above all the spirit of the body. Great, and even as- is genuine and divine, if it operates not in a pretonishing, has been their success in that new and ri- scribed manner?-that the Holy Spirit shall not sing country, to the wide-spread settlements of which avail himself of the variety which exists in the their plan of itinerancy was admirably adapted. mental constitutions of men, to effect his purposes The Methodists are become, as to numbers, the lead- of mercy by different methods?—and that the opeing religious body of the union; and their annual rations of grace shall not present, as well as those increase is very great. In the last year it was thirty of nature, that beauteous variety which so much ilsix thousand, making a total in their communion of lustrates the glory of Him "who worketh all in all?" one thousand nine hundred ministers, and four hun- And further, who shall say, that even the peculiaridred and seventy-six thousand members, having, as ties of men's natures shall not, in some instances, stated in a recent statistical account published in the be set aside in the course of a divine and secret opeUnited States, upwards of two millions five hundred ration, which touching the springs of action, and thousand or the population under their immediate opening the sources of feeling, gives an intensity of influence. In the number of their ministers, mem- energy to the one, and a flow to the other, more Ders, and congregations, the Baptists nearly equal eminently indicative of the finger of God in a work the Methodists; and these two bodies, both itinerant which his own glory, and the humility proper to in their labors, have left all the other religious de- man, require should be known and acknowledged nominations far behind. It is also satisfactory to as His work alone?-Assuredly there is nothing in remark, that the leading preachers and members of the reason of the case to fix the manner of pruducthe Methodist church in the United States appearing such effects to one rule, and nothing in Scripto be looking forward with enlarged views, and with ture. Instances of sudden conversion occur in the prudent regard, to the future, and to aim at the cul- New Testament in sufficient number to warrant us tivation of learning in conjunction with piety. Se- to conclude, that this may be often the mode adoptveral colleges have been from time to time established by divine wisdom, and especially in a slumbered; and recently a university, for the education of the youth of the American connection, has been founded. The work in the United States has been distinguished by frequent and extraordinary revivals of religion, in which a signal effect has been produced upon the moral condition of large districts of country, and great numbers of people have been rapidly brought under a concern for their salvation. In the contemplation of results so vast, and in so few years, we may devoutly exclaim, "What hath God wrought!"

ing age, to arouse attention to long despised and neg. lected truths. The conversions at the day of Pentecost were sudden, and, for any thing that appears to the contrary, they were real; for the persons so influenced were thought worthy to be "added to the church." Nor was it by the miracle of tongues that the effect was produced. If miracles could have converted them, they had witnessed greater than even that glorious day exhibited. The dead had been raised up in their sight, the earth had quaked beneath their feet, the sun had hid himself and made an untimely night, and Christ himself had arisen from a tomb sealed and watched. It was not by the impression of the miracle of tongues alone, but by that supervenient gracious influence which operated with the demonstrative sermon of Peter, after the miracle had excited the attention of his hearers, that they were "pricked in their hearts, and cried, men and brethren, what shall we do?"

The only true rule of judging of professed con version is its fruits. The modes of it may vary from circumstances of which we are not the fit judges, and never shall be, until we know more of the mystic powers of mind, and of that intercourse which Almighty God, in his goodness, condescends to hold with it.

