit. Indeed I frequently thought, while attending to his heavenly discourse and divine spirit, that he was so different from, and superior to, the gene rality of mankind, as to look more like Moses or Elijah, or some Prophet or Apostle come again from the dead, than a mortal man dwelling in a house of clay. It is true, his weak and long afflicted body proclaimed him to be human. But the graces which so eminently filled and adorned his soul, manifested him to be divine. And long before his happy spirit returned to God that gave it, that which was human seemed in a great measure to be “swallowed up of life.” O what a loss did Trevecka sustain, what an irreparable loss, when he left it ! 12. “But why then did he leave it? Why did he give up an office, for which he was so perfectly well qualified? which he executed so entirely to the satisfaction of all the parties wherewith he was concerned, and in which it had pleased God to give so manifest a blessing to his labours? Perhaps it would be better, in tenderness to some persons, eminent for piety and usefulness, to let that matter remain still under the veil which forgiving love has cast over it. But if it be thought that justice to his character, and to the cause which from that time he so warmly espoused and so ably defended, requires some light to be cast upon it, it may be the most inoffensive way to do it in his own words.” It will be proper to observe here, for the better understand ing of the following letter, that some time before Mr. Fletcher quitted Trevecka, Mr. Benson had been discharged from his office there; not for any defect of learning or piety, or any fault found with his behaviour; but wholly and solely because he did not believe the doctrine of absolute predestination. 13.

And yet his spirit was so deeply impressed with those words, “Not as though I had already attained,’ that the vehemence of his desire for a fuller manifestation of God seemed some times to border upon unhappiness. But his ardent soul only felt the full impression of those words of the Apostle: “Forgetting the things that are behind, and reaching forth unto those that are before, I press toward the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.’ 18. “One end of his retiring to Newington was, that he might hide himself from company. But this design was in nowise answered; for company came from every side. He was continually visited by high and low, and by persons of various denominations; one of whom being asked, when he went away, what he thought of Mr. Fletcher, said, ‘I went to see a man that had one foot in the grave, but I found a man that had one foot in heaven. Among them that now visited him were several of his beloved and honoured opponents; to whom he confirmed his love (however roughly they had treated him) by the most respectful and affectionate behaviour. But he did not give up any part of the truth for which he had publicly contended; although some (from whom one would have expected better things) did not scruple to affirm the contrary. Those of his particular friends who visited him here will not easily forget how he exhausted his whole soul in effusions of thankfulness: Mrs. Cartwright and Cavendish in particular, with his faithful and affectionate friend Mr. Ireland, will remember their interviews with him. And those of the family were almost oppressed by the outpourings of his love and gratitude, whenever they showed their love and care in the most inconsiderable instance; yea, so thankful, in proportion, would he be to even the meanest servant. 19. “It was not without some difficulty that Mr. Ireland at length prevailed upon him to sit for his picture. While the limner was drawing the outlines of it, he was exhorting both him and all that were in the room, not only to get the outlines drawn, but the colourings also, of the image of Jesus on their hearts.

And as he is exceeding fond of them, they appear to be altogether as fond of him. He seldom either walks abroad or rides out, but some of them follow him; singing the hymns they have learned, and conversing with him, by the way. But you must not suppose that he is permitted to enjoy this happiness unmolested. Not only the drunkards make songs upon him and his little companions, but many of the Clergy loudly complain of such irregular proceedings. However, he is upon good terms with the three Ministers of the place; all of whom are not only serious men, but desirous of promoting true religion. “He is certainly stronger, and in better health, than he was when he left England. But as soon as ever he ventures to preach, his spitting of blood returns. Whenever this happens, his strength and spirits decay surprisingly, which he cannot in anywise recover but by lying by for some days. “Whether I succeed in my temporal business or not, I shall ever remember with pleasure and thankfulness the oppor tunities I have been blessed with of spending so much time in company with our inestimable friend; who, wherever he goes, preaches the gospel, both by his words and example, nay, by his very looks, not only to his friends, but to all he meets with. So that on the top of the frozen Alps, and in the dreary vale of Chateau d'Oex, some good seed has been sown. “When my business constrained me to go to Chateau d'Oex, Mr. Fletcher bore me company. And here also he was visited by some of the principal inhabitants of the town; who stood round him in deep attention for almost an hour, while he both exhorted and prayed. I am, dear Sir, “Your very sincere friend and servant, Mr. Fletcher adds upon the same paper: “Thanks to our kind Preserver, I am yet in the land of faith and hope, and want to find and make it a land of happiness and love. The Lord Jesus is alone sufficient for this. And till the great outpouring of his love is come, we ought faithfully to stir up the gift of God which is in ourselves and others, and to supply by the depth of our humility, and the ardour of our expectation, what is yet wanting to our experience.

As I think it highly expedient to premise some account of the person whom Mr. Fletcher chose as his companion for life, I am glad to find this dome to my hand in the letter which I shall now subjoin: “REvEREND SIR, “I THINK it my privilege, and have often found it a blessing, to comply with the request of my honoured father, which I now do also in great love to my valuable and much esteemed friends, Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher. I will therefore endeavour, with the assistance of my gracious Lord, to recol lect and acquaint you with some particulars of the life and character of these truly devoted servants of God, with whose intimate acquaintance I have been favoured for near thirty years. But, indeed, I feel my great insufficiency to relate what might be said with the strictest truth of these worthies. “My acquaintance with Mrs. Fletcher began when she was about seventeen years of age. She had from her early childhood been strongly drawn to seek the Crucified, and was now athirst for a clean heart, and longed to have a right spirit renewed within her. Nor did her desire to love God with all her heart lessen, but increase, her love to her neigh bour; as I, the most unworthy, am well able to testify, to whom she has been a tried friend, even to the present hour. “To give you a clear view of this, I need only transcribe part of a letter, which she wrote to me, May 23, 1757:-- “‘THE Lord has been indeed merciful, above all we can ask or think. I found a greater blessing the last time I was with you than ever. I am more enabled to prayer, and to an earnest seeking after holiness. But what most stirs me up is, I seem to hear the Lord calling upon me, Depart ye, depart ye; go ye out thence; touch not the unclean thing; be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord. For some time, these words have been much in my mind, with both pleasure and profit. But within this day or two, the Lord has more clearly shown me the way wherein I ought to walk. He seems to call me out to more activeness; so that I am ready to cry out, What wouldest thou have me to do?

That her light given before was not delusive, is plain; as it is well known, how many years she has ‘brought up children, lodged strangers, relieved the afflicted, and ‘diligently followed every good work.’ “With regard to the dear saint that is now swallowed up in his beloved employment, praise and adoration, it is eight or nine and twenty years since I was first favoured with his heavenly conversation, in company with Mr. Walsh and a few other friends, most of whom are now in the world of spirits. At these seasons, how frequently did we feel The o'erwhelming power of saving grace | How frequently were we silenced thereby, while tears of love our eyes o'erflowed ! It sweetly affects my soul while I recollect the humility, fervour of spirit, and strength of faith, with which dear Mr. Fletcher so often poured out his soul before the great Three-One, at whose feet we have lain in holy shame and divine silence, till it seemed earth was turned to heaven With what delight does my soul recal those precious moments! Yet a little while, and we shall all magnify His name together. “This heavenly-minded servant of the Lord resembled him likewise in his love to precious souls. I heard him preach his first sermon at West-Street chapel. I think his text was, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ His spirit appeared in his whole attitude and action, though he could not well find words in the English language to express himself: But he supplied that defect by offering up prayers, tears, and sighs abundantly. Nearly about this time he saw Miss Bosanquet, and began his acquaintance with her. But although they had a particular esteem for each other, yet they had no correspondence for above twenty years. It was not till the yearly Conference drew near, in July, 1781, that he paid her a visit at her own house near Leeds. They had much conversation together, and contracted an intimate acquaintance. After a few days, Miss Bosanquet asked Mr. Wesley's advice concerning Mr. Fletcher's proposal, who approved it entirely; being persuaded, it would be much to the glory of God. He spent much of his time at Cross-Hall, till the following January. His general conversation was praising God, and speaking of the love of our dear Redeemer.

On the contrary, by the blessing of God on her peculiar care and tenderness, not only his health was confirmed, but his strength restored as in the days of his youth. In the mean time he took care to employ all his returning strength in the work of faith and the labour of love: More particularly in that which he had always found to be one of the most difficult parts of his duty. We have in this parish, through the lenity of the Magistrates, no less than eight public-houses. These are well known to have been continual nurseries for sin, particularly on Sunday evenings. It had been for many years his unwearied endeavour to put an end to these abuses. Yet as he very seldom had a Churchwarden who was heartily willing to second him therein, his endeavours were almost ineffectual, producing very little fruit. But for two years God was now pleased to favour him with a Churchwarden who was resolved to act according to his oath: He then cheerfully renewed his endeavours, visiting several of these houses every Sunday; all of them in their turn. In every one he bore a faithful testimony; and in some it has been attended with much good. O that no one of those who have been at any time within the reach of his voice, may finally inherit that curse, “Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish !” 2. For many years he had felt with the deepest sensibility the disconsolate condition of poor uninstructed children; and some years ago he began a school, wherein he taught them himself every day. After pursuing this method for some time, he erected a school in Madeley-Wood; but afterward his thoughts were much employed concerning the Sunday schools; especially since they were recommended to him in a letter from Mrs. Derby, a person whom he always found ready to promote every good work. He then earnestly set about promoting them in his own parish. Three hundred children were soon gathered together, whom he took every opportunity of instructing, by regular meetings, for some time before the schools were opened. These meetings he attended, with the utmost diligence, to the very Thursday before his illness.

Not that he was so by nature, but of a fiery, passionate spirit. But so thoroughly had grace subdued nature, so fully was he renewed in the spirit of his mind, that, for many years before his death, I believe he was never observed by any one, friend or foe, to be out of temper. And yet he did not want provocation, and that sometimes in a high degree; especially from those whose religious sentiments he thought it his duty to oppose. One of these, who once loved him so well, as to be ready to pull out his eyes for him, was so exasperated on reading his Second Check, that he wrote to 354 LIFE of MR, FLETCHER. him in the most bitter terms. But none of these things moved him; no, not in the least degree. The keenest word he used upon the occasion was, ‘What a world, what a religious world we live in l’ “Hence arose his readiness to bear with the weaknesses, and forgive the faults, of others; the more remarkable, considering his flaming zeal against sin, and deep concern for the glory of God. Such hatred to sin, and such love to the sinner, I never saw joined together before. This very circumstance con vinced me of the height of his grace, bearing so much of his Master’s image, whose hatred to sin and love to sinners are equally infinite. He took all possible pains to detect what was evil in any of those that were under his care; pursuing it through all its turnings and windings, and stripping it of all its disguises. Yet none so ready to excuse when it was confessed, and to conceal it even from his most intimate friends. “He never mentioned the faults of an absent person, unless absolute duty required it: And then he spoke with the utmost tenderness, extenuating, rather than aggravating. None could draw his picture more exactly than St. Paul has done, in the thirteenth of the first Epistle to the Corinthians. Every feature in that masterly piece of apostolic painting was found in him.

But it seems as if I could not speak much longer. Let us fix on a sign between our selves. Now, said he, (tapping me twice with his finger) “I mean, God is love. And we will draw each other into God. Observe | By this we will draw each other into God.” “Sally coming in, he cried out, ‘O Sally, God is love! Shout, both of you ! I want to hear you shout his praise!” All this time the medical friend, who attended him diligently, hoped he was in no danger; as he had no headach, but much sleep without the least delirium, and an almost regular pulse. So was the disease, though commissioned to take his life, restrained by the power of God. “On Thursday his speech began to fail. While he was able, he spoke to all that came in his way. Hearing that a stranger was in the house, he ordered her to be called up. But the uttering only two sentences made him ready to faint away. And while he had any power of speech, he would not be silent to his friendly Doctor: ‘O Sir, said he, ‘you take much thought for my body; permit me to take thought for your soul.” When I could scarce understand anything he said, I spoke these words, “God is love.’ Instantly, as if all his powers were awakened, he broke out in a rapture, ‘God is love I love I love! O for that gust of praise ! I want to sound’--Here his voice again failed. All this time he was in much pain, and suffered many ways; but still with such unutterable patience as none but those that were present can conceive. If I did but name his sufferings, he would smile and make the sign. “On Friday, observing his body covered with spots, I felt a sword pierce through my soul. As I was kneeling by his side, with my hand in his, intreating the Lord to be with us in this tremendous hour, he strove to say many things, but could not articulate the words. All he could do was to press my hand, and frequently repeat the sign.

How will thesebe distinguished from those, if they are all promiscuously called sins? I am much afraid, if we should allow any sins to be consistent with perfection, few would confine the idea to those defects concerning which only the assertion could be true. “Q. But how can a liableness to mistake consist with perfect love? Is not a person who is perfected in love every moment under its influence? And can any mistake flow from pure love? “A. I answer, (1.) Many mistakes may consist with pure love; (2.) Some may accidentally flow from it: I mean, love itself may incline us to mistake. The pure love of cur neigh bour, springing from the love of God, thinketh no evil, believeth and hopeth all things. Now, this very temper, unsuspicious, ready to believe and hope the best of all men, may occasion our thinking some men better than they really are. Here then is a manifest mistake, accidentally flowing from pure love. “Q. How shall we avoid setting perfection too high or too low P “A. By keeping to the Bible, and setting it just as high as the Scripture does. It is nothing higher and nothing lower than this,--the pure love of God and man; the loving God with all our heart and soul, and our neighbour as ourselves. It is love governing the heart and life, running through all our tempets, words, and actions. “Q. Suppose one had attained to this, would you advise him to speak of it? “A. At first perhaps he would scarce be able to refrain, the fire would be so hot within him; his desire to declare the loving-kindness of the Lord carrying him away like a torrent. But afterwards he might; and then it would be advisable, not to speak of it to them that know not God; (it is most likely, it would only provoke them to contradict and blas pheme;) nor to others, without some particular reason, without some good in view. And then he should have especial care to avoid all appearance of boasting; to speak with the deepest humility and reverence, giving all the glory to God. “Q. But would it not be better to be entirely silent, not to speak of it at all? “A.

(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.

“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.

There was danger before, and there will be again when he comes into fresh trials. But so long as he feels nothing but love animating all his thoughts, and words, and actions, he is in no danger; he is not only happy, but safe, ‘under the shadow of the Almighty;’ and, for God’s sake, let him continue in that love as long as he can. Meantime, you may do well to warn him of the danger that will be, if his love grow cold and sin revive; even the danger of casting away hope, and supposing, that, because he hath not attained yet, therefore he never shall. “Q. But what, if none have attained it yet? What, if all who think so are deceived? “A. Convince me of this, and I will preach it no more. But understand me right: I do not build any doctrine on this or that person. This or any other man may be deceived, and I am not moved. But, if there are none made perfect yet, God has not sent me to preach perfection. “Put a parallel case: For many years I have preached, “There is a peace of God which passeth all understanding.’ ‘Convince me that this word has fallen to the ground; that in all these years none have attained this peace; that there is no living witness of it at this day; and I will preach it no more. “‘O, but several persons have died in that peace. Per haps so; but I want living witnesses. I cannot indeed be infallibly certain that this or that person is a witness; but if I were certain there are mone such, I must have done with this doctrine. “‘You misunderstand me. I believe some who died in this love, enjoyed it long before their death. But I was not certain that their former testimony was true till some hours before they died.’ “You had not an infallible certainty then: And a reason able certainty you might have had before; such a certainty as might have quickened and comforted your own soul, and answered all other Christian purposes. Such a certainty as this, any candid person may have, suppose there be any living witness, by talking one hour with that person in the love and fear of God. “Q. But what does it signify, whether any have attained.

I desire to be lost in that ‘love which passeth knowledge.’ I see ‘the just shall live by faith;’ and unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given. If I were an archangel, I should veil my face before him, and let silence speak his praise !” The following account is given by one who was an eye and ear witness of what she relates: “(1.) In the beginning of November, she seemed to have a foresight of what was coming upon her, and used frequently to sing these words: “When pain o'er this weak flesh prevails, With lamb-like patience arm my breast.” And when she sent to me, to let me know she was ill, she wrote in her note, ‘I suffer the will of Jesus. All he sends is sweetened by His love. I am as happy as if I heard a voice say, - ‘For me my elder brethren stay, And angels beckon me away, And Jesus bids me come !" “(2.) Upon my telling her, ‘I cannot choose life or death for you, she said, ‘I asked the Lord, that, if it was His will, I might die first. And he told me, you should survive me, and that you should close my eyes. When we perceived it. was the small-pox, I said to her, ‘My dear, you will not be frighted if we tell you what is your distemper. She said, ‘I cannot be frighted at His will.’ “(3.) The distemper was soon very heavy upon her; but so much the more was her faith strengthened. Tuesday, November 16, she said to me, ‘I have been worshipping before the throne in a glorious manner; my soul was so let into God!” I said, ‘Did the Lord give you any particular promise?’ ‘No, replied she; ‘it was all That sacred awe that dares not move, And all the silent heaven of love.” “(4.) On Thursday, upon my asking, ‘What have you to say to me?’ she said, ‘Nay, nothing but what you know already: God is love.’ I asked, ‘Have you any particular promise?” She replied, ‘I do not seem to want any; I can live without. I shall die a lump of deformity, but shall meet you all-glorious: And, meantime, I shall still have fellowship with your spirit.” “(5.) Mr. M.

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.

There is something very peculiar in the experience of the greater part of them. One would expect that a believer should first be filled with love, and thereby emptied of sin; whereas these were emptied of sin first, and then filled with love. Perhaps it pleased God to work in this manner, to make his work more plain and undeniable; and to distinguish it more clearly from that overflowing love, which is often felt even in a justified state. “It seems likewise most agreeable to the great promise: “From all your filthiness I will cleanse you; a new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you.’ (Ezek. xxxvi. 25, 26.) “But I do not think of them all alike : There is a wide difference between some of them and others. I think most of them with whom I have spoken, have much faith, love, joy, and peace. Some of these I believe are renewed in love, and have the direct witness of it; and they manifest the fruit above described, in all their words and actions. Now, let any man call this what he will; it is what I call perfection. “But some who have much love, peace, and joy, yet have not the direct witness; and others who think they have, are, nevertheless, manifestly wanting in the fruit. How many I will not say; perhaps one in ten; perhaps more or fewer. But some are undeniably wanting in longsuffering, Christian resignation. They do not see the hand of God in whatever occurs, and cheerfully embrace it. They do not in everything give thanks, and rejoice evermore. They are not happy; at least, not always happy; for sometimes they complain. They say, this or that is hard | “Some are wanting in gentleness. They resist evil, instead of turning the other cheek. They do not receive reproach with gentleness; no, nor even reproof. Nay, they are not able to bear contradiction, without the appearance, at least, of resent ment. If they are reproved or contradicted, though mildly, they do not take it well; they behave with more distance and reserve than they did before. If they are reproved or contra dicted harshly, they answer it with harshness; with a loud voice, or with an angry tone, or in a sharp and surly manner.