The mention of what are called revivals of religion in the United States may properly here lead us to notice, that, in Great Britain also, almost every Methodist society has at different times experienced some sudden and extraordinary increase of members, the result of what has been believed to be, and that not without good reason, a special effusion of divine influence upon the minds of men. Sometimes these effects have attended the preaching of eminently energetic preachers, but have often appeared where those stationed in the circuits have Lot been remarkably distinguished for energy or pathos. Sometimes they have followed the continued and earnest prayers of the people; at others they have come suddenly and unlooked for. The effects however have been, that the piety of the societies It is granted, however, that in such cases a spuhas been greatly quickened, and rendered more deep rious feeling has been often mixed up with these and active, and that their number has increased; genuine visitations; that some ardent minds, when and of the real conversion of many who have thus even sincere, have not sufficiently respected the been wrought upon, often very suddenly, the best rules of propriety in their acts of worship; that some evidence has been afforded. To sudden conver- religious deception has taken place: that some persions, as such, great objections have been indeed ta- sons have confounded susceptibility of feeling with ken. For these, however, there is but little reason; depth of grace; that censoriousness and spiritual for if we believe the testimony of Scripture, that the pride have displaced that humility and charity which Spirit is not only given to the disciples of Christ, must exist wherever the influence of the Spirit of after they assume that character, but in order to their God is really present; and that, in some cases, a becoming such, that, according to the words of our real fanaticism has sprung up, as in the case of Lord, this Spirit is sent to convince the world of George Bell and his followers in London, at an sin," to the end that they may believe in Christ; and early period of Methodism. But these are accithat the gospel, faithfully and fully proclaimed by dents-tares sown in the field among the good seed, the ministers of Christ, is "the power of God unto which were never spared by Mr. Wesley or his salvation to every one that believeth," and is made most judicious successors. In the early stages of so by the accompanying influence of the Holy Ghost; their growth indeed, and before they assumed a dewho shall prescribe a mode to divine operation? cided character, they were careful lest, by plucking Who, if he believes in such an influence accompa- them up, they should root out the good seed also, nying the truth, shall presume to say that when that but both in Great Britain and in America, no extruth is proposed, the attention of the careless shall travagance has ever been encouraged by the authobe roused only by a gradual and slow process?-rities of either society, and no importance is attachthat the heart shall not be brought into a state of ed to any thing but the genuine fruits of conversion. right feeling as to eternal concerns, but by a reite- In the early part of 1770, we find Mr. Wesley, as ration of means which we think most adapted to usual, prosecuting his indefatigable labors in differproduce that effect?-that no influence on the mindent parts of the kingdom, and every where diffusing

the influence of spirituality and zeal, and the light | means, Is this language for a nobleman or for a porof a "sound doctrine." His journals present a pic-ter? But let the language be as it may, is the senture of unwearied exertion, such as was perhaps timent just? To say nothing of the Methodists, never before exhibited, and in themselves they form (although some of them too are not quite out of ample volumes, of great interest, not only as a re- their senses,) could his lordship show me in England cord of his astonishing and successful labors, but many more sensible men than Mr. Gambold and Mr. from their miscellaneous and almost uniformly in- Okeley? And yet both of these were called Morastructive character. Now he is seen braving the vians. Or could he point out many men of stronger storms and tempests in his journeys, fearless of the and deeper understanding than Dr. Horne and Mr. snows of winter, and the heats of summer; then, William Jones? (if he could pardon them for bewith a deep susceptibility of all that is beautiful and lieving the Trinity!) And yet both of these are grand in nature, recording the pleasures produced Hutchinsonians. What pity is it, that so ingenious by a smiling landscape, or by mountain scenery:- a man, like many others gone before him, should Here turning aside to view some curious object of pass so peremptory a sentence, in a cause which he nature; there some splendid mansion of the great; does not understand! Indeed, how could he undershowing at the same time in his pious and often ele- stand it? How much has he read upon the quesgant, though brief reflections, with what skill he tion? What sensible Methodist, Moravian, or made all things contribute to devotion and cheer- Hutchinsonian, did he ever calmly converse with ? fulness. Again, we trace him into his proper work, What does he know of them, but from the caricapreaching in crowded chapels, or to multitudes col- tures drawn by Bishop Lavington, or Bishop Warfected in the most public resorts in towns, or in the burton? And did he ever give himself the trouble most picturesque places of their vicinity. Now he of reading the answers to those warm, lively men? is seen by the side of the sick and dying, and then, Why should a good-natured and a thinking man surrounded with his societies, uttering his pastoral thus condemn whole bodies of men by the lump? advices. An interesting and instructive letter fre- In this I can neither read the gentleman, the scholar, quently occurs; then a jet of playful and good hu- nor the Christian. mored wit upon his persecutors, or the stupidity of his casual hearers; occasionally, in spite of the philosophers, an apparition story is given as he heard it, and of which his readers are left to judge; and often we meet with a grateful record of providential escapes, from the falls of his horses, or from the violence of mobs. Notices of books also appear, which are often exceedingly just and striking; always short and characteristic; and as he read much on his journeys, they are very frequent. A few of these notices, in his journal of this year, taken without selection, may be given as a specimen :