So you ascribe all the knowledge you have to God; and in this respect you are humble. But if you think you have more than you really have; or if you think you are so taught of God, as no longer to need * The advices which follow were published in a separate tract in the year 1762, under the title of “Cautions and Directions given to the Greatest Professors in the Methodist Societies,” with the following motto: “Set the false witnesses aside, Yet hold the truth for ever fast.” It was evidently intended to guard the people against the mischievous extrava gances of George Bell and his friends, a particular account of whom is given in Mr. Wesley's Journal about that period.-EDIT. man’s teaching; pride lieth at the door. Yes, you have need to be taught, not only by Mr. Morgan, by one another, by Mr. Maxfield, or me, but by the weakest Preacher in London; yea, by all men. For God sendeth by whom he will send. “Do not therefore say to any who would advise or reprove you, ‘You are blind; you cannot teach me.’ Do not say, ‘This is your wisdom, your carnal reason; but calmly weigh the thing before God. “Always remember, much grace does not imply much light. These do not always go together. As there may be much light where there is but little love, so there may be much love where there is little light. The heart has more heat than the eye; yet it cannot see. And God has wisely tempered the members of the body together, that none may say to another, “I have no need of thee.’ “To imagine none can teach you, but those who are them selves saved from sin, is a very great and dangerous mistake. Give not place to it for a moment; it would lead you into a thousand other mistakes, and that irrecoverably. No; dominion is not founded in grace, as the madmen of the last age talked. Obey and regard ‘them that are over you in the Lord, and do not think you know better than them. Know their place and your own; always remembering, much love does not imply much light. “The not observing this has led some into many mistakes, and into the appearance, at least, of pride. O beware of the appearance, and the thing!

“One ground of many of these mistakes is, the taking every fresh, strong application of any of these scriptures to the heart, to be a gift of a new kind; not knowing that several of these scriptures are not fulfilled yet; that most of the others are fulfilled when we are justified; the rest, the moment we are sanctified. It remains only to experience them in higher degrees. This is all we have to expect. “Another ground of these, and a thousand mistakes, is, the not considering deeply, that love is the highest gift of God; humble, gentle, patient love; that all visions, revela tions, manifestations whatever, are little things compared to love; and that all the gifts above-mentioned are either the same with, or infinitely inferior to, it. “It were well you should be thoroughly sensible of this, - ‘the heaven of heavens is love.’ There is nothing higher in religion; there is, in effect, nothing else; if you look for anything but more love, you are looking wide of the mark, you are getting out of the royal way. And when you are asking others, ‘Have you received this or that blessing?” if you mean anything but more love, you mean wrong; you are leading them out of the way, and putting them upon a false scent. Settle it then in your heart, that from the moment God has saved you from all sin, you are to aim at nothing more, but more of that love described in the thirteenth of the Corinthians. You can go no higher than this, till you are carried into Abraham’s bosom. “I say yet again, beware of enthusiasm. Such is, the imagining you have the gift of prophesying, or of discerning of spirits, which I do not believe one of you has; no, nor ever had yet. Beware of judging people to be either right or wrong by your own feelings. This is no scriptural way of judging. O keep close to ‘the law and to the testimony l’ “Q. 34. What is the Third 7 “A. Beware of Antinomianism; “making void the law, or any part of it, “through faith. Enthusiasm naturally leads to this; indeed they can scarce be separated. This may steal upon you in a thousand forms, so that you cannot be too watchful against it.

This may steal upon you in a thousand forms, so that you cannot be too watchful against it. Take heed of everything, whether in principle or practice, which has any tendency thereto. Even that great truth, that “Christ is the end of the law, may betray us into it, if we do not consider that he has adopted every point of the moral law, and grafted it into the law of love. Beware of thinking, ‘Because I am filled with love, I need not have so much holiness. Because I pray always, therefore I need no set time for private prayer. Because I watch always, therefore I need no particular self-examination.’ Let us ‘magnify the law, the whole written word, ‘and make it honourable. Let this be our voice: “I prize thy com mandments above gold or precious stones. O what love have I unto thy law ! all the day long is my study in it. Beware of Antinomian books; particularly the works of Dr. Crisp and Mr. Saltmarsh. They contain many excellent things; and this makes them the more dangerous. O be warned in time : Do not play with fire. Do not put your hand on the hole of a cockatrice den. I entreat you, beware of bigotry. Let not your love or beneficence be confined to Methodists, so called, only; much less to that very small part of them who seem to be renewed in love; or to those who believe yours and their report. O make not this your Shibboleth ! Beware of stillness; ceasing in a wrong sense from your own works. To mention one instance out of many: “You have received,” says one, ‘a great blessing. But you began to talk of it, and to do this and that; so you lost it. You should have been still.” “Beware of self-indulgence; yea, and making a virtue of it, laughing at self-denial, and taking up the cross daily, at fasting or abstinence. Beware of censoriousness; thinking or calling them that anyways oppose you, whether in judgment or prac tice, blind, dead, fallen, or ‘enemies to the work. Once more, beware of Solifidianism; crying nothing but, ‘Believe, believe!’ and condemning those as ignorant or legal who speak in a more scriptural way.

Never omit meeting your Class or Band; never absent yourself from any public meeting. These are the very sinews of our Society; and whatever weakens, or tends to weaken, our regard for these, or our exactness in attending them, strikes at the very root of our community. As one saith, ‘That part of our economy, the private weekly meetings for prayer, examination, and particular exhortation, has been the greatest means of deepening and confirming every blessing that was received by the word preached, and of diffusing it to others, who could not attend the public ministry; whereas, without this reli gious connexion and intercourse, the most ardent attempts, by mere preaching, have proved of no lasting use.’ “Suffer not one thought of separating from your brethren, whether their opinions agree with yours or not. Do not dream that any man sins in not believing you, in not taking your word; or that this or that opinion is essential to the work, and both must stand or fall together. Beware of impatience of contradiction. Do not condemn or think hardly of those who cannot see just as you see, or who judge it their duty to contradict you, whether in a great thing or a small. I fear some of us have thought hardly of others, merely because they contradicted what we affirmed. All this tends to division; and, by everything of this kind, we are teaching them an evil lesson against ourselves. “O beware of touchiness, of testiness, not bearing to be spoken to ; starting at the least word; and flying from those who do not implicitly receive mine or another’s sayings! “Expect contradiction and opposition, together with crosses of various kinds. Consider the words of St. Paul: “To you it is given, in the behalf of Christ,’--for his sake, as a fruit of his death and intercession for you,-‘not only to believe, but also to suffer for his sake.” (Phil. i. 29.) It is given / God gives you this opposition or reproach; it is a fresh token of his love. And will you disown the Giver; or spurn his gift, and count it a misfortune?

“God frequently conceals the part which his children have in the conversion of other souls. Yet one may boldly say, that person who long groans before him for the conversion of another, whenever that soul is converted to God, is one of the chief causes of it. “Charity cannot be practised right, unless, First, we exercise it the moment God gives the occasion; and, Secondly, retire the instant after to offer it to God by humble thanksgiving. And this for three reasons: First, to render him what we have received from him. The Second, to avoid the dangerous temptation which springs from the very goodness of these works. And the Third, to unite ourselves to God, in whom the soul expands itself in prayer, with all the graces we have received, and the good works we have done, to draw from him new strength against the bad effects which these very works may produce in us, if we do not make use of the antidotes which God has ordained against these poisons. The true means to be filled anew with the riches of grace is thus to strip ourselves of it; and without this it is extremely difficult not to grow faint in the practice of good works. “Good works do not receive their last perfection, till they, as it were, lose themselves in God. This is a kind of death to them, resembling that of our bodies, which will not attain their highest life, their immortality, till they lose themselves in the glory of our souls, or rather of God, wherewith they shall be filled. And it is only what they had of earthly and mortal, which good works lose by this spiritual death. “Fire is the symbol of love; and the love of God is the principle and the end of all our good works. But truth surpasses figure; and the fire of divine love has this advantage over material fire, that it can re-ascend to its source, and raise thither with it all the good works which it produces. And by this means it prevents their being corrupted by pride, vanity, or any evil mixture.

It is not worth while to contend for a term. It is “ salvation from sin.” “(7.) It is ‘perfect love.” (1 John iv. 18.) This is the essence of it; its properties, or inseparable fruits, are, rejoicing evermore, praying without ceasing, and in every thing giving thanks. (1 Thess. v. 16, &c.) “(8.) It is improvable. It is so far from lying in an indivisible point, from being incapable of increase, that one perfected in love may grow in grace far swifter than he did before. “(9.) It is amissible, capable of being lost; of which we have numerous instances. But we were not thoroughly convinced of this, till five or six years ago. “(10.) It is constantly both preceded and followed by a gradual work. “(11.) But is it in itself instantaneous or not? In examining this, let us go on step by step. “An instantaneous change has been wrought in some believers: None can deny this. “Since that change, they enjoy perfect love; they feel this, and this alone; they ‘rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks. Now, this is all that I mean by perfection; therefore, these are witnesses of the perfec tion which I preach. “‘But in some this change was not instantaneous.” They did not perceive the instant when it was wrought. It is often difficult to perceive the instant when a man dies; yet there is an instant in which life ceases. And if ever sin ceases, there must be a last moment of its existence, and a first moment of our deliverance from it. “‘But if they have this love now, they will lose it. They may; but they need not. And whether they do or no, they have it now; they now experience what we teach. They now are all love; they now rejoice, pray, and praise without ceasing. “‘However, sin is only suspended in them; it is not destroyed. Call it which you please. They are all love to-day; and they take no thought for the morrow. “‘But this doctrine has been much abused.’ So has that of justification by faith. But that is no reason for giving up either this or any other scriptural doctrine.

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.

Whitefield's ministry.” (Page 18.) 2. “When he went abroad, he delivered me, and many thousands more, into the hands of those he thought he could have trusted them with, and who would have given them back to him again at his return. But, alas! it was not so.” (Ibid.) REV. TrioMAS MAXFIELD. 470 “I heard Mr. Whitefield say, at the Tabernacle, in the presence of five or six Ministers, to Mr. -- a little before he left England for the last time, ‘I delivered thirty thou sand people into the hands of your brother and you, when I went abroad. And by the time I came back, you had so turned their hearts against me, that not three hundred of them would come to hear me.” I knew this was true.” (Ibid.) 3. “I heard Mr. Whitefield say, ‘When I came back from Georgia, there was no speaking evil of each other. O what would I not give, or suffer, or do, to see such times again But O that division I that division ? What slaughter jt has made l’ “It was doctrine that caused the difference; or, at least, it was so pretended.” (Ibid.) “He preached a few times in connexion with his old friends. But, ah! how soon was the sword of contention drawn l’’ (Page 19.) 4. “Where can you now find any loving ones, of either party? They have no more love to each other than Turks.” (Ibid.) “Read their vile contentions, and the evil characters they give of each other, raking the filthiest ashes, to find some black story against their fellow-Preachers.” (Page 20.) They “slay with the sword of bitterness, wrath, and envy. Still more their shame is what they have sent out into the world against each other, on both sides, about five or six years ago, and till this very day.” (Page 21.) To satisfy both friends and foes, I propose a few queries on each of these four heads. I. As to the first, I read a remarkable passage in the third Journal, (vol.I., page 196,) the truth of which may be still attested by Mr. Durbin, Mr. Westell, and several others then present, who are yet alive:-" A young man who stood behind, sunk down, as one dead; but soon began to roar out, and beat himself against the ground, so that six men could scarce hold him.

and which of them heard Mr. Whitefield say, “When I went abroad (in 1741,) I delivered thirty thousand people into the hands of you and your brother?” Thirty thousand people ! Whence did they come? Did they spring out of the earth? Why, there were not, at that time, five thousand Methodists in England, or in the world. The societies in London, Bristol, and Kingswood, (the only ones. I had,) contained fourteen or fifteen hundred members. I believe not so many were in his societies. But were they fewer, or more, they were nothing to me. He never entrusted me with them. He never delivered into mine, or my brother's hands, either his society at the Tabernacle in London, or that in Bristol, or in Kingswood, or any other place what ever. He never delivered (that I remember) one single society into my hands. I bless God, I needed it not. I did not need to build upon another man’s foundation. A dispensation of the Gospel was given me also; and my labour was not in vain. I was constrained to cry out (and you yourself used the same words to God in my behalf),-- *O the fathomless love Which has deign'd to approve And prosper the work of my hands ! With my pastoral crook I went over the brook, And, behold ! I am spread into bands !” With what view then can you charge me with that perfidy, which I am no more guilty of than of high treason? For what end can you affirm, “When he went abroad, he delivered many thousands into the hands of those he thought he could have trusted them with ?” Delivered ! when? where? how? What can you mean? I flatly deny that ever he delivered one thousand, or one hundred, souls into my hands. Do you mean, “He spoke honourably of you to them at Kennington-common and Rose-green?” True: But not so honourably as I spoke of you, even at London; yea, as late as the year 1763! Yet was this the same thing with “delivering the people” at London “into your hands?” Nay, but “Mr. Whitefield trusted that you would have given them back at his return.” Them! whom? His society at London, or Bristol 2 I had them not to give. He never entrusted me with them.

Otherwise difference of doctrine would not have created any difference of affection; but he might lovingly have held particular redemption, and we general, to our lives’ end. He did indeed “preach a few times in connexion with his old friends; but how soon was the sword of contention drawn l’” By whom? Truly, by himself. Do not you know, (thousands do, if you do not,) that when he preached in the very Foundery, and my brother sat by him, he preached the absolute decrees in the most peremptory and offensive manner? What was this, but drawing the sword and throwing away the scabbard? Who then is chargeable with the contention and division that ensued ? IV. “But where,” you ask, “can you now find any loving ones of either party?” Blessed be God, I can find many thousands, both in London, in Bristol, in Kingswood, and in various parts, not only of England, but also of Scotland and Ireland; persons as full of love, both to God and man, as any I knew forty years ago. Some of these I find (and much rejoice to find) in Mr. Whitefield's societies. And I pray God, they may increase a thousand-fold, both in number and in strength. “Nay, they have no more love to each other than Turks.” They ! who? This is not the case with our societies. They not only love each other, but love their enemies, even those that still despitefully use them. But “read their vile contentions, and the evil character they give each other, raking the filthiest ashes, to find some black story.” I will answer for one. I give no “evil character” of my “fellow-Preachers.” I “rake into no filthy ashes, for black stories.” Let him who does, take it to himself. “They slay with the sword of bitterness, wrath, and envy.” I do not. I plead, Not guilty. As I envy no man, so neither my wrath nor bitter ness slays any human creature. “Still more to their shame is what they have sent out into the world, against each other, on both sides, about five or six years ago, and till this very day.” “What they have sent out against each other, on both sides, about five or six years ago.” Within five or six years I have been vehemently called to answer for myself; twice Ly Mr.

After Jhe had slept some hours, they gave him something warm to drink; then one gave him a shirt, another a coat or waist coat, others what they could spare, till they had clothed him from head to foot. They then collected for him among themselves about forty shillings, and wished him well home. See the wisdom of God, making the sport of a boy the smeans of saving a poor man’s life! Bishop HALL, speaking of the good offices which angels ‘do to God’s servants, says, “Of this kind was that marvellous cure which was wrought upon a poor cripple, at St. Madern's in Cornwall; whereof, besides the attestation of many hundreds of the neighbours, I took a strict examination in my last visitation: This man, for sixteen years together, was obliged to walk upon his hands, by reason the sinews of his legs were so contracted. Upon an admonition in his dream, to wash in a certain well, he was suddenly so restored to his limbs that I saw him able to walk and get his own mainte mance. The name of this cripple was John Trebble.” And were “many hundreds of the neighbours,” together with Bishop Hall, deceived in so notorious a matter of fact? or did they all join together to palm such a falsehood on the world? O incredulity what ridiculous shifts art thou driven to ! what absurdities wilt thou not believe, rather than own any extraordinary work of God! MoNDAY, April 2, 1781, I was informed by a person in an eminent station, of a very uncommon incident: He had occasion to correct, with a few stripes, a lad that lived with him at Rochester, which he resented so as to keave his place. But sometime after, he seemed to repent, humbled himself, and was received again. He now behaved in a most becoming manner, and was doubly diligent in his service. But his mistress dreamed one night, that this lad was going to cut her throat: And she had a twin-sister, between whom and her there is so strange a sympathy, that if either of them is ill, or particularly affected at any time, the other is so likewise. This sister wrote to her from another part of the kingdom, that she had dreamed the very same thing.

What religion do I preach? The religion of love; the law of kindness brought to light by the gospel. What is this good for? To make all who receive it enjoy God and themselves: To make them like God; lovers of all; contented in their lives; and crying out at their death, in calm assu rance, “O grave, where is thy victory ! Thanks be unto God, who giveth me the victory, through my Lord Jesus Christ.’” 20. Will you object to such a religion as this, that it is not reasonable? Is it not reasonable then to love God? Hath he not given you life, and breath, and all things? Does he * The soul of the world. + The all-informing soul, Which spreads through the vast mass, and moves the whole. not continue his love to you, filling your heart with food and gladness? What have you which you have not received of him? And does not love demand a return of love? Whether, therefore, you do love God or no, you cannot but own it is reasonable so to do; nay, seeing he is the Parent of all good, to love him with all your heart. 21. Is it not reasonable also to love our neighbour, every man whom God hath made? Are we not brethren, the children of one Father? Ought we not, then, to love one another? And should we only love them that love us? Is that acting like our Father which is in heaven? He causeth his sun to shine on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. And can there be a more equitable rule than this: “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself?” You will plead for the reasonableness of this; as also for that golden rule, (the only adequate measure of bro therly love, in all our words and actions) “Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do unto them P” 22. Is it not reasonable, then, that, as we have opportunity, we should do good unto all men; not only friends, but enemies; not only to the deserving, but likewise to the evil and unthankful? Is it not right that all our life should be one con tinued labour of love?

Is it not right that all our life should be one con tinued labour of love? If a day passes without doing good, may one not well say, with Titus, Amici, diem perdidi ! + And is it enough, to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to visit those who are sick or in prison? Should we have no pity for those Who sigh beneath guilt's horrid stain, The worst confinement, and the heaviest chain? Should we shut up our compassion toward those who are of all men most miserable, because they are miserable by their own fault? If we have found a medicine to heal even that sick ness, should we not, as we have freely received it, freely give? Should we not pluck them as brands out of the fire? the fire of lust, anger, malice, revenge? Your inmost soul answers, “It should be done; it is reasonable in the highest degree.” Well, this is the sum of our preaching, and of our lives, our enemies themselves being the judges. If therefore you allow, that it is reasonable to love God, to love mankind, and to do good to all men, you cannot but allow that religion which we preach and live to be agreeable to the highest reason. * My friends, I have lost a day. 23. Perhaps, all this you can bear. It is tolerable enough; and if we spoke only of being saved by love, you should have no great objection: But you do not comprehend what we say of being saved by faith. I know you do not. You do not in any degree comprehend what we mean by that expression: Have patience then, and I will tell you yet again. By those words, “We are saved by faith,” we mean, that the moment a man receives that faith which is above described, he is saved from doubt and fear, and sorrow of heart, by a peace that passes all understanding; from the heaviness of a wounded spirit, by joy unspeakable; and from his sins, of whatsoever kind they were, from his vicious desires, as well as words and actions, by the love of God, and of all mankind, then shed abroad in his heart. 24.