"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. That an ingenious man may prove just what he pleases, by well-devised scriptural etymologies: especially if he be in the fashion, if he affect to read the Hebrew without vowels: and, 3. That his whole hypothesis, philosophical and theological, is unsupported by any solid proof.

"I sat down to read and seriously consider some of the writings of Baron Swedenborg. I began with huge prejudice in his favor, knowing him to be a pious man, one of a strong understanding, of much learning, and one who thoroughly believed himself. But I could not hold out long. Any one of his visions puts his real character out of doubt. He is one of the most ingenious, lively, entertaining madmen that ever set pen to paper. But his waking dreams are so wild, so far remote both from Scripture and common sense, that one might as easily swallow the stories of Tom Thumb, or Jack the Giant-killer.

"I set out for London, and read over in the way that celebrated book, 'Martin Luther's Comment on the Epistle to the Galatians.' I was utterly ashamed. How have I esteemed this book, only because I had heard it so commended by others! or, at best, because I had read some excellent sentences, occasionally quoted from it! But what shall I say, now I judge for myself? now I see with my own eyes? Why, not only that the author makes nothing out, clears up not one considerable difficulty; that he is quite shallow in his remarks on many passages, and muddy and confused almost on all; but that he is deeply tinctured with mysticism throughout, and hence often dangerously wrong. To instance only in one or two points. How does he (almost in the words of Tauler) decry reason, right or wrong, as an irreconcilable enemy to the gospel of Christ? Whereas, what is reason (the faculty so called) but the power of apprehending, judging, and discoursing-which power is no more to be condemned in the gross, than seeing, hearing, or feeling. Again, how blasphemously does he speak of good works and of the law of God; constantly coupling the law with sin, death, hell, or the devil; and teaching, that Christ delivers us from them all alike. Whereas it can no more be proved by Scripture, that Christ delivers us from the law of God, than that he delivers us from holiness or from heaven. Here (I apprehend) is the real spring of the grand error of the Moravians. They follow Luther, for better for worse. Hence their 'No works, no law, no commandment.' But who art thou that 'speakest evil of the law, and judgest the law?

"I read over, and partly transcribed, Bishop Bull's 'Harmonia Apostolica.' The position with which he sets out is this, 'that all good works, and not "I met with an ingenious book, the late Lord faith alone, are the necessarily previous condition Lyttleton's 'Dialogues of the Dead.' A great part of justification,' or the forgiveness of our sins. But of it I could heartily subscribe to, though not to every in the middle of the treatise he asserts, 'that faith word. I believe Madam Guion was in several mis- alone is the condition of justification; for faith,' says takes, speculative and practical too; yet I would no he, 'referred to justification, means all inward and more dare to call her, than her friend Archbishop outward good works. In the latter end he affirms, Fenelon, 'a distracted enthusiast.' She was un-'that there are two justifications: and that only indoubtedly a woman of a very uncommon understanding, and of excellent piety. Nor was she any more 'a lunatic,' than she was a 'heretic.'

ward good works necessarily precede the former, but both inward and outward the latter.""

Mr. Wesley meant this brief but just analysis to be Bishop Bull's refutation, and it is sufficient.

"Looking for a book in our college library, I took down, by mistake, the works of Episcopius; which opening on an account of the Synod of Dort, I believed it might be useful to read it through. But

2

with God should 'cease from evil, and learn to do well.' Whoever repents should do' works meet for repentance.' And if this is not in order to find favor, what does he do them for?