But you know you are not happy. Your formal religion no more makes you happy, than your neighbour's gay religion does him. O how much have you suffered for want of plain dealing! Can you now bear to hear the naked truth? You have “the form of godliness, but not the power.” You are a mere whited wall. Before the Lord your God, I ask you, Are you not? Too sure; for your “inward parts are very wickedness.” You love “the creature more than the Creator.” You are “a lover of pleasure more than a lover of God.” A lover of God | You do not love God at all, no more than you love a stone. You love the world; therefore the love of the Father is not in you. 49. You are on the brink of the pit, ready to be plunged into everlasting perdition. Indeed you have a zeal for God; but not according to knowledge. O how terribly have you been deceived posting to hell, and fancying it was heaven. See, at length, that outward religion, without inward, is nothing; is far worse than nothing, being, indeed, no other than a solemn mockery of God. And inward religion you have not. You have not the faith “that worketh by love.” Your faith (so called) is no living, saving principle. It is not the Apostle's faith, “the substance,” or subsistence, “of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” So far from it, that this faith is the verything which you call enthusiasm. You are not con tent with being without it, unless you blaspheme it too. You even revile that “life which is hid with Christ in God; ” all seeing, tasting, hearing, feeling God. These things are foolish ness unto you. No marvel; “for they are spiritually discerned.” 50. O no longer shut your eyes against the light! Know, you have a name that you live, but are dead. Your soul is utterly dead in sin; dead in pride, in vanity, in self-will, in sensuality, in love of the world. You are utterly dead to God. There is no intercourse between your soul and God.

Ball then delivered me the names of several subscribers, who offered to pay, some four or six, some ten shillings a year towards the repayment of the purchase-money, and the putting the buildings into repair. This amounted one year to near two hundred pounds, the second to about one hundred and forty pounds, and so the last. 91. The united society began a little after, whose weekly contribution for the poor is received and expended by the stew ards, and comes not into my hands at all. But there is also a quarterly subscription of many of the society, which is nearly equal to that above mentioned. 92. The uses to which these subscriptions have been hitherto applied, are, First, the payment of that one hundred and fifteen pounds: Secondly, the repairing (I might almost say, rebuild ing) that vast, uncouth heap of ruins, the Foundery: Thirdly, the building galleries both for men and women: Fourthly, the enlarging the society-room to near thrice its first bigness. All taxes and occasional expenses are likewise defrayed out of this fund. And it has been hitherto so far from yielding any over plus, that it has never sufficed for these purposes. So far from it, that I am still in debt, on these accounts, near three hun dred pounds. So much have I hitherto gained by preaching the gospel! besides a debt of one hundred and fifty pounds, still remaining on account of the school built at Bristol; and another of above two hundred pounds, on account of that now building at Newcastle. I desire any reasonable man would now sit down and lay these things together, and let him see, whether, allowing me a grain of common sense, if not of common honesty, he can possibly conceive, that a view of gain would induce me to act in this manner. 93.

Supposing candour and love out of the question, are they the words of truth? I dare stake my life upon it, there is not one true clause in all this paragraph. The propositions contained therein are these : (1.) That the religion I preach consists in enthusiastic ardour. (2.) That it can be attained by very few. (3.) That it can be understood by very few. (4.) That it cannot be practised without breaking in upon the common duties of life. (5.) And that all this may be proved by my own account of it. I earnestly entreat your Grace to review my own account of it, as it stands in any of my former writings; or to consider the short account which is given in this; and if you can thence make good any one of those propositions, I do hereby pro mise, before God and the world, that I will never preach more. At present I do not well understand what your Grace means by “an enthusiastic ardour.” Surely you do not mean the love of God! No, not though a poor, pardoned sinner should carry it so far as to love the Lord his God with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his strength ! But this alone is the ardour which I preach up as the foundation of the true and only Christianity. I pray God so to fill your whole heart therewith, that you may praise him for ever and ever. But why should your Grace believe that the love of God can be attained by very few ; or, that it can be understood by very * The (then) Archbishop of York. few 7 All who attain it understand it well. And did not He who is loving to every man design that every man should attain true love? “O that all would know, in this their day, the things that make for their peace l’’ And cannot the love both of God and our neighbour be practised, without breaking in upon the common duties of life? Nay, can any of the common duties of life be rightly practised without them? I apprehend not. I apprehend I am then laying the true, the only foundation for all those duties, when I preach, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and thy neighbour as thyself.” 2.

3. Do not men who imagine they have attained this despise others, as only going on in what they account the low and imper fect way, that is, as growing in grace and goodness by degrees? A. (1.) Men who only imagine they have attained this may probably despise those that are going on in any way. (2.) But the growing in grace and goodness by degrees is no mark of a low and imperfect way. Those who are fathers in Christ grow in grace by degrees, as well as the new-born babes. Q. 4. Do they not despise those who are working out their salvation with an humble reliance upon the merits of Christ for the pardon of their sins, and the acceptance of their sincere though imperfect services? A. (1.) They who really love God despise no man. But, (2.) They grieve to hear many talk of thus relying on Christ, who, though perhaps they are grave, honest, moral men, yet by their own words appear not to love God at all; whose souls cleave to the dust; who love the world; who have no part of the mind that was in Christ. 6. Query the Sixth --“Whether the same exalted strains and notions do not tend toweaken the natural and civil relations among men, by leading the inferiors, into whose heads those notions are infused, to a disesteem of their superiors; while they consider them as in a much lower dispensation than themselves; though those superiors are otherwise sober and good men, and regular attendants on the ordinances of religion.” I havementioned beforewhat those exalted notions are. These do not tend to weaken either thenatural or civil relations among men; or to lead inferiors to a disesteem of their superiors, even where those superiors are neither good nor sober men.

Paul’s judgment, joined with faith;” (so undoubtedly they are; that is, as an effect is always joined with its cause;) “and therefore we are not saved by faith alone.” I cannot possibly allow the consequence. You afterwards cite two more texts, and add, “You see, mere faith cannot be a condition of justification.” You are out of your way. We are no more talking now of justification than of final salvation. In considering Acts xvi. 31. “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved,” you say again, “Here the word. believe does not signify faith only. Faith necessarily produces charity and repentance; therefore, these are expressed by the word believe; ” that is, faith necessarily produces holiness;. therefore holiness is a condition of holiness. I want farther proof. That “Paul and Silas spake unto him the word of the Lord,” and that his faith did “in the same hour” work by love, I take to be no proof at all. You then undertake to show, that confessing our sins is a condition of justification, and that a confidence in the love of God is not a condition. Some of your words are: “This, good Sir, give me leave to say, is the greatest nonsense and contradiction possible. It is impossible you can understand this jargon yourself; and therefore you labour in vain to make it intelligible to others. You soar aloft on eagles’ wings, and leave the poor people to gape and stare after you.” This is very pretty, and very lively. But it is nothing to, the purpose. For we are not now speaking of justification; neither have I said one word of the condition of justification in the whole tract to which you here refer. “In the next place,” say you, “if we are saved” (finally you mean) “only by a confidence in the love of God.” Here I must stop you again; you are now running beside the question, on the other hand. The sole position which I here advance is this: True believers are saved from inward and out ward sin by faith. By faith alone the love of God and all man kind is shed abroad in their hearts, bringing with it the mind' that was in Christ, and producing all holiness of conversation. IV. 1. I am now to consider what has been lately objected.

I am now to consider what has been lately objected. with regard to the mature of saving faith. The author last mentioned “cannot understand how those texts of St. John are at all to the purpose: ” “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God; ” (1 John iii. 1;) and, “We love him, because he first loved us.” (iv. 19.) I answer, (1.) These texts were not produced in the “Appeal” by way of proof, but of illustration only. But, (2.) I apprehend they may be produced as a proof, both that Christian faith implies a con fidence in the love of God, and that such a confidence has a direct tendency to salvation, to holiness both of heart and life “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God!” Are not these words an expression of Christian faith, as direct an one as can well be conceived? And I appeal to every man, whe ther they do not express the strongest confidence of the love of God. Your own comment puts this beyond dispute: “Let us consider attentively, and with grateful hearts, the great love and mercy of God in calling us to be his sons, and bestowing on us the privileges belonging to such.” Do you not perceive that you have given up the cause ? You have yourself taught us that these words imply a “sense of the great love and mercy of God, in bestowing upon us the privileges belonging to his sons.” The Apostle adds, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God; and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: But we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” I suppose no one will say, either that these words are not expressive of Christian faith; or that they do not imply the strongest confidence in the love of God. It follows, “And every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself even as he is pure.” Hence it appears that this faith is a saving faith, that there is the closest connexion between this faith and holiness. This text, therefore, is directly to the purpose, in respect of both the propositions to be proved.

Were Edward III. or IIenry V. to come among us now, what would they think of the change in their people? Would they applaud the elegant variety at the old Baron’s table? or the costly delicacy of his furniture and apparel ? Would they listen to these instruments of music, or find pleasure in those diversions? Would they rejoice to see the Nobles and Gentry of the land lying “at ease, stretch ing themselves on beds” of down? too delicate to use their own limbs, even in the streets of the city; to bear the touch of the people, the blowing of the wind, or the shining of the sun O how would their hearts burn within them | What indigna tion, sorrow, shame must they feel, to see the ancient hardiness lost, the British temperance, patience, and scorn of superflu ities, the rough, indefatigable industry, exchanged for softness, “idleness, and fulness of bread!” Well for them, that they were gathered unto their fathers before this exchange was made! 19. To prove at large, that the luxury and sensuality, the sloth and indolence, the softness and idleness, the effeminacy and false delicacy of our nation are without a parallel, would be but lost labour. I fear, we may say, the lewdness too; for if the Jews, as the Prophet speaks, “assembled themselves by troops in the harlots’ houses,” so do the English, and much more abundantly. Indeed, where is male chastity to be found? among the Nobility, among the Gentry, among the tradesmen, or among the common people of England? How few lay any claim to it at all ! How few desire so much as the reputation of it ! Would you yourself account it an honour or a reproach, to be ranked among those of whom it is said, “These are they which are not defiled with women: For they are virgins?” And how numerous are they now, even among such as are accounted men of honour and probity, “who are as fed horses, everyone neighing after his neighbour's wife!” But as if this were not enough, is not the sin of Sodom, too, more common among us than ever it was in Jerusalem?

But great, inexpressi bly great, as this is, it is perhaps the least part of our work. To “seek and save that which is lost; ” to bring souls from Satan to God; to instruct the ignorant; to reclaim the wicked; to convince the gainsayer; to direct their feet into the way of peace, and then keep them therein; to follow them step by step, lest they turn out of the way, and advise them in their doubts and temptations; to lift up them that fall; to refresh them that are faint; and to comfort the weak-hearted; to administer various helps, as the variety of occasions require, according to their several necessities: These are parts of our office; all this we have undertaken at the peril of our own soul. A sense of this made that holy man of old cry out, “I marvel if any ruler in the Church shall be saved; ” and a greater than him say, in the fulness of his heart, “Who is sufficient for these things?” 35. But who is not sufficient for these things, for the taking care of a parish, though it contain twenty thousand souls, if this implies no more than the taking care to preach there once or twice a week; and to procure one to read Prayers on the other days, and do what is called the parish duty ? Is any trade in the nation so easy as this? Is not any man sufficient for it, without any more talents, either of nature or grace, than a small degree of common understanding? But Q | what manner of shepherds are those who look no farther into the nature of their office, who sink no deeper into the import ance of it, than this ! Were they not such as these concerning whom “the word of the Lord came unto Ezekiel, saying, Wo be to the shepherds that feed themselves | should not the shepherds feed the flock? Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool; but ye feed not the flock.

Black ingratitude is rooted in your inmost frame. You can no more love God, than you can see him; or than you can be happy without that love. Neither (how much soever you may pique yourself upon it) are you a lover of mankind. Can love and malice consist? benevolence and envy? O do not put out your own eyes! And are not these horrid tempers in you? Do not you envy one man, and bear malice or ill-will to another? I know you call these dispositions by softer names; but names change not the nature of things. You are pained that one should enjoy what you cannot enjoy yourself. Call this what you please, it is rank envy. You are grieved that a second enjoys even what you have yourself; you rejoice in seeing a third unhappy. Do not flatter yourself; this is malice, venomous malice, and nothing else. And how could you ever think of being happy, with malice and envy in your heart? Just as well might you expect to be at ease, while you held burning coals in your bosom. 17. I entreat you to reflect, whether there are not other inhabitants in your breast, which leave no room for happiness there. May you not discover, through a thousand disguises, pride? too high an opinion of yourself? vanity, thirst of praise, even (who would believe it?) of the applause of knaves and fools? unevenness or sourness of temper? proneness to anger or revenge? peevishness, fretfulness, or pining discontent? Nay, perhaps even covetousness.--And did you ever think happiness could dwell with these? Awake out of that senseless dream. Think not of reconciling things incompatible. All these tem pers are essential misery: So long as any of these are har boured in your breast, you must be a stranger to inward peace. What avails it you if there be no other hell? Whenever these fiends are let loose upon you, you will be constrained to own, Hell is where'er I am : Myself am hell. And can the Supreme Being love those tempers, which you yourself abhor in all but yourself? If not, they imply guilt as well as misery. Doubtless they do. Only inquire of your own heart. How often in the mid-career of your vice have you felt a secret reproof, which you knew not how to bear, and therefore stifled as soon as possible !

How often in the mid-career of your vice have you felt a secret reproof, which you knew not how to bear, and therefore stifled as soon as possible ! 18. And did not even this point at an hereafter; a future state of existence? The more reasonable among you have no doubt of this; you do not imagine the whole man dies together; r though you hardly suppose the soul, once disengaged, will dwell again in a house of clay. But how will your soul subsist without it? How are you qualified for a separate state? Sup pose this earthly covering, this vehicle of organized matter, whereby you hold commerce with the material world, were now to drop off! Now, what would you do in the regions of immor tality? You cannot eat or drink there. You cannot indulge either the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eye, or the pride of life. You love only worldly things; and they are gone, fled as smoke, driven away for ever. Here is no possibility of sen sual enjoyments; and you have a relish for nothing else. O what a separation is this, from all that you hold dear! What a breach is made, never to be healed ! But beside this, you are unholy, full of evil tempers; for you did not put off these with the body; you did not leave pride, revenge, malice, envy, discontent, behind you, when you left the world. And now you are no longer cheered by the light of the sun, nor diverted by the flux of various objects; but those dogs of hell are let loose to prey upon your soul, with their whole unrebated strength. Nor is there any hope that your spirit will now ever be restored to its original purity; not even that poor hope of a purging fire, so elegantly described by the heathen poet, some ages before the notion was wevived among the doctrines of the Romish Church. Aliae panduntur inanes Suspensae ad ventos; aliis sub gurgite vasto Infectum eluitur scelus, aut eruritur igni. Donec longa dies, perfecto temporis orbe, Coneretam eremit labem, purumque reliquit AEthereum sensum, atque aurai simplicis ignem." 19. What a great gulf then is fixed between you and happi ness, both in this world and that which is to come! Well may you shudder at the thought !

Is it possi ble in the nature of things? Si virtus conspiceretur oculis, (said the old Heathen,) mirabiles amores excitaret sui.” How much more if you see Him who is the original fountain, the great archetype of all virtue, will that sight raise in you a love that is wonderful, such as the gay and busy world know not of ! 23. What benevolence also, what tender love to the whole of human kind, will you drink in, together with the love of God, from the unexhausted source of love! And how easy is it to conceive that more and more of his image will be then transfused into your soul; that from disinterested love, all. other divine tempers will, as it were naturally, spring: Mildness, gentleness, patience, temperance, justice, sincerity, contempt of the world; yea, whatsoever things are venerable: and lovely, whatsoever are justly of good report! • This quotation from Cicero is thus translated by Addison --“If virtue. could be made the object of sight, she would (as Plato says) excite in us a won derful love.”--EDIT. And when you thus love God and all mankind, and are transformed into his likeness, then the commandments of God will not be grievous; you will no more complain that they destroy the comforts of life: So far from it, that they will be the very joy of your heart; ways of pleasantness, paths of peace! You will experience here that solid happiness which you had elsewhere sought in vain. Without servile fear or anxious care, so long as you continue on earth, you will gladly do the will of God here as the angels do it in heaven; and when the time is come that you should depart hence, when God says, “Arise, and come away,” you will pass with joy unspeakable out of the body, into all the fulness of God. Now, does not your own heart condemn you if you call this religion enthusiasm? O leave that to those blind zealots who tack together a set of opinions and an outside worship, and call this poor, dull, lifeless thing by the sacred name of Chris tianity | Well might you account such Christianity as this a mere piece of empty pageantry, fit indeed to keep the vulgar in awe, but beneath the regard of a man of understanding.

O God! must I go always ‘creeping with terrors, and plunge into eternity with a peradventure l’ “O thou Lover of men, is there no help in thee? I have heard (what indeed my heart cannot conceive) that thou revealest thyself to those that seek thee, and pourest thy love into their hearts; and that they who know and love thee, walk through the shadow of death and fear no evil. O that this were so! that there was such an unspeakable gift given to the children of men I for then might I hope for it. O God, if there be, give it unto me ! Speak, that I may see thee! Make thyself known unto me also in the manner that thou knowest ! In anywise, let me know thee, and love thee, that I may be formed after thy likeness | That I may be love, as thou art love; that I may now be happy in thee; and, when thou wilt, fall into the abyss of thy love, and enjoy thee through the ages of eternity.” To And when he came near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace / Luke xix. 41, 42. - I. 1. Now, what can an impartial person think concerning the present state of religion in England? Is there a nation under the sun which is so deeply fallen from the very first prin ciples of all religion? Where is the country in which is found so utter a disregard to even heathen morality; such a thorough contempt of justice and truth, and all that should be dear and honourable to rational creatures? What species of vice can possibly be named, even of those that nature itself abhors, of which we have not had, for many years, a plentiful and still-increasing harvest? What sin remains either in Rome or Constantinople, which we have not imported long ago, (if it was not of our native growth,) and improved upon ever since? Such a complication of villanies of every kind, considered with all their aggravations; such a scorn of whatever bears the face of virtue; such injustice, fraud, and falsehood; above all, such perjury, and such a method of law, we may defy the whole world to produce.

On Tuesday, January 31, 1743-4, Henry Old came to John Griffith's house, saying, if he did not leave following “this way,” he had a hundred men at his command, who should come and pull his house down. Soon after he brought some with him; but the neighbours gave him money, and sent him away for that time. Monday, February 6, between seven and eight at night, came part of the same company. Hearing them afar off, John and his wife fastened the door, and left the house. Some of the neighbours going in soon after, found them destroying all they could: Two chairs and several bundles of linen were laid upon the fire. After they had destroyed what they could, they loaded themselves with clothes and meat, and went their way. The same day public notice was given at Walsal, by a paper fixed up there, That all who designed to assist in breaking the windows, and plundering the houses, of the Methodists at Wednesbury, should be ready at ten o’clock, the next morning, on the Church-hill. 11. The next morning, February 7, (being Shrove-Tuesday,) about half an hour after ten, great numbers of men were gathered together on the Church-hill. Thence they marched down, some armed with swords, some with clubs, and some with axes. They first fell upon Benjamin Watson’s house, and broke many of the tiles, and all the windows. Next they came to Mr. Addinbrook’s, broke a fine clock, with many of his goods, and stole all the things they could carry away. The next house was Jane Smith’s, whose windows they broke, with what little goods she had. The next was Mr. Bird's, where they destroyed every thing they found, except what they carried away; cutting the beds in pieces, as they did all the beds which they could anywhere find. Thence they went to Mr. Edge's house: He was ill of a fever; so, for a sum of money, they passed it over. The next house was Mr. Hands's. They broke all his counter, boxes, and drawers, and all (except some bedsteads) that axe or hammer could break. They spilt all his drugs and chemical medicines, and stole every thing they could carry, even all his and his wife's wearing apparel beside what they had on. 12. Mr. Eaton's house was next.