"Review the whole affair.

"1. Who of us is now accepted of God? "He that now believes in Christ, with a loving and obedient heart.

2. But who among those that never heard of Christ?

"He that feareth God and worketh righteousness, according to the light he has.

"3. Is this the same with he that is sincere?' "Nearly, if not quite.

"4. Is not this 'salvation by works?'

"Not by the merit of works, but by works as a condition.

"5. What have we then been disputing about for these thirty years?

I am afraid, about words.

"6. The grand objection to one of the preceding

does in fact justify those who, by their own confession, neither feared God nor wrought righteousness. Is this an exception to the general rule?

"It is a doubt, whether God makes any exception at all. But how are we sure, that the person in question never did fear God and work righteousness? His own saying so is not proof: for we know how all that are convinced of sín undervalue themselves in every respect.

of the Moravians; and the Methodists did not escape. Wherever, indeed, the doctrine of justification by faith is preached, there is a danger, as St. Paul himself anticipated in his epistle to the Romans, lest perverse, vain, and evil minds should pervert it to licentiousness; heavenly as it is in authority, and pure in its influence, when rightly understood. In fact, there is no such exclusive connection between the more sober Calvinistic theories of predestination, and this great error, as some have supposed. It is too often met with, also, among those who hold the doctrine of general redemption; though it must be acknowledged, that, for the most part, such persons, at length, go over to predestinarian notions, as affording, at least, some collateral confirmation of the solifidian theory. That Calvinistic opinions, in their various forms, were at this time greatly revived and diffused, is certain. The religious excitement produced gave activity to theological inquiries; and speculative minds, especially those who had some taste for metaphysical discussions, were soon entangled in questions of predesti-propositions is drawn from the matter of fact. God nation, prescience, necessity, and human freedom. The views of Calvin on these subjects were also held by many, who, connecting them with vital and saving truths, were honored with great usefulness; and as the Wesleyan societies were often involved in these discussions, and in danger of having their faith unsettled, and their practical piety injured by those in whom Calvinism had begun to luxuriate into the ease and carelessness of Antinomian license, no subject at that period more urgently required attention. For this reason, Mr. Wesley brought it before his conference of preachers. The withering effects of this delusion were also strongly pointed out in his sermons, and were afterwards still more powerfully depicted by the master pencil of Mr. Fletcher, in those great works to which he now began to apply himself, in order to stem the torrent. Dr. Southey has fallen into the error of imagining that Mr. Fletcher's descriptions of the ravages of Antinomianism were drawn from its effects upon the Wesleyan societies; but that mistake arose from his not adverting to the circumstance, that neither Mr. Wesley nor Mr. Fletcher confined their cares to these societies, but kept an equally watchful eye upon the state of religion in the land at large, and consequently in the church of which they were ministers. The societies under Mr. Wesley's charge were indeed at no time more than very partially affected by this form of error. Still, in some places they had suffered, and in all were exposed to danger; and as Mr. Wesley regarded them, not only as a people given to him by God to preserve from error, but to engage to bear a zealous and steadfast testimony "against the evils of the time;" in every place, he endeavored to prepare them for their warfare, by instructing them fully in the questions at issue.

The minutes of 1770 contained, therefore, the following passages:"We said, in 1744, 'We have leaned too much toward Calvanism.' Wherein?

"1. With regard to man's faithfulness. Our Lord himself taught us to use the expression. And we ought never to be ashamed of it. We ought steadily to assert, on his authority, that if a man is not 'faithful in the unrighteous mammon,' God will not give 'bim the true riches.'

"2. With regard to working for life.' This also our Lord has expressly commanded us. 'Labor,' pyálcc0c literally, work for the meat that endureth to everlasting life.' And in fact, every believer, till he comes to glory, works for as well as from life.