“But for these laymen to exhort at all is a violation of all order.” What is this order of which you speak? Will it serve instead of the knowledge and love of God? Will this order rescue those from the snare of the devil, who are now taken captive at his will? Will it keep them who are escaped a little way, from turning back into Egypt? If not, how should I answer it to God, if, rather than violate I know not what order, I should sacrifice thousands of souls thereto? I dare not do it. It is at the peril of my own soul. Indeed, if by order were meant true Christian discipline, whereby all the living members of Christ are knit together in one, and all that are putrid and dead immediately cut off from the body; this order I reverence, for it is of God. But where is it to be found? in what diocese, in what town or parish, within England or Wales? Are you Rector of a parish? Then let us go no farther. Does this order obtain there? Nothing less. Your parishioners are a rope of sand. As few (if any) of them are alive to God; so they have no connexion with each other, unless such as might be among Turks or Heathens. Neither have you any power to cut off from that body, were it alive, the dead and putrid members. Perhaps you have no desire; but all are jumbled together without any care or concern of yours. It is plain, then, that what order is to be found is not among you who so loudly contend for it, but among that very people whom you continually blame for their violation and contempt of it. The little flock you condemn is united together in one body, by one Spirit; so that “if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one be honoured, all rejoice with it.” Nor does any dead member long remain; but as soon as the hope of recovering it is past, it is cut off. Now, suppose we were willing to relinquish our charge, and to give up this flock into your hands, would you observe the same order as we do now with them and the other souls under your care? You dare not; because you have respect of persons.

And it was a natural consequence of what that poor Minister had lately heard at the Bishop’s visitation; as it was one great cause of the miserable riots and outrages which soon followed. It is this, my brethren, it is your own preaching, and not ours, which sets the people against you. The very same per sons who are diverted with those sermons, cannot but despise you for them in their hearts; even those who on your autho rity believe most of the assertions which you adv nce. What then must they think of you, who know the greatest part of what you assert to be utterly false? They may pity and pray for you; but they can esteem you no other than false wit nesses against God and your brethren. 22. “But what need is there,” say even some of a milder spirit, “ of this preaching in fields and streets? Are there not churches enough to preach in ?” No, my friend, there are not; not for us to preach in. You forget; we are not suffered to preach there, else we should prefer them to any places whatever. “Well, there are Ministers enough with out you.” Ministers enough, and churches enough ! for what? to reclaim all the sinners within the four seas? If there were, they would all be reclaimed. But they are not re claimed: Therefore, it is evident that there are not churches enough. And one plain reason why, notwithstanding all these churches, they are no nearer being reclaimed, is this, -they never come into a church, perhaps not once in a twelve month, perhaps not for many years together. Will you say, (as I have known some tender-hearted Christians,) “Then it is their own fault; let them die, and be damned ?” I grant it is their own fault; and so it was my fault and yours when we went astray like sheep that were lost. Yet the Shepherd of souls sought after us, and went after us into the wildcriness. And “oughtest not thou to have compassion on thy fellow servants, as he had pity on thee?” Ought not we also “to seek,” as far as in us lies, “and to save, that which is lost?” Behold the amazing love of God to the outcasts of men His tender condescension to their folly! They would regard nothing done in the usual way.

If, on the contrary, you join with that godless crew, and streng'hen their hands in their wickedness, must not you, in all reason, be accounted (like them) a public enemy of mankind? And indeed such must every one appear, in the eye of unprejudiced reason, who opposes, directly or indirectly, the reformation of mankind. By reformation, I mean the bringing them back (not to this or that system of opinions, or this or that set of rites and ceremonies, how decent and significant soever; but) to the calm love of God and one another, to an uniform practice of justice, mercy, and truth. With what colour can you lay any claim to humanity, to benevolence, to public spirit, if you can once open your mouth, or stir one finger, against such a reformation as this? It is a poor excuse to say, “O, but the people are brought into several erroneous opinions!” It matters notastraw, whether they are or no; (I speak of such opinions as do not touch the foundation;) it is scarce worth while to spend ten words about it. Whether they embrace this religious opinion or that, is no more concern to me, than whether they embrace this or that system of astronomy. Are they brought to holy tempers and holy lives? This is mine, and should be your, inquiry; since on this, both social and personal happiness depend, happiness temporal and eternal. Are they brought to the love of God and the love of their neighbour? Pure religion and undefiled is this. How long then will you “darken counsel by words without knowledge?” The plain religion now propagated is Love. And can you oppose this without being an enemy to mankind? 15. No, nor without being an enemy to your King and coun try; especially at such a time as this. For, however men of no thought may not see or regard it, or hectoring cowards may brave it out, it is evident to every man of calm reflection, that our nation stands on the very brink of destruction.

Talk together as often as you can. And pray earnestly with and for one another, that you may ‘endure to the end, and be saved.’” Against this advice we presumed there could be no objection; as being grounded on the plainest reason, and on so many scrip ^e 2. 2. ' > { tures both of the Old Testament and New, that it would be tedious to recite them. 6. They said, “But we want you likewise to talk with us often, to direct and quicken us in our way, to give us the advices which you well know we need, and to pray with us, as well as for us.” I asked, Which of you desire this? Let me know your names and places of abode. They did so. But I soon found they were too many for me to talk with severally so often as they wanted it. So I told them, “If you will all of you come together every Thursday, in the evening, I will gladly spend some time with you in prayer, and give you the best advice I can.” 7. Thus arose, without any previous design on either side, what was afterwards called a Society; a very innocent name, and very common in London, for any number of people asso ciating themselves together. The thing proposed in their associating themselves together was obvious to every one. They wanted to “flee from the wrath to come,” and to assist each other in so doing. They therefore united themselves “in order to pray together, to receive the word of exhortation, and to watch over one another in love, that they might help each other to work out their salvation.” 8. There is one only condition previously required in those who desire admission into this society,--“a desire to flee from the wrath to come, to be saved from their sins.”* They now likewise agreed, that as many of them as had an opportunity would meet together every Friday, and spend the dinner hour in crying to God, both for each other, and for all mankind. 9. It quickly appeared, that their thus uniting together answered the end proposed therein. In a few months, the far greater part of those who had begun to “fear God, and work righteousness,” but were not united together, grew faint in their minds, and fell back into what they were before.

In a few months, the far greater part of those who had begun to “fear God, and work righteousness,” but were not united together, grew faint in their minds, and fell back into what they were before. Meanwhile the far greater part of those who were thus united together continued “striving to enter in at the strait gate,” and to “lay hold on eternal life.” 10. Upon reflection, I could not but observe, This is the very thing which was from the beginning of Christianity. In the * See the Rules of the United Societies. ThE PEOPLE CALLED METHODISTS, 251 earliest times, those whom God had sent forth “preached the gospel to every creature.” And the ou akpoatat, “the body of hearers,” were mostly either Jews or Heathens. But as soon as any of these were so convinced of the truth, as to forsake sin and seek the gospel salvation, they immediately joined them together, took an account of their names, advised them to watch over each other, and met these karmyovuevot," cate chumens,” (as they were then called,) apart from the great con gregation, that they might instruct, rebuke, exhort, and pray with them, and for them, according to their several necessities. 11. But it was not long before an objection was made to this, which had not once entered into my thought:--“Is not this making a schism? Is not the joining these people together, gathering Churches out of Churches?” It was easily answered, If you mean only gathering people out of buildings called churches, it is. But if you mean, divid ing Christians from Christians, and so destroying Christian fellowship, it is not. For, (1.) These were not Christians before they were thus joined. Most of them were barefaced Heathens. (2.) Neither are they Christians, from whom you sup pose them to be divided. You will not look me in the face and say they are. What! drunken Christians! cursing and swearing Christians! lying Christians! cheating Christians! If these are Christians at all, they are devil Christians, as the poor Mala barians term them. (3.) Neither are they divided any more than they were before, even from these wretched devil Chris tians. They are as ready as ever to assist them, and to perform every office of real kindness towards them.

They are as ready as ever to assist them, and to perform every office of real kindness towards them. (4.) If it be said, “But there are some true Christians in the parish, and you destroy the Christian fellowship between these and them;” I answer, That which never existed, cannot be destroyed. But the fellowship you speak of never existed. Therefore it can- O not be destroyed. Which of those true Christians had any - 2. such fellowship with these? Who watched over them in love? | e * Who marked their growth in grace? Who advised and ex- %- horted them from time to time? Who prayed with them and t for them, as they had need? This, and this alone, is Christian - . fellowship: But, alas! where is it to be found? Look east or west, north or south; name what parish you please: Is this Christian fellowship there? Rather, are not the bulk of the parishioners a mere rope of sand? What Christian connexion is there between them? What intercourse in spiritual things? What watching over each other's souls? What bearing of one another's burdens? What a mere jest is it then, to talk so gravely of destroying what never was ! The real truth is just the reverse of this: We introduce Christian fellowship where it was utterly destroyed. And the fruits of it have been peace, joy, love, and zeal for every good word and work. II. 1. But as much as we endeavoured to watch over each X4. %, other, we soon found some who did not live the gospel. I do not know that any hypocrites were crept in; for indeed there • *, was no temptation: But several grew cold, and gave way to the 2, 4. ** sins which had long easily beset them. We quickly perceived *_* there were many ill consequences of suffering these to remain ‘... among us. It was dangerous to others; inasmuch as all sin is 2 of an infectious nature. It brought such a scandal on their brethren as exposed them to what was not properly the reproach of Christ. It laid a stumbling-block in the way of others, and caused the truth to be evil spoken of. 2. We groaned under these inconveniences long, before a remedy could be found.

5. It is the business of a Leader, (1.) To see each person in his class, once a week at the least, in order to inquire how their souls prosper; to advise, reprove, comfort, or exhort, as occasion may require; to receive what they are willing to give, toward the relief of the poor. (2) To meet the Minister and the Stewards of the society, in order to inform the Minister of any that are sick, or of any that are disorderly and will not be reproved; to pay to the Stewards what they have received of their several classes in the week preceding. 6. At first they visited each person at his own house; but this was soon found not so expedient. And that on many accounts: (1.) It took up more time than most of the Leaders had to spare. (2.) Many persons lived with masters, mis tresses, or relations, who would not suffer them to be thus visited. (3.) At the houses of those who were not so averse, they often had no opportunity of speaking to them but in company. And this did not at all answer the end proposed,--. of exhorting, comforting, or reproving. (4.) It frequently hap pened that one affirmed what another denied. And this could not be cleared up without seeing them together. (5.) Little misunderstandings and quarrels of various kinds frequently arose among relations or neighbours; effectually to remove which, it was needful to see them all face to face. Upon all these considerations it was agreed, that those of each class should meet alltogether. And by this means, a more full in quiry was made into the behaviour of every person. Those who could not be visited at home, or no otherwise than in company, had the same advantage with others. Advice or reproof was given as need required, quarrels made up, misunderstandings removed : And after an hour or two spent in this labour of love, they concluded with prayer and thanksgiving. 7. It can scarce be conceived what advantages have been reaped from this little prudential regulation. Many now happily experienced that Christian fellowship of which they had not so much as an idea before. They began to “bear one another’s burdens,” and naturally to “care for each other.” As they had daily a more intimate acquaintance with, so they had a more endeared affection for, each other.

They began to “bear one another’s burdens,” and naturally to “care for each other.” As they had daily a more intimate acquaintance with, so they had a more endeared affection for, each other. And “speaking the truth in love, they grew up into Him in all things, who is the Head, even Christ; from whom the whole body, fitly joined together, and compacted by that which every joint supplied, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, increased unto the edifying itself in love.” 8. But notwithstanding all these advantages, many were at first extremely averse to meeting thus. Some, viewing it in a wrong point of light, not as a privilege, (indeed an invalu able one,) but rather a restraint, disliked it on that account, because they did not love to be restrained in anything. Some were ashamed to speak before company. Others honestly said, “I do not know why; but I do not like it.” 9. Some objected, “There were no such meetings when I came into the society first: And why should there now P I do not understand these things, and this changing one thing after another continually.” It was easily answered: It is pity but they had been at first. But we knew not then either the need or the benefit of them. Why we use them, you will readily understand, if you read over the rules of the society. That with regard to these little prudential helps we are conti nually changing one thing after another, is not a weakness or fault, as you imagine, but a peculiar advantage which we enjoy. By this means we declare them all to be merely prudential, not essential, not of divine institution. We prevent, so far as in us lies, their growing formal or dead. We arc always open to instruction; willing to be wiser every day than we were before, and to change whatever we can change for the better. 10. Another objection was, “There is no scripture for this, for classes and I know not what.” I answer, (1.) There is no scripture against it. You cannot show one text that forbids them. (2.) There is much scripture for it, even all those texts which enjoin the substance of those various duties whereof this is only an indifferent circumstance, to be determined by reason and experience.

5. In order to increase in them a grateful sense of all his mercies, I desired that, one evening in a quarter, all the men in band, on a second, all the women, would meet; and on a third, both men and women together; that we might together “eat bread,” as the ancient Christians did, “with gladness and singleness of heart.” At these love-feasts (so we termed them, retaining the name, as well as the thing, which was in use from the beginning) our food is only a little plain cake and water. But we seldom return from them without being fed, not only with the “meat which perisheth,” but with “that which endureth to everlasting life.” 6. Great and many are the advantages which have ever since flowed from this closer union of the believers with each other. They prayed for one another, that they might be healed of the faults they had confessed; and it was so. The chains were broken, the hands were burst in sunder, and sin had no more dominion over them. Many were delivered from the tempta tions out of which, till then, they found no way to escape. They were built up in our most holy faith. They rejoiced in the Lord more abundantly. They were strengthened in love, and more effectually provoked to abound in every good work. 7. But it was soon objected to the bands, (as to the classes before,) “These were not at first. There is no Scripture for them. These are man’s works, man’s building, man’s inven tion.” I reply, as before, these are also prudential helps, grounded on reason and experience, in order to apply the general rules given in Scripture according to particular cir cumstances. 8. An objection much more boldly and frequently urged, is, that “all these bands are mere Popery.” I hope I need not pass a harder censure on those (most of them at least) who affirm this, than that they talk of they know not what; they betray in themselves the most gross and shameful ignorance. Do not they yet know, that the only Popish confession is, the confession made by a single person to a Priest?--and this itself is in nowise condemned by our Church; nay, she recommends it in some cases. Whereas, that we practise is, the confession of several persons conjointly, not to a Priest, but to each other.

2. I saw it might be useful to give some advices to all those who continued in the light of God’s countenance, which the rest of their brethren did not want, and probably could not receive. So I desired a small number of such as appeared to be in this state, to spend an hour with me every Monday morning. My design was, not only to direct them how to press after per fection; to exercise their every grace, and improve every talent they had received; and to incite them to love one another more, and to watch more carefully over each other; but also to have a select company, to whom I might unbosom myself on all occa sions, without reserve; and whom I could propose to all their brethren as a pattern of love, of holiness, and of good works. 3. They had no need of being incumbered with many rules; having the best rule of all in their hearts. No pecu liar directions were therefore given to them, excepting only these three: First. Let nothing spoken in this society be spoken again. (Hereby we had the more full confidence in each other.) Secondly. Every member agrees to submit to his Minister in all indifferent things. Thirdly. Every member will bring, once a week, all he can spare toward a common stock. 4. Every one here has an equal liberty of speaking, there being none greater or less than another. I could say freely to these, when they were met together, “Ye may all prophesy one by one,” (taking that word in its lowest sense,) “that all may learn, and all may be comforted.” And I often found the advantage of such a free conversation, and that “in the multi tude of counsellors there is safety.” Any who is inclined so to do is likewise encouraged to pour out his soul to God. And here especially we have found, that “the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” IX. 1. This is the plainest and clearest account I can give of the people commonly called Methodists. It remains only to give you a short account of those who serve their brethren in love. These are Leaders of classes and bands, (spoken of before,) Assistants, Stewards, Visitors of the sick, and School masters. 2.

2. In the third part of the “Appeal,” I have mentioned how we were led to accept of Lay-Assistants. Their office is, in the absence of the Minister, (1.) To expound every morning and evening. (2.) To meet the united society, the bands, the select society, and the peni tents, once a week. (3.) To visit the classes once a quarter. (4.) To hear and decide all differences. (5.) To put the disor derly back on trial, and to receive on trial for the bands or society. (6.) To see that the Stewards, the Leaders, and the Schoolmasters faithfully discharge their several offices. (7.) To meet the Leaders of the bands and classes weekly, and the Stewards, and to overlook their accounts. X. 1. But, long before this, I felt the weight of a far dif ferent care, namely, care of temporal things. The quarterly subscriptions amounted, at a mean computation, to above three hundred pounds a year. This was to be laid out, partly in repairs, partly in other necessary expenses, and partly in paying debts. The weekly contributions fell little short of eight pounds a week; which was to be distributed as every one had need. And I was expected to take thought for all these things: But it was a burden I was not able to bear; so I chose out first. one, then four, and after a time, seven, as prudent men as I knew, and desired them to take charge of these things upon themselves, that I might have no incumbrance of this kind. 2. The business of these Stewards is, To manage the temporal things of the society. To receive the subscriptions and contributions. To expend what is need ful from time to time. To send relief to the poor. To keep an exact account of all receipts and expenses. To inform the Minister if any of the rules of the society are not punctually observed. To tell the Preachers in love, if they think anything amiss, either in their doctrine or life. 3. The rules of the Stewards are, (1.) Be frugal. Save everything that can be saved honestly. (2.) Spend no more than you receive. Contract no debts. (3.) Have no long accounts. Pay everything within the week. (4) Give none that asks relief, either an ill word or an ill look. Do not hurt them, if you cannot help.

(4.) But we cannot with a good conscience neglect the pre sent opportunity of saving souls while we live, for fear of conse quences which may possibly or probably happen after we are dead. BRIsrol, THURSDAY, August 1st, 1745 THE following persons being met together at the New-Room, in Bristol; John Wesley, Charles Wesley, John Hodges, Thomas Richards, Samuel Larwood, Thomas Meyrick, Richard Moss, John Slocombe, Herbert Jenkins, and Marmaduke Gwynne; it was proposed to review the Minutes of the last Conference with regard to justification. And it was asked: Q. 1. How comes what is written on this subject to be so intricate and obscure? Is this obscurity from the nature of the thing itself; or, from the fault or weakness of those who have generally treated of it? A. We apprehend this obscurity does not arise from the mature of the subject; but, perhaps, partly from hence, that the devil peculiarly labours to perplex a subject of the greatest importance; and partly from the extreme warmth of most writers who have treated of it? Q. 2. We affirm, faith in Christ is the sole condition of justification. But does not repentance go before that faith? yea, and, supposing there be opportunity for them, fruits or works meet for repentance? A. Without doubt they do. Q. 3. How then can we deny them to be conditions of justi fication? Is not this a mere strife of words? But is it worth while to continue a dispute on the term condition? A. It seems not, though it has been grievously abused. But so the abuse cease, let the use remain. Q. 4. Shall we read over together Mr. Baxter’s “Aphorisms concerning Justification?” A. By all means. Which were accordingly read. And it was desired, that each person present would in the afternoon consult the scriptures cited therein, and bring what objections might occur the next morning. FRIDAY, August 2d, THE QUESTION was PROPosED:-- Q. 1. Is a sense of God’s pardoning love absolutely necessary to our being in his favour? Or may there be some exempt cases? A. We dare not say there are not. Q. 2. Is it necessary to inward and outward holiness? A. We incline to think it is. Q. 3. Is it indispensably necessary to final salvation? sup pose in a Papist; or a Quaker; or, in general, among those who never heard it preached? A.

(4) Give no ticket to any that wear calashes, high-heads, or enormous bonnets. To encourage meeting in Band, (1.) In every large society, have a love-feast quarterly for the Bands only. (2.) Never fail to meet them once a week. (3.) Exhort every believer to embrace the advantage. (4.) Give a Band-ticket to none till they have met a quarter on trial. Observe 1 You give none a Band-ticket before he meets, but after he has met. Q. 17. Have those in Band left off snuff and drams? A. No. Many are still enslaved to one or the other. In order to redress this, (1.) Let no Preacher touch either on any account. (2.) Strongly dissuade our people from them. (3.) Answer their pretences, particularly curing the colic. Q. 18. Do we observe any evil which has lately prevailed among our societies? A. Many of our members have married with unbelievers, yea, with unawakened persons. This has had fatal effects. They had either a cross for life, or turned back to perdition. Q. 19. What can be done to put a stop to this? A. (1.) Let every Preacher publicly enforce the Apostle's caution, “Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers.” (2.) Let him openly declare, whoever does this will be expelled the society. (3.) When any such is expelled, let a suitable exhortation be subjoined. And, (4.) Let all be exhorted to take no step in so weighty a matter without advising with the most serious of their brethren. Q. 20. Ought any woman to marry without the consent of her parents? A. In general she ought not. Yet there may be an excep tion. For if, (1.) A woman be under a necessity of marrying; if, (2.) Her parents absolutely refuse to let her marry any Chris tian; then she may, nay, ought to, marry without their consent. Yet, even then, a Methodist Preacher ought not to marry her. Q. 21. Do not Sabbath-breaking, dram-drinking, evil speaking, unprofitable conversation, lightness, expensiveness or gaiety of apparel, and contracting debts without due care to discharge them, still prevail in several places? How may these evils be remedied? A. (1) Let us preach expressly on each of these heads. (2.) Read in every society the “Sermon on Evil-Speaking. (3.) Let the Leaders closely examine and exhort every person to put away the accursed thing.

A. No, not by half the Assistants. (1.) Who has sent me word, whether the other Preachers behave well or ill? (2) Who has visited all the classes and regulated the Bands quarterly? (3.) Love-feasts for the Bands have been neglected: Neither have persons been duly taken in and put out of the Bands. (4.) The societies are not half supplied with books; not even with those above-mentioned. O exert yourselves in this! Be not weary! Leave no stone unturned ! (5.) How few accounts have I had, either of remarkable deaths, or remarkable conver sions ! (6.) How few exact lists of the societies ! (7.) How few have met the married and single persons once a quarter I Q. 44. Are there any other advices which you would give the Assistants? A. Several. (1.) Take a regular catalogue of your societies, as they live in house-row. (2.) Leave your successor a particu lar account of the state of the Circuit. (3) See that every Band-Leader has the Rules of the Bands. (4.) Vigorously, but calmly, enforce the Rules concerning needless ornaments, drams, snuff, and tobacco. Give no Band-ticket to any man or woman who does not promise to leave them off (5.) As soon as there are four men or women believers in any place, put them into a Band. (6.) Suffer no love-feast to last above an hour and an half; and instantly stop all breaking the cake with one another. (7.) Warn all, from time to time, that none are to remove from one society to another without a certificate from the Assistant in these words: (Else he will not be received in other societies:) “A. B., the bearer, is amember of our society in C.: I believe he has sufficient cause for removing.” I beg every Assistant to remember this. (8.) Everywhere recommend decency and cleanliness: Cleanliness is next to godliness. (9.) Exhort all that were brought up in the Church, to continue therein. Set the example yourself; and immediately change every plan that would hinder their being at church at least two Sundays in four. Carefully avoid whatever has a tendency to separate men from the Church; and let all the servants in our preaching-houses go to church once on Sunday at least. Is there not a cause? Are we not unawares, by little and little, sliding into a separation from the Church?

By these marks, by these fruits of a living faith, do wela. bour to distinguish ourselves from the unbelieving world, from all those whose minds or lives are not according to the Gospel of Christ. But from real Christians, of whatsoever denomina tion they be, we earnestly desire not to be distinguished at all , not from any who sincerely follow after what they know they have not yet attained. No.: “Whosoever doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.” And I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, that we be in no wise divided among ourselves. Is thy heart right, as my heart is with thine? I ask no farther ques tion. If it be, give me thy hand. For opinions, or terms, let us not destroy the work of God. Dost thou love and serve God? It is enough. I give thee the right hand of fellow ship. If there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mer cies; let us strive together for the faith of the Gospel; walking worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called; with all lowli ness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace; remembering, there is one body, and one Spirit, even as we are called with one hope of our calling; “one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” 1. IT is not easy to reckon up the various accounts which have been given of the people called Methodists; very many of them as far remote from truth as that given by the good gentleman in Ireland: “Methodists Ay, they are the people who place all religion in wearing long beards.” 2. Abundance of the mistakes which are current concerning them have undoubtedly sprung from this: Men lump together, under this general name, many who have no manner of con nexion with each other; and then whatever any of these speaks or does is of course imputed to all. 3.

Wesley; but still Mr. Maxfield and his adherents go under the general name of Methodists. 15. At present, those who remain with Mr. Wesley are mostly Church-of-England men.* They love her Articles, her Homilies, her Liturgy, her discipline, and unwillingly vary from it in any instance. Meantime, all who preach among ithem declare, “We are all by nature children of wrath:” But “by grace we are saved through faith;” saved both from ithe guilt and from the power of sin. They endeavour to live according to what they preach, to be plain Bible-Christians. Andthey meet together, at convenient times, to encourage one another therein. They tenderly love many that are Calvinists, * I have not been able to ascertain the precise time at which this tract was written. It notices the separation of Maxfield in 1763; and the seeond edition of it bears the date of 1765. It appears therefore to have been first published some time about 1764; and was probably intended to screen Mr. Wesley and his friends from the reproach attached to the conduct of those who separated from him.-EDIT. ADVICE TO THE METHODISTS. 35l though they do not love their opinions. Yea, they love the Antinomians themselves; but it is with a love of compassion only: For they hate their doctrines with a perfect hatred; they abhor them as they do hell-fire; being convinced nothing can so effectually destroy all faith, all holiness, and all good works. 16. With regard to these, Mr. Relly and his adherents, it would not be strange if they should grow into reputation. For they will never shock the world, either by the harshness of their doctrine, or the singularity of their behaviour. But let those who determine both to preach and to live the Gospel expect that men will say “all manner of evil of them.” “The servant is not above his Master, nor the disciple above his Lord.

So much stress you lay even on right opinions, as to profess, that you earnestly desire to have a right judgment in all things, and are glad to use every means which you know or believe may be conducive thereto; and yet not so much as to condemn any man upon earth, merely for thinking otherwise than you do; much less, to imagine that God condemns him for this, if he be upright and sincere of heart. On those outward modes of worship, wherein you have been bred up, you lay so much stress as highly to approve them; but not so much as to lessen your love to those who conscientiously dissent from you herein. You likewise lay so much stress on the use of those ordinances which you believe to be of God, as to confess there is no salvation for you if you wilfully neglect them: And yet you do not judge them that are otherwise minded; you determine nothing concerning those who, not believing those ordinances to be of God, do, out of principle, abstain from them. Your strictness of life, taking the whole of it together, may likewise be accounted new. I mean, your making it a rule, to abstain from fashionable diversions, from reading plays, ro mances, or books of humour, from singing innocent songs, or talking in a merry, gay, diverting manner; your plainness of dress; your manner of dealing in trade; your exactness in ob serving the Lord’s day; your scrupulosity as to things that have not paid custom; your total abstinence from spirituous liquors (unless in cases of necessity); your rule, “not to men tion the fault of an absent person, in particular of Ministers or of those in authority,” may justly be termed new: Seeing, although some are scrupulous in some of these things, and others are strict with regard to other particulars, yet we do not find any other body of people who insist on all these rules together. With respect, therefore, both to your name, prin ciples, and practice, you may be considered as a new people.

And as much offence as you give by your name, you will give still more by your principles. You will give offence to the bigots for opinions, modes of worship, and ordinances, by laying no more stress upon them; to the bigots against them, by laying so much; to men of form, by insisting so frequently and strongly on the inward power of religion; to moral men, (so called,) by declaring the absolute necessity of faith, in order to acceptance with God. To men of reason you will give offence, by talking of inspiration and receiving the Holy Ghost; to drunkards, Sabbath-breakers, common swearers, and other open sinners, by refraining from their company, as well as by that disapprobation of their behaviour which you will often be obliged to express. And indeed your life must give them con tinual offence: Your sobriety is grievously offensive to a drunk ard; your serious conversation is equally intolerable to a gay impertinent: and, in general, that “you are grown so precise and singular, so monstrously strict, beyond all sense and reason, that you scruple so many harmless things, and fancy you are obliged to do so many others which you need not,” cannot but be an offence to abundance of people, your friends and relations in particular. Either, therefore, you must consent to give up your principles, or your fond hope of pleasing men. What makes even your principles more offensive is, this uniting of yourselves together: Because this union renders you more conspicuous, placing you more in the eye of men; more suspicious,--I mean, liable to be suspected of carrying on some sinister design (especially by those who do not, or will not, know your inviolable attachment to His present Majesty); more dreadful, to those of a fearful temper, who imagine you have any such design; and more odious to men of zeal, if their zeal be any other than fervent love to God and man. This offence will sink the deeper, because you are gathered out of so many other congregations: For the warm men in each will not easily be convinced, that you do not despise either them or their teachers; nay, will probably imagine, that you utterly condemn them, as though they could not be saved.

them with all the tenderness and love, and behave with all the sweetness and courtesy, you can ; taking care not to give any needless offence to neighbour or stranger, friend or enemy. Perhaps on this very account I might advise you, Fifthly, “not to talk much of what you suffer; of the persecution you endured at such a time, and the wickednessof your persecutors.” Nothing more tends to exasperate them than this; and there fore (although there is a time when these things must be men tioned, yet) it might be a general rule, to do it as seldom as you can with a safe conscience. For, besides its tendency to inflame them, it has the appearance of evil, of ostentation, of magnifying. yourselves. It also tends to puff you up with pride, and to make you think yourselves some great ones, as it certainly does to excite or increase in your heart ill-will, anger, and all unkind tempers. It is, at best, loss of time; for, instead of the wicked ness of men, you might be talking of the goodness of God. Nay, it is, in truth, an open, wilful sin: It is tale-bearing, back-biting, evil-speaking,--a sin you can never be sufficiently watchful against, seeing it steals upon you in a thousand shapes. Would it not be far more profitable for your souls, instead of speaking against them, to pray for them ? to confirm your love towards those unhappy men, whom you believe to be fighting against God, by crying mightily to him in their behalf, that he may open their eyes and change their hearts? I have now only to commend you to the care of Him who hath all power in heaven and in earth; beseeching Him, that, in every circumstance of life, you may stand “firm as the beaten anvil to the stroke;” desiring nothing on earth; ac counting all things but dung and dross, that you may win Christ; and always remembering, “It is the part of a good champion, to be flayed alive, and to conquer!” October 10, 1745, Occasioned by a late Pamphlet, entitled, “A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE PRIN 1. I HAVE often wrote on controverted points before; but not with an eye to any particular person. So that this is the first time I have appeared in controversy, properly so called.

And I greatly approved of all I saw.” (The particulars are related in the First Journal.) “From February 14, 1735, to December 2, 1737, being with them (except when I went to Frederica or Carolina) twice or thrice every day, I loved and esteemed them more and more. Yet a few things I could not approve of These I mentioned to them from time to time, and then commended the cause to God. “In February following I met with Peter Böhler. My heart clave to him as soon as he spoke. And the more we conversed, so much the more did I esteem both him and the Moravian Church. So that I had no rest in my spirit till I executed the design which I had formed long before; till, after a short stay in Holland, I hastened forward, first to Marien born, and then to Hernhuth.” * It may be observed, that I had before seen a few things in the Moravians which I could not approve of. In this journey I saw a few more, in the midst of many excellent things; in consequence whereof, “in September, 1738, soon after my return to England, I began the following letter to the Moravian Church. But being fearful of trusting my own judgment, I determined to wait yet a little longer, and so laid it by un finished:-- “‘I CANNOT but rejoice in your steadfast faith, in your love to our blessed Redeemer, your deadness to the world, your meekness, temperance, chastity, and love of one another. I greatly approve of your Conferences and Bands,t of your methods of instructing children; and, in general, of your great care of the souls committed to your charge. “‘But of some other things I stand in doubt, which I will mention in love and meekness. And I wish that, in order to * These are the words of the Fourth Journal, Vol. I. page 331, &c. + The Band society in London began May 1, some time before I set out for Germany. remove those doubts, you would, on each of those heads, First, plainly answer whether the fact be as I suppose; and if so, Secondly, consider whether it be right. “‘Is not the Count all in all among you? “‘Do you not magnify your own Church too much 2 “‘Do you not use guile and dissimulation in many cases?

“‘Do you not magnify your own Church too much 2 “‘Do you not use guile and dissimulation in many cases? “‘Are you not of a close, dark, reserved temper and beha viour P’ “It may easily be seen, that my objections then were nearly the same as now.” Only with this difference,--I was not then assured that the facts were as I supposed. “Yet I cannot say my affection was lessened at all: (For I did not dare to deter mine anything :) But from November 1, I could not but see more and more things which I could not reconcile with the gospel.” “These I have set down with all simplicity. Yet do I this, because I love them not? God knoweth: Yea, and in part, I esteem them still; because I verily believe they have a sincere desire to serve God; because many of them have tasted of his love, and some retain it in simplicity; because they love one another; because they have so much of the truth of the gospel, and so far abstain from outward sin. And lastly, because their discipline is, in most respects, so truly excellent; notwith standing that visible blemish, the paying too much regard to their great patron and benefactor, Count Zinzendorf.” 6. I believe, if you coolly consider this account, you will not find, either that it is inconsistent with itself, or that it lays you under any necessity of speaking in the following manner: “What charms there may be in a demure look and a sour be haviour, I know not. But sure they must be in your eye very extraordinary, as they can be sufficient to cover such a multi tude of errors and crimes, and keep up the same regard and affection for the authors and abettors of them. I doubt your regard for them was not lessened, till they began to interfere with what you thought your province. You was influenced, not by a just resentment to see the honour of religion and virtue so injuriously and scandalously trampled upon, but by a fear of losing your own authority.” (Remarks, pp. 18, 19.) I doubt, there is scarce one line of all these which is consistent either with truth or love.

“But I must observe,” you say, “that you fall not only into inconsistencies, but into direct contradictions. You com mend them for “loving one another in a manner the world know eth not of;’ and yet you charge them with being “in the utmost confusion, biting and devouring one another.’ You say, ‘They caution us against natural love of one another; and had well migh destroyed brotherly love from among us.” “You praise them for “using no diversions, but such asbecome saints; and for ‘not regarding outward adorning:” Yet you say they ‘conform to the world in wearing gold and costly apparel; and by joining in worldly diversions, in order to do good.’ “You call their discipline, ‘in most respects, truly excellent.” I wish you had more fully explained yourself. I am sure it is no sign of good discipline, to permit such abominations. And you tell them yourself, ‘I can show you such a subordination as answers all Christian purposes, and yet is as distant from that among you as the heavens are from the earth.” “You mention it as a good effect of their discipline, that “every one knows and keeps his proper rank. Soon after, as if it were with a design to confute yourself, you say, ‘Our brethren have neither wisdom enough to guide, nor prudence enough to let it alone.’ “And now, Sir, how can you reconcile these opposite descrip tions?” (Ibid. pp. 21, 22.) Just as easily as those before, by simply declaring the thing as it is. “You commend them.” (the Moravians) “for loving one another; and yet charge them with biting and devouring one another.” (Vol. I. pp. 245,256.) Them / Whom ? Not the Moravians; but the English bre thren of Fetter-Lane, before their union with the Moravians. Here, then, is no shadow of contradiction. For the two sen tences do not relate to the same persons. “You say, ‘They had well-nigh destroyed brotherly love from among us; partly by ‘cautions against natural love.” (Ibid. p. 330.) It is a melancholy truth; so they had. But we had then no connexion with them. Neither, therefore, does this contradict their “loving one another in a manner the world knoweth not of.” “You praise them for using no diversions but such as become saints;” (Ibid. p.

12. You need not therefore “imagine, that either the strong pretencesorwarm professions ofthe Moravians,” ortheir “agree ing with me on some favourite topics,” (for my love to them was antecedent to any such agreement,) “induce me to overlook their iniquity, and to forgive their other crimes.” (Remarks, p. 23.) No. I love them upon quite different grounds; even because I believe, notwithstanding all their faults, they “love the Lord Jesus in sincerity,” and have a measure of “the mind that was in him.” And I am in great earnest when I declare once more, that I have a deep, abiding conviction, by how many degrees the good which is among them overbalances the evil; that I cannot speak of them but with tender affection, were it only for the benefits I have received from them; and that, at this hour, I desire union with them (were those stumbling-blocks once put away, which have hitherto made that desire ineffectual) above all things under heaven. II. 1. Your second charge is, “That I hold, in common with them, principles from which their errors naturally follow.” You mean justification by faith alone. To set things in the clearest light I can, I will first observe what I hold, and what you object; and then inquire what the consequences have been. First. As to what I hold. My latest thoughts upon justi fication are expressed in the following words:-- “Justification sometimes means our acquittal at the last day. But this is out of the present question; that justification whereof our Articles and Homilies speak, meaning present pardon and acceptance with God; who therein declares his righteousness and mercy, by or for the remission of the sins that are past. “I believe, the condition of this is faith: I mean, not only, that without faith we cannot be justified; but also, that, as soon as any one has true faith, in that moment he is justified. “Good works follow this faith, but cannot go before it. Much less can sanctification, which implies a continued course of good works, springing from holiness of heart. But--entire sanctification goes before our justification at the last day. “It is allowed, that repentance, and ‘fruits meet for repent ance, go before faith. Repentance absolutely must go before faith; fruits meet for it, if there be opportunity.