"3. We have received it as a maxim, that'a man is to do nothing in order to justification.' Nothing can be more false. Whoever desires to find favor

"7. Does not talking of a justified or a sanctified state tend to mislead men? almost naturally leading them to trust in what was done in one moment? Whereas we are every hour and every moment pleasing or displeasing to God, according to our works; according to the whole of our inward tempers, and our outward behavior."

That these were passages calculated to awaken suspicion, and that they gave the appearance of inconsistency to Mr. Wesley's opinions, and indicated a tendency to run to one extreme, in order to avoid another-an error which Mr. Wesley more generally avoided than most men-cannot be denied. They, however, when fairly examined, expressed nothing but what was found in substance in the doctrinal conversations at the conferences from 1744 to 1747; but the sentiments were put in a stronger form, and were made to bear directly against the Antinomian opinions of the day. To "man's faithfulness" nothing surely could be reasonably objected; it is enjoined upon believers in the whole gospel, and might have been known by the objectors to have been al ways held by Mr. Wesley, but so as necessarily to imply a constant dependance upon the influence of the Holy Spirit. That the rewards of eternity are also to be distributed in higher or lower degrees according to the obedient works of believers, yet still on a principle of grace, is a doctrine held by divines of almost every class, and is confirmed by many passages of Scripture. To the Antinomian notion, that a man is to do nothing in order to justification, Mr. Wesley opposes the same sentiment which he held in 1744, that previously to justification, men must repent, and, if there be opportunity, do works meet for repentance; and when he asks, "if they do them not in order to justification, what do they do them for ?"-these words are far enough from intimating that such works are meritorious, although they are capable of being misunderstood. Repentance is indeed a condition of justification, as well as faith, but indirectly and remotely-" Repent ye, and believe the gospel ;" and seeing that Mr. Wesley, so express ly in the same page, shuts out the merit of works, no one could be justly offended with this statement (except as far as the phrase is concerned) who did not embrace some obvious form of practical error.

fully afraid: we are rewarded according to ou works,' yea, 'because of our works.' How does this differ from, for the sake of our works? And how differs this from secundum merita operum, as our works deserve? Can you split this hair? I doubt I cannot."

The doctrine of the acceptance of such heathens as "fear God and work righteousness," might be offensive to those who shut out all heathens, as such from the mercies of God-a tenet, however, which is not necessarily connected with Calvinism; and it ought not to have been objected to by others, unless Mr. Wesley had stated, as some of his opponents understood him to do, that "a heathen might be saved without a Saviour." No such thought was ever entertained by him, as Mr. Fletcher observes in his defence; for he held that whenever a heathen is accepted, it is merely through the merits of Christ, although it is in connection with "his fearing God, and working righteousness." "But how comes he to see that God is to be feared, and that righteousness is his delight? Because a beam of our Sun of righteousness shines in his darkness. All is therefore of grace; the light, the works of righteous-heard:ness done by that light, and acceptance in consequence of them."*

But when the minutes went on to state that this shows that salvation is by works as a "condition, though not by the merit of works," the highest point of heresy was supposed to be reached. Yet from this charge, though it derived some color from a paradoxical mode of expression not to be commended, Mr. Fletcher brings off his friend unhurt:

"The outcry of "dreadful heresy" raised against him, particularly on this article, was the more un-* candid, because by explaining the phrase secundum merita operum, to mean, as our works deserve, it was clear, especially taking the passage in connection with what he had previously stated, that he understood merit in that loose, and not perhaps always correct, sense in which it had often been used by several of the ancient fathers; and also that he was not speaking of our present justification, but of our final reward. But here Mr. Fletcher shall again be

"If Mr. Wesley meant, that we are saved by the merit of works, and not entirely by that of Christ, you might exclaim against his proposition as erroneous; and I would echo back your exclamation But as he flatly denies it in those words, 'Not by the merit of works,' and has constantly asserted the contrary for above thirty years, we cannot, without monstrous injustice, fix that sense upon the word merit in this paragraph.

"Our church expresses herself more fully on this "Divesting himself of bigotry and party spirit, he head in the Homily on Salvation, to which the ar- generously acknowledges truth even when it is held ticle refers. 'St. Paul,' says she, 'declares nothing forth by his adversaries: an instance of candor (necessary) on the behalf of man concerning his jus- worthy of our imitation! He sees that God offers tification, but only a true and lively faith, and yet and gives his children, here on earth, particular re(N. B.) that faith does not shut out repentance, hope, wards for particular instances of obedience. He love, (of desire when we are coming, love of delight knows that when a man is saved meritoriously by when we are come,) dread, and the fear of God, to Christ, and conditionally by (or, if you please, upon be joined with it in every man that is justified; but the terms of) the work of faith, the patience of hope, it shutteth them out from the office of justifying; so and the labor of love, he shall particularly be re that they be all present together in him that is justi-warded in heaven for his works: and he observes, fied, yet they justify not all together.' This is agreeable that the Scriptures steadily maintain, we are recomto St. Peter's doctrine, maintained by Mr. Wesley. pensed according to our works, yea, because of our Only faith in Christ for Christians, and faith in the works. light of their dispensation for heathens, is necessary in order to acceptance. But though faith only justifies, yet it is never alone; for repentance, hope, love of desire, and the fear of God, necessarily accompany this faith, if it be living. Our church therefore is not at all against works proceeding from, or accompanying, faith in all its stages. She grants, that whether faith seeks or finds its object, whether it longs for or embraces it, it is still a lively, active, and working grace. She is only against the vain conceit that works have any hand in meriting justification or purchasing salvation, which is what Mr. Wesley likewise strongly opposes.

"The former of these assertions is plain from the parable of the talents, and from these words of our Lord, Matt. xvi. 27, The Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father, and reward every man according to his works;' unbelievers according to the various degrees of demerit belonging to their evil works; (for some of them shall comparatively 'be beaten with few stripes;') and believers according to the various degrees of excellence found in their good works; 'for as one star differeth from another star in glory, so also is the resurrection of the 'right eous 'dead."

"If we detach from the word merit the idea of obligation on God's part to bestow any thing upon creatures, who have a thousand times forfeited their comforts and existence-if we take it in the sense we fix to it in a hundred cases; for instance this: 'A master may reward his scholars according to the merit of their exercises, or he may not: for the merit of the best exercise can never bind him to bestow a premium for it, unless he has promised it of his own accord-if we take, I say, the word merit in this simple sense, it may be joined to the word good works, and bear an evangelical meaning.

"If any still urge, 'I do not love the word condition,' I reply it is no wonder; since thousands so hate the thing, that they even choose to go to hell, rather than perform it. But let an old worthy divine, approved by all but Crisp's disciples, tell you what we mean by condition: An antecedent condition (says Mr. Flavel, in his Discourse of Errors) signifies no more than an act of ours, which, though it be neither perfect in any degree, nor in the least meritorious of the benefit conferred, nor performed in our own natural strength, is yet, according to the constitution of the covenant, required of us, in order "To be convinced of it, candid reader, consider, to the blessings consequent thereupon, by virtue of with Mr. Wesley, that 'God accepts and rewards the promise; and consequently, benefits and mer- no work but so far as it proceeds from his own grace cies granted in this order are and must be suspended through the Beloved.' Forget not that Christ's Spiby the donor, till it be performed.' Such a condi- rit is the savor of each believer's salt, and that he tion we affirm faith to be, with all that faith neces-puts excellence into the good works of his people, or sarily implies."t

else they could not be good. Remember, he is as The greatest stone of stumbling was, however, much concerned in the good tempers, words, and the remarks on merit:

actions, of his living members, as a tree is concern

"As to merit itself, of which we have been so dread-ed in the sap, leaves, and fruit of the branches it

bears, John xv. 5. Consider, I say, all this, and tell us whether it can reflect dishonor upon Christ and