16. You proceed: “Kingswood you call your own house: And when one Mr. C. opposed you there, you reply to him, ‘You should not have supplanted me in my own house, stealing the hearts of the people. The parochial Clergy may call their several districts their own houses, with much more propriety than you could call Kingswood yours. And yet how have you supplanted them therein, and laboured to steal the hearts of the people ! You have suffered by the same ways you took to dis charge your spleen and malice against your brethren. “Your brother’s words to Mr. C. are,--“Whether his doctrine is true or false, is not the question. But you ought first to have fairly told him, I preach contrary to you. Are you willing, notwithstanding, that I should continue in your house, gain saying you ? Shall I stay here opposing you, or shall I depart 2' Think you hear this spoken to you by us. What can you justly reply?--Again, if Mr. C. had said thus to you, and you had refused him leave to stay; I ask you, whether in such a case he would have had reason to resent such a refusal? I think you cannot say he would. And yet how loudly have you objected our refusing our pulpits to you!” (Remarks, page 15.) So you judge these to be exactly parallel cases. It lies therefore upon me to show that they are not parallel at all; that there is, in many respects, an essential difference between them. (1) “Kingswood you call your own house.” So I do, that is, the school-house there. For I bought the ground where it stands, and paid for the building it, partly from the contribution of my friends, (one of whom contributed fifty pounds,) partly * Wol. I. pp. 300, 301, and 305, of the present Edition.--EDIT. + For the purpose of exciting ill-will.-EDIT. from the income of my own Fellowship. No Clergyman therefore can call his parish his own house with more pro priety than I can call this house mine. (2) “Mr. C. opposed you there.” True; but who was Mr. C.? One I had sent for to assist me there; a friend that was as my own soul; that, even while he opposed me, lay in my bosom. What resemblance then does Mr.

Not the Moravians, but the English brethren of Fetter-Lane, before their union with the Moravians. Herein, then, is no shadow of contradiction; for the two sentences do not relate to the same persons.” You reply, “Would you then have us to think that so much anger and contradiction reigned among your Methodists?” I “would have you think” this is nothing to the purpose. Prove the contradiction, and you speak to the point. “It is plain they had before this been perverted by the Moravians; and that they were unwilling to be taught by any others.” They; that is, nearly half of the society. But here is no proof of the contradiction still. (2) “You say, ‘They had well nigh destroyed brotherly love from among us, partly by cautions against natural love, partly by occasioning almost continual disputes.” So they had; but we had then no connexion with them. Neither, therefore, does this contradict their loving one another. You reply, “As if they can truly love each other, who teach you not to do it, and stir up divisions and disturbances among you.” You should say, if you would repeat after me, “Who caution you against natural love, and occasion many disputes among you.” Well; allowing they do this, (which is utterly wrong,) yet where is the contradiction? Yet they may love one another. (3.) “You praise them for using no diversions, but such as become saints; and yet say,” (I recite the whole sentence,) “‘I have heard some of you affirm that Christian salvation implies liberty to conform to the world, by joining in worldly diversions in order to do good.’” And both these are true. The Moravians, in general, use no diversions but such as be come saints. And yet I have heard some of them affirm, in contradiction to their own practice, that “one then mentioned did well when he joined in playing at tennis in order to do good.” To this you make no reply. Silence then consents, that there is no contradiction here. (4) “You ‘praise them for not regarding outward adorn ing.’” So I do, the bulk of the congregation.

But God has taught me better. For on Friday and Saturday, when I was in the strongest pain, I never once had one moment's desire of ease.” Add, “But only that the will of God might be done.” Neither has this any resemblance of “stoical insensibility.” I never supposed that this person did not feel pain; (nor in deed that there is any state on earth wherein we shall not feel it;) but that her soul was filled with the love of God, and thankfully resigned to his will. “Another instance is taken from one of your hymns, where are these lines:-(Page 119.) “Doom, if thou canst, to endless pains, And drive me from thy face:’” (Add, “But if thy stronger love constrains, Let me be saved by grace.”) “This I thought the height of insensibility, extravagance, and presumption. You see nothing of these in it. And yet you explain yourself thus: ‘If thou canst deny thyself, if thou canst forget to be gracious, if thou canst cease to be truth and love: All which, in my opinion, is fixing the charge most strongly upon you. For the supposition that Christ can do these things”--Are you in earnest, Sir? Are you really ignorant, that expressions of this kind do not suppose he can, but quite the reverse? that they are one of the strongest forms of obtestation, of adjuring God to show mercy, by all his grace, and truth, and love? So far is this also from proving the charge of “stoical insensibility.” III. 1. I come now to consider the point of Church com munion, of which you have spoke in the beginning of your Treatise. In the entrance, you say, “We teach no other doc trine than has always been taught in our Church. Our senti ments concerning justification are reconcilable to our Articles, Homilies, and Service. This I apprehend several of the Methodists have been convinced of, and have therefore left our communion entirely. You give us more instances than one of this in your last Journal.” (Page 2.) No, not one. Nor did I ever yet know one man who “therefore left the communion of the Church,” because he was convinced that either her Articles, Homilies, or Liturgy, opposed his sentiments con cerning justification. Poor Mr. St-- and Mr. Simpson were induced to leave it by reasons of quite another kind.

1. What you urge on the head of enthusiasm also, I think, “deserves my most serious consideration.” You may add, “and presumption.” I let it drop once more; because I do not love tautology; and because I look upon presumption to be essential to enthusiasm, and, consequently, contained therein. I will therefore weigh what you advance concerning it, and explain myself something more at large. “I am to examine,” you say, “how far you have cleared your self of enthusiasm. . My account of this you set down, making as many alterations and omissions as there are lines.” (Page 120.) Perhaps more; for Inever designed to recite the whole, but only the material part of it. “If you did not wholly ap prove of it, why would you not let me know what you disliked in it?” Because I do not love many words. Therefore when the argument stood thus, “He that does this is an enthusiast; but you do this; ” I was generally content with answering the second proposition, and leaving the first as I found it. “I laid this charge against you and the Methodists in gene ral; between you every part of the character has been verified.” I answer for one; let the rest answer for themselves, if they have not better employment. That the question between us may be the more fully under stood, I shall briefly compare together, (1.) Your remarks. (2.) My answer. (3.) Your reply; though still I cannot promise to repeat your words at length. 2. You remark, “Though you would be thought an enemy to enthusiasm and presumption, yet in both you are far from being inferior to the Moravians, or indeed to any others.” (Page 60.) Strong assertions! Not inferior to any others? not to the French Prophets, or John of Leyden “(1.) Enthu siasm is a false persuasion of an extraordinary divine assist ance, which leads men to such conduct as is only to be justified by the supposition of such assistance.” I answer, “Before this touches me, you are to prove (which I conceive you have not done yet) that my conduct is such as is only to be justified by the supposition of such assistance.” (Page 406.) You reply, “This, I think, is proved in the preceding tract.” (Page 120.) I think not. Let men of candour judge.

“I know no ground to hope or pray for such immediate reliefs. These things must be represented either as common accidents or as miracles.” I do not throughly understand your terms. What is a common accident? that a sparrow falls to the ground, or something more inconsiderable than the hairs of your head? Is there no medium between accident and miracle? If there be, what is that medium? When we are agreed with regard to these few points, I shall be glad to resume the subject. 6. The fourth instance of my enthusiasm was this, that I “related judgments inflicted on my opposers.” As to Mr. Molther, I must observe once more, that I do believe there was a particular providence in his sickness. But I do not believe, (nor did I design to insinuate,) that it was a judgment for opposing me. You go on: “Again you mention, “as an awful providence, the case of a poor wretch who was last week cursing and blas pheming, and had boasted to many that he would come again on Sunday, and no man should stop his mouth then. Buton Fri day God laid his hand upon him, and on Sunday he was buried.” (Remarks, p. 66.) I answered, “I look on this as a manifest judgment of God on a hardened sinner, for his complicated wickedness.” (Page 410.) You reply, “Add, if you please, “His labouring with all his might to hinder the word of God.” Here therefore is a confessed judgment for his opposition to Vou.” (Second Letter, p. 133.) There is, for his thus opposing with curses and blasphemy. This was part of his complicated wickedness. Here then you “think I plead guilty.” Not of enthusiasm, till you prove this was not “an awful providence.” “Again: ‘One was just going to beat his wife, (which he frequently did,) when God smote him in a moment, so that his hand dropped, and he fell down upon the ground, having no more strength than a new-born child. Have we any warrant either from Scripture, or the common dispensations of provi dence, to interpret misfortunes of this nature as judgments?” (Remarks, p. 67.) I answered, “Can you, Sir, consider this as one of the common dispensations of providence? Have you known a parallel one in your life?

9. You go on : “It is the most charitable supposition we can make, that many of the cases you have mentioned in your Journals, and some of which have been represented above, are of this kind,” that is, instances of madness. (Second Letter, p. 138.) O tender charity | But cannot your charity reach one hair's breadth farther than this? No: For “otherwise” (that is,if those persons were not mad) “the presumption and despair are terrible indeed.” But what, if you were to suppose John Haydon (to instance in one) was not mad, but under a tempor ary possession; and that others were deeply convinced of sin, and of the wrath of God abiding on them? I should think this supposition (be it true or false) was full as charitable as the other. I said, “I cannot find one such instance to this day.” You reply, “Yet once you could not but be under some concern with regard to one or two persons, who seemed to be indeed lunatic, as well as sore vexed.” So they seemed; but it soon appeared they were not. The very next paragraph mentions, that one of these, within a few hours, was “filled with the spirit of love, and of a sound mind.” (Vol. I. p. 231.) But you are resolved, come what will, to carry this point; and so add, “Toward the end of your Farther Appeal, (First Part, p. 131,) you say, you have seen one instance of real, lasting madness. This was one whom you took with you to Bristol, who was afterwards prejudiced against you, and began a vehement invective both against your person and doctrines. In the midst of this he was struck raving mad.” Add, “And so he continued till his friends put him into Bedlam; and probably laid his madness to my charge.” If they did not, it is now done to their hands. 10. “As to the cure of these fits, I observed,” (so you, p.

And this love we suppose (according to the Christian scheme) to flow from a sense of God’s love to us; which sense and persuasion of God’s love to man in Christ Jesus, particularly applied, we term faith ; a thing you seem to be totally unacquainted with. For it is not the faith whereof we speak, unless it be a “faith working by love,” a faith “zeal ous of good works,” careful to maintain, nay, to excel in them. Nor do we acknowledge him to have one grain of faith, who is not continually doing good, who is not willing “to spend and be spent in doing all good, as he has opportu nity, to all men.” Whoever therefore they are, that “throw aside good works; that suspend” (as you prettily phrase it) “the hand of industry, become inactive, and leave all to Providence, without exercising either their heads or hands;” they are no more led into this by any doctrine of ours, than by the writings of Paul of Tarsus. And yet “this unaccountable strange sect” (so I believe we appear to you) “place no merit at all in good works.” Most true. No, nor in faith neither; (which you may think more unaccountable still ;) but only in “the blood of the everlasting covenant.” We do assuredly hold, (which I beg to leave with you, and to recommend to your deepest consi deration,) that there is no justification, in your sense, either by faith or works, or both together; that is, that we are not pardoned and accepted with God for the merit of either, or both; but only by the grace or free love of God, for the alone merits of his Son Jesus Christ. I am, Sir, Your friend, though not admirer, TO THE AUTHOR OF “A LETTER,” &c. LIMERICK, May 27, 1749. You ask, why I “do not warn the members of our society against fornication and adultery.” I answer, For the same reason that I do not warm them (in those short hints) against rebellion or murder; namely, because I do not apprehend them to be in immediate danger thereof.

You ask, why I “do not warn the members of our society against fornication and adultery.” I answer, For the same reason that I do not warm them (in those short hints) against rebellion or murder; namely, because I do not apprehend them to be in immediate danger thereof. Whereas many of them are in continual danger, either of “taking the name of God in vain, of profaning the day of the Lord, or of drunkenness, or brawling, or of uncharitable or unprofitable conversation.” But you say, “Many persons of great eminence among you have been publicly charged with the commission of these crimes.” But will you undertake to make those charges good? Whenever your “Christian charity, and hearty desire for our success in so important a work,” shall oblige you to instance particulars, I do hereby promise to give you a particular answer. “But has not a Preacher of your sect preached and printed to prove the lawfulness of polygamy?” I answer, No Preacher in connexion with me has ever done any such thing. What Mr. Hall of Salisbury has dome, is no more to me than it is to you; only that I am a greater sufferer by it. For he renounced all the Methodists several years since: And, when I was at Salisbury last, turned both me and my sister out of his house. No man therefore of common, heathen humanity, could ever blame me for the faults of that unhappy man. In declaring my “abhorrence of all vices of that kind,” I cannot be more plain or explicit than I have been. I can only declare again, that I believe neither fornicators, adul terers, nor unclean persons shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; and that I rank together sorcerers, whoremongers, murderers, idolaters, and whosoever maketh or loveth a lie. I well know, “a weak brother,” as you define him, that is, a man of “profane eyes, and an unholy imagination,” if you talk either of love-feasts, or persons confessing their faults to one another, will immediately run over all the scenes of the “New Atalantis.” But I leave that to himself. I must not neglect a scriptural advice, because such an one is offended at my following it. Your “friendly advice to avoid spiritual selfishness,” I will endeavour to follow as soon as I understand it.

Do these words imply “an ardent desire of going to hell?” I do not suppose the going to hell ever entered into his thoughts. Nor has it any place in my notion of disinterested love. How you may understand that term, I know not. But you will prove I have this desire, whether I will or no. You are sure this was my “original meaning,” (page 36,) in the words cited by Mr. Church, “Doom, if thou canst, to endless pain, Or drive me from thy face.” “God’s power or justice,” you say, “must be intended; be cause he speaks of God’s love in the very next lines, “But if thy stronger love constrains, Let me be saved by grace.’” Sir, I will tell you a secret. Those lines are not mine. How ever, I will once more venture to defend them, and to aver, that your consequence is good for nothing: “If this love is spoken of in the latter lines, then it is not in the former.” No! Why not? I take it to be spoken of in both. The plain meaning of which is, “If thou art not love, I am content to perish. But if thou art, let me find the effects thereof; let me be saved by grace.” 16. You next accuse me of maintaining a stoical insensi bility. This objection, also, you borrow from Mr. Church. You ought likewise to have taken notice, that I had answered it, and openly disowned that doctrine; I mean, according to the rules of common justice. But that is not your failing. 17. Part of your thirty-ninth page rums thus: “With respect to all this patient enduring hardships, &c., it has been remarked by learned authors, that ‘some persons, by consti tutional temper, have been fond of bearing the worst that could befal them; that others, from a sturdy humour, and the force of education, have made light of the most exquisite tortures; that when enthusiasm comes in, in aid of this natural or acquired sturdiness, and men fancy they are upon God’s work, and entitled to his rewards, they are immediately all on fire for rushing into sufferings and pain.’” I take knowledge of your having faithfully abridged--your own book, shall I say, or the learned Dr. Middleton’s? But what is it you are endeavouring to prove?

But what is it you are endeavouring to prove? Quorsum haec tam putida tendant * * The paragraph seems to point at me. But the plain, natural tendency of it is, to invalidate that great argument for Christi anity which is drawn from the constancy of the martyrs. Have you not here also spoken a little too plain? Had you not better have kept the mask on a little longer? Indeed, you lamely add, “The solid and just comforts which a true martyr receives from above are groundlessly applied to the counterfeit.” But this is not enough even to save appear ancéS. 18. You subjoin a truly surprising thought: “It may more over be observed, that both ancient and modern enthusiasts always take care to secure some advantage by their sufferings.” (Page 40.) O rare enthusiasts ! So they are not such fools neither as they are vulgarly supposed to be. This is just of a piece with the “cunning epileptic demoniacs,” in your other performance. And do not you think, (if you would but speak all that is in your heart, and let us into the whole secret,) that there was a compact, likewise, between Bishop Hooper and his executioner, as well as between the ventriloquist and the exorcist? But what “advantage do they take care to secure?” a good salary? a handsome fortune? No; quite another matter; “free communications with God, and fuller manifestations of his goodness.” (Ibid.) I dare say, you do not envy them, no * Thus translated from the Latin of Horace by Francis : “Whither tends This putid stuff?”--EDIT. more than you do those “self-interested enthusiasts” of old who “were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.” 19. You proceed to prove my enthusiasm from my notions of conversion. And here great allowances are to be made, because you are talking of things quite out of your sphere; you are got into an unknown world! Yet you still talk as magisterially as if you was only running down the Fathers of the primitive Church. And, First, you say, I “represent conversion as sudden and instantaneous.” (Ibid.) Soft and fair! Do you know what conversion is? (A term, indeed, which I very rarely use, because it rarely occurs in the New Testament.) “Yes; it is to “start up perfect men at once.’” (Page 41.) Indeed, Sir, it is not.

Your Lordship cannot but discern how the whole tenor of his book tends to destroy the Holy Scriptures, to render them vile in the eyes of the people, to make them stink in the nostrils of infidels. For instance: After reading his laboured ridicule of the sorrow and fear which usually attend the first repent ance, (called by St. Chrysostom, as well as a thousand other writers, “the pangs or throes of the new birth,”) what can an infidel think of those and the like expressions in Scripture: “I have roared for the very disquietness of my heart: Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and an horrible dread hath overwhelmed me?” After his flood of satire on all kind of con flicts with Satan, what judgment can a Deist form of what St. Paul speaks concerning the various wrestlings of a Christian with the wicked one? Above all, how will his bringing the lewd heathem poets to expose the pure and spiritual love of God, naturally cause them to look with the same eyes on the most elevated passages of the inspired writings? What can be more diverting to them than to apply his yAvicvrukpov eporos, “bitter-sweet of love,” to many expressions in the Canticles? (On which, undoubtedly, he supposes the Fair Circassian to be a very just paraphrase 1) “Ay,” say they, “the very case: ‘Stay me with apples; for I am sick of love.’” 7. Probably the Comparer will reply, “No, I do not ridicule the things themselves; repentance, the new birth, the fight of faith, or the love of God; all which I know are essential to religion; but only the folly and the enthusiasm which are blended with these by the Methodists.” But how poor a pre tence is this ! Had this really been the case, how carefully would he have drawn the line under each of these heads, between the sober religion of a Christian, and the enthusiasm of a Methodist! But has he done this? Does he take particular care to show under each what is true, as well as what is false, religion ? where the former ends and the latter begins? what are the proper boundaries of each?

95, &c.,) is what you next undertake to prove. Your loose declamation with which you open the cause, I pass over, as it rests on your own bare word; and haste to your main reason, drawn from my sentiments and practice with regard to the Moravians. “He represents them,” you say, “in the blackest colours; yet declares, in the main, they are some of the best people in the world. His love and esteem for them increases more and more. His own disciples among the Methodists go over to them in crowds. But still Methodism is the strongest barrier against the Moravian doctrines and principles.” Sir, I bear you witness you have learned one principle, at least, from those with whom you have lately conversed; namely, that no faith is to be kept with heretics; of which you have given us abundant proof. For you know I have fully answered every article of this charge; which you repeat, as if I had not opened my lips about it. You know that there is not one grain of truth in several things which you here positively assert. For instance: “His love and esteem of them increases more and more.” Not so; no more than my love and esteem for you. I love you both; but I do not much esteem either. Again: “His own disciples among the Methodists go over to them in crowds.” When? Where? I know.not that ten of my disciples, as you call them, have gone over to them for twice ten months. O Sir, consider ! How do you know but some of your disciples may tell your name? 17. With the same veracity you go on: “In “The Character of a Methodist,’ those of the sect are described as having all the virtues that can adorn the Christian profession. But in their ‘Journals’ you find them waspish, condemning all the world, except themselves; and among themselves perpetual broils and confusions, with various other irregularities and vices.” I answer, (1.) The tract you refer to (as is expressly declared in the preface) does not describe what the Methodists are already; but what they desire to be, and what they will be then when they fully practise the doctrine they hear.

I do not “give up” one tittle on this head, which I ever maintained. But observe: Before you attempt to prove my “giving them up,” you are to prove that I laid claim to them; that I laid claim to some extraordinary inspiration, call, or guidance of the Holy Ghost. You say, my “concessions on this head” (to Mr. Church) “are ambiguous and evasive.” Sir, you mistake the fact. I make no concessions at all, either to him or you. I give up nothing that ever I advanced on this head; but when Mr. Church charged me with what I did not advance, I replied, “I claim no other direction of God’s, but what is common to all believers. I pretend to be no otherwise inspired than you are, if you love God.” Where is the ambiguity or evasion in this? I meant it for a flat denial of the charge. 23. Your next section spirat tragicum satis,* charges the Methodists “with scepticism and infidelity, with doubts and denials of the truth of Revelation, and Atheism itself.” (Sec tion xiv. p. 110, &c.) The passages brought from my Jour mals to prove this charge, which you have prudently transposed, I beg leave to consider in the same order as they stand there. The First you preface thus: “Upon the people's ill usage (or supposed ill usage) of Mr. Wesley in Georgia, and their speaking of all manner of evil falsely (as he says) against him; and trampling under foot the word, after having been very attentive to it; what an emotion in him is hereby raised ! “I do hereby bear witness against myself, that I could scarce refrain from giving the lie to experience, and reason, and Scripture, all together.’” The passage, as I wrote it, stands thus: “Sunday, March 7. I entered upon my ministry at Savannah. In the Second Lesson, (Luke xviii.,) was our Lord’s prediction of the treat ment which he himself, and consequently his followers, were to meet with from the world.

p. 34.1, &c.) Well, Sir, here was doubtless a division for a time; but no fierce and rancorous quarrel yet. You say, Thirdly, “They write and publish against each other.” True; but without any degree either of fierceness Or rancOur. You assert, Fourthly, “Mr. Wesley, in his sermon “On Free Grace, opposes the other for the horrible blasphemies of his horrible doctrine.” Sir, away with your flourishes, and write plain English. I opposed the doctrine of predestination, which he held. But without any degree either of rancour or fierceness. Still, therefore, you miss the mark. You quote, Fifthly, these words: “I spent an hour with Mr. Stonehouse. O what Tru6avoMoyva, “persuasiveness of speech, is here ! Surely all the deceivableness of unright eousness.” (Vol. I. p. 290.) But there was no fierceness or rancour on either side. The passage, a fragment of which you produce as a Sixth argument, stands thus: “A few of us had a long conference together. Mr. C. now told me plainly, he could not agree with me, because I did not preach the truth, particularly with regard to election.” He did so; but without any rancour. We had a long conference; but not a fierce one. (Vol. I. p. 293.) You, Seventhly, observe, “What scurrility of language the Moravians throw out against Mr. Wesley!” Perhaps so. But this will not prove that “the Methodists quarrel with each other.” “And how does he turn their own artillery upon them?” This is your Eighth argument. But if I do, this no more proves the “mutual quarrels of the Methodists,” than my turning your own artillery upon you. 33. Having, by these eight irrefragable arguments, clearly carried the day, you raise your crest, and cry out, “Is this Methodism? And reign such mortal feuds in heavenly minds?” Truly, Sir, you have not yet brought one single proof (and yet, I dare say, you have brought the very best you have) of any such feuds among the Methodists as may not be found among the most heavenly-minded men on earth. But you are resolved to pursue your victory, and so go on: “What are we to think of these charges of Whitefield, and Wesley, and the Moravians, one against another?” The Mora vians, Sir, are out of the question; for they are no Methodists; and as to the rest, Mr. Whitefield charges Mr.

Whitefield charges Mr. Wesley with hold ing universal redemption, and I charge him with holding parti cular redemption. This is the standing charge on either side. And now, Sir, “what are we to think?” Why, that you have not proved one point of this charge against the Methodists. However, you stumble on: “Are these things so? Are they true, or are they not true? If not true, they are grievous calumniators; if true, they are detestable sectarists. Whether true or false, the allegation stands good of their fierce and rancorous quarrels, and mutual heinous accusations.” Sir, has your passion quite extinguished your reason? Have fierceness and rancour left you no understanding? Otherwise, how is it possible you should run on at this senseless, shameless rate? These things are true which Mr. Whitefield and Wes ley object to each other. He holds the decrees; I do not: Yet this does not prove us “detestable sectarists.” And whether these things are true or false, your allegation of our “fierce and rancorous quarrels, and mutual heinous accusations,” cannot stand good, without better proof than you have yet produced. 34. Yet, with the utmost confidence, quasi re bene gesta,” you proceed, “And how stands the matter among their dis ciples? They are all together by the ears, embroiled and broken with unchristian quarrels and confusions.” * As though you had accomplished some mighty affair.-EDIT. How do you prove this? Why thus: “Mr. Wesley's Fourth Journal is mostly taken up in enumerating their wrath, dissensions, and apostasies.” No, Sir, not a tenth part of it; although it gives a full and explicit account of the greatest dissensions which ever were among them. But to come to particulars: You First cite these words, “At Oxford, but a few who had not forsaken them.” My words are, “Monday, October 1, 1738. I rode to Oxford, and found a few who had not yet forsaken the assembling themselves together.” This is your First proof that “the Methodists are all together by the ears.” Your Second is its very twin-brother. “Tuesday, 2. I went to many who once heard the word with joy; but ‘when the sun arose they withered away.’” (Vol. I. p. 227.) Your Third is this: “Many were induced (by the Moravians) to deny the gift of God, and affirm they never had any faith at all.” (Ibid. p.

p. 248.) You are at liberty to enjoy this argument also; and let it prove what it can prove. You, Fourthly, cite these words: “Many of our sisters are shaken, grievously torn by reasonings. But few come to Fetter-Lane, and then after their names are called over they presently depart. Our brethren here (those who were pros elytes to the Moravians) have neither wisdom enough to guide, nor prudence enough to let it alone. They (the Moravians) have much confounded some of our sisters, and many of our brothers are much grieved.” (Ibid. p. 255.) This proves thus much, that one society was at that time divided; but not that the Methodists, in general, were, even then, “all together by the ears.” The passage you quote, in the Fifth place, is, “I believe-- are determined to go on according to Mr. Molther's direction, and I suppose (says the writer of the letter) above half our brethren are on their But they are so very confused, they do not know how to go on, and yet are unwilling to be taught, except by the Moravians.” (Ibid.) Add to this: (I recite the whole passages in order; not as you had mangled, and then jumbled them together:) “Wednesday, December 19. I came to London, though with a heavy heart. Here I found every day the dreadful effects of our brethren’s reasoning and disputing with each other. Scarce one in ten retained his first love; and most of the rest were in the utmost confusion,” (they were so, more or less, for several months,) “biting and devouring one another.” This also proves so much, neither more nor less, that some of the Methodists were then in confusion. And just so much is proved by your Sixth quotation: “Many were wholly un settled,” (by the Moravians, taking advantage of my absence,) “ and lost in vain reasonings and doubtful disputations; not likely to come to any true foundation.” (Ibid. p. 259.) Your Seventh quotation (I recite the whole sentence) runs thus: “April 19. I received a letter informing me that our poor brethren at Fetter-Lane were again in great confusion.” This quotation proves just as much as the preceding, or as the following: “The plague” (of false stillness) “was now spread to them also; ” namely, to the “little society at Islington.” (Ibid. p.

p. 269.) Your Ninth is this: “I went to the society, but I found their hearts were quite estranged. Friday, 4. I met a little handful of them, who still stand in the old paths.” (Ibid. p. 280.) Thus far you have been speaking of the Methodists in London. And what have you proved concerning them? Only that the Moravians, mixing with them twelve years ago, while they were young and unexperienced, set them a disputing with each other, and thereby occasioned much confusion for several months. But you have not proved that the Methodists in general were, even them, “all together by the ears; ” and much less, that they have been so ever since, and that they are so now. 35. I now attend you to Kingswood. Not to “Bristol and Kingswood,” which you artfully join together. The society at Bristol was no more concerned with the disputes in Kingswood, than with those in London. Here the First quotation, though containing but two lines, is extracted from three different paragraphs; in one of which I say: “I had many unpleasing accounts (in December, 1740) concerning our little society in Kingswood.” In the Second: “I went to Kingswood, if haply I might repair the breaches which had been made ’’ by the Predestinarian Preachers. In the Third: “I laboured to heal the jealousies and misunder standings which had arisen.” (Vol. I. p. 293.) The Second passage, part of which you quote, is this: “I returned early in the morning to Kingswood; but my con gregation was gone to hear Mr. C.; so that I had not above two or three men, and as many women.” (Ibid. p. 294.) The Third is, “January 1. I explained, “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. But many of our brethren had no ears to hear, having disputed away both their faith and love.” (Ibid. p. 295.) The Fourth, “February 21. I inquired concerning the divi sions and offences which began afresh to break out in Kings wood. In the afternoon I met a few of the Bands; but it was a cold, uncomfortable meeting.” (Ibid. p. 299.) You have picked out here and there a word from several pages, in order to furnish out a Fifth quotation. The most material part of it is this: “Saturday, 28.

But the bold, frontless manner wherein you advance it, obliges me so to do. Know then, Sir, that you have no authority, either from Scripture or reason, to judge of other men by yourself. If your own conscience convicts you of loving money, of “casting a sheep’s eye at the unrighteous mammon,” humble yourself before God, if haply the thoughts and desires of your heart may be forgiven you. But, blessed be God, my conscience is clear. My heart does not condemn me in this matter. I know, and God knoweth, that I have no desire to load myself with thick clay; that I love money no more than I love the mire in the streets; that I seek it not. And I have it not, any more than suffices for food and raiment, for the plain con veniences of life. I pay no court to it at all, or to those that have it, either with cunning or without. For myself, for my own use, I raise no contributions, either great or small. The weekly contributions of our community, (which are freely given, not squeezed out of any,) as well as the gifts and offer ings at the Lord’s table, never come into my hands. I have no concern with them, not so much as the beholding them with my eyes. They are received every week by the Stewards of the society, men of well-known character in the world; and by them constantly distributed, within the week, to those whom they know to be in real necessity. As to the “very large oblations wherewith I am favoured by persons of better figure and fortune,” I know nothing of them. Be so kind as to THE REV. M.R. DowNES. 109 refresh my memory by mentioning a few of their names. I have the happiness of knowing some of great figure and fortune; some right honourable persons. But if I were to say, that all of them together had given me seven pounds in seven years, I should say...more than I could make good. And yet I doubt not, but they would freely give me anything I wanted; but, by the blessing of God, I want nothing that they can give. I want only more of the Spirit of love and power, and of an healthful mind.

By this “good sort of men,” I mean, persons who have a iking to, but no sense of, religion; no real fear or love of God; no truly Christian tempers. “These steal away the little zeal he has, that is, persuade him to be peaceable.” No ; persuade me to be like themselves,--without love either to God or man “Again, speaking of one, he says, “Indulging himself in o - harmless company,’” (vulgarly so called,) “he first made ship wreck of his zeal, then of his faith. In this I think he is right. The zeal and faith of a fanatic are such exact tallies, that nei ther can exist alone. They came into the world together, to disturb society and dishonour religion.” By zeal, I mean the flame of love, or fervent love to God and man; by faith, the substance or confidence of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Is this the zeal and faith of a fanatic? Then St. Paul was the greatest fanatic on earth. Did these come into the world to “disturb society and dis honour religion?” “On the whole, we find Mr. W., by his own confession, entirely destitute of prudence. Therefore it must be ascribed to the want of this, if his preaching be attended with tumult and disorder.” (Page 181.) By his own confession ? Surely no. This I confess, and this only: What is falsely called pru dence, I abhor; but true prudence I love and admire. However, “You set at nought the discipline of the Church, by invading the province of the parochial Minister:” (Page 182:) Nay, if ever I preach at all, it must be in the province of some parochial Minister. “By assembling in undue places, and at unfit times.” I know of no times unfit for those who assemble. And I believe Hannam Mount and Rose Green were the most proper places under heaven for preaching to the colliers in Kingswood. “By scurrilous invectives against the Governors and Pastors of the National Church.” This is an entire mistake. I dare not make any “scurrilous invectives” against any man. “Insolencies of this nature provoke warm. men to tumult.” But these insolencies do not exist. So that whatever tumult either warm or cool men raise, I am not. chargeable therewith.

xiii. 8, &c.)” “The common opinion is, that this respects another life, as he enforceshis argument by this observation: “Now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face: Now we know in part; but then shall we know, even as also we are known.” (Page 99.) “But the Apostle means, charity is to accompany the Church in all its stages; whereas prophecy and all the rest are only bestowed during its infant state, to support it against the delusions and powers of darkness.” (Page 100.) 152 LETTER. To THE “The Corinthians abounded in these gifts, but were wanting in charity. And this the Apostle here exposes, by proving charity to be superior to them all, both in its qualities and dura tion. The three first verses declare that the other gifts are use less without charity. The next four specify the qualities of charity; the remaining six declare its continuance: “Charity never faileth: But whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. In the next verse he gives the reason: ‘For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away: 'That is, when that Christian life, the lines of which are marked out by the gospel, shall arrive to its full vigour and maturity, then the temporary aids, given to sub due prejudice, and to support the weak, shall, like scaffolding, be removed. In other words, when that Christian life, wherein the Apostles and first Christians were but infants, shall arrive to its full vigour and maturity in their successors, then miracles shall cease.” (Page 102.) But I fear that time is not yet come. I doubt, none that are now alive enjoy more of the vigour and maturity of the Christian life than the very first Christians did. “To show that the loss of these will not be regretted when the Church has advanced from a state of infancy to manhood,” (alas the day !

“But when that which is perfect is come,” at death, and in the last day, “that which is in part shall be done away.” Both that low, imperfect, glimmering light, which is all the knowledge we can now attain to; and these slow and unsatisfactory methods of attaining, as well as of imparting it to others. “When I was a child, I talked as a child, I understood as a child, I reasoned as a child.” As if he had said, In our present state, we are mere infants, compared to what we shall be hereafter. “But when I became a man, I put away childish things;” and a proportion able change shall we all find, when we launch into eternity. Now we see even the things which surround us by means of a glass or mirror, in a dim, faint, obscure manner, so that every thing is a kind of riddle to us; but then we shall see, not a faint reflection, but the objects themselves, face to face, directly and distinctly. “Now I know but in part.” Even when God reveals things to me, great part of them is still kept under the veil. “But then shall I know even as I also am known; ” in a clear, full, comprehensive manner, in some measure like God, who penetrates the centre of every object, and sees, at one glance, through my soul and all things. “And now,” during the present life, “abide these three, faith, hope, love; but the greatest of these,” in its duration, as well as the excellence of its nature, “is love.” Faith, hope, love, are the sum of perfection on earth; love alone is the sum of perfection in heaven. “It appears, then, that the miraculous powers of the Church were to cease upon its perfect establishment.” (Page 107.) Nothing like it appears from this scripture. But supposing it did, is Christianity perfectly established yet? even nominal Christianity? Mr. Brerewood took large pains to be fully informed; and, according to his account, five parts in six of the known world are Mahometans or Pagans to this day. If so, Christianity is yet far from being perfectly established, either in Europe, Asia, Africa, or America. “Having now established the fact,” (wonderfully estab lished!) “we may inquire into the fitness of it.

- 15. Allow that, in doing this, they have some particularities of opinion, (for humanum est errare et nescire,”) or some little, odd customs, which you do not conceive to be grounded upon • It is the lot of humanity to be ignorant of many things, and liable to error.-EDIT. ThE INHABITANTS OF IRELAND. 177 strict-reason, yet so long as neither those customs nor those opinions prevent the advancement of that great end, ought you not, as areasonableman, to rejoice in theincrease of solid virtue? especially when you consider, that they do not impose their own opinions on other men; that (whatever they are) they think and let think, and condemn no man barely for his opinion; nei ther blame you for not regarding those little prudential rules which many observe by their own full and free consent. 16. Ought not every lover of mankind to have something more than a common regard for those who both labour and suffer reproach, in order to promote that love in every place; and to remove every method of speaking or acting, every temper, contrary to love? Ought not you who are truly moral men, (a lovely and venerable character,) to have some value for those who spend and are spent to advance genuine morality? who spare no pains, if by any means they may induce any of their countrymen, in any part of the nation, to practise justice, mercy, and truth, in all their intercourse with each other? to behave in every circumstance and relation according to those eternal rules, invariably observing the royal law, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself;” and, “Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do unto them.” 17. If you are a lover of mankind, must you not sympathize with those who suffer evil in various kinds, for this very thing, because they do good to mankind, looking for no reward on this side heaven? As to the idle tale of their laying up treasures on earth, it neither agrees with fact nor reason. Not with fact; for it is notorious, that those who before piqued themselveson owing no man anything, are now indebted in larger sums, than, humanly speaking, they can ever pay.

But, to carry the matter a little farther, I am afraid it will hold, on the other hand, with regard to the soul as well as the body, Medicus non est qui non medetur. I am afraid reasonable men will be inclined to think, “he that saves no souls is no Minister of Christ.’ “12. ‘O but he is ordained, and therefore has authority.’ “Authority to do what? “To save all the souls that will put themselves under his care.’ True; but (to wave the case of them that will not; and would you desire that even those should perish 7) he does not, in fact, save them that are under his care: Therefore, what end does his authority serve? He that was a drunkard, is a drunkard still. The same is true of the Sabbath-breaker, the thief, the common swearer. This is the best of the case; for many have died in their iniquity, and their blood will God require at the watchman’s hand. “13. For surely he has no authority to murder souls; either by his neglect, by his smooth, if not false, doctrine, or by hindering another from plucking them out of the fire and bringing them to life everlasting. “14. If he either attempts or desires to hinder him, if he condemns or is displeased with him for it, how great reason is there to fear, that he regards his own profit more than the salvation of souls l’’ 11. “But why do you not prove your mission by miracles?” This likewise you repeat over and over. But I have not leisure to answer the same stale objection an hundred times. I there fore give this also the same answer which I gave many years ago : 12. “What is it you would have us prove by miracles? that the doctrines we preach are true? This is not the way to prove that: We prove the doctrines we preach by Scripture and reason. Is it, (1.) That A. B. was for many years without God in the world, a common swearer, a Sabbath-breaker, a drunkard? Or, (2.) That he is not so now? Or, (3.) That he continued so till he heard us preach, and from that time was another man? Not so; the proper way to prove these facts, is by the testimony of competent witnesses.

Neither have they (whatever accounts some have given) any such thing as a regular civil government among them. They have no laws of any kind, unless a few temporary rules made in and for the time of war. They are likewise utter strangers to the arts of peace, having scarce any such thing as an artificer in a nation. They know nothing of building; having only poor, miserable, ill-contrived huts, far inferior to many English dog-kennels. Their clothing, till of late, was only skins of beasts, commonly of deer, hanging down before and behind them. Now, among those who have commerce with our nation, it is frequently a blanket wrapt about them. Their food is equally delicate, -pounded Indian corn, sometimes mixed with water, and so eaten at once; sometimes kneaded into cakes, meal and bran together, and half-baked upon the coals. Fish or flesh, dried in the sun, is frequently added to this; and now and then a piece of tough, fresh-killed deer. Such is the knowledge of the Americans, whether in things of an abstruser nature, or in the affairs of common life. And this, so far as we can learn, is the condition of all, without any considerable difference. But, in point of religion, there is a very material difference between the northern and the southern Indians: Those in the north are idolaters of the lowest kind. If they do not worship the devil appearing in person, (which many firmly believe they do, many think in credible,) certainly they worship the most vile and contempt ible idols. It were more excusable if they only “turned the glory of the incorruptible God into the image of corruptible man;” yea, or “of birds, or four-footed beasts, or reptiles,” or any creature which God has made. But their idols are more horrid and deformed than anything in the visible cre ation; and their whole worship is at once the highest affront to the divine, and disgrace to the human, nature. On the contrary, the Indians of our southern provinces do not appear to have any worship at all. By the most diligent inquiry from those who had spent many years among them, I could never learn that any of the Indian nations who border on Georgia and Carolina have any public worship of any kind, nor any private; for they have no idea of prayer.

Nevertheless, there is room to doubt even of their understanding; nay, one of the arguments often brought to prove the greatness, to me clearly demon strates the littleness, of it; namely, the thirty thousand letters of their alphabet. To keep an alphabet of thirty hundred letters could never be reconciled to common sense; since every alphabet ought to be as short, simple, and easy as possible. No more can we reconcile to any degree of common sense, their crippling all the women in the empire, by a silly, senseless affectation of squeezing their feet till they bear no proportion to their bodies; so that the feet of a woman at thirty must still be as small as they would be naturally when four years old. But in order to see the true measure of their understanding in the clearest light, let us look, not at women, or the vulgar, but at the Nobility, the wisest, the politest part of the nation. Look at the Mandarins, the glory of the empire, and see any, every one of them at his meals, not deigning to use his own hands, but having his meat put into his mouth by two servants, planted for that purpose, one on his right hand, the other on his left | O the deep understanding of the noble lubber that sits in the midst, and Hiat, ceu pullus hirundinis / “Gapes, as the young swallow, for his food.” Surely an English ploughman, or a Dutch sailor, would have too much sense to endure it. If you say, “Nay, the Mandarin would not endure it, but that it is a custom ;” I answer, Undoubtedly it is; but how came it to be a custom? Such a custom could not have begun, much less have become gene ral, but through a general and marvellous want of common Sense. What their learning is now, I know not; but notwithstand ing their boast of its antiquity, it was certainly very low and contemptible in the last century, when they were so astonished at the skill of the French Jesuits, and honoured them as almost more than human, for calculating eclipses !

They do not so much as know them. But a man, who is King of France, has a quarrel with another man, who is King of England. So these Frenchmen are to kill as many of these Englishmen as they can, to prove the King of France is in the right. Now, what an argument is this l What a method of proof! What an amazing way of deciding con troversies ! What must mankind be, before such a thing as war could ever be known or thought of upon earth? How shocking, how inconceivable a want must there have been of common understanding, as well as common humanity, before any two Governors, or any two nations in the universe, could once think of such a method of decision ? If, then, all na tions, Pagan, Mahometan, and Christian, do, in fact, make this their last resort, what farther proof do we need of the utter degeneracy of all nations from the plainest principles of reason and virtue P of the absolute want, both of common sense and common humanity, which runs through the whole race of mankind? In how just and strong a light is this placed by the writer cited before l--“I gave him a description of cannons, muskets, pistols, swords, bayonets; of sieges, attacks, mines, countermines, bombardments; of engagements by sea and land; ships sunk with a thousand men, twenty thousand killed on each side, dying groans, limbs flying in the air; smoke, noise, trampling to death under horses’ feet, flight, pursuit, victory; fields strewed with carcases, left for food to dogs and beasts of prey; and, farther, of plundering, stripping, ravishing, burning, and destroying. I assured him, I had seen a hundred enemies blown up at once in a siege, and as many in a ship, and beheld the dead bodies drop down in pieces from the clouds, to the great diversion of the spectators.” Is it not astonishing, beyond all expression, that this is the naked truth? that, within a short term of years, this has been the real case in almost every part of even the Christian world?

The power of godliness consists in the love of God and man; this is heavenly and substantial religion. But no man can possibly “love his neighbour as himself,” till he loves God; and no man can possibly love God, till he truly believes in Christ; and no man truly believes in Christ, till he is deeply con vinced of his own sinfulness, guiltiness, and helplessness. But this no man ever was, neither can be, who does not know he has a corrupt nature. This doctrine, therefore, is the “most proper” of all others “to be instilled into a child:” That it is by nature a “child of wrath,” under the guilt and under the power of sin; that it can be saved from wrath only by the merits, and sufferings, and love of the son of God; that it can be delivered from the power of sin only by the inspiration of his Holy Spirit; but that by his grace it may be renewed in the image of God, perfected in love, and made meet for glory. But “must it not lessen the due love of parents to children, to believe they are the vilest creatures in the world?” (Pages 262,263.) Far from it; if they know how God loves both them and theirs, vile and sinful as they are. And it is a certain fact, that no persons love their children more tenderly, than those who firmly believe this doctrine; and that none are more careful to “bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” 814 ThE DocTRINE OF But “how can young people “remember’ their “Creator’ without horror, if he has given them life under such de plorable circumstances?” They can remember him with pleasure, with earnest thankfulness, when they reflect “out of ” what a “pit” he hath “brought them up;” and that if “sin abounded,” both by nature and habit, “grace” did “much more abound.” You conclude: “Why should we subject our consciences to tales and fables, invented by Priests and Monks?” (Page 264.) This fable, as you term it, of original sin, could not be invented by Romish Priests or Monks, because it is by many ages older than either; yea, than Christianity itself. I have now weighed, as my leisure would permit, all the arguments advanced in your Three Parts.

12. You add: “The thing cannot exist, unless we choose; because our choosing to do what is right, is the very thing which is to exist.” No; the thing which is to exist is, a right state of mind. And it is certain, God can give this to any creature, at the very first moment of its existence. Nay, it may be questioned, whether God can create an intelligent being in any other state. “But a habit is gained by repeated acts. Therefore, habits of righteousness could not be created in man.” Mere play ing upon words! He could be, he was, created full of love. Now, whether you call this a habit or no, it is the sum of all righteousness. “But this love is either under the government of my will, or it is not.” It is. The love of God which Adam enjoyed was under the government of his will. “But if so, it could be righteous only so far as applied to right action in heart and life.” (Pages 164, 165.) Stop here. The love of God is righteousness, the moment it exists in any soul; and it must exist before it can be applied to action. Accordingly, it was righteousness in Adam the moment he was created. And yet he had a power either to follow the dictates of that love, (in which case his righteousness would have endured for ever,) or to act contrary thereto; but love was righteousness still, though it was not irresistible. “I might add, Adam’s inclination to sin (for he could not sin without a sinful inclination) must be so strong as to over come his (supposed) inbred propensity to holiness; and so malignant, as to expel that principle at once, and totally. Consequently, the supposed original righteousness was con sistent with a sinful propensity, vastly stronger and more malignant than ever was or can be in any of his posterity; who cannot sin against such resistance, or with such dreadful consequences. Thus, original righteousness in Adam proves far worse than original sin in his posterity.” (Page 166.) I have set down your argnment at large, that it may appear in its full strength. Now, let us view it more closely: “Adam cculd not sin without a sinful inclination.” The sentence is ambiguous.

Hence the perpetual practices of fraud and villany in the commerce of mankind, the innumerable instances of oppression and cruelty which run through the world; the pride and violence of the great; the wrath, ambition, and tyranny of princes, and the endless iniquities and mischiefs that arise from malice, envy, and revenge, in lower people. If we add to these the impure scenes of lust and intemperance, which defy the day and pollute the darkness; with the monstrous barbarities which are con tinually committed by the heathen savages in Africa and America, (some of whom kill and roast their fellow-creatures, and eat up men as they eat bread,) and by the Christian savages in the Inquisition established in Asia, as well as in many parts of Europe; can we still imagine that mankind abide in that state, wherein they came from the hands of their Maker?” (Page 35.) “That far the greatest number of men are evil, was the known sentiment of the wiser Heathens.” (Page 37.) “They saw and bewailed the undeniable fact, though they knew not how to account for it. Ot TAetoves cascot, “Most men are wicked,’ was a common observation among thcm. Even the poets could not but see this obvious truth. So Virgil brings in Anchises, telling his son, “Few are happy in the other world:’-- Pauci laeta arva tenemus. And in this life, Horace remarks of men in general,-- Nitimur in vetitum semper, cupimusque negata. “We are always desiring and pursuing forbidden things.’ Nay, he says,-- Witiis memo sine nascitur. “No man is born without vices; and gives this character of young men in general,-- Cereus in vitium flecti, monitoribus asper. Seneca says just the same,-- Pejora juvenes facile precepta audiunt. ‘Young men readily hearken to evil counsels: They are soft as wax to be moulded into vice, but rough and rugged to their best monitors.’” (Page 38.) “Juvenal abounds with the same accounts of human nature: Quas tam festa dies, ut cesset proderefuren f Ad mores natura recurrit Damnatos, fixa et mutari nescia. Quisnam hominum est, quem tu contentum videris uno Flagitiof Dociles imitandis Turpibus et pravis omnes sumus." “6. And not only they of riper age, but even those of ten der years, discover the principles of iniquity and seeds of sin.

Are these the signals of their Maker’s love, and of his image in which they were created?” (Page 58.) “Think of the numbers that are swallowed up in the mighty waters, by the rage of stormy winds and seas; review the mul titudes which have been swept away by the pestilence, or con sumed by the tedious agonies of famine. Would famine and pestilence, with all the train of lingering horrors which attend them, have ever been made for innocent creatures, to have swept away whole nations of them, of every age and sex, men, women, and children, without distinction?” (Page 59.) “Think yet again what numbers of men have been crushed into miseries and death, and buried by earthquakes; or have had their bones broken, their limbs disjointed, and &leir flesh painfully battered by the fall of houses; perhaps buried alive in the ruins of entire towns or villages, while their neighbours have been drowned in multitudes by the dismal eruptions of water, or destroyed by deluges of liquid fire bursting out of the earth: Would a God of goodness and justice have treated innocent creatures in this manner P” (Page 60.) “Carry your thoughts to the countries of those savages, where thousands of their conquered enemies, or prisoners of war, are offered in sacrifice to their idols, or tortured and roasted to death by slow fires! Add this to all the former miseries, and then let calm reflection say, whether this world does not look like a province half forsaken of its gracious Governor. “Some, perhaps, will say, It is but a small part of mankind who are involved in these dreadful calamities; and they may suffer peculiar afflictions for their own personal iniquities.” (Page 61.) “I answer: Take a just survey of those who have suf fered thus, and there is not the least reason to think they were sinners above others. Do not these calamities spread through whole countries, and involve the best and the worst of men together? Whole nations suffer by them at once. And, indeed, such is the corruption of human nature, that wherever they come they find none innocent. And it is the general situation of mankind, under the just displeasure of God, which exposes them to such destruction. “But to proceed: Think of the innumerable common mis fortunes that attend human life. What multitudes perish by these in one week!

So the Jews: ‘His blood be on us and on our children;’ let us and our children be punished for it ! “Or if a criminal had incurred the penalty of imprison ment, and the State were to permit a friend of his to become his surety, and to be confined in his room, then his crime is said to be imputed to his surety, or to be laid upon him; he bears the iniquity of his friend, by suffering for him. Mean 394 ThE DOCTRINE OF time the crime for which the surety now suffers, is not imputed to the real offender.” (Page 430.) “And should we suppose the Prince to permit this surety to exert himself in some eminent service, to which a reward is promised; and all this in order to entitle the criminal to the promised reward: Then this eminent service may be said to be imputed to the criminal, that is, he is rewarded on the account of it. So in this case, both what his friend has done and suffered is imputed to him. “If a man do some eminent service to his Prince, and he with his posterity are dignified on account of it; then the service performed by the father is said to be imputed to the children also.” (Page 431.) “Now, if, among the histories of nations, we find anything of this kind, do we not easily understand what the writers say? Why then do we judge these phrases, when they are found in the inspired writers, to be so hard to be understood? “But it may be asked, “How can the acts of the parent’s treason be imputed to his little child, since those acts were quite out of the reach of an infant, nor was it possible for him to commit them?” “Or, “How can the eminent service performed by a father be imputed to his child, who is but an infant?’ “I answer: 1. Those acts of treason, or acts of service, are, by a common figure, said to be imputed to the children, when they suffer or enjoy the consequences of their father’s treason or eminent service; though the particular actions of treason or service could not be practised by the children. This would easily be understood, should it occur in a human history: And why not, when it occurs in the sacred writings? “I answer: 2.

IN matters of religion I regard no writings but the inspired. Tauler, Behmen, and a whole army of Mystic authors, are with me nothing to St. Paul. In every point I appeal “to the law and the testimony,” and value no authority but this. At a time when I was in great danger of not valuing this authority enough, you made that important observation: “I see where your mistake lies. You would have a philosophical religion; but there can be no such thing. Religion is the most plain, simple thing in the world. It is only, ‘We love him, because he first loved us.” So far as you add philo sophy to religion, just so far you spoil it.” This remark I have never forgotten since; and I trust in God I never shall. But have not you? Permit me, Sir, to speak plainly. Have you ever thought of it since 2 Is there a writer in England who so continually blends philosophy with religion ? even in tracts on “The Spirit of Prayer,” and “The Spirit of Love,” wherein, from the titles of them, one would expect to find no more of philosophy than in the Epistles of St. John. Con cerning which, give me leave to observe in general, l. That the whole of it is utterly superfluous: A man may be full both of prayer and love, and not know a word of this hypothesis. 2. The whole of this hypothesis is unproved;--it is all pre carious, all uncertain. 3. The whole hypothesis has a dangerous tendency. It naturally leads men off from plain, practical religion, and fills them with the “knowledge” that “puffeth up,” instead of the “love” that “ edifieth.” And, 4. It is often flatly contrary to Scripture, to reason, and to itself. But over and above this superfluous, uncertain, dangerous, irrational, and unscriptural philosophy, have not you lately grieved many who are not strangers to the spirit of prayer or love, by advancing tenets in religion, some of which they think are unsupported by Scripture, some even repugnant to it? Allow me, Sir, first to touch upon your philosophy, and then to speak freely concerning these. I. As to your philosophy, the main of your theory respects, 1. Things antecedent to the creation: 2. The creation itself: 3. Adam in paradise: 4. The fall of man.

But how is this grand account of nature consistent with what you say elsewhere? “Nature, and darkness, and self, are but three different expressions for one and the same thing.” (Page 18l.) “Nature has all evil and no evil in it.” (Page 192.) Yea, “Nature, self, or darkness, has not only no evil in it, but is the only ground of all good.” (Ibid.) O rare darkness | “Nature has seven chief properties, and can have neither more nor less, because it is a birth from the Deity in nature.” Is nature a birth from the Deity in nature? Is this sense? If it be, what kind of proof is it? Is it not ignotum per ceque ignotum ?* “For God is tri-une, and nature is tri-une.” “Nature is tri-une !” Is not this flat begging the question? “And hence arise properties, three and three.” Nay, why not nine and nine? “And that which brings these three and three into union is another property.” (Spirit of Love, Part II., p. 64.) Why so? Why may it not be two, or five, or nine? Is it not rather the will and power of God? “The three first properties of nature are the whole essence of that desire which is, and is called, nature.” (Page 69.) How? Are the properties of a thing the same as the essence of it? What confusion is this ! But if they were, can a part of its properties be the whole essence of it? “The three first properties of nature are attraction, resist ance, and whirling. In these three properties of the desire, you see the reason of the three great laws of matter and motion, and need not be told that Sir Isaac ploughed with Jacob Behmen’s heifer.” (Page 37.) Just as much as Milton ploughed with Francis Quarles's heifer. How does it appear, that these are any of the properties of nature, if you mean by nature anything distinct from matter? And how are they the properties of desire? What a jumbling of dissonant notions is here ! “The fourth property” (you affirm, not prove) “is called fire: The fifth, the form of light and love.” What do you mean by the form of love? Are light and love one and the * To prove an unknown proposition by one equally unknown.--EDIT. same thing?

“God then divided the human nature into a male and female creature: Otherwise man would have brought forth his own likeness out of himself, in the same manner as he had a birth from God. But Adam let in an adulterous love of the world: By this his virginity was lost, and he had no longer a power of bringing forth a birth from himself.” (Page 75.) We have no shadow of proof for all this. “This state of inability is called his falling into a deep sleep.” (Page 76.) How does this agree with, “The Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam?” (Gen. ii. 21.) “God took his Eve out of him, as a lesser evil, to avoid a greater. For it was a less folly to love the female part of himself, than to love things lower than himself.” (Page 77.) Who can extract this out of the words of Moses? Who can reconcile it with the words of our Lord? “He who made them at the beginning ” (not a word of any previous fall) “made them male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and cleave unto his wife.” (Matt. xix. 4, 5.) Is here any intimation, that for a man to love his wife is only less folly than to love the world? “A man ought so to love his wife, even as Christ the Church.” Is there any folly in the love of Christ to the Church 7 “Marriage came in by Adam’s falling from his first per fection.” (Page 88.) Does this account do honour to that institution, any more than that memorable saying of an emi nent Mystic, “Marriage is but licensed whoredom?” “Had Adam stood, no Eve would have been taken out of him. But from Eve God raised that angelic man, whom Adam should have brought forth without Eve, who is called the Second Adam, as being both male and female.” (Page 79.) Many things herewant proof. How does it appear, (1.) That Eve would not have been, had Adam stood? (2.) That had he stood, he would have brought forth the Second Adam without Eve? (3.) That Christ was both male and female? and, (4.) That he was on this account called the Second Adam?

You go on: “Fire and brimstone, or manna, rained on the earth, are only one and the same love. It was the same love that preserved Noah, burned up Sodom, and overwhelmed Pharaoh in the Red Sea.” (Spirit of Love, Part II., pp. 72,78.) Surely nothing can equal this, unless you add, (which indeed you must do, to be consistent with yourself) “It is one and the same love which will say, ‘Come, ye blessed,’ and, ‘Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire.’” You add: “‘Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth.’ Here you have God's own word for it, nothing but love chasteneth.” (Page 81.) We know his love chasteneth his children. Of these only God is speaking here, as appears from the latter clause of the sentence. And yet we cannot say even as to them, “It is nothing but his love.” It is mercy mixed with justice. You cite one text more: “I have smitten you; Yet have ye not returned to me;” (Amos iv. 9;) and say, “Now, how is it possible for words to give stronger proof?” (Ibid.) Proof of what? Not that God did not punish them; but that “ in the midst of wrath He remembered mercy.” To these texts of Scripture (wide enough of the point) you subjoin: “The doctrine of atonement made by Christ is the strongest demonstration, that the wrath to be atoned cannot be in God.” (Page 85.) Who talks of wrath to be atoned? “The wrath to be atoned” is neither sense nor English, though it is a solecism you perpetually run into: (I hope, 486 EXTRACT OF A Lb TTER not on purpose to puzzle the cause:) That the sin to be atoned cannot be in God, we all allow; but it does not affect the question. Once more, to silence all contradiction at once, to stop the mouths of all gainsayers, you say, “This (that there is no anger, no vindictive justice in God, no punishment at all inflicted by him) is openly asserted, constantly affirmed and repeated, in the plainest letter of Scripture.” Whether this, or the very reverse, is true, will appear from a few out of numberless texts, which I shall barely set down, without any comment, and leave to your cool consideration. You say, (1.) There is no vindictive, avenging, or punitive justice in God. (2.) There is no wrath or anger in God.